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A Raw Diatribe at Thanksgiving, 2018,  a Very Personal Introspection

11/21/2018

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This morning I woke, ready to begin cooking for Thanksgiving. My mind, unfortunately, decided to clasp onto the myriad of issues we are facing as a nation. I didn’t celebrate the 4th of July this year. I’m having similar feelings—more intense emotions—towards this holiday.
 Until recently, I kept my political views off social media. They’re none of anyone’s business, right? The fear of my readers disagreeing and impacting my book sales, or worse, lashing out at me verbally, kept my tongue uncomfortably planted, teeth gnawing until a coppery tang filled my mouth. But remaining quiet didn’t serve me or the country well.
The reality is, my singular voice is loud and necessary.
As I prepare to chop, sauté, and stir, I’m not in my kitchen. I’m with my neighbors to the north, living in tents, waiting for the FEMA aid to put a roof over their heads, doubting it will ever be enough. I worry for the children and elderly, fighting the cold nights. Watching my two fur babies as they relax in the comfort of warm my room, I mourn the loss of human life, beloved pets, and wild life that met their ends engulfed in unforgiving flames. And I mentally rage against the one person who has the power to make it better for the living victims but instead spews ridiculous and unfair accusations at them.
Yes, I am speaking of the POTUS.
My thoughts move down to the boarders where our troops gather to sit and wait for asylum seekers to arrive. I cringe at the cost of keeping them there when that money could bring relief to the displaced in California. I’m with our military members who are missing Thanksgiving with their families due to a political maneuver (now largely forgotten, as it’s no longer needed) to frighten voters during the primaries. My heart shatters at the irony of remembering how our forefathers and foremothers came to this land and were welcomed by the indigenous people (who were later killed in mass genocide). And now the President demonizes those who come here for the same freedoms that are dwindling by the day under his administration.
And that is when my anger flares over voter suppression. I wonder how we will dig ourselves out of the US sized hole our unscrupulous political representatives have dug in order to remain in corrupt power and tainted wealth. How can they be “of the people and by the people” when they have been entrenched in their government seats for decades? How can they have true empathy for those who are suffering? How can’t they have true empathy for those who are suffering?
My stomach churns thinking of the attempt to silence the press while feigning interest in stopping children from being hunted in their schools by automatic weaponry. Tomorrow the Parkland parents who lost their children will sit down to Thanksgiving for the first time without them.
The sadness turns to rage as I listen to the President lash out against what I hold to be good and honest. There’s no need to go into detail here. They are too numerous to list. It happens on a daily basis. Pay attention!
Maybe it’s more important than ever to celebrate the things that once made America GOOD. They might be lost, but I have to believe they aren’t irretrievable. If I allow myself to dive into the grief, the anger, the sickening feeling I get when I watch the news, I won’t be able to pick up the can opener and begin to move forward.
And it’s as simple as that first step—opening that can and remembering how lucky I am to hold it in my hands. Thanksgiving dinner will sit in front of me—a plate of turkey and all the fixings. And I’ll eat with gratitude.
 
*If you disagree with my personal opinions and want to lash out, that’s fine. This is my blog, shared on my social media. Take your rant to your own pages.
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Dissonance of the Dead Update- 08/29/2018

8/29/2018

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I’m so close, but these final chapters are so intense I have to take more breaks than usual. I’ve never delved this deeply into the psyche of someone with severe mental illness, and some of the research is intense. I spent a day listening to schizophrenia simulations and they caused difficulty in concentrating on the plot. Another character (in Lullaby of the Dead), was afflicted, but did not require the deep dive I’m doing now. My respect for people living with the disease has skyrocketed. 
I’m also battling with empathy for a character who has committed horrific acts. The backstory (referred to as death visions in the Opus of the Dead series) is full of his personal demons, making it difficult for me to know where to land. But in the end, I’m focusing on squishing personal bias and allowing this character to take life organically.
Thanks to all of you who have waited so patiently. Know I’m giving it my all. It won’t be long now.
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Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark: My Childhood Fears Revisited

2/8/2018

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Today I made the decision to watch a movie—THE MOVIE—I spent years trying to recuperate from. It took some time to find it, using tons of search words from the fragmented images in my memory. A woman in the dark—the little monsters wouldn’t or couldn’t come out in the light—the blonde woman (who ended up being a brunette) being dragged by a couple of tiny fiends—a camera—a flash bulb. That was all I remembered from my traumatized childhood. It’s doubtful I was trying to access repressed images. It was just a long time ago, and I was a small child which accounts for my lack of memory for the details.
Why bother? I’m a horror writer (among other genres) and since my teens a horror film buff. Any insight into what brought me here might be valuable to my craft. With a bit of reluctance about cutting into my writing time to watch a movie, I decided to just dive in.
I spent an hour and thirteen minutes and $2.99 embracing the story responsible for my inability to expose as much as a foot from under the covers for years without fearing being pulled into the abyss of the fireplace or a hell mouth under the bed. No, this is not fear of the dark. I’m a self-professed nyctophile. The night, the moon, have calming effects on me. Yet, there are still nights when a chill of fear shoots through me for no explainable reason. Perhaps the answer lay in this film.
​When I found this gif, I immediately recognized a perfectly preserved memory from my early childhood.
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Without further ado, the misty memories snaking their way through the synapses of my brain were from Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. To my surprise, this was not a big screen film, but a TV movie.
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​I was instantly transported back to that October night in 1973 (I know this not from memory, but from the release date) when I crawled out of bed to find my father on the sofa watching the television in the dark. As a tot, I was searching for my mother who always seemed to make sleepless nights disappear. This particular evening, however, she was out and my father was watching the three of us children. He obviously didn’t want to miss this show, so he allowed me to stay up and watch with him.
Once you get past the references to 70’s lime-green wallpaper, bad soap opera music, and a wife who has nothing better to do than make grocery lists and act the “perfect hostess,” you can immerse yourself in the whispering goonies and their plot to kill Sally.
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Let me answer the big question: Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was not scary this time around. Would it be scary to an adult in 1973? My first inclination was—maybe. Perhaps, we have become desensitized to gory horror. But then I remembered The Exorcist also came out that year—and so many fine films in the genre came before it.
Evidently, my deep fears were related to my young age. I’ve always been a bit embarrassed about how frightened I was of this movie. There is some creepiness stemming from the whispering of the little monsters. In fact, it would have been much better if we never saw them, just heard them.
As an adult, all I could focus on were the uneven performances of Kim Darby and Timothy Hutton’s look-a-like father, Jim Hutton. The characters have angry outbursts over little things and when they're supposedly terrorized their reactions are subdued. And don't get me started on the human dialogue, which was almost entirely unnecessary to understanding the film.
Another distraction was the size of these walnut headed creatures, which changed from a finger’s length while they watched Sally from a bookshelf, to about three feet in comparison to an outdoor garbage can.
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While searching for the film that disrupted many a night’s sleep in my childhood, I found my trauma validated by others who also watched this little gem as children. These articles confirmed my take on why it had stayed with me for so long.
Also interesting to note, I had seen the Guillermo Del Toro remake with Katie Holmes and never connected it to the show I watched all those years ago.
In case you’re wondering, I’m glad I found and watched this silly TV movie. It was fun and campy, despite taking itself rather seriously.
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Think Before You Post

1/6/2018

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If you scroll down this page, you’ll find how rarely I post. I prefer to fuse my social criticism into my novels. Today is different.
 
Social media—in theory—is a great idea. We can use it to connect with loved ones we might otherwise not have the opportunity to. We say we are too busy; however, we seem to find the time to go online and read their posts. And there is always the chance to spread optimistic messages and hopefully make someone’s day a little brighter.
 
But is it a social experiment that’s failed on almost every level? We have children committing suicide after severe and cruel online harassment. We spend more time in front of a computer than anywhere else. How is it affecting even mature adults?
 
The last few weeks have made something clear to me. Social media has become little more than a place to comment, give thumbs up or down to, and review everything. I’m not speaking about people espousing political views or the #MeToo-type movements. At least, those sorts of observations and truths give us a chance to evoke possible thought, insight, and change.
 
This essay (I’m calling it that because I’m so tired of the word “blog”) is about judgement. My writing relies on readers leaving reviews on Amazon. My side graphics business depends on word of mouth through platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Therefore, I’m online a lot—too much!
 
This world-wide computer experiment has been both brutal and eye-opening. The picture above is from the Black Mirror episode Nosedive that reveals the unyielding stress and unhappiness of living  to impress others—many of whom we’ve never met in person or have only had limited, inconsequential contact with—all wrapped in a bright pink, shinny package.
 
The main character, played by the bubbly Bryce Dallas Howard, goes through her life trying to make everyone she meets happy in order to obtain points. These ratings go towards not only social status, but apply to every aspect of her life.
 
This brings me to my point. We now live in a society where our livelihoods are dependent on the judgement of others. They aren’t people with any real expertise in reviewing or the topics at hand, just people with opinions. Everyone is entitled to have them, but we have become a world of people who can hurt others without ever having to witness the final result of our actions. Don’t believe me? Follow the president’s Twitter feed objectively.
 
Why are we encouraged to “post in comments” about which public figure we hate? Of course, as a writer I stand behind freedom of speech, but is this why it exists?

Does the fact that an actress doesn't wear black to an award ceremony to protest something mean you should fire up Twitter and go after them with both guns blazing? Does the color of a dress change the direction of the earth's rotation? Please ask yourself why publicly crucifying someone you don't even know makes you feel better.
 
As these universal platforms to build or destroy lives evolve, the control over our own destinies has diminished and with it our ability to do our work in a way we see fit. As a self-employed indie writer, I don’t expect everyone to love or even relate to my books. Writing and graphic design are arts, and as such they’re naturally subjective mediums.
 
So, we’re told to grow thick skins. Arguing with reviewers is strictly frowned upon. Anyone having a bad day or feeling a little power can use us as human punching bags who they never have to meet in real life. The consequences of their actions will never be known to them. In fact, we aren’t even flesh and blood human-beings to many of these persecutors
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It’s a bit different with my graphics business. My customers are mainly part of my online network of author friends, most of whom are warm generous people.
 
Occasionally, I cross paths with customers who don’t know what they are looking for and rake me over the coals to try and please them. If this happens publicly, it has the potential for a direct impact on my future sales. I can only imagine they are using this to manipulate me for their own gain. Then, I’m forced to give more than I’m being paid for as a matter of integrity and to keep my reputation intact. That might not be their ultimate goal, but it is the result of their unthinking actions.
 
Now, I must tighten my circle of trust and shield myself from seeing the results of judgement and criticism from every Tom, Dick, or Harry who happen upon my work.
 
The next time your food server makes a mistake, consider that it might just be an off day for them. Don’t lash out on Yelp to end their career or to cause trouble with their boss just because you can.
 
What I’m asking is to think before you post. Simple, right? 
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Political Party Madness

6/14/2017

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Today’s news is overwhelming. Our political leanings have gotten the better of us, and the shooting at the ballfield shines a spotlight on our division. 
 
I’m an American writer who writes about a global nuclear war. Our government plays a part in my storyline from the first page to the last. Perhaps some readers haven’t noticed, but I never assign any character a political party. That is not an oversight.
 
Why did I leave out the political party labels? Because of the possibility that someone would take my words and twist them to justify harming others for “a cause.” When political hate speech becomes normalized, it insights violence and divide.
 
It’s up to every one of us to remember, differing ideologies make our democracy what it is. We are all one people. We need to unite for world peace and understanding.
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Chevoque: Talented South African Author, Honest and Raw!

11/26/2016

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To start, shamelessly plug your books!
 
The Marked One (The Marked Series Book One) by Chevoque
Contemporary New Adult Romance
13 September 2016
Limitless Publishing LLC 
 
All Aaliyah had ever wanted was to be invisible…
To not be stared at. To not have to display her lifelong pain everywhere she goes. But society is too blind to see that beauty lies beneath the skin.
Aaliyah only reveals her special mark—a facial birthmark—to the closest people in her life. But when Aaliyah’s friend paints her in a portrait titled The Marked One?, her birthmark is exposed to the world. Now no amount of makeup can keep Aaliyah’s secret.
 
Tristan Gerardo appears to be a successful CEO, but he is hiding many secrets…
What many don’t realize is that his successful public persona is a mask for his own pain—both of losing a sibling, and his failed marriage.
Tristan buys a portrait called The Marked One?, and is shocked when the subject of the portrait arrives for an interview at his company. He pursues Aaliyah, and while she is cautious at first, she feels an ease around Tristan that she’s never experienced before. 
 
Little by little, Tristan’s secrets are exposed…

While Tristan struggles to keep Aaliyah from finding out how his sister died, she discovers he is still married. He assures her she has his full loyalty and the divorce is just a matter of time, and she desperately wants to believe him. But his estranged wife re-enters his life, and Tristan must figure out how to convince Aaliyah that she means the world to him. 
 
How can Tristan make Aaliyah realize that he loves her for herself, and not because of her notoriety as The Marked One?

Book Trailer and Playlist:
https://goo.gl/c7oY9b
Buy Link:
Amazon: https://goo.gl/1BJhHL
 
What drew you to writing The Marked Series?
It has mostly to do with the fact that I was realising that we all complain about stupid things we aren't satisfied with when it comes to our looks.  So by making my protagonist a person with a facial birthmark, it really challenged the idea of, 'is my complaint over a zit really such an issue'?  The entire idea of the book was just to write an everyday romance novel where the protagonist embodies what we all constantly have in the back of our minds and what it would be like if you couldn't change it.  In the end, I hope that if a reader takes anything from it, it should be that you are beautiful and the social norms of beauty don't matter, because you ate unique and that shouldn't change.
 
Your main character, Aaliyah, has a beautiful soul, but a facial birthmark she hides from the world. Do you have any similarities to your main character, Aaliyah?
I think we all have that something that bothers us and we fear the world might see it, so we hide behind makeup and false facades to fit in.  For me, my facial hair is an issue that makes me extremely self-conscious, yet it is utterly normal.  But it feels like I have a voice through my books to help others, young and old to realise that in the end, you are who you are and things the world doesn't accept, shouldn't bother you, because everyone can't be flawless and beauty fades anyway.
 
What first attracted you to the contemporary romance genre?
In a world where we seem to only see all the bad things, I like to write romances and show that there is still beauty in the world and it can be found in one of our most fundamental emotions as humans; LOVE.
 
 If you decided to hide your face from the world, where would you go? What three things would you want with you and why?
One of two places in South Africa immediately came to mind, Kleinmond or Glentanna.  They are small coastal towns in Western Cape.  Both are places that have inspired me greatly and I love the Fynbos in both areas.
The first thing I'd take along, is my family; which includes my parents, partner and dogs, because you can't truly 'escape', if you don't have your favourite people with you.
Second will be my computer, because I need to write everyday to keep sane, so that would be fundamental.
Lastly, a camera, because both these places I want to go to have perfect scenery, beautiful fauna and flora, and you simply can't go to the beach without a camera to forever capture the magnificence of nature.
 
What’s next for you on the writing front?

I'm working hard and hardly working on The Imperceptible One (The Marked Series Book Two), but I also began writing a medieval romance, that turned into a fantasy romance, so I'm quite excited to explore this genre that is new to me.
 
Find Chevoque Here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChevoquePublic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chevoque/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Chevoque
Tumblr: http://chevoque.tumblr.com/
YouTube: https://goo.gl/SQef8c
Website: https://goo.gl/CzxrPd

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Dawn L. Lubertowicz: Shape Shifting and the Paranormal

11/18/2016

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What drew you to writing The Darkness Series?
 It started with one story and then more ideas popped in my head for more stories, so I decided to put them all in a Series. I even started to have the stories overlapped with each other. The stories began to grow and create their own paths.
 
Do you have any similarities to your main character, Abby?
 I do have some similarities to my main character, Abby. I usually use people’s personalities and mix them together to create a character. There are times where I will throw some parts of me into characters to help them come alive for the readers.
 
Have you always been drawn to the paranormal genre? If so, where do you think it comes from?
 I was always fascinated with the paranormal genre. Growing up, I was always reading or watching movies with vampires, werewolves and so on. Anne Rice got me into the vampire world more than other authors. Shana Abe got me into the world of dragons.
 
If you were to be transported to a paranormal world, what powers would you want to have there? What three things would you always carry with you?
  • I would like to shape shift into animals or a dragon.
  • Three things I would always carry, my camera, journal, and drawing pad.
What’s next for you on the writing front?
 

What's Up With Dawn L. Lubertowicz:
  • Finishing editing on Marked, the fourth book of the Darkness Series. Also, work on some side writing projects that aren’t part of the Darkness Series.
  • Author’s blog: http://darknessseries.weebly.com/

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Regina O'Connell: Fabulous Author and Fellow Clown Enthusiast! (Really, we've got a club)

11/11/2016

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To start, shamelessly plug your books!
I have two books published Wren and Saving Wihe. They are books 1 and 2 in a trilogy filled with magic, joy, heartache and love of family. A journey of hope and new discoveries for a young girl on a quest for freedom for herself and the people she loves.


You have a very unique main character. She’s mute, but for singing. What attracted you to her and why?
Wren, like her mother and grandmother, is a witch. Her magic is strongest when she sings. In her village magic and singing are against the law. At a pivotal part in her story, Wren is captured and branded a witch. Something has happened to her voice and without singing, she can't save herself. Chained and alone, she awaits the fiery death that has been gleefully promised to her by the priest who rules the village.
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Have you always been drawn to the fantasy genre? How does this world embrace Wren?
I have been an avid fantasy fan since i first picked up a book by Andre Norton I was hooked and have tried to read everything she had ever written. Her Witch World series inspire me.

Do you have any similarities to your main character, Wren?

I thought about this and I'm going to say no. Wren is a character closely based on my son, William. He has a wonderful singing voice and it's magic to me. If there is any character that might relate to it would be Grace, Wren's grandmother.
 
We share a strange fondness for scary clowns. If you were actually running from one, what three things would you want with you?
With false bravado I could tell you I would never run from a scary clown! I adore them! However, I would definitely want a jet pack, a bottle of white zin and a cigar for after I lose that sucker. You're welcome to join me!
 
What’s next for you on the writing front?
I am currently writing a story for a time travel anthology called Shattered Time. It's called Willow and The Forbidden Portal. It's due to come out in March 2017. I'm very excited about it!
Thanks for having me!

Find out more about Reginal O’Connell:
Wren: https://www.amazon.com/Wren-Regina-OConnell-ebook/dp/B00ZGYQW9S/ref=kinw_tu_sims_1
Saving Wihe Wrens: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Wihe-Wrens-Journey-Book-ebook/dp/B01GXGOGP4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaOConnellAuthor
 Twitter @regina_oconnell
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Lynn Lamb’s Writing Pet Peeves

11/3/2016

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Thanks to Richard Gibney for inviting me on this Blog Tour for Larysia Writes Bloghop. Larysia is a marvelous Canadian poet and author. Check out her online presence where you'll find her own writerly pet peeves. Also, please hop over and read Safie Maken-Finlay's Pet-Peeves: Other People.

1) Writers who believe their books should be #1 Bestsellers right out of the gate because they are clearly brilliant.
These people tend to see nothing outside of their work and rarely have a decent editor go through their masterpiece. These are often riddled with grammar errors and muddled plot holes. They also believe a publisher will surely see the glowing beacon of their genius from a mile away, so there is no need for them to learn the marketing aspects that lesser authors (i.e. Indies) must figure out if they’re ever going to sell a book to anyone other than mom, dad, and their bff.
Look, the statistics aren’t in our favor no matter how good our writing is. With millions upon millions of books clogging up Amazon’s plumbing, you need clean manuscripts, read by betas from all walks of life. If they say something doesn’t make sense to them, it doesn’t make sense to your readers. Fix it. But if you believe something is integral to your plot, and it is not a mistake, stick by your guns.
How do I react when others refuse to listen to this advice? Grin, nod, reassure them they have a smashing success on their hands, and back away slowly.

 
​2. Writers who give up when they find out their books aren’t brilliant and don’t sell. 
A bad review is like someone telling you your beautiful child is ugly. They hurt to the core. Wallow in it for about an hour, listen to emo music if you must, but then really read what the review is telling you. Some readers have great points you might use in your next effort.
Writing and self-publishing have a huge learning curve. If you don’t want to learn, then maybe you should give up. But don’t ask others to try to change your mind—to convince you that you’ll sell millions of books soon enough.
What do I say to those people who coming crying to me that they aren’t selling books? Read pet-peeve #1.
 
How do I know these things? I've made these mistakes myself.

Also taking part in this blog hop:

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​DARIO CANNIZZARO was born in the sun-eaten Naples, Italy in 1982. He moved to Ireland in 2011, and has called it home ever since. He started writing short stories at seven, which are shamefully lost forever, but has never stopped writing since. His works have been published in Italian and English in Literary Magazines such as The Galway Review, Two Thousand Words and Chantwood Magazine.
His debut book is out now - a collection of short stories called “Of Life, Death, Aliens and Zombies”, which has been compared to Vonnegut, Fante, Bukowski, and Keret. His website is https://dariowrites.com/. 

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On this blog tour is Safie Maken-Finlay. Among the most erudite of book-lovers, Safie has some terrific apocalyptic and young-adult fiction in the works. Safie's website is here and her Twitter is here. Her pet peeves are here.

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November 03rd, 2016

11/3/2016

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