Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, hello! I am here to give you all a huge Valentine hug! I have been busy but I will be back!

I am sorry I have not been leaving comments on your blog…but I will be catching up with you very soon.

Signing off for now.

My Choice for January: Beyond Looking Good by Dina H. Loomis

Beyond Looking Good by Dina H. Loomis

For this year's first, I picked Beyond Looking Good by Dina H. Loomis. Ms D., as she is fondly called by people who know her, is a good friend. I met her many years ago when I was aspiring to become a radio broadcaster and chanced upon Toastmasters Club (Tambuli). She became a mentor who helped me with my speeches and I later became an events presenter (which I did for sometime).

Ms Dina H. Loomis is fondly called Ms D by people who know her

Beyond Looking Good is Dina's first. This book is a compilation of her monthly articles published by the People Manager magazine of the People Management Association of the Philippines. It is divided into three parts, i.e. Appearance, Behavior and Communication. It contains tips, guidelines, stories and examples on a variety of topics including attitude, civility, colors, styles, communication, public speaking, leadership, spiritual and physical wellness and the power of persona profiling.

Beyond Looking Good, the title of this book, is also the name of Dina's blog. It captures her rebirth, so to speak. Facial beauty, flashy clothes, sparkling accessories can only enhance our persona. It is our core values, our attitudes, and our behaviour that determine who we really are.

This book is for the reader who wants to explore the myriad of possibilities that life has to offer, and offer to life the myriad of possibilities from one’s being.

In Dina's own words: "It is my desire that you will enjoy reading it, learn something from it, and take positive action to enrich your life."

If you like books by Dale Carnegie, Richard Templar, Andrew Matthews - just to name a few, you will love Dina Loomis' Beyond Looking Good.

If you'd like to know more, go and visit Dina's blog: Beyond Looking Good

If you'd like to stay connected, go and find her on Facebook: Facebook - Beyond Looking Good

If you'd like to get a copy of her book, here's the link to Amazon:

Amazon.com - Beyond Looking Good

Good grammar skills will help your career

I follow Grammarly, an online grammar checker, on Facebook. I have also heard fellow writers give their praises on their services.  I am also a Grammarly subscriber/user and have used it once or twice on line and it is free. If you'd like to upgrade to premium, you can find out more on the link above.

Grammarly has recently polled nearly 500 freelance professionals in eight different job categories on Elance, an online staffing platform. Grammarly reviewed the profiles of freelancers who had received four or five star ratings from employers with the goal of determining whether the accuracy of a freelancer’s profile is related to their credibility, hireability, and pay.

Checking for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors, Grammarly found that freelancers with the highest ratings had fewer mistakes in all eight categories (Writing & Translation, Admin. support, Legal, Design & Multimedia, Engineering & Manufacturing, Sales & Marketing, Finance & Management and IT & Programming). 

Also, Grammarly found that the better writers tended to earn more money. 

Freelancers in Engineering & Manufacturing with 10 or fewer errors in their profiles on average made $520.64 per job; while those with 30 or more errors made on average $237.42.

Freelancers in Sales & Marketing with 10 or fewer errors made about $498.26 per job; while those with 30 or more errors made on average $182.07 per job.

Additional findings:

Freelance Writers & Translators made the fewest amount of mistakes, averaging 10.1 errors per every 100 words.

Freelancers in the IT & Programming fields fared the poorest, with 19.3 errors per every 100 words.

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This is not a paid advertisement.  I have not received any payment in any form from this post.  I am a Grammarly subscriber/user. I believe in this campaign and this is the only reason why I have published this post.

I greet the new year with a new name!

Frankly, I have no idea what my blog is going to be called.  Eversince I've moved here from Conversations with Self, it never felt like home. The blog names I came up with so far did not sound right.  I used my name as well which did not sound quite the one I had in mind, especially since I stopped writing for nearly two years.  Even now that I'm determined to get back on my feet and write again (I wrote nearly 2K words last night, yay!), I still wouldn't use my name (yet) as this blog's title.

I came up with a lot of ideas and they were all absolute rubbish (so I'm not going to share any of them with you).  I've been thinking about this feeling of uncertainty and indecisiveness lately...and I'm coming to a conclusion that somehow, maybe, it stems down from "waiting" for something to happen all the time, for something to make it feel right when it feels "not quite there yet" or "not quite right". So, today, I thought, sod that.  I'm going to call this blog whatever I want. Of course, of course, I still thought of it for weeks on end, to be honest.  I had lists, endless lists, of names, some stupid, some okay, most of them not-okay. But at the end of the day, we have to laugh.

I have quite a few things in store for you in the next few months so this name must do for now.  I really cannot afford to lose the word "conversations" but it would be a repetition of my old blog so I thought I'd replace it with "confabulation" instead (Did you just burst out laughing? Ha, me too!).  Phew, what a day! Such hard work just to decide on a blog name when all the world seem to be coming to an end (if I disappoint you or make you feel this way in any way, I apologise).

It is a long explanation for a blog name so I must sign off for now.

Happy New Year!

Featured Book for December: The Watchers Book One, Knight of Light by Deirdra Eden

Every month, I will be featuring a book on my blog.  This month, I'd like to give it to Deirdra Eden.  Deirdra has been a long-time on-line/blogger/writer friend.  I was excited to hear about her new book, 

The Watchers:  Book One - Knight of Light.  

If you like reading fantasy and paranormal, this book is for you!

The Watchers Book 1: Knight of Light

In England, 1270 A.D., Auriella (pronounced yurr-ee-ella) flees her village after being accused of witchcraft. Pursued by nightmarish creatures, she struggles to accept the truth about her humanity. Filled with fairies, dwarves, pixies, dragons, demons, and monsters, Knight of Light is an enthralling tale that will capture the imaginations of readers young and old.

The Watchers Series has been described as Braveheart meets Supernatural. The mythology for the series is based on many theological texts from dozens of sects with correlating themes. Ancient writings include The Dead Sea Scrolls, The Traditional Apocrypha, The Pearl of Great Price, and The Kabbalah.

“The Watchers” are supernatural beings in human form whose duty it is to protect and guard mankind from the armies of darkness. Unfortunately, as the Book of Enoch mentions, some of these Watchers go bad. Although the mythology is based on these texts, Deirdra Eden’s The Watchers Series is written in a traditional fairytale style with a young girl’s discovery of incredible, but dangerous powers within herself, a cast of humorous side-kicks, a quest for greater self-discovery and purpose, and villains of epic proportions

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Wattpad  Pinterest

About the Author

"My goal in writing is to saturate my books with intrigue, mystery, romance, and plot twists that will keep my readers in suspense. I want to see fingerprints on the front and back covers where readers have gripped the novel with white knuckles! Aside from writing, I enjoy jousting in arenas, planning invasions, horseback riding through open meadows, swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, camping in cool shady woods, climbing trees barefoot, and going on adventures."
-Deirdra Eden

Find Deirdra Eden and The Watchers Series online on Amazon, Deirdra's website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Wattpad, and Pinterest.

The Jedi has returned!

Err.  Actually, it isn’t a Jedi.  It’s just me.  And I am not a Jedi.  But you already know that.

It is Novem…wait, no, it is December! Crickey! It’s really been that long, folks.  I’m sorry I have not been in touch.  I am here now to tell you what’s happened.

Well, you know when my father passed away in 2012, right?  It has now been two years and I still miss him.  I guess it’s true that when a loved one dies, we really don’t stop missing them….but somehow, we get used to their absence and it helps to think that they are somewhere safe.

There has also been a couple of wearisome situations that, somehow, made me re-examine my life.  I began to spend so much time thinking and so much time overthinking things.  In the process, I lost all inspiration to write.  Because I thought it was, one way or the other, a waste of time.  Because I thought that there were more important things I should be focusing on.  Because there were (and still are) so many reasons in my head to procrastinate and stop believing in myself.  These thoughts were like waves – they were worse whenever I’d be in a life crisis or a new challenge.  So, for a long time, I had lost my sense of self. 

And then, somehow, somewhere, something happened to my little brain again so that now, everything is slowly coming back to me.  It’s slow but it’s alright.  There were little moments this year that helped me come back right here, here with you, here in front of my computer screen – to write again.

So, today, I don’t intend to bore you with the details of why, how or what I was sad about during my absence.  Instead, I’d like to go back a little bit and share with some important moments. I know that perhaps, these moments have now passed me by.  Still, they keep me smiling and they have kept me going. I’m done being sad.  I’m done being cynical.  I’m done with all the thinking and not writing and “not doing.”

Here are some of the things that made my day this year and still put a smile on my face whenever I think of them:

In April, I finally got the chance to meet these awesome people who have been an inspiration to me. Jessica Bell and Talli Roland became my blogging buddies in 2010. What a joy to finally see them in person and spend time with them.  I also met two lovely people – Alison Morton and Amie McCracken.

Jessica, Talli and me!

With Talli

With Jess, Amie and Talli

In May, my son’s carers gave me an awesome birthday surprise! What a delight!

It was a delicious lemon cake!

Sometime in June-July, I’ve learned about box swapping! I swapped surprise gift boxes with another writer friend, Cath Barton.  It was amazing!

Loved all the little things neatly wrapped individually inside my box of surprises!

In July, my husband celebrated his birthday.  We were happy to have a little celebration as last year was a scary time for us when he's had heart bypass surgery.  This year, it was time to be thankful and celebrate.

In August, my son celebrated his birthday without having to visit the hospital.  We were able to take him with us for a short break in Scotland. He has been really well for a few months now and we are truly happy.

And this year, I was able to sort out a little place where I can write during the summer months (still thinking of how to keep the place warm in the winter months):

I am ready for more special moments like these.  I know that along the way, it won’t be easy.  But there really shouldn’t be any reason good enough for not writing, for not being able to do what I love to do.  I must find time – no matter how busy life gets, no matter how sad life gets, no matter how uninspired I get – because really, nothing is ever going to change.  Life will always be busy and there will always be times when there is no motivation whatsoever. If I don’t find time to write, I’ll lose the very essence of me.

Signing off for now.  Until next post.

Jessica Bell's White Lady Blog Tour

Today, I give the floor to the talented Ms Jessica Bell, an author, a poet and a singer/songwriter (I can't think of anything she cannot do!)

GUESS THE TRUE STATEMENT & WIN JESSICA BELL’S THRILLER, WHITE LADY! (Statement #90)

To celebrate the release of Jessica Bell’s latest novel, WHITE LADY, she is giving away an e-copy (mobi, ePub, or PDF) to the first person to correctly guess the one true statement in the three statements below. To clarify, two statements are lies, and one is true:

The first concert Jessica Bell ever went to was  ...

a. Kylie Minogue

b. Madonna

c. Smashing Pumpkins

What do you think? Which one is true? Write your guess in the comments, along with your email address. Comments will close in 48 hours. If no-one guesses correctly within in 48 hours, comments will stay open until someone does.

Want more chances to win? You have until October 31 to visit all the blogs where Jessica will share a different set of true and false statements on each one. Remember, each blog is open to comments for 48 hours only from the time of posting.

If you win, you will be notified by email with instructions on how to download the book.

Click HERE to see the list of blogs.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

*This novel contains coarse language, violence, and sexual themes.

​Sonia yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and mathematics teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats.

While being the wife of Melbourne’s leading drug lord and simultaneously dating his best mate is not ideal, she’s determined to make it work.

It does work. Until Mia, her lover’s daughter, starts exchanging saliva with her son, Mick. They plan to commit a crime behind Sonia’s back. It isn’t long before she finds out and gets involved to protect them.

But is protecting the kids really Sonia’s motive?

Click HERE to view the book trailer.

Click HERE for purchase links.

Jessica Bell, a thirty-something Australian-native contemporary fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist, is the Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca. She makes a living as a writer/editor for English Language Teaching Publishers worldwide, such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, MacMillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

Connect with Jessica online:

Website | Retreat & workshop | Blog | Vine Leaves Literary Journal | Facebook | Twitter

Happy Birthday, Lenny!

I cannot believe how long it has been.  Again.  There is a lot to say but today is something special.

Today, my special friend Lenny Lee is celebrating his birthday and this post is dedicated to him.  Lenny is such an inspiration to so many of us in the blogging community.  He brings sunshine in my world when I'm feeling down.  It brightens up my day when I see an email from him.

Lenny, happy happy happy birthday, my dearest!  You are one of the best! Lots of love and big hugs!

Where have you been?

Who?  Me?  Whoa!  Has it been that long?  I cannot possibly believe this. Nevah!

You still there?  I certainly hope so.

It's been a long absence, I agree. And yes, it needs an explanation, don't you think?

If you were following me before my extremely long absence, you may have noticed that my posts became very sporadic.  It's about time that I tell you this.  My mind was elsewhere most of the time in those days.  I didn't know what to write about.  I was worried and scared about life and the future and most of all, I was so unsure of myself.  I guess, I still am, if I am honest.  But today, I thought, "well, s*d it, I'm going to come back and write again. No matter what life brings.

The year I stopped writing was the year my father passed on.  It was the saddest year of my life.  The following year, my husband had an open heart surgery.  That scared me to the core.  Not to mention my son's visits to the hospital as well.  That is basically a brief catalogue of the critical points of my life during my absence.  In between these points, I was in a state of mental turmoil.  I was not sure if I should be writing about those life events on my blog.  Because I was in doubt, I didn't.  I also put my writing-in-progress aside, literally.  I've put them away, in a bundle, so I won't see them.  My inner voice wanted to write but there was also another voice telling me not to.  I listened to the not-to.  Then the voice left me.  It probably got tired talking to me.  No matter what I did, I couldn't find the words anymore to write.

Overtime, I began to lose my sense of self.

My sense of identity.

My inspiration.

I thought I'd just live to exist and be a wife and a mother.

And it was not enough for me.  I knew I could do better.  I felt I could do something more.

Slowly, I picked up the pieces - "my" pieces...and I am still trying to put them back together.

I am getting the inspiration back.  I am getting everything back.  My sense of self.  My sense of identity. At the same time, still trying to be a good mum and a wife.  It is possible to shuffle and juggle.  Give each one of these things a little bit of love and attention, with just the right amount in every pot, I guess.

That's why I'm here.  Again.  With you.

There will be more of me.  More stories to tell.

This is only the beginning, ha! Watch this space, my lovelies!!!!

Show & Tell in a Nutshell by Jessica Bell

Click to add me to Goodreads!

Hello friends! I'm glad to be back once again. Have you heard of Jessica Bell's new book, Show & Tell in a Nutshell? You haven't? Okay. Let me tell you about it.

Have you been told there's a little too much telling in your novel? Want to remedy it? Then this is the book for you!

In Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing you will find sixteen real scenes depicting a variety of situations, emotions, and characteristics which clearly demonstrate how to turn telling into showing. Dispersed throughout, and at the back of the book, are blank pages to take notes as you read. A few short writing prompts are also provided.

Not only is this pocket guide an excellent learning tool for aspiring writers, but it is a light, convenient, and easy solution to honing your craft no matter how broad your writing experience. Keep it in the side pocket of your school bag, throw it in your purse, or even carry it around in the pocket of your jeans or jacket, to enhance your skills, keep notes, and jot down story ideas, anywhere, anytime.

If you purchase the e-book, you will be armed with the convenient hyper-linked Contents Page, where you can toggle backward and forward from different scenes with ease. Use your e-reader's highlighting and note-taking tools to keep notes instead.

The author, Jessica Bell, also welcomes questions via email, concerning the content of this book, or about showing vs. telling in general, at showandtellinanutshell@gmail.com

Reviews:

“Jessica Bell addresses one of the most common yet elusive pieces of writing advice—show, don't tell—in a uniquely user-friendly and effective way: by example. By studying the sixteen scenes she converts from “telling” into “showing,” not only will you clearly understand the difference; you will be inspired by her vivid imagery and dialogue to pour through your drafts and do the same.” ~Jenny Baranick, College English Teacher, Author of Missed Periods and Other Grammar Scares

“A practical, no-nonsense resource that will help new and experienced writers alike deal with that dreaded piece of advice: show, don’t tell. I wish Bell’s book had been around when I started writing!” ~Talli Roland, bestselling author

Purchase the paperback:
$4.40 on Amazon US
£3.99 on Amazon UK

Purchase the e-book:
$1.99 on Amazon US
£1.99 on Amazon UK
$1.99 on Kobo

About the Author:
The Australian-native contemporary fiction author and poet, Jessica Bell, also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

She is the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and co-hosts the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek Isle of Ithaca, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.

For more information about Jessica Bell, please visit: 
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

What is Speculative Fiction by Theresa Milstein

Today, I'm swapping posts with a good friend and fellow writer, Theresa Milstein. I'm very excited because we are both included in the anthology, From Stage Door Shadows.

Theresa talks about speculative fiction...here she is!

Thanks for swapping blogs with me, Len.  I’m so excited to be in From Stage Door Shadows with you!

Last summer, I learned about the rules for writing a short story for the anthology From Stage Door Shadows:

1. Be inspired by a line from Elton John’s song “Tiny Dancer”

(That was easy.  I chose, “Looking on she sings the songs”.)

2. The piece must be speculative fiction.

What? 

I had to look it up. 

Here’s the definition on Wikipedia:

Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more highly imaginative fiction genres, specifically including science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history.

Okay.

That covers just about everything.  It’s almost too broad. 

I found this one on dictionary.com:

a broad literary genre encompassing any fiction with supernatural, fantastical, or futuristic elements. 

As soon as I got the line for the song, the ideas began to percolate.  My manuscripts normally have a magical element, but my short stories are often realistic fiction with a twist.  My first idea to write about children’s beauty pageants wasn’t going to have a fantasy element.  What to do now? 

The reason I chose children’s beauty pageants is because they seem extreme.  How the girls look and behave is extreme. I thought about women today: the fight over their bodies, the display of their bodies, and the idea of traditional roles. 

Then I thought about placing the pageant in the future.  What would beauty pageants look like in 2313?  What status would women have in the future? Once I asked those questions, I became even more excited about my story idea. 

Speculative fiction is about pushing the limits.

When I sent my story all polished, I felt good about it.  But the editor, Jodi Cleghorn, who worked with me for 100 Stories for Queensland, wanted me to push the piece further—make it darker.  It was the most extensive edit I’d ever done for a short story, and “My Moment” was much better for it.   

After reading about half the stories, I believe that everyone pushed limits.  I felt like I peeked down alleyways on dark nights and spied through windows in unsavory neighborhoods.  Here and there, I found flashes of magic and glimmers of hope.    

I’ve been amazed over how the lines from one song could inspire such various stories in place, time, tone, and more.  It was like eating a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.  

Watch out for earwax. 

Have you ever heard of speculative fiction?

Have you written speculative fiction? 

Where to find From Stage Door Shadows:

Goodreads 

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

The Book Depository 

eMergent Publishing

On the eMergent site, the book is $19.99 and the ebook formats are $4.95. 

Enjoy this!

Happy Birthday, dear Lenny!

Today is a very special day for me and most of my bloggie friends. It's because it's our dear friend's Lenny Lee's birthday!

Lenny, these are for you:

I wanted to send you a video blog, Lenny, but I'm too scared of the camera! Yaikks. Hope you have the most wonderful birthday ever!

A HUGE BIRTHDAY HUG!

From Stage Door Shadows

Twenty-six authors trade Tiny Dancer's California-based lyrics for the shadowed recesses of stages large and small in From Stage Door Shadows, a speculative fiction homage to the darkness just beyond the limelight of the entertainment industry.

From vaudeville to opera, piano bar and street corner, hotel suite and beauty pageant, From Stage Door Shadows is a backstage pass to where dreams of fame, fortune and fulfilment live and die in a heartbeat. (From the backcover of From Stage Door Shadows.)

I am very happy to announce that today is the release of From Stage Door Shadows.  My short story, Discovering the Gift, is included. 

The stories are free for a limited time! Here's the link:

http://literarymixtapes.com/


From Saturday morning at 9 a.m., the 25 stories will be available for free, for 48 hours.

From Stage Door Shadows is now on 

goodreads - Would you like to add it to your reading list?

eMergent Publishing

Amazon

Amazon.UK

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

On 24 October, I will be over at Theresa's Blog for an interview and she will be on mine discussing about speculative fiction. This will part of Theresa's mini-blog tour for From Stage Door Shadows. 

I hope you enjoy reading the stories and if you love them, why not purchase the book?

Enjoy the weekend!

The Kindness Project: Being surrounded with Kindness

I've recently signed up for The Kindness Project after reading Carolina Valdez Miller's beautiful post (another one of the so many awe-inspiring posts she's written on her blog) but never got around to posting anything. So, today, I thought it's about time I do that.

I hope you forgive me if I'm presently still lost in my own little world. I've recently told you about losing my father. We probably always say this about our parents but this is the truth: my father was one of the kindest people I know. He always had a nice thing to say about and to almost anyone. Even when someone was inconsiderate or rude to him, he was still nice. This was probably why people loved him.

I had not seen my father since 2009.  I wasn't there when he fell ill after his operation in January this year. I wasn't there when he got hospitalised for two months. It was torture not being there for him and for my family. But I couldn't do anything because I couldn't afford to go home and see them. In June, doctors told my family Dad may not have too long to live. We were all devastated. We knew it was going to happen. But when he passed away on the 24th of July, it was still a shock. I was just on the phone talking to him the night before. The truth is nobody ever prepares anyone of us for something like this. No amount of courage or positive-thinking could ever make it less painful.

In the midst of all this though, beautiful things happened. My father was surrounded with kindness.

Help came in all forms.

Visits to the hospital
A cooling fan for my father
Bags of different kinds of fruits
An electric thermal pot

Phone calls. E-mails.
Messages via texting, chat, Facebook, etc.

A warm embrace.
A kiss.
The warmth of a hand over my father's and mother's.

Prayers.
Positive thoughts.

Most of all, your presence which provided comfort.

There was - and still is - so much love, kindness, generosity and compassion pouring out within and around us.  I was so deeply touched. In the midst of this all, I saw the face of God. That's just how I would describe it.

Let me say thank you. I cannot put all of your names here but, you know who you all are. I wish I could but I know I will not be able to be there for every one of you. But if there is anything I can do within my capacity to help, I'd do it. And I mean it.

I wish for all of you to see the same "beautiful face" I saw at a time when you most need to see it. I wish that you all be surrounded with kindness and love. Outpouring. The same way you surrounded me and my family with them.


**********

Please be sure to check out all the inspirational posts for THE KINDNESS PROJECT.

Losing my father

I've missed you. All of you. It's been such a long absence. And I am returning with the saddest news.

I've just lost my father. My favourite person on the planet. It's been more than a month now and I still can't believe he is gone.

He became very unwell after his operation in January. I wasn't able to see him due to financial constraints and family situation. It was disheartening not seeing him and not being able to look after him. I had only words to tell him in the days that he was in pain that I love him.

I have moments of deep longing to hear his voice and to see him. The grief was and still is indescribable, incomprehensible. My world will never be the same again without him.  Anguish hits me without warning - I can be anywhere - in the car, in the kitchen, in the supermarket, in front of the television...my eyes will well up and it takes a long time for the tears to stop.

In this post, I'd like to pay tribute to my dad.  Did I tell you I called him "Tatay"? In English, it means "Father".  Here's something I wrote for him for the memorial service we had in my home in England, away from my family in the Philippines.

My dearest Tatay,

You were my anchor.  You always believed in me and supported me in everything I did or wanted to achieve.  Even when I stopped believing in love, you kept telling me "love will come".  When it did, you came up to me and said, "Didn't I tell you love will come?"  You were happy to see me happy.

I made mistakes in my life and disappointed you in many ways but you never said anything.  If you were hurting, you kept it all to yourself and carried on showing me your love.  You once said to me, "No harm will ever come to you for as long as I live."

My world will never be the same again now that you are gone.  But I know you are in a better place.  The thought comforts me somehow.

I miss you, Tatay.  I love you very much.  I don't want to say goodbye so please let me say "Until we meet again."

I'm very sorry this post is full of sorrow. I am trying to get some normality back. Some days are good, other days are not. I have been blessed with a husband who runs to me to give me comfort when immense sadness hits. Somehow, it makes me feel alright. Or that everything will be alright.

This may not be the last time I will be mentioning Tatay.  I have another post coming about the good things that happened in the midst of all this crisis. That post will be a reassurance that indeed, everything will be alright.

See you all again soon.

Book Launch: Oracle by J.C. Martin

Olympics-mania is at fever pitch! What better way is there to get into the Olympic spirit than a book set around the London Games?

J.C. Martin releases her debut novel, crime thriller Oracle, today! To celebrate, she's holding a month-long Oracle Olympics Blog Tour, with tons of games and prizes, including a possible grand prize of an iPad3 (for more details, visit J.C.'s blog)!

And it all kicks off with today's Opening Ceremony!

Read on to find out how you could win a signed paperback copy of Oracle right off the bat!

So what is Oracle about, anyway? Here's the blurb:

Oracle

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn't need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they've got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter's disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer's only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Intrigued?

Here's your chance to win a signed copy of the book!

All you have to do is visit all the blogs in the Parade of Nations in order (for a complete list of blogs, visit Olympics HQ here), including this one! Each blog will have a secret letter. Collect them all to decipher the secret message. Then go back to J.C.'s blog and enter your answer in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Answer some additional bonus questions to multiply your chances of winning!

The contest will remain open till midnight EST on Friday 3rd August. The winner will be announced on J.C.'s blog!

So here is my secret letter: I

Click on over to Cherie Reich's Surrounded by Books for the next letter!

Good luck!

Things are looking up

It was a glorious weekend!  I'm happy to tell you that summer has finally arrived.  Yay! I have been basking in the sunshine with my family.  Ahhhhhh, beautiful.  Let's hope it lasts.

Ahhhh! Sunshine!!!

Coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake made my day!

Anyhoo, wherever you are in the world, I hope you are all well.

Things are definitely looking up at my side of the world.  The last one item on my list - my driving theory test, yes that one that gobbled up most of my spare time reading, memorising, worrying and freaking out then reading and memorising again until I was sick of it - is finally out of the way now that I've passed! Keep your fingers crossed for me for my upcoming practical test!  The battle is not over yet. Hmp! But, I passed the first test, didn't I?

Also, I've just finished revising my story for the Tiny Dancer anthology! Another Yay!  So now, I've finally returned to my current manuscript, after five long months of sitting on it.  I'm reacquainting myself with my characters.

This coming week, although chock a block with appointments and all, and constantly on-call in case of any event happening with my son at school, still smells of good writing days ahead.  I'm so glad to finally write again.  It doesn't matter if it's fifty, five hundred or five thousand words in a day as long as I write something.

So, my lovelies, this weekend I don't have any movie/film feature but I will be posting on the books I've read so far and some personal secrets will be revealed in the days to come...so stay tuned!

Tell me about your weekend!

What are you reading?  


Or movie that you've enjoyed watching?

Fabric by Author Jessica Bell

Today I'm celebrating the release of 
Jessica Bell's new poetry collection, 
Fabric...


Wait! Please don't close the tab at the the mention of poetry! Trust me, just read a little note from the author herself before deciding to disappear...


Jessica says:


My poetry will not baffle you with phrasing that scholars award for academic genius and that can only be understood by those who wrote it. My poetry is for the everyday reader. In fact, it is even for those who don’t like to read poetry at all. Because it is real, stark and simple.


The poems in Fabric are no different. They explore specific moments in different people’s lives that are significant to whom they have become, the choices they’ve made. It’s about how they perceive the world around them, and how each and every one of their thoughts and actions contributes to the fabric of society. Perhaps you will even learn something new about yourself.


So, even if you do not usually read poetry, I urge you to give this one a go. Not because I want sales (though, they are fun!), but because I want more people to understand that not all poetry is scary and complex. Not all poetry is going to take you back to high school English, and not all poetry is going make you feel “stupid”.


You can still say to people that you don’t read poetry … I really don’t mind. Because if you read Fabric, you’re not reading poetry, you’re reading about people. And that’s what reading is about, yes? Living the lives of others?

Please support the life of poetry today by spreading the news about Fabric. Hey, perhaps you might even like to purchase a copy for yourself? The e-book is only $1.99 and the paperback $5.50.

Here are the links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Goodreads

Let's keep poetry alive! Because not all poetry is "dead" boring ...

About Jessica Bell:

If Jessica Bell could choose only one creative mentor, she’d give the role to Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and lyrics. And not because she currently lives in Greece, either. The Australian-native author, poet and singer/songwriter/guitarist has her roots firmly planted in music, and admits inspiration often stems from lyrics she’s written.

She is the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and co-hosts the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek Isle of Ithaca, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.


For more information about Jessica Bell, please visit:


Website
String Bridge (a novel) 

Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop 
Blog 
Vine Leaves
Facebook
Twitter

*****
My review
Very vivid, lyrical, well-woven words to describe scenes, feelings and emotions. I always get engrossed reading Jessica's poems..I get lost in her world, that I don't stop. Her first poetry book, Twisted Velvet Chains does the same to me each time I open it on my Kindle. Yes, I still read it, over and over.

Jessica's poetry always inspires. This one in particular is very engaging. Each page gets into different points in people's lives, making it so different from any other poetry books I've read so far. This is a book for people who love not just poems, but words, beautiful, lyrical, descriptive words about life. It's a book full of heart and requires to be read.


See other people's reviews!


Goodreads
Amazon UK

Amazon.com