Our house has been blessed with many pets that include two dogs, five cats, and a goldfish. They’ve brought us joy, unconditional love, and were there when it felt like no one else was. They’ve been my muses and writing companions, too.
These pets have inspired poems and many photos. They are our furry family. We watch over them, and they watch over us. Our eldest animal our cat, Thunder, who’s in her 18th year, but doesn’t look a day over 12 years old, still lets the other cats know who’s the boss. Each animal has a unique personality and contributes to the household in its way. Alice, known as the Huntress, brought me a gift recently…a mouse. She was fully prepared to bring it inside when I let her know in a high shrill voice not to do that. That prompted her to drop it, and it ran off. So, another mouse saved that returned to the forest.
Our dogs, the black-lab mix and Shepard mix were what we call, youthfully middle-aged. Walks were always a challenge as their leashes tangled as they went in different directions, but they’d always alert us to bears or raccoons in that unique high-pitched bark. They always greeted us home or when we got out of bed and were our protectors.
There were some subtle signs of aging to these youthful middle-aged dogs with a bit of white, especially on our black lab, Hermie. But age never showed up in his actions. He was full of love, a gentleman and always had a lick ready for you. He was much like an endearing toddler whose one look would melt your heart even after he found his way into the trash or over the fence.
Hermie came to us from the grocery stores parking lot. He was that little black runt bouncing around while his brothers slept soundly. He protected us more than once on walks when an unleashed “pack” of dogs came at us, and never sick a day in his 11 years.
Right before Easter one of those unexpected moments happened when our lab collapsed. No warning.
My husband rushed Hermie to the closest 24-hour vet, an hour away. A phone call later, a decision was made to end his suffering. He had a cancerous mass by his heart and was in the end stages of congestive heart failure. He’d shown no signs of that until that end moment.
He was a treasured, and sometime rascal, member of our family. The emptiness we all feel are filled by his memories. Now we take that walk without him on the Magical Trail where he rests near, but we know that each day we shared with him, was a blessing.
Embrace your inner child with memories and blessings, D.L. Finn
I’m very excited to welcome fellow #RRBC & #RWISA author, Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko here for the #RRBC 2018 WC&BE SPONSORS BLOG HOP!
Blurb:
If people know what the future holds in store for them, they will chose from one of two options: To go headlong in pursuit of their future, or to end it before it starts. That is where life stunts us. Because of this hidden future, we spend our lives as if we are swimming in troubled waters, not knowing which way to go, and choosing our directions by chance.
A wonderfully heartwarming story about one young Nigerian woman finding her way to womanhood through education. It was interesting to learn about the Nigerian culture, the role of Catholicism, and the educational opportunities. The main character is quite intelligent and musically talented. She struggles in her relationships with men, the loss of a child, and a brutal drug-induced rape.
A well written book that is a page turner. I hope the author will write a “Part II” to learn what happens to the main character.
Joy Nwosu was born in Enugu, Anambra State of south-eastern Nigeria. Her parents were Charles Belonwu and Deborah Nwosu. She is the fifth in rank of the seven children of her parents. Joy was born into a music family.
Joy, now retired, was a music teacher, trained in Santa Cecilia, Rome, and obtained her Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Michigan, USA.
She has written and published extensively on national and international scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Her short story I Come from Utopia was published in African Voices, Spring/Summer, 2007, pg. 18, and her first English novel; Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women was published in 2011, and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Contest in 2012. She has also two books published in the Italian language.
Joy is a trained musician, and taught music for 35 years. She writes, performs, and record folk songs.
I’m pleased to have fellow #RWISA #RRBC author, Eric Borgerson and his book, “When the Eye Sees Itself” here today. His book is on my TBR list.
Blurb:
Award-Winning Genre-Bending Novel: A Legal and Political Epic, Sci-fi Thriller, and Hard-Knocks Spiritual Allegory. Winner in Science Fiction at the Independent Press Award. Best Book in Science Fiction at the Pinnacle Book Awards. First Runner-Up In General Fiction, 2018 Los Angeles Book Festival.
In a society that segregates Aggressives and Vulnerables from full-fledged Citizens, a culture war rages over access to the powered class.
Behind this public conflict lurks a new technology that enables people to touch minds. Intelligence agencies and hacktivists, cops and criminals, spiritual seekers and purveyors of institutional oppression, commercial opportunists and political revolutionaries race to control its staggering potential.
The struggle for power lays bare both a rift and a linkage more fundamental than even the most sacrosanct of divisions, as the fight for country and world becomes a battle of the mind.
When the Eye Sees Itself is a fast-paced epic, an exciting mosaic of human interconnection, and a cautionary mirror for a world growing both smaller and larger at speeds too fast to perceive.
This book was an intriguing read. It doesn’t fit neatly into a genre, which is one of its strengths. It has a sci-fi element, but I wouldn’t call it a sci-fi novel. It’s an allegory, and the technology serves both as a fascinating story on the surface, and more deeply as a flexible and powerful metaphor for human interconnection. The story has a lot of threads and I was delighted to see them all weave together over the course of the book. This is an intelligent, fast-paced, challenging and profound piece of work. It goes through some dark terrain but it is also fun and funny. Dystopian but not pessimistic. I’ve never read anything quite like it.
Eric has been a writer in one form or another since junior high school in Oakland, California. He completed degrees in philosophy at Reed College and law at U.C. Berkeley. His career has included work in labor and civil rights law and politics, as an organizer, attorney, writer and journalist. He is also a fan of good science fiction, an avid science enthusiast, loves backpacking, music, film, and literature, and is a lifelong student of philosophy and spiritual traditions. When the Eye Sees Itself is Eric’s first major work of fiction. While it is neither biographical nor autobiographical, it is informed and animated by Eric’s extensive experience with politics and the law, as activist, participant and exile. Eric lives in the Palm Springs, California area.
I had a vision as a little girl as to what life should be. It was only an idea in my mind of something I’d read or seen on TV. It wasn’t my reality, but my dream of perfection. I grew up with that idea surrounded by contradictions. Still, I felt I could make this vision appear.
As an adult, I worked on this idea. For a while, I thought I had obtained this perfection of what should be. Unfortunately, I found out this idea didn’t exist, while reality and lessons demanded my attention. I struggled with that and fought the very idea of it. What I came to realize was this was a battle I didn’t want to fight–or be a part of it.
I woke up to myself–my strengths and weaknesses. It was not a life where nothing bad happened, but good things happened along with the bad, too. As I continued on this journey, things continued to change. People grew and transformed. It wasn’t always easy, but it wasn’t as bad as it first seemed, either. What I found was the sun always rose and set, the season’s changed, and most importantly, there was love to treasure. This endless journey shows up in my writing and poetry.
To celebrate National Poetry Month here’s a poem from “Just her Poetry.” This shows how brief and beautiful moments are:
PERFECTION
Vibrant…
Beautiful…
Inviting…
Its fragrance welcomes you
Making everything around it
Dull in comparison.
It’s a splendor of—
Yellow, red, purple, white,
Orange, green, and blue.
It illuminates the world.
Delicate, yet strong.
It’s bathed in the sun
It’s nourished in rain
It’s supported by the earth
Hummingbirds are drawn to it
The bees create from it
Humans capture images of it
It’s nature’s art—a limited edition.
Soon, the colors fade.
They wither on the branches.
They carelessly drop to the ground.
They become the balance that creates…more.
But this beauty’s only temporary.
It’s all there is and all it gives.
It is beauty, nourishment, and aroma.
The flower’s gone as quickly as it appeared
But never completely forgotten
In a fleeting moment of petaled-perfection.
Watch for the Monthly Newsletter this week!
Next week is Easter so there won’t be a blog, but I’ll be back the April 28th. Happy Easter to all who celebrate:)
There will still be special edition blogs to watch for!
Embrace your inner child by following your inner truth. D.L. Finn
I’m excited to have a fellow #RRBC member and poet, Balroop Singh here today in celebration of National Poetry Month!
Poetry: My First Love
I don’t remember when I started liking poetry. Probably I was born with it or was fascinated by the lyrics of Mother Nature. My love for words dates back to those crazy days of playing word games in school, when we perused our dictionaries to accomplish the challenge of finding new words and guessing the meanings.
Despite those word-challenging games, my vocabulary remained so insignificant that I had to look up simple words like ‘gaunt’ to give the exact meaning to my students.
Can you believe that I have been accused of using difficult words in my poems?
Can you fathom my elation at such a compliment?
It is indeed a compliment for a person who has always struggled with words; who was not that blessed to be surrounded by books as a child; who was always eager to borrow books from the library but had to return them half-read!
Poetry soars on the wings of words; I like it due to its succinct style. Just one metaphor could speak volumes. I poured all my woes and emotions into words to create poetry. Soon I learnt to fly on its wings and my themes widened.
Poetry touches your deepest cords effortlessly. It develops perceptions.
It liberates us from mundane events and situations. It is cathartic, as it could carry me from detachment to forgiveness.
Due to its ambiguous nature, it can be interpreted in more than one way, depending on how a reader discerns your thoughts.
When I published my debut book, ‘Sublime Shadows of Life’ my excitement was at the ninth cloud and I got some copies printed for friends and family and sent them, even to those friends whom I met occasionally or had not met after school days.
One of my friends who had not been in touch with me for a long time rang me up and asked: ‘Are you okay?’
I replied in affirmative and asked why was she asking.
She had a grim tone and said: ‘Is everything going well in your life?’
I laughed loudly at the tone of my fun-loving friend and asked her what was wrong with her.
She told me that she got alarmed at some of my poems, which talked about oppression and dark moments.
Though I had mentioned in the blurb “I, you, he, we and they are universal symbols, which highlight the fact that happiness is not a destination…” but who reads the introduction!
Authors draw inspiration from life and people around them and many of them agree that they do creep into their stories.
Some of my poems do give a peep into my life. I have written about an incident that moved me deeply. Some of my poems are an emotional outburst; some are inspired from the life of my friends but all of them are not about me.
The following poem is an excerpt from my debut book: Sublime Shadows of Life.
Balroop Singh, a former teacher and an educationalist always had a passion for writing. She would jot down her reflections on a piece of paper and forget about them till each drawer of her home started overflowing with poetic reminders, popping out at will!
She is a poet, a creative non-fiction writer, a relaxed blogger and a doting grandma. She writes about people, emotions and relationships. Her poetry highlights the fact that happiness is not a destination but a chasm to bury agony, anguish, grief, distress and move on! No sea of solitude is so deep that it can drown us. Sometimes aspirations are trampled upon, the boulders of exploitation and discrimination may block your path but those who tread on undeterred are always successful.
When turbulences hit, when shadows of life darken, when they come like unseen robbers, with muffled exterior, when they threaten to shatter your dreams, it is better to break free rather than get sucked by the vortex of emotions.
I’m very excited to have fellow #RRBC author, Suzanne Burke for her cover reveal and pre-order! I have my copy.
Whatever It Takes
by S.Burke
Available to Pre-Order NOW. At the special Pre-order price of $0.99c
Release Date: May 8th, 2019 >Psychological > Thriller & Suspense >.
It is such an exciting time for an author when releasing a new book! I would be remiss in not sharing my heartfelt thanks to the marvelous people who gave of their time so readily to beta read my latest book. Their valuable insights helped me enormously when crafting “Whatever It Takes” A big thank you to my wonderful editor and friend Rich Bowden @Bowden_Writing
At long last, I’m able to share the cover and blurb for “Whatever It Takes” my latest Psychological Thriller. “Whatever It Takes ” is due for release on May 8th, 2019.
It is NOW available for Pre-Order at the special Pre-Order price of $0:99
I have many good friends sharing this cover across the blogosphere today and tomorrow, so you’re likely to see it pop up in various places. Thank you to the marvelously generous hosts participating in my cover reveal splash, and to everyone dropping by to share in my excitement. Here’s my new baby . . .
With much gratitude to Eeva Lancaster at The Book Khaleesi for the cover creation.
He’d made it the ‘A’ list in Hollywood, a town that prized and idolized its winners above all else.
Then life began exacting a price that no man could be expected to pay as the people he cared about began dying and dying badly.
He couldn’t move on with the dream without knowing why.
Andi O’Connor is the woman he’s hired to do ‘whatever it takes’ to find him the answers.
Could this disenchanted, street-hardened, ex-homicide cop uncover the truth without adding to the growing list of those already sacrificed on the altar of a serial killer’s insanity?
From New York to Los Angeles the body count continues to rise.
Time is not on their side.
***
Prologue.
James Kincaid had long held to the belief that the red carpet he’d walked so often was stained that color with the blood of all those that had bled on the journey to satisfy their heady and addictive dreams of fame.
He’d shed more than his own fair share to get there. He hated the dream destruction, as much as he understood it. This town drew dreamers from every place on the planet, all in need of completion, all hungry for fame and holding on for dear life to the belief that it was only a matter of time before their artistic genius was recognized. No other drug ever gave them that high pulsing adrenaline rush that you soon became reliant on and addicted to. Those first glimpses of recognition hit harder than heroin. Until even those with a strong moral compass became lost.
Lady Luck had become his constant companion only five years before. After twelve years struggling to make headway in the business he became the latest ‘overnight’ sensation, winning the coveted role in what was tipped strongly to be the next ‘big thing’. He knew he could do justice to the part and that knowledge became abundantly clear as the audition cameras rolled.
James Kincaid found himself launched into the stratosphere. This was the only game in town and he was now a lead player.
He was feted and celebrated, pimped out and postured until the day when everything in his world fell into an oxygen-deprived free fall as people he cared about started dying from anything but natural causes.
I admit the quirky book title drew me in, but it’s the story that quickly made this a page-turner. Mika is a detective in the future and on a date in the Greek Islands. She runs into her new partner a handsome “AI” named Leo at an art exhibit. After a fight with her date, he leaves, and things go downhill quickly from there. I loved Leo “the Toaster” and his developing relationship with Mika. Not only is there action and a mystery to solve, but there are also questions brought up about what defines existence and life. I highly recommend this thought-provoking sci-fi romantic thriller.
I’m a huge fan of hockey, mystery, and romance–“Skating on Thin Ice” had it all. I loved the little details weaved into the story about hockey, but it was the characters and story that held my interest. The storyline drew me right in, and I ended up finishing it in one sitting. Mac took a hit during a game right before the playoffs and Samantha was assigned to help him recover. I loved the sparks between Mac and Sam and the danger that surrounded them. A quick paced story with a few surprises I wasn’t expecting. I thoroughly enjoyed this and toss my (Sharks) hat to the author. I will be reading the next book in the series.
“Vagaries of Life and: Girls’ Talk” is an entertaining collection of short stories. I enjoyed the strong female characters that provided wonderful examples of bravery and faith. Some of the stories were set in Nigeria, which pulled me in. There were many different subjects including murder, kidnapping, mystery, faith, robbery, and relationships. Each story had a lesson weaved into it. “You Will Die if you Scream” left a chill behind because it could very well happen. This book was uniquely written, and I was invested in the outcome of each story. If you like learning about new cultures, resilient women, and inspirational themes, this is for you.
I loved “The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51.” So, I was excited to read this short prequel to the story with Thyron the intelligent, mobile plant with telepathic abilities and a quick wit. Thyron is a favorite character of mine. In this well-written short story, he’s stuck on the planet Sapphira with a race of pygmies that worships his kind as gods. He gets a chance to leave or to rescue a human trapped on another planet, so he takes it. There are a few twists and turns in this story that kept me deeply engaged. “Beyond the Hidden Sky” is next on my list to read from this amazing author. I highly recommend this short prequel that can be enjoyed as a standalone.
This is a well-written short story set on the Ireland coast. Aileen only has her father after having lost the rest of her family to the ocean. She finally learns her father’s secret and embraces it. She still yearns for her true love to find her. A shipwreck brings her this love, but it comes with a price. I enjoyed the magic, ocean, and love in this tale. I highly recommend this story of love and the consequences of doing anything for it.
I loved this well-written short story. Vasilisa was beautiful and beloved by everyone, while Yaga was old and disliked. The twist in this tale was who the good person was between the two women. It’s a cautionary tale of looking beneath the surface and what’s inside. I enjoyed how it ended. This is a new author to me, and I will be reading more from Ms. Taylor!
Dana is a popular nurse in the ER. A woman she went to school with was admitted after an attack that Dana helped treat. Questions arise about who did it. The husband acts oddly, and the homeless man tells Dana strange things. Dana wisely avoids the area where the attack occurred. During this, she is questioning her relationship and her next step in life. I loved the setting and Dana’s interactions. It was well written, and I was pulled into the story quickly. Yet, there was no resolution at the end, because the story continues into a book. I will have to read the book now to find out what happens.
This is a collection of poems, photographs, and drawings that tell stories from Ms. Hurdle’s life. They include sitting in nature, giving birth, death, illness, and loss. Faith and being a survivor are strong themes throughout “Songs of Heartstring.” My favorite part was when the poetry connected to nature, but all the poems were heartfelt and lyrical. The tribute to the author’s parents was touching, along with the loss of a friend. The glimpse into dealing with cancer was inspiring. Although this was a quick read, it’s full of depth and can be enjoyed more than once. This is a book that poetry lovers will enjoy.
I’ve been waiting for Ms. Holmes debut novel and wasn’t disappointed! I love a good mystery, but along with that, there was romance and a strong female character. Sierra being an airline mechanic was fascinating and I enjoyed learning some of the details of what goes into keeping a plane flying. Those elements really brought Sierra to life for me, along with the burdens she carried from her past. The detective, Quinn, who was investigating the murder, was flawed from a past relationship. His determination to find the truth, even with his attraction to Sierra, made for an interesting internal conflict. I liked the chemistry between Sierra and Quinn, but I kept hoping they would take better care of themselves–sleep more. To find out what would happen next, I’d stay up way past my bedtime and end up being just as tired as the characters. I look forward to the next book in this series and recommend this new author.
Watch for a special edition blog this week!
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D.L. Finn
I’m pleased to welcome fellow #RRBC author, Susanne Leist here on her tour!
PREY FOR THE DEAD Blog Tour
I created two covers for my second book in THE DEAD GAME Series. So far, I have used the first one as my book cover and the second one as a banner. Did I choose wisely? What do you think? Please read the book’s synopsis below to get a better feel for the book. Then tell me what you think.
I’m dying to give away Kindle copies of THE DEAD GAME for those who participate. Once you read THE DEAD GAME, I know you’ll be dying to read PREY FOR THE DEAD. If not, The Dead can help bring you to the next realm.
SUSANNE LEIST BIO
I have always loved to read. Agatha Christie, Alistair Maclean, Robert Ludlum, and many other authors filled my young imagination with intrigue and mystery. When I wasn’t reading late into the night, the TV shows—Murder She Wrote and Columbo—entertained me with tales of murder and suspense.
Over the years, my taste in TV expanded to include such shows as Supernatural and The Originals. I searched for paranormal, murder mysteries but found few at the library or bookstore. So, I wrote one.
A career in writing has been a big leap for me. Accustomed to the number-crunching field of budgeting and the hectic commodity markets, I left my first career and M.B.A. in Finance behind to pursue my dream. I do not regret my foray into literature for one moment. Fellow authors helped me make my way through the competitive field. I write every day and even tried my hand at poetry. If someone tells you it’s too late in life to try something different, they are wrong. It is never too late to follow your heart.
The Dead Game is the first book in The Dead Game series. It brings fantasy and the surreal to the classic murder mystery with dead bodies, suspects, and clues. It offers vampires, vampire derivatives, and a touch of romance to give spice to the mix. Once you read The Dead Game, you will never look at a dead body the same way.
In Book Two, Prey for The Dead, the suspense continues as The Dead use an exclusive club in Disney World and infiltrate the rich and famous. The Dead grow in power, and not even the sun or the swamps of Florida can weaken them. Linda–my main character–and her friends join with the human vampires or hybrids to defeat the evil forces threatening to control their town.
I hope you enjoy my books. The third book of The Dead Game Series is waiting for me to write.
To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author’s tour page on the 4WillsPublishing site. If you’d like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.
Lastly, Susanne is a member of the best book club ever – RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB {#RRBC}! If you’re looking for amazing support as an author, or if you simply love books, JOIN US! We’d love to have you!
