Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
☼ V.J. CHISHOLM ☼ Halloween giveaway for MAGICK WEAVED ON A SAMHAIN EVE
author of Magick Weaved on a Samhain Eve, is an animal mad person with a wide range of holistic and new age hobbies, with a great love for music and life.
V.J. resides in rural Scotland, inspiring her amazing wiccan tales.
Samhain EVE is HALLOWEEN so from this blog for US only TWO CHANCES very cool necklaces you can win but? UK or elsewhere in the world...Visit HERE for your giveaway!
TO WIN click below to VISIT
V.J.Chisholm on Facebook, LIKE page and say Found you via 4covert2overt~
Linkage where you can follow V J Chisholm or VJChisholmbooks
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
P.C. ZICK author of NATIVE LANDS
P.C. Zick began her writing career in 1998 as a journalist. She's won
various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and fiction. She describes herself as a "storyteller" no matter the genre.
She was born in Michigan and moved to Florida in 1980. Even though she now resides in western Pennsylvania with her husband Robert, she finds the stories of Florida and its people and environment a rich base for her storytelling platform. Florida's quirky and abundant wildlife—both human and animal—supply her fiction with tales almost too weird to be believable.
She writes two blogs, P.C. Zick and Living Lightly. She has published three nonfiction books and six novels.
Her writing contains the elements most dear to her heart, ranging from love to the environment. In her novels, she advances the cause for wildlife conservation and energy conservation. She believes in living lightly upon this earth with love, laughter, and passion.
Contact and Purchase
Links
~ Amazon Page ~ Amazon UK Page ~
P.C. Zick, Author and EditorWebsite: www.pczick.com
Despite their ability to withstand such a tortuous practice as poking holes in the body, the Timucuans could not withstand the onslaught of the European invasion and the disease it brought.
Within 200 years of the Spanish explorations into northeast Florida, the last vestige of the Timucuan strain had vanished. Some folks suspect the few remaining by 1763, the year the Spanish turned over Florida to the English, fled the state for Cuba.
When the Spanish asked about this tribe of tattooed natives, another group of Native Americans used the word Timucua, which meant “enemy” to describe the large group of people who spoke the same language but had separate tribes. A tribe of Timucuans lived near St. Augustine in the village of Seloy
The Seloy filled my dreams and imagination as I wrote Native Lands. I’ve always been bothered to think that an entire body of people could simply disappear. So as I wandered the estuaries surrounding St. Augustine last year, the characters of Locka and Mali haunted me until I told their story within the pages of Native Lands.
While mainly set in 2012 in St. Augustine and the Everglades, the story of the Seloy in 1760 is interspersed within the plot to parallel the contemporary struggle to prevent the destruction of natural Florida. It’s a triumphant story, as Locka and Mali lead a small tribe into the Everglades to escape the Spanish and English. In the present day, progeny of the Seloy join others to fight for the survival of their beloved land.
Excerpts from Native Lands
1760, St. Augustine, Florida
“We come here this evening to tattoo our
young with the new symbol of the Seloys. They will carry this throughout their
life, and with the help of their parents and the other members of this group
about to leave our village, they will pass on their heritage to their own
children.” He turned and bowed to the village shaman.
“This symbol represents the most sacred of
animals,” the shaman said as he placed a long pole in the fire. At its tip, the
pole held a sharpened shark’s tooth. “The marks for both female and male will
be the head of the panther. Above the female’s symbol, a sun will shine down
representing the sustaining force of the female. The male mark will show the
crescent moon above the panther’s head to mark the passage of time and nature’s
role in the life of our people.”
“We have chosen the panther because it
represents all that is sacred to us,” the Chief said. “It is a powerful animal
with grace and beauty, and with the panther as our protector, we will survive
as a people. Wear its mark with pride.”
One by one, the four children came forward
and turned their backs to the fire. Their mothers rubbed crushed peppermint on
the spot for the tattoo as an antiseptic and to help numb and soothe the area.
The shaman drew the design on each with charcoal, before making the dots with
the hot shark’s tooth. Each child tried not to show pain, but by the time the
final dot was placed, tears flowed steadily down each child’s face. The fathers
rubbed ashes and berry juice into the still-bleeding tattoos. Later, the
mothers would place a layer of salt on the wound and tie a piece of deerskin
over it with the tendons from a bear that one of the warriors killed earlier in
the week.
“Tomorrow, the chosen members of our tribe
will set out to sustain our line of proud warriors, farmers, and hunters. May
peace be with you as you go on your journey,” the Chief said as he walked down
the row of those leaving. He touched each one on the head and bowed slightly as
a sign of respect for the enormity of their sacrifice. “Those of us who remain
will resist the white man as best we can. It is my greatest desire that we
shall all be reunited.”
2012 Everglades
They sat on a bamboo swing as twilight
encroached, stealing away the last of the natural light. Mike turned toward her
then and put his arm around her shoulder.
She turned toward him and their lips met
and then opened.
They walked to the platform just as the
rain began softly falling on the palm fronds overhead.
Later lying side by side on the
straw-filled mattress and covered with only a sheet, Barbara traced the tattoo
encircling Mike’s lower back.
“I love the panther tattoo,” she said.
“What does it mean?”
“It’s the mark of my tribe,” he said. “The
mother first makes it with henna. Later when the henna just begins to fade, the
father begins the process of making it permanent. At one time, my people
tattooed all parts of their body, but eventually it came down to a simpler
design.”
“Why the panther?”
“Because it is a sacred animal and has
survived, just as I have.”
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
~ * ~ CONDITIONS ~ * ~ by Christoph Fischer
Conditions
When Charles and Tony’s mother dies the estranged brothers must struggle to pick up the pieces, particularly so given that one of them is mentally challenged and the other bitter about his place within the family. The conflict is drawn out over materialistic issues, but there are other underlying problems which go to the heart of what it means to be part of a family which, in one way or another. has cast one aside. Prejudice, misconceptions and the human condition in all forms feature in this contemporary drama revolving around a group of people who attend the subsequent funeral at the British South Coast. Meet flamboyant gardener Charles, loner Simon, selfless psychic Elaine, narcissistic body-builder Edgar, Martha and her version of unconditional love and many others as they try to deal with the event and its aftermath.Monday, October 27, 2014
A Stranger's Eyes: The Multiple Reflection Series by Nikki Minty
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“Yesterday, if someone would have asked me how the world worked I would have told them we are born, we live out our lives, we grow old, and then eventually we die. I would have said we have only one life and we should make the most of it. I would have insisted magic was not real, it was just an illusion, but now it seemed like everything I was certain about in this life is nothing but an illusion.”
After walking in on his girlfriend cheating on him with one of his close pals, Jesse is filled with resentment, but things turn around in more ways than one, when a mysterious and stunning new student by the name of Sienna Lacey enters his English classroom. From the moment Jesse sets eyes on Sienna he is immediately attracted to her and at a second glance she seems oddly familiar, it’s like a strange case of déjà vu.
During their first night out together, Sienna eventually opens up to him, allowing us to learn the truth about her real identity and long heart wrenching history.
In a bid to change Sienna’s future Jesse is determined to make her face her past, but little does he realize that by unfolding the secrets of her past, he will also be unfolding some secrets of his own.
Available Here
Sunday, October 26, 2014
OXYGEN FACTORY
Breathe the air and die. Or worse, breathe and survive as one of the infected—blind, scarred, mangled, and stripped of everything but the hunger. Every day that Stella survives, scavenging through the buildings left standing, is another chance for the infected to kill her. If they can hear her, they know exactly where she is. If she stands still they can sniff her out. Fifteen years after the spread of the toxins, Stella was raised watching the infected hunt humans down. She told herself that it wasn’t ever going to happen to her.
Until one day, Stella finds a man washed up on the shore, from the Oxygen factory; the factory that ships out pills, which work its way into the lungs and pump oxygen throughout the body. He is part of the only organization working to keep humanity alive. Stella knows that to save him, will put her straight into danger. She’ll have to fight off more than just the infected to keep his secrets and keep him safe.
About the Author:
Renée des Lauriers was raised in New Jersey, the most densely populated state in America. There amidst the crowds and traffic, she pictured what would happen if the zombie apocalypse broke out. She now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and chinchillas.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
THE MYSTERY ALLIANCE: EVIAN’S SAGA by Taffey Tawanna Champion
Taffey Tawanna Champion is a small-town girl, born and raised in Greensboro, GA, educated at GTCHS in Greensboro, GA and further educated at Elon College which eventually became Elon University. This is the university where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She excelled in writing as a young child; even earned merits and won awards for writing ability, including a “Passport to Excellence Award" plaque for Best Essay. Reading and writing also were Taffey’s first loves before drama and music, which of course, came after.Before, during and after college, Taffey became a world traveler, even electing to live in London, England for one semester whilst studying at Elon University. She traveled several times to Paris, France at this time. Taffey also met and encountered celebrities in London, England which served to make her experiences even more special. Added to her world traveler status, she lived in South Korea for a short interval. This experience, including her fascination with various Kung-Fu techniques and martial arts films aided in her ability to create The Mystery Arts in The Mystery Alliance: Evian’s Saga.
She also worked in Marina, CA as an Americorps VISTA for MCHOME (a division of Interim, Inc.) under the Coalition of Homeless Services Providers. During this time, she became acquainted with the various artists of Breakthrough H’ART (a program synonymous with MCHOME) and also with noted Austrian Artist/Painter, Hans Kindel. It was here, under the tutelage of Hans Kindel and Bill Donnelly that she discovered her talent for Abstract/Impressionist Art. This is where the cover (Paradise Underwater) of her E-book originated.
THE MYSTERY ALLIANCE: EVIAN’S SAGA was created initially as a copyrighted action/adventure screenplay, however, Taffey decided to adapt it into an E-book: the first in a series of E-Books actually. She is already in the progress of working on a prequel E-book for this series. THE MYSTERY ALLIANCE: EVIAN’S SAGA is available for sale at www.Smashwords.com and will be distributed via Smashwords to many other retailers including Apple.com, Kobobooks.com, Flipkart.com, Barnes & Noble, and now Oyster, etc. This E-book is also made available for Libraries to obtain.
Taffey lives in Greensboro, GA with her family members and Buster, their canine pal.
You may contact Taffey Tawanna Champion via twitter @TaffeyChampion
What are your five favorite books, and why?
Friday, October 24, 2014
EYES OF ATHENA by SPENCER HAWKE
The Eyes of Athena
By Spencer Hawke
Rating: 
IR Verdict: THE EYES OF ATHENA is just what a mystery/espionage novel should be – quick, action-packed and full of intrigue.
Sep 22, 2014 
Author Spencer Hawke’s fictional THE EYES OF ATHENA involves a terrorist plot to start a New World Order.Hawke spins his international counter-terrorism tale at a breakneck pace starting with the 1999 shoot down of a U.S. super-secret stealth military jet in Bosnia and a terrorist plot to use the plane’s technology for nefarious purposes. From there, and over the course of the 10 years after the crash, the action shifts to various international terrorist strongholds, with each playing supporting roles trying to stop the terrorists.
When U.S. Special Forces attempt to retrieve the plane and the military technology, they are ambushed and killed. However, paratrooper David Gray luckily survives because Ari Cohen, a member of the Israeli spy agency Mossad (on “loan” to the U.S. intelligence community) is sent in to help the Americans and guides him to safety – forming a life-long friendship. Gray and Cohen are drawn into the conspiracy involving Iran, Russia, the Mob and a web of intrigue involving a more than 200-year-old secret American society sworn to protect America called The Eyes of Athena.
Hawke’s writing excels, especially during the book’s many action sequences. The dialogue in the novel is both crisp and tense but also humorous at times making for a captivating read that should now be mentioned in the same breath as genre masters – Daniel Silva, Brad Thor and Tom Clancy.
THE EYES OF ATHENA is just what a mystery/espionage novel should be – quick, action-packed and full of intrigue.
~ IndieReader.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Julie & Kishore by Carol Jackson
Julie – a Kiwi girl, a red headed, freckle faced, plain Jane longed to wear a white wedding dress and see her handsome groom waiting for her and she took her walk up the isle.
She was waiting to find her Mr. Right – then she met and fell for Kishore, a boy from India who had been in New Zealand for two years.
Despite her reservations she decides to go out with him. In doing this, was she going against all that was deemed acceptable?
How would her parents react?
If their relationship blossomed would Kishore’s very traditional Indian family accept an English girl into their family? Can their love survive?
Available Here
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
22 AUTHORS Donating Their stories to get $$$$$$$$$$$$ for Cancer Research THE one reason that ღ 4covert2overt will be NAUGHTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE ღ T. HAMMOND for SHADES OF PINK ღ For one day only but of course post will remain ღ
T. Hammond is a friend and an author I love to follow. Her writing is of the fun SEXY kind so for one day only and for a GREAT CAUSE, 4covert2overt will be NAUGHTY FOR A DAY!
My first experience with cancer was when my childhood playmate, Teresa ("That's Teresa without an 'H'," she stressed), was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. I remembered the scars (we called them zippers) all over her body from biopsy surgeries, and how tired she was. In her name, I began the habit of chopping off my hair every three years to donate to Locks of Love (yeah, my hair grows that quickly!).
There was a time, in early adulthood, when we lost track of each other, but happily, reconciled our friendship as adults and kept in irregular contact through occasional calls and email; mostly due to living three states apart. One day Teresa dropped me an email, mentioning she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer. She's already had her breast removed, but I found her letter's tone upbeat, praising her children's accomplishments rather than focusing on the negative. Sadly, Teresa eventually succumbed to surgery complications after cancer recurred years later. Her passing has left a huge Teresa-shaped hole in my world. even though our contact had been infrequent and casual-- maybe it was a matter of knowing she was somewhere, which made it easy to stretch out the time between calls?
When I sat down to begin my writing career in late 2012, I needed a name for my heroine who was blind, yet courageous and pragmatic. Instantly, I thought of my friend. My character, while different in looks and personality, is modeled after Teresa with her generous smile and laughing eyes, quick mind and extensive vocabulary, and kind, yet dry wit which kept me rolling on the floor laughing when we'd talk on the phone.
Teresa gave so much to the people around her. I'm proud to have been her friend. In tribute, I'm happier to donate my time and talent to the Shades of Pink Anthology in hopes the money raised can help other women like my Teresa, battle this terrible disease.
Detective Gil Westfield is intelligent, protective, and ruggedly handsome.
What’s a girl to do when the unattainable, older man of her dreams finally
looks her way? If you’re Ash, you blush with shy pleasure and hope to hold his
attention.
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T. Hammond feels writing is not a
calling so much as a compulsion. No one is more surprised than her when
characters take over the plot and dialog, (re)directing stories in directions
she had not (consciously) intended. Although she starts with a basic framework,
she finds that one or two chapters into each novel, not only have characters
shredded her outline into tiny unidentifiable pieces, they use the resulting
confetti in a nose-thumbing parade. She is fully convinced the writer is merely
the tool a story uses to tell its tale.
As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last year, the first Shades of Pink event raised over $10.000 through more than 1300 donations!
For our second year, 22 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink (volume 2), totaling almost 150.000 words / about 400 pages as a PDF.
The suggested donation is $5. All proceeds go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
For more information about the gift anthology and participating authors, please visit Kallysten’s blog.
She is one of 22 participating this year
SHADES OF PINK
Donate 4 a good cause and get your collection of short stories
The Shades of Pink Anthology is an ebook that gathers 22 short stories and that we offer as a gift to any person who donates in any amount to our fundraiser for research against breast cancer. During the month of October, we'll be posting excerpts, interviews with the authors and characters and blog posts about why we wrote these stories.
T. HAMMOND on cancerMy first experience with cancer was when my childhood playmate, Teresa ("That's Teresa without an 'H'," she stressed), was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. I remembered the scars (we called them zippers) all over her body from biopsy surgeries, and how tired she was. In her name, I began the habit of chopping off my hair every three years to donate to Locks of Love (yeah, my hair grows that quickly!).
There was a time, in early adulthood, when we lost track of each other, but happily, reconciled our friendship as adults and kept in irregular contact through occasional calls and email; mostly due to living three states apart. One day Teresa dropped me an email, mentioning she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer. She's already had her breast removed, but I found her letter's tone upbeat, praising her children's accomplishments rather than focusing on the negative. Sadly, Teresa eventually succumbed to surgery complications after cancer recurred years later. Her passing has left a huge Teresa-shaped hole in my world. even though our contact had been infrequent and casual-- maybe it was a matter of knowing she was somewhere, which made it easy to stretch out the time between calls?
When I sat down to begin my writing career in late 2012, I needed a name for my heroine who was blind, yet courageous and pragmatic. Instantly, I thought of my friend. My character, while different in looks and personality, is modeled after Teresa with her generous smile and laughing eyes, quick mind and extensive vocabulary, and kind, yet dry wit which kept me rolling on the floor laughing when we'd talk on the phone.
Teresa gave so much to the people around her. I'm proud to have been her friend. In tribute, I'm happier to donate my time and talent to the Shades of Pink Anthology in hopes the money raised can help other women like my Teresa, battle this terrible disease.
T. writes two concurrent versions of
the Team Red series for both the Adult and New Adult
audiences. Blind Seduction,
Color Blind, Blind Faith, Blind Rage, and Blind-sided are part of the Blind
series - featuring adult-themed erotic romance combined with a humorous
paranormal storyline. The Red series featuring Red Rover, Red Zone, and Seeing
Red (coming soon) is a funny paranormal romance series with a lighter less
explicit storyline. While both series contain the same character names and a
lot of shared dialogue, the Red series is stripped of sexual content and
contains modified innuendo and language.
T’s first Urban Fantasy, Posse:
Legends, is scheduled for Spring 2015, and will be her first book outside the
Team Red series.
AMAZON LINKS:
Team Red Omnibus 1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HI50VAY
Blind Seduction (Book 1): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C8UB0JK
Color Blind (Book 2): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E652OTK
Blind Faith (Book 3): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H8IH80W
Blind Rage (Book 4): http://www.amazon.com/Blind-Rage-Team-Red-Book-ebook/dp/B00KCDLN06
Red Rover (Book 1, of PG version): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQEUEFA
Red Zone (Book 2, of PG version): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EOZFSM2
Seeing Red (Book 3, of PG Version):
(Coming soon)
B&N LINKS:
Team Red Omnibus 1: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/team-red-omnibus-1-tina-hammond/1117895900
Blind Seduction: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blind-seduction-t-hammond/1119387612
Color Blind: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/color-blind-t-hammond/1116518426
Color Blind: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/color-blind-t-hammond/1116518426
SMASHWORDS
LINKS:
Team
Red Omnibus: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/453176
Blind
Seduction (FREE): www.smashwords.com/books/view/433292
Color Blind: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436503
Color Blind: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/436503
Blind Faith: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/437605
Blind Rage: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/437565
ITUNES
LINKS:
Blind
Seduction (FREE): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blind-seduction/id871506848
KOBO LINKS:
Team
Red Omnibus: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/team-red-omnibus-1
Blind
Seduction (FREE): http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/blind-seduction-team-red-1
Links
for stalking T. Hammond
website
ღ FB Author link ღ
Twitter: @THammondwrites
For our second year, 22 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink (volume 2), totaling almost 150.000 words / about 400 pages as a PDF.
The suggested donation is $5. All proceeds go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
For more information about the gift anthology and participating authors, please visit Kallysten’s blog.
HOW TO GET YOUR GIFT
- Donate using the button above!
- Your thank you email will contain a link and password where you'll be able to download the anthology in your prefered format (PDF, ePub or mobi/kindle).
- If you have any issue whatsoever downloading your ebook, forward your receipt to kallysten_fr@yahoo.com and mention your favorite format to receive it by return email.
- You can also donate to the charity organization of your choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email your receipt to Kallysten (kallysten_fr@yahoo.com) to receive your copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ~Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ BETTE A. STEVENS Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ~ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
Bette A. Stevens is a retired teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys writing, reading, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and childhood literacy and for monarch butterflies, an endangered species. Stevens's children's activity book, THE TANGRAM ZOO and WORD PUZZLES TOO!, was first published in 1997 by Windswept House Publishing, Mt. Desert, ME; a second edition was self-published by the author in 2012. AMAZING MATILDA, Stevens's second children's book, self-published in 2012 won a 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children's Literature - Ages 6 and older category) and also placed #9 on The 2013 Gittle List for Self-published Children's Picture Books. Stevens has written articles for ECHOES, The Northern Maine Journal of Rural Culture based in Caribou, Maine. In 2013, the author published her first book for the YA/Adult audience: PURE TRASH: The story, a short story of a boy growing up in rural New England in a family whose poverty and alcoholism mark him as a target for bullying by young and old alike. This short story is a prequel to Stevens's debut novel planned for release in the summer of 2014.
From The Author
"I love to walk and enjoy nature's beauty, whether at home or on the go. I'm passionate about the beauty in the world around me and enjoy jotting down notes and composing short poems. The coast is one of my favorite places to relax. I'm a nature collector: everything from seashells to birds' nests. When I was teaching, these treasures filled my classroom and provided inspiration for reading, writing and research. It was hands-on fun and excitement and I enjoyed every moment spent learning with, from and about my students. One thing I learned is that many children don't have an adult to read to them or listen to them read and talk about those books. Many of my blog and facebook posts will focus on how we can improve childhood literacy by reading to the children in our families and communities. My own childhood was filled with books and adults who shared and encouraged a love of reading. I've written some poetry and several short stories. I plan to write some adult fiction, including a coming of age story, and write reviews on some of my favorite books. I'll be sharing some of your stories, poems and tips on reading and writing, too. Let's have fun learning, living, sharing and loving language together." Bette A. Stevens
9/24/12 LINDA LOEGEL INTERVIEW excerpts:
Q: What prompted you to write "AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch's Tale"?
Bette: As a prolific reader, and with some creative writing experiences in my new 'teacher toolbox,' I was hooked right from the start. Meld that love of literature with a desire to inspire students to be all they can be and you've got a brand new children's book writer: me, the author of AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch's Tale, my second children's book. The teacher me wanted to integrate a story with core curriculum elements. A Monarch would be the perfect main character: as an indicator species and with Monarch habitat (milkweed) rapidly disappearing, it would be a great way for children to learn life science and environmental science concepts, all while enjoying an inspiring story. Monarch research was my first step. I thought the fit would be perfect because the challenges to be met in the natural world parallel the challenges to be met in the lives of the children. And so, I started to write and rewrite and rewrite... All of the tweaking was on the literary side of the story. I wanted it to be used to teach (model) the use of repetition, alliteration, metaphor and simile in writing stories. It was lots of fun and the first year I placed Matilda's story in a storybook format in a binder (no illustrations yet). I read it aloud and my fourth graders wanted to read it during their free time and make their own illustrations. We were raising silkworms in the classroom at the time. I continued to read the story aloud to my students (4th, 5th and 6th graders) over the years. During that time, I continued to make revisions and used those models as a teaching tool as well. As a retired teacher, I've had time this year to create the illustrations (pencil sketches and watercolor). My background in desktop publishing gave me the incentive to check the internet to find out about self-publishing. Voila! After more than a decade: AMAZING MATILDA, is now written, illustrated and published.
Q: What's next for you?
Bette: I recently started a blog and have been writing some poetry and short articles. Also, I have a short story (unpublished) that I want to expand into a YA fiction (coming of age in the 1950s and '60s) novel. When I read the short story to my fellow students in a creative writing class at college, they wanted to hear more. That's my next big project. I've already asked some Web friends if they thought this type of book would have an audience and I'm waiting for some feedback. I've also posted an article on my latest WIP (Work In Progress) on my blog. The working title is "Pure Trash." UPDATE: PURE TRASH, a short story for the Middle-grade/YA/Adult audience was published on August 12, 2013. This story is a pre-quel to the novel I'm working on by the same name.
Q: What is your advice to would be writers?
Bette: NEVER GIVE UP: You can do anything you really want to do if you try long enough and hard enough, especially with help and encouragement from your friends. (The theme of AMAZING MATILDA) The internet is such a great resource for connecting with other writers, readers, marketers, publishers. Join groups that fit into your niche. Then, connect with other writers and find out what they're doing. Read them, follow them, leave comments and ask questions. There is a wonderful world of encouragers on the Web.
From The Author
"I love to walk and enjoy nature's beauty, whether at home or on the go. I'm passionate about the beauty in the world around me and enjoy jotting down notes and composing short poems. The coast is one of my favorite places to relax. I'm a nature collector: everything from seashells to birds' nests. When I was teaching, these treasures filled my classroom and provided inspiration for reading, writing and research. It was hands-on fun and excitement and I enjoyed every moment spent learning with, from and about my students. One thing I learned is that many children don't have an adult to read to them or listen to them read and talk about those books. Many of my blog and facebook posts will focus on how we can improve childhood literacy by reading to the children in our families and communities. My own childhood was filled with books and adults who shared and encouraged a love of reading. I've written some poetry and several short stories. I plan to write some adult fiction, including a coming of age story, and write reviews on some of my favorite books. I'll be sharing some of your stories, poems and tips on reading and writing, too. Let's have fun learning, living, sharing and loving language together." Bette A. Stevens
9/24/12 LINDA LOEGEL INTERVIEW excerpts:
Q: What prompted you to write "AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch's Tale"?
Bette: As a prolific reader, and with some creative writing experiences in my new 'teacher toolbox,' I was hooked right from the start. Meld that love of literature with a desire to inspire students to be all they can be and you've got a brand new children's book writer: me, the author of AMAZING MATILDA: A Monarch's Tale, my second children's book. The teacher me wanted to integrate a story with core curriculum elements. A Monarch would be the perfect main character: as an indicator species and with Monarch habitat (milkweed) rapidly disappearing, it would be a great way for children to learn life science and environmental science concepts, all while enjoying an inspiring story. Monarch research was my first step. I thought the fit would be perfect because the challenges to be met in the natural world parallel the challenges to be met in the lives of the children. And so, I started to write and rewrite and rewrite... All of the tweaking was on the literary side of the story. I wanted it to be used to teach (model) the use of repetition, alliteration, metaphor and simile in writing stories. It was lots of fun and the first year I placed Matilda's story in a storybook format in a binder (no illustrations yet). I read it aloud and my fourth graders wanted to read it during their free time and make their own illustrations. We were raising silkworms in the classroom at the time. I continued to read the story aloud to my students (4th, 5th and 6th graders) over the years. During that time, I continued to make revisions and used those models as a teaching tool as well. As a retired teacher, I've had time this year to create the illustrations (pencil sketches and watercolor). My background in desktop publishing gave me the incentive to check the internet to find out about self-publishing. Voila! After more than a decade: AMAZING MATILDA, is now written, illustrated and published.
Q: What's next for you?
Bette: I recently started a blog and have been writing some poetry and short articles. Also, I have a short story (unpublished) that I want to expand into a YA fiction (coming of age in the 1950s and '60s) novel. When I read the short story to my fellow students in a creative writing class at college, they wanted to hear more. That's my next big project. I've already asked some Web friends if they thought this type of book would have an audience and I'm waiting for some feedback. I've also posted an article on my latest WIP (Work In Progress) on my blog. The working title is "Pure Trash." UPDATE: PURE TRASH, a short story for the Middle-grade/YA/Adult audience was published on August 12, 2013. This story is a pre-quel to the novel I'm working on by the same name.
Q: What is your advice to would be writers?
Bette: NEVER GIVE UP: You can do anything you really want to do if you try long enough and hard enough, especially with help and encouragement from your friends. (The theme of AMAZING MATILDA) The internet is such a great resource for connecting with other writers, readers, marketers, publishers. Join groups that fit into your niche. Then, connect with other writers and find out what they're doing. Read them, follow them, leave comments and ask questions. There is a wonderful world of encouragers on the Web.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Clancy Tucker ~ The writer
Last month I focused on Clancy Tucker the Photographer and this month I feature THE WRITER. Clancy one of my favorite bloggers is an AMAZING creative force.
Clancy Tucker writes young adult fiction for reluctant readers but has also achieved success as a poet and photographer. He has lived in four countries, speaks three languages, has photography accepted and published in books in the USA (Innocent Dreams, Endless Journeys & A Trip Down Memory Lane), photographic work registered with the International Library of Photography, published in literary magazines and has written more than 90 short stories.
BLURB
Outstanding Review
http://stefanvucak.com/
"Gunnedah Hero" by Clancy Tucker is a great historic read about a young fourteen year old boy discovering the family history by means of old documents, left to him by his grandfather.
Gunnedah Danson reads the diary from 1910, a time when his great-great-grandfather looked after a large herd of cattle at a time of a most serious drought.
That story is written with excellent attention to detail and it gives great insight into farming and herding of the times and is written with a great narrative and manages to hold the attention easily.
The story of the past consumes Gunnedah but the story is more complex than this. He reads all this while staying at a family cattle station where problems of their own occur.
This is a great and insightful read for all who love history. I found it particularly rewarding because it covers a place and an era I knew little about. The two heroes are both very likeable and their stories are very intriguing.
The book seems aimed at younger readers but has lots for adults like myself. A well rounded and very enjoyable read.”
Review by Christoph Fischer
“Smokey Danson was a legend in his own time. Known as the Gunnedah Hero, Smokey was given the impressive moniker as a young boy while driving a herd of cattle up the long `paddock,' in the early 1900s.
Clancy Tucker deftly tells the tale of the Gunnedah Hero through the eyes of another young boy living in the present day. Gunnedah `Gunnie' Danson is the 14 yr old great great grandson of Smokey Danson. Gunnie has been given a school assignment to write about drought and its effect on farmers and local economy. Returning home from school one day, he is given a gift from his Grandfather. The gift is a manuscript and an envelope, which cannot be opened until Gunnie reads the adventure that his great-great-grandfather had back in 1911 during the Australian drought.
Join Gunnie as reads the story and travels with his great-great-Grandfather up the long paddock with his herd of cattle. You will learn how Smokey managed to survive the wilderness while taking care of the cattle with only the help of three dedicated dogs. Finally, you will learn how Smokey became known as the Gunnedah Hero, and how an envelope from the past, delivered to a young boy in the present, will change the future of the Gunnedah Hero's descendents.
Clancy Tucker weaves a wonderful story that will introduce young boys here in the US to a life lived in Australia at the turn of the last century. Clancy includes a glossary of Aussie terms which many here in the states will not be familiar with, but what fun to be introduced to something so very new and different. This book should not be missed. I highly recommend it.”
Review by J E Rogers USA
“Gunnedah Hero was an enjoyable read, could read the whole book in one sitting as there was a desire to know what happened each day in the life of Gunnie. Shame the story didn't go further, would have like to read more of the great-grandfather's life and also into the current period but I guess that is a sign of a good book, I wanted more.”
Review by VJP
Clancy Tucker writes young adult fiction for reluctant readers but has also achieved success as a poet and photographer. He has lived in four countries, speaks three languages, has photography accepted and published in books in the USA (Innocent Dreams, Endless Journeys & A Trip Down Memory Lane), photographic work registered with the International Library of Photography, published in literary magazines and has written more than 90 short stories.
Clancy’s been short-listed and highly commended in writing contests: 2006 , 2007 & 2011 National Literary Awards, Raspberry & Vine (twice), Positive words, Australian Writers On-Line, Shaggy Sheep Tale, The Cancer Council (2005 & 2009) and had ten short stories published in literary magazines (Page Seventeen, Branching Out & Positive Words), newspapers (The Standard, Mountain Views & The Advocate), written articles for Kid Magazine in the USA and has won a poetry prize to name a life-size statue designed by renowned Belgian sculptor, Bruno Torfs. In 2010, Clancy was awarded a two-week NEEF (National Education & Employment Foundation)Mentorship Program conducted at Stonnington Libraries in Melbourne. Clancy is now a full time writer but has enjoyed interesting life experiences, including work as a speechwriter, public servant, fulltime union official, farmer, truck driver and small business operator. He has worked with street kids and draws on life’s experiences to write entertaining stories for young adults.
The toughest judges of his work, other than publishers, are his fourteen readers - kids aged from 8 - 17, some of them previously reluctant readers. Most are girls, more than half of them come from broken homes and all have a diverse background - Muslim, Aboriginal and Christian. Clancy's young readers read his manuscripts, complete a simple questionnaire and rate the story out of 10. At the very top of the questionnaire are two bold words: BE HONEST! Clancy values their opinions. Why not? They are his clients; the ones who will hopefully purchase and read his books. Below, you will see some of the comments they've made on their questionnaires.
BLURB
Boo is a seven-year-old Thai girl whose father is dying. She must leave home and travel 1700 kilometres to live in an orphanage, ‘Pa Joe’s Place’, run by a foreigner (farang). With a bag of clothes, some food and a mysterious envelope addressed to ‘Pa Joe’, she endures an adventurous train trip to Songkhla. On the way, she meets influential people who know Pa Joe, and a wise monk who gives Boo a lucky amulet.
Boo has survived four life-threatening situations since she left home: a train crash, snakebite, tsunami and a fire. Suddenly she takes ill and is rushed to hospital. Will her lucky amulet help her to survive?
Outstanding Review
"Hoei, Boo! With ‘Pa Joe’s Place’, Clancy Tucker has created an extraordinary piece of writing. From the first page, I fell in love with little Boo’s unpretentious yet endearing character, as will every reader, whether young or young at heart. Wherever Boo goes, she touches people in a special way. Told from a child’s perspective, the story doesn’t have much of a plot, but what Clancy Tucker offers will tug at every reader’s heartstrings, which more than makes up for that small deficiency. The novel has superb writing with excellent narrative and dialogue; a jewel. This book can be read more than once, revealing flashes of pleasure that may have been missed before.
‘Pa Joe’s Place’ also plunges the reader into aspects of Thai culture and the harsh life of its people struggling to survive in an environment tourists perceive as idyllic. Given this glimpse, the reader will be tempted to visit Songkhla for himself and see that land through Boo’s eyes. The ending is sure to leave the reader tearful. This is a story no one will forget soon.
I enjoyed reading this book immensely; a pleasure to come across such a work, having reviewed some very ordinary efforts."
Stefan Vucakhttp://stefanvucak.com/
GREAT BOOK REVIEWS ON AMAZON.COM
'GUNNEDAH HERO'
Winner of two awards in the
Australian National Literary Awards: 2007 & 2011
Gunnedah Danson reads the diary from 1910, a time when his great-great-grandfather looked after a large herd of cattle at a time of a most serious drought.
That story is written with excellent attention to detail and it gives great insight into farming and herding of the times and is written with a great narrative and manages to hold the attention easily.
The story of the past consumes Gunnedah but the story is more complex than this. He reads all this while staying at a family cattle station where problems of their own occur.
This is a great and insightful read for all who love history. I found it particularly rewarding because it covers a place and an era I knew little about. The two heroes are both very likeable and their stories are very intriguing.
The book seems aimed at younger readers but has lots for adults like myself. A well rounded and very enjoyable read.”
Review by Christoph Fischer
“Smokey Danson was a legend in his own time. Known as the Gunnedah Hero, Smokey was given the impressive moniker as a young boy while driving a herd of cattle up the long `paddock,' in the early 1900s.
Clancy Tucker deftly tells the tale of the Gunnedah Hero through the eyes of another young boy living in the present day. Gunnedah `Gunnie' Danson is the 14 yr old great great grandson of Smokey Danson. Gunnie has been given a school assignment to write about drought and its effect on farmers and local economy. Returning home from school one day, he is given a gift from his Grandfather. The gift is a manuscript and an envelope, which cannot be opened until Gunnie reads the adventure that his great-great-grandfather had back in 1911 during the Australian drought.
Join Gunnie as reads the story and travels with his great-great-Grandfather up the long paddock with his herd of cattle. You will learn how Smokey managed to survive the wilderness while taking care of the cattle with only the help of three dedicated dogs. Finally, you will learn how Smokey became known as the Gunnedah Hero, and how an envelope from the past, delivered to a young boy in the present, will change the future of the Gunnedah Hero's descendents.
Clancy Tucker weaves a wonderful story that will introduce young boys here in the US to a life lived in Australia at the turn of the last century. Clancy includes a glossary of Aussie terms which many here in the states will not be familiar with, but what fun to be introduced to something so very new and different. This book should not be missed. I highly recommend it.”
Review by J E Rogers USA
“Gunnedah Hero was an enjoyable read, could read the whole book in one sitting as there was a desire to know what happened each day in the life of Gunnie. Shame the story didn't go further, would have like to read more of the great-grandfather's life and also into the current period but I guess that is a sign of a good book, I wanted more.”
Review by VJP
Manuscripts completed:
'Gunnedah Hero' (c) - Smokey Danson's journey up the 'long paddock' - drought in 1910.
* 'Highly Commended' as an unpublished manuscript in the FAW Jim Hamilton Award - 2007 National Literary Awards.
* 'Commended' in the FAW Christina Stead Award - 2011 National Literary Awards.
Comment by reader 'COCT' : "Your stories are always great because they have great
beginnings, excellent middles and the best endings." Rating: 10
Comment by reader 'M': "The start captured me. The end made me cry and the middle amazed me." Rating: 8
Comment by reader 'GP': "Bloody sensational. Started reading at 8.30am and finished it
at 11.25 pm. I could smell the gumleaves." Rating: 10
'A Drover's Blanket' (c) - sequel to 'Gunnedah Hero' (c).
Comment by reader 'R': "Love ya work!!" Rating: 10
'Bold Journey' (c) - an Italian migrant's journey to Australia.
Comment by reader 'S': "I loved the awesome ending - didn't expect it." Rating: 8
'Irish Gold' (c) - a story about bushrangers & Irish immigrants.
Comment by reader 'B': "I've enjoyed all your stories so far. Most of them are different.
Clancy, please try to use double-sided paper to save trees. (smile)" Rating: 10
'Sam 'Kick Ass' Tucker' (c) - Sam Tucker's kidnapping.
Comment by reader 'P': "When she escaped it was fantastic. I liked everything. Hated nothing.
It would make an awesome movie." Rating: 10
'That Sucks' (c) - Sam Tucker's exploits at university.
Comment by reader 'R': "The story moves too quickly to get bored -
plenty of twists and turns." Rating: 10
'Streetwise' (c) - Sam Tucker as a barrister.
Comment by reader 'R': "Yeeeeees!" Rating: 12
'The Master Drover' (c) - Smokey 'Gun' Danson's story.
Comment by reader 'T': 'Smokey is an awesome guy - just like my Pop." Rating: 50 plus!
'Queen of Wiralee' (c) - Molly Jane Swenson's story - wife of Smokey.
Comment by reader 'J': "Molly's father was a mean mongrel. I cried and cried sometimes.
But, Molly was fantastic and deserved to have a great guy like Smokey. Love him." Rating: 15
'Mister Rainbow' (c) - a fishing / environmental story.
Comment by reader 'B': "I couldn't put it down. Great book!" Rating: 9.5
'Just Lucky' (c) - a story about disabilities. If you're not born with one,
you'll probably pick one up along the way ... but how will you cope?
Comment by reader 'COCT': "A lot of people would like this story. It would teach people that
even if you have a disability, it doesn't mean you're not as good or capable of doing things as anyone else is.
Your stories always end with the title as the very last words and I think that's really cool." Rating: 10
'Ky!' (c) - Rida, a Muslim girl who is bullied.
* Highly Commended' in the FAW Jim Hamilton Award -
2006 National Literary Awards.
Comment by reader 'M': "I absolutely love your stories. They're very interesting." Rating: 11
'Sheeza' (c) - a courageous Australian sheep dog.
Comment by reader 'MM': "This is the best story I have read so far. It has so much suspense and
excitement in it I could hardly put it down. I felt I was in the actual story nearly the whole time." Rating: 10
'A Free Spirit' (c) - Anecdotes from Clancy's life on the run.
Clancy's comment: "This will make you laugh and cry. It is full of true anecdotes about my friends
and my experiences with the great unwashed - the poorest, humblest people I've ever met."
'Pa Joe's Place' (c) - Based on a true story of a seven-year-old girl I met in Thailand in 1973.This is the story of extraordinary bravery during a natural disaster - a tsunami.
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