Tag Archive | writing

Meet Vanita Shukla

Jan7

Please welcome Vanita Shukla Hork to my blog. Hello Vanita, wonderful to have you on here this morning. Have a seat and we will get started.

  1. Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Thank you for having me as your guest, Mary, I am delighted to have the opportunity to connect with your readers!

I started writing poetry in 1981 at the age of 13. Writing and sharing my poetry is my passion. I have a full-time job in the corporate world, so my poetry related work is done after work hours in the evenings and during weekends.

I launched my poetry blog in November 2021 and published my first volume of poems written as a young girl in November 2022. During the last three years, I have published five poetry books. All my books are available on Amazon in Kindle format and in paperback.

I’ve written about my writing journey in my blog. My mission is to make the voice of my younger self heard.

I come from India, but I grew up abroad, including in the United States, as my father was an Indian career diplomat. I have lived in Denmark since 1986 and am married to a Dane. Our son moved for college in 2022, so we are now empty nesters.

  • Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I started writing poetry in 1981 at the age of 13. I had returned home to live with my parents after a harrowing year at a very well-reputed girls’ boarding school in India. I did not realise it at the time, but I had been the victim of severe bullying at a very vulnerable age for a girl. It took me almost four decades to get over it, to regain my self-confidence and heal, and to step more fully into my power.

The trauma unleashed the poet in me. Needing an outlet to express my emotions, I started writing.

It came naturally. The topics I wrote about were very personal, private, and at times, dark – unrequited love, desire, pain, betrayal, and my budding sexuality. The catalyst for many of these poems seems to have been a deep pain of some sort, which needed an outlet, release, and ultimately, redemption. Many of my poems also have a spiritual undertone.

I wrote actively and copiously until the late 1980s, when I got married. I was now in my early twenties, and the everyday existence of being married, getting a university degree, and starting a career took over. After our son was born, motherhood became my primary focus, alongside a full-time career. The hand-written poems were forgotten, stored away in cardboard boxes, testimonies of another time, another identity.

A few years ago, I suddenly started writing again, after a hiatus of more than three decades. Even though pain was once again the catalyst, I was immensely relieved and grateful that I had not lost my inner voice. The poet in me was not dead.

During the corona lockdowns in 2020, I found myself with more time on my hands while working from home. Inspired by my most recent spell of writing, I decided the time had come to type my hand-written poems, before the papers disintegrated or got lost. My idea initially was to save the poems for our son and his future family, so they would know who their mother and grandmother had been.

At the back of my mind, I also had a hope of publishing my poems one day. My late father, who strongly supported my poetry writing, had tried to get them published in the ‘80s, but it was not meant to be. But now, with the advent of the internet and modern technology, this goal was within my reach.

I purchased a personal laptop and started typing the almost 40-year-old poems during our annual family holiday in France in June 2020. As I typed the poems, I marvelled at the wisdom and depth of the young girl I had been and how some of the emotions had not changed in the years between us. I was also confronted by her darkness and felt overwhelmed by the pain and intensity in my poems. They were mature beyond my years when I wrote them.

This young girl deserved to be heard, and I made this my mission.

I decided to start publishing my poems myself and launched my poetry blog in November 2021. The response was very positive, not least on social media.

Since then, I have published five volumes of my poems and more than 70 poems in my blog. I wish to make my poetry accessible to everyone.

  • How difficult was it writing your first book?

Very difficult, indeed! As I describe in my blog post from 2022, Making a dream come true, I was practically leaping out of my comfort zone, and it was extremely uncomfortable.

I quickly understood, that even though writing poems is a creative endeavour, publishing a book of poems is an entirely different matter! It requires structure, analysis, and discipline.

I had to learn a lot about the technicalities of self-publishing, and there were critical decisions to make along the way: Which poems to select; which order to present them in; what to call my book series, so the name would be apt for all the titles in the series; and finally, selecting the perfect picture for the cover.

Memories from Another Lifetime: Pain is the first book in the series. Since pain has always been the catalyst for my poetry, I felt it apt that the first compilation of my poems should be on this theme.

  • Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

As I mentioned, writing that first book was a daunting task. To keep me going, my mantra for several months was: Feel the fear, and do it anyway!

The decisions I had to make were difficult. I also felt doubt along the way and asked myself if my poems were good enough to publish a book. It was one thing to appreciate my own poems as the poet, it was another to look at them with the impartial eyes of an editor and publisher. I was highly critical of them, and several poems did not make the final cut.

The process was challenging and protracted, and I was doing all of this on top of the demands of my corporate job and family obligations at home. I did feel like giving up or at least delaying my first book, but I decided to keep going.

I felt I owed it to my younger self and to all the wonderful people I had met on social media, who genuinely appreciate my poetry, and who encouraged me to keep at it. Several of them have become good friends, and they continue to support and encourage me in my mission.

Just a few days short of my 55th birthday, my younger self was given her voice and introduced to the world. After a journey of four decades, a dream became a reality, and my first book Pain was published on 26 November 2022.

The process has become easier with each subsequent book, although selecting the poems and putting them in the right order for a book still takes time and requires careful consideration.

Having said that, I have discovered that poetry is a very difficult genre to market, and most readers shy away from it. This feels quite discouraging at times. I am therefore grateful for all the positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as they will hopefully help my poetry reach a wider audience.

  • Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

That is a difficult one to answer! There are three people who have played a key role for my dream as a writer.

My mother, Kusum Shukla, an accomplished artist and poet herself, whose love and talent for writing poetry has rubbed off on me. She has always been a role model for me in courage, strength, and grace. Her beautiful painting, In Search of Soul (1995), graces the cover of my books.

My father, late Ambassador (Rtd.) Ramesh Chandra Shukla, who believed in my poems and wanted to publish them all those years ago, when I was a young girl. I wish he could have seen my blog and my books. He would have been very happy and proud.

Finally, my sister, Vatsala Shukla, a career coach and published author herself, who has given me invaluable support and encouragement in setting up my blog and publishing my books. She has guided me as my coach through many years and has played a key role in helping me find my voice and step into my power again.

  • Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

I think I would like my readers to keep in mind my age when I wrote those poems. I was a teenager at the time. All my poems are dated.

I think it is difficult for some people to believe or understand that a very young person with limited life experience can write poems of such pain, maturity, and intensity. But, as I also write in the introduction to my books, I believe these poems are memories and messages from a previous life; that the initial trauma blasted open a portal to other lifetimes.

Hence the title of the series – Memories from another Lifetime.

  • What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

As a youngster, I was always extremely nervous before my school exams. My mother would tell me, ‘Do your best, and leave the rest to God.’ And it’s true – one should focus on things within one’s control and not worry about the outcome. We can waste a lot of time worrying, instead of just getting on with it.

I have passed on the same advice to our son. While he was in school, I would tell him, ‘I don’t expect you to be the best, I expect you to do your best. The rest will follow.’ Seeing the fine young man he has become, I know I was right!

  • What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

I don’t have a specific target audience, although the nature and themes of most of my poems are more suited for grown-ups.

Having said that, I did a video in April 2022 on one of my latest poems, Positive Abundance, for Author’s Week at a middle school in Long Island, New York. My poem was received very well and touched the hearts of the youngsters, who reached out to me with their own thoughts and feelings! They had felt inspired by my poem and my story. They wanted to start writing themselves, and some of them wrote already. I could sense their sensitive hearts and, in some cases, feelings of being lonely. This is something I could relate to from my own teen years. I have written about this wonderful experience in my blog post from 2022, Reaching out to the next generation.

One of the things I have realised since I started posting my poems in my blog and on social media, is that my poems resonate with people in different ways. It’s fascinating to see how people relate to my poems and interpret them based on their own life experiences. The themes of my poems are universal to the human experience – love, desire, heartbreak, betrayal, hurt, and denial.

  • Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

Choosing the cover for my poetry books was one of the key decisions I have made. My poetry can be very intense. I needed a unique picture for the cover of the book series. A picture that would complement the poems well. A picture as vivid, passionate, and intense as my poems.

While looking for the perfect picture, one of the paintings in our study at home caught my eye. It was a beautiful and haunting painting by my mother, the artist Kusum Shukla. I took the painting off the wall to see if there was any inscription behind it. And indeed, there was. The painting was from 1995, and my mother had named it In Search of Soul.

This was my cover!

Before I could use it, however, I needed to ask for my mother’s permission. As an accomplished artist, she is very particular about her paintings and the context in which they are used. She does not take such requests lightly. I am very grateful that she was generous enough to make an exception for me, and I am proud to have her painting as the signature look of my poetry books.

  1. What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I am currently taking a break from compiling new poetry volumes.

2024 was a very busy and important year for me. I set myself the personal goal of publishing the first four poetry volumes, Pain, Love, Desire, and Soul in paperback format. All four volumes had been released in Kindle format, as I wanted my poetry to be easily accessible to everybody.

But publishing paperbacks was no mean feat for me, and it took quite a lot of time and learning! Pain came out in paperback in April 2024, followed by Love, Desire, and finally, Soul in July 2024. I’ve written about this journey in my blog posts from 2024, Overcoming fear and obstacles and Making it to the finishing line!

Having met my goal for 2024, I found renewed energy and motivation to release a new volume of poems, and my fifth book, Friends, came out in September 2024.

Here is an excerpt from one of the poems in Friends, called The Saviour. I wrote The Saviour in 1983 at the age of 16, for a rather special and misunderstood person. He was very intelligent and warm-hearted but also terribly introverted. I believe he felt lonely.

‘I am the window

Through which sunshine

Can enter

The dark room of your Life –

If only you will hold

My outstretched hand of friendship

And lift the curtains

Of your mind.’

  1. Any last words before we wrap things up?

Once again, thank you so much for the opportunity to do this interview, Mary! My mission is to make the voice of my younger self heard, and I am very grateful for your kind and generous support.

I invite your readers to follow me on social media with the links provided. My books are often on promotion on Amazon, and I advertise this on Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Instagram. I also invite all to visit my poetry blog and sample a broad selection of my poems.

Author bio:

Vanita Shukla Hork started writing poems in 1981 at the young age of 13, following a deep personal trauma. She needed an outlet for her raw and powerful emotions, to find relief, release, and ultimately, redemption.

The topics she wrote about were very personal, private, and at times, dark – unrequited love, desire, pain, betrayal, and her budding sexuality. Many of her poems also had a spiritual undertone. The maturity and depth of her poems as a young girl belied her age.

After a hiatus of almost four decades, she started writing again and launched her poetry blog in November 2021. Memories from another Lifetime is a series of her poems written as a young girl. The first volume, Pain, was published in November 2022 and the latest volume, Friends, in September 2024. Vanita’s mission is to make the voice of her younger self heard, and she invites the reader to join her on this journey.

Vanita Shukla Hork lives in Denmark with her husband. They have one son.

Blog/website: https://vanitashuklahork.com/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/VanitaHork

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/vanitahork.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanitashuklahork/

Author page, Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Vanita-Shukla-Hork/e/B0BNZ5HXNC

Author page, Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23219227.Vanita_Shukla_Hork

Author page, BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vanita-shukla-hork

Book link, Amazon (Friends): https://www.amazon.com/Friends-Memories-another-Lifetime-Vanita-ebook/dp/B0DFX4WS77/

Global Book Awards!

Dec28

Hello Mary,

Congratulations on your book Her Alibi achieving BRONZE in the Global Book Awards, in the category Biographical Memoir. In the coming days, we’ll send you details of how to get hold of your digital medal and certificate, but for now, we just wanted to pass on the good news.

Book Link

From Amazon:

Visions of her Cherokeegrandmother, Cordie, flashed through Mary’s mind as her mother, Marguerite, informed her that her stepfathershot himself and was in the hospital. Oh no!

No! This can’t be! Not after the joking around at my home last night. NO!!!!Did she use me last night? She’d never use her scapegoat child. No, she couldn’t! Even Marguerite wouldn’t sink that low! Or would she? Marguerite had always been abusive and vile to most people,and especially to her children and husbands, but would she shoot Harold? 

Yet, here I was, and I had to tell the police that, yes, my mother was at my home all evening and into the night. How despicable that my mother connived her way into using me as her alibi.

This book is a true memoir drawing upon the locals and inspiration of the areas in which the author lives and works. Names of towns, places, facilities, and people are real except for three men. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is not coincidental in nature and places where events take place are from her life growing up.

Meet Carolyn Summer Quinn

Nov18
Small plant live and grow on the rock

Please welcome Carolyn Summer Quinn to my blog. “Good morning, Carolyn! Please sit down. I’m thrilled to have you on my blog today. Carolyn is an award-winning Author of fifteen books.”

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

Greetings from New York City!  I’m an Author and Photographer.  I grew up singing show tunes in the suburbs of New Jersey and particularly like anything to do with the 1920s, the clothes, cars, styles, music – everything!

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I’ve been writing stories since I learned how to write in the first grade.  I loved it right from the start!

How difficult was it writing your first book?  

My first book was MAMA ROSE’S TURN.  It was a biography of Gypsy Rose Lee’s mother, Rose Hovick, whose unorthodox parenting style inspired the beloved Broadway musical GYPSY.  The writing wasn’t difficult, but the amount of research I had to do was enormous!  It took two and a half years of meticulous research in my spare time while working full time as well.  When all was said and done, it was well worth all that effort.  The musical was written by playwright Arthur Laurents, and it’s fantastic, but he freely admitted it was “75% fictionalized.”  I found an entirely different story by looking into old newspaper articles, official records like the census, the family’s archives, and interviewing people who knew Rose or were her relatives.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you? 

No, I’ve never wanted to give up.  I am writing because I enjoyed it.  If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t do it.  I’m always rather astounded at some of the authors who say it’s a chore for them to write because I must wonder what’s going on there. 

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

My parents were very supportive, and so was my godmother, but they’re all gone now.  It’s my friends and cousins who are my cheering section now!

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

If you enjoy writing and have an idea for a book, go for it!  Start to write and see where it goes.  To those who think they’re untrained, keep in mind that Dame Agatha Christie was one of the bestselling authors of all time – and she never went to school for a day in her life.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

My father said the best attitude to have, especially in the face of any naysayers, is, “Hooray for me – to heck with you!”  And the lady who ran the musical theater I participated in during the summertime in my town used to say, “Don’t let the idiots get you down.”  In both cases I’ve cleaned up the language they used in those two phrases, tee hee!

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

I’ve written in three different genres, including two books for middle school students, but my main target audience is adults.  My favorite genre is cozy mysteries and historical fiction.  One of my most recent books, UNTIL THE STARS ALIGN, is about the Kindertransport and World War II, when Jewish children were sent to foster homes in the United Kingdom to escape persecution.  That one is historical fiction.  So far UNTIL THE STARS ALIGN has won eleven writing awards!  And a mystery I wrote, THERE’S NO CURE FOR IMPOSSIBLE, was the Cozy Mystery Award Winner at the American Fiction Awards this year, too.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you? 

I pick out all the images for the covers then work with an artist who puts them together for me.  Here’s how that evolved.  One of my first books was for middle-grade students and I needed a cover with a nice picture of a 12-year-old girl on it.  I was working with a different artist than the one I use now, and she found this utterly ridiculous picture of a girl who looked like a 15-year-old Lolita type!  It didn’t work.  From that point on I’ve had to insist on finding the images myself.  I found a better image for the cover of that book, NOW AND FOREVERMORE ARABELLA.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on THE MYSTERY FROM WAY BACK WHEN.  It’s set during the 1940s and 1980s in the Catholic neighborhood where my father grew up.  It isn’t finished yet, but it’s coming along.

Any last words before we wrap things up?

I’d just like to say to other writers when they’re first starting out, as the old song says, “Don’t give up the ship!”  Keep going!  Give it a whirl!

Book Link

https://www.carolynsummerquinn.com

https://www.instagram.com/sequinrosette

https://www.facebook.com/carolynquinnauthorhttps://www.twitter.com/carolynsummerq1

Meet J.P. Reedman

Nov4

Please welcome J.P. Reedman to my blog. Good morning, Janet. I’m happy to have you on my blog today. Shall we get started?  

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

I’m J.P. Reedman, and I am a full-time writer of historical fiction and historical fantasy. I was born in Canada, daughter of a Canadian soldier and an English war-bride who met in WWII but have lived in the UK for over 30 years. Home is a few miles from Stonehenge. There is a missing queen buried in my local town; her grave lost in time. Historical inspiration lies all around me!

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I began writing very young—age five. The first story was a typical adventure tale, but that was quickly followed by one on Cleopatra, which stunned my grade 1 teacher. I seem to have been born with an innate love of historical subjects; this deep passion showed up by the age of four. I began writing book length stories in my teens. At that time, I wrote mainly high fantasy. However, in 1992 I moved from Canada to the U.K. and for about 10 years wrote very little. I began writing again after a serious illness that left me partly sighted for around 3 months. It was a wake-up call for me that if you truly want to do something, you cannot keep putting it off saying ‘maybe tomorrow.’

How difficult was it writing your first book?

My first published book was called STONE LORD, and it is a historical fantasy set at the time of Stonehenge. I worked at Stonehenge at the time and the story was not terribly difficult to write as I had daily inspiration! I knew what it was like out at the Stones in rain, mist and sun. I saw solstices and burning sunsets and walked in the stones at dusk. I even found a buried human tooth!

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

I never wanted to give up, but as I mentioned, I stopped writing for quite a while. I was busy with other things, travel and photography mainly. I must admit I had become a bit disillusioned in the late 80’s after sending out a large fantasy manuscript many times. ‘Classic’ fantasy wasn’t so popular at that time (it’s come back again, hurrah!) and it was costing loads querying and sending out sample chapters to the big Trad publishers (all before email was used so it had to be sent by snail mail.) When indie publishing became popular, it was like a whole new world of opportunities opened. It was now a case of ‘talent wills out.’

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

All my friends have always been extremely supportive, but it is my partner Dan who is my rock. He listens to all my writing (and selling) woes and drives me to various events and historical places connected with my books (so I can film them—and to just get ‘the vibes’.)

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Just that I am glad of their support.  They helped me achieve what at one time seemed an impossible dream—to write full-time. I hope they’ll stick with me!

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

When I still lived in Canada, I was a member of a Science Fiction group. They published short stories in their zine, and that was where my first published work appeared. One chap, Garth, gave me some criticisms.  I did not take umbrage at in the least—for I realized his critique was right. Too many adjectives! I do have a descriptive style, and reviewers have said that ‘visual imagery’ is a strong point in my books, but I learned to ‘hold back’ and edit out what wasn’t necessary.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

My target audience for my main two series is anyone who enjoys historical fiction set in medieval times. The first series, I, Richard Plantagenet, is about the Wars of the Roses and Richard III, told in 1st person from Richard’s viewpoint. It seems to appeal to both men and women; it’s not ‘romancy’ and it doesn’t shy away from battles, though it does have some dry, sometimes black, humour.

My other series, Medieval Babes (yes, deliberately something of a joke title!) is a collection of 12 titles (and growing) biographical fiction about lesser-known medieval queens and nobles. It is popular with the same readership as Philippa Gregory, Jean Plaidy etc.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

My covers are a mix. Sometimes I purchase them and sometimes I create them myself. It is quite hard to get ready-made covers which have images on them that resemble the historical figures I write about.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

My current book, late but coming soon, is ‘The Melancholy of Winter.’ It is about Richard III’s older brother, the little-known Edmund, who was killed at the Battle of Wakefield, aged just 17.

Here’s an excerpt from the book. Edmund and his older brother Edward (future King Edward IV) are in Ireland as young boys: ‘St Brigid’s procession swirled by the drums and the pipe and the singing gradually fading away.

The rain stopped and a huge rainbow, the sky behind it black as pitch, arched across Dublin town, while the heavens brightened in the west, and burning golden light splashed over the walls and towers of monasteries and churches, wiping the dirt and dung from the damp, streaming cobbles and dancing off the crenels of the castle.

Dublin was indeed a strange and wondrous place, I decided, as our chariot rolled stolidly through the golden glare of storm-light to the castle’s gate, gaping a wide welcome beneath the banner of the Falcon and Fetterlock.

It might not be for long, but for now, this place, this sturdy fortress beside the Black Pool, was our home.’

Any last words before we wrap things up?

Advice for new writers—believe in what you are doing and don’t give up. If someone gives you a critique, don’t feel crushed. Try to look at it dispassionately and see if something can be learned from it. Also, remember, different books appeal to different people. Not everyone will like what you write—it doesn’t mean you are not a good writer.

BIO: J.P. Reedman lives in Wiltshire near to Stonehenge. Born in Canada, she has had a lifelong interest in ancient and medieval history, and is often found lurking around prehistoric sites, ruined castles and abbeys, and interesting churches with camera in hand. She became a full-time writer in 2018. Series include  I, Richard Plantagenet, 5 books chronicling Richard’s life from childhood to Bosworth, and Medieval Babes, a set of standalone novels about lesser-known medieval queens and noblewomen. Her most recent release is Princess in the Police Station, the tale of little Anne Mowbray, wife of the younger ‘Prince in the Tower’ whose grave was unexpectedly found in the 1960’s. The next book to be released will be The Melancholy of Winter, which is about Edmund of Rutland, Richard’s tragic elder brother.

BOOK I AM PROMOTING: Medieval Babes 12: THE PRINCESS IN THE POLICE STATION: A TALE OF LITTLE ANNE MOWBRAY

LINK TO BOOK: https://mybook.to/annemowbray

Social media links:

Amazon: http://author.to/ReedmanRichardII

Twitter/X: https://x.com/stonehenge2500

https://www.facebook.com/Eleanor.TheLostQueen

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/IRichardPlantagenet

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@janetreedman8

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpreedmanhistoricalfiction

 

Katie’s Attic

Oct28

Book Link

From Amazon:

After the loss of her mother the previous year, Katie finds solace in a newfound fascination with her family history ignited by a school genealogy project. But her journey takes a mystical turn when she discovers an extraordinary ability to astral project through time, sharing the body of her ancestor during the American Civil War. Katie learns the true power of family bonds and resilience as she tracks a treasure through time into a world fraught with battles, disease, wounded soldiers, and the unsanitary conditions endured. The past and present collide unexpectedly, shaping Katie’s understanding of herself and her place in the world.

This first installment in the “Thread Through Time” series is an unforgettable time travel journey through history that will captivate readers of all ages. “Katie’s Attic” is a spellbinding tale of courage, love, and the timeless threads that bind us together even after death.

“From the moment I started reading this, I was hooked.”

“…engaging characters who carry the reader along with enthusiastic excitement, and it is historically informative too.”

“I can’t wait for The Golden Locket.” (Book Two)

My Review:

This book by Kusma struck a direct hit to my heart. In those lucky enough in life to have known family and heard about their ancestors from their known family, will understand this book better than those who did not have the advantage of learning about their ancestors and their trials and tribulations. I packed a lot into that sentence, but it’s true. Yet, for those who don’t have an ancestral lineage due to adoption or other reasons, this story offers the reader a vision into the past that becomes part of the readers soul.

2024 PenCraft Book Awards

Oct23

Book Link

Hi Mary,

We are pleased to announce that our judges of the 2024 PenCraft Book Awards for literary excellence voted your book “Heart of Evergreen: Christmas in Evergreen,” as our Fiction – Drama Genre’s Winner. We want our PenCraft Book Awards to represent true book winners, and your book was indeed one that met those criteria. Books that win our competition are examples of literary excellence and have demonstrated notable popularity with readers. This year’s competition was daunting, with around 1400 book entries to compete against, showcasing an impressive array of talent and creativity across numerous genres. Each entry brought something unique to the table, making the judging process both challenging and exhilarating. Being a winner in the 2024 competition is certainly something to crow about – you’ve not only beaten out many contenders but also distinguished yourself among a pool of exceptional writers and storytellers. This achievement speaks volumes about your hard work, and dedication, as an author.

To select our winners, the many PenCraft Award submissions are culled down by using a judging criterion that incorporates a recommendation from the initial AuthorsReader’s reviewer or PenCraft Book Award reviewer and then finalized by further evaluation by our judges. Their final evaluation considers not only how well the book was written and crafted but also, among other things such as the book’s marketplace popularity and how professional the book’s cover looks. The promotional effort taken by the publisher or author is another yardstick considered. From this entire process, the winners of each category are determined. Some book categories lacked winners because the submissions received did not meet our required literary standards.

David Hearne

Editor In Chief

PenCraft Awards

409-656-4625

Yesterday

Oct12

Good evening, everyone. I hope your Friday was awesome and your weekend will be even better!

I went wrong today by leaving home with my hair down for the first time in forever. Picture below taken before we left the house. I literally did nothing with it. I even joked with Mike about how long it had been since he could remember, and he could not. Do not get me wrong; he does see it down every day but I do put it up out of convenience when leaving the house. But I digress…and best get on with this saga…

So, we headed out on a nice easy drive to Kansas City and KU Med for my 3pm appointment. Things went well. Then I received a call asking if I could be there at 2pm. No problem. See you at 2pm.

Ring…could I come in any earlier? Like how early? She said 1pm. I replied yes, no problem, we were in Topeka, Mike had was shopping.

On the turnpike, I told Mike we should just go straight there, and I bet they would take me back even sooner. We arrived at noon and yes, we were escorted back to a room in less than five minutes. That said, my back pain was, at that time, 70% less than it was before back surgery and the wires leads placed to block nerve impulses from reaching my brain – perfectly working. So far, so good. The dreaded question I had been expecting, they did ask.

How did you fall and how did you land? I suffered a hard fall on my left ribs 11 days ago or so. A fall that should not have happened, theoretically speaking. Yes, I broke ribs. I know when I break ribs. This was not my first or even second rodeo with fractured ribs. This was number six – I think.

I knew they broke, and I am doing a self-assessment head to toe. Ribs broke, no lung puncture, not at that time, and hopefully never! One scrape and numerous contusions.

I managed to get up and go to bed. Long story short, the pain in my ribs was a bit better today, thus healing, in the remodeling stage was happening. Then I was informed that a chest x-ray would have been the thing to do. I said yes, but I’d monitored for lung puncture, etcetera. They understood that.

Then I was informed that a hard fall like that could have displaced the wires up my spine. I am thinking…but they were sutured to fascia. Yes, they were, but a fall still has potential to cause displacement. Okay. How is your pain? Back or ribs? Back 70% for the WIN. Ribs not so much. I was informed that being I was at 70% pain relief in my back, my wires must still be in proper placement. What a relief. No x-ray needed. But if it changed, I had to go to the ER for a chest x-ray, to see my ribs AND to check my current wire placement. We were in and out of KU Med in under 30 minutes.

I had free food and free play coming to me, so Hollywood we did go. I walked from the garage entrance to the escalator going up to Turn 2.

Keep in mind the casino filmed it all. We stop to read a sign and before I knew it a drunk woman plowed into my oxygen and literally dragged it with her to the floor, and past her quite a ways. As I felt it being yanked from my hand, I turned to the right and down I went. Hard fall. On tile. Hard tile.

The woman said, “What happened?” in a drunken manner. Mike’s first words back to her were, “She just had back surgery.” Mike was ticker off. His words were loud but he didn’t yell. Then he looked at me and saw I was down as well. The woman never got hurt, but the liquor she had carried smashed on the tiles. The woman was drunk. That is not how it is to be in any casino. Her group of friends were worried about their friend first, then they worried more about me after hearing Mike’s words on my back surgery, and my broken ribs. By then she was sitting in a chair and I was still down. I was angry.

What security did with the woman is their business. I had to self-assess once again. If one has broken ribs, and they fall, it is even easier to puncture a lung. Fortunately, I landed on my knees/lower legs and used my left arm/hand to stop me from falling further by grabbing the railing on the escalator at the bottom. I am down, leaning at next to the up escalator, no oxygen, in pain, doing an assessment.

Mike retrieved my oxygen; I got back on. Never mind the yuk my cannula had been drug through but hopefully the liquor it also went through helped to sanitize it. Mike carefully helped me up as he was the only one to know how to do it with my ribs and every thing. He is my hero. Always and forever my hero.

That fall took more out of me than I had thought. I told security I would be fine but, I shook shake like a leaf – more like quaking aspens in Colorado, I did that perfectly. We took the elevator up to Turn 2. We enjoyed a meal of delicious de-veined shrimp with sides. Relaxing meal. But I could not walk as long a distance afterwards. So, I hopped from slot machine to slot machine, not exactly hopping due to my pain, Mike helping me until I saw a machine I would play. Mike was my hero again.

Security had looked at their video, and then they found me…my card in a machine, etcetera. I asked how the other woman was, and he said she was detained by security and nothing more. He had to fill out a report on what happened for me to sign. The KCK fire department and EMS arrived, to check me out. My blood pressure was up. Saturations okay. Never hit my head. Declined ride to KU Med ER. I would have had a good eight hour or more wait to be seen and EMS agreed.

So, lesson learned. DON’T WEAR YOUR HAIR DOWN.

BIGGEST LESSON? Jesus was with us the entire time. So many things could have happened but did not. Jesus was with us every step of the way. He still is. He always will be. Please – no nasty comments if you do not believe in Christ. Thank you.

Harriet’s Heist

Oct8

Book Link

From Amazon:

Fiona Quinn arrives at her parent’s home in Daytona, Florida for a short visit only to be informed that their usually quiet retirement community has been besieged with robberies—cash, jewelry, and more. Her mom told all the neighbors Fiona is a wiz at catching bad guys. Yikes! Can Fiona crack the case? Hopefully, but what’s an amateur sleuth supposed to do when her Maltese, Harriet, shows up decked out in the stolen goods? Double yikes! Join Fiona, her parents, Harriet, and some pretty crazy old ladies for a real jewel of a quick mystery!

My Review:

Top reviews from the United States

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Great short read

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024

Verified Purchase

What a wonderful short mystery, romance, little dogs, and lemon meringue pie book! Okay, so those elements are included in this story and burglaries in abundance. I say burglary as no one was home when their items were stolen. Had they been home, then robbery is the correct term. This was a great short story and I imagined a little Maltese dressed up in…must read to find out.


Fruitabet

Aug11

Book Link

From Amazon:

Embark on a juicy adventure through the alphabet with “Fruitabet: The Alphabet One Fruit at a Time”! From A for Apple to Z for Zarzamora explore the world of fruits through stunning watercolor illustrations, intriguing facts, and nutritional highlights shared with you by award-winning authors, Derek R. King and Julie L. Kusma with her Master of Health Education expertise.

Each page invites young readers to discover a new fruit, beautifully depicted and accompanied by fascinating information about its origin, flavor, and health benefits. From the familiar sweetness of apples to the exotic allure of zarzamoras, every fruit offers a delightful learning experience.

“Fruitabet” goes beyond the ABCs, offering practice pages for writing each letter, space to list favorite fruits, and an engaging activity to reinforce learning. With its blend of education and entertainment, this book is a must-have for budding fruit enthusiasts.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars A different take on abc’s Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2024

Verified Purchase

What a unique and fun way to read with your child about the alphabet and a fruit for each letter. The nutrient content is a nice addition. As a reminder, just as the authors’ wrote, don’t try a new fruit unless you check with your doctor to make sure it is okay with meds. Parents can also help with this. Example: Grapefruit. Do not take if on blood thinning meds or if you have a blood disorder. An added section for learning how to write the letters both uppercase and lowercase, blank pages to practice letters, fun pages to draw on, fun activities!

Meet Misty Thurmond

Aug10

Please welcome Misty J. Thurmond to my blog. Good morning, Misty.

Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post.

The awkward silence, the moment I realize that I must say something clever or pull a literary degree out of my butt. To be honest, I don’t enjoy talking about myself, but here goes.

I grew up living in the country in which going barefooted, fishing, camping on the river, riding horses and playing sports was the norm. The solitude of my childhood memories is still ingrained in me and influence my writing style. Over the years I had a fulfilling and successful career as a registered nurse, until health issues forced me into early retirement. “A real oxymoron, but multiple sclerosis doesn’t care if you’re tending to people’s boo boos or saving lives.”

*By the way, doctors have the worst penmanship. Learning to dance like Beyoncé would be easier than deciphering some doctor’s writing. *

Once I lost everything, it was just me and my thoughts. I began to journal them, and the journaling turned into a novel.

Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?

I enjoyed spinning tales growing up and recall the nervousness that came with it whenever the teacher called upon me to read my short story, but my most time was spent in the medical field.

How difficult was it writing your first book?

My first novel was awful. It had good bones but lacked flesh. Who am I kidding, it was garbage. One thing I’ve learned about myself, “Practice makes better.” I’d say, “Perfect”, but that’d be absurd. No one’s perfect.

Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?

Absolutely! When my father suddenly passed away and my mom followed him three months later, I was devastated. Picking up the pieces of my life and the aftermath took me a while, but out of it all I remembered one thing, “Life goes on.”

Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?

Honestly, myself. My father was a late blooming author who wrote westerns, and he encouraged me more than anyone. God, I miss him, but I know he’d be proud of this new novel.

Anything specific you want to tell your readers?

Never give up on yourself or the love that drives you.

What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?

It’s okay to stand in someone’s shadow for a while, but sooner or later you’ll have to take that step into the sunshine and embrace your future. That’s a lesson from experience.

What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?

Readers 18+ with an interest in the supernatural and metaphysical genres.

There are written scenes in my books which are not suitable for younger audiences; adult language, darker topics that may trigger anxiety in people with PTSD or childhood trauma and LGTBQ scenes. However brief, or detailed, these topics are frequently used in my novels.

Writing in the metaphysical fiction genre means I must look past myself and explore many aspects before writing a story. It’s a “world building experience”, except the world is ever evolving and shifting in my mind.

Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?

Honestly, I wanted something with more pizzazz and flare, but the deadline for Saku Binder of Voids prevented it. My publisher and I worked together on it.

What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?

I’m working on the sequel to Saku Binder of Voids. As hinted in the novel, “Saku is handed a scroll as the Book of Gogyo evolves into the Blue Crystal, and a vision of a city with twin suns”. I’m cutting it short. I can’t release the title because it’s extremely unique.

Links below and book link below:

amazon.com/author/mistythurmond77

@AuthorThurmond (Twitter)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216127766

https://a.co/d/gHY7xZP