TWO FRIENDS

I am proud to present TWO FRIENDS a book of poetry by the late Victor Adint Jr.

Free eBook on publishing success stories.

Just want to share a notice from Authors Publish Magazine. I just downloaded it:  Free eBook: The Paid & Published Writer – 13 Stories of Publishing Success 

Have only scanned but I think it's very promising: 

"I'm writing to make sure you get your free copy of "The Paid & Published Writer" It's a gift that we're able to give to you, courtesy of Freedom With Writing. We're removing the download links in 2 days, so be sure to grab your copy before then. The book is jammed packed with inspiration and advice for writers. If you want to get published, this book is a must read.

Free eBook: The Paid & Published Writer – 13 Stories of Publishing Success

Our gift to you -- available until December 20th."

To write or . . .

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”  Maya Angelo
Happy Holidays to all.

VIRGINS

About Virgins: Before recorded time, a girl escaping her clansmen runs into an Archangel's earthly Paradise, the highest angel sent to oversee evolution. The Archangel is commanded: “Take your Eve” but is damned to be a Sylph for eternity. Their names become AYEKAH (the almighty's lament: "What have you done.") and HAYA (Eve).  After Haya dies, Ayekah is in and out of her crypt for centuries and when other angels procreate with humans the Almighty tries to destroy the world.

In 1841 Ayekah hears voices that lead him to girls that look like Haya. From them, Ayekah has seven generations of twin daughters, one fertile the other the guide. Ayekah's angel-humans are divas trapped in a web of conflict that is at times terrifying. Ayekah protects them with The Retais, a world power, until all starts to unravel.

GERONA, Ayekah's sixth descendant, wants to defeat Ayekah, "You are damned, what you have done is evil."  SIG LIERA, protector of The Retais, plots Ayekah's destruction. Ray, one of the last twins, immersed in a research project in the jungles of Central America, refuses to heed the horror around her. While her sister Ary, besieged by nightmares, seeks help from Alex, Ray's lover, and falls in love. Just as Ray's specimen - ROLO - is about to attain sentience, Ray and ROLO disappear into the waters of a hurricane. 

Blog: http://www.hoyecomova.com/p/vrigins.html

Facebook page for VIRGINS: https://www.facebook.com/Virgins.web/

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Duke it out or make nice?

Do you duke it out or run to make nice because fight scenes can be punchy, to say the least? 

Here is an article on Grammar Girl with good advice: How to Write a Fight Scene 

How to Write a Fight Scene

A two-for-one deal

My husband says I got one of the two-for-one deals I like. He is making light of the outcome of my emergency room visit last Tuesday. He brought me in, at about two a.m. to emergency, today is Friday, and I am still here.

What led to this scenario can be said to be fortunate and unfortunate. Fortunate because I am in a hospital that is clean, pleasant, and the staff is very skilled, professional, efficient and friendly, not an exaggeration. Unfortunate because I have two things going on: First is a gallbladder that was supposed to have been removed back in 1999; did my body re-grow it? Second, and maybe most urgent is that I am scheduled for angiogram with a fix if needed.

So, patiently we wait, John does go home to do this and that, and me getting needle after needle, test after test, while at home our partially made up bed, and our pets (toy pets), wait. But, I did edit 30 poems and submitted them for publications. I have to do, to keep sane.Tata for now will stay posted.

This book is good.

Three Legs of the Cauldron

by R. L. CHERRY

Epic Celtic saga about truth, honor and duty

For ancient Celts, the cauldron of society was supported by the three legs of truth, honor and duty. If any of them collapsed, the cauldron would lose all that it held. This epic tale of the 6th century spans the Irish Sea during the turbulent times in ancient Dal Riata, a kingdom in the north of Ireland and on the rugged western coast of Scotland. Travel back in time to an era when truth was more important than fame, when honor outranked money and when duty mattered more than life itself.

Ron Cherry's latest book is a Celtic saga of the late 6th century.  It is on Kindle Scout and he could use your nomination.  If it is selected, everyone who nominated it will receive a free Kindle copy.  Click on the following website for more information and a free sample.
https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2IBYO86OHTMBB

Want your musings published?

Was there a time when writers wrote, and voila were published? I don't think so. 

The struggle of writing is just as intense as the tangle to publish. Publishing one's work is a business that can take up all of a writer's time but oh hell; it is the difference between writing for oneself, family and friends or feeling that one has something to say about issues and life, and the pursuit to be read. 

So if you want to delve on costs and venues for publishing your poetry or other writing here is a good site to get you started. 

Don't get frustrated as I already am. Amen.

How to Find the Poetry Contest that is Best for You - Winning Writers

Sex and expectations.

Finally a realistic article about what makes a good marriage. A spouse is not a source, a spouse is a partner, companion, lover and if one is lucky, a friend. To negate the humanity in marriage and make it an idealistic fanfare destroys marriages. Women expect men to divine their moods and needs. I think that man likes a wife that tells him how she truly feels and wants, and is genuinely passionate because she is honest, in and out of the bedroom.

8 Relationship Myths That Can Seriously Damage Your Marriage

Don't fool your-self.

Some may think that if they really want to, without any training, they can write a novel.
Think again and enjoy this post by K.M. Weiland:
5 Lies Writers Tell Themselves

I just read a great article on AHA's You're The Cure website: Save Physical Education Now

The obesity children are suffering now is because there is to much sitting and not enough exercise in schools. Good PE will help end obesity and diabetes. Not just running or sports but also dance and gymnastics.

I just read a great article on AHA's You're The Cure website: Save Physical Education Now

To sequel or not

It a blessing to us writers when an author shares skills and experience such as K. M. Weiland and her latest article: How to Write a Sequel That’s BETTER Than the First Book is truly worth reading. Here is my question: K. M. Fist off thanks for the great articles and ongoing comments. How my sequels developed: In my work life I wrote technical and training material, for fun my thing was mainly poetry. So when I started writing my novel the technical part and prose left too much unwritten and in critique groups I was asked to write more about this and that. Before I knew it, a 300-page novel developed into 900+pages so I decided to do sequels. I think the story, a paranormal Sci-Fi, and characters are perfect for sequels since it starts, in prehistoric times to the present and then travels to the future. I finished my first book and am working on the second as I send queries to publishers and authors. Each book can be independent of the others, and my question is: when I query, do mention that there are sequels?

Do you like the semicolon?

To some of us the semicolon is the Picasso of writing but is it a good thing? I found this video on The New Yorker by Mary Norris valuable: Comma Queen: The Semicolon; or, Mastering the Giant Comma

Ps. I like Mary Norris, she seems friendly, and her videos are fun and to the point. There are videos by Mary Norris on proper grammar and punctuation usage. Enjoy.

Are you a slacker or a sweet spot seeker?

Do you ever feel that not adhering to a regimen is goofing off? Doing stuff you enjoy, or just checking emails, social media sites and the like while still in bed drinking coffee and watching the news or even a talk show in the morning is unproductive?

I read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey years ago but don’t remember the woodcutter story “sawing to the point of exhaustion while trying to take down a tree. When a man suggests that he could get done quicker by taking a break to sharpen his saw. The woodcutter says: "I don't have time to sharpen the saw. Don't you see I'm too busy?"

I can relate in particular as a writer. The beast of “are you done yet?" creeps in even as I learn how to hone my writing skills or read or worse yet do something fun. Will this article Can You Achieve More by Doing Less? help me put away the do not procrastinate hammer? As per the article Covey suggests we nurture ourselves and return to our tasks “refreshed, with a better attitude and more focus.” So what constitutes nurturing? Carter suggests we find our sweet spot. What a great concept that my SWEET SPOT is the saw! Not the sweet spot that you might be thinking of – although that must qualify. Allowing ourselves “uninterrupted blocks of time” to do our work after taking care of home and family and making time to nourish our body so as not to burn out.

Today as I go forth to find my sweet spot I write this article for my blog. Haven’t written for my blog in over a month because I am editing and submitting my novel to publisher and agents. Oh, how sweet it is!

In the mountain is the molehill

I can get frozen or driven by a deadline. When writing for CBS Arts & Entertainment I would wait until the deadline was on me and then get crazy when the editor wanted changes until I embraced the learning process and opportunity. Same thing happened just two days ago when the time came to submit some poetry; I waited until six hours before the deadline. It felt like a mountain and I probably could have made better choices on the poems I selected to send. Authors build a business out of writing; that is prospective I lack. So, instead of scaling the mountain to look for the Muse or perfection, I need to do my very best and climb my molehill or lose the opportunity to publish my work. Not much more that I can say about this simple yet inspiring and to the point article on Helping Writers Become Authors, 5 Writing Lessons I Learned Ghostwriting for New York Times Bestsellers by Kevin Kaiser. Thanks Kevin!

Are you done yet?

Those who know me and let me say two words, and end up getting stories from my childhood to my life now, ask questions such as "Are you done yet?"  They are talking about my novels.

I never feel like my writing is good enough or ready, this why I am sharing this article Writing Life: Jilted – and Still Jazzed by Tina Lincer on Author; it hit a chord. I wrote every place and on everything I could find, from napkins to (unused) toilet seat paper. Finally, since I retired, and I can write most of the time in my office on my laptop or iPad, I am bogged by never feeling that my books are ready!  So, this article I'm Out of My Comfort Zone by Jill Jepson on She Writes set me straight. I am willing to post my synopsis and start sharing my books.  Hope you like the articles.

Free Guided Meditation: Overcome Life Stress and Strains with Dr. Bernie...

Proud to post an editorial on Cuba by J. C. Weeks

GOP DECRIES NORMAL CUBAN RELATIONS

So Republicans think Cuba does not deserve normal relations with our country.

Remember Vietnam? That fight (1960 – 1975) was to prevent communism from dominoing through Southeast Asia and eventually the world. Over 47,500 young American lives were wasted in that ‘crusade’.

The United States re-established diplomatic relations with Vietnam (still a self-declared communist republic) and reopened the U.S. Embassy there in 1995. The U. S. is one of Vietnam’s five major trade partners, there is no tourism restriction imposed by U. S. or Vietnamese law on U. S. citizens (over 400,000 a year). Oh, and no ‘domino effect’ ensued as a result of Vietnamese re-unification.

Now let’s look at Cuba. Beginning at the end of the Spanish-American War (1898) the United States held sway over Cuban autonomy and economics until Castro took power in 1959. The

U. S. first endorsed Castro but then reversed when he declared Cuba a Communist Republic. In reality, the only ones affected by this take over were organized crime and financiers who owned Cuba’s tourist infrastructure.

None the less, President Eisenhower authorized the training and arming of Cuban expats living in Florida for an invasion to topple the Castro regime. In 1961, the Kennedy administration oversaw this invasion, but did not logistically support the incursion which crumbled and withered in 3 days. In this conflict U. S. military combat deaths incurred was 5.

A year later in 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis loomed its ugly head and Kennedy set the U. S. military in motion to block Russian missile deliveries to the island. No actual combat ensued, however, 1 reconnaissance flight pilot was shot down and died in the crash.

The Cuban system has survived all U. S. imposed sanctions and most of my 67+ years on this planet. All other nations have long since lifted what sanctions they had imposed and trade with Cuba readily. Cuba’s tourist trade is doing well with Canadians and Europeans. Cuba’s literacy rate is 99% and its doctors are considered to be among the best in the world by the World Health Organization. Cuban doctors were some of the first international medical teams to go to Africa to help contain the Ebola outbreak.

Let’s compare…

Both countries are still socialist, both have not fomented the ‘communist domino effect’, both are not empowering international terrorism, both do not harbor any desire to become a ‘nuclear nation’, both do not seek to illegally grow their nation by seizing land of other nations or ignore claims of other nations to lands near said nation.

The only difference here is the number of U. S. military lives lost so Vietnam could remain socialist and become a U. S. trade partner with full diplomatic affiliation.

With Cuba the U. S. only incurred total combat deaths of 6 military personnel. Republicans seem to think Cuba is some great menace. If that were the case, how come we only lost 6 in combat? After all, Vietnam was going to ‘domino’ the world with socialism and we threw away over 47,000 lives to prevent it. Do Republicans think we are 46,995+ lives short of Cuba being worth normalization of relations? Perhaps that’s why they want our military to stay in the Middle East, the U. S. body count isn’t high enough yet to warrant it.

Cuba is no more a threat to the United States than Vietnam was. Republicans get over it, if Cuban cigars and rum are a threat, I’ll live with the danger.

Editorial by, J. C. Weeks

      

Killer robots are coming next: The next military-industrial complex will involve real-life Terminators

Why do I hate these incredibly popular killer robot movies and shows? When occasionally watching them with family, I wonder if children feel hope in a future supposedly thrown into chaos where survivors live as squanderers on earth and or other universes. So then, why am I ready to publish a series that will have a similar, if not worst outcome? Even though mine is not about killer robots, it is on human altering genetics and has a similar premise.

Killer robots are coming next: The next military-industrial complex will involve real-life Terminators

What moves your pen?

To those that consider themselves writers or wannabees: Have you ever wondered why you strive to write and if the writing itself is satisfying why must you publish and make a real splash? Perhaps you have also felt a bit corrupt by your own possible motives as a writer?
Well, read on: Is Self-Loathing a Requirement for Writers?
This article lists reasons for why we write and what drives our desire to publish. I find that I suffer from Muse-overwhelm, self-loathing, self-awareness, creativity and just plain curiosity.

What is love

Is to say, "I love myself" selfish? Is it best to say, "I love God" or "I love humanity and nature."

Long ago when I first heard,  "you can't give what you don't have,” I thought it selfish, navel gazing and self-seeking. But of course at the time I equated love on how people felt and judged me. In other words "LOVE" was a people-pleasing product I must become or strive for to feel loved or to love.

Then, as I thought and learned more about love and loving, I realized that love is not a product or outcome. So does love include loving those that abuse us? No, because that is not loving ourselves. How can we give what we don’t have? Teach what we don’t know?

Permit some examples: many parents want their kids to do well, but is it because they want to feel like good parents or is it for the good of the child? Some help others so that the others they help do well, but is it the well as judged by the receiver or what the giver wants?

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Does this mean that we are to sacrifice our children for the good of humanity? In 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a (New International Version) "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs." Are we incapable of love if we fail to feel that perfect love or loving? Gautama Buddha: “You, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection” and  “In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?”

So, do love God, humanity, and nature preclude loving ourselves? How can we hate ourselves and love?

As I see it, love is not I love you or me because you are, or I'm so beautiful. Love is what raises us out of self-loathing and into loving. An open hand that holds a butterfly without crushing its wings. Love is accepting others and us as who we are and moves us forward to what we want to do and be in life.  What say you?

Brief Up-date

Hi friends, Life can get busy, so many things to do and distractions. One has to decide what is most important (or what someone used to say - apology in advance  - "what fire to piss on")

A writer friend shares that he writes two hours a day or twenty pages no matter what. I am doing revisions and trying to follow his advice.  Started to submit my writing and poetry, also attending a good writers group. I say "good" because the feedback is useful and kind. So with their comments and John's help I am making changes that enhance VIRGINS, the first novel from my SYLPHS series.

Also, almost finished reading Gone Girl and a bit into Pope Joan, different books, both excellent. Will write about them when done.

Family, thank God, all are well and those that graduated this year did so with high honors. Summer is here full blast, green foothills are turning brown, but I don't mind. Trees are full and so is the lake. John and I are thankful to be in good health and sprit. I continue to attend a group of wise and spiritual women and I'm back enjoying Qi Gong. Had stopped after getting hurt doing Yoga - I was not focusing - made a bad move, one of those that is nothing terrible but turns into icing, visits to the therapist and rest. It had me down because it felt as if I was going to be lame forever.

I am sad to report that the Mama Turkey, on the photos of my May 20, 2015 post, Wildlife In Our Property, is no longer nesting. Some ill-meaning person took the eggs from the nest. He/she trespassed on our property at night, knockdown one of our solar lights. In the morning, all John found where feathers on our driveway and an empty nest with the Mama looking for her babies, no shells. The eggs already had embryos.  I have a feeling who it was but no proof so I've had to turn it over to the God of my understanding. Will not report on the critters in our property until after the fact so creeps don't hurt them.

We wish you all a great Fourth of July; have safe and fun time celebrating our freedom and liberty. For my social media activity please see me at:

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

Twitter: @USAFLOC

Wildlife in our property

Last night when I got home from attending a meeting I phoned my husband from the driveway,” Is the door unlocked?"

I looked up and saw him looking down from our kitchen bay window.” No, it's not."

I hated to say it because the driveway lights were on but did, "Please come down and unlock the door, I saw something, not sure what."

He had spotted scat (Bear poop) on our grounds a few days ago and yesterday he spotted a Fox. Not only that but we have a Mama Turkey nesting on one of our slopes and a Mama Squirrel nesting on one of our trees.

"Wait until I come to open the door and out to the driveway."

My hero, I thought relieved as we entered our home.

This morning he let me know that the Fox has a den in a hollow under our driveway, "I saw two little Fox pups."

With the deer and other wildlife coming and going, we have a virtual zoo. Here are some photos he took.

Memorable Character

Ode to a Violinist

To be successful send a thank you note when rejected.

This caught my attention, "Thank you Papa Hemingway. By the way, Ernest Hemingway self-published his first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems, after a rejection letter and look at his success! What the author whose work was rejected, (there's that unpleasant word again), should have done is bitch and moan in private and then send a polite letter or email to the agent thanking her for taking time to read his manuscript."

The quote is taken from an article on Huff Post by Kristen Houghton: The Savvy Author: What You Really Need to Know to BeSuccessful

I just got a poetry rejection, after waiting three months, from a fabulous magazine, so I goggled "sample of thank you letter for rejection by publisher" and got the following: On Writer's Relief, Famous Author Rejection Letters: True Stories Of Unbelievable Rejections. An excellent article with lots of worthwhile comments but does not have a letter to a rejection. But in other sites, according to what I read, my rejection invites me to continue submitting work: "We do, however, look forward to reading more” that put a smile on my face. I will reply by sending a couple of more poems.

27 writing contests, almost all are free.

About writing contests. 

For novels, short stories, poetry fiction or non-fiction from medical mysteries to romance and science fiction the most trusted sites are Poets&Writers, PE, Predators&Editors and the Writer's Guild OfAmerica, West. Said sites are also valuable if you are looking for conferences, agents, publishers, workshops, attorneys, etc.

Today I came upon The Write Life , with a quick list of 27 Free Writing Contests: Legitimate Competitions WithCash Prizes, a couple should not be listed because they are not free, but the site is a useful resource.

It is important to the sites to know if you have entered any of the contests or used services listed that are useful or a rip-off.

Looking for reviews for your self published book?

I found a list of reviewers on THE INDI REVIEW page, a site provided on a SheWrites article by  MARIA MURNANE,  MARKETING TIP: REACH OUT TO BLOGGERS 
Also check out Murnane's site for other review sites.

Good Friday

I wish you a Good Friday, will return on Easter Sunday. 

Who the heck needs writers and publishers?

The book industry is reeling because Amazon can now produce books without authors! Kindle Author is like Amazon having 50 thousand writers and thousands of books that don't cost them anything to publish from and with.  Every book is generated by the maker and anyone can do it. Are movie scripts next? Historically and scientifically and accurate books? That's already part of it.
New Amazon Service Eliminates the Need for Authors

Read and see "how Amazon modified At left I show how Amazon modified the book listing page for Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James.  “Don’t want this book?" asks Amazon front and center on the page.  "Build your own for free with Kindle Author!"  

PS! This article was an April FOOLS Day punk by Mark Coker author for SMASHWORDS!!!

This is absolutely terrifying: People in Kazakhstan are falling asleep for days — and nobody knows why

This is absolutely terrifying: People in Kazakhstan are falling asleep for days — and nobody knows why

Join me and help save elephants

don't leave it to others to care
Join me and help save elephants

Comment on SHE WRITES article by VICTORIA ZACKHEIM

Victoria, I love your truth, and all responses are helpful. I have not published 'yet' and I am eagerly looking for agent/publisher and or to self-pub. I learned a piece of courage and resilience years ago, when a writing friend and I went to greet Allison Brennan; a #1 best selling author. My friend already knew Allison but other than for us only a couple of people stopped by and that Border's was packed. Still Allison talked to each of us and few others like we really mattered. 

Article by  VicotOria Zackheim, THE AGONY . . . THE ECSTASY . . .  http://bit.ly/18Lvovh

On reality and balance

I picked up a 99u article, from my ever-growing mailbox just to scan but read it, and I am writing about it; feels good not be alone in my scattered life.

When I retired in 2004, my goal was to write a book that in 1998 came in a dream and then an experience that shook the heck out of my sleep for months. But life does not stop because we want to fulfill our dreams. Other ideas and projects filtered in, and my family also needed my time and although grateful to help my frustration increased.  

I relate to a lot in the article: I am not a morning person and was an all or nothing person. Soon after retirement I was forced  not to be under a clock or calendar but do what I needed and wanted to do at any hour. I wrote nights into early mornings, dumping what came to my psyche without attention to my dyslexia or grammar, etc., I also posted notes and pages of research that verified what had come to me. I am into facts - I think that comes from my love of anthropology, history, religion and science, coupled with my years of work as  research analyst. When things became manageable I took on freelance jobs not significant but proof I was a published professional writer. 

Finally, as some order had come into my life, three years ago I reluctantly agreed with my  husband, not long after he retired, to move to live permanently in our home in the foothills.  I regretted the move. The house needed a ton of rehab and even though we had reliable contractors we had to be present. That same year both our mothers passed away, a loss we still mourn. I have come to appreciate the bit of isolation amid the hills of Northern California and last year we went to Paris and Spain for a month.

The article talks about reality and balance, and my reality is that I have accomplished a lot. Have completed the first book and rough drafts of two books of what is now a 1,600-page paranormal/sci-fi/mystery trilogy, and doing edits as other writers give me feedback.  Have many stories in the works and  my book of poetry. Also, my blog: hoyecomova.com has over 40K hits. And as Maria Rapetskaya's article says: I have stopped apologizing for wanting a work life balance.

Article by Maria Rapetskaya: In asense, I was a human start-up: big ideas, no funding. I knew this process would improve incrementally, probably for the rest of my life.  http://bit.ly/1M15Je5