Saturday, October 27, 2018

OUTSHINE: An Ovarian Cancer Memoir

Karen Ingalls

Karen Ingalls writes a touching, yet suspenseful memoir as a cancer victim,  then as a  survivor.

She takes us through her diagnosis and the fear she felt, the chemotherapy treatments and how they weren’t as bad as she thought, but she lost her hair, anyway. She talks about her friends who helped her pick out cute hats, wigs and turbans to hide her baldness, then decided to go bald, instead. At first, she was embarrassed, then came to adjust to it. 

Karen also takes us through her spiritual growth where she leaves everything in God’s hands. Well, God, spiritual guides and her doctors.

It was amazing how the trilogy of recovery (God, spiritual guides and doctors) all came together to wipe out Karen’s cancer. Except, I forgot one thing. Karen’s attitude. Built with regard for her own health and well-being, she refused to let Ovarian Cancer beat her. Instead, she fought and conquered it.

This memoir can and should be read by everyone, not only by cancer victims and cancer survivors but everyone.  

It’s not clinical, but deeply human.

I gave this five stars, partly for the information and how well she wrote her story, and partly because I couldn’t put it down

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

PRESENTING YOUR LITERARY TODDLER INTO THE WORLD


PRESENTING YOUR LITERARY TODDLER INTO THE WORLD

PRESENTING YOUR LITERARY BABY TO THE WORLD

Morning:

I’m a writer. See photo of me at a writer’s conference in 2008. I forget where.

My writing life, now, is dedicated to finishing the re-edits of LEGACY OF DANGER, updating and finding neat things to put into the blog and content, reading/reviewing and constantly upgrading my technical skills. (oh yes, also finding my creative spirit, which seems to escape me from time-to-time.) and, another oh MARKETING.  GASP! I’m horrible at that.

I have found some resources for marketing.  My website is WordPress–and I use Blue Host to host all my hosting needs. (do you hear an echo?)

Here’s my thoughts on marketing.  
 
It’s not easy going from an unknown author to a known author. Tell me something I don’t already know, you may well ask.

I ask friends, relatives strangers what they’re reading I get the big names. “Did you read Patterson’s latest?”  “I’m reading ….” (fill in Have you read Patricia Guthrie’s latest novel? Answer (if it’s not a friend or relative “Who’s that?”  Hmm.  Or if it is a friend or relative. “How did you like WATERLILIES OVER MY GRAVE?” Answer–body language, shuffling of feat, looking a way, clearing of throat, “Oh, I’ve bought your book, but I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time to look at it. Besides I have to finish Stephen King’s ZOO. Have you read that? You really should.”  I walk off with a stomach full of disappointment and discouragement. Probably won’t write today.  Sad, but there it is.

When you’re unknown, how can you make anyone understand that your story might–just might–be a hell of a good read? They may fall in love with you (as an author, that is) your characters, plot, setting
and so forth. In fact, they might be missing a whole world of literature. So there! I’ve said it. I gave up at least once on writing–but writing never gave up on me. There’s something in my nature that tells me to “write the next one.” Was that my brain or my publisher speaking?  So with feet planted firmly on the ground and getting pulled by my temperament I forge ahead. Again.

So, what do we do next after the book is “put to bed.”  LEGACY OF DANGER needs re-editing. I had it pulled from Amazon. Sometimes, the story might be good (or not) but the editing sucks.

So, next? I’m thinking about writing about episodes in a retirement home. That sounds like fun. 
 
Have a good one. 

NOTE GO VOTE. IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME.ement

Monday, May 7, 2018

WELCOME TO MARETHA BOTHA ARRBC SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR FOR THE MONTH OF MAY

ARRBC SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR INFORMATION










Maretha Botha writes and illustrates children’s books. She likes gardening and finds it a real pleasure to get stuck into planting things which have a good chance of growing well and not dying on her because of extreme heat, such as she experienced in Botswana.  She makes a conscious effort to have a bee and insect friendly garden, avoiding pesticides, sewing a summer meadow, making her own compost and looking after all manner of birds, trying her best to keep the neighbourhood pussy-cats away from young and inexperienced fledglings – not an easy task.

When she was younger, she used to love rock-climbing and mountaineering.  Nowadays she and her family hike on the moors in all sorts of weather, where the strong breeze quickly clears cobwebs, and the vistas provide much food for thought and inspiration.








An excerpt from book 2, “Friends: An African Adventure – Fauna Park Tales”, Chapter 3.
THE FIRES WERE WIDESPREAD, BUT Flame kept on herding animals to safety despite the closeness of the flames. I was amazed – a sheepdog after all? He stopped suddenly, listening – his left ear stood up – just as if Cook Katie had starched it like one of her white linen napkins. What else could he possibly have heard amidst all the commotion? Then I also heard far-off sad cries. Flame dashed through the burned-out stubble in a westerly direction. Not worrying about his own safety, he touched the ground just here and there as he ran towards the Llokodi Hills. It was as if his Kalughari heritage gave him speed to run faster, and courage not to look back or feel the heat under his paws. The hills were burning brightly, and huge flames were everywhere. Dense, grey smoke hid the early morning sun, making breathing difficult.

Flame came closer to the spot from where the sounds had come. He saw a chilling sight, because a young female zebra and her two newborn foals were trapped! When the rest of their herd had moved to safety, she had waited for the foals to become stronger, but she had lingered too long.

Fires on one side and a small cliff on the other, prevented her from escaping. The flames were about to surround them. Flame had no time to bark advices to the zebras, so he scrambled up the side of the rock cliff. With a great leap, he cleared the fires and landed next to the zebras.


Unfortunately, the mother was so spooked that she kicked him in the ribs. He fell to the ground, winded. Fear gave her wings and she jumped up and over the flames. Flame got up, grabbed one of the foals by the back of its neck and dragged him to safety. Despite the pain in his side, Flame crawled back into the danger zone. Dense smoke was everywhere, and he coughed, battling to breathe. Still, he tried to drag the second one out of the fire’s reach, but he fell down.
Flame heard a loud kleeou-kleeou somewhere in the sky, but he couldn’t see a lone martial eagle flying above them. The clouds of smoke were too thick. The martial eagle kept circling lower, just staying out of the fire’s reach, chanting on and on, ‘Kleeou-kleeou! Remue-toi! (Get a move on!) Flame, don’t pass out. I’ll get help for you.’


https://marethabotha2013.com/ (child-friendly blog)


THANK YOU SO MUCH RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB AND THE BLOG POST HOSTS FOR YOUR WONDERFUL SUPPORT AND THE PRIVILEGE TO BE THE SPOTLIGHT AUTHOR THIS MONTH!