Wednesday, December 24, 2014

A Tallenmere Christmas Story: A Ranger's Holiday

Hiya peeps! Here's a holiday-themed story I wrote some time back that stars some of your favorite characters from the Tallenmere Series. Enjoy, and I wish you ALL a Merry Christmas!

****

A Ranger’s Holiday
            Razor glided over naked trees in the dormant winter chill of the Wildewoode Forest. His half-elf master Galadin Trudeaux waited below, shrouded to near-invisibility under his concealment spell. The hunting hawk made his silent dive on an unsuspecting rabbit. Talons and beak ensured a quick, efficient death. The little thing didn’t even have a chance to squeal.        
            “Nice one, old boy.” Galadin dropped concealment and hurried to the carcass before Razor tore into it too much.
            Bending down with his hunting knife, he cut off a nice morsel of warm meat. Razor, eyeing his prize, climbed onto his master’s sturdy leather arm wrap. Galadin stood with the catch in one hand and offered the meat with the other. The hawk wasted no time gobbling it down.
            The sun sat lower than Galadin expected in the white winter sky. “We better get home. Cali’s been anxious enough about dinner tonight. She’ll probably skin us both.”
            Razor nipped his shoulder.
            “Ow! Are you never going to forgive me for being gone? You try being a slave.”
            Razor opened his beak.
            Galadin ducked away. Readjusting his eye-patch, he said, “You’re hardly a slave, you spoiled bird.”
            He weaved his way down the narrow footpath toward the main forest road. Rounding a bend that cut along an eroded hillside, he dodged to avoid a jagged rock that jutted into his blind spot. But, his foot hit a patch of mud, and down he went like a felled tree. Razor, needing neither leash nor hood, hopped away gracefully to a nearby bush. His master, on the other hand, took a full mud bath in a much-deeper-than-it-looked hole.
            Rising from the muck like some earthen monster, Galadin sat up and swiped mud from his one good eye. He did a quick inspection of himself. Brown, gooey globs dripped from both arms and ran beneath his shirt.
            He shook his head and grimaced. “Cali’s going to kill me.”
****
            Hands sticky with dough and coated with flour, Caliphany slid the loaf pan in the oven. “Oh, I forgot to preheat. Better fix that.” She opened the fire box and searched the kitchen for the striker. “Where is that thing?”
            Sighing in frustration, she held her hand a few inches from the wood. Her palm tingled, burning with familiar pinpricks as a compact puff of blue fire shot into the tinder, setting it ablaze. Being a ranger and fire mage had its advantages.
            “There,” she said with a self-satisfied grin. “My first loaf of bread.”
            Mollie skipped through the front door, leaving it open to the chilly wind. “Mama, why are you cooking?”
            Caliphany, fearing for her bread’s life, ran for the door and let out a squeal. A chicken flapped in her daughter’s arms. Feathers floated onto her unruly curls, through the air, and all over the floor.
            Snatching the bird, who clucked indignantly, Caliphany tossed it out onto the porch.
Door secured once more against the elements, she turned to her daughter. “Mollie, where is your father? I thought he’d be back by now.”
“He’s hunting,” Mollie said, arms crossed and pouting. “My chicken was cold.”
Caliphany smiled. “I know, my darling, but I’ve cleaned the cottage from top to bottom. Our guests will arrive soon. I want our Year’s End dinner to be perfect.”
“But, Mama, you never cook.”
“Well, today, I am. Now, clean up and put on your new dress.”
“All right, Mama.” Mollie dragged her feet and hung her head all the way to her room.
Caliphany found the broom and swept up brown feathers until the floor was spotless.
She glanced at the clock. “Where is Galadin?”
He was supposed to be here helping watch Mollie. Her mother, Ellawen, had offered to come early and babysit, but Caliphany wanted to handle the holiday on her own this year. Not once had she celebrated away from the Aranea manor or the palace in Leogard, where servants prepared everything. Since becoming a wife and mother with her own household, Caliphany had tried hard to master domestic life. Most high elves couldn’t understand why one of their kind, especially the king’s niece, wanted to get her hands dirty. Even her mother remained skeptical.
She put away the broom and checked on the bread. Besides being a little lopsided, it was rising nicely. Outside the kitchen window, smoke plumed from the smokehouse, where Galadin had venison curing for their feast. He’d already prepared a nice selection of side dishes. Why he needed rabbits, too, she had no idea, but if this bread came out a success, she could brag about contributing something to dinner, too.
Mollie’s voice rang out from the pantry. “Uh-oh.”
Never certain what her precocious daughter might be into next, Caliphany’s muscles tensed as she rushed to the scene. Mollie, with a few rogue feathers still stuck in her hair, now had a thick coating of honey gluing them down. The honey jar wobbled on its side, and a viscous stream meandered onto Mollie’s new red satin dress with the fur-lined collar.
Caliphany clapped a hand to her forehead. “Mollie…why?”
“I was trying to reach the honey for your bread, Mama. I was trying to help.”
“I didn’t ask you to help! Today is supposed to be perfect, and now look!”
Under the sticky mask of honey, Mollie’s bottom lip trembled.
Caliphany righted the jar and took one of her daughter’s messy hands. “I know you were trying to help, sweetheart. Let’s get you a quick bath.”

****

Galadin released Razor into his warm hutch and covered it to keep out drafts. He opened the door, expecting to be greeted by his wife and daughter, but all he got was a face full of smoke.
“Cali! Mollie!” He ran through the black cloud into the kitchen. Ducking beneath the smoke layer, he honed in on its source—the oven. He grabbed a mitt, opened the door, and coughed as a thicker cloud of smoke billowed out.
Cali, with a towel-wrapped Mollie in her arms, ran from the bedroom. “Oh no!”
Galadin took the pan from the oven, opened the kitchen window, and dumped the charred remains outside. He sped through the cottage, opening every window to let the smoke escape. He’d
just finished when he heard a sob. Behind him, Cali sat at the dining table, head in both hands, and wept bitterly.
He knelt at her side. “Cali, don’t cry. It’s fine. But, what happened?”
“I made bread.”
“Oh.”
“Then Mollie brought her chicken in the house, and then she spilled honey all over herself. I had to give her a bath and forgot the br-e-a-a-a-d.” She melted into more tears, while Galadin rubbed her back and looked at Mollie. The little girl shrugged and retreated to her room.
“Cali, it’ll be all right. We can make more bread.”
She raised her head and started to say something, then grimaced. “Why are you all…?” The sobbing resumed with a vengeance.
He’d almost forgotten about his mud bath. “Long story. I’ll clean up. Don’t worry.”
There was nothing he wanted more than to give Cali and Mollie a wonderful Year’s End. After their long separation and dangerous work as scouts, they deserved some peace and quiet. He knew how much this holiday meant to Cali and loved her more than ever for wanting to make it special.
Cali gave him a half-hearted smile when he kissed her cheek.
Bang, bang, bang!
They both gasped, “They’re here!”
Galadin hurried to the door and opened it to find a stack of colorful boxes.
 “A little help, please!” his mother-in-law, Ellawen, called out from behind them.
 Shyler, Galadin’s former first mate, now blind, stood beside her. “I told ya I could get those, me lady. Or you could have let the driver do it instead of sending ‘im off so soon.”
“Button up,” Ellawen admonished playfully. “Galadin’s our host, so it’s his job.”
“Right.” He took the packages from her arms and set them on a side table.
Ellawen removed her gloves and looked from her daughter to her son-in-law. “We stopped to pick up Shyler, but it appears we may be early. You said five-o-clock, did you not?”
“Yes, Mother,” Cali whimpered.
“And Galadin—you’re…” Ellwen’s face broke into a smile, which evolved into laughter. “My goodness, this reminds me so much of when Sirius and I were newly married.”
“It does?” Cali asked.
Galadin didn’t fail to notice how his wife perked up at stories of her late father.
“Oh, yes.” Ellawen hung her scarf and cloak on the coat rack. “I tried so hard to make things perfect. Sirius did too. And the harder we tried, the messier things were.”
Mollie came running, wearing a plainer green, but clean, dress. Ellawen caught her granddaughter in a happy hug. The two giggled, and so did Cali, just a little.
Mollie kissed Ellawen’s cheek. “Did you bring presents, Grandmama?”
“What do you think?”
“We have presents for you, too!”
The two of them burst into giggles. Cali flashed a smile at Galadin. Tonight would be even better, he thought, once everyone was sound asleep and he had Cali all to himself.
Cali hugged her mother. “I’m sorry. I burned the bread, and Mollie ruined the dress you got her. The whole evening’s a shambles.”
“Nonsense.” Ellawen waved a dismissive hand. “I think another carriage just arrived.”
Galadin assumed his usher duties and opened the door again. Jayden and Serenya Ravenwing had arrived, each holding one of their twin girls.
Once the wood-elf family of four was all inside, Cali whispered, “Oh no, you’re still covered in…”
“Mud!” Jayden exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell us this was a costume party? Let me guess, Trudeaux, you’re a one-eyed pig.”
“And you’re still short. Welcome to the sty!”
Caliphany glanced from her ex-husband to her current one and rolled her eyes.
Serenya tiptoed to give Cali a one-armed hug. “The venison smells wonderful. Thanks for inviting us. Would you like to hold Fallon?”
“I would,” Cali said. She took the chubby baby, who immediately fisted her pearls and drooled on them. “My, how they’ve grown! I’m so sorry everything’s…” She gave Galadin a pointed look. “…a mess. Nothing turned out quite right, I’m afraid.”
Serenya pulled out a doll from her shoulder bag and presented it to Mollie. The toddler threw her arms around Serenya’s neck. “Thank you, Renny! I love it!”
“I made it especially for you, sweetheart.” Serenya sat cross-legged on the floor, Mollie settled on her lap. “On the contrary, Cali, I’d say today is just perfect. We’re all together, everyone’s healthy and happy. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
“Hear, hear!” Jayden said, nuzzling baby Alina’s cheek. “Let’s eat! I’m famished.”
They feasted until their bellies begged for mercy. Galadin refused their offers of help while he cleaned up and enjoyed the happy chatter of a full cottage. Theirs was an unconventional family, but it worked, nonetheless. The horrors they’d shared seemed like nothing more than a bad dream tonight. Jayden played the violin while Serenya sang. Shyler regaled everyone with tales from their sailing days. Caliphany and Ellawen sat on a quilt and played with the twins. Mollie danced and giggled until she wore herself out, soon falling sound asleep on Jayden’s shoulder.
He whispered to Cali, “Mind if I tuck her in?”
Cali smiled. “Sure, go ahead.”
All their guests bedded down in the den in sleeping bags and on the sofa, even though Cali offered their bedrooms. Galadin peeked in on sound-asleep Mollie and kissed her cheek. He’d almost forgotten about his much-needed bath, so he eased into his bedroom and closed the door quietly, thinking Cali might be asleep already.          
Instead, she stood there wearing nothing but a towel. “Ready for your bath, Captain?”

He couldn’t get out of his clothes fast enough.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

COMING SOON!!

Yes, peeps, I've got yet another release coming up on December 21. This time with author MJ Post. It's a contemporary romance novella called Chances Are. Here's what it's about:

Natalie and JD West had it all—a nice house, steady jobs, and a baby on the way.
Until the unthinkable happened.
On the brink of divorce, Natalie soothes her grief by playing matchmaker for her best friend. JD, a high school principal, focuses on helping a troubled student. With their separate missions, a seductive secretary, and a deadly situation brewing, chances are they’ll never make it. Will love be enough to pull them through?
And of course, we have a party planned over on Facebook, so you won't need a cute cocktail dress or a gift for this December party :)


Monday, December 1, 2014

Frozen: A Winter Romance Anthology






Here's another good excuse to wile away those long winter days with a good book! I'm happy to host this stop in the blog tour for some amazing authors from Satin Romance, many of whose work I already admire and a few who I am excited to get to know. This collection is made up of short, but sweet romantic tales sure to warm you from the inside out. Here's a little rundown of what you'll find within its pages:

Frozen: A Winter Romance Anthology

The Ice Hotel Wedding Test by Charmaine Pauls
Jess and Derrick have been together for twelve years. When Jess finally gives Derrick an ultimatum, tie the knot or set her free, he proposes a bizarre test to decide their destiny.


Love Thaws a Frozen Heart by Valerie J. Clarizio
Casey is hell bent on getting Noah to sign divorce papers. Hiding out at his camp, Noah is hell bent on not signing. Procuring a snowmobile, Casey sets out in a blinding snowstorm to find him. After crashing, she is near death when Noah finds her. Will a few cabin-bound days cause either of them to change their mind?


Lord of Ice by April Marcom
Jack Frost gave his heart to Lilly the day she was born, making her the perfect leverage for a fire spirit whose heart is set on becoming Lord of Ice.


Frozen Moments by Nancy Pennick ('A Waiting For Dusk' story)
Drew keeps proposing. Kate keeps saying no. It’s their little game. Can the holiday season change that? Kate has lost her best friend, and Drew does his best to cheer her up in this delightful story of love and memories.


Frozen In Time by Christina Kirby
Lizbeth travels the world as a freelance photographer and answers to no one. After her last relationship, that’s exactly how she wants her life to be, easy and all her own. Jonas is staying at his family’s cabin while he deals with the loss of a fellow fallen solider. He wants nothing more than to be left alone and to avoid Christmas. Neither plan on spending Christmas with a stranger or finding the person who’s exactly what each other needs.


Frozen With Possibilities by Rhonda Brutt
A resort on the shores of Lake Superior in the middle of December was not exactly what Tiffany had in mind for a mid-winter vacation. But when she agreed to accompany her progressive grandmother on this frozen trip, she discovered that life is filled with possibilities, if you only go after them.


Frozen Heart Thawing by Nicole Angeleen
In the depths of winter, Thomas Everett grudgingly meets his betrothed, Nila Sarvani, the daughter of a powerful sheikh. The passion they share takes them both by surprise, but the ruthlessness of American business threatens to tear them apart. Nila must decide if her dreams can be realized if she allows herself to fall in love.


Frozen Dreams by Elena Kane
In a world surrounded by snow and magic, Cara finds herself grossly out of place. Ridiculed by all, she lives her life in terror from perpetual bullies until she runs into a stranger in town. Ben is everything she always wanted, but never expected. Better yet, he sees past her differences. Could Ben be her dream come true?


Her Frozen Heart by Tara Fox Hall
Alaric has always loved the winter season, second only to his love of spells and sorcery. When his beautiful neighbor Cassandra reveals she’s a natural witch, he’s instantly smitten, even as he despairs of attracting her interest. Is there hope for a magical couple who thrive in different seasons?


The Thawing of Holly’s Heart by Marilyn Gardiner
What happens when a single mother meets an old friend and, despite the conviction that she will never again open her heart to another man, finds herself falling in love?


Falling On Ice by Bess Kingsley
After the horrible year ice sculptor Sam McLeod has had, falling off a ladder at Nationals into the arms of her nemesis is the absolute last thing she needs. Or is it? 


 Satin Romance

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes & Noble


Meet the Authors

Nicole Angeleen is a writer from Shawnee, Kansas. When she is not writing, she spends her time reading on the beach, traveling, and being a rabid and obsessive sports fan.











Rhoda Brutt - Rhonda lives in the Minneapolis metropolitan area and enjoys swimming, concerts, and making up excuses to get out of cooking!










Valerie Clarizio
- I grew up in the north woods in a house full of brothers. I can hunt, fish, and survive in the great outdoors with the best of them.











 Marilyn Gardiner - Marilyn has published in many newspapers and magazines, taught a creative writing class, tutored adults learning to read, and volunteered in the public school system. Her book shelf holds eleven published novels, and two more not yet published.










Tara Fox Hall - Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice. 






Elena Kane - A country girl living each day to the fullest; creating characters that touch the heart and stick with you.





Bess Kingsley - Bess Kingsley is a contemporary romance writer living in North Carolina









Christina Kirby - A stay at home mom who loves books and traveling, though with two small kids the love of books is more convenient.











April Marcom - April Marcom is a teacher, author, and mother of three who enjoys the slow, peaceful life of the countryside.









Charmaine Pauls - South African born Charmaine Pauls is a gypsy at heart who loves to look at the world through the lens of her camera. Before taking up writing full time, the novelist worked in public relations, advertising, journalism and marketing. She resides in Chile with her husband and children.







Nancy Pennick - After a great career in teaching, Nancy found a second calling as a writer. She loves to travel, garden and have a good cup of tea nearby.






Sunday, November 30, 2014

30 Days of Thankfulness + Big Giveaway #30

Welcome to the LAST DAY of 30 Days of Thankfulness, featuring a tremendous giveaway that will be PERFECT for a reader on your Christmas list...or a gift for yourself!!! We are giving away a...



Yep, you heard me right, but that's not all. All authors participating in this month's event have also generously donated a Kindle copy of one of their books so you'll already have some great stories to read when you curl up with your new Kindle!! To enter, just complete all the easy entries on the Rafflecopter on the bottom of this page. A winner will be drawn randomly tonight at 11:59 PM EST. Today let's hear from author Charmaine Pauls and what she's thankful for :


Living in a Foreign Country

I am thankful for my husband, my children, my family, my friends, my cats, my health, and my job, but seeing that we’re facing another international move, I’d like to single out my home. I am thankful for my adoptive country, Chile, that gave me a warm welcome, a beautiful home, and precious memories.

Atacama Desert
It has been six years since the day we first set foot in Santiago. We moved here for my husband’s job. Besides for South Africa, where I’ve been born, I’ve also lived in France with my husband and children before moving to Chile. The logistics and physical effort involved in moving house and pets across oceans are hard enough as it is. On top of that there are the daunting tasks (all done in a new language you don’t yet speak or understand) of finding a new house, school, doctors, dentists, hairdresser, internet, cable and cell phone service providers, opening new bank accounts, changing addresses, applying for residency, getting to know new products (and figuring out the labels!), find out where to do grocery shopping, making new friends, and most of all, taking action so you don’t become isolated.  

Hardships aside, pulling up your roots and settling on a different part of the globe, far removed from everything that’s known and familiar, far away from family, brings with it invaluable gifts, for which I am thankful.

v  It brought our family really close, since we only have each other to rely upon in the beginning, each time we make a new start.
v  It taught us to be adaptable.
v  It exposed us to different mindsets, cultures and religions, broadening our life perspectives.
v  The experience brought plenty of new adventures.
v  We got to explore a new continent, traveling across this amazingly beautiful country of over 3000 km long, and to all its bordering countries.
v  We learned to dance the salsa, and to drink Pisco Sour.
v  We adapted to the Latin American concept of time and do like the Chilenos do – eating long, jovial dinners that start late.
v  We fell in love with the local cuisine and enjoyed Chile’s affordable, world-class wine.
v  We made new friends who became our family abroad.
v  We mastered a new language.

Patagonia
The biggest gifts Chile gave me, are the nature, new friends, and Spanish. My family and I will take a piece of this Latin American country with us to our new home, wherever that may be. I give thanks to Chile and its people, and to the unknown. May we never stop expanding our boundaries.

Bailo el Cueca para siempre.

The Cueca is the national Chilean dance. It depicts the beauty of courtship. The man will take his time to lead the lady onto the dance floor, during which he compliments her and convinces her that he is worthy of winning a dance with her. In the dance they circle each other, much like the rooster and the hen. After a boastful display by the rooster, the hen always ends up as the conqueror, with the rooster on his knees (or in the Cueca dance, on one knee).




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Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a masters degree in Communication at the University of Potchestroom, and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions.

After relocating to France with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published 5 novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles.

When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and work with animal rescue organizations. Charmaine currently lives in Chile with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.




The Astronomer
Loving someone madly, obsessively, to the point of addiction can be heaven … or hell.

The year is 2165. A new blood group has evolved, and biological pairing, called mating, has replaced the old-world marriage ritual. When a stranger saves astronomer Dr. Fraya Riber from drowning, her body goes into a strange state of arousal. Bound to be paired with another, Fraya frantically searches for the answers to the phenomenon that soon becomes an unwelcome addiction. Nothing has prepared her for this painful dependence, and nothing will prepare her for the cure, or the identity of her enigmatic savior.

Can physical passion craft a bond that will last a lifetime?

Buy Links
To be provided shortly (when the pre-sales link goes live).

Find Charmaine here


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Saturday, November 29, 2014

30 Days of Thankfulness + Big Giveaway #29

Welcome to November and Unwritten's next BIG event, 30 Days of Thankfulness, featuring a tremendous giveaway that will be PERFECT for a reader on your Christmas list...or a gift for yourself!!! We are giving away a...



Yep, you heard me right, but that's not all. All authors participating in this month's event have also generously donated a Kindle copy of one of their books so you'll already have some great stories to read when you curl up with your new Kindle!! To enter, just complete all the easy entries on the Rafflecopter on the bottom of this page. Today let's hear from author SC Dane and what she's thankful for :

FOUR RUBBER TIRES AND A GARMIN

Why am I grateful to Michelin and a black box linked to the stars? Road trekking, my friend. I’m a nomad, voyaging from one job to the next to pay my way across the U.S. Three years ago I bought a camper-van and a GPS, loaded my dog on board, and started traveling. How can a forty-five year old woman be grateful for financial insecurity, potential danger, and missed exits?

Freedom. The exhilaration which comes from devouring ribbons upon ribbons of open road. Where the road less traveled isn’t a metaphor, but a bumpy rock-strewn mountain pass. Trekking has had its challenges. But that was the point. I’ve uncovered truths about myself, tapped into strengths I thought I lacked.

But most important, I’ve discovered a common thread woven from one coast to the next: Goodness still reigns supreme in the hearts of the people. If I’d stayed in my safe corner of Maine, I would have never learned (in spite of the evening news’ messages to the contrary) that no matter where or how people live, they are still kind, generous, and nobly heroic in their struggles to eke out an existence.

So, during this holiday season of reflection, I’m grateful for my four rubbers tires and my Garmin GPS. Without them, I wouldn’t have seen this great country. Or the greatness within those who populate it.


~S.C. Dane

****

S.C. Dane, born of this earth, has survived upon it fully aware she'll leave it. She delights in her life, knowing the seasons provide, and time is elastic. Currently, she’s on an American version of a walkabout, traveling where her heart and the odd job takes her.




Contact link: http://paranormalromancebyscdane.wordpress.com/
                        https://www.facebook.com/authorscdane




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Friday, November 28, 2014

30 Days of Thankfulness + Big Giveaway #28

Welcome to November and Unwritten's next BIG event, 30 Days of Thankfulness, featuring a tremendous giveaway that will be PERFECT for a reader on your Christmas list...or a gift for yourself!!! We are giving away a...



Yep, you heard me right, but that's not all. All authors participating in this month's event have also generously donated a Kindle copy of one of their books so you'll already have some great stories to read when you curl up with your new Kindle!! To enter, just complete all the easy entries on the Rafflecopter on the bottom of this page. Today let's hear from author Tony Acree and what he's thankful for :

Mom

The thing I am most thankful for is my mother. On May 23rd of this year, my mother passed away from acute leukemia. The disease hit her quickly and from diagnosis to her death was four days.

My mother raised her children to be independent, strong willed and loving. She taught us there are two ways you can face adversity: throw in the towel and ask, “why me?” or push forward and say, “I can”.

The last day of her life, she continued to show all of us how to live our lives better. Knowing she was going to die, she made several phone calls, checking on friends and family, sharing a laugh and letting each of us know, we were going to be alright.

My mother’s faith in an afterlife was unquestioned, her love of family, unequaled, and the joy she shared unsurpassed. I owe all that I am to my mother. This will be the first Thanksgiving without her. But when we all gather for dinner at my aunt’s, we will be giving thanks for having my mom in our lives.

I love my mother. I give thanks for all the memories which keep her with me, every day. 

****
Amazon best selling author, Tony Acree,likes putting characters in situations they think they will never survive, and find out if they're right. He lives near Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, twin daughters, two female dogs, a female cat, and says the way the goldfish looks at him, he's sure she's female, too. 

Hydra Publications
Owner





Author of the bestselling novel The Hand of God and The Watchers


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Thursday, November 27, 2014

30 Days of Thankfulness + Big Giveaway #27



Welcome to November and Unwritten's next BIG event, 30 Days of Thankfulness, featuring a tremendous giveaway that will be PERFECT for a reader on your Christmas list...or a gift for yourself!!! We are giving away a...




Yep, you heard me right, but that's not all. All authors participating in this month's event have also generously donated a Kindle copy of one of their books so you'll already have some great stories to read when you curl up with your new Kindle!! To enter, just complete all the easy entries on the Rafflecopter on the bottom of this page. Today let's hear from author Amber Skye Forbes to tell you about some things she's thankful for :

Strength
            This year has been difficult for me. I have gone through several mental health crises that have made it difficult for me to be thankful about anything. I was hospitalized in October after a traumatic event and being in a mixed episode for bipolar disorder. It was a 24-hour suicide watch. Yet, these things have strengthened me, and that is what I am grateful for. I am grateful for the strength I have gained this year through everything that has happened to me.
            Many of us do not think we are strong. Many of us do not think we are strong enough. As someone with PTSD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, I fall prey to thinking this copious amounts of time. I am a survivor of these things that have happened to me this year. I am a survivor because of my strength, my willingness to fight through the pain and still go after what I want. I have become more compassionate and understanding. I was already these things, but continuously building strength without letting the world harden you magnifies these qualities of mine each time I have nothing left but strength I have to grasp on to. After all, when there is nothing left, strength is all you can grab to survive. It may be merely surviving, but strength will soon help you live.
            As a marketer for Southern Siding, this job constantly reminds me that I am strong because it is a goal-oriented job. My job seems so simple on the surface, but it is unlike retail or working in food service. It’s a job that requires fight and determination. It’s a job that requires you to read Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends & Influence People. It’s a job that empowers me, it’s a job that reminds me what I have in life, and it’s a job that pushes me toward the future.
            You would think writing would do this for me—and to a certain extent it does. However, my passion for ballet, another love of my life, does instill confidence in me, because, for me, ballet is MUCH harder than writing. I know I am a good writer. I don’t need to be told that. Of course I can always improve. That’s what I strive to do with each story I write. I want each book I write to be better than the last. Yet, with ballet, you continually learn new things, you continually learn new exercises. When you grasp these things, when you can get an exercise that was so difficult at first, you are filled with a sense of pride, confidence, and strength. My job as a marketer does the same for me. Writing is so subjective. Some will hate your work. Others won’t. But ballet and my job are objective.

            Thus, I am grateful for my strength pushing me through life. 

****
Amber Skye Forbes is a dancing writer who goes through life creating words with the tips of her toes. She dances ballet and writes for teens. As both a dancer and writer, she has gained enough confidence to go out into the world and instill this confidence in others. She loves her job as a marketer for Southern Siding and has high expectations for her future in this company. She lives in Augusta, GA, where she attends an online college to make her life more flexible. Besides writing, dancing, reading, and working, she loves her fiance, fashion, make-up, video games, her family, cat, and compassion. 

Website: AmberSkyeForbes
Facebook Page: AmberSkyeForbes
Twitter: AmberSkyeForbes





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