Check out my guest post on “A Dog Trainer’s Approach to Writing” at It Feels Drafty.
Don’t miss the other stops on the Pump Up Your Book tour.
Enter to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards!
Nov 29
PUYB Tour: Blogging at It Feels Drafty & $25 giveaway!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/puyb-tour-blogging-at-it-feels-drafty-25-giveaway/
Nov 27
Mystic Salon: Chakras & Akashic Records
Information provided by Jennifer Jacoby
The Chakras and Auric Awareness
4 December 2014, 7-9 pm
Ever wonder what is behind people and their perceptions? Or how you can be affected by and affect others? Did you know, you are a being of energy, an auric field living in a network of energies?
Join Julie Weller at the Mystic Salon as she discusses the unseen energies that emanate from and flow through your energetic body. Explore easy ways to balance and harmonize these energies even in challenging times, and learn to effectively manage your energetic contribution to relationships and the world around you.
Come explore your auric body and discover the key to self mastery!
This talk, offered through the Mystic Salon Meet-Up Group, is open to the public. Come join the Salon at Delmar Chiropractic, located at 7171 Delmar Blvd, Suite 200 in University City, Missouri. Please visit www.MysticSalon.org for more details.
Past Lives and the Akashic Records
22 January 2015, 7-9 pm
The journey of the soul is stored at a vibratory level called the “Akashic Records”. Also referred to as “The Book of Life”, these records give us access to our past lives and the varied experiences that makes us each unique.
Welcome Rhoda Leifheit to the Mystic Salon and learn how past lives can influence our present relationships, careers, health, struggles and strengths. Discover the purpose for karma as the soul seeks wholeness and illumination.
This talk, offered through the Mystic Salon Meet-Up Group, is open to the public. Come join the Salon at a location soon to be determined in Saint Louis, Missouri. Please visit www.MysticSalon.org for more details.
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/mystic-salon-chakras-akashic-records-2/
Nov 27
PUYB Tour: Interview at BlogHer
2008: Engraved stone at the Library of Stone Books, Ica, Peru
Check out my interview today at BlogHer.
Don’t miss the other stops on the Pump Up Your Book tour.
Enter to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/puyb-tour-interview-at-blogher/
Nov 26
Blogging on Audiobooks 101 at Disquieting Visions
Check out my guest post on Disquieting Visions entitled “Audiobooks 101: The Basics.”
Thanks to my host, Gail Z. Martin, who is the author of the new epic fantasy Reign of Ash (Orbit Books 2014) and Deadly Curiosities, a new urban fantasy novel (July 2014 Solaris Books), set in Charleston, SC. I met Gail through Broad Universe.
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/blogging-on-audiobooks-101-at-disquieting-visions/
Nov 25
PUYB Tour: Blogging at Literarily Speaking
Check out my guest post entitled “12 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming An Author” at Literarily Speaking.
Don’t miss the other stops on the Pump Up Your Book tour.
Enter to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/puyb-tour-blogging-at-literarily-speaking/
Nov 25
Kimberly Schneider: If you’re feeling scared…
Guest message from Kimberly Schneider (written prior to Grand Jury announcement)
Happy (almo
st) Thanksgiving! I hope this email finds you hopeful, happy and overflowing with gratitude!
My heart is full this morning, and I’m also very aware that a lot of people in my own city of St. Louis are feeling scared today.
As you are most likely aware, a few months ago in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, a white police officer shot and killed an unarmed black teenage boy named Michael Brown. That event was tragic, not only for Michael Brown and his family, but also for the police officer and his loved ones, and the entire Ferguson community.
Many people have been protesting Michael Brown’s death and the circumstances surrounding it, hoping to raise awareness and bring about transformational change in race relations, especially in regard to interactions between the police and the citizens of color. Unfortunately, although the vast majority of protests have been peaceful, some individuals and groups have been exploiting the situation to create chaos.
Right now our city is awaiting the grand jury’s decision on whether to indict the police officer who shot Michael Brown. Rumors are flying, police presence is highly and increasingly visible throughout our region, and many local events are being changed or cancelled because people are scared about what will happen when the indictment decision is announced.
Whether or not you live in St. Louis, I think this is a good opportunity for all of us to take a deep breath and remind ourselves of something:
The world is what we make of it.
Intense fear gives us clues around where we feel vulnerable, where we are most in need of love and connection.
Whenever we feel scared, there’s an opportunity for real transformation.
It is natural to respond to feelings of fear by looking for control. We all do whatever we can to feel safer.
Unfortunately though, while defensive strategies may give us a short-term illusion of safety, all of these measures only serve to reinforce the ego’s illusions of separation. Over time, we are forced to build more and more walls around our hearts (and perhaps even our homes) to feel safe.
And “the way things are” continues to be the way things are.
What other choice do we have?
We can choose to be present to our fears, allowing them to teach and transform us.
We can recognize that ultimately, every one of us is doing what we can to experience happiness.
We can remember that each of the human beings we encounter wants to be free, to be happy, to feel peace.
And when we have the courage to do that, we have new options. We can create the world we want to live in. We realize that there is nothing to fear because the Essential Self, the most expansive part of who we are, has always been, and always will be.
What do you fear?
Where do you seek control?
What does courage look like for you today ?
How can you un-arm your heart?
Where can you reach out and make a connection?
Your I AM is right here.
Everything you need is right here.
If you want to experience some peace right here and now, I created a short little guided meditation this morning to help.
You can listen here: http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WRv3MffW
Or download it from here: http://kschneider.audioacrobat.com/download/WhenYouAreScared.mp3
May we all be peace.
May we all have the courage to love ourselves right through our fears.
Blessings,
Kimberly
http://www.KimberlySchneider.com
The Manifestation Maven
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/kimberly-schneider-if-youre-feeling-scared/
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/ya-fantasy-authors-at-stl-books-123/
Nov 20
PUYB Tour: Interview at Review From Here
2008: Inside the Library of Stone Books, Ica, Peru
Check out my interview today at Review From Here.
Don’t miss the other stops on the Pump Up Your Book tour.
Enter to win one of two $25 Amazon gift cards!
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/puyb-tour-interview-at-review-from-here/
Nov 19
BRoP Interview: Camille Faye
Welcome to CAMILLE FAYE, this week’s Blog Ring of Power guest! Camille lives in Missouri, loves on her family, and writes during the baby’s nap time. She grew up in a haunted house, which sparked her fascination with the paranormal. Before becoming a writer, she reported for an NBC affiliate and taught writing at universities in Missouri and Illinois. She found the muse for her debut novel, Voodoo Butterfly, during a family trip to New Orleans where she dreamt of a woman who had the power to change evil people good. The Northwest Houston RWA named her novel, Voodoo Butterfly, a 2013 Lone Star Contest finalist. Camille’s stories are inspired by her travels to 27 countries and counting! Follow her journey at www.camillefaye.com.
Don’t miss the rest of her interview:
Voodoo Butterfly Book Party
November 19 from 6-9 PM (CST)
Voodoo Butterfly is officially available on Amazon, so let’s P-A-R-T-Y! Wear PJs if you want, because you can enjoy the fun from the comfort of your own home. At the party, we will have “door prizes”, a live online psychic reading, and a Q&A so that you can ask any burning questions about Camille Faye’s writing or her paranormal novel, Voodoo Butterfly. Join the party by clicking on this link and hit the JOIN button. Invite your friends for a magically fun time. See you on the Facebook event page at 6 PM.
Here’s that link again: https://www.facebook.com/events/1479342722348711/
PART 1: ABOUT YOU
How long have you been writing? I remember typing stories on my mom’s electronic typewriter when I was 9. When I was in high school and college, I wrote for my schools’ newspapers. Then in my journalism program at the University of Missouri, I reported local news at an NBC affiliate, where we had to write all our own scripts and work with editors before the story aired. Eventually I took creative writing in grad school, but then I got a job teaching freshman Composition classes and I spent so much time grading the writing of others, that I had no time or energy to write for myself. So when I decided to quit teaching in order to be a SAHM, I decided this would be my season to write!
Tell us about your early works—what was the first thing you ever wrote? Actually, I remember publishing poetry in a couple of anthologies in middle school. Our teacher submitted poems from each student and we all “got published.” Now I realize those were vanity presses, but I felt so proud at the time. I still have those books 🙂
When did you first consider yourself a professional writer? In Journalism school at the University of Missouri, they taught us to call ourselves writers from the very start. That was weird for me. I’d half-heartedly call myself a “writer” over the next decade or so, but now that I have Voodoo Butterfly on Amazon, I accept that title.
What genre do you write? Voodoo Butterfly is a mixture of the paranormal romance and women’s fiction genres. I’ll always have aspects of paranormal and romance in my writing, but I really love discovering the woman’s journey.
If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be? Teaching would serve me well in many ways. I am absolutely in LOVE with learning plus I enjoy group discussions about “big ideas.” A huge reason why teaching still appeals to me is the schedule. Being able to do what you love combined with a schedule where you can be with your kids when they have school breaks would just be perfect.
PART 2: THE WRITING LIFE
What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine? Do you use pen and paper or computer? Work at home or at the library/Starbucks, etc. I’ll write at the computer or with a pen and paper; I can work at home or sometimes I’ll go to a coffee shop. I’ve got to change things up or I get bored. A big part of my writing process is taking notes throughout the day when inspiration hits. I have notepads in my kitchen, living room, bedroom, and car. I only commit to writing 15 minutes a day, so those notes keep me focused.
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life? As a busy mom, this is so hard! I’ve found that if I dedicate time (even if it’s just 15-20 minutes per day) to 1) yoga/exercise and 2) writing, then I feel really balanced. Every other moment of my life revolves around my home life and family, but if I don’t allow myself those two outlets, I get a little wonky.
When do you write? During the toddler’s nap time and, now that she’s in preschool and my older son is in elementary school, I make time two mornings a week to work on writing-related activities. I plan to write full time when they are both in school. I also do writing retreats a few times a year (even if it’s just to a friend’s house for the weekend).
How much time per day do you spend on your writing? My routine is to commit to 15 minutes a day of writing time, which doesn’t sound like much but I was able to, over the course of one year, write a draft of Voodoo Butterfly that was ready to submit to New York editors and agents. Normally the 15 minutes will stretch into an hour, but sometimes I could only make time for the 15 minutes.
What has been the most surprising reaction to something you’ve written? Sophie, my heroine, deals with some difficult emotional issues in Voodoo Butterfly and it must have hit home with some people, because I had some readers express that they felt angry. I don’t think they were angry at me, I think the situation in the book brought up some unresolved emotion in them. To me, good writing should evoke an emotional response, so I see that as a success.
Is your book in print, ebook or both? Ebook for now, but will be released in print in early 2015.
Please let us know where your readers can stalk you:
- Website: www.camillefaye.com
- Blog: www.thelitladies.com
- Facebook page: www.facebook.com/camillefaye
- Twitter: @CamilleFaye
VOODOO BUTTERFLY:
When twenty-five-year old Sophie Nouveau inherits her grandmother’s voodoo shop she knows nothing about voodoo. Or her family’s history of Mind Changers who have the power to change evil people good. To complicate matters, someone doesn’t want Sophie in New Orleans and sends a series of death threats to scare her away from her new enchanted life.
Tipped off by her grandmother’s ghost, Sophie realizes her mind-changing spell’s been missing one magic ingredient: true love. If Sophie cannot experience transformative love, she cannot make her spell work, and she will be powerless to fight back when confronted by the one who wants her dead.
You can find VOODOO BUTTERFLY at Amazon: Voodoo Butterfly by: Camille Faye
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/brop-interview-camille-faye/
Nov 18
PUYB virtual blog tour & giveaway starts today!
Check out the upcoming stops on my Pump Up Your Book virtual blog tour where you’ll find out more about THE LABYRINTH OF TIME and me (probably more than you ever wanted to know!).
ENTER TO WIN one of two $25 Amazon gift cards,
just in time for the holiday season!
Tuesday, November 18
Book featured at 3 Partners in Shopping
Wednesday, November 19
Book Featured at Literal Exposure
Thursday, November 20
Interviewed at Review From Here
Friday, November 21
Book featured at The Literary Nook
Tuesday, November 25
Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
Thursday, November 27
Interviewed at Blogher
Friday, November 28
Guest blogging at It Feels Drafty
Tuesday, December 2
Guest blogging at The Dark Phantom
Thursday, December 4
Interviewed at Examiner
Monday, December 8
Book featured at Bent Over Bookwords
Tuesday, December 9
Interviewed at The Writer’s Life
Wednesday, December 10
Interviewed at I’m Shelf-ish
Thursday, December 11
Interviewed at Blirt
Interviewed at As the Page Turns
Friday, December 12
Guest blogging at Straight From the Author’s Mouth
Permanent link to this article: https://twfendley.com/puyb-virtual-blog-tour-starts-today/