Sunday 4 August 2013

Slow Burn: Zero Day


Slow Burn: Zero Day
Bobby Adair has done a great job with his book Slow Burn: Zero Day. If you love stories about zombies or reading suspense and horror books, I bet this book is going to entice and keep you glued to the book. 

This book features Zed as the main character who is in the idea of approaching his mother for some money only to find out that his mother is dead. Very soon, Zed learns that his stepfather has got a zombie feast and deeply horrified Zed then kills his stepfather. He passes out for two days, wakes up and calls the cop who later arrests him. In the prison, Zed sees the world is in turmoil about the new flu strain that has been spreading across many continents and people live in fear of getting infected. 

Although Zed managed to kill his stepdad, he was actually bitten by him before he died. So Zed is considered a ''slow burn'' where he can later turn out to be infected or not which is the main suspense that drives the interest of readers till the last page of the book.  Zed comes out of the prison and finds his survival in the chaotic world where he defends himself from the zombies who are infected and faces challenges interacting with people who are not infected and runs away from Zed in fear. 

I thought Bobby has weaved this story very realistically with some sense of humor together with suspense, horror and thrilling elements. I bet you would feel the tense throughout the book as the eagerness to know what happens next keeps you hooked to the book. The characters are well drawn and well developed, and the main protagonists experience circumstances and develop a point of view not often seen in Zombie/Infected Apocalypse fiction. This book is available for free download at Amazon's link and at Smashwords

I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback

Saturday 3 August 2013

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Womens & Lemons: Your Time Is Now
Ever wondered what happens to your life when you, as a woman, hit the age of 50? How do you intend to live your life after 50 or even 40? Do you think you should slow down and live a life that is calmer and reserved? Janice L. Walker has a message for you and all the other women who think just like you as she proves you wrong with her book Womens & Lemons: Your Time Is Now. Yes, WOMENS, you read that right. Find out why when the book is out.


For the past 15 years, Janice L. Walker has conducted workshops and seminars for a variety of women’s groups. She is passionate about issues that involve women and believes that women do not truly appreciate themselves as they should, especially in their 50s. She encourages, affirms, motivates, and inspires women to be all that they can be, and accept nothing less than the best for themselves at this particular juncture in life.

I had an opportunity to read Janice's book before it is out this FALL 2013, and I feel Janice has incorporated her experience in this non-fiction work to help women start enjoying their lives. With the motto that 50 is really the new 30, I feel this book is a perfect read for our mothers who are getting old and living a dull life. It serves as a call for them to get out of their house, do what they are passionate about and achieve their dreams. 

While reading this book, I also thought it is essential for men to encourage their wives and mothers to live a joyful life by going out for vacation, participating in social events with their friends and continue exploring adventures at this age. I feel it is time for us to stop consuming too much of our mothers' lives. Women have sacrificed enough for their families during their younger days and Janice encourages them to start living for themselves. 

So, when life gives you lemon, squeeze the life out of that lemon and enjoy all that life has to offer you, which you so richly deserve!!

Womens and Lemons is coming out this fall and you can request to be notified on the release of the book by emailing to vipfalo@aol.com and you will get to choose one out of ten free posters of Womens and Lemons available when you get the book. 




I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback

Janice L. Walker Shares Her Thoughts And Views With Us!

Coming soon this fall
Janice L.Walker is the Quintastic Women's woman. She is the author of the book Womens and Lemons: Your Time Is Now. Janice L. Walker has conducted workshops and seminars for a variety of women’s groups. She is passionate about issues that involve women and believes that women do not truly appreciate themselves as they should, especially in their 50s. She encourages, affirms, motivates, and inspires women to be all that they can be, and accept nothing less than the best for themselves at this particular juncture in life. Her book is coming out real soon and she shares some very interesting information about her life with us here. Sit back and enjoy the interview. 

Describe yourself in five words - Driven, committed, Quintastic, caring, unlimited

What fact about yourself would really surprise people? That I can be very sensitive and am extremely passionate.

 How do you work through self-doubts and fear?  Believe it or not, I choose that those emotions are not part of my reality.


What scares you the most?  Not having enough time to accomplish all that I want to do.

 What makes you happiest? Aside from spending quality time with my husband, engaging in my passion, which most recently was writing Womens & LemonsTM: Your Time Is Now!

 Why do you write? I am very passionate about writing and enjoy it immensely.

 Have you always enjoyed writing? Yes.


What motivates you to write? People, subject matter, and for the sheer pleasure and enjoyment.

 What writing are you most proud of?  I just finished writing what I am most proud of – Womens & Lemons: Your Time Is Now – Begin YOUR Adventure; Live YOUR Dream!


What are you most proud of in your personal life? That I am married to the world’s most wonderful and handsome man.

 What books did you love growing up? Bermuda Triangle; Cain & Able; The Prodigal Daughter; The Prophet; and Siddhartha.

 What do you hope your obituary will say about you? She loved God and man/woman and gave of herself because of it.

 Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live? Cincinnati, OH on both accounts. I have lived in England (when in the U.S. Air force) and Arizona. I have been to Mexico, Hawaii, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, and many other exciting places in the world.

 How did you develop your writing? Over time, and I always did have a way with words.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing? I would say that marketing and promoting are not difficult, but very time-consuming, but for me it is a labor of love. You better than to be in charge of your promotional efforts than you, after all, it is your book.

 What marketing works for you? This is my first book so I do not know yet, but I am trying a variety of different media with the intent of focusing on my book’s audience-the Quintastic Woman- and the other audiences to encourage them to buy the book for their wives, significant others, sisters, or parents.

 Do you find it hard to share your work? Not all I. That is one of the things next to writing that I do enjoy. And with Womens & LemonsTM it is even more enjoyable because every woman’s face lights up when I tell them what it is about. I absolutely love the response I get.

 Is your family supportive? Do your friends support you? Yes, every single person does. My husband, Harold, and my elder brother Warren, have been my biggest supporters and cheerleaders by being involved in reading and commenting on the book. My Mom supports everything I do, but then that’s what moms do, don’t they.

 What else do you do, other than write?  I work full-time; teach a class each week; engage in community and pro bono work as a practicing corporate attorney. Often asked to speak at various events and functions (motivation and inspirational speaking) to encourage women to make the best out of the life that they have.

 What other jobs have you had in your life?  I have been in the U.S. Air Force (surgery technician); been a Loaned Executive from one company to the other; office manager assistant at a construction site; retail grocery store manager; and the past 18 years practicing law.

 If you could study any subject at university what would you pick? Something that is related to a subject I like, e.g., writing, Fine Art, as opposed to work-related courses.

 If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Pondering on that very subject in my life now.
 Tell us about your family? My Mom is 88 years old and in wonderful health. My husband is a practicing attorney, has an MBA, and was previously a minister for a number of years, and the CEO of two organizations. He is a wonderful man and matches me perfectly; I could not ask for a better man. I have 6 siblings, and my brother Warren in California is very supportive and we are as thick as two thieves.

 How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk? Desktop computer primarily except when writing in my Womens & Lemons Adventure JournalTM.

 How much sleep do you need to be your best? About 7 hours.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support? My husband Harold Cleveland; my mother, Carrie Walker, and my brother, Warren Walker.

 Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?  Replacing my currently salary (and beyond) with the books that I write, selling books like crazy and breaking the general writing statistics in every metric. Also, Womens & LemonsTM: Your Time Is Now is intended to be the first in a series. It is also intended to begin a Womens & Lemons community and movement to wake Quintastic Women everywhere from their slumber to a bright new day ahead at this time in their lives.

 It is vital to get exposure and target the right readers for your writing, tell us about your marketing campaign? I am developing it now. I have logos, planned radio endorsements, video endorsements, YouTube videos, and finding websites that target my audience, and using social media and some very creative methods.

 Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it? Because I saw so many women in their late 40s and in their 50s with so much life left and so much potential not setting their sights on any new heights or any new goals. They seem to be lethargic with the overall attitude that their best days are behind them. I wanted to change that paralyzing mindset to something the Quintastic Woman could look forward to. When one colleague told me that her husband said she was too old at 53 and weeks later she participated in a triathlon – 6 mile canoeing, 5 ½ mile run, and an 18 mile bike ride through mountainous terrain- her actions and can do attitude totally shattered his 20th century mindset. She knew better than to believe his attempt at putting her down. But, how many women don’t know better? How many women just settle for the mediocre and their current status quo when they should understand and believe that the best is yet to come in their lives? They deserve the best after taking care of the needs and wants of others for so long. And the Quintastic mindset with ensure that they demand the best that life has to offer them at this stage in the game.

 If you could have a dinner party and invite anyone dead or alive, who would you ask?
 In no particular order: Abe Lincoln; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Warren Buffett; Princess Diana; Bill Clinton; Mother Teresa; Nelson Mandela; Lazarus; and Christ.

 When you are not writing, how do you like to relax? Exercising, vacationing, being outdoors, watching a few of my favorite programs, emptying my mind and not thinking about anything.

What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
I hope women will first feel differently about their Quintastic stage if they have not previously embraced the concept that age 50 is the new age 30. I hope women feel affirmed, encouraged, supported, and more hopeful about this time in their lives more than they have ever felt before reading Womens & LemonsTM. I hope women will see their unlimited potential and be driven, committed, and determined to go for it believing that the best is yet to come for them and let nothing get in their way of beginning their adventure and living their dream right now. They should feel empowered more than they have ever felt and a sense that they belong to a most unique and one of the most special groups on this planet – the baby-boomer women, especially the Quintastic Women. And with what they get from Womens & LemonsTM: Your Time Is Now, that they will be anxious to read Womens & LemonsTM: Butterflies and Snakes about continuing to evolve, transform, and reinvent oneself. Also, I hope they will purchase the Womens & Lemons Adventure JournalTM, which is for writing their responses to the Action Steps in the book and be a signal to other woman when carrying it that they too are Quintastic Women and proud of it.

**Do you have links that you'd like to share for others to read? (if so please include in your mail.)**
I am asking people within all of my promotional media to send me an email for notification of the specific release date. People have been anticipating this book and it will be in large demand. For all those who request pre-release notification they will receive an exclusive commemorative Womens & Lemons poster after proof of purchasing the book, but I must have received their email notification request. It was made especially for Womens & LemonsTM: Your Time Is Now! Send that email now to vipfalo@aol.com, and simply put Womens & Lemons Notification in the subject line and we will email you when the release date has been set. Send your pre-release notification to vipfalo@aol.com now. Afterwards, the posters will be for sale exclusively on my website with the Womens & Lemons Adventure JournalTM.

Wishing Janice a huge success with her upcoming book that carries her motive to help women enjoy their lives. 

I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback

Thursday 1 August 2013

Fifty Shades Unrevealed

Grey Is The Man and The Colour

Everyone was talking about this book back in May when we had a book fair by the Big Bad Wolf over here and I missed this book as it was sold out on the first day itself. I never intended to read this book but when Carmina, a friend from Glipho mentioned that the book has some other messages although it is all about sex somewhere from page 100 right till the end of the book.


I finished this book within 3 days. I am never a fan of erotic books. Romance yes, not erotic and all we got from this book was just sex and nothing else. There was no love making between Ana and Grey. It was just about hormones and sheer pleasure from sex without feelings, emotions or love. To make it worse, the relationship that Grey wanted from Ana was a BDSM relationship where Grey was in control as a dominant and I thought this doesn't add value to my reading experience. E.L James also used the word mutters and whispers excessively rendering dull conversations between Ana and Grey.


I gave the book 4/5 finally as I thought there were more to see beyond the erotic content that is not appealing. There was emotions between the two characters even though it was a dominant submissive relationship. This story explains the difference in feelings the male and female have on each other. Ana fell in love with this super-smart and good-looking guy and I thought even though they were sexually driven and attracted to each other, Ana had feelings for this guy and wants to have a normal and lasting relationship. On the contrary, all Grey had on mind was about sex and nothing else initially. I made a guess on how the story would end and I was right. ;) Grey actually liked Ana and he seemed to care for her a little bit more from how the story evolves. I liked the fact that these two people were actually having 'something' more than just sex between them, something that lies somewhere in between love and sex.


When Ana confesses that she is in love with Grey, he denies her feeling and she was left devastated. It shows the extent of emotions in a man and a woman. For Grey, the excitement is over as soon as he empties himself within the girl. Whereas Ana fooled herself thinking that Grey would fall for her. A typical men and women's story that reflects the real scenarios in the society. E.L James brought the reality into her characters and I think this worked very well and earned her all the 4 and 5 stars.


The story also shows how a woman could actually take charge of the relationship and how she plays a powerful submissive role to control her man. This message was beautifully captured by James' characters, Ana and Grey where Ana flirtatiously seduced her man and he went craving for her more and more. Fifty Shades also portrayed how possessiveness and being a control freak would negatively affect the woman and her emotions. Being naive is no good and Ana who was very reserved learned about men the hard way.


Fifty Shades unrevealed is the title for the post because I don't see all 50 shades of Grey here that suggests him being a complicated man or whatsoever. I don't even think he has 10 different shades of himself.


What do you think of the book? Tell us your views ;)


I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback

Wednesday 31 July 2013

I Write Because It's Not A Crime To Kill Someone On Print

A Mission Through Writing
Today, while I was reading something, I sort of interviewed myself as a weird random question popped out of my head. Why do I write? And I instantly had an answer to this question my mind erupted out of curiosity. I write because it is not a crime to kill someone on print. I write mostly about social issues and I just had to pen my thoughts down when something is troubling from within and when my mind forces its thoughts out of my head through words onto my computer screen. It's almost like a need of mine that I have to satisfy when I find the urge and inspirations to write. I feel that there are a lot of things that are just not right around us and I think that it is not worth of a small discussion between a group of colleagues or within family members. We do the talking and forget about the urgency or seriousness of the issue. There are also moments when I just feel like strangling someone or a group of people from our society to death which I obviously can't afford to do. So I resort to writing and letting the rage out on my blog. For me, emotions fuel the drive within me to write and when I am in the right frame of mind to write, words come easy and flows well to make a complete article. 

One of the reasons why I feel everyone should write is because words speak louder than us. I feel the messages we have in our writing reaches wider group of readers. Writing is powerful and it spreads my thoughts all around the WORLD. On another hand, it also gives me a pleasure knowing that my messages reach the 'intended' people and they can't do about it much. Every time I get a negative comment suggesting disapproval about something I write, I know that it has affected someone and probably it is them who I am referring to on my post which has prompted them to react such way. It is true that if you have never earned at least one enemy in your whole life time, you have not been doing something right. Last but not least, I also believe that your writing lives longer than you. Shakespeare is still living today because of his majestic writing. 

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? (Sonnet 18)
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimmed;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to Time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

Tuesday 30 July 2013

The First Word Of The First Line

Blank

Some of you may have known a little about my plans to write a book, a non-fiction work. I am still very excited about this. I have started blogging just for about four months now and I think I do make sense when it comes to writing, at least I know some of you are being so supportive, so there should be something worthy about what I write that makes you feel I should do this. 

I'm not writing because I have the encouragement for it. Of course, that is the driving force that keeps all of us going and we need support from each and every author friend we know. But I'm writing because I want to write and I know I want to see myself getting the thoughts on my head on print, in the form of a book. This, I know very well. But then, comes the greatest barrier, the starting trouble. I have not written a thing of what I have on my mind yet and it is like catching up bits and pieces of my ideas every time I want to get started with it. 

That first word of the first line, I swear it is so freaking hard to decide. I am not sure if I'm being too picky about it, trying to be a perfectionist or if I'm just confuse not knowing where to start. Organising trails of thoughts can be very difficult, especially when we want the work to come out just the way we wanted it. Authors, how do you usually start your book? Preface, Chapter 1 or just about anything that pops out of your mind where you jot it down and later match them like bits and pieces of jigsaw puzzle? Does your title selection comes last?

For some of you who are still wondering what am I trying to accomplish, I am in the idea of writing a non-fiction book featuring the lives and stories of women all over the world with some of my personal thoughts incorporated in each chapter. I want to do this so badly, not just because I want to get it over with. No! I want to do this because I feel the urge of doing it, so badly. 

Confused and self-doubting,
Jas


I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback

Monday 29 July 2013

Glendon Perkins In The House!

Glendon Perkins
First of all, I would like to thank each and everyone of you who took time to participate in my blog hop that I hosted sometime back. It was a pleasure having all of you there. I met some new bloggers and it was interesting to learn about your writing journey.
I would like to express my gratitude by having your interview up on my blog to let my readers know about you. So, first in the list is +Glendon Perkins 

 Tell us about yourself a little   
A) I'm a Wyoming native, U. S. Navy veteran, and a three-time published author of short stories.
  Why do you write and what is the motive behind it?  
A) I write to tell a story. That seems like a simplistic answer but it's true.
 What is the biggest motivation (people/any incidents) for you to write?  
A) Situations in life are the most often motivators to my writing. I see something or hear something or experience something and a story starts developing in my head.
How is the feedback from people or your readers?  
A) Nearly all the feedback I've received from my readers is positive. Some readers may not like the genre I write in, but the writing itself is generally well received.
 What is the progress in writing that you are proud of?  
A) My overall progress in writing. Going from someone who didn't have a clue about writing a good story to being someone who understands what a good story is.
Tell us about an interesting writing you have made so far.   
A) For several months I posted a novel in rough draft from my novel in progress "Buried Alive." The story was so well received, and along with the popularity of the story mixed with the term "publishable", I was forced to remove it from the public.
What is hardest getting published, writing or marketing?  
A) For now writing is my greatest challenge. I seldom have completed works to try marketing and I'm not ready for publication of a novel yet.
 What marketing works for you?  
A) My marketing consists of word of mouth and posting links on social networks.
 How do you plan to expand your writing experiences (ex: from being a blogger to a writer etc?). 
A)I already blog and write so being published is how I hope to expand. 
Are you aware of the tricks blogging have to drive you more traffic? (like Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and blog layouts?). 
A) Nope, don't know anything about how to draw more traffic.
What do you want to achieve through writing?  
A) A published novel, preferably through traditional publishing.
 How would you encourage or advise someone who is intending to take up writing?  
A) Just do it. That's about as simple as it gets. Write a lot and read a lot. Don't worry about your first attempts being bad. We've all been there. Find a special or ideal reader to write for. And ask questions.
What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?
  A) I would like my readers to com away with some kind or emotional response. I like to hear the readers say they received "chills" or the story was "chilling" or "I was right there."
 Do you have a website you would want to share with us?  
A) My website is www.glendonperkins.com. It has my blog posts, guest writers, writing tips, and links to my published works.
Thank you, Jassy for letting me be a part of your blog hop.

Thank you for your precious time Glen and I wish you all the best!!
Love,

Jasveena

I welcome you thoughts and views ! :D Thank you for your feedback