tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59895661187841870812024-02-18T18:37:21.311-08:00Musing With MiaYet Another Blog By Yet Another Romance Author With A Big Mouth!Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-30739315447630699552014-08-23T19:36:00.000-07:002014-08-24T09:55:59.238-07:00Back In The Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I've finally returned! I apologize for being remiss with my blog - grad school takes up a monumental amount of time for me, but, thankfully, we're past the half-way point! Three more quarters and I'm done! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently received an email from one of my faithful readers who was wondering about a recurring 'theme' in my books! She asked: </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Why do you always include some sort of jewelry as part of your story lines</i>? <i>Heart of Stone has a ruby and diamond ring. Blood Roles has a specially made diamond ring. Illusions had an emerald necklace and Bad Medicine had turquoise. What's up with that? </i></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Interesting question! So let's talk bling!!!</b></span></div>
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<b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I include jewelry in my books because I love the stuff - almost as much as I love hot guys!! Sure, I'd take The Rock over a diamond any day but, by and large, jewelry is a close second on my list of most awesome things!! </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">This Rock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Or </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">THIS Rock? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Decisions....Decisions!</span></td></tr>
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<b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of my fondest memories are of my grandmother opening her jewelry boxes and letting me play to my heart's content. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">One Of My Grandmother's Many Brooches - She Was Big On Decorative Pins!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>She didn't care if a necklace cost a fortune or that a bracelet might get broken, I was allowed to try on every last piece. I spent many wonderful hours playing with my grandmother's jewelry and it ultimately created a lifelong love for the stuff. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtksUMj5CCato8FtsPnHpakIUdn8kMRX0u4WNO4E7Ru2jlEI__9YW9BpECuT8bCtCF-QhBZ9iD1Atw1vO0bD3KAQRwE6TCXlZWAibSe5-50B5-rgNPYT8OoSLZMlisCW2L2vMUUuY0IBe/s1600/48fbc0d2395471d6a8d8c5035af5ea10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtksUMj5CCato8FtsPnHpakIUdn8kMRX0u4WNO4E7Ru2jlEI__9YW9BpECuT8bCtCF-QhBZ9iD1Atw1vO0bD3KAQRwE6TCXlZWAibSe5-50B5-rgNPYT8OoSLZMlisCW2L2vMUUuY0IBe/s1600/48fbc0d2395471d6a8d8c5035af5ea10.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Now, yes, it could be just a love of shiny, sparkly stuff but, in all honesty, I look at jewelry as <i>art</i>. I look at a piece of jewelry the same way a Picasso lover looks at <i>"Blue Nude"</i> or "<i>Child with a Dove</i>" - I just find the intricacy of jewelry more fascinating than painting or sculpting. Call it a personal preference kind of thing. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Emerald Necklace Olivia Wore In Illusions</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sure, some of the cheaper stuff out there is basically not worth much in style or substance but the worthy pieces far outweigh what's not worth looking at. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qQB7IFZ-_MseL9BVWIQa9gsvKa7sv-vCQPIpFDI12akfVuwNc2iroYxnOu8-ML9V3k4BDrPxp5AFCu4nCKpLuoTfrfZ9QbTMJPf3NEuYV7-dFuec0cnP5_IsVujvtlFu1nmV-lfhhl_W/s1600/7edd93971e222572fa94f3a6b5738573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qQB7IFZ-_MseL9BVWIQa9gsvKa7sv-vCQPIpFDI12akfVuwNc2iroYxnOu8-ML9V3k4BDrPxp5AFCu4nCKpLuoTfrfZ9QbTMJPf3NEuYV7-dFuec0cnP5_IsVujvtlFu1nmV-lfhhl_W/s1600/7edd93971e222572fa94f3a6b5738573.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Like These! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8LsmEPLYGFdjYzGN-fYe5qWmcKOyqMnb029JZpRSaUypcdaFQq-m-rAswb0OKj2BTcaISVA-3EHgf7s-QtXjzYesYoSRxwrmoeSsBI1t_fYLLxDDglb4n4Is2A_MP-dOqyJ3Ii7eTxOi/s1600/7dd08ba642cbe0c3ee820307471d4b7d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8LsmEPLYGFdjYzGN-fYe5qWmcKOyqMnb029JZpRSaUypcdaFQq-m-rAswb0OKj2BTcaISVA-3EHgf7s-QtXjzYesYoSRxwrmoeSsBI1t_fYLLxDDglb4n4Is2A_MP-dOqyJ3Ii7eTxOi/s1600/7dd08ba642cbe0c3ee820307471d4b7d.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And This! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ0tkbl2VyqTIZPEFDOt03D2FI5EMijZuY6ofxXFkq9VP6Xm64hOIl3Qz_uFhHF0ZJunRsSdTmm9IsH58EzFXEpxJq32vlzy4pVOGdN-tEMTtKNQOCfQe-bvjt53LSR0DxbnkvR6NKjNB/s1600/6b77dc09d18d55a8356fb56c69317553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQ0tkbl2VyqTIZPEFDOt03D2FI5EMijZuY6ofxXFkq9VP6Xm64hOIl3Qz_uFhHF0ZJunRsSdTmm9IsH58EzFXEpxJq32vlzy4pVOGdN-tEMTtKNQOCfQe-bvjt53LSR0DxbnkvR6NKjNB/s1600/6b77dc09d18d55a8356fb56c69317553.jpg" height="200" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And This!!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjX_Qvz4NNQmFEP_tlK2C4fuW3lXimsRzAljmY5DB76Lb_RyBv9jGeAEF8EzHhKMSqXO1yKQgvO8j0aj4PV9VxbAJGrZ2qDyhRGWZZvtZU0bwBLawmaIqcXVxGAZktzisLpJwQt62IDEbe/s1600/0a414769b10c3f5bc3a8541ebbf3455f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjX_Qvz4NNQmFEP_tlK2C4fuW3lXimsRzAljmY5DB76Lb_RyBv9jGeAEF8EzHhKMSqXO1yKQgvO8j0aj4PV9VxbAJGrZ2qDyhRGWZZvtZU0bwBLawmaIqcXVxGAZktzisLpJwQt62IDEbe/s1600/0a414769b10c3f5bc3a8541ebbf3455f.jpg" height="200" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">AND THIS!!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's also a lot of history with jewelry - the British </b><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Crown Jewels, the Russian Romanov collection, the Imperial Crown Jewels of Iran's various pieces that are available to the public - these are more than precious gemstones and metals. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKgivbB2VlHNB4hnFpaReGc6ZEFmHKRwILIeR41N4e9pevhJdmlQXdGBiuMDBYL4moqxcV0RejKofdsKbDb3W_UgLZ-IUMDtTHKv4BJTQPPsn2iSYoKHltDEdLFoYul6zyw4U3sFr7Gf6/s1600/2acf88ab53e29cafacbf8a3492a4da81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKgivbB2VlHNB4hnFpaReGc6ZEFmHKRwILIeR41N4e9pevhJdmlQXdGBiuMDBYL4moqxcV0RejKofdsKbDb3W_UgLZ-IUMDtTHKv4BJTQPPsn2iSYoKHltDEdLFoYul6zyw4U3sFr7Gf6/s1600/2acf88ab53e29cafacbf8a3492a4da81.jpg" height="181" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Queen Elizabeth I's Locket Ring</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcnHFUgD4tj8Zz7ujRpHYRSWZZ5J3F2M2C5zj1EpxeF7P_hYZo94JUvyT0yu9C-noCrgI3NUuoBVDZVftXd2Q7K_0i8aUmCOqKCRLICUrL8colZfiOf8i391TRSpOhtNyUBlihr419BGB/s1600/Emerald-Engagement-Ring-Duchess-of-Windsor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcnHFUgD4tj8Zz7ujRpHYRSWZZ5J3F2M2C5zj1EpxeF7P_hYZo94JUvyT0yu9C-noCrgI3NUuoBVDZVftXd2Q7K_0i8aUmCOqKCRLICUrL8colZfiOf8i391TRSpOhtNyUBlihr419BGB/s1600/Emerald-Engagement-Ring-Duchess-of-Windsor.jpg" height="200" width="176" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Duchess of Windsor's Engagement Ring</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><b><span style="font-size: large;">Many times they are pieces of history themselves </span></b></b></span><br />
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<b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">having bought a royal family member's freedom, having secured a marriage that practically tore a country apart or used to pay passage to another country. I enjoy looking at historical pieces of jewelry and learning about the history that surrounds them. </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCzPDaYZczuZh__zT3hZnZONdCqRyYEcZ65ub5utyWH67KNk5SIoGNFf7u8AHF0NDukKnCwAi8UMZBkBbiDwj7Bk-ekNjr7j43DuqmCJiTBslDeiev7tgWtbxrV2FlucAkIum0V5aCRyY/s1600/5dd1799b533e18c687621ce7ba9b6fc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCzPDaYZczuZh__zT3hZnZONdCqRyYEcZ65ub5utyWH67KNk5SIoGNFf7u8AHF0NDukKnCwAi8UMZBkBbiDwj7Bk-ekNjr7j43DuqmCJiTBslDeiev7tgWtbxrV2FlucAkIum0V5aCRyY/s1600/5dd1799b533e18c687621ce7ba9b6fc2.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">An 1870's Brooch</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>That's not to say there's nothing to be gained from viewing contemporary pieces because some of today's jewelry is breathtakingly exquisite in its style, presentation and display. There are literally hundreds of designers on the market whose works are elegant and worthy of note. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-Mh7lJI5FbLsXXJLANSD5HJSwDhCXLr_wHsPXmQaWGUl7O0A-F68h3I8Yru0yW6Ots4temkqqsvHdcO2czmbVLtbhf6IxIVoQGYWtGTAkLV2meX1DIZfQ3xFjlRAKlxoDFluFxuq_z1E/s1600/65d5fba9ab1422d765ace82efd35d5f5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-Mh7lJI5FbLsXXJLANSD5HJSwDhCXLr_wHsPXmQaWGUl7O0A-F68h3I8Yru0yW6Ots4temkqqsvHdcO2czmbVLtbhf6IxIVoQGYWtGTAkLV2meX1DIZfQ3xFjlRAKlxoDFluFxuq_z1E/s1600/65d5fba9ab1422d765ace82efd35d5f5.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I Wish I Had The Creativity To Come Up With Stuff Like This!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudQ3isHLAKNB5GjW2OHU9RO2jN1bha1kDIvwpoW2hhf3VrxQfzh1eK9rQjo4kr1U-hRzVrz50bCgAVX52JXdBfYcoBMUBlPC_UjaABx5BbYwd2DmFT0CfXxNCH27zCrdzr20m9JUW2gJy/s1600/423ea99ec4dcfb097c8a4aa2c09779a6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgudQ3isHLAKNB5GjW2OHU9RO2jN1bha1kDIvwpoW2hhf3VrxQfzh1eK9rQjo4kr1U-hRzVrz50bCgAVX52JXdBfYcoBMUBlPC_UjaABx5BbYwd2DmFT0CfXxNCH27zCrdzr20m9JUW2gJy/s1600/423ea99ec4dcfb097c8a4aa2c09779a6.jpg" height="200" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Pretty!! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I view jewelry as intricate pieces of art that beg to be investigated and admired. So many new designers are out there breaking the mold on what has always been considered standard jewelry design format. In many ways, these newer jewelry pieces stand out amid other, more sedate forms of design, and make for memorable statement pieces. All the more reason to look at the stuff and then write about it!!! </span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJm2tHPxfXXOmYHOjB4gt7fCxQOMP2M_QaKuMWL-1KqYI27tXuOTmle5LB-13-SVxvxsrSKFT6SoSSLU4FMGEV4fr-LfDyK9FW9hCacCtZddEQYtlsZAXTXKRNTncV2YhlRmkKc4IGe2-Z/s1600/0d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJm2tHPxfXXOmYHOjB4gt7fCxQOMP2M_QaKuMWL-1KqYI27tXuOTmle5LB-13-SVxvxsrSKFT6SoSSLU4FMGEV4fr-LfDyK9FW9hCacCtZddEQYtlsZAXTXKRNTncV2YhlRmkKc4IGe2-Z/s1600/0d.jpg" height="152" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I Want To Know Who Came Up With This Novel Idea!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YI1BZgO3vtL9jAJwp029K_KHvJpjYb2JcG4OXzWF_LlHa6EAIB4amsdwlLbuti4vFTGrmXL4qlUuRN6cVgbq7aAOCuWShYEZznOe6D5aPxJxMsqB5wcKp4NNAHwvscywdCkQp7AgVDfT/s1600/0q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YI1BZgO3vtL9jAJwp029K_KHvJpjYb2JcG4OXzWF_LlHa6EAIB4amsdwlLbuti4vFTGrmXL4qlUuRN6cVgbq7aAOCuWShYEZznOe6D5aPxJxMsqB5wcKp4NNAHwvscywdCkQp7AgVDfT/s1600/0q.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And This One!!! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwvpCTxl9I3zcACp6LEPQ21q9c19ocEVIG61oPit2zL6acvC7Cyb-faQpbh_MC0CJWx1FLs808L6M1mE-4ki3i2iMZ-olkOsfVADsbcawzgqy0zTlYyJO54U1L5URgMej38yh0vFoqIw9/s1600/a91ea0e91307b16957bb945c4d92187e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwvpCTxl9I3zcACp6LEPQ21q9c19ocEVIG61oPit2zL6acvC7Cyb-faQpbh_MC0CJWx1FLs808L6M1mE-4ki3i2iMZ-olkOsfVADsbcawzgqy0zTlYyJO54U1L5URgMej38yh0vFoqIw9/s1600/a91ea0e91307b16957bb945c4d92187e.jpg" height="200" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And This One!!</span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hpypptnyfx7WcshHEFzWtj70aju-f5uDd-e2xNBXlK1QhsdjjvC5KXHrpFs4VtbU3Aaf5ogIo2P2tvfN_-_7d9q4uZ0NwHsMDjvb3-SSxqxqUASUxtF_FI64OAw28pI6Aick9F4ApCRR/s1600/172479e18c5c14a7912efbaed5bc5dce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Hpypptnyfx7WcshHEFzWtj70aju-f5uDd-e2xNBXlK1QhsdjjvC5KXHrpFs4VtbU3Aaf5ogIo2P2tvfN_-_7d9q4uZ0NwHsMDjvb3-SSxqxqUASUxtF_FI64OAw28pI6Aick9F4ApCRR/s1600/172479e18c5c14a7912efbaed5bc5dce.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And This Ain't So Bad Either!!!</span>!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are literally thousands of boards on Pinterest </b><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dedicated to jewelry of all sorts - I personally have a very full jewelry board there myself! </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROhw31vFK6hihSlQ53sObaq_D7DcNBU2fcLJIKkSf2UC_oBM_06jwudHwDmH20mn1_2ZNgGp_rvW8ryDebo9Nn5GTQri7hF15nRo114bF_54PJdoQ5gqrl2d3o7BgsEQR8Yk8OS1guywZ/s1600/570be4397cfccb64168296773cc8ae40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROhw31vFK6hihSlQ53sObaq_D7DcNBU2fcLJIKkSf2UC_oBM_06jwudHwDmH20mn1_2ZNgGp_rvW8ryDebo9Nn5GTQri7hF15nRo114bF_54PJdoQ5gqrl2d3o7BgsEQR8Yk8OS1guywZ/s1600/570be4397cfccb64168296773cc8ae40.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">The Ring Sam's Engagement Ring Was Based Upon in Heart of Stone. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>While I'm not all that fond of wandering around jewelry stores looking for inspiration, I've found a plethora of pieces online. From Pinterest to Etsy to eBay I've found some fascinating and gorgeous pieces that I've loved integrating into my story lines.</b> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbMG5B9bZ5x-TkE-kHpw1pfNy9SXMgU-5qReDhkX7-k4rezWYSJ-R4ZaDxgAfoNOGI10iN3N0CdlCvfqXWwXCOeQ7043DI_nz5w8nrNJTDTHSZpweuAIPsG_G8e8_RTDb5Y7vBoFU8xuL/s1600/3c792f4e0d6915e7b121a0d23db4f9e7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbMG5B9bZ5x-TkE-kHpw1pfNy9SXMgU-5qReDhkX7-k4rezWYSJ-R4ZaDxgAfoNOGI10iN3N0CdlCvfqXWwXCOeQ7043DI_nz5w8nrNJTDTHSZpweuAIPsG_G8e8_RTDb5Y7vBoFU8xuL/s1600/3c792f4e0d6915e7b121a0d23db4f9e7.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I HAVE to find a place for this in a book!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Dgsn09F9UEI3o2KLZv4JmAEeDwBPLfED3I-5e_LL5vawdL2kAnmw77RV1oWL-UxoT0WUabozHwDSgvwH3wpR2bX6ufBc-KB8wpQkf5gKZlC_8PTbXc9P7VsGKwshyphenhyphen8dlRlGk2anLK5w7/s1600/5de60948d0775bf821e7882f2ad12c27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Dgsn09F9UEI3o2KLZv4JmAEeDwBPLfED3I-5e_LL5vawdL2kAnmw77RV1oWL-UxoT0WUabozHwDSgvwH3wpR2bX6ufBc-KB8wpQkf5gKZlC_8PTbXc9P7VsGKwshyphenhyphen8dlRlGk2anLK5w7/s1600/5de60948d0775bf821e7882f2ad12c27.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Victorian Brooch</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkyoeblR93DhkKOII2rgFC0fKi4q33qVX4CE4Xkx9op6aqCIWcQP-CO_YQ9hD8-S1txETN3KymC9m3gYl9CFlvm4mFDms4An31-WSYJPFmJvL9C1DbRbKaDy_OEkphlu0fffJLAUw9Xpw/s1600/4aa5acc39bf20e3155183344d0d10c55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkyoeblR93DhkKOII2rgFC0fKi4q33qVX4CE4Xkx9op6aqCIWcQP-CO_YQ9hD8-S1txETN3KymC9m3gYl9CFlvm4mFDms4An31-WSYJPFmJvL9C1DbRbKaDy_OEkphlu0fffJLAUw9Xpw/s1600/4aa5acc39bf20e3155183344d0d10c55.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Antebellum Pendant</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>It's fairly common for some authors to integrate certain vehicles or types of activities into their books. For me, a nice piece of jewelry can be a talking point, a prop, a conversation starter or a trip down memory lane. The same way there's a million ways to paint a portrait or develop a sculpture there's a million ways to create a piece of jewelry. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYlMfj73qlC2cKWdrht8nYi1HXalpWAlErueVo_ApU-X0uRCDlCHRojAyj6VTFN3t4Oe03M8O-fsy81d2FCzZ0Qovrtp8dZs5-bJiJtULgOeTSeLIFYXTW_eWjCYOp-EU23SRLp5s6sqE/s1600/0m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTYlMfj73qlC2cKWdrht8nYi1HXalpWAlErueVo_ApU-X0uRCDlCHRojAyj6VTFN3t4Oe03M8O-fsy81d2FCzZ0Qovrtp8dZs5-bJiJtULgOeTSeLIFYXTW_eWjCYOp-EU23SRLp5s6sqE/s1600/0m.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">A Handmade Design Sold On Etsy</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Some of the designers I've met over the years have told me it can take them up to a year - maybe longer - to create a specific piece of jewelry. It takes just as much inspiration and work as a "fine" piece of art. Jewelry designers put just as much blood, sweat and tears into their work as writers put into their books! </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-cj9PZdgeQXDEK_AqDbIhXERzGWKoSj3-7b9lmnuCI8lJijPUiDB8o1aj3ZAbObK7yun5C_vjmiCttc2wsghBmAFgOxiNzlkx-Ws3qAbToxFnQWmHbf5kppMJVmyb2pGIbVfFJUH7g-w/s1600/0c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-cj9PZdgeQXDEK_AqDbIhXERzGWKoSj3-7b9lmnuCI8lJijPUiDB8o1aj3ZAbObK7yun5C_vjmiCttc2wsghBmAFgOxiNzlkx-Ws3qAbToxFnQWmHbf5kppMJVmyb2pGIbVfFJUH7g-w/s1600/0c.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">My Grandmother's Favorite Piece Of Jewelry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">A Henry Winston Enamel Pansy Brooch</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>So, there's really no deep, dark reason I include jewelry in my story lines - I just find it fascinating and like to use it as part of the creative process! </b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GBocGayUXV9MQHZ1zoLy2DFpKYjx17vvyUSkoMs047L1SpvxXZUx5IEcUYj0TECAncFV9wLnZMeBPdliWzUJTKr2Zrz2AvZvAKxvyvGYCZoXufnah8WIuazznFpyHOMPTNSXJr_Yyqpv/s1600/0k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4GBocGayUXV9MQHZ1zoLy2DFpKYjx17vvyUSkoMs047L1SpvxXZUx5IEcUYj0TECAncFV9wLnZMeBPdliWzUJTKr2Zrz2AvZvAKxvyvGYCZoXufnah8WIuazznFpyHOMPTNSXJr_Yyqpv/s1600/0k.jpg" height="200" width="137" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Andie's Turquoise Necklace From Bad Medicine</span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-hXdcc-NdZQ97YGLfuKk0-MxYEQOL1K1uXfGzprEpM-f66wF3LBjfNsU4T159cX1SkI8IfoG05IC4OT4A82CXBKQfJoGqWzlrDpoo-XSgCWiIslGr5QgBzu_Y5bCzcnIvoCmP7F8zMA5/s1600/e65426797a623251cbc22ab27f70a03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-hXdcc-NdZQ97YGLfuKk0-MxYEQOL1K1uXfGzprEpM-f66wF3LBjfNsU4T159cX1SkI8IfoG05IC4OT4A82CXBKQfJoGqWzlrDpoo-XSgCWiIslGr5QgBzu_Y5bCzcnIvoCmP7F8zMA5/s1600/e65426797a623251cbc22ab27f70a03a.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Andie's Engagement Ring From Marty</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Right now I'm working on my next book, Southern Seduction, and, of course, I've already found some awesome pieces that I'm planning on making part of the story! </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm4cl_tjAa1B4_Pey0-JhtTzSx3TzITY05lLcSfxWLXpxh_zUACO54K5y-Dqpn422OFiq4G56tywc5SGD8Q4cs-lDixPY4tgTtyWKi9vlULRJQTnZ_GuVMUZZBaX46kq69ZuVEsaamB-I/s1600/pearls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQm4cl_tjAa1B4_Pey0-JhtTzSx3TzITY05lLcSfxWLXpxh_zUACO54K5y-Dqpn422OFiq4G56tywc5SGD8Q4cs-lDixPY4tgTtyWKi9vlULRJQTnZ_GuVMUZZBaX46kq69ZuVEsaamB-I/s1600/pearls.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's A Southern Story Line Without Pearls?? </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-5At0pAyzDnIZaD6dTpo1fvGLEHuGtCbyTfxzx6XyWqNSyK_gRYbFIKO2VKVKTVKVv7fCMTHmHwQxSLnfYiwYjP9l27JhxWDvq3-d29nzwlGX0wd2R531EnSjahXmgqthJOB6Q5Phlvt/s1600/536190_574921102535376_2139894678_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-5At0pAyzDnIZaD6dTpo1fvGLEHuGtCbyTfxzx6XyWqNSyK_gRYbFIKO2VKVKTVKVv7fCMTHmHwQxSLnfYiwYjP9l27JhxWDvq3-d29nzwlGX0wd2R531EnSjahXmgqthJOB6Q5Phlvt/s1600/536190_574921102535376_2139894678_n.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And A Necklace To Add An Air Of Mystery!</span> </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aWllR0DSWokZgl7fQuV9DXnw66DJZC-k7F6t87va9BqgXlpTGFuo4u6fXlUCRPyYgOiEEhRWKzBQJZCyiAk4TlDtQtDxIE1SA1-8uAMiZVrWug0AypNGqwF14Ie6hFoU8JD4S-9dhYwf/s1600/0g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aWllR0DSWokZgl7fQuV9DXnw66DJZC-k7F6t87va9BqgXlpTGFuo4u6fXlUCRPyYgOiEEhRWKzBQJZCyiAk4TlDtQtDxIE1SA1-8uAMiZVrWug0AypNGqwF14Ie6hFoU8JD4S-9dhYwf/s1600/0g.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">And A Ring To Die For! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Southern Seduction is due out after the start of the </b></span><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">New Year, it's one of those story lines that has a little bit of everything! A tortured hero, a strong yet emotionally weary heroine, nights of passion, days of adventure, more than one villain and more than enough surprises to go around - and of course, more jewelry! </b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuJp053jULSL-GXfZvT63Yvp7FJvgeBXOF12ltxFhPtu3_KwUMcVUYWZV-m0lZ9HhgACodSZp2viHoIKiWt6w1EIB76z0VVqiv4aVFJRkKeYVubilc3QcY19PjXAjOg72g3MRWVndmFe3/s1600/6f4f0a21f53f52c124dc32540b7e4f16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuJp053jULSL-GXfZvT63Yvp7FJvgeBXOF12ltxFhPtu3_KwUMcVUYWZV-m0lZ9HhgACodSZp2viHoIKiWt6w1EIB76z0VVqiv4aVFJRkKeYVubilc3QcY19PjXAjOg72g3MRWVndmFe3/s1600/6f4f0a21f53f52c124dc32540b7e4f16.jpg" height="320" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">I Really Need To Buy Stock In Neil Lane...Just Sayin...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry you think would be awesome as part of a book? Tell me about it!! </b></span></div>
Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-14444457573969456092013-06-19T18:32:00.002-07:002013-06-19T18:32:17.628-07:00An Apple A Day Is Making A Way <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">It’s a given
that writers have pet projects. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Darlene Arden promotes animal rescue. Brenda Novak is legendary for diabetes research. Many authors support the American Literacy Foundation. Just as many support various college foundations throughout the country. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Over the years I've supported some great </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">charities and </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">I'd like to say that I've been a great support to </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">one particular project as of late, but, in all
honesty, I’ve avoided most charitable projects for a few </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">years. Sadly, illness, death, moving, three
or four book releases, a little thing called Graduate School and my internships -</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">a lot of stuff got
in the way.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Recently,
though, I discovered a <i>really</i> great </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">project that I feel <i>everybody</i> should know
about! But first...a little background about how I found this project...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnokM2E1Dt515Ojmig8L6sYL832oa6nc3_M5ebHKt_QkIyrfzjfzNsSk-oLkdLrw-GXMI64FcnHg51-2pnar7GlarXlBZqDG66RdQpH0dl3FtIybiidz1IeCrDf97H8pefbPnIH2ikV-u-/s1600/Waking+up+Monday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnokM2E1Dt515Ojmig8L6sYL832oa6nc3_M5ebHKt_QkIyrfzjfzNsSk-oLkdLrw-GXMI64FcnHg51-2pnar7GlarXlBZqDG66RdQpH0dl3FtIybiidz1IeCrDf97H8pefbPnIH2ikV-u-/s1600/Waking+up+Monday.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">That hair could very well be me </b><br />
<b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">f</b><b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">irst thing in the morning...</b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Every
morning, at the </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">crack of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">dawn, during the school year I had to drive </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">my daughter to high school. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Since school </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">started at 7:00 – that meant we
left at 6:30, which, depending upon how late I stayed up either writing or
studying the night before, meant that I was barely awake when I walked out the door. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">For most people, this would mean lots of coffee. Alas, I'm not a coffee drinker - music and banter are usually how I can wake myself up early in the morning. Enter <i>the</i> most awesome morning show ever:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ujSA-8v1GdRUu_AuHvKJ5AfVPM8K0Q5AuhkMlZT2NjcWOilySfXvd19rrrHzZBMV2T644c0buidYrM0TuzYnypQFmNRulxZ-qcFKIeAzaR1LvKYxrbtnrm2-HOdJQSrUvkEs1rgZuknO/s1600/61202_529769837050503_113144847_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ujSA-8v1GdRUu_AuHvKJ5AfVPM8K0Q5AuhkMlZT2NjcWOilySfXvd19rrrHzZBMV2T644c0buidYrM0TuzYnypQFmNRulxZ-qcFKIeAzaR1LvKYxrbtnrm2-HOdJQSrUvkEs1rgZuknO/s1600/61202_529769837050503_113144847_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jayde & Her SO</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">I started
listening to this</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">show when Jayde was extremely pregnant and losing one morning
partner for another (To this day I have no clue what happened to obnoxious Ed…but Seth is
so much funnier anyway!).</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"> Every day it was something new and improved - if they weren't making fun of celebrities, they were making fun of Jayde for her pregnancy </span><span style="line-height: 34px;">idiosyncrasies or drinking monumental amounts of coffee as</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> they hashed over life's little mysteries such as - if a guy wanted to have sex with just your feet would you dump him? They make for excellent radio, ladies and gentlemen. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YQK_nOwXmW4TCGP7_-c7amc774icIMkbZ5aD901AyoItnHvOQv6KYa4Ev8MUdlkY3wakHsDZdxNqIY8vqr9Ef5ygykNqOXS0fJ3kX64um7oenWHw_OSc6v8d8gOt1U1uabv3gIHqojEE/s1600/309901_616494531711366_1377802829_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2YQK_nOwXmW4TCGP7_-c7amc774icIMkbZ5aD901AyoItnHvOQv6KYa4Ev8MUdlkY3wakHsDZdxNqIY8vqr9Ef5ygykNqOXS0fJ3kX64um7oenWHw_OSc6v8d8gOt1U1uabv3gIHqojEE/s320/309901_616494531711366_1377802829_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Seth's the hairy one </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">to the left I believe...</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">If it wasn’t for Jayde and her buddies there
were many days where Em might have not made it to school on time or I would
have fallen asleep at the wheel to drive into the median. (No, I'm not kidding, I'm <i>47</i>, it takes me a while to get moving in the morning these days!)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">They’re always funny, always thought
provoking, and some days, yes, total perverts, it makes for a great listening
experience! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Many times,
morning hosts are considered irreverent individuals who completely separate their personal
world from their professional world.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Other than
the occasional public appearance they rarely, if ever, mingle with their fans
and if they do, they’re usually pretty damned rude (Howard Stern, anyone? Those from Chicago might remember the great Kit Pareventi debacle of the late 80s'....or the Man Cow situation in the mid-90's...What about that nappy Don Imus? You get the picture...) </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE5hw-xA4zAuE5li6M4OluCnj49rvYyXzYlFQCxtoIqtQeyAEe69vRtq-uWQP2sncXZ9mCrT9sZ8sQiL3jpk8ZJnboFrn7OQcJrfNPREqSlzP5C4quRgt2CUh499OQcZoHyGJUVvV_oZi/s1600/Jayde-front-smirk-headshot-1024x655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE5hw-xA4zAuE5li6M4OluCnj49rvYyXzYlFQCxtoIqtQeyAEe69vRtq-uWQP2sncXZ9mCrT9sZ8sQiL3jpk8ZJnboFrn7OQcJrfNPREqSlzP5C4quRgt2CUh499OQcZoHyGJUVvV_oZi/s1600/Jayde-front-smirk-headshot-1024x655.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-size: small;"><b>Don't Let The Smirk Fool You...</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Not
so with Ms. Donovan – she has
succeeded in healthily combining the two worlds –
which, in my</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">opinion, as a former
publicist, is something that's actually pretty rare.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> The audience is privy to exactly what she wants the world to know within limited boundaries and details. Her fans get to hear about her two adorable children, life with her significant other, her career path and how she handles life in general - all without giving too much away. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34px;">Now that's a professional!</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhnFrlLS6x6HTp_LhW-ioaAZkL1cgK3AQgAq_OJpYXx5wBA4aGYWW2Tid0NblVwdP0wYniIN3X582FIXG2kH1jLVDwM7Nk0FAjomER-L1i1RKwBSBVZbC7b_Sef7d0W64J4Aiguy6Tag2/s1600/confused_baby_hd_widescreen_wallpapers_1920x1200.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhnFrlLS6x6HTp_LhW-ioaAZkL1cgK3AQgAq_OJpYXx5wBA4aGYWW2Tid0NblVwdP0wYniIN3X582FIXG2kH1jLVDwM7Nk0FAjomER-L1i1RKwBSBVZbC7b_Sef7d0W64J4Aiguy6Tag2/s1600/confused_baby_hd_widescreen_wallpapers_1920x1200.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Confuzed???</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">By now, you’re
wondering what the hell I’m talking about, aren’t you? Never fear, we’re
getting to that.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">This past month (that would be May), Jayde’s show presented a
project that I thought was worth sharing with the world.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">It’s a smaller endeavor compared to some but
the benefits it provides are <i>monumental</i>.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI8XGFRS9pf1GXmxbSq2ZT56jrXwnsJHuARkbjFL0LVaxWmTCesSLoiVKmgVPfe9Sclw2JGY219suiJi4mahZyGE600w0TEoWn268AWGbH9qnre5HBq8xmbRThpQ0mpzgSYjVCEYHJGE6/s1600/appleadaylogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhI8XGFRS9pf1GXmxbSq2ZT56jrXwnsJHuARkbjFL0LVaxWmTCesSLoiVKmgVPfe9Sclw2JGY219suiJi4mahZyGE600w0TEoWn268AWGbH9qnre5HBq8xmbRThpQ0mpzgSYjVCEYHJGE6/s1600/appleadaylogo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">An</span><b style="color: red; font-style: italic;"> Apple A Day</b><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;">is a program that Ms. Donovan started in memory of a young friend,
Brittany Hamilton, who lost her battle with bone cancer in 2010.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQi_5cOg0DAY2NwloKWTex_zAmJNOUnX1cSiRySq5BLSJ3u97HwBg5L1QPizL4Wj_2YfqS26gBKVxTIIJjjfYb17UShKFD_9qFCkPjFwZfRWsWkRtBSO1pCtuFZ8s3ogbuY5skgvaaF7h/s1600/image-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQi_5cOg0DAY2NwloKWTex_zAmJNOUnX1cSiRySq5BLSJ3u97HwBg5L1QPizL4Wj_2YfqS26gBKVxTIIJjjfYb17UShKFD_9qFCkPjFwZfRWsWkRtBSO1pCtuFZ8s3ogbuY5skgvaaF7h/s1600/image-225x300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jayde & Brittany</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">What spawned
the idea was </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Jayde getting an iPhone for Brittany for her
sixteenth birthday.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">In sharing with a friend
how happy the phone had made Brittany, allowing her increased contact with the outside world, as well as further media outlets, the friend suggested that Jayde take
the idea and turn it into something much bigger – which is exactly what she
did.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TQl9QAe1_m_uhGslUqMydgKb3w324_ozLpjCtmVP8t53o4I6BVf5rrJRx2HLelxS5dLVF1mzB3LeV5JLcmIb6pRP7f0moO5eIyOdRV2g9G9sdiKfxKmWBd0J-StIYTshdrWbSimoVJGv/s1600/dominic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TQl9QAe1_m_uhGslUqMydgKb3w324_ozLpjCtmVP8t53o4I6BVf5rrJRx2HLelxS5dLVF1mzB3LeV5JLcmIb6pRP7f0moO5eIyOdRV2g9G9sdiKfxKmWBd0J-StIYTshdrWbSimoVJGv/s1600/dominic.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Jayde & Dominic</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">Partnering
with the <i>Give Hope Foundation</i> of Longwood, Florida, Jayde created the</span><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><i><span style="color: red;"><b>Apple A Day
Program</b></span></i><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;">which provides mobile devices, such as iPhones, iPads, iPods, other
smartphones and even laptops to children ages 2 to 17 undergoing cancer
treatment, at no cost to them or their families.</span></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">They take donated devices and restore them
to factory settings or refurb them. The foundation also accepts donations to pay for the services. This way the families won’t have
to worry about any type of bill regarding the device when they already have enough
on their minds.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Even if a device a
person would like to donate</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKLfJVTqdu25NWM07BObV53v7fFWIN7jD4fCVrgjSdUsiZUoVV_1KqWThCx7v7bzXYa6pB3_Sss5xtb07iahyphenhyphenMcSfFfg3HD5sRaEBzaF83ucFzU95HzRmJ-rvpZwiQH4kodVbOuHZHhUv/s1600/ipod-nano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghKLfJVTqdu25NWM07BObV53v7fFWIN7jD4fCVrgjSdUsiZUoVV_1KqWThCx7v7bzXYa6pB3_Sss5xtb07iahyphenhyphenMcSfFfg3HD5sRaEBzaF83ucFzU95HzRmJ-rvpZwiQH4kodVbOuHZHhUv/s200/ipod-nano.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">isn’t in top shape, the foundation will still </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">take
them. If they can’t get it running again, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">they’ll sell it for parts </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">to raise the
money to help pay for a new or used one.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEch4vIdQ-LgyyanJgGTdveZM06nVkzsakUCeSjMcqhOYFc7VJV34BfOsCKhCVMPuW-qFZUZHCUgp58MYbyh2mJGDYUD7__YqKUP9mzUQXCBTUO8JuKiIhajjW4Sh3w481RhVkvSPBAXaC/s1600/942805_616072515086901_834534508_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEch4vIdQ-LgyyanJgGTdveZM06nVkzsakUCeSjMcqhOYFc7VJV34BfOsCKhCVMPuW-qFZUZHCUgp58MYbyh2mJGDYUD7__YqKUP9mzUQXCBTUO8JuKiIhajjW4Sh3w481RhVkvSPBAXaC/s320/942805_616072515086901_834534508_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Jayde & Riley</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Think about
this for a moment – you’re a child. Depending upon your immune system at any given moment your
contact with the outside world is minimal at best sometimes, you’re trapped in
the hospital, some days you feel great, others you feel horrible, you’re tired
of television, tired of reading, you’re too tired or weak to mess with the
phone.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">How would that make you
feel?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWLE5GN_jIxZJQmHdNnKdAhyphenhypheniThENhGPbZhI9W2KCo4COdCE_GpUpZpV23ie8r6v697FkU12iGu8TVL5Mix2ae9f6UE5_zWEqF9zzYYZlxj-UqmNNBw-x38astrO5JP1FEP9l65pPqeBH/s1600/talia+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWLE5GN_jIxZJQmHdNnKdAhyphenhypheniThENhGPbZhI9W2KCo4COdCE_GpUpZpV23ie8r6v697FkU12iGu8TVL5Mix2ae9f6UE5_zWEqF9zzYYZlxj-UqmNNBw-x38astrO5JP1FEP9l65pPqeBH/s200/talia+(1).jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jayde & Talia</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know plenty of adults who can barely
handle</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> long term hospitalizations –
think about how seriously ill children have to deal with that. This item – whether it
be an iPad or an iPhone, can improve that child’s quality of life during – and even
after – their hospital stay.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><b>It can
change their entire world.</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN2xTJa_DB9RHqUC5B-0LLasQGW3ld3o10DGpiFx0VDNSyAeq9cCujfvB1dn0lmc0k8MgURIvBBfBt9bYEawmBjMLJiyLVpLiNsTS9W6bxeOkV1AVPcTcSX-4_9SJYBM7m8sutYkGerK2/s1600/ava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN2xTJa_DB9RHqUC5B-0LLasQGW3ld3o10DGpiFx0VDNSyAeq9cCujfvB1dn0lmc0k8MgURIvBBfBt9bYEawmBjMLJiyLVpLiNsTS9W6bxeOkV1AVPcTcSX-4_9SJYBM7m8sutYkGerK2/s1600/ava.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Jayde & Ava</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><b></b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;"><i><b></b></i></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #073763; line-height: 34px;">As writers we often talk about how important it is for kids to read and be engaged in both literacy and educational media. Many times, seriously ill children lose out on these options, not to mention sometimes they can't even attend school. The</span><span style="color: #4c1130; line-height: 34px;"> </span><b style="line-height: 34px;"><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day </span></i></b><span style="color: #073763; line-height: 34px;">program can assist in alleviating all of that and I'd like to encourage everybody - writer and reader alike - to consider donating towards an </span><b style="line-height: 34px;"><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></i></b><span style="color: #4c1130; line-height: 34px;">. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY_22zblRkcCuVJFp0Qz2_qOkGLpM6K9I9eOZYzj18c3iezQK9vr0K8ys9ECnlWfnNtY2zt7phGH5dCm1zYUzZBa1Bm-4xBlgYsAEafYRjh7NjtE79pTT3Rl1w1BMkfGedjgh19hTt4jU/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY_22zblRkcCuVJFp0Qz2_qOkGLpM6K9I9eOZYzj18c3iezQK9vr0K8ys9ECnlWfnNtY2zt7phGH5dCm1zYUzZBa1Bm-4xBlgYsAEafYRjh7NjtE79pTT3Rl1w1BMkfGedjgh19hTt4jU/s200/images.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">To be honest, I don’t use Apple anything – I’ve been a PC person for way too long, old habits
die hard – but I’ve already started lobbying my buddies that DO use Apples to
consider donating their older items to the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: red;"><b><i>Apple A Day</i></b></span></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">program and hey, if all else
fails, monetary donations are definitely welcome! (Yes, of course I've donated! You should too!)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.givehopefoundation.org/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BOlcwMznlOd2KVbC33EBb8c1wOB2U113h4K3xGcEuZcr3HlBTjfoKrSzOg6Rh03CfIGOwHChxI5nPmRCq69hp7WyGPNc1cX8LixkAvYoUj_KJJnW64rRVT7F4sTvgqYOtomYe25a6ryK/s320/Make-a-Donation-Button-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.givehopefoundation.org/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">www.givehopefoundation.org</span></b></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">For those
technically inclined when it comes to donations, here is</span><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day’s</span></i></b><span style="color: #ffd966;">
</span><span style="color: #073763;">mission statement, vision and objective:</span></span></div>
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<div align="center" style="background-color: #cccccc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">
<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Mission Statement:</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our mission is to bring joy into the lives of pediatric cancer patients though friendship, communication, sharing, and entertainment. When cancer treatment prevents or hinders normal childhood experiences and interaction, technology can become a welcomed bridge. This bridge also brings comfort, security, laughter, and a sense of normalcy in an otherwise scary and isolated battle.</div>
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<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Vision:</strong></div>
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Our vision is to provide Apple products (iPhone, iTouch) to pediatric cancer patients ages 8-17 years-old, so that they may experience simple joys such as listening to music, taking pictures, text messaging, playing multi-user games, reading books watching movies, keeping up with schoolwork... basically the ability to stay in contact with family, friends, and the world.</div>
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<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Objective:</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our objective is to successfully launch Apple A Day in Orlando and establishing branch offices in major cities that have a a pediatric cancer hospital in the United States.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMezspNSVmMHtAWAuuSfT7699so6SUfq1mfrvMJzppcN1RI6TJTk5NNj8m3Rx9wVpu1vUUEd07d_MOnbgKaoNPT71o5UjIr_GwCqBebPM-8qEUD-jlFRkOTby_X4rhDLVta_aepqbbjNV/s1600/GRSJ.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMezspNSVmMHtAWAuuSfT7699so6SUfq1mfrvMJzppcN1RI6TJTk5NNj8m3Rx9wVpu1vUUEd07d_MOnbgKaoNPT71o5UjIr_GwCqBebPM-8qEUD-jlFRkOTby_X4rhDLVta_aepqbbjNV/s320/GRSJ.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>My son, Drew, the year after</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>he decided that crawling on the stove</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>would be a good idea. NOT. </b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">As a parent
who, at one time, had to keep a burned sixteen month old happy for a week in the hospital, I cannot imagine having to keep a <i>very</i> sick child happy for the weeks and
months it can require to deal with pediatric cancers.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMnsaAH6VYsrfxsrpSfAuzLJ6T6R5apU29GU61WirkVR7QzokqmD0l1JH1GPnhuaSNzb5bNeznHcqNlMw4AwIfx7y0u4wNo_y8xCUfyG5aSAvpkBbQkqlHQd0nCa_S9yFWivjvSnU61FC/s1600/298449_10150346322168659_646223658_9595524_1611877_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMnsaAH6VYsrfxsrpSfAuzLJ6T6R5apU29GU61WirkVR7QzokqmD0l1JH1GPnhuaSNzb5bNeznHcqNlMw4AwIfx7y0u4wNo_y8xCUfyG5aSAvpkBbQkqlHQd0nCa_S9yFWivjvSnU61FC/s200/298449_10150346322168659_646223658_9595524_1611877_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Hubby The Week<br />Before He Passed Away</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Keeping the late hubby happy and occupied for 58 days was
hard enough and he was an</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 107%;"> </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">adult</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">. I honestly can't imagine what these parents go through trying to keep their sick child entertained, engaged and in a positive frame of mind for an extended period of time. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">The<b> </b></span><b><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></i> </b><span style="color: #073763;">project<b> </b>helps with that and then some. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMULTnd5Oj724pFYN01m1OFqqgHGCDqe6JHLjdqO11tfSIfRzATTQwSVFWRFG_DoU4CeMhKVLDkvHJ6AW3EVkhs_M3kPWFtvHrefnQZiAeo3SLz2_9v6sPel9w2dRvV9A5WAr5hQQp345/s1600/matthew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMULTnd5Oj724pFYN01m1OFqqgHGCDqe6JHLjdqO11tfSIfRzATTQwSVFWRFG_DoU4CeMhKVLDkvHJ6AW3EVkhs_M3kPWFtvHrefnQZiAeo3SLz2_9v6sPel9w2dRvV9A5WAr5hQQp345/s1600/matthew.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jayde & Matthew</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">Currently providing for pediatric cancer patients in the Orlando and Tampa areas, an</span><span style="color: #ffd966;"> </span><i><b><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></b></i><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;">is something Jayde <i>really</i> wants to take to a national level and I think it would definitely be worth it. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5Dx6yMJ9zSsTjMpdIOrGbskNXQNxP4Vyw-dtwYwK5VdzDn7_HHUiBpZkjdpTbD0OK8v6MuuidDUFrXIt99TrfsdeerpLXnxhgICmAOJhIu2FrMtL1Gji7bHuMNaOXT6wq_poAnESIOW1/s1600/Jayde+and+Ella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5Dx6yMJ9zSsTjMpdIOrGbskNXQNxP4Vyw-dtwYwK5VdzDn7_HHUiBpZkjdpTbD0OK8v6MuuidDUFrXIt99TrfsdeerpLXnxhgICmAOJhIu2FrMtL1Gji7bHuMNaOXT6wq_poAnESIOW1/s200/Jayde+and+Ella.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Jayde & Ella</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Already this
program is a Godsend for a lot of </span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span id="goog_1379750358" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"></span><span id="goog_1379750359" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">children and while
the program isn’t all that old </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">– it’s only been up and running for about two years or
so – it’s still worth a long, hard look and everybody's consideration. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34px;">And something that I truly like about this program is the reality that its founder doesn't just sit back and do photo ops every so often as so many celebrities who 'work' in charity do. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviWHuu6BNyq-XDsTWWi4aonv3kEAivxxj-3P-z-mL2QEOJ5AivKRhyLUUJn4pcWOeXcu1ecx7X5I-RrPooD942UEZrMwsP_6TpECHxIyrrpJC6j16dg7PLJXg02qr-tXSxewfmUdh7V8O/s1600/isha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviWHuu6BNyq-XDsTWWi4aonv3kEAivxxj-3P-z-mL2QEOJ5AivKRhyLUUJn4pcWOeXcu1ecx7X5I-RrPooD942UEZrMwsP_6TpECHxIyrrpJC6j16dg7PLJXg02qr-tXSxewfmUdh7V8O/s1600/isha.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: small;">Jayde & Isha</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 34px;">Jayde gets right out there and meets with as many children as she can. She goes<i> to</i> them in the hospital, at home, at the Apple store even - she takes this calling very seriously and that is the type of dedication that I can get behind.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBngLSoVzSz6rWU_5YrpXZMN596Dq88dPwlRWEQYaofBv7eWNTQMgm1kY8IGzo_x4T5jcuBYLc6heOIzwtXSzFWWQDaU7aj7aabG-qDTuyBpHvwShAYgvmgKHrHpJJLgvLV_F0OXELp6z/s1600/226711_627784190582400_532458496_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBngLSoVzSz6rWU_5YrpXZMN596Dq88dPwlRWEQYaofBv7eWNTQMgm1kY8IGzo_x4T5jcuBYLc6heOIzwtXSzFWWQDaU7aj7aabG-qDTuyBpHvwShAYgvmgKHrHpJJLgvLV_F0OXELp6z/s1600/226711_627784190582400_532458496_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>Gearing Up For The End Of The Apple A Day In May Celebration</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Yes, there are many other charities out there that have been around a long time and have raised millions - that's great. At one point those charities were just starting out as well and needed extra publicity to get the word out there. That's why I decided to skip the usual self-promotion and book talk this time around to share about Jayde's project. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAXRkYs1UcBZvVGtcgIGYvIQMXMxXqwt3NO-JWVeH5sEq0xd1UssRFyD1S5CJtBTh_0rZr3hX0dba9d8h7ic0eE81i8StHc5pZ4FisNTp9XbldwVjl36fvlmi3SDwvSy6C-kqNz2U8LLR/s1600/960009_508968309168740_1598237261_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQAXRkYs1UcBZvVGtcgIGYvIQMXMxXqwt3NO-JWVeH5sEq0xd1UssRFyD1S5CJtBTh_0rZr3hX0dba9d8h7ic0eE81i8StHc5pZ4FisNTp9XbldwVjl36fvlmi3SDwvSy6C-kqNz2U8LLR/s400/960009_508968309168740_1598237261_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><b>The Big Celebration Following An Apple A Day In May With Jayde & Hot 101.5</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">I know that time's are tough for everybody - but the reality is that almost everybody I know has at least $5.00 to spare. Or an iPhone that they don't use anymore. Or a dead laptop just gathering dust in their office closet. To donate something to an</span><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></i></b><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><span style="color: #073763;">would bring happiness to a child who truly deserves it, a child that may not live to grow up to enjoy adulthood. Please, consider donating to this awesome cause - to see the smiles on their faces, you definitely won't regret it. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7HiAIq0NEV9bPckNeJwzanjKQYDbOfuEsYePTIdbyLRBNl01xr5pRgz7vt_ExbNW-de2N9UyhwZqjhnzPphG_69_oBuUEy_7ZbdboW4n3EDRWglO8ijsshFGiXTTgC6-lFfYPoPihwwH/s1600/etwjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7HiAIq0NEV9bPckNeJwzanjKQYDbOfuEsYePTIdbyLRBNl01xr5pRgz7vt_ExbNW-de2N9UyhwZqjhnzPphG_69_oBuUEy_7ZbdboW4n3EDRWglO8ijsshFGiXTTgC6-lFfYPoPihwwH/s1600/etwjh.jpg" /></a></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">For more information regarding an</span><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><b><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></i></b><span style="color: #073763;">, click on the heart logo above, or go directly to the <i>Give Hope Foundation's</i> website:</span></span><span style="color: #073763;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.givehopefoundation.org/Apple-A-Day-Program.php" target="_blank">The Give Hope Foundation</a> </b></span><span style="color: #073763;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #073763;">You can also access the program directly through my website's <i>Important Projects </i>page now as well. Check it out, consider donating and pass the word along - the more people who know about an </span><b><i><span style="color: red;">Apple A Day</span></i></b><span style="color: #073763;">, the more children with cancer can benefit! </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt96fl_B_uwhZQTzEPv97KtfbdziYoWeDf3_DeF20ZHdHOp6chdn2THX5UJBhFSAyv1JNplPhTFVzXhjl9LwTyuOrxOay8JNYguJ9syMbyc30olJ-nbnWkAJz1F9UCNO6zYr9vT_d7TCc/s1600/bullhorn_flipped_230.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt96fl_B_uwhZQTzEPv97KtfbdziYoWeDf3_DeF20ZHdHOp6chdn2THX5UJBhFSAyv1JNplPhTFVzXhjl9LwTyuOrxOay8JNYguJ9syMbyc30olJ-nbnWkAJz1F9UCNO6zYr9vT_d7TCc/s1600/bullhorn_flipped_230.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">Until next time friends, fans and writer-buds!</span></span><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;"> </span><br />
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-73817867778275202802013-04-30T17:36:00.000-07:002013-04-30T17:36:17.504-07:00Urban Exploration Strikes Again!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Okay, I <em>know</em> I said that I’d focus on writing and such
during this grad school break but recently I stumbled across a new set of Urbex photos that
I just <i>had</i> to share! </strong></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiELTn21MgGdeB7OtZNN182_4ur7ES3lj5PiXLzqZqUTnaOR8JcfU4fyR-4uW6qlzxGuzc0_bOJ2RUIpH1GBDcPenJXbK1tFXz0Goc52Nkv0t36t28z-wrsCoHXOP8LkQngfCTDmrMjLw/s1600/Photographer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiELTn21MgGdeB7OtZNN182_4ur7ES3lj5PiXLzqZqUTnaOR8JcfU4fyR-4uW6qlzxGuzc0_bOJ2RUIpH1GBDcPenJXbK1tFXz0Goc52Nkv0t36t28z-wrsCoHXOP8LkQngfCTDmrMjLw/s320/Photographer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>For those who might be new to my blog, Urbex is short for
Urban Exploration – the art of photographing abandoned and decrepit buildings
for the sake of posterity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
something I find absolutely fascinating and thanks to my incessant rambling
about it on occasion, now many of my fans do too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_195237749" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOiVZkYiNdBtlgV2JB5w8FY7NgHUpBGwDSQrDV1HocdBuGPTxBjaDI6Maim_pvNecSp8l5-5gJVwNchAqZeKinfn9XTij-yxyGtZ8uH84hJNbfgaazPpPz2VZDKV72jHgQjmEBqiNWwa7L/s320/hdr_img_8851_49_50border.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yoan Bernabeu <br />
Yet Another Excellent UrBex Photographer!<br />
<span class="irc_dim"><span style="color: #7d7d7d;"><a href="http://www.yoanbernabeu.net/" target="_blank">www.yoanbernabeu.net </a> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Farther down there is a set of photos that recently appeared on Huffington
Post's website. They were taken by a photographer from the Netherlands and were taken in many of the abandoned
farm houses that dot the landscape throughout Western Europe. <o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2X28jz8zrVpQXcJvbMqT9WKhOSrngKQT-RyoMp2jusOrR6alL3ibe3-gCYsUnGVhByoUwYTD0-ebCcOeYsRZRZC7uPQGgtAyT9rkElKOO_hIvjh6f1TkEQUrRxSxcZXPkD-Sie5PoJlsf/s1600/29015ca937a55922d6a10bb5b304f9c3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2X28jz8zrVpQXcJvbMqT9WKhOSrngKQT-RyoMp2jusOrR6alL3ibe3-gCYsUnGVhByoUwYTD0-ebCcOeYsRZRZC7uPQGgtAyT9rkElKOO_hIvjh6f1TkEQUrRxSxcZXPkD-Sie5PoJlsf/s320/29015ca937a55922d6a10bb5b304f9c3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Abandoned Farm In Western Europe<br />Photographer Unknown</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>People who don’t understand my love for this type of thing
often ask me “what’s the point of looking at an abandoned building?” or “what’s
the point of looking at somebody’s garbage that was left behind?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Most urbex photographers, Mr. Feijen included, like to say that they take these pictures to "show the beauty of decay". Personally, I see the beauty of the story in that decay - the story that the location and its effects can tell.</span></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYN9kc_AdABUOVeruO4oXucKu3S2BPW8HnpLsbOhb752FPT-v7GR15O96VDSnEHdB-y3JaaZQwu_nR-SE2h0XiIYZUmPmy-Jh0cLhPTVjZTkRpbeaEZymACsyMD6KppY8tAKF0uAh9kkh/s1600/beelitz_enchanted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYN9kc_AdABUOVeruO4oXucKu3S2BPW8HnpLsbOhb752FPT-v7GR15O96VDSnEHdB-y3JaaZQwu_nR-SE2h0XiIYZUmPmy-Jh0cLhPTVjZTkRpbeaEZymACsyMD6KppY8tAKF0uAh9kkh/s320/beelitz_enchanted.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Urbex Photography By The Super Talented Tom Kirsch<br />
<a href="http://www.opacity.us/" target="_blank">www.opacity.us</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Wherever one looks –
there’s <em>always</em> a story to find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year I
shared about Whitley Park here on the blog and a lot of people – writers and
readers alike – fell in love with the place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Whitley Park was an empty underground ballroom but the storylines that
can come from that one location are literally infinite. </strong></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tj-Y4mCuVMPhsm3E8Pyi1tUFQW81yErZJZWhNwa3u4Oc7VhrcK9vLjtL5sI4ObQB7Hf8eCvplbgS_8DdsTZp4b74Xvay9pzGcQFF97P0c_TZk0-ISbXJ_SaIhG8RTOJvrF0dQm709Pl2/s1600/JamesBrown2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tj-Y4mCuVMPhsm3E8Pyi1tUFQW81yErZJZWhNwa3u4Oc7VhrcK9vLjtL5sI4ObQB7Hf8eCvplbgS_8DdsTZp4b74Xvay9pzGcQFF97P0c_TZk0-ISbXJ_SaIhG8RTOJvrF0dQm709Pl2/s320/JamesBrown2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Always Awesome Whitley Park Ballroom!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Ultimately, I <em>am</em> talking about writing in a sense. Everything and
everyone I come in contact with is detail in some way for a plot in a story. My friends and
family get a kick out of it, strangers have no clue, animals have no clue
either, and scenery just doesn't care. <i>Neither does Urbex. </i><o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Just take a look at these photos:</strong></span> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhyphenhyphenEs-OCCD5ePdglC2LFq0rSh2Yb0QoDEB2BJ7g6JqoAHKflPuBviUa3NwSuC_7dIT5bBCckbPuNUjfVKfOw17ZHBJ7QS7w3u_T8V-iJyrGnujqS7HimA1OM8gT_bJvriTnpfGqfMbbNu/s1600/d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikhyphenhyphenEs-OCCD5ePdglC2LFq0rSh2Yb0QoDEB2BJ7g6JqoAHKflPuBviUa3NwSuC_7dIT5bBCckbPuNUjfVKfOw17ZHBJ7QS7w3u_T8V-iJyrGnujqS7HimA1OM8gT_bJvriTnpfGqfMbbNu/s400/d.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYsmCMS3rp4rsstVqfP3Ff_yrslXSRC9z9v_7-lv-iq_SHobr1d9fyPnR8rEBCCBjXhItuL49v5dQ3Tt-RZVUQE7uSNddAOB7qExtZMEUDqjWjUqPlNxkcl1m99jdR1zD2NbSgLzHp55r/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYsmCMS3rp4rsstVqfP3Ff_yrslXSRC9z9v_7-lv-iq_SHobr1d9fyPnR8rEBCCBjXhItuL49v5dQ3Tt-RZVUQE7uSNddAOB7qExtZMEUDqjWjUqPlNxkcl1m99jdR1zD2NbSgLzHp55r/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWI0uJ_74cdsomTZZMLargwzoretWwg_BJYpIBMy6bfh9W_43MfyXRoK3puLns6tgx0NUNx0hkaAuKKkT1GIhY_0mQruG_QccIvepb24Q-tHXpteXS0pJuC5FhLfYGsHr1lEcvu0fObDr/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWI0uJ_74cdsomTZZMLargwzoretWwg_BJYpIBMy6bfh9W_43MfyXRoK3puLns6tgx0NUNx0hkaAuKKkT1GIhY_0mQruG_QccIvepb24Q-tHXpteXS0pJuC5FhLfYGsHr1lEcvu0fObDr/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468d.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXSYzZXmtRPDGuka1osHuWjPb8iUOwbRVwN9fPMALaOttcZN4Y2YRHyJRYW5QKy0sDI8nRbOkhpsv9KFnRVsFQYJ7qWCaOn8oQ0MXby7aYtdCeQaRV7HB72st-KOiT__QuoW2GpJv7u4S/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVXSYzZXmtRPDGuka1osHuWjPb8iUOwbRVwN9fPMALaOttcZN4Y2YRHyJRYW5QKy0sDI8nRbOkhpsv9KFnRVsFQYJ7qWCaOn8oQ0MXby7aYtdCeQaRV7HB72st-KOiT__QuoW2GpJv7u4S/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468de.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWtoH-Mm69OIyYM_fW910MrO_90nhFNrl14tKkVe-nTHoQxIEqOEXrmRSflUN1orb3s3X9vmpSpT6rWpllLJUKtqgE04eXQenAJ98bFkmfzTCG6oLcEqTCOlK94hwrwpwTyErrtqXfDml/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaWtoH-Mm69OIyYM_fW910MrO_90nhFNrl14tKkVe-nTHoQxIEqOEXrmRSflUN1orb3s3X9vmpSpT6rWpllLJUKtqgE04eXQenAJ98bFkmfzTCG6oLcEqTCOlK94hwrwpwTyErrtqXfDml/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x468s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcOm5JD7shhXM-L1ATtb8EU41bxHMBSq5POPBAYjqy7IKzrrSimWnLHgZ9OzmClAdwaKqt_9GfQlL4ZSPcmpgbsogRNij_hVtcFosuIV9KkFK_Cr3XHRqOTGN1-5U1nDaJK3XWjwzx6gp/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x4683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcOm5JD7shhXM-L1ATtb8EU41bxHMBSq5POPBAYjqy7IKzrrSimWnLHgZ9OzmClAdwaKqt_9GfQlL4ZSPcmpgbsogRNij_hVtcFosuIV9KkFK_Cr3XHRqOTGN1-5U1nDaJK3XWjwzx6gp/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x4683.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGTmDdKrLqcn4bNZNrv8CC3djB31UCsroHVlkvcIk-98-psyKbB2wIzAtu58QSmhfX6VvSXYdUVUv8i1Vz1XpMkM7XSelqDkZMRRn-Zl55lhniuiXPyAavd8xswVXP5JlqMZb7QrZyfzA/s1600/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x46832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmGTmDdKrLqcn4bNZNrv8CC3djB31UCsroHVlkvcIk-98-psyKbB2wIzAtu58QSmhfX6VvSXYdUVUv8i1Vz1XpMkM7XSelqDkZMRRn-Zl55lhniuiXPyAavd8xswVXP5JlqMZb7QrZyfzA/s400/a-ABANDONED-FARMHOUSE-640x46832.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo by Niki Feijen</em></td></tr>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">To some they may seem like a set of photos of musty crap in moldy old houses - BUT - <em>think about it</em>. Look harder. Look at the details. What if the walls could talk? Some of these homes are pristine in a sense. It's as if time has stopped. Even as they decay it is as if the people just went to the store and never returned - the table is still set in one house while the china sits in the dining room buffet in another. These locations are literally time capsules waiting to be discovered and what's found there can create a plethora of story lines! </span></strong></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnwSFsywDb3eeYpIzy59OGwlLI-9l4NxlRo7QJ8fDyJjp66QDLkGvfUnQ26Qckm8oVwNDcbDEFq2Bzty3iYU_KKiiq7BWRu6ovBMl4yr9EPy4dUWg3fzEbwXvYxUE-TSxwltNIvZdiZFh/s1600/time-capsule3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnwSFsywDb3eeYpIzy59OGwlLI-9l4NxlRo7QJ8fDyJjp66QDLkGvfUnQ26Qckm8oVwNDcbDEFq2Bzty3iYU_KKiiq7BWRu6ovBMl4yr9EPy4dUWg3fzEbwXvYxUE-TSxwltNIvZdiZFh/s200/time-capsule3.png" width="171" /></a></div>
<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></strong></o:p>
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Never mind the questions that can arise....What happened to the people? The owners? Where did they go? What happened to them? Did they get sick? Did they die? Did they get carted off to some old folks home and their children never bothered to clean out their house? Were they murdered and buried on the property? Were they murdered and never found? Or maybe he or she did the murdering and got sent to prison? Or they're on the lam? Maybe they were abducted by aliens? Joined a cult and got lost in the desert somewhere? </span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunyAMWQ_B8gdXix62SiklAh-eclaHxOHLN54q0b2fARSrVgm5y5n1qoUXuJCEoF04D2osUFRSmKpYwm2rHh99aFrDWZ8vMwVmDqtdlaeAvXg0C21jNevp8lrBQiFSW2S6e8N55SLOHfgR/s1600/Alien-Abduction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunyAMWQ_B8gdXix62SiklAh-eclaHxOHLN54q0b2fARSrVgm5y5n1qoUXuJCEoF04D2osUFRSmKpYwm2rHh99aFrDWZ8vMwVmDqtdlaeAvXg0C21jNevp8lrBQiFSW2S6e8N55SLOHfgR/s320/Alien-Abduction.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The point is that no matter what condition a place is in, there's a story to be told there. Never turn your nose up at a possible story - whether good or bad, a story is something to learn from and/or enjoy! (Well, if you don't like to read, I'm not sure <i>why</i> you're here anyway, lol.) As an author I'm always on the lookout for storylines waiting to happen. For me Urban Exploration photos provide some of the most fascinating details about life and people in general. </span></strong></o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Not to mention that these pictures are </span><em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">history</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span></em></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5Jmn8nmrvLMYTM6fVeJZ-U79BIU7_xPYrXBuzbD-IOAEJD5iJt3ECgyOa-csv5KTJleAmmTnibvdI1Dx7Zfu1kEctu_AOYqr1QFt5KHwZKCqPyL9nR3vWQYnBoy02_4yF1cdDI9GNkS7/s1600/dee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5Jmn8nmrvLMYTM6fVeJZ-U79BIU7_xPYrXBuzbD-IOAEJD5iJt3ECgyOa-csv5KTJleAmmTnibvdI1Dx7Zfu1kEctu_AOYqr1QFt5KHwZKCqPyL9nR3vWQYnBoy02_4yF1cdDI9GNkS7/s1600/dee.jpg" /></a></div>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Which, sadly, books may be one day...I would hate to think that that would happen - but there are cartoons about it already. There's a good chance of it happening if we allow technology to totally overrule all else. </span></strong></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTa-DY870ioK4yYzpZ_B6vB_B20coDXtiMKNa4cnpi481b9WgcH04rm8JyYHO6N8lzB4QTBw_Gv0y0vCmfThzG74sEfBwCyW6IFRoGzjglawySrNgaRhXhsrvY1v5pDdecyfDs3GfKPKps/s1600/kids-lol1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTa-DY870ioK4yYzpZ_B6vB_B20coDXtiMKNa4cnpi481b9WgcH04rm8JyYHO6N8lzB4QTBw_Gv0y0vCmfThzG74sEfBwCyW6IFRoGzjglawySrNgaRhXhsrvY1v5pDdecyfDs3GfKPKps/s320/kids-lol1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possibly An Endangered Species?</td></tr>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Think about it. With all of our sinking into the welcome embrace of iPads, iPhones, Laptops, mini-this and mini-that sometimes the basics become lost in the rush to be part of the future. I guess that my ultimate point is that yes, technology is great, all the outlets media offers us today are great but let's not become so entrenched within technology and what the future holds that we forget to read!!</span></strong></o:p><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxMuCXGz9XjDYYuaQE_zSJUwZ42OYDModC_Nk2YWhZqrHGeY6Rg2rqct0NxCrXSmauuvQWT131qYmZuglJGj8arxqQQPaBB2JmvQeqghACNj1Jbl2cKk2edlOLxvAI2qU_txI_AiIPOFF/s1600/reading-is-power_logo-sml_rgb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxMuCXGz9XjDYYuaQE_zSJUwZ42OYDModC_Nk2YWhZqrHGeY6Rg2rqct0NxCrXSmauuvQWT131qYmZuglJGj8arxqQQPaBB2JmvQeqghACNj1Jbl2cKk2edlOLxvAI2qU_txI_AiIPOFF/s320/reading-is-power_logo-sml_rgb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></strong></div>
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">There's a plethora of books out there that combine past, present and future to give us some of THE best story lines!! With summer coming it's the perfect time to pick up a few books for the beach - a copy of Paramour would be perfect!!! Going camping? Creep yourself out with a copy of Blood Roles! Jetting or driving off on a vacation? A copy of Illusions would be perfect for passing the time! Books - whether hard copy, paperback or ebooks are a perfect way to spend some spare time this summer!!</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUVcCtDTxxdetWMUaFnkPkEV7VJscS-_K8C9hx8lPM1iMDQEkA6RO49xhkZ6AKKs6w1vCPamjbne2MGqDn6oCf0PWjZC5elWRiSblRVecgSZ_kTfDDPzi0lkw8YKCEEa06mD94CaiUWJq/s1600/keep-calm-and-love-reading-8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUVcCtDTxxdetWMUaFnkPkEV7VJscS-_K8C9hx8lPM1iMDQEkA6RO49xhkZ6AKKs6w1vCPamjbne2MGqDn6oCf0PWjZC5elWRiSblRVecgSZ_kTfDDPzi0lkw8YKCEEa06mD94CaiUWJq/s320/keep-calm-and-love-reading-8.png" width="274" /></a></div>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Until next time, happy reading and writing!!</span></strong></o:p> </div>
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<o:p><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">For more of Niki Feijen's awesome work, visit his website at: <a href="http://www.nikifeijen.nl/" target="_blank">http://www.nikifeijen.nl/</a></span></strong></o:p></div>
Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-61024453897562408982013-04-18T04:50:00.000-07:002013-04-18T04:50:25.758-07:00Bad News, Good News and An Awesome Face! <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have been remiss in my
blogging duties – but thankfully I’ve survived my first term of grad school!! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now have two weeks to catch up on everything
I’ve been unable to get to during the past fifteen weeks!! </span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1NdoeEXkCkGjHESvJKVpoc1oGV9RXYL_PzKnXVRmBfcA9cm_x-uFM6p7gl3Q6Mv0K5XLZ-b9gOJfAam6jrX9R6to10zw0UDVxeVHZnx_4k2HjORXvyDvwCKKN0AHhZ3cEe0i2uCCFoj4/s1600/student%2520debt.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1NdoeEXkCkGjHESvJKVpoc1oGV9RXYL_PzKnXVRmBfcA9cm_x-uFM6p7gl3Q6Mv0K5XLZ-b9gOJfAam6jrX9R6to10zw0UDVxeVHZnx_4k2HjORXvyDvwCKKN0AHhZ3cEe0i2uCCFoj4/s320/student%2520debt.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Yeah, Grad School...Buy Some Books! I Have Student Loans To Pay Off!!!</strong></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">At the top of the list is finishing <em>Bad Medicine</em>!!
I’ve been inundated with letters wanting to know when the book will make an
appearance and I’m happy to announce the sequel to <em>Blood Roles</em> will be released
in November! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And to answer a most important question: YES, Jon Joss will be on the cover of <em>Bad Medicine</em> as well!! (Along with some new faces to boot...) </span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJmtBUWdg3QzXZmubYGqoXJrxa11WeZdq3-PqI_QRrUl1YOn2T7seqqLvdBqEjRDDSVkwNniOkx1RUUL-Ie9pdjoMDqmrP260DBrNHi6kjORbPhBeLMeFC4KNkoGQ_KAQ5FqjrMnIxE7E/s1600/8c8f997ca19610ef1f99a191af94696d72d89a9e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJmtBUWdg3QzXZmubYGqoXJrxa11WeZdq3-PqI_QRrUl1YOn2T7seqqLvdBqEjRDDSVkwNniOkx1RUUL-Ie9pdjoMDqmrP260DBrNHi6kjORbPhBeLMeFC4KNkoGQ_KAQ5FqjrMnIxE7E/s320/8c8f997ca19610ef1f99a191af94696d72d89a9e.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Um, Yes, There IS A Sequel!!! </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>(I Just Have To Finish Writing It First!!)</strong></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">The NABSU agents will be
spending quality time hanging with some New Age twinkies in order to expose
illegal activity and will find themselves in an awkward situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Names will be smeared, sex will be had and
heads will roll – in more ways than one. And we just might find out who the White River
Killer is! Or will we? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxaZj1dmKQD4hJ536vSzXmfmwMihAWv-ccKMrZlM3rk1vfZhFo1ReVlhyphenhyphenI1oZ6zNcUCGAxoh0UUMmQswK516yydvaB4-8urtdeZ3fYYlbtSbgIBDdJgQl247fYm3zPFtroBB3k7e8d8_T/s1600/A007_NewAgeDance_ActRel-9-1999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxaZj1dmKQD4hJ536vSzXmfmwMihAWv-ccKMrZlM3rk1vfZhFo1ReVlhyphenhyphenI1oZ6zNcUCGAxoh0UUMmQswK516yydvaB4-8urtdeZ3fYYlbtSbgIBDdJgQl247fYm3zPFtroBB3k7e8d8_T/s320/A007_NewAgeDance_ActRel-9-1999.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twinkies In Action...<br />
Some Things You Just Have To See To Believe...</td></tr>
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</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">When the NABSU series was created my husband was
still alive and we had big plans for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, since Rob passed away I have had a hard time working on these
particular books so, for right now, <em>Bad Medicine</em> will be “it” for a while for this series. We
had originally planned six to eight books exploring the other agents’ lives and
I even spent quality time doing some rewrites for a very patient publisher but,
after some soul searching, I’ve decided to shelve NABSU for the time being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe someday I can bring Taylor and Andie to
life again but, for the time being, I’m closing NABSU’s doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriyxghRtDpxVlsQpd68HS5Vtg1j8MtdvNb4dvaIftkn5IPp-3PSGRz_9Dxm-jgz5WK49pCRovqMQAZVnoy0J9IFMhJy6Vcky7bpoARMjAIv-JV3MZMY_5gGaKk5mh8o3RHD1cni9w6B0Q/s1600/Smiley-Sad-Face3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriyxghRtDpxVlsQpd68HS5Vtg1j8MtdvNb4dvaIftkn5IPp-3PSGRz_9Dxm-jgz5WK49pCRovqMQAZVnoy0J9IFMhJy6Vcky7bpoARMjAIv-JV3MZMY_5gGaKk5mh8o3RHD1cni9w6B0Q/s200/Smiley-Sad-Face3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">I think I’ve finally reached a point as a
writer that I cannot get past – losing my writing partner for these books
pretty much brought this particular series to a screeching halt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Evanescence’s song “<em>My Heart Is
Broken</em>” pretty sums up the feelings I have working on Taylor and Andie’s story.
It’s not Taylor and Andie’s fault, it’s <em>mine</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The NABSU series was a very personal set of books. My husband and I
worked on them right up until the day before he passed away. It’s reached a
point that working on the series is painful and I don’t feel that I can produce
good storylines feeling that way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/E0qIG-h4rIE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>This is not to say, though, that I am going to stop
writing – far from it!! Thank you to everybody who has sent comments regarding <em>Illusions</em> - I love it as well. It's a storyline that stemmed from the reality of a very special couple. Readers have been asking if there's a book somewhere for Ian. I hadn't given it much though, honestly, but given the interest in Ian's redemption as a human being I'm now considering a storyline for him. I think it would be interesting to revisit Olivia and Clay as well. Still working on that one...</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>The first book
of the <em>Bayside Erotica Series</em>, <em>Paramour</em>, is doing very well – that means book
two isn’t far behind!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Book Two isn’t
named yet but it’s already coming to life! Picture it…a steamy Tampa Bay summer
night, a flat tire, a mistaken identity and way more passion than should be
legal!! I think I’ve even found the perfect, rugged, hero to star on the
cover!! </strong></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSY9Ca_6Ou7x-TVaHKUf2IWPOWry8jM49oBJZtB79ahjQtFX70dOmQBNSpVHgZVLNm1BdmP87fBaGJVxGXMSFQNmq5bYBbjNRhc0RrHFAaffQvWq9sD3je0_GWlMhtQynvekdjmKhFUL/s1600/BookCoverPreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSY9Ca_6Ou7x-TVaHKUf2IWPOWry8jM49oBJZtB79ahjQtFX70dOmQBNSpVHgZVLNm1BdmP87fBaGJVxGXMSFQNmq5bYBbjNRhc0RrHFAaffQvWq9sD3je0_GWlMhtQynvekdjmKhFUL/s320/BookCoverPreview.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Have YOU Gotten Your Copy Of Paramour Yet??</strong></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Speaking of cover models - every so often somebody will introduce me to a perfect specimen of sexy! A buddy recently introduced me to Julian Christian! </span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wX3f387g4XJji1JNbi5vwIhNxDDYAL0yNI4U4hQZbwW3I9eS-1tuqcpSvLAr7nzekUlxnjVlirebOzdyskeHun1TS6qwbachlrG0wLjsj-Cl2Y6tvOAckD4-V8JmwXYYQvb5p405UOZm/s1600/2622_137892685017_5382211_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wX3f387g4XJji1JNbi5vwIhNxDDYAL0yNI4U4hQZbwW3I9eS-1tuqcpSvLAr7nzekUlxnjVlirebOzdyskeHun1TS6qwbachlrG0wLjsj-Cl2Y6tvOAckD4-V8JmwXYYQvb5p405UOZm/s320/2622_137892685017_5382211_n.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">How Could You Say 'No' To That Face??</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Oh, And The Guy's Cute Too!!</span></strong> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Julian's already got quite a few book covers under his belt but he's always on the lookout for more so if you're an author looking for an awesome cover guy? Check him out!</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/107419" target="_blank">Julian Christian's Model Mayhem Profile</a></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FL_cLZ5nbSJT1AcAXNQ-hlCBpeC0-FIR3V8cEvExoj2ZcHLJjLqsIpBDP4c2M5bFq7oxWr3ihzpqwP9b1ibk6Wop4IN5Nvs7FOe7B9wYvGpBAef_HeYa5TP_IkMkJK-YM8C_IwnBAq5U/s1600/480264_489338404463663_2013834806_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FL_cLZ5nbSJT1AcAXNQ-hlCBpeC0-FIR3V8cEvExoj2ZcHLJjLqsIpBDP4c2M5bFq7oxWr3ihzpqwP9b1ibk6Wop4IN5Nvs7FOe7B9wYvGpBAef_HeYa5TP_IkMkJK-YM8C_IwnBAq5U/s1600/480264_489338404463663_2013834806_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Julian is also on Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/julian.fantechi?fref=ts" target="_blank">Julian's Facebook Profile</a></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ8RVroauTrr15-6SV1Qxxphn3QwdNeKCOdtdSQ93GOBm4aErj9plelnoBxHGhMGzmPyHUFgTgBwzSQbH4zhMJCTpVLPnfwFO88CwHuUHRAIbJyrBD6p9dLWQP1PO-oAX8sTo519qMMqU/s1600/164424_495616763835827_1132045378_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUZ8RVroauTrr15-6SV1Qxxphn3QwdNeKCOdtdSQ93GOBm4aErj9plelnoBxHGhMGzmPyHUFgTgBwzSQbH4zhMJCTpVLPnfwFO88CwHuUHRAIbJyrBD6p9dLWQP1PO-oAX8sTo519qMMqU/s320/164424_495616763835827_1132045378_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Keeping with my policy of only working with nice cover models - Julian's a great guy who respects what we do and how we do it. He'll be an awesome guy to have on your cover if you're an author - heck, I might even use him...although, that would mean I have to break my no-drool policy regarding men on my covers!!! lol </span></strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z14ecsohnQR2ZqbXqBdIGAFd5kPzau-3u-aiefXMamK0h0bfl4UKpnTgQL-PxZA4V7a0SCF_WSR7qtFd16cLmYUcFlexANg4CzJtxMZoG7U6l12l4GegTrGpLDho-Rlf1Y2oruLRYjKN/s1600/561689_4586658589306_479493760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z14ecsohnQR2ZqbXqBdIGAFd5kPzau-3u-aiefXMamK0h0bfl4UKpnTgQL-PxZA4V7a0SCF_WSR7qtFd16cLmYUcFlexANg4CzJtxMZoG7U6l12l4GegTrGpLDho-Rlf1Y2oruLRYjKN/s1600/561689_4586658589306_479493760_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">And if you're a reader? By all means - he's definitely somebody I'd buy a book for just for the cover! (Oh c'mon, we've all done it, don't act so innocent...that's how I got into Pamela Palmer's <em>Feral Warrior Series</em>, Paenther's cover model was hot!! lol) </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxSrdXKzTKb19m8Dla6gR8Y2mxnvqjZ5-hXw03tPWjAF7M236FdCq5N6S5kBpL7Y-c3699uXMe1P0nbgF3D4yzGTBapnvA8CbGpsXLsy5vQ2kvX1fdb76PbJZfmEry30xjATcJTlPoIZF/s1600/n312557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxSrdXKzTKb19m8Dla6gR8Y2mxnvqjZ5-hXw03tPWjAF7M236FdCq5N6S5kBpL7Y-c3699uXMe1P0nbgF3D4yzGTBapnvA8CbGpsXLsy5vQ2kvX1fdb76PbJZfmEry30xjATcJTlPoIZF/s320/n312557.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>I Definitely Judged This Book By Its Cover!! </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;"><strong>(And It Was Well Worth It!)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>So, whether you're an author or a reader, definitely check out Julian Christian - you won't be disappointed!! AND - if you haven't picked up your copy of <em>Paramour</em>, do it <em>NOW</em>, you won't regret it! </strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Keep Checking Back - There <em>Will</em> Be More - At Least For The Next Two Weeks Before Grad School Takes Over My Life Again!!</strong></span> </span></div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-43063746324927878952013-01-18T19:51:00.001-08:002013-01-18T19:51:13.832-08:00What Is Owed To Fans??<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPS9ugtdWiRAiWDeqtHDw9yAbKqE49Ipeezpt5Wlw0fSfv_LOdvr_ZTNfQzu2Zro_C5NfEr4bz6vJJf0bLVFpd-IoEww5d0OZcsoohvwBpLsHTDQo3FL1_VIs8PBwA5iGA2yG0CNSVOdb/s1600/ta;l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPS9ugtdWiRAiWDeqtHDw9yAbKqE49Ipeezpt5Wlw0fSfv_LOdvr_ZTNfQzu2Zro_C5NfEr4bz6vJJf0bLVFpd-IoEww5d0OZcsoohvwBpLsHTDQo3FL1_VIs8PBwA5iGA2yG0CNSVOdb/s200/ta;l.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">As of late there has been much talk just about
everywhere and anywhere media related regarding what is expected of a ‘celebrity’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly enough, according to fellow
colleagues, published authors of any type fall under this category heading. </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why Yes, Yes We Are!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Personally, I find that somewhat amusing given
that a great majority of authors are introverts who just want to be left alone
to write BUT (and there always is a but) we all understand that without
marketing our books don’t sell and marketing includes interaction with our
readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The publicity that accompanies our world, though, seems much less harried as opposed to the movie or television stars’ world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Since the Golden Globes, I’ve heard various
conversations regarding celebrity and privacy. As a former publicist I am a
little more familiar with the whole “celebrity privacy” thing than most people
are – that’s usually <em>why</em> I don’t weigh in on the topic. Still, it’s a thought
provoking concept because, frankly, everybody likes their privacy (Unless
you’re a complete and utter exhibitionist. If that’s the case you probably want
to quit reading, lol). <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephanie Meyer Hard At Work!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">As I stated, for writers, celebrity is something
of a different animal – we can control our public image to a far greater
extent. Only when an author becomes so entrenched within the entertainment
medium itself does the option for going to Target in sweats with no makeup or
golfing in one's pajamas become an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A writer has to reach the heights of Stephanie Meyer, Dean Koontz,
Danielle Steele, Stephen King or JK Rowling to truly be concerned about the dizzying
heights of fame and fortune. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjXT3_d6hLPaRKeh4IUk1cMuSEizIlXaEevY-2xxYpbCaYfA8xMT4JIrLM_x76OY0GM5CoV3lJ5b7Y5MkPC3CkaG5QserCJ_ydd1B-UHiCIYWxy73mYNYnMJtjmRM2ya7iT0m9wl920Tz/s1600/imagesCA4QRV24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjXT3_d6hLPaRKeh4IUk1cMuSEizIlXaEevY-2xxYpbCaYfA8xMT4JIrLM_x76OY0GM5CoV3lJ5b7Y5MkPC3CkaG5QserCJ_ydd1B-UHiCIYWxy73mYNYnMJtjmRM2ya7iT0m9wl920Tz/s1600/imagesCA4QRV24.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Most of us don’t have to deal with the paparazzi
nor do our names show up in magazine after magazine and while some of us do
participate in television interviews, most of the time it’s an on screen-off
screen proposition whereby our book and all that it entails is promoted. (It
should also be noted that, by and large, most writers don’t want fame and
fortune. They <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to tell a good
story and if that story pays the bills then <i>huzzah</i>!! Yes, there are some in it for the cash
but they are in the minority in my opinion.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Truth be told, authors are fairly forthcoming
regarding their personal </span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">lives anyway. Connie Brockway’s forays into the frozen
North of Minnesota are well chronicled while Kathleen Eagle has
spoken about her cowboy hubby, Clyde, on her website for years now. Jenn LeBlanc’s awesome stories about her photo shoots
are legendary and were only eclipsed this past year by her having knee </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">surgery. The
shenanigans of Larissa Reinhart’s children provide almost daily fodder for her
fans and friends alike (seriously, those kids are a riot).</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Many authors are quite vocal regarding the
charities or social groups that they are a part of – Darlene Arden is an avid
animal rescue person while Sam Bradley is the go-to person regarding EMS/emergency
services front page news. And, frankly, many authors are just plain vocal. lol </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Of course I
can’t speak for all authors but anybody who’s ever friended an RWA author on
Facebook knows there’s A LOT of cross referencing in the friends list
department. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This author is friends with
this other author and another author is friends with the same author, etc. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ILfN3aG3g2i4fmmfeGoPfsGlzwnUTEvfTmCRdHE_htUkkklCPUyieok7GUrc8RNb71mJgQa7oQ9nj1Hf_oLyOgHpUvmi3kW5LuDDmGMty736Fm__5lkPi2wbULhqEpIFSOUrbxPRF-DW/s1600/imagesCAJRMU1U.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ILfN3aG3g2i4fmmfeGoPfsGlzwnUTEvfTmCRdHE_htUkkklCPUyieok7GUrc8RNb71mJgQa7oQ9nj1Hf_oLyOgHpUvmi3kW5LuDDmGMty736Fm__5lkPi2wbULhqEpIFSOUrbxPRF-DW/s320/imagesCAJRMU1U.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE Most Awesome Mystery/Suspense Writers Group Anywhere! </td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As a
member (and the 2013 Chapter President) of Kiss of Death I’m friends with most of its membership – every day
somebody shares something about their life via either their personal profile or
their business profile. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> As a member of RWA I have just as many friends from other chapters as well, many of whom are friends with other members of other chapters. On those pages you'll see just as many posts and announcements regarding authors' lives and careers - you'll also see the boring stuff like root canals, shopping trips, kids trying to drive their parents insane, etc. because authors have lives too. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">For the most
part your favorite authors are pretty much average people doing average things
and we complain or get excited about things just like everybody else.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We owe our readers nothing but a good story
but because we like our fans so much we often times
throw more info out there – but that is our prerogative to do so.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It is </span><i style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">not</i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
a requirement of the craft.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Very Early Photoplay Cover</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">And that’s the linchpin of celebrity – the preconceived notion that ‘famous’ folks owe their public in some
form given their public personas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Frankly, I cannot tell you when this became the norm. For decades newspapers flouted the shortcomings of the social sets and as early as 1911
Photoplay magazine was releasing information regarding Hollywood movie stars. There were often stories regarding the occasional well-known author or socialite who caused a scene in public as well.
Ironically, those articles <em>then </em>held more truth than the pap papers available
today.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Gloria Vanderbilt Custody Case</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Back then, most celebrity stories were fabricated
by their studio and issued with every intent of making both the celebrity and
the studio look good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Public displays of
obnoxiousness were, most of the time, presented as they happened, limited
innuendo involved, and if there were court records to back it up, all the better. Somewhere along the line, that formula slowly changed. </span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiw9vE6F39aTrqNaejS6q4_4zu2wqYOlfzSOW3lej7EYznmduUUk3Eb2mIpxPzVixvHDPq_Op8U-4VmI3E_ZbDjE4eEudiS80OdMHzPFDrr7K7kkbwjjOFJQJ9eg5_P9vXlGBKh3Flsy4/s1600/imagesCAPFAFRJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyiw9vE6F39aTrqNaejS6q4_4zu2wqYOlfzSOW3lej7EYznmduUUk3Eb2mIpxPzVixvHDPq_Op8U-4VmI3E_ZbDjE4eEudiS80OdMHzPFDrr7K7kkbwjjOFJQJ9eg5_P9vXlGBKh3Flsy4/s1600/imagesCAPFAFRJ.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too Many Tabloids,<br />So Little Truth...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Now it’s out of control
entirely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it’s all about maintaining
that fifteen minutes in the spotlight for as long as possible and it doesn't matter what story is
attached to it as long as the face remains in the public eye. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, to quote Jodie Foster at the Golden Globes: “every celebrity is
expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a
fragrance, and a prime time reality show.” </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Weirdly, it's an apt explanation.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsBbxnav2VOKOUKqC6h78XKEnW4tMpZNx0q0QTiyvfgKuyx3xwAS4FYybId-zSQIgPMVx3hqZ1dz-nCamLAgxRKnomxLNJwrsCLBPeQY3uY3lKEktuE_p1hTBzwK92NPv5YdX8KP5XKw3/s1600/dagarr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTsBbxnav2VOKOUKqC6h78XKEnW4tMpZNx0q0QTiyvfgKuyx3xwAS4FYybId-zSQIgPMVx3hqZ1dz-nCamLAgxRKnomxLNJwrsCLBPeQY3uY3lKEktuE_p1hTBzwK92NPv5YdX8KP5XKw3/s1600/dagarr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jodie Foster Accepting The DeMille Award</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Just because it’s come to be expected doesn't make
it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those in the public eye don’t
owe the public anything other than a great performance. Given that her speech
spawned the discussions that prompted this blog, I’m going to pick on Jodie
Foster a little bit. The woman’s got broad shoulders, she can take it! But
seriously – I, like many others, have always admired Ms. Foster’s work as an
actress - not to mention her abilities as a director, a producer and yes, as a writer of both screen and prose.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPEWHIfNLqDWsI03m5iB6F5nO4B7LCEYqXSbX9OASuCjaTfgDBGYYKuxfCGRGto_l6gnHMgYruNNjrUWBXhK5KsZF6GG_4IHafkKEVYsrmvqTAtCONoqV8skQuWIiK0Nq_2ocKKnZVqDk/s1600/JF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrPEWHIfNLqDWsI03m5iB6F5nO4B7LCEYqXSbX9OASuCjaTfgDBGYYKuxfCGRGto_l6gnHMgYruNNjrUWBXhK5KsZF6GG_4IHafkKEVYsrmvqTAtCONoqV8skQuWIiK0Nq_2ocKKnZVqDk/s1600/JF.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally Irrelevant But I<br />Really Like This Hairstyle! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>When I worked in publicity I
never got the privilege to cross paths with the woman but I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> hear things over time that led me to
believe that she was greatly respected not only for her abilities but for her personal fortitude as well. In the entertainment industry that's a major coup in and of itself. Ultimately Ms. Foster strikes me
as a good person and somebody to have in your corner. (Just ask Mel Gibson, she’s about the
only one<i> left</i> in the man’s corner these days, proving that she IS a loyal friend).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrnn9Bd5U0PmWRZZRp-j2pjIxvQkMl6YYwd0BzExMfz5IwVvaY1byAvBSBzN9OprjfDX3NDrpbXPmiGaj4dRmgvvOmm2hlOrrb8A4koFa7mZh8AIU_eFkaq7YPBnuM3YGihy64KcgWepZ/s1600/reshsth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrnn9Bd5U0PmWRZZRp-j2pjIxvQkMl6YYwd0BzExMfz5IwVvaY1byAvBSBzN9OprjfDX3NDrpbXPmiGaj4dRmgvvOmm2hlOrrb8A4koFa7mZh8AIU_eFkaq7YPBnuM3YGihy64KcgWepZ/s1600/reshsth.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Infamous Golden Globes Speech</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Jodie Foster emphasized <em>privacy</em> in her speech – basically because
of the aforementioned premise where the mainstream media has abandoned all tact
and pretty much just prints whatever the heck they want, when they want, whether
it’s true or not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a human being and a
United States citizen she has that right. The viewing public has no right to
demand more from her than her ability to act. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKJaqOs9c6L8BjhoWqaG43DrH6ckNb4wAxeEKCKBDuZBtS-GdtDVMv6r5hqmZs4NUJSiq7P1wkiQaltZS_q2j3vGT0NsjmqrZWhpBMQprpsztTgObWe78jZb3Bnp-VhPbQj4FeKzQETDf/s1600/imagesCAOXI8VH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpKJaqOs9c6L8BjhoWqaG43DrH6ckNb4wAxeEKCKBDuZBtS-GdtDVMv6r5hqmZs4NUJSiq7P1wkiQaltZS_q2j3vGT0NsjmqrZWhpBMQprpsztTgObWe78jZb3Bnp-VhPbQj4FeKzQETDf/s200/imagesCAOXI8VH.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I Actually Remember This<br />Commercial.<br />Egads, I'm Old! lol </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">As a performer, Ms. Foster owes the public
nothing but an excellent performance to the best of her ability as an actress
and given that she’s been acting since she was three the woman could pretty much
give a performance blindfolded in a dark room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Yet, one of the most hotly debated discussions regarding this actress since that speech has been, of course, whether or not she came out as a lesbian. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">This is a prime example of what I'm talking about. This is something that is nobody's business. Sexual orientation is a private matter, it's a personal matter. The viewing public has no right to that information. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kzRAg17OQC9mFI_jBDjHs3Xlla38HvwkL7DObRKrxEWKDDAvM7C4d3zh2UvdUK089hZM9NGgs3d0HvE0xmPI0oTXJKkF3BWdbbENdkBDYrDgD_60qAZ5zwXKO0alVRFLTwAOW_jjnOgh/s1600/JF1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kzRAg17OQC9mFI_jBDjHs3Xlla38HvwkL7DObRKrxEWKDDAvM7C4d3zh2UvdUK089hZM9NGgs3d0HvE0xmPI0oTXJKkF3BWdbbENdkBDYrDgD_60qAZ5zwXKO0alVRFLTwAOW_jjnOgh/s1600/JF1.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>It’s not anybody’s business</i>. It is not her responsibility
to publicly come out. It's not her job</span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> to make the GLBT community feel more comfortable any more
than it is her responsibility to keep her sexuality a secret out of fear of angering her conservative
fan base.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Whether or not the woman is
gay is not my business. It's nobody's business. The details of a celebrities <i>private</i> life are exactly that, <i>private</i>. Those details are</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> extraneous to the woman’s </span><i style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">job</i><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> as an actress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVYg-BZqxn1WaKXE6l9ijClDrDI9-cRH-RP33diIaEKbv-z_we8KvJ8u0OKu1oX-pHN935jBosb4SvyuXsuTi4-QnLrsjxx97Y4-VZTrNcEH_Y6TqdpRQwsQlLXp7qoLJC0J_Bwf0oWHn/s1600/regre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjVYg-BZqxn1WaKXE6l9ijClDrDI9-cRH-RP33diIaEKbv-z_we8KvJ8u0OKu1oX-pHN935jBosb4SvyuXsuTi4-QnLrsjxx97Y4-VZTrNcEH_Y6TqdpRQwsQlLXp7qoLJC0J_Bwf0oWHn/s200/regre.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiJXRH2rVjmESrpSlbqQfj9RrGXHcIh74JXktHTZ7yYpbc2t3fWvaTnhSQlmRXeFBhzhhVeNS7_6uoN0fMidnjoRSM7-MljvLJS2vgp5ndCOiQM8LtK7fqwsA-i49wlGdnLvtIhV-kYjp/s1600/rerye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiJXRH2rVjmESrpSlbqQfj9RrGXHcIh74JXktHTZ7yYpbc2t3fWvaTnhSQlmRXeFBhzhhVeNS7_6uoN0fMidnjoRSM7-MljvLJS2vgp5ndCOiQM8LtK7fqwsA-i49wlGdnLvtIhV-kYjp/s200/rerye.jpg" width="135" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">And that’s exactly what celebrity in this instance <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> – in one way or another – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it’s a job</i>. The performance for the
actor or comedian, the singing or playing for the musician, the writing for the
screenwriter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">or</i> the published author –
it’s all work that results in a <i>product </i>whether it's a book or a movie or a cd, there's an end result for the effort. </span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">(Unless you’re a Kardashian or Honey
Boo Boo, reality television does not count in this equation in my
opinion.)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjM7XjAJ0VqYa-HbET-UpmA73e2NYlq9uP_sNsfwCpaCQpY0HCxEWc8Lx3PQ42EXfVSuwNX6qs_qEkvIQO8LDKYGg7Pc_i56OkYPrCrDjRQtxw95H5mgYuJiScea9yUdhNbD0cHZDVu1Z4/s1600/Hinkley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjM7XjAJ0VqYa-HbET-UpmA73e2NYlq9uP_sNsfwCpaCQpY0HCxEWc8Lx3PQ42EXfVSuwNX6qs_qEkvIQO8LDKYGg7Pc_i56OkYPrCrDjRQtxw95H5mgYuJiScea9yUdhNbD0cHZDVu1Z4/s200/Hinkley.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Hinkley<br />The Man Who Attempted<br />To Kill President Reagan<br />To Get Jodie Foster's Attention.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">I believe that the only time a celebrity of any
sort ‘owes’ their public something beyond the end result of their efforts is in the face of some sort of disaster or
oddball event that extends beyond their personal life and onto the public stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Ms. Foster’s case, I think it would be nice if she at least commented on the Hinkley debacle at some point in her life. From a PR standpoint it makes
her look a tad insensitive to the men who were shot by not saying anything at all about the incident but the reality is that she <i>was </i>just a
kid when that happened. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">She was young, in college, and while she was already a
veteran actor, the reality that some psycho shot the President of the United
States to get her attention was no doubt unnerving and overwhelming. Most young
adults can barely maintain a good GPA while partying and serial dating in college – to be
in that position had to have been mortifying for her, thus I can understand why
she’s chosen to never address it. (Not to mention that it’s probably smart in a psychological
sense given that to talk about Hinkley gives him attention that he will sooner
or later find out about and could reignite the whole bizarre obsession all over
again.) <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Back to the point – celebrities, whether they be
actors, musicians or writers of any caliber owe their public/fans nothing but
the product of their position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they
choose to share with their fans (or over share as the Rhianna case may be) that’s
great for the fans. It helps to build the bond between the celebrity and their fans. If celebrities choose <i>not</i> to share then they shouldn't be
castigated or hounded for the decision. <i>It’s their life, it’s their business.</i>
Appreciate their talent but don’t expect them to offer up their personal life
for your perusal. It’s not necessary. (Now, if they get arrested for selling drugs or pedophilia? All bets are off.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></span></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hank Phillipi Ryan Touring<br />With "The Other Woman"<br />(Excellent Book BTW!!) </td></tr>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When it comes right down to it, writers as sorta-kinda celebrities appreciate their readers very much - readers give our visions the ultimate life and space within their imaginations. We appreciate the love and the kindness our many fans bestow on us. I personally appreciate the fans who've followed me for years - through several pseudonyms and publishers, wading through a bitter divorce and losing my second husband - they've always been there, following the ebbs and flows right along with me. I have many colleagues I know that feel the same way. Without our readers we wouldn't have careers or the 'celebrity' that we've been granted but some things<i> need </i>to stay private. We're more than happy to share with you what we decide is for public consumption, but, please, let the rest lie and don't hold it against us!</span><br />
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<br />Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-34409086054969473692012-12-18T19:43:00.001-08:002012-12-19T10:47:44.675-08:00Mental Health System Insanity <br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Book Antiqua; font-size: large;"><strong>I had originally planned on a nice Christmas
related blog post for this week to make up for all my time away due to the
publicity and such for <em>Illusions, </em>which, by the way, is doing very well! I had planned some more catch up, including discussion on my upcoming "Bayside Romance" series, of which my next book, <em>Paramour,</em> is the first book. </strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSY9Ca_6Ou7x-TVaHKUf2IWPOWry8jM49oBJZtB79ahjQtFX70dOmQBNSpVHgZVLNm1BdmP87fBaGJVxGXMSFQNmq5bYBbjNRhc0RrHFAaffQvWq9sD3je0_GWlMhtQynvekdjmKhFUL/s1600/BookCoverPreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixaSY9Ca_6Ou7x-TVaHKUf2IWPOWry8jM49oBJZtB79ahjQtFX70dOmQBNSpVHgZVLNm1BdmP87fBaGJVxGXMSFQNmq5bYBbjNRhc0RrHFAaffQvWq9sD3je0_GWlMhtQynvekdjmKhFUL/s320/BookCoverPreview.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cover Of My Upcoming Book, Paramour</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the Connecticut shootings
changed that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Friday, December 14<sup>th</sup>,
was my birthday. It started out a great day and ultimately evolved into
something sad and tragic. Even though I live in Florida, the shootings at Sandy
Hook Elementary affected those where I worked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Someone at our school is from the
Newtown area, her mother teaches in one of the other schools in the area. She
actually knew some of those killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had parents who were shocked and in tears over the tragedy,
their fears for their own children’s safety magnified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will always recall exactly where I was when
I got the text about the shootings – in a room full of prekindergarten students.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Nothing focuses you on your job more than knowing you have twelve lives in your hands.</span> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the next several days, of course, there was
the inevitable <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>media explosion, I don’t
need to recap that, we were all there in one form or another. Of course, there
was an anti-gun explosion prompting arguments on Facebook, fisticuffs in bars
across the country and one actual shoot-out in a mall parking lot. There’s been
much talk regarding gun control and death and for some it’s gotten to an
overwhelming point. Interestingly, I find myself walking another path in the
tidal wave of grief and shock that has stemmed from this horrible occurrence.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you haven’t seen Liza Long’s blog yet, you need
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></strong></span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-mental-illness-conversation_n_2311009.html"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Book Antiqua; font-size: large;"><strong>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother-mental-illness-conversation_n_2311009.html</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><u><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></u></span></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you haven’t the time to venture over to check it
out, the long story short of it is that Ms. Long is the mother of a violent
mentally ill child. A child she lives in fear of and wants desperately to help
yet she knows that what there is ultimately cannot be changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this is no twenty year old, this is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">child</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">I found this blog extremely interesting – it was
actually the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only </i>to the point discussion
that I found regarding mental illness coming from the media in regard to the Sandy
Hook Elementary tragedy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This blog post
quickly went viral, showing up all over Facebook and then certain news outlets
picked it up, but, by and large, the mainstream media continued to focus on the
fire arm aspects of the tragedy – they still are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick perusal of the major media outlets
this morning revealed stories about the NRA being silent, the question of
violent movies causing more violence and of, course, more gun control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one article regarding mental
illness and it was extremely small compared to the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This concerns me.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Within the venues that run our country very little
discussion seems to be going on regarding the real issue here – the shooter was
obviously mentally ill and this country’s mental health system is wretchedly
broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly, the discussions
regarding mental illness are going on in real time. It’s being discussed at
length in many a work place and amidst friends or family. Social networks are
ablaze with discussion regarding Adam Lanza’s mental state and the state of the
mental health system in this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
people on the street, a lot of us who work in the helping professions, are
discussing this part of the Newtown tragedy at length because there are some
very obvious mental health issues within this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During one discussion someone stated that
"nobody really had a right to say anything about Adam Lanza’s mental state because
there had been no diagnosis mentioned”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">From where I stand, we do not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need
</i>to see the nuts and bolts of this man’s diagnosis. A mentally stable person
doesn’t go gunning down a school full of children the week before
Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The act alone tells us that there
was some sort of mental illness involved. This was no ‘revenge’ shooting, Adam
Lanza wasn’t fired or bullied by a bunch of five and six year olds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something was wrong within this man’s brain.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">As both a former minister’s wife and a social worker,
I have far more experience with mental illness than most. I also have more
personal experience with the subject than I’d like to as well. I grew up with
an un-medicated mentally-ill mother that pretty much made my childhood hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much of what Liza Long wrote about in her
blog post is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>unfamiliar territory
for me, sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The violent outbursts,
the cruel and abusive behavior, the mood swings that have family members
walking on eggshells a great deal of the time – it’s an uncomfortable and
unsettling way to live, especially when the patient is the parent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As hard as the situation is for her, Mrs.
Long, as the parent of the patient, has some limited control over her son given
he is a minor.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EtvauUsruyMOH9GT2_AIN5Mda7H7HSv_vcOsK_bd-5UxMjpq9yB1JGJ8qyAM8L7hi1OThjLEIUNg0UdwurUwFVgXoHhwUhJnEZ8nu1LFo6CYRE3thotnxbzofAkwn0uwFVTKzUItyl6u/s1600/ahah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5EtvauUsruyMOH9GT2_AIN5Mda7H7HSv_vcOsK_bd-5UxMjpq9yB1JGJ8qyAM8L7hi1OThjLEIUNg0UdwurUwFVgXoHhwUhJnEZ8nu1LFo6CYRE3thotnxbzofAkwn0uwFVTKzUItyl6u/s1600/ahah.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Adam Lanza’s mother didn’t have control over her
son at all when it came to his mental health. He was twenty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here is one of those ‘wrong’ parts regarding
our current mental health situation and a reality that most people don’t even know
about the system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once a mentally ill
child is an adult, all bets are off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
giving the mentally ill rights, Ronald Reagan gave them the right to say “no”
and that includes them saying no to their medication. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if Mr. Lanza was even actually prescribed
medication he didn’t have to take it, nobody could force him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Saying ‘no’ also includes removing any and all
family members from official health paperwork – if there even is any.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks to HIPAA, once the mental patient
removes a parent or guardian from their medical contact sheet, those people can
no longer be privy to the patient’s condition or treatment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This practice alone is exceedingly dangerous
and detrimental to the seriously mentally ill patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unscrupulous therapists can manipulate them,
unconventional treatments can be used without the patient’s true consent and
patients can eschew therapy or treatment all together without anybody being the
wiser other than the doctor’s office. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgv8kH2xgkYnLZl8tCfj92nQxVin2-Z0OqJfth-aEVPr2VbrMhLrbxXGXLap4yg3ZHGFZXhr3_fMrlycclA3hqGBe1gNd3pBzcm8SsNABuVwx7lr5fu_lX-9dVXEdy89IxBve4JFbDtXF/s1600/asdgtwrg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgv8kH2xgkYnLZl8tCfj92nQxVin2-Z0OqJfth-aEVPr2VbrMhLrbxXGXLap4yg3ZHGFZXhr3_fMrlycclA3hqGBe1gNd3pBzcm8SsNABuVwx7lr5fu_lX-9dVXEdy89IxBve4JFbDtXF/s1600/asdgtwrg.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">It should be pointed out that in most states that
until a mentally ill person actually hurts themselves or others there is little
most medical professionals will do and even then their definition of “hurting one’s
self or others” is fairly narrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Committal is rarely heard of any more because those hospitals barely
exist anymore. What we have now are lock-down wings in hospitals where
seventy-two hour holds take place for the most part. It’s rare for a mentally
ill person to be held in the hospital for longer than a week, two at the
most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The process for removing their
rights is costly and time consuming – and many times only happens after a
serious crime has been committed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFdvdEzxAzJAewgmhSdRY0wsVIur_gbEXiLUbYugrqty4IGe7IAFSeEgJqhTDVzWxpJ_Y583q6Kje8QMZMDBmzX-8Dia00BQoJexpfw5Yb507502GzQdIKZBz1jcYwTS5ksGaUY0gTPVd/s1600/asgahh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZFdvdEzxAzJAewgmhSdRY0wsVIur_gbEXiLUbYugrqty4IGe7IAFSeEgJqhTDVzWxpJ_Y583q6Kje8QMZMDBmzX-8Dia00BQoJexpfw5Yb507502GzQdIKZBz1jcYwTS5ksGaUY0gTPVd/s1600/asgahh.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">And those are just a few of the basics of what is
wrong with our mental health system…keeping those in mind, let’s look at the
Lanza situation going on in the myriad of discussions out there:</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOkXRXtfVeHEYsw2fY6ih3Jy9E2XQX3hsAelQRClyk2iXb6QUtHtyZKVTA1FA3zF-vqYYr3SjmGwa4igaEGXZjwX2svfnTMSDmde-6QGEZw7V-r6UKfZK30YseoDYmi1BQR23BYWWJzW1/s1600/wgrwg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOkXRXtfVeHEYsw2fY6ih3Jy9E2XQX3hsAelQRClyk2iXb6QUtHtyZKVTA1FA3zF-vqYYr3SjmGwa4igaEGXZjwX2svfnTMSDmde-6QGEZw7V-r6UKfZK30YseoDYmi1BQR23BYWWJzW1/s1600/wgrwg.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, Adam Lanza’s mother kept many guns in her
home and she probably didn’t store them properly. She knew her son had
problems, yet she taught him to shoot anyway (hence the reason that I don’t
hold a lot of sympathy for the woman).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Teaching a mentally ill person to handle a gun is like passing them a
stick of dynamite – it will explode and when it does it will not be pretty.
Yes, the man killed way too many people with said guns, but, had Adam Lanza
been locked up inside a mental institution, I wouldn’t be writing this article
right now and the aforementioned blog poster, Liza Long, wouldn’t have to be
scared to go to sleep at night because her son would be locked up in the
juvenile ward of the same sort of institution. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib6bOF7q5yWMV2lGkVOZPRqcMl7qFHeIRGdNJriCbPXUA7AmF6pP8lRbyDbK68O7UHUJT1JonUjgCUDknj59XVShRg3OgzDCn9vrmH99YHLne-vlcZLexhRfTXbvYCH2Yc1HooqFRnjX/s1600/rdh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib6bOF7q5yWMV2lGkVOZPRqcMl7qFHeIRGdNJriCbPXUA7AmF6pP8lRbyDbK68O7UHUJT1JonUjgCUDknj59XVShRg3OgzDCn9vrmH99YHLne-vlcZLexhRfTXbvYCH2Yc1HooqFRnjX/s1600/rdh.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the number one problem with the mental
health system in the United States today. Not the lack of medication, not the
lack of accessible care (although affordable care, of course, is still nowhere
near on the horizon), not the lack of support resources available. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The number one problem with our mental
health system is the lack of storage space for human beings.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLqRbH-M3mkU-_qKRjG8ypnksbq4yr4V6v2pCHnLqdLb38VTPH4jTH-NtsK4HdqbbcAg_1B23FvI6K7FCr4v2JcPs5g-pRjEbRMuTo3VmLC2MNcOROOB4KwANPar34NREUMnFt7tmBEcZ/s1600/adrher.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLqRbH-M3mkU-_qKRjG8ypnksbq4yr4V6v2pCHnLqdLb38VTPH4jTH-NtsK4HdqbbcAg_1B23FvI6K7FCr4v2JcPs5g-pRjEbRMuTo3VmLC2MNcOROOB4KwANPar34NREUMnFt7tmBEcZ/s1600/adrher.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danvers - Horrible Asylum, Awesome Kirkbride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">I know a lot of people who work in the mental
health field. I see what they go through with their clients, I know how hard
they fight for the rights of the mentally ill. I have participated in advocacy
for the mentally ill and I fight just as hard as they do to reverse the stigma
regarding mental illness. </span></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVtBiJNWCYbEtD7PeRXZBkvPPRnqKYjuMerwPMypfby3KPbm2YAT027RrwyisQbnMpdQJBN20kv5FLZ2PSvVkZO0jVIsuOlIRHLaY991oZzyQJxHgKH2JtAvslJgjSCpBSYd6zyv6j-0P/s1600/adgawer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhVtBiJNWCYbEtD7PeRXZBkvPPRnqKYjuMerwPMypfby3KPbm2YAT027RrwyisQbnMpdQJBN20kv5FLZ2PSvVkZO0jVIsuOlIRHLaY991oZzyQJxHgKH2JtAvslJgjSCpBSYd6zyv6j-0P/s1600/adgawer.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yet, at the same time, there are different levels of
insanity, if you will. Mentally ill people with a history of violent behavior
<em>need </em>to be handled and treated differently. It is <em>not</em> one size fits all in the mentally ill world. I understand that there will be
those who do not agree with this statement but given what I’ve seen over the
years – not to mention experienced – I believe the safest location for a
mentally ill individual <em>with violent tendencies</em> is behind a locked door with no
access to the outside world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBF-Me2K2WQX5oq3RJ3aZeJUaE5jDm9NltI1a-CVSrBqytHTfH6XUCJMrkYiZD1UWPlbO8gor7cEwjA8AkyzEkvnEHUrJMTtMZyN8-5xqklEW8Lq2kAfXduO8dmYgUd-zICaCw0DTzKiU/s1600/adggh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuBF-Me2K2WQX5oq3RJ3aZeJUaE5jDm9NltI1a-CVSrBqytHTfH6XUCJMrkYiZD1UWPlbO8gor7cEwjA8AkyzEkvnEHUrJMTtMZyN8-5xqklEW8Lq2kAfXduO8dmYgUd-zICaCw0DTzKiU/s1600/adggh.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">State hospitals were <em>intended</em> to house
mentally ill people. The problem was, though, in the beginning, is that there
was little to no differential assessment as to what was and what was not a
mental illness. From the late 19<sup>th</sup> Century into the mid-20<sup>th</sup>
Century, anybody and everybody who was slightly off kilter landed in the mental
hospital, along with those who were indigent.</span> </span></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGYztIansC_q6ihl2ItGEta933egBoI9m29qsSOBw37vGu_ivcI0Byo6helleTHtQYuniM6dx3eUWFZpR6mmWPa7hrBWhgewekHHvUzZ6TwR8c5f99geRjIse-87mkLS4wiqXiqLQ0Uw2/s1600/aerh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGYztIansC_q6ihl2ItGEta933egBoI9m29qsSOBw37vGu_ivcI0Byo6helleTHtQYuniM6dx3eUWFZpR6mmWPa7hrBWhgewekHHvUzZ6TwR8c5f99geRjIse-87mkLS4wiqXiqLQ0Uw2/s1600/aerh.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of the major state hospitals
in this country became warehouses for the unwanted of all forms. Revelations of
all forms of abuse and neglect brought about their closures, which, at the
time, seemed like a good idea. Had Ronald Reagan been able to foresee the
ultimate outcome of that decision I think he would have tried to do things a
little differently. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj2wP3_gHNXCHzF3JPKh_m5oOLmTN3afi9uPICKmIEpRAqcBzEr6O64K9qfhhwWy0LbaWqoK8nJM9b02CD_Xk0sCk6ZE0qP5Nb0ESqfo85Tekl8E6C1f4Pit24YhzApLuf3wK_3tdcRKN/s1600/srfhjtr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOj2wP3_gHNXCHzF3JPKh_m5oOLmTN3afi9uPICKmIEpRAqcBzEr6O64K9qfhhwWy0LbaWqoK8nJM9b02CD_Xk0sCk6ZE0qP5Nb0ESqfo85Tekl8E6C1f4Pit24YhzApLuf3wK_3tdcRKN/s1600/srfhjtr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examples Of A Violently Mentally Ill Patient's "Work"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s fast forward. This is the 21<sup>st</sup>
Century. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Times have changed.</i> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the area of assessment and diagnosis alone
we now know that those with Downs Syndrome and forms of autism can function
happily in society. We know that clinically depressed people can receive
medications that can help them function.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People with epilepsy are in the clear as well. Homosexuals, cross
dressers and transgender people get a pass now too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children born with encephalitis and other
varying forms of debilitating birth defects would now receive proper care at
home until their deaths. There are now specialty clinics for people with
disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, alcoholism and drug addiction, treatment
for these disorders could remain standing on their own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People with tattoos and piercings are no
longer considered mentally ill, nor are people with BDSM fetishes. The homeless
who are not mentally ill have programs that can help them get back on their
feet. Fifty years ago, literally thousands of people just like these could be
found inside the walls of mental institutions. Today such admissions wouldn’t
even be considered.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCaFEjAagxcaz1Nj1pp5SQmO0pT_HVQV86YgfZAuqB9XxfbiWUHJCfkeTNHfLJYRxKf597hf6pRFTCkV-vGPl5sAaAZUn-5Ud3WenrjelZTUO-LVgnquhiaOn_F5nBsdswYmyyyi0iubv/s1600/daa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCaFEjAagxcaz1Nj1pp5SQmO0pT_HVQV86YgfZAuqB9XxfbiWUHJCfkeTNHfLJYRxKf597hf6pRFTCkV-vGPl5sAaAZUn-5Ud3WenrjelZTUO-LVgnquhiaOn_F5nBsdswYmyyyi0iubv/s1600/daa.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">That leaves us with, even though it’s not even out
yet, hard cores of the DSM V – Schizophrenia, personality disorders that can
cause major issues such as</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Narcissist Personality Disorder or Borderline
Personality Disorder for example, severe forms of Bipolar disorder, ODD, rage disorders and
certain dissociative disorders. Sociopaths could be added to this list as well
if they’re found and diagnosed properly – might cut down on the serial killings
around the country. Veterans with violent forms of PTSD such as what my late
husband suffered from could also be considered on an as needed basis since the
VA does next to nothing to help them when they’re having a psychotic
break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are people who have little
to no control over their mental condition. There is something broken within
their brain, end of story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We either
eliminate them or we house them as we used to.</span></strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNR36GeRM0KiiAWZiqBbQlXpeKfoJbFUCscRJDZkCMJcJrIxQmFiHiDYtJS9GsqeVsymo6Zwmg_59i4RePsQ7D0T-EmuN70HLDo5CYJ5qV7VMFH-p0oUHskPduTh-3ERpZnZTsUueRy9H/s1600/erherh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNR36GeRM0KiiAWZiqBbQlXpeKfoJbFUCscRJDZkCMJcJrIxQmFiHiDYtJS9GsqeVsymo6Zwmg_59i4RePsQ7D0T-EmuN70HLDo5CYJ5qV7VMFH-p0oUHskPduTh-3ERpZnZTsUueRy9H/s1600/erherh.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Old Cage Bed - Used In 19th Century Mental Hospitals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">I </span><span style="color: #274e13;">can hear people saying “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wow, that’s harsh!”.</i> Perhaps, but do we want a rerun of this past
weekend? Had Harris and Kleibold been properly assessed and locked up,
Columbine would have never happened. Had the Virginia State shooter been
properly assessed and locked up, that situation would have never happened. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had Gaby Hayes’ shooter been assessed and
locked up she wouldn’t have had to suffer as she did. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mental health advocates often complain about
the stigma that affects the mentally ill and it’s important to know that it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> exist – but people like the
aforementioned are part of <em>what creates that stigma</em>. I am well aware of fully
func</span><span style="color: #274e13;">tioning</span></strong> </span><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">mentally ill people. I’ve worked with literally hundreds over the
years who’ve lived productive and good lives. Yet those lives are constantly
tainted by the bad behaviors of the violently mentally ill ‘on the loose’.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qwtsqhK2CLjwXxaAEdcXB4pmSRdwBKpY4YLIX4bb1uV8oYF48hTp3Thmp8aRBMrSCJf7xHRShhct_T9KRJ7vK6zdZlthSm3jQ3hG25OCKy1q5d8Vu7xJPNBwssS2qDWfSqUPwdk4pgl-/s1600/sgwrghg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qwtsqhK2CLjwXxaAEdcXB4pmSRdwBKpY4YLIX4bb1uV8oYF48hTp3Thmp8aRBMrSCJf7xHRShhct_T9KRJ7vK6zdZlthSm3jQ3hG25OCKy1q5d8Vu7xJPNBwssS2qDWfSqUPwdk4pgl-/s1600/sgwrghg.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">In giving the mentally ill ‘rights’ Reagan did those
who are seriously mentally ill a great disservice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large chunk of seriously mentally ill
patients from the big close downs of the 80’s went right out into the streets
because they had nowhere else to go. Just as large an amount ended up in group homes,
which they quickly took off from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
cannot provide somebody options when they’re not mentally capable of considering
them. It’s like handing a three year old a lollipop right before they know
they’re going to eat lunch and saying “here, you want this?”. You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">know </i>they’re going to say yes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3nKGMn2fc0XDcNAnAC6F6X8eBdktRhCX_eUrLfth3XbbFLT0LOS1f4N-ByEfnQn2Eqv2frYMw5x2YdOBJJ9UVN9C7CV2VPwiwwiC3f_ph4-2H25MJLbb5f3XfXa3c-tqRF5ilAjlRdZQ/s1600/lollui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3nKGMn2fc0XDcNAnAC6F6X8eBdktRhCX_eUrLfth3XbbFLT0LOS1f4N-ByEfnQn2Eqv2frYMw5x2YdOBJJ9UVN9C7CV2VPwiwwiC3f_ph4-2H25MJLbb5f3XfXa3c-tqRF5ilAjlRdZQ/s1600/lollui.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bear in mind I’m not talking about somebody who
‘goes postal’ because of stress. That is NOT a mental illness, it’s a brief
mental state whereby if they kill somebody they deserve to go to jail. I’m
talking about people with <em>real</em> mental illness track records who cannot hold
jobs, cannot keep themselves clean, cannot even eat sometimes because the
voices in their head tell them not to and have a track record for violent behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
as an example, within a properly run facility a Schizophrenic could actually
have a productive albeit somewhat limited life. Left to their own devices they almost always get into trouble.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just a couple of examples:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was once a family support facilitator for
mental health support group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had an extremely violent Schizophrenic young man whose mother was
just positive that his medications were going to cure him. She came to a
meeting on a Monday all excited about how great he was doing and by Friday he’d
stabbed her to death. He was prescribed the meds but nobody could force him to
take them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A writer colleague who writes
for one of the major<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>television crime
shows has written her own experience with mental illness into that particular
show by having one of the characters explain how her fiancé, an aspiring
attorney, fell to his Schizophrenia and ended up homeless. Another episode
showcased how that same man went on a major crime spree, killing several
innocent people and kidnapping a little boy because he thought the child was
his son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She couldn’t help him, his
family couldn’t help him, nobody could force him to take his medications so he
was left to do what he wanted which, obviously, was not a good idea.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, before I receive a plethora of hate mail, yes,
there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>Schizophrenics who take
their medications and they manage to function – that is because there is
somebody right there hanging over their every move and they are willing to
cooperate and take their medications. An overwhelming majority do not and an
alarming amount of Schizophrenics are either homeless or incarcerated.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #274e13;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">Which is, ultimately, where a large amount of our
mentally ill population is being housed these days: in prison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be blunt, this pisses me off. Prisons are
for criminals, not the mentally ill – but when a family has nowhere else to
turn, they’ve exhausted all other options, many don’t even fight to try to get
their loved one off if they end up committing a crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behind bars they’ll be “safe”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re no more safe behind bars than they
are living on the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our prisons
are overcrowded as it is. Take the mentally ill population out of the prisons
and we’ll have more room for actual prisoners.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">I can hear
somebody saying “well where would we put the mentally ill that need to be
locked up?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said before, it’s time
this country revisit the notion of reopening the mental institution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure that conjures up pictures of
American Horror Story for some but the reality is that, if run properly such locations
could provide safe haven for those who must be “kept” for no other reason than
their brain makes them a violent individual. I’m not saying build a Kirkbride
and go backwards in time, I’m saying take a hospital already in existence, bar the windows, provide
all the amenities of home only have solitary rooms for outbursts and medication schedules that they aren't allowed to deny. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLdvyG6s7DQ_9rXpeju5zilClTKj8deg9vDeLcFnSVKYZykVpb9SQpWiW5kcU47VjhHOj_-XKpiUN2OJCXyCeuwDsbypAO5m_6gg-FH4UAVN-XKqhZjGeiuuSnTBIOaTn7a-n5ecrmt-H/s1600/adtgrw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLdvyG6s7DQ_9rXpeju5zilClTKj8deg9vDeLcFnSVKYZykVpb9SQpWiW5kcU47VjhHOj_-XKpiUN2OJCXyCeuwDsbypAO5m_6gg-FH4UAVN-XKqhZjGeiuuSnTBIOaTn7a-n5ecrmt-H/s1600/adtgrw.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Training for employees would be paramount, paying those
employees properly to deal with the violence and pain they would see every day
would be required as well. Medication regimens would be necessary and patients
would be required to follow them. Care plans would be created, developed and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">followed </i>with state oversight the same
way preschools around the country are watched over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Budgets would need to be strict, no research
should be allowed on site (it’s long been determined that lobotomies are now
unnecessary…) and treatments such as ECT (electro shock therapy) would be
closely monitored instead of ‘at will’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There could be therapists on site but therapy would not be required
because, frankly, there’s no point for some of these types of patients, they
cannot be reprogrammed. Those that can be redirected properly could be allowed
supervised visitations. Birth control would be provided because forced
sterilization is never a good idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
are just a few basic ideas of how a hospital such as this could be implemented
in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. The seriously mentally ill could still function
within its walls but they couldn’t hurt anybody except possibly themselves or a
caretaker that lets their guard down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AiWKbp9LhA9V2tID3TO-sG8BJFyxb4XTyXCR1yRuf_KFZLgLoCrwRaUrfmk6uNIDkJ6IpgOWEWzsUzjsb4szKtb0jrIgkkELcpD6X51InO-6SoLcPFN_230jCZvoEzk2NiW25K_zI7HH/s1600/ff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AiWKbp9LhA9V2tID3TO-sG8BJFyxb4XTyXCR1yRuf_KFZLgLoCrwRaUrfmk6uNIDkJ6IpgOWEWzsUzjsb4szKtb0jrIgkkELcpD6X51InO-6SoLcPFN_230jCZvoEzk2NiW25K_zI7HH/s1600/ff.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Personally? As the child of a violently mentally ill
person I would have rather grown up knowing my mother was in the hospital. It
would have been far easier to go visit her on holidays knowing she was
medicated and ‘happy’ as opposed to living with her free range where her mood
was never stable, her anger issues legendary and I was made to pay for her
mental illness by family members and so-called friends alike. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This brings up a valid point regarding the
stigma of mental illness that shadows all mentally ill people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No family member is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ever</i> to blame for their mentally ill family member’s issues. EVER.
The father and brother left behind in the Lanza family aren’t to blame for the
shooter’s mental state. People don’t cause true mental illness – a broken brain
causes true mental illness. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOPnMEpKVtVimY0xOUgt9iPANdvlL2neVm8GzZm-mSrBa8vC5vQVbpNmGXlGQwO4GwG-JDloFx8SEWdLxfR6HXzMHTQ2H592jOvoZgxwWPkIr5IZMn7diYQ5_xwBC-iE0vb7EhkM-HaY-/s1600/ghsjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOPnMEpKVtVimY0xOUgt9iPANdvlL2neVm8GzZm-mSrBa8vC5vQVbpNmGXlGQwO4GwG-JDloFx8SEWdLxfR6HXzMHTQ2H592jOvoZgxwWPkIr5IZMn7diYQ5_xwBC-iE0vb7EhkM-HaY-/s1600/ghsjh.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Particularly Disturbing Piece Of Artwork<br />
By A Seriously Mentally Ill Patient</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of this said, I can hear people grumbling<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, well that was unpleasant.</i> Yes, it was.
Mental illness IS unpleasant. <u>For all involved</u>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The point of this blog is to open some doors
into the heart of this horrible tragedy. This is not about guns. This is about
a seriously mentally ill man whose rage consumed his soul and he took that rage
out on innocent children – and the people there to protect them who died
valiantly trying to do so. Had this man been in a mental institution this
needless tragedy would have never happened. <o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib6bOF7q5yWMV2lGkVOZPRqcMl7qFHeIRGdNJriCbPXUA7AmF6pP8lRbyDbK68O7UHUJT1JonUjgCUDknj59XVShRg3OgzDCn9vrmH99YHLne-vlcZLexhRfTXbvYCH2Yc1HooqFRnjX/s1600/rdh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Ib6bOF7q5yWMV2lGkVOZPRqcMl7qFHeIRGdNJriCbPXUA7AmF6pP8lRbyDbK68O7UHUJT1JonUjgCUDknj59XVShRg3OgzDCn9vrmH99YHLne-vlcZLexhRfTXbvYCH2Yc1HooqFRnjX/s1600/rdh.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Book Antiqua;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the days and weeks to come, as the gun debates loom
and grow longer, remember this blog. Remember the heart of the matter and the
brain of the killer – neither of which had anything to do with fire power and
everything to do with being so severely ill that being locked up was the only
way to truly protect society from him.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKQ1rvL-moQwPrwPAmZMgRtzdWRgiX23Zfti_4OuSio47T10G3Ub1g_8sqW73HbQ4XCcDpTzngzSlJGEap9KC5Y6ltFLuRRjzJUqZ_dpZBLB3eFt7yoVG-XNeS2IvpHom99iv4xqNgTRU/s1600/asrg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKQ1rvL-moQwPrwPAmZMgRtzdWRgiX23Zfti_4OuSio47T10G3Ub1g_8sqW73HbQ4XCcDpTzngzSlJGEap9KC5Y6ltFLuRRjzJUqZ_dpZBLB3eFt7yoVG-XNeS2IvpHom99iv4xqNgTRU/s1600/asrg.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><strong>In conclusion, I was just notified of this story on FOX News - who I don't follow but if it's true, my point is proven.</strong></span> <br />
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/18/fear-being-committed-may-have-caused-connecticut-madman-to-snap/?cmpid=prn_aol&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D247519">http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/18/fear-being-committed-may-have-caused-connecticut-madman-to-snap/?cmpid=prn_aol&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D247519</a><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Fix the system before it's too late for anybody else.</span></strong> Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-63445934107120094512012-11-11T17:54:00.000-08:002012-11-11T17:54:00.160-08:00Playing Catch-Up!!
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <strong> </strong></span><strong>Alas, it’s
been a few weeks since I’ve written something for my own blog! First, I was
visiting over on Melissa Kier’s blog, then Karen Doctor’s, and then I was asked
to whip something up for Southern Writers Magazine so I’ve been busy writing
blogs but for everybody else! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured
that since I haven’t been around on my own blog I needed to do a quick recap!<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s1600/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s320/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>There are <em>twelve</em> days until my next book, <em>Illusions,</em> drops! I’m so looking forward to it!<em>
Illusions</em> is one of those storylines that pulls a reader in slowly and then
they suddenly realize that they love the characters so much they can’t put it
down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My beta readers loved it so I have
high hopes that everybody else will too! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you haven’t heard about <em>Illusions</em> yet,
swing by my website and check it out!</strong></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.miafisher.net/Illusions.html"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>http://www.miafisher.net/Illusions.html</strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>There’s also ONE week left to preorder an
autographed copy so place your order now if you haven’t already!</strong></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> <strong> </strong></span></span><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>I’m also
in the process of updating my 2005 Inspirational, Heart of Stone to be
re-released both in hard copy and ebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s been given a good overhaul, procedures discussed in the first few
printings have been updated and it has a new cover! I’m hoping to have it ready
in time for Christmas shoppers who might be looking for a good Inspirational as
a gift!</strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <strong> </strong></span><strong>I’ve also
gotten a lot of mail wanting to know when Bad Medicine is coming out!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s good news and bad news there, folks!
The good news is that I’m in negotiations with another publisher to take over
the entire series. The bad news is that they have some request for tweaking the
series a tad – which is fine by me, but not so hot for my readers, Bad Medicine
may not hit the shelves until next June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t panic yet, though, like I said, we’re still in negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will definitely keep everybody updated
because the White River Killer is STILL out there, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andie & Taylor STILL can’t get their act
together at the same time and everybody deserves to know who dies in the next
book!</strong></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyux1Sz9idq5z_KqXFe_V0h4q-qUd_JEWqbI-s5zG5BXdXB5gtAg3_JgYIyho30goCd1dtzmSM163kBn65mR2gRYv24hg5Ic9z-udOMhR0oIvX9QS_WwaztDUBhwPe7jt8LtHCotBNRPX/s1600/imagesCA70ZCDP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyux1Sz9idq5z_KqXFe_V0h4q-qUd_JEWqbI-s5zG5BXdXB5gtAg3_JgYIyho30goCd1dtzmSM163kBn65mR2gRYv24hg5Ic9z-udOMhR0oIvX9QS_WwaztDUBhwPe7jt8LtHCotBNRPX/s1600/imagesCA70ZCDP.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">And last, but not least, I've gotten emails as of late asking why I'm not doing the whole "I am thankful" thing over on Facebook and/or Twitter. I know that people do this around Thanksgiving and I think it's a cool thing BUT - I believe that it's important to be thankful every day, not just because Thanksgiving has rolled around once again. </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">I'm thankful every day that I have another day to live, another day to breath, another day to write and another day to share with my friends, family and students. As we grow closer to Thanksgiving, let's keep in mind that being thankful is a frame of mind that should carry us through every day of the year! Happy reading everybody!! </span></strong></div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-52142443393217427302012-10-21T07:28:00.001-07:002012-10-21T08:07:09.592-07:00The Next Big Thing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>My author friend, the lovely Larissa Reinhart, tagged me in
this interview game about upcoming novels (her debut, PORTRAIT OF A DEAD GUY,
is a mystery that just landed on the shelves!), and I thought it would be fun
to share a few tidbits from ILLUSIONS. I tagged some other authors at the
bottom, so be sure to check out their answers (and their books!).<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What is the title of your book?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Illusions<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s1600/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s320/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover By The Lovely Angela Waters<br />
Photo By The Marvelous Jenn LeBlanc</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Where did the idea come from for the book?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Long ago and far away
I was a publicist. I met a lot of interesting and unusual people during that
period – one of them was a popular musician who walked away from his band to
completely rebuild his life. I always
thought it was the coolest thing – he said he wanted a “nice and normal woman
and they don’t have those in Hollywood”.
He’s been married to the same woman – a preschool teacher – for almost
twenty years and they have six children. I always thought it was a fantastic
love story and decided it deserved a life in fiction. The artist in question, along with his wife,
gave a hearty stamp of approval. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What genre does your book fall under?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Contemporary<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a
movie rendition?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b> This is a good
question…BECAUSE…anybody I envisioned for these characters is my age. I originally based the visual of the
character on Tim Capello (aka greased up performer on the beach in The Lost
Boys). I crossed him briefly with David Coverdale but the man has a horrid
personality and that just didn’t fit so I went back to Tim. </b></span><b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unfortunately,
Tim is now almost sixty. </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzf2AkMzrByJ_71r25F90pvTaQuU2Tcg_tJJEihpjjKdKLX6IAcFVVInk1wraYXjDocC-XTLXmKDhJ8DhVXpIm9sJQu3EgZJG2von6EBq7B5N-Hw1Hbexjb7LzAiJ-ykTKaEM5ubytcFT/s1600/Tim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzf2AkMzrByJ_71r25F90pvTaQuU2Tcg_tJJEihpjjKdKLX6IAcFVVInk1wraYXjDocC-XTLXmKDhJ8DhVXpIm9sJQu3EgZJG2von6EBq7B5N-Hw1Hbexjb7LzAiJ-ykTKaEM5ubytcFT/s1600/Tim.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Capello - AKA Greased Up Beach Guy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBFR17OMmHIWGvC6-L2lyZCyhVm4gwk-ZyedlSsgxHtkCqLzuurR9GtgY-BbLSON9wxiIlNyRzfM79FjnZ81iMY8DDpSaWLcKNb2KScRb_KobOrLAaDhMA19AxQ1L5A-NS0Ki5QkoMEB8/s1600/tim2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBFR17OMmHIWGvC6-L2lyZCyhVm4gwk-ZyedlSsgxHtkCqLzuurR9GtgY-BbLSON9wxiIlNyRzfM79FjnZ81iMY8DDpSaWLcKNb2KScRb_KobOrLAaDhMA19AxQ1L5A-NS0Ki5QkoMEB8/s1600/tim2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After The Lost Boys Tim Spent Quality Time Playing In Tina Turner's band. </td></tr>
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<b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ricky Willams is a studio musician who’s played with
some big names in the past 30 years. He’s
in his fifties but he looks young enough where I think he could pull it off! Lol
</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUPQD2HJywVEC7HOHWZn5TZhiDttsJYQTOoeDY-3em4pYWWpKlFCzJzAfnvS0wOjtD6xULa2wHveHOBdJJDVxlBhmI8DlFc3-0SneGIzdEGOsum4HAG037zpZgryXcdR2OdyubltQSMtK/s1600/Ricky-phillips-300x214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAUPQD2HJywVEC7HOHWZn5TZhiDttsJYQTOoeDY-3em4pYWWpKlFCzJzAfnvS0wOjtD6xULa2wHveHOBdJJDVxlBhmI8DlFc3-0SneGIzdEGOsum4HAG037zpZgryXcdR2OdyubltQSMtK/s1600/Ricky-phillips-300x214.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricky Williams</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although, I think Chad Kroeger of
Nickelback could probably do the role justice. Clay Emerson is not your typical
pretty boy hero. </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8AnlXFY4jR4s1WwPtI9vWa1ugtc1d0KeSpTdimdNegFv8zYHSTTSbgnWDUlyfBXG5RL88bkPnM9ZDJ9YIt2cnQkohoumpQlC7M2bUA1mvzmRKLM462BH7ycJivNOEY-WFwiYN0Ca66KK/s1600/nickelback300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8AnlXFY4jR4s1WwPtI9vWa1ugtc1d0KeSpTdimdNegFv8zYHSTTSbgnWDUlyfBXG5RL88bkPnM9ZDJ9YIt2cnQkohoumpQlC7M2bUA1mvzmRKLM462BH7ycJivNOEY-WFwiYN0Ca66KK/s1600/nickelback300.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chad Kroeger - Think Avril Would Let Him Play Clay? </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Believe it or not, I briefly envisioned Nancy McKeon for the
heroine. Her years as Jenny Exted on The Division provided the hard as nails exterior but soft as mush interior that makes the heroine who she is. Unfortunately, Ms. McKeon is the same age as I am, lol, so that would never work. </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwO62YBf7HzqxQ9sCh0ci79zjix5AgCQt0WoA8hLmsdsvNrvhmQzu7QOXNNTRfgyIjI07G8-wtuxjevU0fmdjhM0jGtO-1cQ9qnrmERMFRGxh7S2jO7SD0ntHpcBhHfzK-ZucOA-C2la2/s1600/Nancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwO62YBf7HzqxQ9sCh0ci79zjix5AgCQt0WoA8hLmsdsvNrvhmQzu7QOXNNTRfgyIjI07G8-wtuxjevU0fmdjhM0jGtO-1cQ9qnrmERMFRGxh7S2jO7SD0ntHpcBhHfzK-ZucOA-C2la2/s1600/Nancy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy McKeon</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>If I had to choose a younger generation
actress for the part of Olivia Sheffield (nee DeHavilla) I would probably go
with Amy Adams. She can be a hard-ass without coming across as too mean. </b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHPXiPKvZpUWQdqQe2y0lwTyr0N08JmcXxG05D5cb2hjNLHBGNHkeRPVbLwcIH4-am18it1K49x67Bwk0bLfn-KYSqfiLll7DFne7YpubA2Chc0yMr3ADlUCRBeHHwHUh3EvBroWcW_l6/s1600/Amy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHPXiPKvZpUWQdqQe2y0lwTyr0N08JmcXxG05D5cb2hjNLHBGNHkeRPVbLwcIH4-am18it1K49x67Bwk0bLfn-KYSqfiLll7DFne7YpubA2Chc0yMr3ADlUCRBeHHwHUh3EvBroWcW_l6/s320/Amy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy Adams<br />
I Think She Could Pull It Off!</td></tr>
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<b style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Olivia is a character who had to give up the
great passion of her life due to injury and even though she loves teaching
ballet, it’s not the same as being on the stage. Combine that with an ex-fiancé
who was a total jerk regarding her accident and what you have is a woman who is
THISCLOSE to being bitter but because of her family she can’t quite take that
step over the line. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Everything is not
always as it seems…<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> This particular book
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>How long did it take you to write the first draft of your
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Approximately three
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What other books would you compare this story to within your
genre?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Think of a combination
of Jackie Collins, Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele! <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Who or what inspired you to write this book?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> As I said earlier, a
former client and his wife inspired this book. Along with a sweet little girl
with special needs who dances in a friend’s ballet class. You’ll have to read the book to figure out the
connection! Lol <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?<span style="color: #990000;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b> Two words: HOT SEX!!</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Tag <a href="http://www.shanongrey.com/">Shanon Grey</a> & <a href="http://www.thoughtsfromayodelinggoatherder.blogspot.com/">Vicki Locey</a>! </b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ya'll are it!</b></span></div>
Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-24553792553298362132012-10-15T05:08:00.001-07:002012-10-15T05:08:37.716-07:00Check Out My Latest Interview! I'm the guest interview with the lovely Karen Docter today!! <a href="http://www.karendocter.com/blog/author-peek-interview-with-mia-fisher.html">http://www.karendocter.com/blog/author-peek-interview-with-mia-fisher.html</a>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-53620730565897025892012-10-11T07:47:00.001-07:002012-10-11T07:47:56.059-07:00Come Visit Me On Another Blog!! I'm visiting with Wendy Ely over on her blog today! Stop by and say hi!! <br /><a href="http://wendyely.blogspot.com/2012/10/all-about-nabsu-by-mia-fisher.html?zx=888896ab1e8b7c16">http://wendyely.blogspot.com/2012/10/all-about-nabsu-by-mia-fisher.html?zx=888896ab1e8b7c16</a>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-18478682048595104192012-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:002012-10-09T03:28:45.713-07:00Looking For A Hero...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">With the death of a much beloved and wonderful cover model this past week I've been giving some thought to a real issue within the romance writing industry: that of the cover model with the bad attitude. Angelo Riguero was not one of those models, far from it. There were no strangers in Angelo's world - only friends he hadn't met yet.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvuxuo2tuyr80fg1JqXF45gtrgN9OeB-3g4MBA1MQKEM92iaH67528WZ3iQo6xaJvCgO6FsJUlAUVKtwJmO0rr3KL3sHfsR_GFAbGCgW-JktCPQS9erRTg1YTlh7lJWUwOveIVjuaU5Zo/s1600/68019_109374275793514_4875419_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvuxuo2tuyr80fg1JqXF45gtrgN9OeB-3g4MBA1MQKEM92iaH67528WZ3iQo6xaJvCgO6FsJUlAUVKtwJmO0rr3KL3sHfsR_GFAbGCgW-JktCPQS9erRTg1YTlh7lJWUwOveIVjuaU5Zo/s200/68019_109374275793514_4875419_n.jpg" width="121" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Late Angelo Riguero <br />
One Of The Good Guys</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">As a reader or an author, would
you pick up a book by your favorite author if you knew that the stud on the
cover thought that readers were stupid? Or that he felt readers were delusional
overweight tramps who only bought the books so they could fantasize about him
instead of enjoying the storyline? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Believe it or not, there are a few of those
out there…. In fact, one of the men displayed in today’s blog is a complete and
utter asshole who thinks that romance writers are fat, disgusting bitches who
can’t get a man and that readers are pretty much fat, lonely women who need our
books to masturbate by.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Yeah, that didn’t
make <i>me</i> very happy when I heard him say it either.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> (And no, it's not Fabio, lol, I will say that much.)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4sg0urAX65LRXrddv0eAv7whSPjfZE6gt56glDcWxidzg7PVfis_WL9cgdN3dal1d32Xl7w5lG-MvL8C4V2WNGJ82nCnVGcv83gGGtTaWcYIPfbAKs6LxYittpiEJV8ljrynOfATnHiV/s1600/AlexGeerman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4sg0urAX65LRXrddv0eAv7whSPjfZE6gt56glDcWxidzg7PVfis_WL9cgdN3dal1d32Xl7w5lG-MvL8C4V2WNGJ82nCnVGcv83gGGtTaWcYIPfbAKs6LxYittpiEJV8ljrynOfATnHiV/s200/AlexGeerman.jpg" width="125" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Interestingly,
that mentality blossomed in the 90’s for reasons unknown.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">For a long time it went ignored.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">We, as authors, had a hint that it was out
there; we just had not encountered it in person yet.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> Slowly, over time, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">the day came when one of us finally saw some true colors.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">My own 'true color' moment happened about ten years
ago when I finally had the opportunity to choose my own cover model.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">The guy was someone I knew through a friend, and he fit the character</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">- until he
opened his mouth.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">He made condescending comments regarding the buyers of romance novels and he had a less-than-nice attitude regarding the people who bought our books.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">While it made me uncomfortable, there was
little I could do since contracts had been signed and there was no escape
clause for being offended by the model’s bad attitude.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">That one
moment put me on high alert for the rest of my career. From that point on I vowed that I didn’t want
some ass on the cover of my books. My
next four books all had flowers on the covers because there was no way to vet
models with those particular publishers. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAeW9U0M7devBBMMeWWZExJVJ4vR9o4VcjWmVHbcZk7aHJMkhnSDx8gWslm3lfnkXp28m_fDUweG0xkX8XjqgSY0r9oKko5Z-yRH6TUrCaP2KAi-Af8cZSjO-NcF8f-CxajBqmu1E3Ido/s1600/CherinFortiff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAeW9U0M7devBBMMeWWZExJVJ4vR9o4VcjWmVHbcZk7aHJMkhnSDx8gWslm3lfnkXp28m_fDUweG0xkX8XjqgSY0r9oKko5Z-yRH6TUrCaP2KAi-Af8cZSjO-NcF8f-CxajBqmu1E3Ido/s200/CherinFortiff.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Then came Heart of Stone – again I was offered a chance to choose my
model. I chose a model recommended by a friend and only found out later that I had not asked the right questions. That guy turned out to be someone who not only thought badly of romance authors
and readers, he spoke disparagingly of both. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">However, I was ready that time. I
demanded that the model be replaced, and I was pushy about it. Bear in mind, it’s never a good idea to make
demands of a big press, but this was a smaller publisher that was making good
money from this particular book and didn’t want things to get messy. They quickly replaced Model One with Model Two. Model Two proved to be a fantastic guy who I got to know very well –
along with his wife, his kids, AND his evil little Chihuahua aptly named “Hemorrhoid”.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZapvpfjdZj_-kBgmMG4Xne2ThNyVHt5zmprk74lsuxp9epL6TOTTonjvDvOCSXVAf0FPBL-HWdTELVJPYGu_4q628FHnCHjOyZW7iD_HZlaa50YIRQ7Nf3oGIEDA6mFRddSLlCmulSKB/s1600/Jason+Aaron+Baca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZapvpfjdZj_-kBgmMG4Xne2ThNyVHt5zmprk74lsuxp9epL6TOTTonjvDvOCSXVAf0FPBL-HWdTELVJPYGu_4q628FHnCHjOyZW7iD_HZlaa50YIRQ7Nf3oGIEDA6mFRddSLlCmulSKB/s200/Jason+Aaron+Baca.jpg" width="136" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">'High alert' evolved into 'completely wary' from that point on, though. I made it a point that I had to know the guy before he made it onto the cover.
Yes, I know that’s a bit of a stretch, but if the guy wasn’t a nice guy
in some way, I didn’t want him on the cover of my book. To me it was a no-brainer. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTCqwpnxxHo4YSKNj4PsK1uzwZo6IOtNEQ0yt_RMRNKWYvUt76XUu8tGfiQi0uHK9KgKG4u90Wuy9eZ0oYIW9D7mhqsh_zdjbrBvpsPpVWSN_W8HhtnTmQ_XYZ2pPQ9j8GUDINkhyphenhyphenT6in/s1600/BookCoverImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTCqwpnxxHo4YSKNj4PsK1uzwZo6IOtNEQ0yt_RMRNKWYvUt76XUu8tGfiQi0uHK9KgKG4u90Wuy9eZ0oYIW9D7mhqsh_zdjbrBvpsPpVWSN_W8HhtnTmQ_XYZ2pPQ9j8GUDINkhyphenhyphenT6in/s200/BookCoverImage.jpg" width="129" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">When the late hubby and I started developing
the NABSU series, I knew exactly who I
wanted on the cover. I made it a
required part of my contract. My long-time friend (and former PR client) Jonathan Joss, aka the voice of John Redcorn
on FOX’s <i>King of the Hill</i>, was more than happy to step up to the plate. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa-j3-n0h62YutEIbXzqlNTwOd7I3QPYKBRVoKHoW12LHpvviaFe8bUoBsL1EWxY4Uw74uUvJT3m0-zzJySED4ZXAGQisvw71hVpDN0T3hFEk8-ZyBSZIm8CyIzHmscAirpSbnIWKyUrV/s1600/IMG_0658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGa-j3-n0h62YutEIbXzqlNTwOd7I3QPYKBRVoKHoW12LHpvviaFe8bUoBsL1EWxY4Uw74uUvJT3m0-zzJySED4ZXAGQisvw71hVpDN0T3hFEk8-ZyBSZIm8CyIzHmscAirpSbnIWKyUrV/s200/IMG_0658.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I knew Jon
respected what I did; he’s never been disparaging of my career or my fans; he’s
somebody who, as a public figure, appreciates the fans of any medium because he
understands that without them, there’s no career. Jon flew up to South Dakota, where we had one
heck of a fun photo shoot (nothing like wardrobe changes in a cemetery along a
busy street!), and that gave me literally hundreds of photos to choose from for
the next six books. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6im8nGvdjrSPB9F4G4LNz3tDIIrC8Xw3gR42nW_wbdYM8bMBODsGdR_rX4-JQVo5VxtFKjhlKDzQYq88aKwaNjnVaF3HMQ8rze-IKQfkhtI6_PHYX6P1QbcCEhLK0EQ-O0XuM9KacilAH/s1600/JohnMicheal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6im8nGvdjrSPB9F4G4LNz3tDIIrC8Xw3gR42nW_wbdYM8bMBODsGdR_rX4-JQVo5VxtFKjhlKDzQYq88aKwaNjnVaF3HMQ8rze-IKQfkhtI6_PHYX6P1QbcCEhLK0EQ-O0XuM9KacilAH/s200/JohnMicheal.jpg" width="176" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Now, yes, most
of the time we authors don’t get a say. Not all publishers are open to letting
their authors have a say regarding their covers or allowing authors to have
much input with their individual art departments.
Thankfully, Indie publishing is changing that – and for the better, in my
opinion. Indie authors are responsible for their own covers; therefore, they can actually go looking for whoever they want to grace the cover of their
books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I had heard that author/photographer Jenn LeBlanc used nice guys who were as sweet as they
looked, so </span><span style="line-height: 36px;">when</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I started looking for the perfect cover model for my upcoming book, Illusions, I contacted her. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">What I had heard proved to be very
true.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Jenn’s model, Karl, looked very close to how I had pictured hero, Clayton Emerson.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Interestingly enough, Jaci, the woman modeling with him, was pretty darn
close to how I envisioned Olivia Sheffield, Illusion's heroine – it was the perfect pairing as far as I could tell.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFUv3wkRAksAD5K8K1iqVT5vzU2E_TEkJT_8ROQ32vwXkPQncIuHeSk_yX6tFfqYveMYHAGOdcru6yVFFgTCo0Dhyq0zAHtiMvtaPU32izfE0oDRdpDcw9CLSSEOgx1BbiHpFY3zOFu-e/s1600/Karl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFUv3wkRAksAD5K8K1iqVT5vzU2E_TEkJT_8ROQ32vwXkPQncIuHeSk_yX6tFfqYveMYHAGOdcru6yVFFgTCo0Dhyq0zAHtiMvtaPU32izfE0oDRdpDcw9CLSSEOgx1BbiHpFY3zOFu-e/s640/Karl.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Karl Biermann - The Cover Model For Illusions</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_ysXddpBg998I5g50ltNc1TTMD9M0KaFnd7-EcJLWrJGLA3aUoiuWWGz31KbkHX-S6ry0ATlMzieAVO5A4AJwwY-kWSGosfpVqXlNE6AeHObf9ic1-pxxIub59-1DS1eZoUna_FLW9_1/s1600/285781_10151011115216071_878810012_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_ysXddpBg998I5g50ltNc1TTMD9M0KaFnd7-EcJLWrJGLA3aUoiuWWGz31KbkHX-S6ry0ATlMzieAVO5A4AJwwY-kWSGosfpVqXlNE6AeHObf9ic1-pxxIub59-1DS1eZoUna_FLW9_1/s400/285781_10151011115216071_878810012_n.jpg" width="290" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Proof That Sold Me On Karl & Jaci!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IEcMiFWxyqTYT-XyGK7KUevUaQNXLucIL1EM6Cqy8zfgqCNCOglZp_zBUe6PO_5SAEIhIKmoQZeVrpmECoxdvuzF31HI3SI_k9it3WY4m-95eC5piwF5NDVHXB801wLLg0eydROcTVcl/s1600/282767_417850004920034_1777299268_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IEcMiFWxyqTYT-XyGK7KUevUaQNXLucIL1EM6Cqy8zfgqCNCOglZp_zBUe6PO_5SAEIhIKmoQZeVrpmECoxdvuzF31HI3SI_k9it3WY4m-95eC5piwF5NDVHXB801wLLg0eydROcTVcl/s400/282767_417850004920034_1777299268_n.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jaci Horsing Around The Photoshoot</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLzRxZbilLXtWBX5Zys1nHESVhOdhfgYg2FuHGnH6wMdRqyOcx3N1Sp_xhPHWYGGm4COmgIw86-CSVnMJMQGb4bj-Ql21qef3jRk-Ae7TzUdfgInrOGTWkS1gb537Q-ez0O08lBfMnOY7/s1600/542419_10151020848446071_2027137577_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLzRxZbilLXtWBX5Zys1nHESVhOdhfgYg2FuHGnH6wMdRqyOcx3N1Sp_xhPHWYGGm4COmgIw86-CSVnMJMQGb4bj-Ql21qef3jRk-Ae7TzUdfgInrOGTWkS1gb537Q-ez0O08lBfMnOY7/s320/542419_10151020848446071_2027137577_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Karl Being Manhandled By Our Favorite Photographer</span></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">One of the first questions I asked Jenn when I contacted her was whether Karl was a nice
guy. Jenn made it clear that Karl was a
very nice human being and told me that she only worked with nice guys. That told me that I was okay to move forward
with the book cover. Had I found out
otherwise, I would have kept on looking no matter how closely Karl had
resembled the hero in Illusions. (Interestingly,
I’ve never heard a female model make disparaging remarks regarding romance
readers. In fact, there have been quite
a few over the years that I’ve heard compliment the dedication of our fans and
speak </span><span style="line-height: 36px;">appreciatively</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> of the attention their covers have brought to their
careers.) </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s1600/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_2WjkcQNFSuSjA4XPZPmFIDFRp9NVp6ZGoWjWnfr433uH_Lgl2MKFOBNjAth7QrncJTXYRfqgDpgbPB30xNxSO3iiVi4IPK0hkriSuCimqACCPI4__I7wf1rQgeMjaTMg0YkF89pwPee/s640/MiaFisher-Illusions-Draft3.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Finished Product!<br /> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">More and
more authors are looking to find their own cover models, and they’re choosing
men that they themselves would or could be friends with. They want approachable
cover guys who will be nice to the fans and will remain nice when they walk
away.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">As Jenn so aptly put it, <i>“I don’t work with
douchebags”</i>.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Another author told me, “<i>I refuse to work with
any guy who wouldn’t date a fat chick. If he has no ability to see inside the
soul, he doesn’t belong on the cover of one of my books.</i>”</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">As a fat chick hearing this from a very
skinny colleague, I found it an amazing stand to take.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT6Apy0SCxE2lWVmIKnqX_3TDlut9h3b6O1ALW07uyzNYXJiIxmXdikZVrpsS_abhr-TckQWTp88wnx5xu_EfEzSHckeEUp1hYjTMtUTPzuMxs3ngUpAhUjsUgqem-5An-jM3cmj-wECl/s1600/inspiration_quotes_graphics_c2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXT6Apy0SCxE2lWVmIKnqX_3TDlut9h3b6O1ALW07uyzNYXJiIxmXdikZVrpsS_abhr-TckQWTp88wnx5xu_EfEzSHckeEUp1hYjTMtUTPzuMxs3ngUpAhUjsUgqem-5An-jM3cmj-wECl/s200/inspiration_quotes_graphics_c2.gif" width="191" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Some might
wonder, what’s the point? Why should we even care about the guy on the cover?
Who cares if he’s a total ass? <i>We do, </i>because we write about love and romance. Love and romance are <i>supposed</i> to contain
kindness, gentleness and humility.
Heroes can be flawed; heroes can even be stupid or make bad decisions, but
they should <i>never </i>be cruel. To have a book showcasing a model who makes
cruel and nasty comments about the genre he himself is a part of is <i>wrong</i>. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Plain and simple.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO2KJ7ARNVXbXLmx1O58ZmGZ49qC_0Bf3MtG7xAv4JhREJYN7qAu1sCOKUXYjA30EL6G31xfZmXOB95xkcUgop_m40K4EU-eD2TcOSSSlcpGTRNF_4A7LH4TTSG8yJ7oFjjfaAFFuj33R/s1600/LennelDunbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZO2KJ7ARNVXbXLmx1O58ZmGZ49qC_0Bf3MtG7xAv4JhREJYN7qAu1sCOKUXYjA30EL6G31xfZmXOB95xkcUgop_m40K4EU-eD2TcOSSSlcpGTRNF_4A7LH4TTSG8yJ7oFjjfaAFFuj33R/s200/LennelDunbar.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">Many readers will tell you that to find out that the model on the cover of the book they love is a complete jerk kills the mood of the story entirely. Long-time romance reader Erin states: "</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">I would never read a book with an asshole on the cover".</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> Cherlyn added that she would "</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">never buy a book if the man on the cover couldn't show up at a conference and be nice to everybody</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">". Missy shared that she "</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">could never read a book cover to cover and feel at ease with the story if the stud on the front had made horrible comments about romance readers</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">". </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">They're not alone in this opinion, many of us authors feel the same way. Author Samantha MacDouglas
says: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">“Why give a reader a reason to not
read your book? If a cover model offended me, that would be reason enough for
me to not pick up a book, even by an author I really liked. Besides, if he's
disrespectful, it might come across on the cover. Readers might get that sense
from him, even if they don't know who he is or how he feels. On top of which,
if he turns his nose down at us, he doesn't need to be making money off of us.
There are plenty of good-looking men out there, I'd vote to find another.” </i></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVBuoV8rxabL7A78_RXDfKywtfWqB5_0djOSB1KLmd5MY4Dvg5i4EUuGF7EsM0RV5-lbfxfpU-k68PZk1kDvfSMwvgb0Ua345qYSrd0SResBN90VgOYNmSKkeH6lWoUJHmsvQjYhWYmqE/s1600/62042_280312562083824_952414177_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoVBuoV8rxabL7A78_RXDfKywtfWqB5_0djOSB1KLmd5MY4Dvg5i4EUuGF7EsM0RV5-lbfxfpU-k68PZk1kDvfSMwvgb0Ua345qYSrd0SResBN90VgOYNmSKkeH6lWoUJHmsvQjYhWYmqE/s320/62042_280312562083824_952414177_n.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">More of Jenn's Awesome Work! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo8OoJMGQNPHXKze06af5uuymB7sQ1OadRYeONwJdnfvrkS0qE9P0_2vZthwQ5cyKytWfba_EsV6NoclygzAjyYoUvjHop8sX_wq79pH2e1q7GecirvQMPD45lGtkr45Q1Ur9Mvf8qwH7/s1600/384356_282990508482696_1690480851_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVo8OoJMGQNPHXKze06af5uuymB7sQ1OadRYeONwJdnfvrkS0qE9P0_2vZthwQ5cyKytWfba_EsV6NoclygzAjyYoUvjHop8sX_wq79pH2e1q7GecirvQMPD45lGtkr45Q1Ur9Mvf8qwH7/s320/384356_282990508482696_1690480851_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Proof Becomes A Book Cover</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdNYwgCBzXSY2YFZef6Ysc0ZpaeZJ89Ibw3Gu41ba7yJ56rhrlFknmRKUM3pDyWG3hCxuxeQgILBCkzwrFcNw1Eh8JAa-dQoxjYM28SoDQvTejmyLfPKBTNZQjBett9RMqOHBL9e1JoZB/s1600/270669_277736232341457_1372203208_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdNYwgCBzXSY2YFZef6Ysc0ZpaeZJ89Ibw3Gu41ba7yJ56rhrlFknmRKUM3pDyWG3hCxuxeQgILBCkzwrFcNw1Eh8JAa-dQoxjYM28SoDQvTejmyLfPKBTNZQjBett9RMqOHBL9e1JoZB/s320/270669_277736232341457_1372203208_n.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jenn's Got A Thing For Kilts! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">I freely admit to being part of this crowd. If I find out that some guy on the cover of
one of my favorite author’s books is a total idiot, I won’t read that book. Sadly, that’s money out of that writer’s pocket because the guy on her cover is
a moron. And, as Samantha said, why
should an arrogant cuss be making money in conjunction with our books if he
secretly can’t stand us or our readers? </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Karl & The Lovely Brittany Strike A Different Type Of Pose! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">It would also make it hard to interact with said cover guy if I
ever had to deal with him in person at a writers’ conference.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">In fact, I <i>did</i> have something like this happen, and I know a
few other authors who have experienced the same.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">I heard a certain cover model making some
very rude remarks regarding both romance authors and readers before going out
to participate in a cover model contest.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">On stage, he was Mr. Debonair, but backstage he was all about how fat and
gruesome these women were.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">To be blunt,
that pissed me off.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">It was too late to
pull him from the contest, but I made damned sure he was never allowed to participate
again. Once word got out regarding his attitude, his modeling opportunities
dried up. The last I heard, he was working in a gas station.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> colleague told me about a cover model who had been on </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">several of her books and how she was sent some emails in which the guy was saying
horrible things about romance readers in general: how they were all no-class
people with no love lives, no looks, and were generally all overweight with no prospects. This author notified her publisher that she no
longer wanted this particular model considered for any of her future books
because he didn’t appreciate a good thing.
She literally threatened to take her business elsewhere. Her publisher didn’t want to lose her, so the
man was cut from their roster - not just for her books but for all of their books. To
my knowledge, that particular company has never used the model again. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Ironically, that guy</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: xx-large; line-height: 115%;">
</i><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">is</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> still part of our industry. He still appears on the occasional book cover, but
he is in no way the hot ticket he once was – because, again, word got out, and
authors don’t appreciate models who have no respect for them or their fans.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">There<i> is</i> good news here, though: guys with bad attitudes </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">are slowly
being weeded out and replaced with men who are just as gorgeous but far more
humble. I see this as a definite plus
for the romance-writing industry. For
too long the entire genre has been ridiculed and dismissed as “trash”. It’s been a long, hard road to develop our
reputation, and I, for one, refuse to allow cover models with bad attitudes to set
us back. Indie publishing has placed the control into the authors' hands as to who will be on their covers and who
will design the final product. This is
a major boon to the majority of romance writers out there. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQQ5-AxANamHQtu1d7N8CXCwuGShzSwvhZ1rfko_pnfJkh8vmFwhmndXlzDiZNuwiovBPdclUZ7ruxt1C0jdklDpmKs2szgRn-rWkyJrn-HRAYbQFDYpvh6SGJ3FHPu7JH-sTmm3cCaj-/s1600/ConnieMason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQQ5-AxANamHQtu1d7N8CXCwuGShzSwvhZ1rfko_pnfJkh8vmFwhmndXlzDiZNuwiovBPdclUZ7ruxt1C0jdklDpmKs2szgRn-rWkyJrn-HRAYbQFDYpvh6SGJ3FHPu7JH-sTmm3cCaj-/s400/ConnieMason.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I Get To Share A Cover Model With The Great Connie Mason!<br />How Cool Is That??!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">I’ve never met Karl in person, but Jenn has, and her word is
good.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> Since </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">he’s a nice person who
respects romance authors and their readers, I am more than happy to refer him
for other projects.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">That goes for any
model I use in the future.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">As long as
they respect us and respect what we do, they’ll have a job. As long as they exhibit kindness where the fans are concerned, they’ll continue to be on covers. The minute
they display a bad attitude, they should consider their career in this industry to be over.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Looking For A Few Good Cover Models? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Check Out Jenn LeBlanc!! </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://jennleblanc.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://jennleblanc.com/</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://illustratedromance.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://illustratedromance.com/</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://jennleblanc.photoshelter.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://jennleblanc.photoshelter.com/</span></a></div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-18600312806252718622012-09-22T10:07:00.001-07:002012-09-22T10:07:09.055-07:00Dissecting A Villianess<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many times in romantic suspense – or even
suspense with romantic elements – the bad guy is exactly that, a guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every so often the scarlet woman traipses
through but it’s rare the reader is treated to an honest to goodness salt of
the earth <em><u>evil</u></em> woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the White
River Killer is most definitely the evil in Blood Roles, there’s also a villainess and
if you’ve already read the book, I’m sure you know exactly who I’m talking about:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rita Keeps Fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruella DeVille <br />
The Only Cartoon Evil Comparable To Rita. </td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Now, yes, there are literally thousands of villianesses to choose from in the movie and television world, some truly evil, others campy and funny. But I've noticed over the years, within the literary world, ultimate enemies are either usually male or if they <em>are </em>female, they're more a danger to themselves than anybody else. I knew before even starting Blood Roles that Rita was not going to be like that.</span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">When creating Rita I wanted to relate to the reader just how vile and sleazy this woman was - and to what lengths she would go to get her own way. Rita is a heartless attention whore who will do whatever she can to keep the attention on her while using a cause, a person, a need, something, <em>anything,</em> to hide behind. Think Angelina Jolie only much more black-hearted. <em>(I think it is no coincidence that Ms. Jolie was chosen to play the evil fairy, Malecifent, in the live action version of Sleeping Beauty...just sayin!)</em> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BQqBb7O9b0ZjjLshJN2qIRQ22oLaSBUJ3leXl7rOajkS_vxyql8r6kn1i3UErUiAjoCxytEcyOx4XDJQmZNqaU2QmFCXykv25xBbPQYKg2LnrsmR4I7oILlf1_QR-NWke1zAkN9OvRWe/s1600/angelina-jolie-maleficent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BQqBb7O9b0ZjjLshJN2qIRQ22oLaSBUJ3leXl7rOajkS_vxyql8r6kn1i3UErUiAjoCxytEcyOx4XDJQmZNqaU2QmFCXykv25xBbPQYKg2LnrsmR4I7oILlf1_QR-NWke1zAkN9OvRWe/s200/angelina-jolie-maleficent.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Totally Unrelated But Thought-Provoking Nonetheless! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Back to Rita - I get so many comments on this character!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I have gotten </span>dozens emails
asking specifically about Rita:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely
this is a charicture? Surely this woman can’t be real? Nobody would really act
like that – would they?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always
interesting to see people’s responses to a life form they’re unfamiliar with. LOL
I am also often asked why Rita is so bad and if I know anybody really like her. <em>The answers to those are "because she can be" and "yes".</em></span><em> </em></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">For those who are totally confused because they haven’t read
Blood Roles yet, Rita Keeps Fire is a secondary character with a bad
attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within Indian Country her type
of persona is called a “wannabee activist” - someone who is almost always a BQ Nazi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The individual wants to be an activist for Native American rights but
they don’t want to do it <em>for</em> Native Americans – they want to do it for the attention
it garners <em>them</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To quote my late
husband “i.e. an attention whore of the highest caliber”.</span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></strong></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwXcZOmuz7LZRpHWyK97WPqRRFe2o1L7zpR3UpGPnbvIxxMQQJ0ZvIaS2SbQhyphenhyphenoh65HW-Ykevjh6qhzFLcUiFxF-ep1dkGXo1JRDpLWHa5_wZhpB8fqqGa7sZhuwR0JFcxm9swZ_FZMI0/s1600/IMG_0685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwXcZOmuz7LZRpHWyK97WPqRRFe2o1L7zpR3UpGPnbvIxxMQQJ0ZvIaS2SbQhyphenhyphenoh65HW-Ykevjh6qhzFLcUiFxF-ep1dkGXo1JRDpLWHa5_wZhpB8fqqGa7sZhuwR0JFcxm9swZ_FZMI0/s200/IMG_0685.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My buddy Jon Joss.<br />
The Inspiration For Taylor Rains.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">At one time Rita was involved with our hero,
Taylor, who was actually a true activist who ultimately walked down
some wrong paths due to peer pressure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rita holds it against Taylor because he dumped her and she holds it
against him even more that his heart really belongs to another woman – a white
woman, Andie Prescott.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jon's gorgeous wife, Brandy! <br />
The Inspiration For Andie Prescott's Take No Prisoners Attitude! <br />
Andie's Love Of Shoes Belongs To My SisterInLaw Marcia! </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;">Last week we talked about BQ Nazi’s,
well, Rita is the epitome of the consummate BQ Nazi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, again, yes, Rita is very, <em>very</em> real. </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #e69138;">Rita is a composite of not one but <em>several</em> people, male and
female, that I’ve come up against in the past five years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course their most common denominator is that they
all feel that Natives should only stay with Natives and have nothing to do with
the any other race at all, save for taking money from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They actually have more than that in
common, though – first, they’re LOUD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t say
<em>anything</em> quietly, it has to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hollered,</i>
male or female, there’s no such thing as quiet in a Rita’s world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They’re also rude – they don’t care what they say or how
they say it, in their mind they’re right, they don’t care who they hurt or how
much damage they do as long as their point is being made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>They’re also passive-aggressive and many times
fueled by alcohol or drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of the
various BQ Nazi’s available to choose from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(let’s just say there were more than three and less than twelve for Rita)
only ONE did not post drunk or make drunk harassment calls to people they felt were
offending their tribes by being married or dating a non-Native.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their favorite MO was to make a comment of
some sort knowing that offended people would comment back, this, in turn,
usually produces a full scale diatribe from the BQ Nazi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt9Hgyrj-POv7Gqm_H36X03XC6hG2MxJDcfkZ98YNlgCciCYbS10jrMayw38D6EK-G2vFbsDOJEKB0XJE5Hza115syunPhfcdFQeVxWE8CyHJr9Dhe7eVoOsCh_OaqD7t7d9qNdX8lBxT/s1600/imagesCAFGLVJC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt9Hgyrj-POv7Gqm_H36X03XC6hG2MxJDcfkZ98YNlgCciCYbS10jrMayw38D6EK-G2vFbsDOJEKB0XJE5Hza115syunPhfcdFQeVxWE8CyHJr9Dhe7eVoOsCh_OaqD7t7d9qNdX8lBxT/s200/imagesCAFGLVJC.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professor Umbridge<br />
Would Have Made An <br />
Awesome BQ Nazi Had She<br />
Been A Native! </td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They’re also vicious. Again, there’s no concern for others
or their feelings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wouldn’t be fair
to label them narcissists because not all of them are, but there were two from
that round up I know for a fact were. It was all about them. It had nothing to
do with being Native or wanting to fight for the rights of their people. It had
everything to do with being seen, being heard, having their picture taken and
they didn’t care who they had to step on to get it done. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know of two BQ Nazi’s who had to have their own
radio blog shows to feed their attention fix<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- it was interesting they rarely, if ever, had over sixteen or seventeen
listeners tops but that was enough for them to get that fix. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They also have family issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not your normal dysfunctional welcome to
America family problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Rita’s of
the world spend so much time campaigning for their cause du jour that they
neglect their family relationships to a point where there’s barely anything salvageable
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One mother had four kids, two
were left to their own devices, CPS took the kids away and she didn’t even
bother to go to court to try and get them back – she had a “protest” to go to
that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another had a mentally
challenged child who kept running away, she’d have to drop whatever she was
doing and go get the teenager who was very often caught hooking for survival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet another cut their children out of their
lives because they married white people…all SIX of them – and I’m pretty sure
two of them did it out of spite. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet
another has limited relationships with her grandchildren because they’re
half-white. AND YET ANOTHER <em>(see a pattern forming here folks?)</em> has not one but
several children heavily into booze and drugs because she was just too busy to
pay attention when they started drinking and drugging – at ages ten and twelve
respectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These types of people will
drop everything to go showcase themselves at a protest clear across the country
that has nothing to do with their tribe but they won’t drive two blocks down
the street to scrape their drunk highschooler up off the pavement. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I got a fan letter asking me if I hated Rita.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To quote Blood Roles heroine,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andie Prescott, <em>"I’d have to give a shit about
her to hate her"</em> – or the people she is based upon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have that kind of time or
energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do feel it’s important that
people know these types of individuals are out there because they aren’t <em>just</em>
affecting Indian Country. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of them
have off the wall ideas regarding what should be done to whites for taking the
country away from Natives and some of those ideas are NOT pretty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>One BQ Nazi told my late husband that they
would be more than willing to kill any white person that got in their way. Now,
yes, it could have been an idle threat, but given what we knew about that
person in particular (bear in mind, within Indian Country there are very few
strangers, there is <em>always </em>somebody who knows somebody in question and police
records are not hard to obtain when one goes through the proper channels) we
knew that mixing alcohol meant instant idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>BQ Nazis don’t just pose a threat to their fellow Natives. They pose
a threat to everybody else just on the merit of their deep rooted anger at
whites and their penchant for using the wrong outlets to get their points
across.</span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ultimately, I’m not going to
sugar coat anything – if you’ve read Blood Roles, you already know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you read last week’s blog, or any of the
responses to it, again, you already know that I laid out the truth in a
no-nonsense form that was easy to understand. Creating the character of Rita is
the ultimate extension of that. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the end of the day we have a woman who trusts nobody, can’t
be trusted herself, is pompous, arrogant and FULL of righteous indignation to a
fault, so much so, readers literally cheer when she meets a fateful end. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s rude, she’s bitter, she has way too much
self-worth and is unable to empathize on any level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hates anybody that’s not Native, to the
point that she’ll endanger a whole tribe that, technically, isn’t even hers,
because she doesn’t want a white person involved with the case AND because she
wants people to pay attention to <em>her</em>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">At the same time – Rita is a sad figure, even pathetic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Andie says, "<em>it’s a sad thing when not even
your fellow troublemakers don’t miss you".</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is yet another circumstance both Rob and I were privy too. There’s
relief, even gratitude, on not one, but on the part of many, when a BQ Nazi
moves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Yet, there’s always the fear
that something else will re-ignite them, something else will tick them off or
send them over the deep end yet again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Rita’s case, the only thing that ultimately shuts her up is the White River
Killer, and then, in more ways than one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When you get down to the core of this villainess one
realizes that while she’s a bitch with a capital “B” she’s still slightly
different from other women in this category – and not because she’s a Native or
because of her proclivity for hating others with such a passion – ultimately it’s
because she’s hollow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There’s <em>nothing </em>going on
inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she has to believe in is
herself and that person fails daily no matter how hard Rita screams or demands
to have her own way. When it comes right down to it, she’s soulless but not
quite a sociopath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>But then again…</em></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><o:p></o:p></em></span></span></span></strong> </div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-1889450989804044652012-09-16T12:02:00.002-07:002012-09-16T20:52:44.398-07:00What's A BQ Nazi??<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I’ve been speaking about <em>Blood Roles</em> on various blogs for
the past month and one question that keeps coming up is that of blood quantum
and exactly <em>what</em> a BQ Nazi <em>is</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
week’s blog is going to address that a little bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At the heart of blood quantum, ultimately, is racism - not only by whites against Natives but by Natives against whites and <em>Natives against Natives</em> as well. This is the underlying issue that <em>Blood Roles</em> addresses. </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong> </div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Many in Indian Country believe that Columbus created BQ.
That he was damned and determined that he was going to “bleed out” their
race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">This is not true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only because BQ’s documented beginnings
are well into the 1700’s but because, frankly, I don’t think that Columbus, or any
of his later contemporaries for that matter, were that smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They saw land they wanted so they took it by
force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No science or chemistry involved.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEitNSibH31iNZ8IhjxImY9PzlQXVcaq2qHW5W-tBslgs0aAObRGEElcTJZ5MN6qjlxRF6e_WbgvzlGtp3278ZF2OYvecqEnmkk_cZKeFFuUrf8q7sKu3D3lEkFgcb9LMEm3M6Q0DCACeb/s1600/Marty-Two-Bulls-Blood-Conundrum-615x717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEitNSibH31iNZ8IhjxImY9PzlQXVcaq2qHW5W-tBslgs0aAObRGEElcTJZ5MN6qjlxRF6e_WbgvzlGtp3278ZF2OYvecqEnmkk_cZKeFFuUrf8q7sKu3D3lEkFgcb9LMEm3M6Q0DCACeb/s320/Marty-Two-Bulls-Blood-Conundrum-615x717.jpg" width="274" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Just as many also believe that BQ was started in the late 1800's as a result of the Dawes Act. This is not true as well. While the government made good use of BQ at that time, it wasn't exactly responsible for brainchilding it into reality. </span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">BQ was actually started in 1705 in the Virginia
colonies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its purpose was to limit the
rights of Native American Indians of half or more Native ancestry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BQ wasn’t applied as an umbrella term until
the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At that time the government used it to establish which individuals could
be recognized as Native and, in turn, be eligible for financial benefits under
treaties or sales of land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that
point in history there were roughly 450 federally recognized tribes and BQ was
used heavily to determine who could be a federally recognized tribe and who
couldn’t be. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically, back then, BQ
wasn’t the hard and fast rule breaker it is now – and it was the Natives that
determined that, <em>not whites or the government.</em> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Fast forward to the 21<sup>st</sup> Century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point tribes all over the country
have determined their own rules for tribal membership and there’s no cut and
dried determination. Every tribe is different. Some, like the Cherokee, have
lowered their BQ requirements so as to welcome all who can prove their
ancestry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While others, like the
Pechanga, use BQ to exclude people from tribal roles in order to increase their casino per cap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of this is based upon greed, some of it is
based upon blatant racism, either way it’s wrong because, in essence, they’re
discriminating against their own people based upon a fictional practice that
really has no merit. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">My own experience with BQ is fairly recent – in the last
five years I’ve actually learned exactly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what</i>
it is, where it came from and the bitterness that has derived from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In spite of writing Native based romance for
many years this was one factor I was <em>not </em>personally acquainted with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></strong> </div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Let me share a little background here. Some people, of all races, are under the impression that those of us who write interacial romance have some sort of romantic notion of what it's like to be Native. </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtezKg2OJoUIlCNt6mxaSKwlaZWX7xopAzOsKY0Vf2LFhhg3U3B9jPjhqoX2CCVBC5_mUGgW15cyKVvluo54v6lMNWp7z9az-YKpGQXlsdOzvaIoW9CiCy-nYYfj0fUY45Vb-uRLsHMQC/s1600/NRN.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtezKg2OJoUIlCNt6mxaSKwlaZWX7xopAzOsKY0Vf2LFhhg3U3B9jPjhqoX2CCVBC5_mUGgW15cyKVvluo54v6lMNWp7z9az-YKpGQXlsdOzvaIoW9CiCy-nYYfj0fUY45Vb-uRLsHMQC/s200/NRN.png" width="124" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I think I that can say with some authority that there are at least two of us that don't share that notion that some hot Native hunk is going to come riding up on a horse and grab some chick and make for his tipi for hot sex. Kathleen Eagle certainly doesn't write to that end. Mrs. Eagle taught and lived on the Standing Rock Reservation for many years. </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFjlOsib6G7UaFZX7QtKFgOGnlH2O1_o4enMs4__1qfHJaDj962XMVdqYAfIGMYI3_nJU8NikBDdhSQagNjyziBZaOZNEW94Dt2heQQEWC4jPw44FNx3mX0gCnlUpcCWx-HWSm35x6_qX/s1600/tn_25th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhFjlOsib6G7UaFZX7QtKFgOGnlH2O1_o4enMs4__1qfHJaDj962XMVdqYAfIGMYI3_nJU8NikBDdhSQagNjyziBZaOZNEW94Dt2heQQEWC4jPw44FNx3mX0gCnlUpcCWx-HWSm35x6_qX/s1600/tn_25th.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lovely Kathleen Eagle & Her Hubby Clyde Eagle<br />
(c) 2012 Kathleen Eagle</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">She's been married to her Lakota cowboy hubby, Clyde, for over thirty years. She, more than any other writer I know who writes Native romance, has an excellent grasp on what it is to live and function within the rez world. </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">As for me, having studied with various tribes and written about them as well, I would like to think that I have a pretty good grasp on rez culture myself. (If the reviews for <em>Blood Roles</em> thus far are to be believed, I nailed it pretty well.) I have always had an interest in Native culture - I grew up around Penobscots, Abanakis and Micmacs. My first friend in school was a fun little Native girl named Dee. Back then she wasn't Native to me, her tribe didn't matter, I didn't even understand she was a Native American until many years later. All that mattered was that she was my best friend and I thought she was great. </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTq15_LgKjoWaSgtd1FDOzTL6Lvuvbga9mdN9VIRPltM_mXmxHJx0i-c757RNF9kATDY8a72vOaIXELG03cVeyxcrSUEP3lf9AOWizYeeW0eS0KA7-eho2cmt-IIy9dh2SDP4QmOhI4PX/s1600/NEW+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTq15_LgKjoWaSgtd1FDOzTL6Lvuvbga9mdN9VIRPltM_mXmxHJx0i-c757RNF9kATDY8a72vOaIXELG03cVeyxcrSUEP3lf9AOWizYeeW0eS0KA7-eho2cmt-IIy9dh2SDP4QmOhI4PX/s200/NEW+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dee & I Circa 1973</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">As I grew older, I appreciated what I saw and what I learned and always felt that the culture deserved attention and the injustices that were so blatantly ignored needed to be brought to light - which is where my storylines came from. </span></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwmbVVFhqjtPRsX8sd89487CPaeUv64j1SaABdV74C2D9VbcxDxbZeW2B_NmHNkSskuTqQakD67Os-QTpVolp5Yjc_EHTvtVVI8wd6lOMTr1q2xxfrXonEaWOJPl575739I7teZ1qXfoo/s1600/stationery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwmbVVFhqjtPRsX8sd89487CPaeUv64j1SaABdV74C2D9VbcxDxbZeW2B_NmHNkSskuTqQakD67Os-QTpVolp5Yjc_EHTvtVVI8wd6lOMTr1q2xxfrXonEaWOJPl575739I7teZ1qXfoo/s1600/stationery.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hiawatha Asylum For Insane Indians<br />
Never Heard About It? You Need To. <br />
<a href="http://www.miafisher.net/HiawathaPg1.html">http://www.miafisher.net/HiawathaPg1.html</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">My friends and colleagues who were Native
respected my work because it many times brought attention to issues they felt
were often ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d never had any
problems, never was I treated differently because I was white or because I chose to write about Native life. I did my research and I did it well. I presented a world that others had been deprived of learning about in history class in school. I mistakenly believed that my reputation within that world was secure. <em>Then I met my late husband and all of that changed.</em> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">We’ve all heard of those moments where one finds out who
their true friends are. Well, this was one of those moments for me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My husband belonged to numerous groups
regarding Native issues and many was the time that arguments arose about
Natives dating or marrying non-Natives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robert was Cheyenne/Lakota and a full
blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was also a person not opposed
to dating or marrying non-Natives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
used to like to say that when he lived in New York City he dated the United Nations
roster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of this mentality and
because he embraced diversity while still making it a point to know his history
and traditions he was many times a target for those who felt that Natives
needed to stay ‘with their own kind’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
didn’t matter what tribe anymore (which was actually rather comical because in
the old days some tribes would have absolutely nothing to do with each other)
as long as a mate wasn’t another color other than “tan”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">It was during this period that the term “BQ Nazi” was
coined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a woman who had begun
to harass Rob unmercifully because he was married to a white woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every discussion ended with her chewing him
out for “forsaking his People” and “not marrying a strong Indian woman so he
could have Indian babies”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last part
we found rather comical because I was done having children and Rob couldn’t
have children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never revealed that
save to close friends but it was a factor that made all her ranting and raving
a bit humorous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, her behavior had
a dark side and the scary thing was she had people that backed her outrageous
mentality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night, annoyed with her
carrying on regarding “Natives need to only be with Natives” he called her a BQ
Nazi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">The term stuck and spread like wildfire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a month it was all over the internet
and surfacing throughout the reservations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My husband was very proud of this accomplishment – one he didn’t even
aim or try for. It just happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
he said, <em>now</em> there was another name for those people who hovered in the
background, unwilling to socialize with non-Natives but more than willing to
take their money in a business situation, unwilling to let other Natives be
with who they loved without throwing very loud, very obnoxious tantrums about it,
unwilling to leave the husbands, wives or significant others alone and pegging
them for harassment, unwilling to embrace their own people if their BQ was
lower than their desired limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before
it had been termed “lateral racism”, a term that was easily overlooked and lost
in a flow of words within groups based around oral tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>BQ Nazi</em> gave this practice not only a term
but a <em>title</em> as well, one that was pretty hard to ignore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (I don't know about you but whenever I hear or see the word "nazi", I tend to do a doubletake, just to make sure I heard or saw what I thought I heard or saw). </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vnhtKWFEyf78vPzazE1b1iGstKJzdw1ETJ_Epo24hISfIbGd_EpFx4bCwvGiP8Zg4aBKtAlh_zOKKDDzV-sQ9xRZr7dHSER6X0G_pp-qSYkDf6b8yUAFs18idi4KZ1pdEdn7wR4nhMQR/s1600/Club_Native.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vnhtKWFEyf78vPzazE1b1iGstKJzdw1ETJ_Epo24hISfIbGd_EpFx4bCwvGiP8Zg4aBKtAlh_zOKKDDzV-sQ9xRZr7dHSER6X0G_pp-qSYkDf6b8yUAFs18idi4KZ1pdEdn7wR4nhMQR/s200/Club_Native.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">I lost friends and colleagues because I married Rob. And no,
not the white friends and colleagues, they had no issues with Rob at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the<em> Native</em> “friends and colleagues”
who, all of a sudden, had an issue with me for “breaking the rules” and
marrying a Native.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my knowledge,
there were no “rules” but suddenly it seemed that there were. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was harassed, I was publicly raked over the
coals in more than one instance because I “had shown blatant disregard for what
Indians believe”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To my knowledge, this ‘keep
to your own kind’ thing had not been an active and important part of Indian
Country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was proven wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRIs_g5hx_eUZtoqjXPHYAkz3FuORDKEMW-yGtXZnjA73oGU_8CSk8S7uJR9Tyd2o5TtjUvKuyvzjPeH89IgybzZB06gAo6pS7VG-lr4EmPtXy6vA6iHECMPmO8RuuDu_IlGAOHTJwJeM/s1600/483928_3471321025099_267067905_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRIs_g5hx_eUZtoqjXPHYAkz3FuORDKEMW-yGtXZnjA73oGU_8CSk8S7uJR9Tyd2o5TtjUvKuyvzjPeH89IgybzZB06gAo6pS7VG-lr4EmPtXy6vA6iHECMPmO8RuuDu_IlGAOHTJwJeM/s1600/483928_3471321025099_267067905_n.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Interestingly, while the mentality has existed, it was never
really actually addressed that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More often as not, you saw cartoons that addressed the vanishing Indian
or there would be the occasional article that would bring up lateral racism as
something that needed to be addressed yet nothing ever happened because of
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A great example of this was Alfred
Walking Bulls’ article on the topic where he stated:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“lateral racism exists in Indian Country and
that, more than anything, needs to be seriously addressed”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the article was all but
ignored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob’s oddball coined phrase
sort of changed that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq704QNcSrbe7KdFmxR_FMopPl1TsDxUIhA0NaDPCRuhPGy-XDNYyV8ovPcHD14boxZ7Kx05oqCWK1L1SoAsvZ-lfX9dttx6EB13zVE6wupGfL1jvKNl9i0MxwqygLlr5NHUO3qXaOgSR/s1600/427210_10150970310212539_981479132_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVq704QNcSrbe7KdFmxR_FMopPl1TsDxUIhA0NaDPCRuhPGy-XDNYyV8ovPcHD14boxZ7Kx05oqCWK1L1SoAsvZ-lfX9dttx6EB13zVE6wupGfL1jvKNl9i0MxwqygLlr5NHUO3qXaOgSR/s320/427210_10150970310212539_981479132_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Over a two year period two camps would form in Indian
Country – the very loud BQ Nazis and the more quiet “independents” as Rob
called them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Independents felt strongly
about their ties to their past and their history but felt a person should be
allowed to be with who they want to be with, as long as history and traditions,
along with ancestral lines, were taught to the children if there were any. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These two camps are still very much present within
Indian country, albeit as unorganized forces. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob made it his job to try and educate people
who needed educating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt that this
topic was extremely important and too blatantly ignored for it to not be a real
problem. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJ3ViOL_P4ve_XjDdNfmVLI75182ooJB66Khg2hjEmhjLOwbYPA9S3HoU00snaN1WKctXHyKpgnXITxLxQ_SMW9ra8NiCK8UGPeenec4T7mpR0bq7453YxH2aDBq_gDLpV7OZeeQreVHv/s1600/imagesCA2U6ZDG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJ3ViOL_P4ve_XjDdNfmVLI75182ooJB66Khg2hjEmhjLOwbYPA9S3HoU00snaN1WKctXHyKpgnXITxLxQ_SMW9ra8NiCK8UGPeenec4T7mpR0bq7453YxH2aDBq_gDLpV7OZeeQreVHv/s1600/imagesCA2U6ZDG.jpg" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">When we began discussing the NABSU series, Rob stated that
he wanted me to address BQ in the very first book because, in his opinion, it
was the most important issue of all in Indian Country because it was definitely
messing with peoples’ lives, heads and hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After what we’d gone through – and in all honesty, what we had gone through
really wasn’t as bad as some – I could see his point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that aforementioned two year period I had
seen a full blooded Creek woman publicly state that she refused to acknowledge
her grandchildren because they were half-white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We met the wife of a Native artist who was harassed and stalked so much
by BQ Nazi-types that she left him. He, in turn, cut off all ties with their
only child, stating publicly that “the kid is half white, he really shouldn’t
have anything to do with her”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found out that one of our very close friends
who was slightly less than half-Dine had tolerated a childhood of abuse because
of her BQ, putting up with beatings by both children and adults when she went
to visit her father’s family – she was even hung off the side of a cliff because she "wasn't Indian enough".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XfNutdJh-NxkjMPpkQKHzTQNYlBAaq8ciY0RCcbHsjO7fN5z6HnBdGsfR5TAmr4Tj_M-Xz0S-w7sDQrOpWsIxFLvUgssbnwGWFQ3d_4DTC3cAEXBOyGEmPgWgOi0IB-er04ji73rITfl/s1600/197257_4673818757_840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XfNutdJh-NxkjMPpkQKHzTQNYlBAaq8ciY0RCcbHsjO7fN5z6HnBdGsfR5TAmr4Tj_M-Xz0S-w7sDQrOpWsIxFLvUgssbnwGWFQ3d_4DTC3cAEXBOyGEmPgWgOi0IB-er04ji73rITfl/s200/197257_4673818757_840_n.jpg" width="178" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Less than a quarter can get you killed if you're not careful"<br />
~ Firewolf Bizahaloni</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">There were also the 'business' acquaintences that suddenly got a little squirrely as well. A Native
entertainment agent I had known for years went off the deep end and joined
forces with a fairly well-known BQ Nazi and proceeded to eliminate any client
with less than a ½ blood quantum in her client roster because she “didn’t want
to work with people who weren’t real Indians”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A well-known Native activist was pegged for annihilation by BQ Nazis
because he was married to a white woman – they not only harassed and stalked
the man, they tried to cause trouble for him by calling his job, sending the
cops to his home on a bogus report and trying to publicly discredit him by
harassing him on whatever talk show he happened to be on. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See a familiar pattern here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When White Supremacists do this it’s called a
hate crime. When Natives do this sort of stuff BQ Nazi’s call it protecting
their culture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still doesn’t make it
right. Just saying…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu2bCSJOxzHlO9XY8rHbPo9ihTHinivUukoQz7XkfNYgJgB4Mes7BxSrFSHove20e20QcZq7fBxKGSTD9N6Kp8Jnz6B8vPQ_EVm05I5DYcpMvbyCRHXJpb9M9BLq0i4EtNhrFU68Kb02z/s1600/Racism.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKu2bCSJOxzHlO9XY8rHbPo9ihTHinivUukoQz7XkfNYgJgB4Mes7BxSrFSHove20e20QcZq7fBxKGSTD9N6Kp8Jnz6B8vPQ_EVm05I5DYcpMvbyCRHXJpb9M9BLq0i4EtNhrFU68Kb02z/s200/Racism.gif" width="199" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Ultimately, this is what <em>Blood Roles</em> is about. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chasms created by blood quantum and the
lengths some people will go to insure that the required allotments remain at
status quo – or better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it is so
deeply embedded into the lives of Natives at this point in history, it is
unlikely that blood quantum will truly ever be done away with, especially when
so many BQ Nazis out there hold onto the hope that they’ll completely rebuild
their tribe with the intent of overthrowing the government in order to send us
all back to Europe where we belong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a very real sentiment and a very real goal – albeit a totally unrealistic
goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigCFeKAzFQShLn3J7t7QeOUnvdSsrq5G78Mx_UZeE_kr0pHIf4O3EICls5i4yccp_rOFoP4wqCWHD8mxULQwfvD6m-yEPKcCmQ6lABJpcyt45W5IZ7RKXM4_qwKY5xe26J7vzC5Q4L7Sy/s1600/smallMain_66_882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigCFeKAzFQShLn3J7t7QeOUnvdSsrq5G78Mx_UZeE_kr0pHIf4O3EICls5i4yccp_rOFoP4wqCWHD8mxULQwfvD6m-yEPKcCmQ6lABJpcyt45W5IZ7RKXM4_qwKY5xe26J7vzC5Q4L7Sy/s320/smallMain_66_882.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">As my husband said “there’s no hope
of sending anybody anywhere but we can sure as hell learn to live together a
little bit better”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agree with this
as well and ultimately this is the other aim of <em>Blood Roles</em>, learning to accept
the differences, learning to pass on important knowledge and information so
that what <em>is</em> important in one’s history is never forgotten while embracing what
there is now and learning how to work with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No society is perfect, but it would sure help if people would, at the
very least, try to get along, no matter what color their skin is.</span></span></span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NJt2DlRgdcixAAOvYzWYfZoRA6XMfq1K4sc_fkJMicgSgM3MmLN_zgjfSIgNaN-iT23MR3SrrO4gglTFMQKuZ6fnttOu_fBDyOnda8gFGrfSgYkfpyoxMPIQnSEdIhwvJnyF4bw9G2ar/s1600/quantum+leap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NJt2DlRgdcixAAOvYzWYfZoRA6XMfq1K4sc_fkJMicgSgM3MmLN_zgjfSIgNaN-iT23MR3SrrO4gglTFMQKuZ6fnttOu_fBDyOnda8gFGrfSgYkfpyoxMPIQnSEdIhwvJnyF4bw9G2ar/s640/quantum+leap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong><br />
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-49650373532632920862012-09-07T21:53:00.000-07:002012-09-07T21:53:53.595-07:00Stress? What Stress? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI28T9Nt2DgeSAbFj1AmdZWPpuc8wchXTvTTX0knUp2KGNccFQRLE9i1qRDLvZ13YI6UYN-qtUwFOBITVXNx3Q1UU49Qf-ZPmnzWfrUp4tlKrcYNVOYuLnIgsyK4gyIjYR74g1bg3NSb-Y/s1600/pe01602_.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI28T9Nt2DgeSAbFj1AmdZWPpuc8wchXTvTTX0knUp2KGNccFQRLE9i1qRDLvZ13YI6UYN-qtUwFOBITVXNx3Q1UU49Qf-ZPmnzWfrUp4tlKrcYNVOYuLnIgsyK4gyIjYR74g1bg3NSb-Y/s200/pe01602_.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Okay,
after a few sidebar trips into urban exploration it’s time to get back to
business!</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times; font-size: large;"></span></strong> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEPc1Zo9BScQW68gqPf22Kq9aAcOr3G6upuRYmFhXJK9lXdhHzx41_fQLMRaqK35RGWAb07cobcUNwjoAPjC6ALrnrITf30Sj3phOXnkW4AX-Iqo79x2XtLpAONtFaW3QtxGqKJ4lRJSz/s1600/police-break-down-a-door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEPc1Zo9BScQW68gqPf22Kq9aAcOr3G6upuRYmFhXJK9lXdhHzx41_fQLMRaqK35RGWAb07cobcUNwjoAPjC6ALrnrITf30Sj3phOXnkW4AX-Iqo79x2XtLpAONtFaW3QtxGqKJ4lRJSz/s200/police-break-down-a-door.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">This past week has been one of <em><span style="color: red;">THOSE</span></em> weeks. It started with the cops
kicking my door in under the assumption that some guy that used to live in my apartment was <em>still </em>in residence. </span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">The week pretty much went up and
down from there.</span> </strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJtY91WlZHZ3ZG7OKeJreOwceyBD6rEiP0Y1PSpxYWQflNAS4s_8tjoH-uG-8RINs7-q8Y9paVcu73vbfz4GPvhreZq9459j0Z7BJbwAxmMv44wJi19OGmtXsLOZoOW3hP8vpXyd2veh2/s1600/electricity3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJtY91WlZHZ3ZG7OKeJreOwceyBD6rEiP0Y1PSpxYWQflNAS4s_8tjoH-uG-8RINs7-q8Y9paVcu73vbfz4GPvhreZq9459j0Z7BJbwAxmMv44wJi19OGmtXsLOZoOW3hP8vpXyd2veh2/s200/electricity3.gif" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Then the electric company screwed up my bill and informed me
that I owed $400 (took two days but I got that one worked out).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: red;">And then</span> I had transmission issues that basically
wiped my savings and most of my start of the month budget out (that screwed up
my rent for the month, ugh). </strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNydGrGgugXhQA2itiUWxvpQLDqOcuFUSK5otyQ-q7vlFrYaGl8cBR4CZO8uQ2g3fqQRAF6fUnTAkQWDQuKeZt5sl8KY4llYw0QzR-brHH4-znRzUJtObIpZW78yp1Ypn3gHi2_zEaxzkQ/s1600/carbreakdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNydGrGgugXhQA2itiUWxvpQLDqOcuFUSK5otyQ-q7vlFrYaGl8cBR4CZO8uQ2g3fqQRAF6fUnTAkQWDQuKeZt5sl8KY4llYw0QzR-brHH4-znRzUJtObIpZW78yp1Ypn3gHi2_zEaxzkQ/s200/carbreakdown.jpg" width="175" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: red;">And then</span> a vehicle place I visited last weekend took
it upon themselves to charge my debit card for over $200 so I had to deal with
that (that took me another two days to take care of). </strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeJ5_q28XtavqfrkYJgl3uMPgLFxFzx97dehEd_dyTo3iWuyNrZTiF9010V_GbgFKoz31CH2MzMI7HEks9v0KhDyqb6QATcJ6xpQja2Nzikg6FWC9w2QdFtktA79UuWl-Emg-MWFYcFvH/s1600/No_Fat_chicks_42920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeJ5_q28XtavqfrkYJgl3uMPgLFxFzx97dehEd_dyTo3iWuyNrZTiF9010V_GbgFKoz31CH2MzMI7HEks9v0KhDyqb6QATcJ6xpQja2Nzikg6FWC9w2QdFtktA79UuWl-Emg-MWFYcFvH/s200/No_Fat_chicks_42920.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="color: red;">Then</span> I had three job
interviews, one of which I was pretty much dismissed from because I wasn’t a
size 12 anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></strong></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdW8UCXR4AiB89AuNTVriXAUCqwIuto-7RNLRo2iHD7YfDlQ2EulLOh6Y0fWJV8Gq6qEiyBOg4jY5GAGgs3yO9MQ4SE-QeMO7qGlad3Ml2aIN05dktdXfoNbVjicK8xMV9lvHdU35LL8B/s1600/NoUglyChicks_KIIWSB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdW8UCXR4AiB89AuNTVriXAUCqwIuto-7RNLRo2iHD7YfDlQ2EulLOh6Y0fWJV8Gq6qEiyBOg4jY5GAGgs3yO9MQ4SE-QeMO7qGlad3Ml2aIN05dktdXfoNbVjicK8xMV9lvHdU35LL8B/s200/NoUglyChicks_KIIWSB.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: red;">And THEN</span> I was informed
by some loser on a <em>supposed</em> Christian dating site that I wasn’t good looking
enough to be there.</span> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span style="color: red;"></span></em></strong></span></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XFp-Jlm-Kz0MnGaX-Q871rUez94PLi596WoWbrMqnw9g25ZwkFk_SBvkxnHQ3yIAhyiOpj0QbhsFhW53Uq1_mIr572SXADtLRZDS8N9X-wEYv4t4ujRMi3E9VC3iLbgUDRkqlvjjxfAF/s1600/Argue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4XFp-Jlm-Kz0MnGaX-Q871rUez94PLi596WoWbrMqnw9g25ZwkFk_SBvkxnHQ3yIAhyiOpj0QbhsFhW53Uq1_mIr572SXADtLRZDS8N9X-wEYv4t4ujRMi3E9VC3iLbgUDRkqlvjjxfAF/s320/Argue.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span style="color: red;">AND THEN –</span></em> <span style="color: #990000;">last but not least, just when I was making
headway on catching up on edits for my next book one of my adult kids called all
upset over something my ex-husband had done so I ended up on the phone for over
an hour getting them calmed down and by the time I was done it was well after
midnight and I had to be up at the crack of dawn to take my daughter to school.
</span></strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84OI3hYKX6VIosGrcBcAw1SG8xPPpUEn4HvfK7KWZKRcs8oQzP4crBRwOUcjs97NzLoYSkvYzNlfmsN6oeuVxAhXqPn0DVDZ5P-ZlcC2qtaOUZcd4FwYHXF6DdvMWYwuUXqcTpmBUSxlt/s1600/stressed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84OI3hYKX6VIosGrcBcAw1SG8xPPpUEn4HvfK7KWZKRcs8oQzP4crBRwOUcjs97NzLoYSkvYzNlfmsN6oeuVxAhXqPn0DVDZ5P-ZlcC2qtaOUZcd4FwYHXF6DdvMWYwuUXqcTpmBUSxlt/s200/stressed2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">So, um, yeah, I was a tad stressed this past week and it did not help my
writing at all. As you can see, my blog is a whole 48 hours off schedule! LOL<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2wL1uvSXCBQWeI1IAa8FUNrhfPJTSe_nrkdoHkD0EpJkzi2Oyd48rS8EQ5Uw7t3C4c5m1dLfWdFgUFKw2aO08BXr5aMXqN7yOT9qE2ep5U3iAJzEVH57Pe3q8v0WfbGfWstf8LXG_YLW/s1600/stressed-out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2wL1uvSXCBQWeI1IAa8FUNrhfPJTSe_nrkdoHkD0EpJkzi2Oyd48rS8EQ5Uw7t3C4c5m1dLfWdFgUFKw2aO08BXr5aMXqN7yOT9qE2ep5U3iAJzEVH57Pe3q8v0WfbGfWstf8LXG_YLW/s200/stressed-out.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Stress can really screw with writing. It can upset word
flow, character development, proofing, editing, even language development and
when you’re in the business of making stuff up for a living that’s not a good
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our readers depend upon us for
clear and concise stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stress
completely undoes clear and concise for a lot of writers, me included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong></strong></span></span></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTCqwpnxxHo4YSKNj4PsK1uzwZo6IOtNEQ0yt_RMRNKWYvUt76XUu8tGfiQi0uHK9KgKG4u90Wuy9eZ0oYIW9D7mhqsh_zdjbrBvpsPpVWSN_W8HhtnTmQ_XYZ2pPQ9j8GUDINkhyphenhyphenT6in/s1600/BookCoverImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTCqwpnxxHo4YSKNj4PsK1uzwZo6IOtNEQ0yt_RMRNKWYvUt76XUu8tGfiQi0uHK9KgKG4u90Wuy9eZ0oYIW9D7mhqsh_zdjbrBvpsPpVWSN_W8HhtnTmQ_XYZ2pPQ9j8GUDINkhyphenhyphenT6in/s200/BookCoverImage.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>Although, I can usually plug through under
stress (the last of <em>Blood Roles</em> was written while sitting in the family waiting room
of the ICU while my late husband was in the hospital) I know some authors who literally
<em>can’t</em> write when they’re stressed or they write the wrong thing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A colleague once told me about how one time she was
SO stressed that she wrote an entire scene from another book she was working
on in her current WIP. It was only after it was done that she discovered that
she’d written about 90 pages of a paranormal romance into a regency. Um, yeah,
she wasn’t too happy about that any more than I would have been.</strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHTEiW5VmkID-8zaRWDWbGlFve9Iw2jsQ4zDs9uCBp0AvJHvBdVkmQyiPbdKxcAB2bV5K6dfDdhYZny9aoTbFxKZhFCMM27tDN1FdZlFfHSA3okWPmb8PnRi40c9vinCebtH5_rPguwRk/s1600/imagesCAHXR302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEHTEiW5VmkID-8zaRWDWbGlFve9Iw2jsQ4zDs9uCBp0AvJHvBdVkmQyiPbdKxcAB2bV5K6dfDdhYZny9aoTbFxKZhFCMM27tDN1FdZlFfHSA3okWPmb8PnRi40c9vinCebtH5_rPguwRk/s200/imagesCAHXR302.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #990000;">Stress makes us feel drained under the most normal of circumstances,
when trying to write under stress it can leave a writer totally exhausted and
completely unproductive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When juggling writing
and life <em>(or in the lovely Larissa Reinhart’s case, juggling writing, life AND
Lu the future Olympic Badmitten Champ)</em> ‘regular’ stress is tough enough. Couple that with unexpected
disasters such as illnesses, computer crashes, car accidents, it could be
enough to push a writer away from the computer permanently.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlpbSXMUy6lceNrzeNT4pNQSabkBcXmEZgwSnsfQRZe8kOXfawRnwc80a5ASuwhAqQCWb2xLxiCqBSgwysGdRXSFmH4AUVP9R1BNPjRYm9eijUMvPK43dDhzyNyPFnf_AopUACgyBHUwN/s1600/stress-reduction-business1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlpbSXMUy6lceNrzeNT4pNQSabkBcXmEZgwSnsfQRZe8kOXfawRnwc80a5ASuwhAqQCWb2xLxiCqBSgwysGdRXSFmH4AUVP9R1BNPjRYm9eijUMvPK43dDhzyNyPFnf_AopUACgyBHUwN/s200/stress-reduction-business1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Because of this I think it’s important to always remember
that not only do we have each other – <em>no writer is ever truly alone</em> – we also have plenty
of tricks in our personal arsenals whereby we can help each other out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve compiled a great little list of things
that have helped me cut stress while writing:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDU24CYmVY8cvC6hh_dK74NPtgc0H_tQkr7v4y4k3ukVrec2591X3Wol0MMnVETG_tsXASjp8UfByrYoSK8jvvvfXqKnCERNLOOh1SGTvouegrU3UYM8NytU64L4iPDwwfrTUE9oJRcyf/s1600/crossed-out-distractions2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDU24CYmVY8cvC6hh_dK74NPtgc0H_tQkr7v4y4k3ukVrec2591X3Wol0MMnVETG_tsXASjp8UfByrYoSK8jvvvfXqKnCERNLOOh1SGTvouegrU3UYM8NytU64L4iPDwwfrTUE9oJRcyf/s200/crossed-out-distractions2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Try to cut out distractions or sounds that bug
you.</u> If you need quiet, ask to be left alone for a while and shut your office door.
If noise doesn’t bother you, or you need it to write, headphones are great for
blocking out all other sounds. Sometimes I like to play nature sounds while I’m
writing while stressed, ocean and rain sounds are extremely soothing.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspvC3Rv5K8bv5yoavwEfPRqLaBncvkpP9hZaTad-IkkpjvIxWVd-FtwQzXyYRKxXa6jaPGRJC5zxTENMd9n9gP1VCiWW9eeMibxZTkvOw_B5oGBJAkDjdXi2XseKtaI0yKx1rxRJGu48n/s1600/breathing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspvC3Rv5K8bv5yoavwEfPRqLaBncvkpP9hZaTad-IkkpjvIxWVd-FtwQzXyYRKxXa6jaPGRJC5zxTENMd9n9gP1VCiWW9eeMibxZTkvOw_B5oGBJAkDjdXi2XseKtaI0yKx1rxRJGu48n/s200/breathing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Deep breathing techniques are extremely
helpful.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They calm your nerves and take
the edge off.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span></span></strong></span></span> </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NqN2Cd0FhJnJw_ZH6a0YDK5ggC_0yV0uVL-ttr7Roojsi9EQwa3wEYhVpbIUmG99USZX0IhCzVyYuIwIEAVJCzA-5dA5x4DY64-l36yd218g9kRzMt_zxDcroWO2cbLo22mEO-Pftyir/s1600/bookshelf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_NqN2Cd0FhJnJw_ZH6a0YDK5ggC_0yV0uVL-ttr7Roojsi9EQwa3wEYhVpbIUmG99USZX0IhCzVyYuIwIEAVJCzA-5dA5x4DY64-l36yd218g9kRzMt_zxDcroWO2cbLo22mEO-Pftyir/s200/bookshelf.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>Make your writing space your own.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not everybody has an office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For many years all I had was a corner of
whatever room had the least amount of furniture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hung a bulletin board in that corner and
put whatever I wanted on it. Sometimes it was story outlines, sometimes it was
Garfield cartoons, or sometimes it was a great shot of the Dude of the
Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set up your area as your area to
the best of your ability, move the furniture in whatever is conducive for you
to write and write comfortably.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;">Feeling
at ease in your writing environment puts you at ease and will aid in making you
more productive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add candles, incense,
and unique décor to bring about a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere that will
help you forget your worries and focus on writing, even when you're under
stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYBqAejWVRKatuvJdWJaBQVgLXpsnqmDsBhQ606djJQnZq1VzlKg1BdnK7DCHL8pBDtoUZG80jQCj9nnLCgRkjNesYQKz4UX9QOrT2Y0Kv3gybgz9NGmKlbS-Jco9bSR5176qYXs-0KSG/s1600/office2-709940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYBqAejWVRKatuvJdWJaBQVgLXpsnqmDsBhQ606djJQnZq1VzlKg1BdnK7DCHL8pBDtoUZG80jQCj9nnLCgRkjNesYQKz4UX9QOrT2Y0Kv3gybgz9NGmKlbS-Jco9bSR5176qYXs-0KSG/s200/office2-709940.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lovely Rosemary Harris' Office<br />
(c) 2007 Jungle Red Blog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"> Do the same once you have an
office – it’s your space to be creative. Make it your own, even if that means a
ton of stuffed animals, shots of hot guys, a cluttered desk, bulletin boards,
and bookshelves galore…um, ah, yeah, that’s my office. LOL </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"> (The "Cleanest Office I've Ever Seen Award" has to go to Kathleen Eagle. She has THE most spotless writer's office I've ever witnessed!) </span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><u>Sometimes it’s best just to get up and walk
away.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not permanently, but long enough
so you can find your focus again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a
walk, have a drink of something, play with your cat or dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Focus on easing the stress level before you
go back to work on your WIP.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <strong>B</strong></span></span></span><u>e inspired by whatever it is you’ve already
written.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><u> </u> </span>Jennifer Cruise spoke about
this at a conference I attended and I’ve never forgotten it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look back at your previous works and think
about how you could develop it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re
expounding on what you’ve already written, not developing a whole new idea to
further your story arch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further your
story by taking the creative pieces you already have and making them work
together to move the story along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
really does work!<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyMxvQaBNiz-ssM6pTFZWHmCU1dobIBNLgRrRBUJNOcHzP_xWqU5E6kIWa78CEkH1kvkOFd9Y8LSfYlRd0qk3JDAmFNi57h9pjbyvJLitQ054qawgODJgKJx0huVB-R7YbhC8NK1wunOK/s1600/0000260041_350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoyMxvQaBNiz-ssM6pTFZWHmCU1dobIBNLgRrRBUJNOcHzP_xWqU5E6kIWa78CEkH1kvkOFd9Y8LSfYlRd0qk3JDAmFNi57h9pjbyvJLitQ054qawgODJgKJx0huVB-R7YbhC8NK1wunOK/s200/0000260041_350.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikO-hiFC2vd6pp3lX6MGqfAF84MnWdfobVGfqt-yYBfSP-plikCKymubJ5NermNsjZjnVfwZ5b8Ws98ut49oVt7jnm-1Xd7Qy6mN9fqzNWTpb1v3ew7ovjJYXYqoJsLppSzxGm_3OsvVA-/s1600/RainSounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikO-hiFC2vd6pp3lX6MGqfAF84MnWdfobVGfqt-yYBfSP-plikCKymubJ5NermNsjZjnVfwZ5b8Ws98ut49oVt7jnm-1Xd7Qy6mN9fqzNWTpb1v3ew7ovjJYXYqoJsLppSzxGm_3OsvVA-/s200/RainSounds.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 6.</span></span><u>There’s nothing wrong with white noise!!</u> Low
music, mini fountains, even having the television on on a program that you
would never watch in a million years can provide just enough background noise
for you to focus and forget your stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="background-color: white;">(<em>Never use a show you’d watch as background noise, you’ll always end up
watching it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Law & Order SVU or
Big Bang Theory is on I <u>know</u> I will NOT get any writing done.)</em></span></span></strong><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #660000;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><u>There’s nothing wrong with using colors to cut
your stress.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been proven that what
color you paint your walls can have a direct effect on your mood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I’m not saying you need to completely
repaint your writing space but you can still use color to your advantage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtains, chair cushions, throw pillows, a
sand art bottle, stained glass window hanging, there are dozens of things that
can be used to colorize your space and aid in reducing stress. Yellow is known
to be a happy color, green makes a person feel energized, blue is a calming color,
purples are known to inspire creativity. </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"> If you’re in a room that has no
windows or is just generally dull and drab, there’s nothing wrong with hanging
a brightly colored print on the wall. Better yet, buy one of those paintings of
an open window and that can be your window and sunshine! </span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"> </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"> </span><span style="color: red;"> (Avoid red when you’re
under stress, it’s known as an angry color…hmmmm, since my whole kitchen is
done in red, my pots and pans must be REALLY pissed off!)<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <u>I</u></span></span></span><u>f your stress is causing you to feel angry,
instead of feeling worn out or helpless, use that anger to get "fired
up" and write a fight scene.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use
the stress to your advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s
one scene in Blood Roles that was written while my husband was dying and my in-laws
were being unnecessarily difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
went home and wrote a kickass fight scene that I’m still getting great comments
on so, yes, sometimes stress can produce some awesome writing while lessening
the actual stress that you’re feeling. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Now, this is going to be a tough one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>I’ve heard many times that when stressed it’s
best to avoid drinking anything sugary or carbonated.</u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These hype you up and make you jittery and
supposedly you won’t be able to concentrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For somebody like me, who lives on sweet tea, I have no problem
focusing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, there ARE people who do
so if you know that this type of stuff makes you jittery? Try to avoid it while
you’re stressed so you’ll be able to focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, I know a few writers who can’t focus without Pepsi or
Diet Coke <em>(ya’ll know who you are…)</em> so if it’ll help you focus, drink up! <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMe6_erb6Wo2H9vbYgcHbAjfwg1IkUGLO9iYoiVzk_9YQ7fS8r1NfViwnp8u2fuJIbPEW-JZgaSWdKW8U8ePPuhZyMngn0PVP4C4oNmgOx2KMaOMD-3txjbytrObq14T8rzpzZR6g10681/s1600/Fruits-and-Veggies-575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMe6_erb6Wo2H9vbYgcHbAjfwg1IkUGLO9iYoiVzk_9YQ7fS8r1NfViwnp8u2fuJIbPEW-JZgaSWdKW8U8ePPuhZyMngn0PVP4C4oNmgOx2KMaOMD-3txjbytrObq14T8rzpzZR6g10681/s200/Fruits-and-Veggies-575.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #e69138;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> 10. </span></span><u>Eat carefully.</u> Food impacts your ability to
focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eat things that are healthy for
you if at all possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NOW YES – I KNOW
– this is a hard one, stress or no stress. I know writers that are on major
deadlines who’ve eaten Reeses Peanut Butter Cups with Mr. Pibb for breakfast so
they could get that deadline done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>(Don’t
lie, you know we’ve all done it…)</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em> </em> </span>When
you’re stressed, especially if you’re an emotional eater, there will be a
desire to chow down instead of focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When those moments arise, try to stick with fruits and veggies if at all
possible.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpiLC8WeDyo3ZG_F6oMB0O46Ef7tmqpYRGKMbfVWdgDCBpDNQxXbpKAWIPXotv2xBn1xeeN_S4iNTKSO9VWcA4Jgl1AVGCi7TaR7EnDMax3Y7lPvY52mwgbw3JY6YsSCBNDbsqtk4y9N3/s1600/no-junk-food3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpiLC8WeDyo3ZG_F6oMB0O46Ef7tmqpYRGKMbfVWdgDCBpDNQxXbpKAWIPXotv2xBn1xeeN_S4iNTKSO9VWcA4Jgl1AVGCi7TaR7EnDMax3Y7lPvY52mwgbw3JY6YsSCBNDbsqtk4y9N3/s200/no-junk-food3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-yWGU3SrefLZfGOcOymXKsUB_w2qk6NnyKZ8s_Es7QfF3GbYdP7SjtNYER8XOpfhKLzFoiRGdYChJY9ZILTGFcbMuJrXTMl77S2eTVZREMUB9N99ljN42TW1paQFXFxG19OUG5UoBRCZ/s1600/written_in_stone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-yWGU3SrefLZfGOcOymXKsUB_w2qk6NnyKZ8s_Es7QfF3GbYdP7SjtNYER8XOpfhKLzFoiRGdYChJY9ZILTGFcbMuJrXTMl77S2eTVZREMUB9N99ljN42TW1paQFXFxG19OUG5UoBRCZ/s200/written_in_stone.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>These
are just a few ideas and they’re not written in stone, remember, very little is
written in stone. So the next time you’re faced with too much stress and not
enough focus, try a few of these ideas and hopefully you’ll be able to focus
and keep writing! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRsiNaXGzuyVit7c9xlIG_l-ir0dCuRP6xzQt8W4ihHMpWsLPxUnluLYIoSrou5VX8zBKm8sHEbVDf6H8VLQ5d4Vs7rnR1kiGTnwZc_MwYaKk41Uw99bx9_Q2hFBlpND3Y_DleAnqrkuj/s1600/lg-smiley-stress-ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRsiNaXGzuyVit7c9xlIG_l-ir0dCuRP6xzQt8W4ihHMpWsLPxUnluLYIoSrou5VX8zBKm8sHEbVDf6H8VLQ5d4Vs7rnR1kiGTnwZc_MwYaKk41Uw99bx9_Q2hFBlpND3Y_DleAnqrkuj/s200/lg-smiley-stress-ball.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Anybody else got any
good ideas for cutting stress while writing??</strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-8440266929578647762012-08-29T13:23:00.001-07:002012-08-29T13:24:06.950-07:00UE Detour!! <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><strong>Thanks to my blog on Urban Exploration I've gotten a lot of email regarding my reference to Witley Park. So this week I'm going to take a little detour from writing to let you all in on one of Great Britain's best kept secrets. Look closely at this picture:</strong></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vWABI2H8OR1PPRtRPqH8ESUq42djuODA2KQ88RnJaiSAr2yp2jnyxnymsg9hznRiGAm_vguWTWJ8PvJT2r_Kn0FlXPci6bF_Pa2lHj3GfPZWTJ3tnaImMw69WjRVyMkfAh7c8U1i6L99/s1600/Ballroom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vWABI2H8OR1PPRtRPqH8ESUq42djuODA2KQ88RnJaiSAr2yp2jnyxnymsg9hznRiGAm_vguWTWJ8PvJT2r_Kn0FlXPci6bF_Pa2lHj3GfPZWTJ3tnaImMw69WjRVyMkfAh7c8U1i6L99/s320/Ballroom1.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">What do you see there? Looks like a lake with a statue doesn't it? Believe it or not, you're looking at a <em>ballroom</em> - the statue sits dead center of the domed window ceiling that lets light in through the water above.</span></strong> </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw7sQ4UMj9AmEW7DeBi36xmhX4KeHsdrnUS9dmFq_eLCg4-yzduYuiswXRIkUr8gidg0ZOXsFbPxhnSllIm2puvCX8BrDfvVrhBX0fKlkQI-9ZLyp8MB82nuaBRXJRUEQMRP7e5U0rVQp/s1600/LakeCybergibbons2006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKw7sQ4UMj9AmEW7DeBi36xmhX4KeHsdrnUS9dmFq_eLCg4-yzduYuiswXRIkUr8gidg0ZOXsFbPxhnSllIm2puvCX8BrDfvVrhBX0fKlkQI-9ZLyp8MB82nuaBRXJRUEQMRP7e5U0rVQp/s320/LakeCybergibbons2006.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ballroom lit up at night. <br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Witley Park is considered a vulgar piece of British history. It's one of those "hush-hush" things that lends itself to gossip but is met with a blank stare when queried about. </span>To quote British journalist Harry Blount, <em>“</em></span></strong></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;"><em>The tale behind it involves
not just a staggeringly ambitious, wildly over-the-top folly, but also a tragic
Victorian morality story of speculation, corruption, disgrace and suicide.”</em></span></strong> </span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4CWV6NBBLesYugZ9WhHzDO7q0iMCTEnJzY-cE0W10kb8WSRW50FpqZV34JP4wp07vrrXtUr2C9_H0egSZYmrxa-8qYjqwjbVicxKXgT60rbJYMD0xq5QP2U34HwmPxRwkUpq-6FKhst-/s1600/FrancesWhitaker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4CWV6NBBLesYugZ9WhHzDO7q0iMCTEnJzY-cE0W10kb8WSRW50FpqZV34JP4wp07vrrXtUr2C9_H0egSZYmrxa-8qYjqwjbVicxKXgT60rbJYMD0xq5QP2U34HwmPxRwkUpq-6FKhst-/s320/FrancesWhitaker.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous F. Whitaker Wright.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>British
born Francis Whitaker Wright came to America in 1867 and built not one but several
fortunes while investing in silver mines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
A</span>s fast as he made the cash though, he lost it and when he <em>did</em> have money his
investors rarely, if ever, made a penny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFovUq5Y5eLz_lLGMW1hb-NTcc2kghtNrr4-fcvJ2cZGaHX43RLjz0ZpAcYZa3ur75LPaiscXdaiZpM-rtjRxFxmGqPD9uZXNeHn9xxUfjFNm6rHZJlraNpon2DW8CU_xwHrb3EyIyDi_/s1600/EntanceTunnelCyberGib2006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPFovUq5Y5eLz_lLGMW1hb-NTcc2kghtNrr4-fcvJ2cZGaHX43RLjz0ZpAcYZa3ur75LPaiscXdaiZpM-rtjRxFxmGqPD9uZXNeHn9xxUfjFNm6rHZJlraNpon2DW8CU_xwHrb3EyIyDi_/s320/EntanceTunnelCyberGib2006.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel to the ballroom.<br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Realizing that the great American west held limited prospects to continue
to swindle, Mr. Wright headed back east where he became the chairman of the
Philadelphia Mining Exchange and a member of the New York Stock Exchange. This allowed him more opportunities to defraud countless people. </strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5Zb_utRczXFUrsbHS3CSda51heCnElidIIVNHX6Nk98_WmGRrbb3XTZXfQmWw2MR9Wg-SEUAVnD5KM8P_v2-i_3a_vcNAZyBy478bcksEJYNn-YkjozbYo5u6vvclrFDARr4nW6pw5kr/s1600/ph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5Zb_utRczXFUrsbHS3CSda51heCnElidIIVNHX6Nk98_WmGRrbb3XTZXfQmWw2MR9Wg-SEUAVnD5KM8P_v2-i_3a_vcNAZyBy478bcksEJYNn-YkjozbYo5u6vvclrFDARr4nW6pw5kr/s320/ph.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pump house that feeds the lake.<br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">To make a long
story short, sooner or later he <em>did</em> manage to outstay his welcome in America and returned to
England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 1896 Wright had swindled literally millions
of pounds from his investors by promoting himself as an expert regarding
mining. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That money was funneled into
Witley Park which Wright purchased from the Earl of Derby.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDeaudv_0wE7ymVRQ4eCx22LcACSrb5caUjKJqbRz5moiuGk87qGXT-rLG13f1J1_tvRtpOglTvsmOPfHgkB_D9_AjFbIPS4HmBfvmvyDltTsW9VHAWfeBP3t8iyVPVz0i4b_wshrYNkr/s1600/Whitley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyDeaudv_0wE7ymVRQ4eCx22LcACSrb5caUjKJqbRz5moiuGk87qGXT-rLG13f1J1_tvRtpOglTvsmOPfHgkB_D9_AjFbIPS4HmBfvmvyDltTsW9VHAWfeBP3t8iyVPVz0i4b_wshrYNkr/s320/Whitley.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witley Park Manor in all its glory.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">While there <em>were</em> yachts and fancy townhomes, as well as expensive jewelry and clothing for not only his wife but Wright himself, Wright’s crown jewel was the mammoth estate - which he gutted and proceeded to completely overhaul. </span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oEYivzFJLZzKlMPvlnI84Avayzbawuy5uoUhi82rTuHHnbt2Y4J2GnQ-7zivVYKJ2YN3AIT2HJbj9m_qOLbxvgEte7TvDaclJbXJ371fXs2I4uByozlusVwOEHCmylgZOULhcOK44W3A/s1600/door.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oEYivzFJLZzKlMPvlnI84Avayzbawuy5uoUhi82rTuHHnbt2Y4J2GnQ-7zivVYKJ2YN3AIT2HJbj9m_qOLbxvgEte7TvDaclJbXJ371fXs2I4uByozlusVwOEHCmylgZOULhcOK44W3A/s320/door.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the three entrances to the tunnels.<br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">In the end the manor would sport sixteen bedrooms, twelve water-closets, three kitchens, three libraries, several profesisonal parlors, a velodrome (an arena with a banked track for cycle racing), a theatre and observatory, a
private hospital, a fifty horse stable and an underwater ballroom complex complete with
a billiards room, a party room and a swimming pool that may or may not have included a fountain.</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm37Z-RgbgdWyaOMkUxo1CIHN74CEaBYWWk-LXqMvI68Akl_QWcwsWfgjP6-2NIpDD8IcG1wHNQlD_3p7_uoZX7xrzlp7WP0ZueyC5yj3MYounrJf1uu81W545B2uEv5fBf8lP-A7grqJE/s1600/PoolCybergibbons2006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm37Z-RgbgdWyaOMkUxo1CIHN74CEaBYWWk-LXqMvI68Akl_QWcwsWfgjP6-2NIpDD8IcG1wHNQlD_3p7_uoZX7xrzlp7WP0ZueyC5yj3MYounrJf1uu81W545B2uEv5fBf8lP-A7grqJE/s320/PoolCybergibbons2006.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down on the swimming pool.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">Publicly
referred to as “gorgeous vulgarity” and a “magnificent burlesque of business”
the estate brought in the crème de le crème of British society – including members
of Queen Victoria’s court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L5Fg6J_DAWZtWTKA4R0nez4pZrRtiygHeX4MNCEne8r_3q8Nmz2Z8Qd5fUxO7T-wEH_7spVBb97nDIgSLR6hPX7K2m9oE_YKccTzZLDcM8PFVS-pyMJVQW-5kBGFY53Yeh5u7oeIkLTj/s1600/rm.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7L5Fg6J_DAWZtWTKA4R0nez4pZrRtiygHeX4MNCEne8r_3q8Nmz2Z8Qd5fUxO7T-wEH_7spVBb97nDIgSLR6hPX7K2m9oE_YKccTzZLDcM8PFVS-pyMJVQW-5kBGFY53Yeh5u7oeIkLTj/s320/rm.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "party room". This area sits out in the middle of the lake.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd_5yBcipXqk2m0pmTZULciXlNwasXKbmqWRzhA0_o_6D1pX-8Ulo5lSuZwGyFnOwJl06knZeaVRFww4tsCdfn-6FNehh9zMVoeiPTJf5rjF12zaZ86Se5M9CsM-1Z0eIQvCOQ83tk8ev/s1600/weewga.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjd_5yBcipXqk2m0pmTZULciXlNwasXKbmqWRzhA0_o_6D1pX-8Ulo5lSuZwGyFnOwJl06knZeaVRFww4tsCdfn-6FNehh9zMVoeiPTJf5rjF12zaZ86Se5M9CsM-1Z0eIQvCOQ83tk8ev/s320/weewga.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the "party room".<br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The underwater ballroom hosted many parties and its adjoining billiard room was frequented even more often as Wright loved to play in the ambient light the skylights offered.</span></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXdJsD7RjiGjS8CJwjcEo2oNv185W0ibMOz0DoFX7_aNIQTi5Im75eZ-D7I6mjHpUc1RJews_XN93E6HWDPpYVyYWqqGEkmA7bmnXrxFgiUGOWCvEFu9gqz4jof9kPRjPXM8zJiS4xGN4/s1600/Billiard+Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXdJsD7RjiGjS8CJwjcEo2oNv185W0ibMOz0DoFX7_aNIQTi5Im75eZ-D7I6mjHpUc1RJews_XN93E6HWDPpYVyYWqqGEkmA7bmnXrxFgiUGOWCvEFu9gqz4jof9kPRjPXM8zJiS4xGN4/s320/Billiard+Room.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Billiard Room (c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">By 1900
Wright had pulled one too many cons. As with most Ponzi schemes, his frauds began
to come to light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1903
Wright fled the country, leaving his estate to sit as he was pursued,
extradited and forced to face trial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon
being found guilty, Wright promptly smoked a cigar and went to the loo where he
took cyanide and died sitting on, of all places, the toilet.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguizthCOoLwRwHKClfLFj7wIX4kd-Vm4gG-mcYKhRhcGpQpxZyzJTbBYllRuXWuhZZYMKtOkr5Zwn6QgdRa_GmQIhb1n6EXtfWZ8dqdVFlUAeWDoHJwDJ83at2gwnFt_0JfMcYGtHdAA0a/s1600/2006Cybergibbons.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguizthCOoLwRwHKClfLFj7wIX4kd-Vm4gG-mcYKhRhcGpQpxZyzJTbBYllRuXWuhZZYMKtOkr5Zwn6QgdRa_GmQIhb1n6EXtfWZ8dqdVFlUAeWDoHJwDJ83at2gwnFt_0JfMcYGtHdAA0a/s320/2006Cybergibbons.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One entrance down into the ballroom.<br />
The Brits call this a "pontoon" house.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22ljQtjE4CPh0_lgl3R6U5bXY-SPDIV4zTYpB4mm8HMqOmNenYIwqP8TK6pFFZiXd4djo2l2CA4N6tZPbOaISPUyixkG3Fuxlmkrr6wulhH32ahPgzFHEODJgd4R5Jk-K54P76a8LFu8k/s1600/DoorCybergibbons2006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22ljQtjE4CPh0_lgl3R6U5bXY-SPDIV4zTYpB4mm8HMqOmNenYIwqP8TK6pFFZiXd4djo2l2CA4N6tZPbOaISPUyixkG3Fuxlmkrr6wulhH32ahPgzFHEODJgd4R5Jk-K54P76a8LFu8k/s320/DoorCybergibbons2006.png" width="213" /></a></div>
The door to the "pontoon" house. <br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">Today Witley
Park has been split and divided numerous times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The main house was destroyed in a fire while its remaining buildings
were turned into a conference center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolN439WuSN_MosXiFBquZ8RpezAIQMnBL4ZE6YYAZtPQ9iMuTMus_YZYvCGCCZ_PJV6YA9gqZCj5iuEBaZ5fDCscI5nXPmL-jgSSvFUcreyNXeHyRDuZZws1Ddsys69B_bw0-YKMZ7xdX/s1600/article-2058772-0EB74DBB00000578-130_634x558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgolN439WuSN_MosXiFBquZ8RpezAIQMnBL4ZE6YYAZtPQ9iMuTMus_YZYvCGCCZ_PJV6YA9gqZCj5iuEBaZ5fDCscI5nXPmL-jgSSvFUcreyNXeHyRDuZZws1Ddsys69B_bw0-YKMZ7xdX/s320/article-2058772-0EB74DBB00000578-130_634x558.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Witley Park property today. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvPBjBbbTcTN6yV2VGysDg4oUNIwl28c_hvVqxDgfJBEo2V09rXwS7Mx0Wzck6uhOxoDvEEj9pJYFYBghrsQuwG_UB6mdSThyphenhyphenTBaxUpaXF-8Xdso4wAimTczdF5gZEM4qkt4IZiF5r5LF/s1600/128626586_e3e1b93580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvPBjBbbTcTN6yV2VGysDg4oUNIwl28c_hvVqxDgfJBEo2V09rXwS7Mx0Wzck6uhOxoDvEEj9pJYFYBghrsQuwG_UB6mdSThyphenhyphenTBaxUpaXF-8Xdso4wAimTczdF5gZEM4qkt4IZiF5r5LF/s320/128626586_e3e1b93580.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up at the ballroom ceiling. <br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">The lake and its ballroom are privately owned by an entrepreneur who,
every so often, will allow an explorer down below the depths to investigate
what was once a grand and regal monument to the gilded age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tj-Y4mCuVMPhsm3E8Pyi1tUFQW81yErZJZWhNwa3u4Oc7VhrcK9vLjtL5sI4ObQB7Hf8eCvplbgS_8DdsTZp4b74Xvay9pzGcQFF97P0c_TZk0-ISbXJ_SaIhG8RTOJvrF0dQm709Pl2/s1600/JamesBrown2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Tj-Y4mCuVMPhsm3E8Pyi1tUFQW81yErZJZWhNwa3u4Oc7VhrcK9vLjtL5sI4ObQB7Hf8eCvplbgS_8DdsTZp4b74Xvay9pzGcQFF97P0c_TZk0-ISbXJ_SaIhG8RTOJvrF0dQm709Pl2/s320/JamesBrown2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Witley Park Ballroom<br />
(c) 2011 James Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Wright’s Folly,
as Witley Park is known amidst the locals, is a piece of British history that is
not well known but <em>is</em> truly fascinating and thought provoking nonetheless. </strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqp3Jc3L4ybLd9uVxytprZ-HMifKg1f5ch-Y5FfKrr9y3LV_5TQYyAZ5HpxUkbSvLKRcJ-lHO3zhg061IT7YtN3NRHFc3OOnwL1mqgToM90S4RjbA-e1opdl8s1YQ1M3R5xOCKhyh_0Iz/s1600/Dome2006Cybergibbons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqp3Jc3L4ybLd9uVxytprZ-HMifKg1f5ch-Y5FfKrr9y3LV_5TQYyAZ5HpxUkbSvLKRcJ-lHO3zhg061IT7YtN3NRHFc3OOnwL1mqgToM90S4RjbA-e1opdl8s1YQ1M3R5xOCKhyh_0Iz/s320/Dome2006Cybergibbons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel into the billiard room.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ever since I found out about it I
have <em>loved</em> the Witley Park ballroom. I think the concept is fascinating and would <em>love </em>to use it in
a book. I just haven’t come up with the right story yet. If I don’t, I hope
somebody else does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ballroom is a testament to
ingenuity if nothing else. </strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieu2SRqLcIwYMRNsXbIh_xWIL_uD7kn-AycijhdGnYoATioHGwbs371GbdiJVehVZE6llD8QHlJokeLLu9m5hzHk93030EEARWYIdMJ86HVwOl-6HPSOJNfS171NVJry7afgZKMfe0ro0v/s1600/CyberGibbons2006.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieu2SRqLcIwYMRNsXbIh_xWIL_uD7kn-AycijhdGnYoATioHGwbs371GbdiJVehVZE6llD8QHlJokeLLu9m5hzHk93030EEARWYIdMJ86HVwOl-6HPSOJNfS171NVJry7afgZKMfe0ro0v/s320/CyberGibbons2006.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the ballroom at dusk.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Well over 100 years old at this point, the expanse of tunnels and rooms remains almost completely dry. There has only been one recorded flooding of the complex and that was in 2011 due to extended rainstorms. The drainage system installed within the complex's walls and floors had the entire underground area dried out within two weeks.</strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4Dtxh2QDmh7TzegP7HXYB7abOWl7ljFgLHDkQjJzJg3ccXGu0nv_DAPY0FR614PAQo2gOiITpjfKFRu42xKteANKJAq3UpMZ1oMuBhC6SBcSD3XFZR9Frzkg75vbnLzsUCfXqwGJ2VJ8/s1600/drain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4Dtxh2QDmh7TzegP7HXYB7abOWl7ljFgLHDkQjJzJg3ccXGu0nv_DAPY0FR614PAQo2gOiITpjfKFRu42xKteANKJAq3UpMZ1oMuBhC6SBcSD3XFZR9Frzkg75vbnLzsUCfXqwGJ2VJ8/s320/drain.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The drain in the billiard room.<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Also the use of skylights to light the entire
complex, along with the tunnels to and from each room, are amazing examples of
architecture.</strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhuuNT1wlRzyC7siOtQIicSM9KNVJULa-WZbm75HBCvaC3sAOZfdxA1XzmSHGDCUDwLUHZo6PfDtyMKByLl1r8uTWGp8vXX3bJ7-YE_dYAcQTdK4GpqAJvtfnFy8CBsbasAg7iBzXC2js/s1600/sk.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhuuNT1wlRzyC7siOtQIicSM9KNVJULa-WZbm75HBCvaC3sAOZfdxA1XzmSHGDCUDwLUHZo6PfDtyMKByLl1r8uTWGp8vXX3bJ7-YE_dYAcQTdK4GpqAJvtfnFy8CBsbasAg7iBzXC2js/s320/sk.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the various skylights used to light the tunnels.<br />
(c) 2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4mXAFcYEHjiBzd5w-61sWzPqjzZnzz7qoXpqknkpa7exZ11eN6VMvrCJ0efxG_piTbHwM-GQkJnKGTaEz_RiWkaMrGotUjCTZhj7hWEsPeNmOlsRHk1bBj7fmpuyerv3xaA6klBI-ja2/s1600/ddd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4mXAFcYEHjiBzd5w-61sWzPqjzZnzz7qoXpqknkpa7exZ11eN6VMvrCJ0efxG_piTbHwM-GQkJnKGTaEz_RiWkaMrGotUjCTZhj7hWEsPeNmOlsRHk1bBj7fmpuyerv3xaA6klBI-ja2/s320/ddd.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skylight<br />
(c)2006 Cybergibbons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>The expertise with which the entire </strong></span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>complex was built tells us that Wright hired the best to do the work. I have a feeling that if it had been Wright himself who had actually built any of this it would have collapsed long ago. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></strong></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvXaw9Qt4pUyQf9KiX-w3oJ5pnoDV3DUqR2rEzA4lxEb0YBdv-BZEoUsxV3CnHxl-WOYfFtRHtWQrYvLXUWg3X8c97NC0onlg8fBE_kOsRIhuM1IfDUW47TIh1KOgKYKMWCdNdmlToQrs/s1600/wit12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvXaw9Qt4pUyQf9KiX-w3oJ5pnoDV3DUqR2rEzA4lxEb0YBdv-BZEoUsxV3CnHxl-WOYfFtRHtWQrYvLXUWg3X8c97NC0onlg8fBE_kOsRIhuM1IfDUW47TIh1KOgKYKMWCdNdmlToQrs/s320/wit12.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ballroom when it <em>did</em> flood in 2011. <br />
(c)2011 James Brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>So there you have it - Witley Park. If I ever make it to England? This is on my list of must see locations! </strong></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span> </div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-33408870451744982842012-08-23T15:43:00.002-07:002012-08-23T15:48:56.328-07:00Kewl, I Gots An Award!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><strong>Soooo, I was esteemed and honored to be given the
Illustrious<em> Booker Award</em> by the lovely Samantha MacDouglas!</strong></span> <span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;"><strong>(It's just for fun but it's still an award, kinda...lol)</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">A requirement of this award is to share our 5 favorite books
of all time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe it or not, this was soooooo
hard for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a TON of books that I
LOVE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really hard to pare them
down to just five! My entire office is is full of books – on the walls, on the
desk, under the desk, in the closet, well, you get the picture. It doesn’t stop
there, though, my living room and bedroom are just as full to overflowing with
books.</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have always loved reading and I’ve spent a good part of my
life with my nose stuck in a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
reading you are whisked away and taken to other places, other worlds, other
dimensions. There is so<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>much you can
see, feel and learn when you read a book.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">It took me a while to narrow the list down but after much thought, I was able to come up with five books that I cannot live without! Here’s my five fave books of all time:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><em><span style="color: blue;"><strong><u>Great Expectations, Charles Dickens:</u></strong></span></em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">Dickens was far more warped than the literary world has given
him credit for. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think about it –
Miss Havisham wandering around in a wedding dress for decades? Saving the cake?
Training her adopted child to use and abuse men as revenge for the guy who
jilted her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woman has stalker and/or sociopath written
all over her!! I love this book for the defining of her character without her
even being the main character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pip and
that nasty little wench Estella are okay in their place, but Miss Havisham ties
it all together without actually being all that important to the storyline
itself. The book is about Pip, not Miss H, but for me? Miss H is what makes the book.</span></strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><u><span style="color: blue;"><em>The Stand, Stephen King</em>:</span></u></strong> <strong><span style="color: #20124d;">I first read this book back in high school
(billions and billions of years ago according to my children!) and I was taken
with the artistry of its narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Horror books are never all that thought provoking, in my opinion, and
<em>The Stand</em> stood apart from the norm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wretched miniseries aside, the descriptive canvas of the end of the
world as we know it from man-made disease is not <em>that </em>far fetched, nor is it
totally impossible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In spite of the
paranormal avenues of the book itself the reader is still left with the
lingering question of what if somebody actually dropped a petri-dish? What if
half the world’s population was wiped out? What if? What would we do? (Says the
girl who still doesn’t have flashlights or batteries and there’s a possible
hurricane on the way…)</span></strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: blue;"><u><strong>This Time Forever, Kathleen Eagle</strong></u><em>:</em></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">A cowboy wrongly convicted of a crime he didn’t
commit, a nurse who is also one of the jurors who sent him to jail and who, in
turn, aids in getting him released and a premature baby born from a one-night
stand and a brutal accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those three
elements bring together a beautiful story that makes me cry every time I read
it! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs. Eagle creates extremely vivid
and thought-provoking scenes that are at once both touching and
heart-wrenching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I've read this book so much that it is now literally without covers. </span></span></strong></span><o:p><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Calibri;"><strong> </strong></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><span style="color: blue;"></span></em></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T046KsYHkElKLgE8__jV06zy1gIFCU2EesHhrRe3ZmlUpaiCseJCAycv5tuEGh44NuLZ4oL-yuaak8uskC0jwZUo7rv0XfAPXF5p55XesCZBFHlSrZk5Nk0D5jLSzQmzP_dQivS-O4nM/s1600/DESIREUNTAMED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_T046KsYHkElKLgE8__jV06zy1gIFCU2EesHhrRe3ZmlUpaiCseJCAycv5tuEGh44NuLZ4oL-yuaak8uskC0jwZUo7rv0XfAPXF5p55XesCZBFHlSrZk5Nk0D5jLSzQmzP_dQivS-O4nM/s200/DESIREUNTAMED.jpg" width="123" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span style="color: blue;">Desire Untamed, Pamela Palmer</span>:</em></strong> <strong><span style="color: #20124d;">While I looovveeee ALL of Pamela’s Feral
Warriors series, I love this one the best. It’s the first time I’d ever seen my
first name (or part of it actually) as a heroine’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was growing up it was the one name
that was never <em>anywhere</em> so it was awesome to see if finally hitting a book (it
hit television in 1985, on The Cosby Show, lol) That fact aside, Pamela creates
a fascinating storyline that holds the reader and drags them deeper and deeper
at a breakneck pace so there’s no turning back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The extremely interesting thing about this series is that Ms. Palmer
created the entire thing from nothing. She did <em>no </em>research at all – I know this
because I asked her. LOL To know that a writer can create an entire
civilization and races of paranormal beings with no assistance at all makes the
book even more engrossing, jmo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Me? I’d
have to do research, I know nothing at all about fairies and elementals and six
foot eight inch tall barrel-chested shape-shifters!!)</span></strong></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">And last, but not least, we have a rather unusual book…I’ve
checked out other winners of this award and, for the most part, they’ve listed
classics, romance novels and kids’ books. This is the first of its type I’ve
seen but that’s okay, there are other mystery/suspense writers out there who
can definitely benefit from</span></strong> <em><span style="color: blue;"><strong><u>Katherine Ramsland’s The Human Predator.</u></strong></span></em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">Dr. Ramsland presents us with a vivid and
fascinating history of serial crime and the development of forensic
capabilities over the same span of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the definite go-to book for anyone wanting to present appropriate crime
history in their books. Bear in mind it’s not exactly bedtime reading but it’s
captivating and thought-provoking nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">In conclusion, for this blog I had to limit myself to five.
Personally? And I suggest this for everybody –</span></strong> <em><strong><u><span style="color: blue;">have a favorite book in every
genre there is!!</span></u></strong></em> <span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Heck, have more than one! Have two or three!! You’ll be well read, well rounded and well educated, all the
way around!! </strong></span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-size: large;">Thanks for checking out my favorite books! I've passed the <em>Booker Award</em> on to the Lovely Larissa Reinhart, the Awesome Avery Flynn and the Spectacular Shannon Grey! What are some of your favorite books?</span></strong> </div>
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-74538107137207313902012-08-16T14:20:00.000-07:002012-08-16T17:58:00.773-07:00Friends In Empty Places...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: #660000;"> After taking a week off to guest blog over on the lovely Cindy Carroll's blog I have returned to fill your head with useless yet somewhat interesting knowledge that may or may not come in handy sooner or later! </span></span><span style="color: #660000;">Last
night I got into a discussion with a friend regarding my other passion in life
aside from writing – Urban Exploration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I were twenty years younger and a lot lighter? There might be no Mia
Fisher books on the market at all!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(*gasp*)</span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">For
those who don’t know, Urban Exploration is the fascinating art of exploring and
photographing abandoned buildings, usually hospitals but over the past decade
it’s advanced to factories, mills, churches, even houses, hotels and apartment
buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bear in mind that most of the time this is,
most definitely, <em>illegal</em>.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The Pines Hotel, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2003, Tom Kirsch</span></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">It’s rare that
UE people go asking for permission – basically because sometimes it’s too hard
or time consuming to track the owners down, sometimes it’s because they already
know the answer would be no due to insurance liability or just plain old
crabbiness of the owner. But, sometimes, someone such as Jeremy Barnard (</span><a href="http://www.jeremybarnard.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">www.jeremybarnard.com</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">)
or Tom Kirsch (</span><a href="http://www.opacity.us/"><span style="font-size: large;">www.opacity.us</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">), both exceptional photographers, will get
permission to take pictures in order to produce a series or to document the
building’s history.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
Danvers State Hospital <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (C) 2005, Tom Kirsch </span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">It is
also important to keep in mind that the purpose of a true UE person is <em>not</em> to
deface the property or take from it in anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their motto is to take nothing, leave nothing
behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> In other words, don't make a mess, don't leave a mess, walk in, take pictures, and then leave. </span>Their purpose is to document the
location, to appreciate the beauty of its architecture and to mull its past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is especially true with mental
hospitals, especially Kirkbrides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kirkbrides are what got me interested in UE in the first place.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15HIRnFDHp8bzGSstlZ_LvCyE9vOjjOc0ZBBwoaKbxcQ84zeaYLn4dSrgA18N9SYlAbaU__6oedR39udNYvsztiw8YKQEqbzULXOcH8tMUhCpNyNTOKzvq0IQX1iSgozt8Q9JcS73II4k/s1600/danvers_front_aerial_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15HIRnFDHp8bzGSstlZ_LvCyE9vOjjOc0ZBBwoaKbxcQ84zeaYLn4dSrgA18N9SYlAbaU__6oedR39udNYvsztiw8YKQEqbzULXOcH8tMUhCpNyNTOKzvq0IQX1iSgozt8Q9JcS73II4k/s320/danvers_front_aerial_sm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p><strong> Danvers State Hospital - Kirkbride Layout </strong></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> </strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thomas Kirkbride
was a founding member of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American
Institutions for the Insane (AMSAII) —the forerunner of the American
Psychiatric Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sought to
bring the mentally ill into a calmer and more natural setting than the squalid
warehouses the cities of the 19th Century offered. His building plans were based on the precepts of Moral Treatment, promoting more open floor plans and access to the outside under supervision.</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8S_eUaod0DiftoIu1zP2fwXNwuVxTcPv56FAeACNzrecPXWyavSc6dux64Ib7aPFBf-Der5hVi3ul4Rl5WW0ZoGdiT_TTPUwgIvcE6NOdRZ5I0PzywoyVXJjQ53m5rKm2MIHgjYZ8S5W/s1600/0000005300YorkHallKPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8S_eUaod0DiftoIu1zP2fwXNwuVxTcPv56FAeACNzrecPXWyavSc6dux64Ib7aPFBf-Der5hVi3ul4Rl5WW0ZoGdiT_TTPUwgIvcE6NOdRZ5I0PzywoyVXJjQ53m5rKm2MIHgjYZ8S5W/s320/0000005300YorkHallKPP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #660000;"> <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">York Hall, Kings Park Psychiatric <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2004 Tom Kirsch</span></span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">When
first constructed these buildings were state of the art and breathtaking in
their complex simplicity. But, over time, they pretty much became the places
they were built to replace – warehouses for humans that society didn’t want to
have to deal with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The political
debauchery of health departments aside, in the end these buildings were closed
out due to former President Ronald Reagan’s mental health initiatives leaving most
of these monoliths to sit in silence and rot beneath the sun.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p> Foxboro State Hospital <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005 Tom Kirsch</span></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">That
said, my love of Kirkbrides started at a young age – I had a relative that
worked in one of those buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
we’d go to visit we’d go to pick her up after work. I can remember seeing that
huge gothic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>building – which to a six or
seven year old was absolutely ginormous (to quote a kid).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until I was much older that I
realized just how truly gigantic the building really was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One time security let us in to wait, it was
the administration building, far removed from patients, and it being after
hours, it was deathly quiet. I can remember how it looked – I can also remember
being scared to death of the staircase that led up to the second level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no clue what the building was or what
went on there at that age but I knew something bad was up those stairs, even
with all the lights on I had the creeps.</span> </span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_SUUPOKiY_FQyfjr8lOas0mCAdNkueNE59bqOHHrEXq5MwYU7U6F_G34yUomjo4DI_MPT4QeSf5_XIicHZr_bILSOiemraENHf-DotoodMt3idNVAYobzm_7lFfeVIktrBEef2zTp03T/s1600/0000001338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_SUUPOKiY_FQyfjr8lOas0mCAdNkueNE59bqOHHrEXq5MwYU7U6F_G34yUomjo4DI_MPT4QeSf5_XIicHZr_bILSOiemraENHf-DotoodMt3idNVAYobzm_7lFfeVIktrBEef2zTp03T/s320/0000001338.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><o:p> Danvers Administration Stairs, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005, Tom Kirsch</span></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Years
later I learned that I wasn’t the only one to have a weird experience at that
hospital – or any other monolithic Kirkbride for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion most hospitals of any sort are
haunted (as are nursing homes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But,
yet, my curiosity of the paranormal didn’t determine my love of UE either – it
was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">history</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>If only the walls could talk</em>… Lives lived and
lost, entire sets of people abandoned and left to die, people abused in the
name of medicine, children prisoners in their own bodies left in the care of
strangers, some cruel, some kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many
of these buildings were left as is for the vandals – over the years kids,
drunks, druggies and professional taggers infiltrated these living pieces of history
to steal and destroy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is where the
brave UE people come in – they dare to break the law in order to see that these
pieces of history are documented before they are gone.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZiYRvOb5cuYRShyphenhyphenLvWnQD1WSueyHcBe4xowPUZLnlgenATGVZeVYBt7ZZuRN-_kKz6YeAmwQ1bPmxgSVMQ9Fo18k5zoTHGdHcfZDBDiA-E_TxpL_cPQDa4PByWKl1cje650cL8aN_ZJF/s1600/0000003903GreenHill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZiYRvOb5cuYRShyphenhyphenLvWnQD1WSueyHcBe4xowPUZLnlgenATGVZeVYBt7ZZuRN-_kKz6YeAmwQ1bPmxgSVMQ9Fo18k5zoTHGdHcfZDBDiA-E_TxpL_cPQDa4PByWKl1cje650cL8aN_ZJF/s320/0000003903GreenHill.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p> Green Hill State Hospital, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005 Tom Kirsch</span></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">The
building where my relative had her office is now gone, it was demolished to
make way for condos that, in my opinion, are probably extremely haunted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preservation groups attempted to save that
particular building but ultimately lost in the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even as we speak, Kings Park Psychiatric on
Long Island, which, while not a Kirkbride, was one of the largest mental health
complexes in this country, is being dismantled piece by piece to make way for
more development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully a group of
UE photographers made sure to document every area they could get into before
the end.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfdwrHx4Ec1_iG0c01ghBha_QlODJUkM9U5vfDZKO-J_q4iTOgX-ITal1E3nc_-W4BDl2PIVSeyCKR3tTHszTpa2Kji3anu1stF3FxsMl9GzvJfKzM2M_SgZAbgsFjP6mAGa7EU323__v/s1600/0000000236KPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfdwrHx4Ec1_iG0c01ghBha_QlODJUkM9U5vfDZKO-J_q4iTOgX-ITal1E3nc_-W4BDl2PIVSeyCKR3tTHszTpa2Kji3anu1stF3FxsMl9GzvJfKzM2M_SgZAbgsFjP6mAGa7EU323__v/s320/0000000236KPP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Kings Park Psychiatric, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005, Tom Kirsch</span></span></o:p></span></strong></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">Somebody
once asked me, so what the heck do we the public get from a bunch of pics taken
by a bunch of trespassers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
simple answer:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you get history. You get
a picture of how these places operated, how their patients lived, how they
attempted to function day after day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
those are just the hospitals…someday I’ll tell ya’ll about Whitely Park, that’s
a UE story that’s totally cool, yet totally weird…</span></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV76KAf8eWKOvHfk125dTo30gsiJZXuGMD4ddcfUzysi0l-yOA4EgcOQxY-d9sx5jkKPzEXr4fhyjPQoPBa3wSskrBYO3EA9yoSgrdaE3MoV3yQPNUTit84Ql0C0NNOoL2gPNX3FXKKNxP/s1600/0000001283MetropolitanStateHos.+2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV76KAf8eWKOvHfk125dTo30gsiJZXuGMD4ddcfUzysi0l-yOA4EgcOQxY-d9sx5jkKPzEXr4fhyjPQoPBa3wSskrBYO3EA9yoSgrdaE3MoV3yQPNUTit84Ql0C0NNOoL2gPNX3FXKKNxP/s320/0000001283MetropolitanStateHos.+2004.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #660000;"> <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Metropolitan State Hospital,<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (c) 2005, Tom Kirsch</span></span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway,
Urban Exploration is about documenting history in the present. It’s about
saving what we can to show people how things were in order to pave the way for
how it should be if we ever have to go this route again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man is destined to make the same mistakes
again and again if he doesn’t learn from those mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UE in abandoned mental hospitals allow for
those mistakes to be seen and understood.</span> </span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNoN2d4JTMxlRbALyk781IQL8AoABZIXtz3VzhY77WdIqvvm2DwQcXoKd4H_aMRvN1d_K7heGjRVs1VLWgPKsfxYgJ8HKyXCvbhMYZeW-TuYEELmOIJ__gMcBUQutaQTRS0yBsmh3EVI2/s1600/0000003997MargateStateSchool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNoN2d4JTMxlRbALyk781IQL8AoABZIXtz3VzhY77WdIqvvm2DwQcXoKd4H_aMRvN1d_K7heGjRVs1VLWgPKsfxYgJ8HKyXCvbhMYZeW-TuYEELmOIJ__gMcBUQutaQTRS0yBsmh3EVI2/s320/0000003997MargateStateSchool.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #660000;"> Margate State School, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) Tom Kirsch</span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">My book,
Ethereal Ecstasy, which was recently contracted by Black Velvet Seductions, is set
in an abandoned mental hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
book itself isn’t about UE, but it uses the fictional Barrister Hills Hospital as a
serial killer’s dumping ground which, when you think about it, miles of empty building?
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Piles of rusted bed frames and rotted
mattresses? Steam tunnels often times filled with stagnant water and/or toxic
run off? Padded solitary rooms where, perhaps, somebody forgot to remove the
lock?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><em>You have the perfect location
where nobody can hear you scream…</em></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><o:p><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The Ladd School</span>, (c) 2005 Tom Kirsch</span></o:p></strong></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">I took
what I knew regarding abandoned mental hospitals to create Barrister
Hills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s just something thought
provoking and intriguing about those large hallways lined with wheelchairs and
broken toys, rotten curtains hanging in barred windows where the glass was long
ago shattered…a clock hanging by one thin wire that stopped at 3:15 who knows
how long ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What have those walls
seen? What did they hear? Is all this stuff that was left behind truly alone?
Literally hundreds of people died within the walls of any given mental
institution in this country – who is to say some of them aren’t trapped there locked
within the walls in death as they were in life?</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggI4JYtjbzJ-maMSwyfThrqsaZkjW8tFLNSFCrxmWmqJs6mfkJRp-JrfOfOQTh2GWJ6w8KJjl_1eUGbcIm6InkO6yedG5nvdqlpcF3OqVRKspevQizxinpVzZkvgEvHIb92MHriF8LKsB/s1600/0000005288KPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggI4JYtjbzJ-maMSwyfThrqsaZkjW8tFLNSFCrxmWmqJs6mfkJRp-JrfOfOQTh2GWJ6w8KJjl_1eUGbcIm6InkO6yedG5nvdqlpcF3OqVRKspevQizxinpVzZkvgEvHIb92MHriF8LKsB/s320/0000005288KPP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
Kings Park Psychiatric,<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> (c) 2005 Tom Kirsch</span></strong></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">I know
that Urban Exploration is not everybody’s thing, but for me it lends itself
naturally to writing – these locations can be structural time capsules where
virtually any scenario could be set up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
can also be re-created as anything a writer wants them to be – a gothic or
regency castle, a mad scientist’s abode, a super villain’s hideout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abandoned buildings offer writers an already
designed landscape with which to work while they provide non-writers with
living pieces of history - history that is slowly being demolished even as I
type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is to society’s benefit that UE
enthusiasts do what they do and it remains in society’s best interest to learn
about these locations, to see what was there, to understand the history behind
them and how they came to be in the state they’re in now.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz52AbpJ_IxM81_N9BMe_CMnAX9LIC-bgIcFd8jz7JzLPip7pca9V0RKiDxNTw19VLLREmBmaNwz5Eywy19L1I4A1dEgVO5U9sPcagzPnl3mK7B7ie0LMx5bT7jSYo0Lc6qYmr4rEo109C/s1600/0000005307EdanHallChapel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz52AbpJ_IxM81_N9BMe_CMnAX9LIC-bgIcFd8jz7JzLPip7pca9V0RKiDxNTw19VLLREmBmaNwz5Eywy19L1I4A1dEgVO5U9sPcagzPnl3mK7B7ie0LMx5bT7jSYo0Lc6qYmr4rEo109C/s320/0000005307EdanHallChapel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #660000;"> <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Eden Park Chapel, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005 Tom Kirsch</span></span></span></strong><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Now, I’m
not telling everybody to run right out and break and enter, not in the least.
What I am saying, though, is to consider an abandoned building the next time
you see one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take in its architecture,
its design, maybe you’ll find something there that could interest you enough to
research its history a little – if not, move on but don’t forget to try it
again next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes the small and fascinating
things in life are to be found in very large and empty places.</span></span></strong></span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzgMxHgggjrCP8rnqBfsIsx57MFY-ACGHKSCwA6_uauaOG0QaPu3uia3KpXVEYK9_Nk5_RyLrfEePGM5SVhpeo2rm1u1PG12smCfHoQR5y2xgRuf2_6KBuJx3ZyzCCvo4vvL7lU9ijgLF/s1600/0000001723Penhurst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzgMxHgggjrCP8rnqBfsIsx57MFY-ACGHKSCwA6_uauaOG0QaPu3uia3KpXVEYK9_Nk5_RyLrfEePGM5SVhpeo2rm1u1PG12smCfHoQR5y2xgRuf2_6KBuJx3ZyzCCvo4vvL7lU9ijgLF/s320/0000001723Penhurst.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong> Pennhurst State School, <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2005, Tom Kirsch</span></strong></span><br />
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Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-45098419328237035882012-08-01T22:13:00.000-07:002012-08-01T22:13:26.597-07:00ARGH!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">SO, let’s talk about non-writers, shall we?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every writer knows exactly what I’m talking
about. Those people in your life who have no clue what you do but they’re
pretty sure they know what you do and feel the need to make comments or ask
totally ridiculous questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A fellow author, the
lovely and talented Jean Joachim, posted a youtube video about stupid things
non-writers say. Take a look: </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTXRt39Kuqw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadly, this video is way too real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can’t count the times I’ve heard every single one of those comments
and usually family members are the worst offenders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
In a way, that's almost funny. </span>I have relatives that have yet to buy one of my books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After years on the shelf under four different
names and they still haven’t bought a lousy book?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet when I see certain offenders who shall
remain nameless the first words out of their mouth are “where can I find your
books?”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ah, let me see…Amazon? Barnes & Noble?
Most book stores and if they don’t have one just give them the ISBN number and
they’ll order it! Here, let me get you the ISBN number!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How hard is that? If they really don’t want
to spend the money I know for a fact that their library has numerous copies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reality is they just don’t want to read it
for whatever reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_7zMPSvw9WaKPsh3Jeb9aC0Q0gWkf36wbcn4hZhFK2y0-QJeN" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR_7zMPSvw9WaKPsh3Jeb9aC0Q0gWkf36wbcn4hZhFK2y0-QJeN" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, what is it about family and friends that can’t seem to
fathom what we, as writers, do for a living? In all honesty, it drives me nuts
and I have given up even trying to figure it out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy writing, is that so hard to
understand? I know hundreds of other people, male and female, just like me. So,
instead of trying to delve into the mind of non-writers, I think we should,
once and for all, just answer their questions and comments open and honestly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2010/06/28/mockingjayx-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/pop-candy/2010/06/28/mockingjayx-large.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“You write Young Adult books? Isn’t that like porn for
teenagers?”</span></strong> Ah, no, it’s not. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Young
Adult books are written using as very different technicque as opposed to Romantic Suspense or
Mystery/Thriller or Historical Fiction or Romance. There are literally hundreds
of genres and every single one of them has its own unique development. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0710/poty_rowling_1010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0710/poty_rowling_1010.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“Do you know JK Rowling?”</span></strong> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, the majority of us don’t know her, at
least not to my knowledge!! Nor do we make her paycheck and probably we never
will, but we’re happy with what we do make because it means that our stories
are getting out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“You know what you should really do? Make a movie out of
your book.”</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, give me five million
for a minimal decent docudrama project and that might happen…maybe. People need
to understand that books being made into movies are actually pretty rare
events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Studios aren’t willing to option
if they haven’t seen a mammoth fan trend – such as with Twilight or the Hunger
Games. Summit knew the audience was already there and already stoked. Easy
sell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three or four books for the
series, movies to match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Money in the
bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Madeline Baker has close to one
hundred books that could all be made into movies but although her fan base is
mammoth itself, it’s not mammoth enough to lure optioning offers from major
studios…which is really a shame because Cheyenne Surrender would make an
awesome movie. So would Kathleen Eagle’s This Time Forever…or Katherine
Woodiwiss’ Ashes In The Wind – see a pattern here? The reality is that almost
every writer I know would love for their story to be made into a movie but the
statistics are just not in our favor so quit suggesting it, we don’t freaking
want to hear it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.zippycart.com/ecommerce-news/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/new-kindle-dx.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.zippycart.com/ecommerce-news/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/new-kindle-dx.png" width="193" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“I’ll just download it online”.</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love this one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do they not understand that we can check?
That we know if a book has been uploaded for Kindle or Nook? Evidently not
because it’s one a lot of us hear often. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Newsflash:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you tell somebody that you’re going to download it? They’re going to
check to make sure you did so you probably should go ahead and keep your
promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/SelfPublishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/SelfPublishing.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“How much did it cost you to get published?”</strong></span> NOTHING.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first twenty or so books were all
mainstream. Now, with the advent of free self-publishing, writers who couldn’t
get past the slush pile are actually getting their books out there and some of
them are excellent pieces of work. Yes, some are drivel. But, so is some of
what mainstream has published.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a
book, published in 1993, that I use when I speak on writing. It was published
by a major house, the editor was well-known, worked there until she passed away
a few years ago, she touted this book and the author – who turned out to be a
one-hit non-wonder who never wrote another book and I can understand why. IT
STUNK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It, by far, was the worst book I’d
ever seen – the plot was boring, the characters one-dimensional and abysmal,
set in the Appalachians the spelling to indicate the accent was thisclose to
being racist stereotyping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a wonder
it ever sold at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of us used
to joke that the editor had to have been drinking on the job that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Once upon a time Vanity Publishing cost good people money to publish their book. Vanity Presses are quickly going the way of the Dinosaur given SmashWords and CreateSpace an numerous other Self Pub locations that don't charge a dime. </span><strong><u><span style="color: blue;">Do not ever ask an author this question.</span></u></strong> It’s
rude, it’s obnoxious and I can guarantee – if they’ve been around a while, they’re
freaking tired of hearing it. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://10c.saintanthonysft.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/stock-photo-school-books-on-a-stack-educational-textbooks-for-high-school-college-or-university-with-text-62787967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://10c.saintanthonysft.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/stock-photo-school-books-on-a-stack-educational-textbooks-for-high-school-college-or-university-with-text-62787967.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“Teenagers need books that are educational.”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have those. They’re called textbooks. They
use them in a place called school? Fiction is written for entertainment. If we can slip a little educational item in there regarding history or social issues? That's a great thing, but not necessary. Entertainment does not always have to be educational. </span></div>
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<a href="http://sa1va7ion.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/no-twilight.jpg?w=295&h=300" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://sa1va7ion.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/no-twilight.jpg?w=295&h=300" width="197" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“Is your book like Twilight?”</strong></span> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twilight, in my opinion, was an okay book. I’ve
read worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it the best book ever
written? No. Nor will all books be like Twilight. Books are individual
creations by individual writers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got
to hear a fellow author answer this one recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can write. Thanks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some authors actually find it offensive to
have their works compared to another author’s. Just something to chew on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9mnb2pYJkw9X-CiIesuLIYKAiDj5uZEcPO8n7IElOwCyjfIjU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9mnb2pYJkw9X-CiIesuLIYKAiDj5uZEcPO8n7IElOwCyjfIjU" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“Is your book like Harry Potter?”</span></strong> No. Not everybody writes
about witches, warlocks and sparkly vegetarian vampires. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Alas, this was one series I never read. I started, could just never get into the books. They just didn't interest me as they did countless others. The movies were slightly more interesting...but only because there was Alan Rickman in a black wig, just sayin...</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SzCX8EVaR8-5qwpDE65LssMr_67VF1PqeCvMMbooT_0pHHlcpVcile37AlMasvpIQLgu8y4dlGyfUSoKYETzWXnYC3IsqjBrazXmWpdEQgTKJRPB0lnPXBGUx2YrIJeJO8c9NT1gCwo/s1600/how-to-draw-the-bible.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SzCX8EVaR8-5qwpDE65LssMr_67VF1PqeCvMMbooT_0pHHlcpVcile37AlMasvpIQLgu8y4dlGyfUSoKYETzWXnYC3IsqjBrazXmWpdEQgTKJRPB0lnPXBGUx2YrIJeJO8c9NT1gCwo/s200/how-to-draw-the-bible.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“Is your book like the Bible?”</strong></span> <em>What the hell kind of
question is that?</em> The Bible is not a work of fiction, at least not to a
majority of the population. I write fiction. Thousands of other people write
fiction. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fiction is pretend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if we had to write fiction comparable to
the Bible we’d be writing Roman era stuff. No thank you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The farthest you’ll catch this writer back in
history is 1880.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjZKmG1Pgp8yrA2BYhqHZx-66fvQBOMgvtkM8V2DXh8t7DPqup6YYPWiW1nXB-sOCjLWHom8tkzTVimaXHAc9ksIVLzaBNJTf-HYGkQ8DLFb0J-sJcy3kh4KIZrV4Zxh2MXVddTJzBpJb/s1600/collaboration_bg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjZKmG1Pgp8yrA2BYhqHZx-66fvQBOMgvtkM8V2DXh8t7DPqup6YYPWiW1nXB-sOCjLWHom8tkzTVimaXHAc9ksIVLzaBNJTf-HYGkQ8DLFb0J-sJcy3kh4KIZrV4Zxh2MXVddTJzBpJb/s200/collaboration_bg.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“I’ve got a really great idea – you and JK Rowling should
write a book together.”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry. I don’t
write young adult stuff, nor do I write about witches…ghosts, yes, witches, no interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Writers, even if they know each other, do not
always work well together. Most writers, by nature, are solitary creatures; we
like to be alone with our creations as we’re going through the creation process.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s true, there are some authors, such
as the lovely Connie Brockway and Eloisa James who work well together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <strong><em> </em></strong></span><strong><em>Then there’s the rest of us</em></strong>! Don’t suggest
stuff like that, it’s annoying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://innerlooplit.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/annoyed-writer.jpg?w=500" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://innerlooplit.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/annoyed-writer.jpg?w=500" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“You wrote a book, am I in it?”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one used to bother me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now when somebody I know asks this, I say
yes. Buy it, read it and then tell me which one you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT – it should be noted that just because
someone is a writer doesn’t mean they use everybody they know in their
books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s true, sometimes we’ll find
somebody that strikes our interest that we’ll turn into a character but, for
the most part, we don’t, it’s just easier that way. (Btw, I am SO buying one of those totebags!!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there's the <strong><span style="color: red;">"Can I be in your next book?"</span></strong> Some authors find this more annoying than others. I say yes and then usually do what I want. If I end up using them, I'll tell them, if I don't, I just let them assume I did. It's far easier than having to explain how a character is breathed into life. Some authors I know will actually get very annoyed and I think that I used to too. I think I just sort of got numb to it. Don't ask an author this question. Let them create and do their thing. If they use you, great. If they don't, it's nothing personal, it's THEIR creation, not YOURS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“You should really just publish it yourself; my brother did
that, yada yada…”</strong></span> Seriously? 300 copies? Let’s be realistic here, shall we? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do non-writers even understand how many books
we have to sell sometimes to get a lousy $20.00 royalty check? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention, royalties can sometimes take
months, years even, to be distributed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
just got a royalty check this past month for a book that’s been out of print
since 1999.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Indie publishing is the way to go for many, many, MANY people these days but do not insult them by insinuating that they won't be able to sell that many copies or that a small amount of copies is a good thing. That's just rude. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>“I have a great book idea, I could tell it to you, you could
write it, we could split the profits, 70/30?”</strong></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hate it when people do this. It drives me absolutely nuts. I know a
lot of authors that are driven nuts by this. And usually it’s family members or
close friends that are the worst about it and we have to sit there and not say
anything because it’s family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously?
SHUT UP. If we want your ideas, we will ask. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://zetothemink.com/images/Carroll%20Middle%20School%20Book%20Signing%20010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://zetothemink.com/images/Carroll%20Middle%20School%20Book%20Signing%20010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“You should do a book signing in some out of the way hole
that nobody has ever heard of because I could get six people to show up.”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, yes, this one, especially for newbies
who are going the Indie route, sometimes is necessary. Six people who buy six
books are better than none at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
if you know your writer friend or family member is not doing things Indie
style? Stay out of it. They have a marketing plan in place. Unless we ask you
for locations to plug our books? Don’t tell us. (The only exception is if you
find a really awesome book store has opened up…then I think most of us are
willing to take a stab at it…)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“So, do you know Stephanie Meyer?”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Most authors don't know Stephanie Meyer. </span>Whether an author knows one of the current “greats”
on the market is moot anyway. It’s none of your business. Don’t ask. It’s rude. (And for Stephanie's sake I sure hope she framed that pic of her, KStew and RPatz, it's unlikely she'll ever get them in the same room ever again under friendly circumstances...)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“My cousin is writing a book, it’s totally going to be a
best seller.”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s nice. Good for him.
Good for anybody with the balls to do what we do and still have to put up with
the ridiculous behaviors of family and friends because they don’t want to
accept the reality that we create for a living. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“Can you bring me a free copy?”</span></strong> No, we do not give free
copies to everybody. We only get so many free copies ourselves and those
usually go to reviewers and contests. I know an author who gets roughly thirty
books free with her release – she then sells those books herself to help pay
with PR costs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One must also keep in mind that authors do not get a ton of free books from their publisher. After the first 10 to 30 or so, we have to pay for them. Indie authors usually get one lone hardcopy for free, sometimes a few more, but then they have to pay for their copies for publicity purposes. It's also important to note that t</span>he days of having
publicists and agents handling all marketing and publicity are over. I’ve
learned that the hard way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After twenty
years of having publishers, my agent and publicist do everything, I find myself
dealing with publishers who now refuse to pay for anything, my agent and
publicist retired so I’m now doing it all on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a learning experience and a valuable one
– one that reinforces never give anything away for free unless it’s a contest.
End of story. </span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0fhHSw2z90ZC4ZhJHr46rZXs_g5sKhTMOw-3DbAUDc6Pdt9yBZUwlf3ugKODE9lidHanpktE5YuvdI29iXhWCN5cJGHs787sTdpQ1LU-9OZrmo3PGg8ZQlbe1EztsV743_9zhl-rZDU/s210/shut+up+and+write.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0fhHSw2z90ZC4ZhJHr46rZXs_g5sKhTMOw-3DbAUDc6Pdt9yBZUwlf3ugKODE9lidHanpktE5YuvdI29iXhWCN5cJGHs787sTdpQ1LU-9OZrmo3PGg8ZQlbe1EztsV743_9zhl-rZDU/s200/shut+up+and+write.jpg" width="139" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="color: red;">“I’m writing a book too, I’ve been working on it for four
years, I’ve only got two chapters done but it’s really going places.”</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a great little poster floating around
Pinterest and Facebook these days: <em><strong><span style="color: blue;">Shut Up and Write.</span></strong></em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those four words speak volumes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t talk about it. <strong><em><u>DO IT.</u></em></strong> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I have a friend that goes on and on about how much they want to write. Yet they spend all their time doing something else. You either want to write or you don't. You either want to make the time or you don't. Yes, some have to deal with day jobs and children and all but I know authors with six kids who are cops or doctors and they still manage to write every day. There's a saying, if you still have a life, you're not really a writer. Just something to consider if it's been four years and you're only on chapter two. </span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: red;">"You write romance? Isn't that just soft porn?"</span></strong> No. It's not. I've read literally hundreds of romance novels that had no sex in them whatsoever. It's about romance. Man finds woman or woman finds man. They meet. They fall in love. Bad or good things happen. Is it that hard to comprehend? Are there romance novels with sex? Yes. I write some of them thank you very much and that's my choice; but there are authors out there who aren't comfortable with that medium and that's fine too. If there's a market for it, a writer will cover that market. Not all romance novels involve sex and most of those that do are not "porn". And NO, Fifty Shades of Grey does NOT count. AND - the pic to the right is the start of my next book's cover! Taken by the lovely Jenn LeBlanc it features the awesome Karl Biermann and the beautiful Jaci Nudell. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, last but not least, the one that I find shocking that
it didn’t make it into the video is the all time favorite:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><span style="color: red;">When are you going to go get a real job?</span></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><strong><span style="color: red;"> </span></strong> </span>Writing IS a real job. Unless you’re a
surgeon saving lives no other job is more painful, time consuming or stressful
in my opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We write, we
create characters, we take the reader away to places they’ve never been and
probably never will be able to get to. We write, we hack, we slash, we cry with our characters, we laugh with them, then we edit them into the ground before proofing and editing some more. Then most of us handle booking our reviews
and interviews, our public appearances and advertising. We have to block time
for writing, scheduling, marketing and squeeze it in around children, home life
and spouses/so’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><u><span style="color: blue;">Do not tell us that
what we do is not a real job.</span></u></strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will
grant that many times things are tough, many times things are tight, many times
royalties are slim to none or are held up for whatever reason so we’re eating
Ramen noodles but we’re doing what we love and it is our job. It is what we do.
<em><strong><u><span style="color: blue;">How dare anybody assume that this is not a real job??<o:p></o:p></span></u></strong></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, in conclusion, will answering these questions or
comments stop non-writers from butting their noses in and being totally rude?
Probably not. But, perhaps, if a non-writer stumbles across this blog they<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>might find it in themselves to go easy on
their friend or family member who is a writer. They’ll let them do their job
without the harassment and comments. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would be nice to think they would, but, sadly, I don’t hold out much hope.
Non-writers really can’t seem to help themselves sometimes… Do <em>you</em> think non-writers will stop making comments and asking questions??? </span></div>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-34737145476247307422012-07-26T14:39:00.000-07:002012-07-26T14:57:31.460-07:00Life Is Just A Fantasy...Or Is It?<br />
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<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yes, I started my blog almost a year ago and have barely
posted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was finishing up school and then moving and
now I’m <em>finally </em>settled in, enjoying the beach life of the Florida gulf coast and
writing! I’m also spending quality time soaking up some interesting realities…</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> LimoBlissBlog 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Evidently Twihards of the world are taking Kristen Stewart’s
cheating very personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SO much so
blogs have been taken down, ranting Youtube videos have been made and Team
Pattinson t-shirts have already hit the streets.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEJawh4YeyUf8nYfkwbZETmXdxe4JISX0zElFMIA9KmkNXBBYCoa2SVtVm108loA6LwWX4vG_mDiY0TLEQY36n9qztJ7sAn6pBZtUprTUa-BxuK469DdlZjlpYhQCXqkLPIuqIS_G9fCN/s1600/Twihards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOEJawh4YeyUf8nYfkwbZETmXdxe4JISX0zElFMIA9KmkNXBBYCoa2SVtVm108loA6LwWX4vG_mDiY0TLEQY36n9qztJ7sAn6pBZtUprTUa-BxuK469DdlZjlpYhQCXqkLPIuqIS_G9fCN/s200/Twihards.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ryan Seacrest 2012</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Personally, I admit to finding it rather
surprising because, after all, this was a girl would not publicly discuss her
relationships and worked very hard to keep her relationship with Pattinson
under wraps for a very long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
rather surprised that she’d be that stupid to fool around and do it in public
where cameras were lurking no less.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> E! 2012</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">BUT –
that’s <em>not </em>what this blog is about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Believe it or not…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> F. Chris 2012</span><br />
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<o:p> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This
is about fantasy and reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
a fine line folks, and some people seem to float on either side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Recently, w</span>hile waiting to pick someone up at the
airport I was privy to a discussion – that’s how Kristen Stewart comes in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two ladies were also waiting and one was
extremely pissed about Ms. Stewart’s infidelity issue. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lady A was stating that she planned on
skipping the release of <em>Breaking Dawn 2</em> because of “KStew’s slutty ways”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She swore up and down that she would never
see another movie with Bella Swan’s actress in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen Stewart had totally ruined the <em>Twilight</em>
series for her and this behavior would not only hurt the actress' career but
would hurt the entire end of the Twilight series itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lady B huffily agreed.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Me –
being the big mouth that I am – was not about to let that one go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I leaned over and said, excuse me, I
couldn’t help over hearing, (they weren’t that quiet to begin with) but are you
saying that you’re not going to see Breaking Dawn 2 because Kristen Stewart
messed around on Robert Pattinson? Lady A was “Of course! She’s totally ruined
Bella and all that she stands for.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
then pointed out that Bella was, of course, a fictional character whereas
Kristen Stewart is a very real human being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lady B responded to that with “She’s <em>responsible </em>for the character! She<em>
is</em> that character as far as I’m concerned so it’s the same as Bella cheating on
Edward!”</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Summit Entertainment 2012</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><em>Huh?
Seriously?</em> Somehow,
when Stephanie Meyer wrote <em>Twilight</em> I <em>don’t </em>think she had this type of outlying
drama in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I don't think when she and Catherine Hardwicke sat down to discuss picking Kristen for the role of Bella that they ever gave a thought to the fact that one day Kristen would be considered the second worst homewrecker in Hollywood - she's right up there with Angelina and Elizabeth Taylor now. Nor, as an actress, is she responsible for the character that she plays on the screen. An actor does not write the script, nor do they choose the direction in which the character goes on screen. That is the responsibility of the director. </span></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2ocX8qze-CaELWuvD4Nb1g9zwivmOD88mZ6Pxy-f2tyv7C7U_Em6HqXE4XyR926jhl5hc0WEFpJhIpS4tq5H_cNvEMj3CS_rc8JMSMB3MXuWsCWJU_C5-rOIJS_H6L8iJl4CBoouBtzq/s1600/kirsten-angie-660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2ocX8qze-CaELWuvD4Nb1g9zwivmOD88mZ6Pxy-f2tyv7C7U_Em6HqXE4XyR926jhl5hc0WEFpJhIpS4tq5H_cNvEMj3CS_rc8JMSMB3MXuWsCWJU_C5-rOIJS_H6L8iJl4CBoouBtzq/s200/kirsten-angie-660.jpg" width="200" /></a> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">FNS 2012</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><em>Anyway...</em>As
writers we always hope that our readers will love our characters as much as we
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the most gratifying things
for me, personally, as a writer, is when a fan tells me how much they like,
love or appreciate a certain character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It means that I did my job properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I want to create likable, lovable characters that have something to
say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are literally hundreds of
cute anecdotal posters out there floating around Facebook and Twitter and
Pinterest boasting sayings such as “I get too attached to fictional characters”
or “That moment when you finish a book and look around to find that the rest of
the world is just carrying on like they don’t know somebody important yet fictional
got killed”.</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Readers get attached to
characters, <em>writers</em> get attached to their characters. To this day, I fully
admit that my hero in <em>Heart of Stone</em>, Aaron, was my all time favorite
creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was truly in love with the
character from start to finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BUT (ain’t
there always a but?) I knew then and I still know now that he was not real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is it that some readers see
the reality for what it is and some totally lose sight regarding the whole
fiction aspect of the reality?</span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjEgqiPhmuO_C_Yu2sUF1yIrBYytGVZkO4eqU0HnltpUwjKnT7hl7YmXPBYAFGoLVuYzFCCtW5gjld2oiJ6MwrBDGKPWCyLbeCpzG_lgoxYdJipzE1GuPQ4YCtAdUlbD3GCIU_efjUm-B/s1600/267612402827363133_vsQvEYT3_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjEgqiPhmuO_C_Yu2sUF1yIrBYytGVZkO4eqU0HnltpUwjKnT7hl7YmXPBYAFGoLVuYzFCCtW5gjld2oiJ6MwrBDGKPWCyLbeCpzG_lgoxYdJipzE1GuPQ4YCtAdUlbD3GCIU_efjUm-B/s200/267612402827363133_vsQvEYT3_c.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Kristen
Stewart is not Bella Swan anymore than Robert Pattinson is a glittering
vampire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennifer Lawrence isn’t Katniss
Everdeen anymore than Liam Helmsworth is Gale. (Btw, it’s just my opinion but
<em>The Hunger Games</em> is a far better written set of books, but that’s just my
opinion and given it’s my blog, I’m stating it.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen Stewart is a human being who has all
those feelings, emotions, hormones and urges that humans have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She’s <em>not</em> a one to two to three dimensional character from the pages of
a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a human and she lives, she
breaths, she smokes pot (or she used to anyway), she drinks, she’s from a very
non-traditional show-biz family, she’s a good actress. So good in fact she’s
actually convinced millions of people, evidently, that she IS Bella.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I pointed out to those two lovely ladies
above – no, she’s not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s not the
character. It was a role.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same way
Snow White was a role (and we all now know where that role got her…).</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvU3IoPWx6W3dMr5z4le-Zsh3OKATClkpSQFlTxJErXw5yW1HA7I1qJZS81xbH-KUsaTX_l5_EN_XCDkNlMlyG3JpH2si1bcTVtssOT_PwkIHo5rYjneKy83oCIC6_ocqol08EsJYROv4B/s1600/drunk-snow-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvU3IoPWx6W3dMr5z4le-Zsh3OKATClkpSQFlTxJErXw5yW1HA7I1qJZS81xbH-KUsaTX_l5_EN_XCDkNlMlyG3JpH2si1bcTVtssOT_PwkIHo5rYjneKy83oCIC6_ocqol08EsJYROv4B/s200/drunk-snow-white.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The
point is, ladies and gentlemen, don’t get so lost in the story that you completely lose sight of the
fact that you’re reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s always
great when one of us has a book that’s made into a movie but should we now have
to sit back and wonder and worry about how our readers are going to react to
whoever might be chosen to play our characters?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do we really need to be concerned that our readers are so caught up in
the lives of those characters that they lose sight of reality entirely?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should hope not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anybody see <em>Misery</em>??? Nobody that I know wants to have their enthusiams for their favorite characters equated with a Kathy Bates' ultimate stalker character. It kills the joy of
writing to have to worry about how fans might react to a character or to the
actor that will portray the character.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKgkV1LrOELMLIlZXbAdwzIHCG5D_D5b0Q7C0aqt4EFnPPgVBokq6iM8cOAcbzriNA0lKzIREv_wwInuZwF45tf7g8Do1oVJQNkAGa07XKcWBykIGVrkImCFUylvw5tRXkRQOKszUeFWW/s1600/Misery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKgkV1LrOELMLIlZXbAdwzIHCG5D_D5b0Q7C0aqt4EFnPPgVBokq6iM8cOAcbzriNA0lKzIREv_wwInuZwF45tf7g8Do1oVJQNkAGa07XKcWBykIGVrkImCFUylvw5tRXkRQOKszUeFWW/s200/Misery.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fandom is a wonderful thing, without fans, nobody would be
reading what we write – BUT – let’s look at this realistically, shall we?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen Stewart messing around on poor Robert
Pattinson (which, in all honesty, I fail to see the allure, poor guy looks like
his face has been squashed in a vice) was wrong, but it’s <em>not</em> the end of the
world, it’s <em>not</em> the demise of an entire book series or franchise (although, I’m
sure there are some pretty pissed people at Summit right now because there’s
still a press junket coming up for <em>Breaking Dawn 2</em> and that’s probably going to
be pretty damned ugly after this.) She is <em>not</em> the character. The character doesn’t
actually exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kristen played that
character on screen but that’s all she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is<em> NOT</em> Bella.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWjGmDKvMjTAhgfofEntU6SiOKbFAsJeojIe4L39X1zCNUjOPGt3PiUZ5zcCdatz51_AY95W0U3012KbXQDBwFNWXrrpYjHj0UfYOLLumIk4ujda9q3Ahme-EnlA_cvgBrLjiUy-xDgyF/s1600/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-cheating-scandal__oPt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWjGmDKvMjTAhgfofEntU6SiOKbFAsJeojIe4L39X1zCNUjOPGt3PiUZ5zcCdatz51_AY95W0U3012KbXQDBwFNWXrrpYjHj0UfYOLLumIk4ujda9q3Ahme-EnlA_cvgBrLjiUy-xDgyF/s200/robert-pattinson-kristen-stewart-cheating-scandal__oPt.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY5LmJrS8-AvxuwhThyphenhyphen3bAkCfeZj0jZUioAmqBeNSA3GGzS-42XWtBwuSi3IZsascJS9TcQnj-cKdl7MvgmBm80fwjFXJzt___WGQMILorJlsqqPO9CgkyNv_H88Z04JGsq7JIK2UuWuG/s1600/no-bella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPY5LmJrS8-AvxuwhThyphenhyphen3bAkCfeZj0jZUioAmqBeNSA3GGzS-42XWtBwuSi3IZsascJS9TcQnj-cKdl7MvgmBm80fwjFXJzt___WGQMILorJlsqqPO9CgkyNv_H88Z04JGsq7JIK2UuWuG/s200/no-bella.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">PerezHilton 2012</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">DDPPChicago 2012</span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #783f04;">Reading is a wonderful escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes us places or let's us take part in things
that we may never experience otherwise. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It lets us all escape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But those characters are <em>characters</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are on the page of a book. Their reality hinges upon your, the
reader’s, imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Movies have given
us a wonderful medium to bring these stories to life, but they <em>remain</em> movies,
they’re <em>not</em> reality. Let's enjoy what we read and if they're made into movies? Wow,that's great! But the actors who portray those characters are <em>not</em> those characters. They never were, they never will be, they're just an actor being paid way too much to pretend to be a character a writer created so the reader could visualize them in their head. Let's not make it into more than what it is. Making it more than it actually is does nothing but cost the overzealous fan emotions that could be spent wisely somewhere else, somewhere where it counts? Family, friends, people who really care about that person as an individual. Let's keep it real ladies and gentlemen. Get lost in the book but know that the story <em>ends </em>when you close that book cover.</span> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrfK9YfZmlM3_sRp-nPGhIMkPOOU7caA791oY041b99eAUAO7rYTL6MWCOyDNtF2u-VuRhFTuwmo59Mc2dEgPwCV5KE1MgcsQct8WR76-tMK3fMqTq501kdxXeHZbsDaBXdL4MzNKc8YL/s1600/lost-sawyer-reading-book-club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrfK9YfZmlM3_sRp-nPGhIMkPOOU7caA791oY041b99eAUAO7rYTL6MWCOyDNtF2u-VuRhFTuwmo59Mc2dEgPwCV5KE1MgcsQct8WR76-tMK3fMqTq501kdxXeHZbsDaBXdL4MzNKc8YL/s200/lost-sawyer-reading-book-club.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ABC Television 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Your thoughts on the fine line between fictional fantasy
and reality?</span> <o:p></o:p></span>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-39092052018378816952011-10-28T09:21:00.000-07:002011-10-28T09:21:12.547-07:00It Ain't For The Money Honey...<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">Welcome to my blog! After years of reading the many writing blogs out there I decided that it was finally time to join in the fray. There are a lot of romance writing blogs to choose from, most far better than this one but hopefully someone will wander by on occasion!!</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">So, you want to write a book. You've got a great idea, you've prepped your query, you're formatted properly, you even landed an agent - you're ready for that million dollar contract! I hate to break it to you but there really isn't one...</span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpz98YSc_V54khReDdKIGJ5I9zoTiJyMv218DmE8X981RGom1GYS7_T4fIGOyu_64hnXIJV4D4f4WNTpQb4FTuozRaAfAiSgjfuoUH9GacSVsw-8udvKL_G1-tBUEhhR8QiF_o6y-zrRz/s1600/other+way+courier.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpz98YSc_V54khReDdKIGJ5I9zoTiJyMv218DmE8X981RGom1GYS7_T4fIGOyu_64hnXIJV4D4f4WNTpQb4FTuozRaAfAiSgjfuoUH9GacSVsw-8udvKL_G1-tBUEhhR8QiF_o6y-zrRz/s200/other+way+courier.gif" width="192" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">I love how people just assume (and you know what they say about assuming...) that because you've written a book (or thirty) that you're going to be rolling in dough. Ah, nope. A colleague and I recently had a discussion regarding the profession of writing and being a published author - most of us write for the love of a good story, not because we are getting rich. For every "million dollar baby" there are at least a hundred, maybe more, authors who crank out a book a year, or every two years, are waiting on edits, waiting on royalties, dealing with publisher problems (AMP anyone?) - the days of making millions in romance publishing are long gone in my opinion and many of my colleagues agree. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">Yes, there are authors who can make a comfortable living. Yes, there are authors who make millions of dollars. But one's chances of making it big on that first book are now slim to none. I, personally, know many authors who've written many, many, MANY books and have yet to even make a solid living at it. I know just as many authors who've written just as many books and have yet to make it on the New York Times Best Seller list. AND (yes, I started a sentence with "and", shoot me...) as a long time member of Romance Writers of America and as someone who's been a member of several regional and online chapters, I know just as many excellent writers who aren't even published yet!</span></strong> <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">So what's happening out there? Well, celebrity for the sake of celebrity for one. This is not so much in the romance writing industry per se, but in general fiction and non-fiction? If you have a famous name, a famous parent, child or spouse OR if you have a famous pet - in today's market you're qualified to write a best-selling book and get the huge advance to go with it. If you're also infamous or you've been through a traumatic experience, the same applies. The latter, in my opinion, is completely acceptable in certain instances. Carolyn Jessup, Jaycee Dugard, Natasha Vins, Trudy Chase - these are all women who faced incredible odds and moved ahead in their lives, they deserve every penny paid to them for their books. But Paris Hilton for being sent to jail for drunk driving? Ah, sorry, no...in fact that book sold she badly I heard she had to pay the publisher money.</span></strong> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3FnppBGB41L0TEl6F2gzzcBc7z9RnUfbyjAu26LStDcRBll_AAmkRGJumAemCwQeAfoxzUrP4Z9jayGZC0IuulTlWFrz1VNQYaXS-RLdHVs268dWrdnX61ZzrulAVs8GKsosqrtFc2O6/s1600/Snooki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3FnppBGB41L0TEl6F2gzzcBc7z9RnUfbyjAu26LStDcRBll_AAmkRGJumAemCwQeAfoxzUrP4Z9jayGZC0IuulTlWFrz1VNQYaXS-RLdHVs268dWrdnX61ZzrulAVs8GKsosqrtFc2O6/s200/Snooki.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">Secondly, the market is clogged. Which is both good and bad. It's fantastic that there's so much to read and that there are so many people to write but, at the same time, there's a lot out there and not all of it is good reading. With the advent of Amazon's Kindle publishing and Createspace for hardcopies - just about anybody can get a book published. This is not to say that self-publishing is a bad thing. I know a lot of authors who are now taking that avenue due to the harsh realities in publishing these days. We're talking well published, well recieved authors. So I don't knock anybody who self-publishes - unless I read their book and it's wretchedly horrible. Which brings me to my point. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwik20JiUnzK0nTr8D6Koxitez5u-Bey99mMuSjOfX592qJFSu6AagVXgWKmwT2dI353bdFLFn83kz8AbOOz13wZUsC34hb2vjLgB_uLBXGE5kKb_dnH9jg4VD2vDkCZIsTeXOrM7vHNwA/s1600/slushpiledemotivatormay08_normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwik20JiUnzK0nTr8D6Koxitez5u-Bey99mMuSjOfX592qJFSu6AagVXgWKmwT2dI353bdFLFn83kz8AbOOz13wZUsC34hb2vjLgB_uLBXGE5kKb_dnH9jg4VD2vDkCZIsTeXOrM7vHNwA/s320/slushpiledemotivatormay08_normal.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">A lot of the SP stuff out there that is written by people who don't know what the hell they're doing. I've seen hellacious spelling, horrific grammar, empty plots and odd ball characters that make no sense at all. Add all the celebrity driven or written stuff - Lauren Conrad's book comes to mind and what you have is a clogged market. There are many, many, many books out there. Editors are inundated with tons of manuscripts and money is limited so only a certain few make the cut. If they get a MS from someone who is already published and a proven money maker then they're going to go with them much quicker than an unknown name.</span></strong> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLoCTAOXbPPmnJsN0q9gKWNy5q5FG4OBUZuJEduvK9mwze8c_bH0nFbf2ixN7uXKx0eNnjIzsabr13D6otWW-ObbC-CaBZyvilGjHEssKnWP72ZPP4TPf85_e_2XMqIStY9kiu8JeKacx/s1600/Vampire+Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLoCTAOXbPPmnJsN0q9gKWNy5q5FG4OBUZuJEduvK9mwze8c_bH0nFbf2ixN7uXKx0eNnjIzsabr13D6otWW-ObbC-CaBZyvilGjHEssKnWP72ZPP4TPf85_e_2XMqIStY9kiu8JeKacx/s1600/Vampire+Book.jpg" /></a><strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">Lastly - there's nothing new under the sun, it's been done. I once read that there are only seven or eight storylines in the world. I don't know if that's actually true or not, but I do know that there are a plethora of books out there about vampires - sparkly or not, anarchist teenagers, werewolves, evil angels and good demons. A new writer has to have a truly unique idea these days and I'm hearing more and more from long published authors that even they are having to reach into the creative well to come up with new and innovative ideas for their storylines. Editors grow weary of seeing the same storylines over and over - authors really need to know their genre market, know what's out there, what's selling and what isn't. They also need to know how to work with a topic and reinvent it. Making one's work truly unique is not as easy as one might think. Subtle nuances and important points need to be clear and concise, characters must be three dimensional and POV limited. It can actually be hard sometimes to recreate something that's already been done but it is possible - the author just has to figure their way</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">through the maze.</span></strong> <br />
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<strong><span style="color: #b45f06;">So why do we do it? Why do we keep writing even when we know that the odds are stacked against us? We do it for the love of the story, the love of the craft - creating characters and situations for them to get into so they can fall in love, have great sex and then get into trouble some more.</span></strong> <strong><span style="color: #b45f06;"> It's that simple. I will grant that there's always the hope of hitting it big - it IS nice to be paid for what we're doing but sometimes those large sales just aren't there but you've still gathered a group of fans who will be loyal to your work in the long run. I have fans from wayyyyy back when I wrote as Emily Ashton back in the late 80's that still follow me today. To me that's a good thing. To have a group of people who love your work is better than having none at all.</span></strong> <br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><strong>We also love romance - on whatever level - and I think that many of us still hold onto that whole Happily Ever After thing. It probably doesn't exist in real life but it sure as hell is a good thing to write about!</strong></span>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989566118784187081.post-91726581020910468912011-10-24T18:24:00.001-07:002011-10-24T18:24:55.664-07:00<strong>UNDER CONSTRUCTION...</strong>Mia Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09226009159636101882noreply@blogger.com0