tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51299413482777471652024-03-18T22:51:57.134+02:00Butterfly on a BroomstickLinzé Brandon's blog about books, writing, art, and the creative lifeLinzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.comBlogger933125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-80882031524328446912024-03-16T12:00:00.058+02:002024-03-16T12:00:00.135+02:00Theme reveal: My A-to-Z blog challenge 2024<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmxER7jR1lHkfg-AllEjLxxg728MhtH5j8Hj2HD8RL1pRMzL7BX3vSUobXHgJmRJETteasLjFbTVDxgC5k6Q-zu2GKT6PuzQpn_fxchGrKxfZOJFWsTdTQNVhUqohCkTfW0C8vbNJH0uAR661fVzKuNoZyjoyvrfJkmcepZPHZ7ytxTkcdLGCZrj310V2/s320/theme%20reveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmxER7jR1lHkfg-AllEjLxxg728MhtH5j8Hj2HD8RL1pRMzL7BX3vSUobXHgJmRJETteasLjFbTVDxgC5k6Q-zu2GKT6PuzQpn_fxchGrKxfZOJFWsTdTQNVhUqohCkTfW0C8vbNJH0uAR661fVzKuNoZyjoyvrfJkmcepZPHZ7ytxTkcdLGCZrj310V2/w640-h360/theme%20reveal.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's been a while since I have taken part in the blog challenge. The problem is always coming up with new ideas so it isn't boring to me. This year I decided to change things up a bit, and it has the added benefit of blogging about something I will be doing this year: taking part in another art competition.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I took part in the AGAC (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/artikld/" target="_blank">ARTi Contemporary Art Gallery & Interiors</a>) in 2023, and decided to take part again this year. Given the style and theme requirements of the competition, there is some significant planning involved in creating the artwork, at least for me. So why not use the blog challenge to share my process and some of the behind-the-scenes work involved in creating art for a competition.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This is going to be a lot of fun, I promise.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Oh, I forgot to mention that I won't be using the letters of the alphabet as a key, it will simply be a list of 26 items. Apologies if that is not according to the rules of the blog challenge, but hey, this my blog and I can do what I want, right? 😂</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Until April!</span></p><p>🇿🇦💜 <span style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 15pt;">Linzé</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: 15pt;"><br /></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-3683597569084444572024-02-25T01:00:00.017+02:002024-02-25T01:00:00.242+02:00BOOK FEATURE: A Memory for Love by Linzé Brandon<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW1lIVoFejTKcel84-YANy7XYGr3MUW0I41rJQJMQtwRyufpuWBVm8MmBd3K8vpjRR67fEZKMp0I2_XZAZS8h1GI4NpKFOHMw0-1GLCyX8DXD_Y5pkiiHuRPHuZxz0IzJ6MBb0I9vcJjTgAXfJw7MwdDN_42BjU6d0GIHiRakbcZYYrI-t6TlwJc3dxt8/s812/A%20Memory%20for%20Love%20SMALL.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="book cover, AI image woman in forest, A Memory for Love by Linzé Brandon" border="0" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxW1lIVoFejTKcel84-YANy7XYGr3MUW0I41rJQJMQtwRyufpuWBVm8MmBd3K8vpjRR67fEZKMp0I2_XZAZS8h1GI4NpKFOHMw0-1GLCyX8DXD_Y5pkiiHuRPHuZxz0IzJ6MBb0I9vcJjTgAXfJw7MwdDN_42BjU6d0GIHiRakbcZYYrI-t6TlwJc3dxt8/w295-h400/A%20Memory%20for%20Love%20SMALL.png" title="book cover, AI image woman in forest, A Memory for Love by Linzé Brandon" width="295" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1508808"><b>A Memory for Love</b></a></span><p></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">"<i>Their attraction brought heartbreak. Could their struggle for survival bring them back together?</i>"</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="color: #dca10d; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1508808"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1508808</span></a></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Presale discount available at link.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Zarina sa'Der is not just an officer of the law, she is a category one memory witness, trained to work with the most vulnerable victims of violent crimes.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> Her last court case left her with nightmares which requires her to take a break to focus on clearing her special memory banks before she goes insane. As a Treasure of the Magicians' Order, the Grandmaster arranges that she can take her vacation at the High Order retreat for the ideal peace and quiet she needs.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> It has been three suns since Aidan Crea lost his mate and youngest daughter in the Wa'raki war that devastated Xa'an. When his best friend accuses him of becoming a grump, he agrees to take a break before the Grandmaster orders him to. After some soul searching he realised that he needed to get back to living instead of purely existing after the loss he had suffered.</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> Zarina and Aidan form an unusual friendship that soon grows into something deeper, until Aidan is tasked to protect her after a contract is given out to assassinate her. Although her job exposes her to the worst criminals of society, things take a turn for the worse, when they finally find out who is behind the attempts on her life.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> They find themselves pawns in a larger plot and they have to risk their hearts and their lives to finally get a chance at a happily ever after.</span></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">#adult #fiction #fantasy</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-85677236953235688912024-01-12T01:00:00.001+02:002024-01-12T01:00:00.262+02:00BOOK FEATURE: Master of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGLZK4SmkMxWKAisT2q9VklOWv49TsKAGJdlmwFzAcsjjurwjrUUK83KLPAFmphyKfw5A29zcvJ8uLWM27ac3lB6G9-oYEukmQJ5n-Ws019s3KJpiOTx_7KwwVyjsZ5xdikw8OX4kt40qGliaJDA0sCeDS453cVotUQP1KKeKCmKIzLpGBwjc9f_NfTxx/s640/sendjason-harris-cover-mockup-new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="640" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGLZK4SmkMxWKAisT2q9VklOWv49TsKAGJdlmwFzAcsjjurwjrUUK83KLPAFmphyKfw5A29zcvJ8uLWM27ac3lB6G9-oYEukmQJ5n-Ws019s3KJpiOTx_7KwwVyjsZ5xdikw8OX4kt40qGliaJDA0sCeDS453cVotUQP1KKeKCmKIzLpGBwjc9f_NfTxx/w640-h462/sendjason-harris-cover-mockup-new.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">SYNOPSIS</span></b></h2><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Jealous of the attention lavished upon the puppetry talents of his dear sister—and tormented by visions of her torture at the hands of the mysterious Uncle Pavan who recruited her for his arcane school—Elias is determined to learn the true nature of occult puppetry, no matter the hideous costs, in order to exact vengeance.</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">BUY LINKS</span> -> <a href="https://www.crystallakepub.com/product/master-of-rods-and-strings-by-jason-marc-harris/" target="_blank">Crystal Lake Publishing</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Master-Rods-Strings-Jason-Harris/dp/1952283159/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2NOEB9AWQRRN9&keywords=master+of+rods+and+strings+jason+marc+harris&qid=1704795414&sprefix=Master+of+Rods+and+Strings%2Caps%2C293&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">EXCERPT</span></h3><div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I will not deny that I have always been fascinated with puppets.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Perhaps because I was born on a farm in Saint Siméon, a forgotten town west of Valence in southern France named after the patron saint of puppets. Despite the frequent puppet shows many families considered themselves extraordinarily lucky if a child were accepted into the Lycée Avancé des Marionettes to study such puppetry—not all were enthusiastic.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Neither my father, Patrick Clermont, nor my mother, Anne Belleau, ever bought me a puppet.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I sulked over this injustice. At the age of four, I could only watch my sister, Sonja, play with Angélique, a fairy marionette with long red hair that our Uncle Pavan had bought her.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Occasionally, when she noticed me moping, Sonja would let me pull at the strings. Although I could get Angélique to do a flopping walk, I never could make her glide so gracefully as my sister did. Sonja’s twirling flourishes of thumbs and rippling fingers gave Angélique life.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Such talent, such polish.” Uncle Pavan rubbed his large thumbs together as he watched Angélique slide amid potted wisteria and marigolds in the garden, flow through the open patio door, and float inside up to the doll’s house to join Sonja.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sonja played at Angélique’s strings like a harp by whose invisible sounds the marionette bobbed with buoyant grace, almost hovering at times as if her silky azure wings could truly fly.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Uncle Pavan’s own prowess at puppetry was marvelous. Some townsfolk whispered he could literally bring puppets to life. He took a dedicated interest in Sonja’s future. That is why I have so few memories of her. She left for the advanced arts of puppetry.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was left alone.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I longed to play with Sonja as we had on brighter days of jumping on piles of bronzing autumn leaves or racing through lavender fields with the spring winds—chasing harvest mice and Swallowtail butterflies dipping amid the yellow cowslips. We’d jump and then crouch down between stalks of shuddering wheat or corn. When I brooded and stroked Sebastian, our silky-furred black cat, who had also been the playmate of Sonja, I decided that if I showed myself particularly adept at puppets like my sister, then I would be reunited with her.</span></p></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></h4><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRbEHCFb12dAIhylnapWYKnJ-J7VMd07gIPft834ZkAvngb56RZa3saDfoWziZEVKI4lo2EXu0xZP6kAxA4Y6nPpsnA1NIpWGu_-ATElRK61RY1WcYtHX3Qx8vVWr2NKZA6fJLnO_IfocxGsPkz7RTfWXxWaaz11-1I3XduusAPPJ3olj5w46veXeMHMB/s800/sendJason-Marc-Harris-Master-Of-Rods-And-Strings-author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRbEHCFb12dAIhylnapWYKnJ-J7VMd07gIPft834ZkAvngb56RZa3saDfoWziZEVKI4lo2EXu0xZP6kAxA4Y6nPpsnA1NIpWGu_-ATElRK61RY1WcYtHX3Qx8vVWr2NKZA6fJLnO_IfocxGsPkz7RTfWXxWaaz11-1I3XduusAPPJ3olj5w46veXeMHMB/s320/sendJason-Marc-Harris-Master-Of-Rods-And-Strings-author.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Jason Marc Harris teaches creative writing, folklore, and literature, and is the Creative Writing Coordinator at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">He graduated with a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Washington, and an MFA in fiction from Bowling Green State University, where he served as Fiction Editor of Mid-American Review.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Creative work in journals such as</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Apex and Abyss</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Arroyo Literary Review</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Marvels and Tales</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Midwestern Gothic</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Psychopomp Magazine</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The Saturday Evening Post</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">, and</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Writing Texas</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">His novella of weird horror</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Master of Rods and Strings</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">was included in the Horror Writers Association Bram Stoker Award® Reading List for 2021 and will be republished by Crystal Lake Publishing in 2024.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Find the author online at his website: </span></span><span style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jasonmarcharris.com/&source=gmail&ust=1704881158467000&usg=AOvVaw1kL5PNf7BBZ8xYa7ZXEOgZ" href="https://jasonmarcharris.com/" style="color: #954f72; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">https://jasonmarcharris.com/</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-5895196652995474582024-01-07T01:00:00.009+02:002024-01-07T01:00:00.144+02:00What happened to my ideas in 2023 - part 3<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few thoughts on future ideas (Part 3 of 3)</span></span></h2><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">In my last two posts I mentioned how I get (most) my ideas and how I dealt with them in 2023. This post will deal with how I deal with the 'future todo' ideas, and my thoughts for capturing the new ideas that will sprout in 2024.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">I have reverted to using a Bullet Journal again, my way. No colourful drawings or fancy layouts, just the basic structure to get the myriad of things done. And the 'future todo' ideas were the perfect items to add to the Future Log. so that I don't forget about them, but more importantly find the right time to implement them.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">My Future Log for 2024 is not a long list, but with more ideas popping up, the list will invariably grow as the year progresses.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">So how to capture my new ideas in 2024?</span></h4><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">About two years ago I made a lapbook with two folders inside. But I have not used the lapbook for anything, so I dug it out and removed one of the folder things; it has two pockets inside and which gave me the idea.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLKho1w_261F3EbmyBhfLsfIEycM2b4z8BpEoRBjB7P3TrVAvpyZJ6Ar1a1UVWCbN-B_5ko-e6O1D4IEMfFlycH6J_3bGBI6v7Rr85OqZFajQ2-zQizmyaARAl4cNTDMlhq0RHbyyOWiqW4huc_5gbb55xukMq_fgyS6Bo67iG8p2hTiKVHQFCKL_SVts/s800/Ideas%203a.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="800" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLKho1w_261F3EbmyBhfLsfIEycM2b4z8BpEoRBjB7P3TrVAvpyZJ6Ar1a1UVWCbN-B_5ko-e6O1D4IEMfFlycH6J_3bGBI6v7Rr85OqZFajQ2-zQizmyaARAl4cNTDMlhq0RHbyyOWiqW4huc_5gbb55xukMq_fgyS6Bo67iG8p2hTiKVHQFCKL_SVts/w640-h454/Ideas%203a.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My 2024 handmade journal (left), with the folder and booklet (right)</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">The folder will be my bookmark, and I can fit a repurposed booklet I kept from an old Daphne's Diary into one of the pockets. I made my journal for this year but forgot to add a bookmark ribbon, so the folder is useful for that too. </span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">I have not used the booklet yet, mostly because my thoughts have been occupied with organising my studio and home office, and working on a few projects already in process.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;">So I will have to see how it is going to work. To be honest, it will work if I use it. How successful I found the new process, will be the question to answer this coming year.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: medium;">💜🇿🇦 Linzé</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">PS: Keep an eye out for another book feature coming this week!</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-31439961163028971922023-12-31T01:00:00.006+02:002023-12-31T01:00:00.144+02:00What happened to my ideas in 2023 - part 2<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="text-indent: 0.5cm;">The good, the bad and the delayed (Part 2 of 3)</span></h2><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Last week <a href="https://linzebrandon.blogspot.com/2023/12/what-happened-to-my-ideas-in-2023-part-1.html" target="_blank">I mentioned</a> that I went through my journal of 2023 and found 44 ideas I had - to write, paint or draw, or generally improve my creative life. This week I want to tell you what happened to those ideas.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOXIAgL90kHapX27VS4t016IeGvjlHoONHqP4vv2ixHOwjm9EP2vl1cVb4WgtcgvsWbYwd-0hwf2WW0P9gH4h5F14gTTauCdLHFIhvfOg8HwWKYfBhL0twr35nKKBB_L-jysAIgG-6So-6ddnawpxGa6C-tmdbQ0h82yJ1-Wj8OOl6XPEgYHOwm-y3JPX/s603/Ideas%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Abstract portrait, gouache paint, multicolour, Linzé Brandon, artist" border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOXIAgL90kHapX27VS4t016IeGvjlHoONHqP4vv2ixHOwjm9EP2vl1cVb4WgtcgvsWbYwd-0hwf2WW0P9gH4h5F14gTTauCdLHFIhvfOg8HwWKYfBhL0twr35nKKBB_L-jysAIgG-6So-6ddnawpxGa6C-tmdbQ0h82yJ1-Wj8OOl6XPEgYHOwm-y3JPX/w318-h320/Ideas%202.png" title="Abstract portrait in gouache by Linzé Brandon" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Some ideas happen when I am playing in a<br />sketchbook. I used gouache for this one.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I am sure that you are like me, hoping that every idea we have will be a great one, but reality tells a different story. Some ideas should be discarded, others tried out to see if they could lead somewhere, and then there are the ideas for which the time is simply not right. And this last group of ideas can sometimes make us impatient even though we know full well that bad timing can be as bad as a terrible decision.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">From my list of ideas, the business ideas definitely fell into this last category. There are things I have to do first before I can implement these ideas, so they are on a future to-do list.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I also found an idea I wrote down without adding any details of what I had in mind. Why I did that escapes me, so that one is a bust. That will teach me. LOL!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">As for the rest:</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">* Three ideas were not used. These were for art projects that I did finish, but I didn't use the idea I wrote down in my journal.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">* Twenty-three ideas were implemented. These were a mix of art and writing. That makes it 52% of the list, and not bad I would say.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">* The remaining 17 ideas ended up as follows: </span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; margin-left: 0.5cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">- For future implementation: 5</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; margin-left: 0.5cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">- Rethink (maybe not such good ideas?): 6</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; margin-left: 0.5cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">- On my todo list right now (for doing in the next 4 to 8 weeks): 6</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In Part 3 I will expand more on how I handle future todo's and share a few thoughts for capturing those journal ideas in 2024.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: medium;">💜🇿🇦 Linzé</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><br /><br /></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><br /><br /></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-27392200330825655492023-12-24T01:00:00.009+02:002023-12-24T01:00:00.146+02:00What happened to my ideas in 2023 - part 1<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">There were more ideas than I thought (Part 1 of 3)</span></h3><div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Over the years I have found that ideas for creative projects often happened while I was writing down my thoughts in my journal. If I didn't do something with the ideas, they were “lost” because I don't read past entries in my journals.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">This year I had a plan: I would mark the idea in the text with a symbol (I chose a smiley face) and also record the page numbers in front of my journal so I could find them later on.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWcnIu5CqCncE40M3dYsiotZqWF0tqjKH-ArFTAfCQpnO8okAIWJvaGoi3TioYyKgy52475UD-LzBL6IOISL7xigQrXApdOY0NO-Zj8hA_ZVWxLIxVTJLZNLEkqJe3_n-qaV4Le4dopeFeWh0o8v3K2xxvyNkPa7qy-S3pD_AIqeC20ZsMaMIbM6KYzSm/s804/Ideas%20post.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="804" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWcnIu5CqCncE40M3dYsiotZqWF0tqjKH-ArFTAfCQpnO8okAIWJvaGoi3TioYyKgy52475UD-LzBL6IOISL7xigQrXApdOY0NO-Zj8hA_ZVWxLIxVTJLZNLEkqJe3_n-qaV4Le4dopeFeWh0o8v3K2xxvyNkPa7qy-S3pD_AIqeC20ZsMaMIbM6KYzSm/w640-h478/Ideas%20post.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The inside cover pages of my 2023 journal</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Most of the time ideas related to a book I was busy with were incorporated into the story within a few days because they were part of a story close to finishing. But they were not the only ideas. Then I had a brainwave: maybe I should check out my list and see what happened to these ideas I had this year.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">A few surprises popped up:</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">1. There were more smiley faces than I had page numbers on my list. This meant that I was so into the flow of writing down the idea that I forgot to add the page number to my list.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">2. While working throught the list, I also found ideas where I didn't add a smily face. Since I mentioned that I don't reread my journals, how could I know there were more ideas? The names of characters caught my eye. Since I don't use the names of actual people I know in my stories, it wasn't hard to figure out that I was “thinking” about a scene in a book.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">3. I even had a few ideas related to my business. The ideas themselves didn't surprise me, but that they came to me while I was writing about non-business things was the surprise.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">I am not going to give away my ideas, but I thought to summarise the number and types of ideas I had.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">1. Book ideas - ideas for a new story: 3</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">2. Book ideas - ideas for scenes in stories already in process: 14</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">3. Books - cover ideas: 3</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">4. Art ideas for new/finishing paintings: 9</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">5. Art ideas for experimenting: 3</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">6. Art practice ideas to learn/master a new skill or technique: 2</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">7. Writing/journal organising ideas: 3</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">8. Organising ideas - studio and home office: 1</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">9. Bookbinding and other book art/craft ideas: 1</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">10. Business ideas: 2</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">11. Other: 3</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">TOTAL: 44 😳</span></i></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">In Part 2 I will expand on what happened with these ideas.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5cm;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Zapfino; font-size: large;">💜🇿🇦Linzé</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><br /><br /></p></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-71853632351162707652023-12-01T08:00:00.005+02:002023-12-01T08:00:00.156+02:00Book Feature: DEAD LETTERS: EPISODES OF EPISTOLARY HORROR edited by Jacob Steven Mohr<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIuhHwo-xg7boA-pjNLs4OG_DpkM0uVUrylGlp_4ENoQAiWOvpnUAIYNajApGCzMSUSwDA4B0L0KBj_9hzZti2oNmlyQ6r57IJCbffUVZYSf4B8hGfPtNujibyvHoVPA_TXnIXwf4uWAhFuL3HVeZqdv_ApxprhER-VBIY46mWTpDQAXf5OBVgzsqUKM2/s1024/Dead%20Letters%20cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="659" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmIuhHwo-xg7boA-pjNLs4OG_DpkM0uVUrylGlp_4ENoQAiWOvpnUAIYNajApGCzMSUSwDA4B0L0KBj_9hzZti2oNmlyQ6r57IJCbffUVZYSf4B8hGfPtNujibyvHoVPA_TXnIXwf4uWAhFuL3HVeZqdv_ApxprhER-VBIY46mWTpDQAXf5OBVgzsqUKM2/w257-h400/Dead%20Letters%20cover.jpg" width="257" /></a></div></h2><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">DEAD LETTERS: EPISODES OF EPISTOLARY HORROR features 21 all-original stories from authors like Ai Jiang, Gordon B. White, and Gemma Files, all in epistolary format. That means: stories told in emails, letters, texts, podcast transcripts, and the like.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><a href="https://www.crystallakepub.com/product/dead-letters-episodes-of-epistolary-horror/" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a></b></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #0000ee; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">SYNOPSIS</h3><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A video game walkthrough harbors a sinister secret. A grieving sister’s letters cross the barrier between alive and dead (and alive again). A chain of frightening emails is the only evidence a young woman ever existed. And a series of journals follow a dwindling wagon train marching straight into Hell—or someplace worse.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Haunted podcast transcripts. Blood soaked police reports. Bewildering court findings.<br /><br />Brace yourself for Dead Letters, an anthology that resurrects the chilling power of epistolary fiction—where ordinary documents become hidden records of our darkest fantasies and bleakest nightmares.<br /><br />Across 21 all-original tales from talents like Gemma Files, Ai Jiang, Gordon B. White, J.A.W. McCarthy, and Red Lagoe, and curated with precision by Jacob Steven Mohr, Dead Letters: Episodes of Epistolary Horror serves up a prolonged sojourn into the macabre—and promises to haunt your sleepless nights.<br /></span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>EXCERPT (from "The Parthas UFO Incident" by T.T. Madden")</b></h3><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear scientists,</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />At first we thought it to be nothing more than a prank. Children from around town would mention something in the sky, a dark shape moving through the night. There have been strange things out in the desert, and even so, we thought little of it. <br /> <br />And then they started mentioning the men. Some people may think we’re hicks, living out here in the desert, but there’s no place in the world where parents won’t pay attention when their children say a strange man tried to talk to them.<br /><br />The paper has pictures of all of them, what they arrived in and the men themselves. It looks like a pyramid hovering in the sky. Like an invisible hand lifting one of those Ancient Egyptian structures, except this one is all black. Black as the night. <br /><br />The pictures of the men are different. There’s always two of them, and they’re always together. People say they see them out in the desert think they’re lost hikers, a duo who always disappear when people get close. At first, some of us were starting to think a new urban legend was happening right before our eyes. Like the ghost girl who leaves her sweater in your car.<br /><br />But then something turned.<br /><br />For the past several weeks, this presence around Parthas has menaced us. I do not know what caused their attitudes to change. Perhaps it was the fireworks. Perhaps they interpreted them as an attack. Since the Fourth of July, the number of car crashes and abandoned vehicles on the highway has gone up exponentially. People driving along the highway say the shapes in the sky follow them. Not engaging, just following. Watching. They say they pass the two men over and over again, standing on the shoulder, eternal hitchhikers begging for a ride that’s never coming.<br /><br />I know what you must think, that I’m just repeating stories I’ve heard. That people out here in the middle of the desert have nothing better to do than spin tales. No. I’ve seen these things myself, the pyramids and the men, lurking in the sky, in the desert, just outside the trailer park. Always at night. Like they’re waiting for something. Some signal for them to finally come in.<br /><br />This is the Nevada desert. There is so, so much open sky. There’s no place they can’t see us.<br /><br />Please. Please send someone.</span></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">EDITOR BIO</span></b></h3><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkLFg2GHlNT9E2waloBH7ZCg4xuddQIKEIkjc1uQf07zstB7zo3WnPhlsodCqvdvnPvPjjg2N_rEQnMzvBURHl7dva4t4AZS7HOYCGWw-i2SFsPtQ4QZ6g5oR_P_CY9BuxQE77qizL5fOKv-Fw2hbv49YJZxfeM1DqPyFDsdasRniEvgg7XGMY3tNAX9G/s1450/NPPimage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1450" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkLFg2GHlNT9E2waloBH7ZCg4xuddQIKEIkjc1uQf07zstB7zo3WnPhlsodCqvdvnPvPjjg2N_rEQnMzvBURHl7dva4t4AZS7HOYCGWw-i2SFsPtQ4QZ6g5oR_P_CY9BuxQE77qizL5fOKv-Fw2hbv49YJZxfeM1DqPyFDsdasRniEvgg7XGMY3tNAX9G/s320/NPPimage.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br />Jacob Steven Mohr does not believe in human consciousness; his works emerge as though from the ether, fully formed and fully ominous.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Selections of these can be observed in <i>Cosmic Horror Monthly, Shortwave Magazine, Chthonic Matter Quarterly, Weird Horror Magazine, </i>and<i> The Best Horror of the Year Vol. 15.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">He exists in Columbus OH.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Follow him everywhere <a class="gmail_plusreply" id="m_3160486850045702559plusReplyChip-0">@jacobstevenmohr</a></span></div><div><a class="gmail_plusreply"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></a></div><div><a class="gmail_plusreply"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a class="gmail_plusreply"><br /></a></div></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-86521982932321102452023-12-01T01:00:00.007+02:002023-12-01T01:00:00.154+02:00Book Feature: PRIME PREY - The Protectors by Linzé Brandon (Book 6 in the Nations of Peace series)<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKaicpAj1wKl_2jruXiZV99h1oJJuggYbSn1ZyeMnMasfJQVZ26VXga463F5Uxz7gcapzBsw2fGBCfnTXmhAHXom4hNO3am5wzVBr3b9XdDvRDvkUNQNwREkqWG7DbqICyqrNKktezVBhx-Zopq58niUo07hUnwv4RnnazhLnhlTilHYN8pSPZq2MlhNc/s834/Short%20description.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="834" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKaicpAj1wKl_2jruXiZV99h1oJJuggYbSn1ZyeMnMasfJQVZ26VXga463F5Uxz7gcapzBsw2fGBCfnTXmhAHXom4hNO3am5wzVBr3b9XdDvRDvkUNQNwREkqWG7DbqICyqrNKktezVBhx-Zopq58niUo07hUnwv4RnnazhLnhlTilHYN8pSPZq2MlhNc/w552-h640/Short%20description.png" width="552" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>Buy link</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>=></b></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>Click the cover!</b></span></p><p><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>=><br /></b></span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: verdana;">EXCERPT (from Chapter 3)</span></b></h3><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>If you become pregnant, will you allow me to provide for the child?</i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She felt her eyes widen. The tone of his voice, even in her mind, was pleading. She tilted her head sideways as she thought about this. Did he want a baby? In her experience with friends and family, human or otherwise, the males were not usually the ones who wanted children.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><i>Are you serious?</i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">He nodded. <i>In any way you need. Money included.</i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She frowned slightly as they got out of the cooling water. She wasn’t exactly poor, but babies had more needs than she might be prepared for. She rubbed her forehead for a moment. Was she considering having this man’s baby?</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She lifted her eyes back to his. He was deadly serious. Not only did she see it in his eyes, but she also felt it in his mind. He was promised to another woman, but he would not relinquish his responsibilities. On some level, she was sure he wanted her to have his baby. It made no sense. They had barely been introduced, to say nothing of knowing each other. How could he know what kind of mother she would be? To his child, no less. Shivering from a sudden chill, she felt him take the towel and wrap it securely around her before carrying her back to bed.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If it wasn’t that her thoughts were otherwise occupied, she would have protested; she did have a perfectly working pair of legs, after all.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">If there is a baby,” she started quietly as he lay beside her, holding her close, “I will tell you, and then we can decide what to do.”</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Thank you,” he replied.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">He watched her drift to sleep and looked at his timepiece. He had to leave. It was not how he had planned to spend the first day with his soul-mate, but he had no choice. Prince Wolfgang was scheduled to travel to Zo’en today on family business, and he had to accompany him, being his chief bodyguard and his oldest cousin. Wolfe, as he preferred to be called, trusted very few people with his security, and Jarod was the only one he allowed to travel with him on family business.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Loathe to wake her, but he would feel like a jerk to just leave without at least saying goodbye. He got dressed and then gently shook her awake.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It’s time,” he said when she opened her eyes and looked at him.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I have a solar address, so you can reach me anywhere, anytime. I saved it in your contact list on your handheld.” He held up the tiny hand-sized computer he had found on her bedside table.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">He touched her cheek one more time, running his thumb over her lips. “Will you be all right?”</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She tried to smile but gave up. This was all they had or were going to be. Slowly sitting up, clutching the towel as a shield to her chest, she nodded. “I will be just fine.”</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The sudden wariness in her eyes told him that lingering would not make it better. “Remember. Any time. Anything,” he said, with a last tender kiss on her cheek. He got to his feet and left the room. A few moments later, she heard the front door close quietly. He had obviously walked here since she didn’t hear a vehicle.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lying back against her pillows, she wondered if they had been insane to do this when they both knew there could never be any future for them.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Lying in bed all day would not solve or change anything, so she got up and went to her closet to pick something to wear. The inside of the door had a full-length mirror, and a slight shimmer on her chest caught her eye.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Turning to fully face the mirror, she dropped the towel. She ran her hand quickly over her skin, removing the magic glamour hiding her body markings. Born from a Hunter and a Life-Giver, her body markings reflected both bloodlines. Then she frowned.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Oh, shit.”</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">-----------------</span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">About Linzé Brandon</span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtN22-v-ZqV_OTVsUnBCVdnw-ZMbaqtq-l_xrSa1yKuE0lavmOIlOT6W8u1OggoyQ-JI4DGsxitpvjkHs04t1SjzKq7IVeQ_q18akr2EgyevGgLejlXpbGVte1NCmq6gvYsrhGZMX0Sj2mtBbj6-7MwWpQopTo37m0oPXEetJi2fxeWFnqOc5dns9qNz5/s1200/Author%20pic%2020231130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Author picture of Linzé Brandon" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtN22-v-ZqV_OTVsUnBCVdnw-ZMbaqtq-l_xrSa1yKuE0lavmOIlOT6W8u1OggoyQ-JI4DGsxitpvjkHs04t1SjzKq7IVeQ_q18akr2EgyevGgLejlXpbGVte1NCmq6gvYsrhGZMX0Sj2mtBbj6-7MwWpQopTo37m0oPXEetJi2fxeWFnqOc5dns9qNz5/w240-h320/Author%20pic%2020231130.jpg" title="Author picture of Linzé Brandon" width="240" /></a></div><br />Linzé Brandon is the pen name of Lizette de Vries-Venter. She is a self-employed consultant and specialist engineer, author and artist. Living a creative life is what makes her happy and she loves to share her knowledge in both art and engineering.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She does, however, leave the teaching of story writing to others.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Linzé is the author of fiction and non-fiction books.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-40745930498495426142023-10-07T19:30:00.001+02:002023-10-07T19:30:00.143+02:00Painting with a limited palette - a review of Roman Szmal watercolour paints<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hello creative friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you are taking part in Inktober2023, then you are doing something fun and creative and I hope you enjoy every moment. My Inktober drawings this year are not as detailed as you might have seen in the past, because I have a full plate and my time is particularly limited this October. And one of those tasks is the following review. If you have used this brand of watercolours,nlet me know what you think about these paints in the comments.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I couldn't afford a large number of colours, so I limited my purchase to the following colours: Gamboge (hue), Green gold, Magenta, and Payne's Grey.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS52cOfsNY1PwHnekXELMPaJ5nFo2z0XLEuUYrbo5PNdsn6FBYWPUsrdL6E6SAa05mQiMAa5OA-nJW5kueKaCcy_Gl_YvwyGpioNOYCJtaa3hyphenhyphenE5b-1cxmvIv9utmIx5kVwhPSoqBF26MW6N1bXZNwgq214p2EzdHHi_cw7WKsOzSomN-QjEhOXaLq4Xs/s1800/Pans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="1800" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUS52cOfsNY1PwHnekXELMPaJ5nFo2z0XLEuUYrbo5PNdsn6FBYWPUsrdL6E6SAa05mQiMAa5OA-nJW5kueKaCcy_Gl_YvwyGpioNOYCJtaa3hyphenhyphenE5b-1cxmvIv9utmIx5kVwhPSoqBF26MW6N1bXZNwgq214p2EzdHHi_cw7WKsOzSomN-QjEhOXaLq4Xs/w400-h290/Pans.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;"><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YyBMItRc0skFd4W8zzBNyd9PW2jblwPBsnyyjkVaZzGmCPQmTfI0umZML8umg8haw7qWFemU4Ce3lobitBfWf2s1AKd2N8kow-z4-xb9jCgrB1Ck18RUcMxpJ3FFoBukYZFMvViN2a6c7wgsmSyM0ty3WWs4ZUdhSFSzDaOB9ne_Ylllr6pJ0Dcy8rX_/s2146/swatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1418" data-original-width="2146" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YyBMItRc0skFd4W8zzBNyd9PW2jblwPBsnyyjkVaZzGmCPQmTfI0umZML8umg8haw7qWFemU4Ce3lobitBfWf2s1AKd2N8kow-z4-xb9jCgrB1Ck18RUcMxpJ3FFoBukYZFMvViN2a6c7wgsmSyM0ty3WWs4ZUdhSFSzDaOB9ne_Ylllr6pJ0Dcy8rX_/w400-h264/swatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swatches and more info I wrote in pencil</td></tr></tbody></table></p>I swatched them on Royal & Langnickel 300gsm CP watercolour postcards, then did a painting from one of my own photographs on Pontentate 100% 300gsm cotton paper, also CP.</span><p></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLhGXaGnMXkTDyv-kJ7ezSA6HyoYXb6Ff7lazpXaqZZvarCiMgbvrZ46krVoIaKicPMeSzzQSYOq_iFeeef5YjXEsN-YISVcAi1UZS8tayCTbU9VlZTBs_CUm3Sf1YFgijVSMdOTlH1eZCfMZSgd9RKDmRLy38FcGQACB23TJ3CZDetkkb21A6Ey66Zd3/s2108/Mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="2108" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLhGXaGnMXkTDyv-kJ7ezSA6HyoYXb6Ff7lazpXaqZZvarCiMgbvrZ46krVoIaKicPMeSzzQSYOq_iFeeef5YjXEsN-YISVcAi1UZS8tayCTbU9VlZTBs_CUm3Sf1YFgijVSMdOTlH1eZCfMZSgd9RKDmRLy38FcGQACB23TJ3CZDetkkb21A6Ey66Zd3/w400-h269/Mix.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I mixed the colours to see what would<br />happen - there were a a few surprises :)</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I did the painting with only these four colours, and then added white and black ink to finish the painting.</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OxqIOJvgqGWXi08On9Qp0meVzLsPNrrXR8rFMaqKS7_8DTCZMnypjdKBpY81UQ0Ej6NB0tvzszgjIiYbtMwv0gqPOnQE5j06NYl43pM6SgWVvMHgvoG-Mg9Y4AEDU4enW5mwXWV6-R5Qjxbsri6Z6h-FeaPCYzZXXML5G4aR9UOooZCR6UC7q3CTvhIr/s1389/Review%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OxqIOJvgqGWXi08On9Qp0meVzLsPNrrXR8rFMaqKS7_8DTCZMnypjdKBpY81UQ0Ej6NB0tvzszgjIiYbtMwv0gqPOnQE5j06NYl43pM6SgWVvMHgvoG-Mg9Y4AEDU4enW5mwXWV6-R5Qjxbsri6Z6h-FeaPCYzZXXML5G4aR9UOooZCR6UC7q3CTvhIr/w288-h400/Review%201.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Painting with only 4 colours</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><i>My impressions:</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">1. The Payne's Grey was sticky when I removed the pans from their packaging. The other colours were solid, so I thought to give it a day or so. It is now dry like the others. Perhaps it was still not dry before it was shipped.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">2. The colours are intense, especially the Payne's Grey. It is do dark that it obscured the black line I drew for the swatches to see their translucency. It is a cool grey, but it is hard to see the blue tone even when highly diluted. But once mixed with the Gamboge, the resulting green left no doubt on that score.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">3. I like the paints, and found them easy to activate, mix, and paint with. Once my budget allow it, I will definitely get some more colours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">PS: I put the Roman Szmal colours into the same palette I made for the tube watercolours I own from three other brands.</span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoEmKEMGTPy0VyxhNOtXk0zrNttsf3ir_PJ10VZV4kj6I9c-M65izWHXxfZa6D61LrQ_tqciOYx4z8asaB0ZkWc8KBchSvqrSza3IeFXouZer-vZ-YuzDukkKzrAKUp2ZjOXjnv9p5SvM2_AdKVNDJ-DMkSsUDmSuC6Ll_0BjmxCjYKswBxmS-zZn9lop/s1287/Pointsettia%20Roman%20Szmal%20review%202%20copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1287" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoEmKEMGTPy0VyxhNOtXk0zrNttsf3ir_PJ10VZV4kj6I9c-M65izWHXxfZa6D61LrQ_tqciOYx4z8asaB0ZkWc8KBchSvqrSza3IeFXouZer-vZ-YuzDukkKzrAKUp2ZjOXjnv9p5SvM2_AdKVNDJ-DMkSsUDmSuC6Ll_0BjmxCjYKswBxmS-zZn9lop/w311-h400/Pointsettia%20Roman%20Szmal%20review%202%20copy.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Final result</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">If you live in South Africa, you can buy them from <a href="https://artsavingsclub.co.za/product/aquarius-watercolour-paint-roman-szmal/" target="_blank">Artsavingsclub</a>, as I did.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">🇿🇦💜 <i>Linzé</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-5184338896597406312023-09-10T17:00:00.001+02:002023-09-10T17:00:00.143+02:00The CreativeLife in review - keep learning, and creative projects<p> <span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Hello creative friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Like most of you I'm sure, it is sometimes tough to find a moment to write a blog post, or just find time for yourself. I still have to do my planning for the coming week, but here I am checking in. And it's been a while, ouch!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Recent times for me included being hit by a nasty cold, and I am still struggling to completely shake it off. I don't get sick, but when that one bug kicks my butt, trust me it does a good job to take me down. But I am recovering, so there is hope! LOL!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> I have just finished the Find Your Joy Taster course, presented by Louise Fletcher. Maybe one day I will be able to afford the full 12-week course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsam1wEgI9ddseGYz0IOO_cs-DFO8_YUeBnPcgd19fvi5O-BqE4EZ9_Jac0VzH8gVjo0-6qe9I2TzC4-7QbNtyHSVxhNkmSRygh2TqO0KPwuZh8JopiSyMksipFBlcMH1QeO70U84lO2FdboNLuv9e_RfHiveEnFj8X_UPtl2Wuixh-nnLgLEvRZ3zktd/s1500/September%20Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsam1wEgI9ddseGYz0IOO_cs-DFO8_YUeBnPcgd19fvi5O-BqE4EZ9_Jac0VzH8gVjo0-6qe9I2TzC4-7QbNtyHSVxhNkmSRygh2TqO0KPwuZh8JopiSyMksipFBlcMH1QeO70U84lO2FdboNLuv9e_RfHiveEnFj8X_UPtl2Wuixh-nnLgLEvRZ3zktd/w400-h266/September%20Photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My ink and wash painting for the Artkula<br />September Photo Challenge</span></td></tr></tbody></table> </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">There was a bit of overlap with the Art Soul course as well. The presenters use mostly watercolours, whereas Louise's course use acrylics. I love ink and watercolours so I did a few of the lessons too. But there was one lesson where I skipped the class, and rather watched the artist's website course. I am still learning oil painting, and she used cold wax medium which I am unfamiliar with. I've ordered some, and will soon have something new to play with.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Of course, one of my favourite online artists will soon have her taster Lifebook course starting a bit later this month. Since I am a fan of Tamara Laporte, it was a no brainer to enrol in that. I own her book, and have been doing my own Lifebook since 2021. But there is always something new to learn or experiment with, when it comes to art.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> On top of all the courses, and challenges, I have decided to take part in a national art competition. The deadline is the end of October, and the theme is to interpret and redo a painting from one of the old masters. Not a simple thing for sure. It took me about 4 days to properly plan the painting, and so far I have done most of the preparation work. I painted the first layer of colour on the background, so it is now simply a case of getting it done. Not as easy as it sounds though, but definitely a challenge and fun, I have to say. I am not going to say more, but I will share when I am allowed to do so according to the rules.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> <i>Prime Prey's</i> (Book 6 in the Nations of Peace series) cover is done, and I am happy with the editing. The prelaunch information is already on <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1440602" target="_blank">Smashwords</a>, but the cover and the final manuscript will only be published in November.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> When I have a few moments, I am working on a small series of contemporary novels revolving around two paintings with supernatural abilities. The first draft of the first novel is done, and the second is a few pages long. They will only see the light of day next year, or even maybe 2025. I will have to check my planning for the next books in the Nations of Peace series.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> My dogs are telling me it's time for dinner, so I will love and leave you for now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> Wishing you a creative week, until next time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">🇿🇦💜 <i>Linzé</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-78878594656576420132023-09-08T01:00:00.009+02:002023-09-08T01:00:00.151+02:00Book Feature: NEVER WAKE: An Anthology of Dream Horror <h2 style="text-align: left;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAPR5vV1GnhY3PUpbeluNCfuvZet6Qz0WH2B7RvtEREGs_7GbZiJW_Qq5c2t2vo-G7hHXyaWDf2u4dFgl9CEnaH9-d3fPv5O9FSEvwyI-fA7Gl-X2F1sAA_6kIdQDK5-JtkRolAyAzZ9iCUnNrpNqSXyVtJYa2VS9mqtSq257zT1S6C6NFITODQUjuiUB/s900/Never%20Wake%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="590" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgAPR5vV1GnhY3PUpbeluNCfuvZet6Qz0WH2B7RvtEREGs_7GbZiJW_Qq5c2t2vo-G7hHXyaWDf2u4dFgl9CEnaH9-d3fPv5O9FSEvwyI-fA7Gl-X2F1sAA_6kIdQDK5-JtkRolAyAzZ9iCUnNrpNqSXyVtJYa2VS9mqtSq257zT1S6C6NFITODQUjuiUB/w263-h400/Never%20Wake%20Cover.jpg" width="263" /></a></div></span></i></h2><h1 style="text-align: left;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Where do we go when we dream?</span></i></h1><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.<br /><br /><i> NEVER WAKE </i>is an anthology of dream horror, bringing you several mind-bending tales of nightmares, hallucinations, and phantasmagoria from some of the hottest talent in horror fiction. But don’t worry—when you <i>(wake up screaming) </i>flip the last page, just remember to tell yourself, “It was only just a story…”<br /><br /> Unless it wasn’t.<br /><br /><i> Featuring an introduction from Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann and stories from: Cynthia Pelayo, Philip Fracassi, Gwendolyn Kiste, Eric LaRocca, Lee Murray, Todd Keisling, Laurel Hightower, and many mor</i>e!</span></span><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Buy link:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://getbook.at/NeverWake&source=gmail&ust=1693977125560000&usg=AOvVaw1yq4unr2SQ-DGMt6_sj_yI" href="https://getbook.at/NeverWake" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://getbook.at/NeverWake</a></span></h1><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">An excerpt from the anthology, from Philip Fracassi's story, "Specter."</span></b></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The book is large, almost like a dictionary. The cover is black leather, and there’s no title. No words at all. There are designs, however, carved into the leather. Intricate, beautiful designs: a pair of large hands holding sand that spills between cupped fingers; a snake eating its own tail; a large, closed eye in the center; stars, moons, planets…<br /><br /> Jenna lifts the cover to reveal a neat inscription written in the center of the first, blank, page.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">For Jenna,</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>When you dream, dream of me.</i><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Nana</i><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> “It’s beautiful,” Jenna says, part of her wanting to leaf through the book then and there, feel the thick pages within, read the different meanings of dream symbols…<br /> But her friends are already standing, antsy and ready for the cake and ice cream portion of the event. The final meal before the party is officially over and they can go home to daydream about their own childhood birthday parties, the wonderful gifts they’ll hope to receive.<br /> Jenna carefully sets the book back into the sturdy black box, her eyes unable to leave the cover.<br /> “Jenna?” her mother says. “Come on, let’s blow out the candles.”<br /> “Okay,” she replies, and begins to fold the thin tissue paper back over the book’s cover, when she pauses. <br /> The embossed eye in the center—the one she would have sworn was closed only a moment ago—is now open wide. As if watching her.<br /> As if seeing her for the very first time.<br /> Realizing she must have seen it wrong the first time, Jenna dismisses the chill that climbs up her spine at the sight of the open eye. She dutifully covers it with the paper, replaces the cardboard lid, then heads for the kitchen to have cake and ice cream with her friends.<br /> She doesn’t notice Nana watching her as she passes by the table, a rare smile curling the old woman’s lips.</span></div></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><h1 style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Buy link:</span></b><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://getbook.at/NeverWake&source=gmail&ust=1693977125560000&usg=AOvVaw1yq4unr2SQ-DGMt6_sj_yI" href="https://getbook.at/NeverWake" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://getbook.at/NeverWake</a></span></h1></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">EDITOR BIOS:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT17BvA9_WDt2f94z-2hqtPs1ciBlbjMSqfOS8FTfT0dvGEzAU7VTceUJ9EvIWDhMVbEQ2aza4pHYqPSiPJAk_tWByAIKFT9MkA6l4pQn2olNIORLp1N8SxrJ7I8_TdSXlqKN77Wxuw0ldr-kNZ3jbclC6UCtar4WERR5rQ8NYfTF2YEzR12LD4asLLl8f/s300/Author%20Photo%20Kenneth%20Cain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT17BvA9_WDt2f94z-2hqtPs1ciBlbjMSqfOS8FTfT0dvGEzAU7VTceUJ9EvIWDhMVbEQ2aza4pHYqPSiPJAk_tWByAIKFT9MkA6l4pQn2olNIORLp1N8SxrJ7I8_TdSXlqKN77Wxuw0ldr-kNZ3jbclC6UCtar4WERR5rQ8NYfTF2YEzR12LD4asLLl8f/s1600/Author%20Photo%20Kenneth%20Cain.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><br />Kenneth W. Cain</b> is an author of horror and dark fiction, and a Splatterpunk Award nominated freelance editor. To date, he has had over one hundred short stories and thirteen novels/novellas, as well as a handful each of nonfiction pieces, books for children, and poems released by many great publishers such as Crystal Lake Publishing, JournalStone, and Cemetery Gates Media.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">He has also edited eight anthologies, with two more coming in 2023. He lives in Chester County PA with his family and two furbabies, Butterbean and Bodhi. His full publishing history is available on his website at <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://kennethwcain.com/&source=gmail&ust=1693977125560000&usg=AOvVaw1R_M4ku8yC1fXOUaghPCQU" href="http://kennethwcain.com/" style="color: #0563c1;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">kennethwcain.com</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEngdER7ovdxniZqh7k6ncDA-fYdQzMikkwGwpsdJpoTCOjLdcQko_go4ItE9ZOoLVZTejKAKupMlfuc_ptHcVBrLT3DwK-mzO7B8fYkrdIf8FOaQAY1ejwoL4hdwzKIIynIxJQDLQeBMqveHr14CW2DU6cMxVAO9NR61i8BXTKmH_9sVPRk-uZwXx9VZH/s300/Author%20Photo%20Tim%20Meyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEngdER7ovdxniZqh7k6ncDA-fYdQzMikkwGwpsdJpoTCOjLdcQko_go4ItE9ZOoLVZTejKAKupMlfuc_ptHcVBrLT3DwK-mzO7B8fYkrdIf8FOaQAY1ejwoL4hdwzKIIynIxJQDLQeBMqveHr14CW2DU6cMxVAO9NR61i8BXTKmH_9sVPRk-uZwXx9VZH/s1600/Author%20Photo%20Tim%20Meyer.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><br />Tim Meyer</b> dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He’s the author of more than fifteen novels, including <i>Malignant Summer</i>, <i>Th<wbr></wbr>e Switch House</i>, <i>Dead Daughters</i>, <i>Limbs</i>, and many other titles. When he's not working on the next book, he's usually hanging out with his </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">wife and son, shooting around on the basketball court, playing video games, or messing with a new screenplay.</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">He bleeds coffee and IPAs. You can learn more about his books at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://timmeyerwrites.com/&source=gmail&ust=1693977125560000&usg=AOvVaw1XvF7m4ZXZeU2_B5CwBp-K" href="http://timmeyerwrites.com/" style="color: #0563c1; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">timmeyerwrites.com</span></a></span></p><span style="color: #888888;"><p></p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-71322551451220302802023-08-17T01:00:00.008+02:002023-08-17T01:00:00.147+02:00Book Feature: LOST by Shilpa Suraj<p> <a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2023/08/lost-in-disgrace-2-shilp-suraj.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIr5H4F6MoO-_QyUe6LdZBgrqgVfoIyuoJPxUDLA7MRaL4biErbvnc6CeG1ffS-MbNEAk-G_M25vyi2Wz5FaN9oIWgPNjcaL4vYF-JSCz92Fi3-tBRJIJeH85XQ4OcMqS2TBrEJ5fi2YVqev03HzbAHYhfAcipqSKlFd9LC9ycFVk0bQAKYxa8cwP5c3I/w640-h320/Lost%20by%20Shilpa%20Suraj.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><h4 style="text-align: center;">Lost is a story of love, betrayal, honour, revenge, and everything in between. It’s also a love story that sets fire to the world they live in leaving them with no choice but to rise from the ashes anew…</h4><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2023/08/lost-in-disgrace-2-shilp-suraj.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lMeUrinyRDvPY1IzieijrpbieIsh1z1LQIfXcY4k6tKuQktPLULX3esSljC7BD1Uvl4pTnKO5kLR7LPlq6Fxk4SOKiVsfOA6CLCyyn5EgN7_-sXGlB6rBRl3BbEnGPMAhbiLU8UrhJge_xVsYnfeLVDSOqOXCRuaoxgGTXWE1XyjXXEKsDSycZzfkQE/s320/Final-Lost.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>Lieutenant Rahul Jaishankar of the Indian Navy is a man of honour, principles and commitment. His love for his family, his ethics, and his integrity is only eclipsed by his love for his country. He has no time or space to love anything or anyone else. Until the day Ayaana Sahni explodes into his life. Suddenly, she’s all he can think of, all he can hope for, all he dreams of, awake or asleep…<br /><br />But Ayaana isn’t a dream he can afford to have. She’s an illusion. Ayaana Sahni is actually Aarushi Mittal. And Aarushi Mittal wants only one thing…Vengeance. And no man, not even one as deliciously gorgeous as Lieutenant Rahul was going to get in her way.<br /><br />An award winning, intrepid journalist, Aarushi spends most of her life abroad working on the kind of devastating stories that the world would never hear of if not for people like her. But it has come at the cost of her personal life, at the cost of time with family, and at the heartbreaking cost of her friend’s devastating tragedy.<br /><br />Aarushi needs to atone for her negligence, she needs to right the wrongs done in her absence, and she needs to make the villain in her friend’s story pay. What she really needs to make that happen is a way into the tightly knit community of the Indian Navy and Lieutenant Rahul Jaishankar is it. And if that means there is some collateral damage along the way, then so be it. Even if the collateral being damaged makes her yearn for dreams that don’t exist. Surely, the Lieutenant would understand, wouldn’t he?<br /><br />Aarushi isn’t built for love. She’s built to burn down the world for her loved ones instead. So what if this man makes her want things she’s never wanted? So what if this man makes her heart ache for something she’ll never have? So what if, suddenly, this man is all she wants?<br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/175421744-lost" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/3YCvkYL" target="_blank">Amazon IN</a> * <a href="https://amzn.to/3QMiWDg" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></b></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Lost</u></h1><p></p><p>She swung the door open, her eagerness on full display. Rahul leaned against the wall outside her flat, in loose tracks and a t-shirt that had probably been washed ten thousand times. He looked warm and rumpled and enticingly cuddle-able. </p><p>“Hi Ayaana.” Rahul smiled, a weary smile. </p><p>Ayaana. </p><p>Her smile dropped in wattage as she held the door open and made way for him to enter. He didn’t move, instead waiting on the threshold for her to precede him.</p><p>Oh right. The whole gallantry thing. She turned around and started hopping back down the little corridor. She heard the door shut behind her and then a warm hand captured her crutch holding hand. </p><p>A shiver worked its way through her. He was so close. So big, so warm, so everything. A ridiculous urge to curl into his solid, stable presence and cry overcame her but she shook it off. She shook it all off. </p><p>“Problem, Navy?” </p><p>His eyes, so close to her own, flashed in amusement at the nickname. </p><p>“You’re doing it wrong,” he murmured.</p><p>“Doing what wrong?” Why was she breathless? </p><p>“The crutch thing.”</p><p>She raised one eyebrow and tried to look haughty. “You’re criticizing my ability to limp on a damaged foot?” </p><p>But she ruined the effect with the breathless whisper that accompanied the words. </p><p>He looked down at her, his gaze dropping to her lips before moving to land on her crutch. “You’re hopping too much. All the weight and pressure is on your shoulders and back. You’re not leveraging the crutch enough.”</p><p>He slid one arm around her waist to anchor her, his other hand going to wrap around the knuckles she had tightly clenched around the handle of the crutch. He helped her raise the crutch in the air and place it forward while using his other arm to coax her body into not leaping into a hop to compensate. Only when her weight rested on the crutch did he let her body slide into step with it. </p><p>“Better?” he asked, the word a waft of heat against the shell of her ear. </p><p>Aarushi shut her eyes, as unreasonable sensations cascaded through her. She nodded her head, just once, in response to his question. </p><p>He released her and stepped back, cold air rushing in to take the place of the delicious warmth of his body. She reached instinctively for him but stopped herself before she made contact. Her fingers curled in mid-air before her hand dropped to her side. </p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="914" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqKHxpj2OiCHs42YvNAYWjLlUzyJsQNJBDIPMXhr07ojr7y3gu1JeXhXUTqfwG8fg0j3AdPFppna3RWxlJANWVZm2Occ3aDL6cWQpbYaILbi0xBQ4T6d6ai2ChJdoEAYf0JUcifk72YjtTMvGeV723ebo62Vp4fUE3bqCTK2gcQDxCBK9y_DnkKsE/s320/Shilpa%20Suraj.jpeg" width="229" /></a></div>A published author with Harlequin India – Mills & Boon India Collection and Juggernaut, Shilpa Suraj’s books have hit both the Hot New Releases and Bestseller lists on Amazon. Her next novel, tentatively titled ‘Wrong,’ has been contracted by Rupa Publications and will release later this year. She is also part of the Flipped Anthology by Harper Collins and had an audiobook book Insta Reddy release with Storytel.<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />She is, amongst other things, currently working on ‘Frazzled and Fabulous,’ a humorous, true-to-life parenting story that is part memoir and part nonfiction.<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />An avid reader with a passion for creative writing and storytelling saw her participating in writing competitions at school and dabbling in copy writing for an ad agency as a teenager. Twenty years in the corporate space, including a stint in Corporate Communications for Google, India, and a spell at entrepreneurship all hold her in good stead for her multiple current roles of author, mother and Head of Human Resources & Public Relations at an architecture and interior design firm.<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:<br /></u></b></span></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://shilpasuraj.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shilpaauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.suraj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="http://eepurl.com/dt-Br9" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></span></b></span></p><p><br /></p><br /><p> </p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-75667018418628344032023-06-16T01:00:00.005+02:002023-06-16T01:00:00.135+02:00Book Feature: IT HAUNTS THE MIND and Other Stories by Nick Roberts<p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLB0GCX9RmzMqdNrZF8VVZzqKvgBGPE5ZkHW9qhVcRVlJmcRIjJn_BnCMt6I8e4bTzagn_shmnE9qi98hRmrEx6CmpgQBbXQ9REDe_lgUnZI-aTd1bGmZvmhGubD0BEbubplGsBK4hZeFlXWjn6J4d3RiYo1YcZRoS2vBDcVyjtu8NVYf_XNnOzVogCQ/s2048/348639622_966392204386157_7178755317417890620_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1366" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLB0GCX9RmzMqdNrZF8VVZzqKvgBGPE5ZkHW9qhVcRVlJmcRIjJn_BnCMt6I8e4bTzagn_shmnE9qi98hRmrEx6CmpgQBbXQ9REDe_lgUnZI-aTd1bGmZvmhGubD0BEbubplGsBK4hZeFlXWjn6J4d3RiYo1YcZRoS2vBDcVyjtu8NVYf_XNnOzVogCQ/w266-h400/348639622_966392204386157_7178755317417890620_n.jpeg" width="266" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">From Nick Roberts, the best-selling author of <span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic;">The Exorcist's House</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"> and </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic;">Anathema</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;">, comes fifteen dark tales that are as horrific as they are moving.</span></span><p></p><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Witness absolute evil in “Sally Under the Bed” and “It Haunts the Mind.” Endure vengeance and violence in “The Noose” and “The Bitter End.” Face the realities of addiction and grief in “Thanks for Sharing” and “The Weeping Wind.” Survive otherworldly monsters in “The Paperboy” and “Voodoo Bay.”<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In balancing the terrors of the supernatural with the horrors of real life, this collection drags you down the dark alleys of a haunted mind, forcing you to confront your demons, both real and imaginary.</span></span><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">BUY THE BOOK: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fgetbook.at%252FItHaunts%253Ffbclid%253DIwAR0-48MvhReYVeqroNf9RXf0KfXJnyUWW7vxcA1Y5K51lgF_Rfs23xX7AMk%26h%3DAT2ielYiourTB6Rjp4owyCPlMFRTownq2IwpwrlFnGQCs384h6Ar6nI5rLgT7OfYzVHIfLzlD8WJb3qaq1pqciLtteBSPSFETCzPU9K4oAsW9Y8CV5Qa9eyNQMGx_epjo0QxuVmJ6FjVDkU08S30nBC4EZY&source=gmail&ust=1686717792842000&usg=AOvVaw0CKBKTbPpMZvGOJ5OhDcPb" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgetbook.at%2FItHaunts%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0-48MvhReYVeqroNf9RXf0KfXJnyUWW7vxcA1Y5K51lgF_Rfs23xX7AMk&h=AT2ielYiourTB6Rjp4owyCPlMFRTownq2IwpwrlFnGQCs384h6Ar6nI5rLgT7OfYzVHIfLzlD8WJb3qaq1pqciLtteBSPSFETCzPU9K4oAsW9Y8CV5Qa9eyNQMGx_epjo0QxuVmJ6FjVDkU08S30nBC4EZY" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="background-color: #e4e6eb; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); display: inline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://getbook.at/<wbr></wbr>ItHaunts</a></span></h2><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">EXCERPT from the WEEPING WIND by Nick Roberts</span></span></h3><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">The porch swing squeaked as I rocked back and forth with the tips of my boots. A frozen wind found its way to my bones despite my multiple layers. Steam rolled over the brim of my coffee mug, and I gently blew it away. I looked out at the rolling Appalachian hills enshrined in a starless night. I take time every year to reflect, and it’s been thirty since the accident. My family is safely tucked away inside. Even if they were awake, they know not to disturb me on December 6th. I was only five years old at the time. Little girls aren’t meant to see such things. </span></div><div><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">*** </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">Maddie, my older sister, was in the backseat of the car with me. She was nine. Even in the blackness of the winter night, I could see the shiny streaks of her tears in the moonlight. She stared at the back of the empty passenger seat then let her gaze drift to the dark world passing by her window. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">Something heavy thumped in the trunk as Daddy turned the steering wheel just in time to avoid driving off the sharp turn. My booster seat rocked at having not been properly secured. He made an agitated grunt and breathed rapidly. The car straightened out just in time for Daddy to whip it around another curve. Such were the roads in the mountains of Fayette County, West Virginia. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">I haven’t been back since. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">“Don’t worry, girls,” Daddy said through a strained throat. “Your mama is just fine. We’ll go back for her.” </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">I looked at Maddie for guidance, but she continued staring out the window. I wondered if she even heard Daddy. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">“Where is Mommy?” I asked the back of Daddy’s headrest. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;">Maddie shot me a look that seared my right cheek. I returned her gaze. My stomach got that cold feeling when I saw the wide-eyed look on her face. Daddy snorted deeply, clearing his sinuses like usual. He always told us he had bad allergies.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><br /></p></span></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Your mama…” Daddy began but seemed to lose his voice. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">He snorted again and cleared his throat. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Your mama stayed at the scenic overlook, baby. I told you that.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“But it’s so cold, Daddy,” I replied. “Does Mommy have her coat?” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Maddie looked back out the window. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">“Of course, she does,” Daddy answered.</span></p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></h3><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf0sng8cIcuzX--985XhNb0vI04itISQRJ_t3mblaPxjIf9EYTShMA5V9wMJHA_32IPE1ycPTMt6Q3YcLazfm_HEN2EUx6hGl7XJk9HEP1JjE5X0myUulQfxfxNfRc2vNHQn7YPpozz9Crw_MygBr83VgaYgfVKX7c79gCL2hTuvoKwNanZ4z-f2D0w/s960/Nick%20Roberts%20Author%20Pic.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlf0sng8cIcuzX--985XhNb0vI04itISQRJ_t3mblaPxjIf9EYTShMA5V9wMJHA_32IPE1ycPTMt6Q3YcLazfm_HEN2EUx6hGl7XJk9HEP1JjE5X0myUulQfxfxNfRc2vNHQn7YPpozz9Crw_MygBr83VgaYgfVKX7c79gCL2hTuvoKwNanZ4z-f2D0w/s320/Nick%20Roberts%20Author%20Pic.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Nick Roberts is a native West Virginian and a graduate of Marshall University where he earned his doctorate in Leadership Studies. As an active member of the Horror Writers Association, his short works have been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. His novel, </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia;">Anathema</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">, won Debut Novel of the Year at the 2020-2021 Horror Authors Guild Awards.</span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">His best-selling novel, </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia;">The Exorcist's House</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">, was released in 2022 by Crystal Lake Publishing. He currently resides in South Carolina with his wife and three children and is an advocate for people struggling with substance use disorders.</span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">Follow Nick's journey:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.nickrobertsauthor.com&source=gmail&ust=1686717792842000&usg=AOvVaw1YxqFgHChITkLSMgeB93VA" href="http://www.nickrobertsauthor.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">www.nickrobertsauthor.com</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.facebook.com/spookywv&source=gmail&ust=1686717792842000&usg=AOvVaw0IAYmClFhMtY3-o1Z1A0Ty" href="http://www.facebook.com/spookywv" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">www.facebook.com/spookywv</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.twitter.com/nroberts9859&source=gmail&ust=1686717792842000&usg=AOvVaw3_l_OD-uKT1g606BJIkKAm" href="http://www.twitter.com/nroberts9859" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.twitter.com/nroberts9859</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(15, 17, 17); color: #0f1111; margin: 0in;"><br /></p></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-88661710932855197452023-05-28T13:30:00.003+02:002023-05-28T13:30:00.142+02:00The CreativeLife in review - reading, painting, and coffee<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Hello Creative Friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> This week's post is truly a mix of stuff, and I am sure that you are well aware that life happens the way it does, and all we can do sometimes is to go with the flow. I had that experience the past few weeks, and several days it was not easy to cope with. That is what coffee is for, right? We deal as best we can in the best way we can.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">🇿🇦 💜 🇿🇦</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am reading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Users-Manual-Philosophy-Eventuality-ebook/dp/B07TPT1LYG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2APQH9ZJLYH1I&keywords=life%2C+julian+baggini+%26+antonia+macaron&qid=1684591969&sprefix=life%2C+julian+baggini+%26+antonia+macaro%2Caps%2C312&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Life by </a></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Users-Manual-Philosophy-Eventuality-ebook/dp/B07TPT1LYG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2APQH9ZJLYH1I&keywords=life%2C+julian+baggini+%26+antonia+macaron&qid=1684591969&sprefix=life%2C+julian+baggini+%26+antonia+macaro%2Caps%2C312&sr=8-1" style="font-size: 15px;" target="_blank">Julian Baggini & Antonia Macaro</a></span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Once you have developed the capacity to be stimulated by your own</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">thoughts, experiences and reflections, you will never be bored and life will</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">never be without interest. The inner life is thus a source of remarkable self sufficiency.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You learn that your happiness need not depend as much on</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">others as you might have believed, and you might find yourself thinking, as</span></p><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Rousseau did, that ‘These hours of solitude and meditation are the only ones </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">in the day when I am completely myself and my own master.’</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;">~ </span><i>Life</i> by Julian Baggini & Antonia Macaro</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">🇿🇦 💜 🇿🇦</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> To be honest, I had so much coffee that I had to stock up earlier in the month than usual. But that's life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> The 2nd week of the exhibition starts on Wednesday, so if you're interested you can find the details <a href="https://www.quicket.co.za/events/211860-epicarts-winter-exhibition-2023/#/" target="_blank">here</a>. Entrance is free, but booking a ticket is helpful for the gallery to manage the numbers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> With the end of the month coming up, I had two paintings to finish. They are part of the Artkula challenge for May 2023. I was hesitant with both because I don't like painting portraits (the Photo Challenge) nor do I like repainting the same image (the Themed Challenge). While neither will win any awards, I learned a few things along the way which to my mind is what taking part in these challenge are the most important thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">🇿🇦 💜 </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">Learning on YouTube this week - </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF4TRhFYD3Y" style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;" target="_blank">sketching with ink</a><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;"> to improve my skills </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: center;">💜 🇿🇦</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> The next few weeks will be interesting work wise since I have two vastly different products to test. One of them is a whole system which we tackle in parts, and it is going to be a challenge. I love a challenge so I am looking forward to that one.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> In our art group we are busy do a drawing with charcoal. It is our second drawing of Big Ben as part of the buildings, and architecture does add some challenging details to the project. Despite the mess, I am enjoying it. With the paintings done, I will probably spend the rest of the day working on the charcoal project. After making myself a cup of coffee that is. 😏</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Wishing you a creative week.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">🇿🇦 💜 <i>Linzé</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><i>PS: Keep an eye out for the next book feature - it might scare your pants off! 😁</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-85667682807629530502023-05-25T01:00:00.002+02:002023-05-25T01:00:00.150+02:00BOOK FEATURE: FLAWED by Shilpa Suraj<p> <a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2023/05/Flawed-in-Disgrace.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC2WBJJjha6ZCt3ADjjjPQMP5Jka4Vp7ujMyzOw2w7z6lZh8PanSnw-SAgdNlrNrlXxI6GtjehcEl7Q6vz4iSM3mKABuvLQtwywXh3CIyrHZ-Mgb4Iyk_kFeJOd9ASUo3bn0WWZ8BamDmXjAKMWvYJ9P_8IBA93FUkZIsIfzrb4g1qjuyPhU1tOZ5/w640-h320/Flawed%20by%20Shilpa%20Suraj.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><h3><b><i>Why would anyone want perfection when they could have Vaani Jaishankar instead?</i></b></h3></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2023/05/Flawed-in-Disgrace.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhk6g-llYb9Js61OsdK3XmY6_6tV89fAvk6NdJbDQtoh7Lb8zWGrqe_o-iBOHksq8gcd5ZJI_YgbIerATBHYk6h_oOZm1dIG9nG1ovV6v0PdP6BpS0Xazd-wFAT3yVchG3alqSfyqDfRVJQk1oV2nd3uCcxaPJsIjYBsHRnai2IScPqpOS_0YuILNK/s320/Final-Flawed.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><b>Aditya Khamankar</b> was a chartered accountant who built his life on a bedrock of numbers. For no matter what happened, numbers and math never let you down. They stayed the same. And that fundamental fact defined many of his choices. He was the obedient son, the diligent student, the overachieving employee, the reliable friend. All he wanted in his life was routine and sensible discourse. All he craved in that same life was peace and quiet. And then his senior partner’s flighty daughter came home. And life as he knew it was never the same again…</div><div><br /></div><div>Reality television villain and tabloid fodder, <b>Vaani Jaishankar</b> lived for the arclights. The notoriety, the glamour, the larger than life noise that came with it held her in thrall. Until the industry she loved and the people she trusted used and abandoned her. And now, she was back home. Darkening the doorstep of her childhood home, something she’d sworn she’d never do and working in her father’s accountancy firm…Could God just take her now already? And then there was her father’s business partner…</div><div><br /></div><div><i>What happens when Perfection meets Flawed? Do the cracks beneath his façade show? Or is it as well hidden as the foundation of grit and ambition her shiny polish conceals?</i></div><div><br /></div><div>When attraction wars with common sense and love burns a fiery rope that ties them together, Aditya and Vaani need to decide if this is enough…If they are enough for each other? For the world doesn’t believe they are and the world isn’t done with them yet…<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131128586-flawed" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/434aing" target="_blank">Amazon.in</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/436lyzl" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Read an excerpt from Flawed</u></h1><div><div><br />Shravan Uncle and he were still discussing their plans and action points when they strode into the office together. They came to an abrupt halt when they saw her perched on a tabletop chatting with their intern, Rama. She was swinging one ripped-jean-clad leg as she bent low over his system to look at something on his screen. Rama on the other hand was looking right down her flimsy crop top.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Vaani!” Shravan Uncle’s voice cracked like a whip through the office space. </div><div><br /></div><div>Their entire staff jumped at the same time. So basically, three people were startled. Vaani, Rama and Aditya himself because that was currently their entire staff. </div><div><br /></div><div>“You are here to work,” Shravan Uncle continued his harangue. “Not to distract everybody else and stop them from working.” </div><div><br /></div><div>“Who is this mysterious them?” She made a show of looking all around their empty desks. “I can only see sweet Rama here. And he was showing me how to use your boring accounting software. You should be happy that I am taking initiative, no?”</div><div><br /></div><div>Fear swam through Aditya at the thought of her accessing their software and fiddling with their client’s accounts. </div><div><br /></div><div>“You’re not going to be working on that,” he said, his voice coming out gruff and angry. </div><div><br /></div><div>“Oh?” She stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. “What am I going to be working on then?” </div><div><br /></div><div>His brain froze. What would she work on? He scrambled for something, anything that he could use when Shravan Uncle said, “You can start by keeping the office clean.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Her mouth dropped open in outrage. “Of all the sexist things to say, Appa,” she seethed. “Just because I am a woman, I am in charge of housekeeping, is it?” </div><div><br /></div><div>“No. It’s because you are the only one here who has not sat for any accountancy exams,” her father said bluntly. “Also, you failed math in school.” </div><div><br /></div><div>Aditya cleared his throat, pity clearing out the chaos in his brain. Vaani’s mortification was obvious for everyone to see.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Actually, there is something else you can do,” he said. </div><div><br /></div><div>“Don’t say bring everyone coffee,” she warned. </div><div><br /></div><div>The pity disappeared beneath a swell of irritation. </div><div><br /></div><div>“We just landed a large contract,” he snapped. “We’re going to need new employees. You can find them for us. Consider yourself our very first Human Resources professional.”</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Author:</span></u></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="914" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbqKHxpj2OiCHs42YvNAYWjLlUzyJsQNJBDIPMXhr07ojr7y3gu1JeXhXUTqfwG8fg0j3AdPFppna3RWxlJANWVZm2Occ3aDL6cWQpbYaILbi0xBQ4T6d6ai2ChJdoEAYf0JUcifk72YjtTMvGeV723ebo62Vp4fUE3bqCTK2gcQDxCBK9y_DnkKsE/s320/Shilpa%20Suraj.jpeg" width="229" /></a></div>A published author with Harlequin India – Mills & Boon India Collection and Juggernaut, Shilpa Suraj’s books have hit both the Hot New Releases and Bestseller lists on Amazon. Her next novel, tentatively titled ‘Wrong,’ has been contracted by Rupa Publications and will release later this year. She is also part of the Flipped Anthology by Harper Collins and had an audiobook book Insta Reddy release with Storytel.<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />She is, amongst other things, currently working on ‘Frazzled and Fabulous,’ a humorous, true-to-life parenting story that is part memoir and part nonfiction.<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />An avid reader with a passion for creative writing and storytelling saw her participating in writing competitions at school and dabbling in copy writing for an ad agency as a teenager. Twenty years in the corporate space, including a stint in Corporate Communications for Google, India, and a spell at entrepreneurship all hold her in good stead for her multiple current roles of author, mother and Head of Human Resources & Public Relations at an architecture and interior design firm.<br /><br /></span></div></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:<br /></u></b></span></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://shilpasuraj.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shilpaauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.suraj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="http://eepurl.com/dt-Br9" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></span></b></span></p><p><br /></p><br />Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-90562448162596212292023-04-30T15:00:00.001+02:002023-04-30T15:00:00.140+02:00The CreativeLife in review - BuJo, art exhibition, and water<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> Hello Creative friend!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This post covers about two weeks, but I am sure that you will appreciate it more for me keeping (or trying to) it short and not bore you with the minutiae.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Living in the beautiful country of South Africa does come with serious challenges these days. I am sure that my fellow countrymen and women are just as frustrated as I am with the constant problems with our power network. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that we resorted to installing a solar power system at home. While lack of power can and do create a lot of frustration there has always been another problem that bothered me more: no water.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Living in an urban area means we are dependent on our water to be pumped to reservoirs from rivers and dams via purification plants. For that to happen, we need power for those pumps (and they are power-hungry monsters). We have load-shedding schedules (which we can use for planning) to help with those power cuts. When there are multiple failures in the generation plants, we often find ourselves without power between 8 to 12 hours per day - for days on end.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">No power at home also means no power to pump water. And then recently something seriously went wrong in the water supply network and we were without water for 4 days. In some areas, people didn't have water for almost a week. I never thought myself to suffer from anxiety, as a practising Stoic resilience training helps a lot, but being without water created a level of anxiety that I didn't expect...at all!</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It also made no sense. I have about 20 litres of water in reserve for filtering our drinking water. Nothing to do with a crisis, I happen to have space for the four 5-litre bottles that I rotate for daily use. We catch rainwater in two large tanks outside, which we use to flush the toilets. Since it rained a few days before the water crisis, I knew those tanks were full. So it was only water for showering. So no rational reason for my anxiety, but rational thought notwithstanding, I was not myself for those four days. I think it has to do with control. With power outages no longer a problem in my home, water became the issue. Something to think about for the future.</span></span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-indent: 0px;"></span><blockquote><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-indent: 0px;">My podcast listening this week </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hRftY91IVs" style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank">Rafi and Klee</a></span></blockquote><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hRftY91IVs" style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank"></a></h3><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You might be familiar with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bullet-Journal-Method-Present-Future-ebook/dp/B07CV44V5W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KD814FALRHJ7&keywords=bullet+journal&qid=1682847069&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sprefix=bullet+journal%2Caps%2C336&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Bullet Journaling</a> (or BuJo for short) with all those YouTube creators and their hours of creating beautiful setups. I tried a BuJo a few years ago and didn't like it. Recently I have reread the book and decided to try it again. When I looked at my planner, I noticed that despite not being a formal “BuJo” I have been using the basic concepts anyway. So I got myself a dot grid journal and set it up to use from July. My current planner ends in June.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">With the upcoming art exhibition and my book projects, my current planner didn't have enough space to plan and organise everything that I have on my plate this year. And no, no pretty pictures and drawings within sight. I used a bit of washi tape or a water-based marker to underline a heading or two, but this is the extent of the creativity I added. I would rather spend time drawing or painting than decorating a planner. My journal will remain separate, but if you read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bullet-Journal-Method-Present-Future-ebook/dp/B07CV44V5W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KD814FALRHJ7&keywords=bullet+journal&qid=1682847069&rnid=2941120011&s=books&sprefix=bullet+journal%2Caps%2C336&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Ryder Caroll's book</a>, you can also use the BuJo for long-form journaling. I am not.</span></span></p><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-indent: 0px;"></span><blockquote><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large; text-indent: 0px;">Connect with me on </span><a href="https://substack.com/profile/39971846-linze-brandon" style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank">Substack</a></span></blockquote><a href="https://substack.com/profile/39971846-linze-brandon" style="font-family: helvetica; text-indent: 0px;" target="_blank"></a></h4><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I did transfer the ideas from my Ideas Journal to my BuJo. It made sense that is why I did it. So one less journal to keep up to date. I had already used some of those ideas, I just never bothered to update the Ideas Journal, so it had to go.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The new paintings I planned for the exhibition are making slow progress. Too slow in many aspects and irritates me to no end. I am tired and find it difficult to stand for even a short time to paint. I have not lost interest in the paintings in fact, I am excited to see how they will look, so I am hopeful my energy levels will improve soon so I can get back to painting.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have been working on an abstract portrait graphite drawing and it is looking good so far. I had not planned to put it in the exhibition but if I can get it done I might do that.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I think this post is getting too long, and I need to wrap it up before you fall asleep. LOL!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">Wishing you a creative week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">💜🇿🇦 Linzé</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-77207995419673563352023-04-11T01:00:00.000+02:002023-04-11T01:00:00.193+02:00The CreativeLife - abstract painting #2<p> <span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hey there Creative Friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Today's post has some more info on the materials I have used so far plus a close-up of the painting after adding the blue layer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Note that I purchase my materials from my local art supply stores, or online from South African art materials suppliers. Any good art materials can be used to create similar effects.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnu4Bt2N_a4OajYd3vEQoXCV0HxkPQio4MMfP7P2fSjHXUxnEA34UZNi312bndQA1WMa1BL0sUipPLH26omqvGcY6vcCigHdFkxiSwsUAa87G4_5ymf8qR3q7HGYZjSjfjkkrcY2J2vLMyCqCKBUxJ4XTBP_43aVhA_vGSbeBVxRlHiv9mho_ADNA3w/s2674/Art%20background%20colours.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2628" data-original-width="2674" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTnu4Bt2N_a4OajYd3vEQoXCV0HxkPQio4MMfP7P2fSjHXUxnEA34UZNi312bndQA1WMa1BL0sUipPLH26omqvGcY6vcCigHdFkxiSwsUAa87G4_5ymf8qR3q7HGYZjSjfjkkrcY2J2vLMyCqCKBUxJ4XTBP_43aVhA_vGSbeBVxRlHiv9mho_ADNA3w/s320/Art%20background%20colours.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">The background colours</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I painted the background with Mars Black, Neutral Grey, Titanium White using these brands of paint. Zellen is a local brand and their Zelcryl acrylics are thick and very nice for impasto work, but I thinned it down for this painting.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Iris is another brand from a local company Prime Art. I am not sure if the paint is actually made locally.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Mont Marte needs no introduction, I am sure. Their dimension acrylics are really nice to work with too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdueBITolZ0bFHdvIb3FZkh9Zn6DAXGqu8YOG743nloPZYRUx5U_fiaZKGN6RIXd_S1ZWRdPiv_pRX5jIpiGu9yEFQrLHglyUUDXymuY2nQWWeu0mldsWlIgquFX1VN2LTbwL1wm7ayMKwg5liYg9XZ2cL8jLt-cAzU_3_G9r6byB4OcLh7Xncr_scQ/s2762/Art%20textures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2615" data-original-width="2762" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdueBITolZ0bFHdvIb3FZkh9Zn6DAXGqu8YOG743nloPZYRUx5U_fiaZKGN6RIXd_S1ZWRdPiv_pRX5jIpiGu9yEFQrLHglyUUDXymuY2nQWWeu0mldsWlIgquFX1VN2LTbwL1wm7ayMKwg5liYg9XZ2cL8jLt-cAzU_3_G9r6byB4OcLh7Xncr_scQ/s320/Art%20textures.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">The texture mediums</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In my <a href="https://linzebrandon.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-creativelife-abstract-painting-1.html" target="_blank">previous post about this painting</a> I mentioned the textured mediums. I like both, but for this painting the smooth medium didn't dry as expected even after I added the additional textured effect with the sponge roller, so I use the coarse medium as a second layer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Atlas is a local manufacturer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Dala is more well-known internationally. This medium actually contains grains of sand which provided the texture I was after for this painting series.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7AyYW5VllH0UBvyn_T_gTBbeca2ig0VdaDY9cNB6l28kb8i7QkF4n0vylG2EGE1o8FF1VfzMvGIYoyMVfgzqRjZiOhvW_1T5Fwil12SL7P3gb8RGVyWEqb2BN9k5ORaBpBWsJuUC7XcvSHOmzMLW7QKMuqjBAZZAVL2RlcsyZG1uvfIXgAG8v-3aGg/s3424/Art%20first%20layers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3424" data-original-width="2125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7AyYW5VllH0UBvyn_T_gTBbeca2ig0VdaDY9cNB6l28kb8i7QkF4n0vylG2EGE1o8FF1VfzMvGIYoyMVfgzqRjZiOhvW_1T5Fwil12SL7P3gb8RGVyWEqb2BN9k5ORaBpBWsJuUC7XcvSHOmzMLW7QKMuqjBAZZAVL2RlcsyZG1uvfIXgAG8v-3aGg/s320/Art%20first%20layers.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;">First 2 layers of colour</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Next up are the first two colours I added to the paintings. Both are my darkest shades of these paints without adding any black. The first layers were unmixed, but I plan to mix the colours for the next two layers - which I will share in my next post of this project.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Another Zelcryl colour - permanent violet, and phthalo blue from Daler Rowney's System 3 series. I have recently started using the System 3 paints, and so far I really like the rich colours and the thick consistency of the paints.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And here is the promised close up. The texture is visible, although the colours appear more subtle. But these are the first layers. Stick around to see how I add more layers to achieve the effect I have envisioned for the paintings.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqCc9A7SZCklpZPH1cQw-SPRmk4SAGGkVGgaYcWfo1McqPG3ydvoC7hDRTZStBczEmTLYsg_tenZiRclBmJ887Qp5jO7MlpsSQYr9hwYCZyOAOSbllo-FgOL9yLA6tATyaUslk4pW1hq-DeMIds-RnFeQ0E3WmkZQIQqOuG0exLkSnvIV3sDkgBq-Mw/s1890/Art%20close%20up%20after%20blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="close up of texture in mixed media painting" border="0" data-original-height="1890" data-original-width="1417" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqCc9A7SZCklpZPH1cQw-SPRmk4SAGGkVGgaYcWfo1McqPG3ydvoC7hDRTZStBczEmTLYsg_tenZiRclBmJ887Qp5jO7MlpsSQYr9hwYCZyOAOSbllo-FgOL9yLA6tATyaUslk4pW1hq-DeMIds-RnFeQ0E3WmkZQIQqOuG0exLkSnvIV3sDkgBq-Mw/w300-h400/Art%20close%20up%20after%20blue.jpg" title="mixed media painting in process" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">💜🎨 <i>Linzé</i></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-71585027712195444862023-04-10T01:00:00.001+02:002023-04-10T01:00:00.196+02:00The CreativeLife - abstract painting #1<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hey Creative Friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">About two months ago I pulled out the last three square stretched canvasses in my stash and put them out on the table in my studio. At first I just painted the background a plain neutral grey. Then added the black and white blocks with palette knives. I liked the result but it was not yet a painting, or three.</span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdzKKLepj7MIIBEkdOOoUrUOprN19IDr7NNuwzgw8zBtteU5xa9zdZbtwQaFEm4ufm2PSgLSvGYpZXyy91f6qIVujSGQ6KvMRY4DGnSFrYNUpf8-F-h533N6TxjWdzm7eYeIfnxHr0sZR6_q-4DJxzyR4lqzTIwkpeYbskOkyIgaOSOcXkDcmjeAx7Q/s1600/IMG_0439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdzKKLepj7MIIBEkdOOoUrUOprN19IDr7NNuwzgw8zBtteU5xa9zdZbtwQaFEm4ufm2PSgLSvGYpZXyy91f6qIVujSGQ6KvMRY4DGnSFrYNUpf8-F-h533N6TxjWdzm7eYeIfnxHr0sZR6_q-4DJxzyR4lqzTIwkpeYbskOkyIgaOSOcXkDcmjeAx7Q/w400-h300/IMG_0439.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Holding the 3 canvasses next to each other</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A few weeks later, the muse tweaked my ear and the first layer of texture went down. When it was dry I was rather disappointed with the result. It was too smooth. Then I pulled out the heavy stuff. And that texture is really rough, I tell you. Had to stop myself several times from touching it while it was still wet. But I love the result! Now I can start painting.</span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17aPRiBz_97G_V4Gk0PuLMEgbtkeBLRRsXE4AY1aUq9yxI9Ffui9wlAWQ-qb5jZdiO3zL6LCwid8uO0XeK4dww3Q1YYlrEriYMAWP53SZjaMUswFEfbJquU_B4ifrmP5w0_Uc0wZ3brbftubd6rBsnaF0HndrcGbBO08b_HcRszFd-4nsdfVUTib4fQ/s1148/IMG_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1148" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17aPRiBz_97G_V4Gk0PuLMEgbtkeBLRRsXE4AY1aUq9yxI9Ffui9wlAWQ-qb5jZdiO3zL6LCwid8uO0XeK4dww3Q1YYlrEriYMAWP53SZjaMUswFEfbJquU_B4ifrmP5w0_Uc0wZ3brbftubd6rBsnaF0HndrcGbBO08b_HcRszFd-4nsdfVUTib4fQ/s320/IMG_0440.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Disappointment :(</span></td></tr></tbody></table> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ARTX9wgi-TVNM-r4VEjfh2yZdU3kiK2AsjJeCiCxALnVHCfbUoqT8igxZ8GvgyW6j8O8BGy9lzmC832JLo3FN2I_a-GbfFHJZcU8lb9teD3n6GstRDTw1gpGk7QZhEYqCiJQLEOdqK3_t-PdB5sEGttfqSA3fjZ4PnUqPt-XhXZti9MEoMt9XCfOQ/s1171/IMG_0441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1171" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ARTX9wgi-TVNM-r4VEjfh2yZdU3kiK2AsjJeCiCxALnVHCfbUoqT8igxZ8GvgyW6j8O8BGy9lzmC832JLo3FN2I_a-GbfFHJZcU8lb9teD3n6GstRDTw1gpGk7QZhEYqCiJQLEOdqK3_t-PdB5sEGttfqSA3fjZ4PnUqPt-XhXZti9MEoMt9XCfOQ/s320/IMG_0441.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">That's more like it :)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The purple is a favourite colour of mine but it is just the first layer of many. </span></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFPfcYp6xVZ3ZeXUilnNHm3nsmBJxy3NYnw21YyMwmyy4DYUI07z7puhUfTUt3xVHeI72xZKC3rkv5LKVB0wqlsO6yCELbGr33Wr-zlNzBqEVuF3OkdW_JtG7Tv0p4G6WKi5-legYqXrZ73GYNLVsKVwSNVzzVcMUKukaYINQ3R08PKQGRhN0ab4k7Q/s1276/IMG_0438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1134" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSFPfcYp6xVZ3ZeXUilnNHm3nsmBJxy3NYnw21YyMwmyy4DYUI07z7puhUfTUt3xVHeI72xZKC3rkv5LKVB0wqlsO6yCELbGr33Wr-zlNzBqEVuF3OkdW_JtG7Tv0p4G6WKi5-legYqXrZ73GYNLVsKVwSNVzzVcMUKukaYINQ3R08PKQGRhN0ab4k7Q/s320/IMG_0438.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Purple 😍</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Stay tuned, as this project comes to life over the next days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: large;">💜 🎨 Linzé</span></p><p><br /></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-75507496208968106182023-04-07T14:07:00.001+02:002023-04-07T14:07:58.703+02:00The CreativeLife in review - books, paintings, and living with pain<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hello Creative friend!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I wrote this post over several days.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Did March really go by that fast? It was like here and then gone before I could blink. I did get a lot done, I have to say and perhaps that is the reason I didn't notice the date change. Work is slow, and that is a bit of a concern, but I do have some things to test this week, so things could be picking up again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8vicY-82RC36p6CePFCvN3Jum6bk87tHza_BZtE0Ns_ZT3Wn93wdh-u3HGv8CcMaZwBmbfbBE55O4CwgnohQ_s3oRDRQz_JC-BQSwzsTaa5akHZLm-44jjfIkXeeF7Mgrdu3a4ULnZut12JoZCLa4hHS-dJBcvaxRzAJiXve6D5epUpHqNaQ08hEJA/s3142/pallette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3142" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8vicY-82RC36p6CePFCvN3Jum6bk87tHza_BZtE0Ns_ZT3Wn93wdh-u3HGv8CcMaZwBmbfbBE55O4CwgnohQ_s3oRDRQz_JC-BQSwzsTaa5akHZLm-44jjfIkXeeF7Mgrdu3a4ULnZut12JoZCLa4hHS-dJBcvaxRzAJiXve6D5epUpHqNaQ08hEJA/w400-h385/pallette.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I cleaned my gouache palette 😂</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />April is difficult because we have 3 short weeks in the month. For most people that is great, and it used to be for me as well when I was employed full-time. Since changing to self-employment, fewer workdays in a month can be difficult - this month it will be, as this year has been so far.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You may have seen the Blog Challenge logo here on my blog, but I had a change of heart. Sometimes it is necessary to decide where you have to spend your time, and prioritise that before what you think you can fit in. Since making that decision, I stopped worrying about it and focused my writing energy on a novel I am trying to finish. To help keep me motivated, I am taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Past experiences have shown me that the writing challenge is useful to help me finish a book; at least the first draft of it anyway. At 79k words, I am close but there is something about to happen in the story that might push it over 100k. Because it is a novel in my fantasy series, the word count does not bother me. It will bother my pocket when it comes to editing time, but that is a problem for later. Right now my priority is to get the book finished.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Today is Good Friday, and the end of an eventful week. I hope you are enjoying a Blessed Easter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">For the past few weeks my right shoulder have been acting up a bit. Not painful exactly, but more a sensation of discomfort when I moved it. I don't know what caused it, or perhaps I forgot. On Wednesday morning I woke up with such excruciation pain in my shoulder that I could barely move my arm. Yes, that was a surprise - and not a good one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7DUOWvt1uBE6rQatpskfSWQ968E2YFV0RZ-NVmlhcrfd16je3MwfBsPsuhcmppNtHCZbmtmGNX9GhAJdjd2k-U14GNxOQDDgGQvLfvb2j7VsNAaWsw6k-cn22br2Gm1saLXn5KsJ3JUmvKwQgwSyTZb6TyotMq8J-CkaGaHs9L9Z6SWj60FRQFPMRw/s2947/fox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2947" data-original-width="2526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7DUOWvt1uBE6rQatpskfSWQ968E2YFV0RZ-NVmlhcrfd16je3MwfBsPsuhcmppNtHCZbmtmGNX9GhAJdjd2k-U14GNxOQDDgGQvLfvb2j7VsNAaWsw6k-cn22br2Gm1saLXn5KsJ3JUmvKwQgwSyTZb6TyotMq8J-CkaGaHs9L9Z6SWj60FRQFPMRw/s320/fox.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the SBR2023 ink and<br />wash paintings I made</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Since I could move my hand ie, no difficulties below the elbow, and could at least finish the report I had to write for work and managed the words I had planned for Camp NaNoWriMo. I just had to take it really easy I thought. But it was not enough.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRbAdVDhxP9_7r7318xXU9ajzYy91M8rIqrXQiA62JIR9sn9f1pwx5rDXNikIdfEiJtIaByl_jg5mX2ukZCoq4tCLpcR4nnz4tMetpJ0eDfA36pqIoTNSNpEbXbMHDDnP65TuSAk2BNmON59ZRdKt7M3QU3dHKKYUO0gbBKAuGl-5uLaHhqvYN1eamA/s2959/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="2132" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRbAdVDhxP9_7r7318xXU9ajzYy91M8rIqrXQiA62JIR9sn9f1pwx5rDXNikIdfEiJtIaByl_jg5mX2ukZCoq4tCLpcR4nnz4tMetpJ0eDfA36pqIoTNSNpEbXbMHDDnP65TuSAk2BNmON59ZRdKt7M3QU3dHKKYUO0gbBKAuGl-5uLaHhqvYN1eamA/s320/house.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the SBR2023 ink and<br />wash paintings I made</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">After a sleepless night, and a potent painkiller, yesterday morning started with my husband having to help me get dressed. He leaves for work at 5am, so it was an early start for me too, but it couldn't be helped. Yes, I hated that because it made me feel like a child. But pain is a horrible thing on the best of days, right? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I made an appointment to see my doctor, but he was only available in the afternoon. There was some work to do, but I decided to go out for breakfast mostly because I was a bit too lazy (and in too much pain) make it myself. My local Wimpy is close to my home, but the drive told me that my shoulder didn't like the trip. Driving really hurt, even though I took care as best I could.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">While enjoying my breakfast, my doctor's receptionist called to move my appointment earlier. I was grateful to accept the option. Two hours later I had a cortisone injection, and prescription for potent anti-inflammatories to take for a week. My shoulder it would seem was badly inflamed.</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"></span><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My Podcast listening this week ArtJuice:</span></span> </blockquote></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3jFtwBciHeEPlNF5Gf411T" target="_blank">https://open.spotify.com/show/3jFtwBciHeEPlNF5Gf411T</a></span></blockquote><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3jFtwBciHeEPlNF5Gf411T"></a></span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This morning there was no pain, amazing, so after a lovely breakfast with Hubs and my father-in-law, I decided to work on some of the paintings for the exhibition. It was fun to push texture paste around with a palette knife. Since I practically plastered the stuff it will take a day or so before I can paint the textured sections.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am taking it easy the rest of today, even though my shoulder might feel better I don't think for a moment that it is healed yet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And on that note I think it an appropriate ending to this post.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Wishing you a creative week!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>💜🇿🇦Linzé</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVATxllrksg_DWwbTB1xE0x49ktZ4zHGFP3eAVCFpmtZhhWAH0WmtCMG-U_aQIE0228rU2_MzzEHFkjNreljewJYqk7SisOQZuu4DBGaErL9FeJj41HiO8PFH-QqICfoC7gXtR3r3wGCowk9g2cWVBA8f-ybaHWLN4Rd9g-KLWJwOFz6WfX2_44Qynw/s398/Theme1b.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-3433864670254415912023-02-26T18:28:00.000+02:002023-02-26T18:28:24.393+02:00The CreativeLife in review - change, art, and loadshedding<p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hello creative friend!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's been a while since I chatted with you, and of course it is my fault for not keeping to the Sunday schedule. But that is going to change. My Sundays seem to be filled with so many activities, even though I seldom plan my day that way. It also impacts my blog, which makes me sad for not getting to write it like I want to. So I am going to make a change - and experiment with a few different weekdays. It may also vary from week to week, but let's see how it goes.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lPJPp_ne_CSXNXMtaYDAGoTTlExPFL3Mz98oWOSWcEcVybxrfuFc7mSUiorg0ORz8yMRupPqGCoMus_HnbmqVeO5tdlJYeWqIheMCKxBCObBf4TTT7aYUiyhaMSlcAv6QDb5SoB9cup23L-A5BmDNUf99YUQopvSPtDsH4awICcuI2D2eGgm5ro2PQ/s600/promo_ebw_email.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lPJPp_ne_CSXNXMtaYDAGoTTlExPFL3Mz98oWOSWcEcVybxrfuFc7mSUiorg0ORz8yMRupPqGCoMus_HnbmqVeO5tdlJYeWqIheMCKxBCObBf4TTT7aYUiyhaMSlcAv6QDb5SoB9cup23L-A5BmDNUf99YUQopvSPtDsH4awICcuI2D2eGgm5ro2PQ/s16000/promo_ebw_email.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span data-slate-node="text" style="text-align: start;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">My books and many more at </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><span class="styles__Wrapper-publish__sc-1srq8n3-0 hvLnyp" data-slate-inline="true" data-slate-node="element" data-slate-void="true" style="text-align: start;"><span data-slate-spacer="true" style="height: 0px; outline: none; position: absolute;"><span data-slate-node="text"><span data-slate-leaf="true"><span data-slate-length="23" data-slate-zero-width="z"></span></span></span></span><span class="styles__VoidText-publish__sc-15qb9lw-0 gmkfuT" data-state="closed"><a href="https://buff.ly/3xLi8UH">https://buff.ly/3xLi8UH</a><br /></span></span><span data-slate-fragment="JTVCJTdCJTIydHlwZSUyMiUzQSUyMnAlMjIlMkMlMjJjaGlsZHJlbiUyMiUzQSU1QiU3QiUyMnRleHQlMjIlM0ElMjJGaW5kJTIwbXklMjBib29rJTIwYW5kJTIwbWFueSUyMG1vcmUlMjBhdCUyMCUyMiU3RCUyQyU3QiUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJhJTIyJTJDJTIydXJsJTIyJTNBJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZidWZmLmx5JTJGM3hMaThVSCUyMiUyQyUyMmNoaWxkcmVuJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIydGV4dCUyMiUzQSUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGYnVmZi5seSUyRjN4TGk4VUglMjIlN0QlNUQlN0QlMkMlN0IlMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTNBJTIyJTIwZnJvbSUyME1hcmNoJTIwNS0xMSElMjIlN0QlNUQlN0QlNUQ=" data-slate-node="text" style="text-align: start;">from March 5-11!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">February has been a difficult month. We decided that we had enough of the problems of loadshedding, and installed a solar power system at home. It helped to resolve one concern created by the constant loadshedding...saving my poor fridge. When it took me 20 minutes to get the fridge to start the compressor (the previous few times it took about 10 minutes) I called Hubs and told him, that's it. We cannot afford to replace appliances that we need. I don't care if the TV is damaged, or if we needed to replace a microwave (for example) but replacing food storage appliances could have huge financial financial implications. You might think that such losses could be claimed from our insurance, but since loadshedding have gotten worse, the insurance companies have been refusing to payout such claims.</span></div><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The second thing remains a problem, but we are managing it for now. At first the service technician said it was because of loadshedding, while we disagreed. Well, it is still a problem even without the power going out anymore. So will have to see.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The first of the planned stories for publication is with my editor and I am working as fast as I can to finish the 6th novel in the <i>Nations of Peace</i> series. I am struggling however to make the story flow at this point. It happens and it is a pain in the butt. But I keep going. Editing will probably delete a lot of these words, but if I stop the book won't get done. Onward it is then!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Another art exhibition is also coming up and I am working on a new series of paintings. At least they are progressing without a struggle, and I am having a lot of fun in the process.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Some of my paintings are now featured in the <a href="https://wildbaobab.art/lizette-de-vries-venter/">Wild Baobab</a> online gallery if you want to take a look. Yes, it's me, Linzé is my pen name. I avoid using both my real name and pen name on social media. Aside from being confusing, it makes life easier for me.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">And on that note it is time to wish you a creative week.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>💜🇿🇦 Linzé</i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-37736074027644549832023-02-05T16:55:00.000+02:002023-02-05T16:55:14.795+02:00The CreativeLife in review - planning, time management, and the creative life<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <span style="text-indent: 0.5cm;">Hey there, creative friend!</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">It's been a week or more since my last post but mostly because I have been taking time to do other things. Work was a bit slow, but that will change tomorrow. More on that a bit later. I have not been working, or making art - what I have been doing is reading. Not only books on my to-read list, but also a few of my own unfinished manuscripts. I do that for the simple reason to find inspiration to work on my current novel-in-process. I feel a bit stuck.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I know the next major scene involves a kidnapping, but what is bugging my creative brain is making that happen in a way that will actually work. It is one thing to kidnap someone, but making it happen in a story is a different matter altogether. The solution has not yet presented itself, so in the meantime, I found an interesting book well worth reading until my creative brain cells figure out what I need to write.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The book is called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Four-Thousand-Weeks-Time-How-ebook/dp/B07X3DH41F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SF0DHWHLPOXC&keywords=four+thousand+weeks+by+oliver+burkeman&qid=1675608588&sprefix=Four+Thousand+Weeks+by+Oliver+Burkeman%2Caps%2C321&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i>Four Thousand Weeks</i> by Oliver Burkeman</a>. It is an interesting take on time management. I have only progressed about 25% into the text, but I am enjoying learning a few things.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps3YZk5ppRf8iAJRxBU3TKBOPhLsUR57q_fP9eg_mdbwf9B9GDLm8YFSbmRCCF4WV9tJZAcG1N16a9y0CJb1dmZsZgbJoBq2TlXeSaZlmP8M4urmBxizFaa4Cts9eBFkgBYvcaZIOigGNAGUEmpgZqm4YAk69_4dFm7pwCDI5ZOiRieX4YxfX-pV34Q/s2000/ballysaggartmore%20towers%20ink%20and%20wash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="ink and watercolour painting of an Irish castle" border="0" data-original-height="1541" data-original-width="2000" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjps3YZk5ppRf8iAJRxBU3TKBOPhLsUR57q_fP9eg_mdbwf9B9GDLm8YFSbmRCCF4WV9tJZAcG1N16a9y0CJb1dmZsZgbJoBq2TlXeSaZlmP8M4urmBxizFaa4Cts9eBFkgBYvcaZIOigGNAGUEmpgZqm4YAk69_4dFm7pwCDI5ZOiRieX4YxfX-pV34Q/w400-h309/ballysaggartmore%20towers%20ink%20and%20wash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballysaggartmore towers ink and wash</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Back to the work thing. Tomorrow I have to start testing several industrial pieces of equipment coming in to the lab one after the other. This type of equipment is a huge challenge (which I thoroughly enjoy, mind you) but they also take a lot longer to test than the multi-media and high-tech equipment that we normally test.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am not anticipating problems, but I feel that it is important to be prepared for the feeling of being overwhelmed which will invariably happen along the way. If you have been reading my musings for a while, you will know that I have a game plan in place for when that happens. This time around, I think that perhaps an adjustment to the game plan might be in order to anticipate the situation and work with it before the feeling hits me head-on. Because once I feel overwhelmed it can often be difficult to recognise the feeling and then sit down to work on resolving it. And this book might be helpful for that. It is too early to tell, but I have a feeling that using the <i>12 Weeks Year</i> planning I am implementing this year, along with <i>Four Thousand Weeks</i>, I might be able to live a productive and creative life in 2023 without pushing myself too hard.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I do have an ambitious list of goals for sure, but what I have put in place with that list is to prioritise those goals. It does not only help me figure out where to put my time when things get busy at the lab, but it will also help me focus on the things that I feel are a higher priority.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Prioritising goals might seem weird, but I love what I do in my work life and my creative endeavours, so it is a win-win situation as long as I remember to take care of my health and well-being too.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">One of my creative goals this year is to work on improving my skills with oil pastels and oil paint. Oil pastels have always been a difficult medium for me, but I am finding it more fun the more I use them to create drawings. In the Artkula group, there are two challenges every month, and I find doing at least one of them with oil pastels to be an enjoyable way to improve my skills.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Oil painting remains difficult. My sketchbooks do not lend themselves to oil painting, so I purchased a sketchbook purposely designed for oil painting. Since I am still a pure novice with oil paint, it takes time for me to do an oil painting. To this effect, I have done an outline of a self-portrait during the past week on this new paper. I finally made my own Mahl stick, set the pad on one of my easels, and I am ready to start painting.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">There are a few things on the to-do list this week that needs to be done for the solar power installation in our home, but if that happens quickly then I will have a bit of time to start work on the portrait, otherwise, it will be early next week. Am I worried about the potential delay? To be honest, I was worried, but I decided to let things happen as they should, then there will be less pressure on myself to do stuff. Since I am prepared to start the painting, it won't be such an issue if there is time available earlier than anticipated.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Organising my studio remains a thorn in my side. I found a small bookshelf at a really reasonable price that will help to organise one area in my studio that has been annoying me to no end. I ordered two of them. That corner in my studio is used to store items I use for journaling and mixed media, so if they are better organised, it will be easier to find what I need when I want it. I will post a few before and after pics when I got that done.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">An exciting week ahead for me, and I wish you a creative week with time for loads of fun time too!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>💜🇿🇦 Linzé</i></span></p>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-80614924275730034152023-01-15T15:00:00.014+02:002023-01-15T15:00:00.198+02:00The CreativeLife week 1 and 2 - planning my CreativeLife<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"> <span style="text-indent: 0.5cm;">Already halfway through January and it was barely yesterday when we started the new year.</span></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Hello creative friend! I trust your 2023 is off to a creative start and that all your creative hours this year will be satisfying and fun!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I am sure like me you have already set your goals for the year and cannot wait to work on them. Did you remember to plan time to rest and time to rellect? I had to remind myself to do that too and deliberately spent the past week focusing on that even though I did do some work too.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The lab is back to work already, but I will only get stuck in this coming week. We have big industrial pieces of equipment coming in for testing and I will probably start on those within the next month. They require more time and energy so it will be a busy time for the safety section for the upcoming three to four months.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My creative goals for this year include the publication of three more books. Two shorter stories, and then the 6th novel in my <i>Nations of Peace</i> series. The book is entitled, <i>Prime Prey</i>, which is the first of the Protector sub-series.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The shorter stories are almost ready for professional editing, and I have already spoken to my friend Vanessa Wright, who is the editor of an award winning <a href="https://segachris.co.za/product/keabetswe-and-the-mystery-of-the-teachers-missing-money-paperback/">children's book</a>. Well done, my friend! You are an awesome editor and soon children in many schools in South Africa will know your name too.</span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjAfHKvb3gWJWbQfKZDnFWh4Qb1EYp0so5RivvZet_QdICFXvY_ZgOeD0kNYjY9IEffDpCzB0od9VcD_YD8hVt8rxzz22xtIg9-I_wCnXqhkaux_vM_fa1sCOWIQZbRTPovP4WlhDi54Zvwy7NITL1Fp-X-K73moFEJC0Cu26LdyMZsWobCDE0H0nQQ/s481/Portrait%20of%20a%20lady%20-%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjAfHKvb3gWJWbQfKZDnFWh4Qb1EYp0so5RivvZet_QdICFXvY_ZgOeD0kNYjY9IEffDpCzB0od9VcD_YD8hVt8rxzz22xtIg9-I_wCnXqhkaux_vM_fa1sCOWIQZbRTPovP4WlhDi54Zvwy7NITL1Fp-X-K73moFEJC0Cu26LdyMZsWobCDE0H0nQQ/s320/Portrait%20of%20a%20lady%20-%202.png" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Portrait of a lady in Panpastel<br />and coloured pencil</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Vanessa has edited multiple of my books in the past, so it will be yet another great year to work with her again. More details on release dates in future posts, so keep an eye out!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Goals for my 2023 artistic journey will be a bit different than the past few years. For one, I am not going to take part in Inktober52. The prompts were becoming less inspiring and frustrating. I will say however, that taking part has siginificantly contributed to my drawing skills. Inktober in October? Will see when the time comes.</span><p></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Since joining the ArtKula community I have been more inclined to rather take part in their monthly challenges, so those will be my focus for this year. I have laso decided to focus more on the oil mediums (oil pastels and oil paint) this year to work on improving my skills in using these mediums. I also plan to continue my study of my favourite artist's work, Wassily Kandinsky. I have a book, but my study will include copying more of his work so that I can learn more about abstract work.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Our art group is already actively busy with our projects this year, starting with experimenting with expressive abstracts (in sketchbooks for now), and a large fantasy style acrylic painting. This coming week we will start work on an ink and watercolour painting of an Irish castle. Definitely a challenge because of all the details. But we need to challenge ourselves as artists too, otherwise how are we going to improve our skills while having fun?</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">While all these projects may sound like a lot, and they are, I have decided to include one session per month in my creative planning to just do anything I am in the mood for. The group will have the same choice: do something other than a group project, catch up on a project, or just relax. Our Lifebook project will be an excellent choice for this free time. It is our third year doing a Lifebook, and for me it has been worth it on so many levels. My journal is for writing, but my Lifebook has the added element of art with little to no writing, but it is still a record of me and my life, only expressed in a more visual way.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This post is already taking up a lot of your time. Thank you for reading and let me know in the comments what your creative goals are for 2023.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Until next time!</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">💜🇿🇦 <i>Linzé</i></span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 13pt;">Join the creative conversation on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/linzebrandon/">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/LinzeBrandon">Twitter</a>.</span></p><p class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0.2cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></p><br />Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-6985490094652164762022-12-30T01:00:00.001+02:002022-12-30T01:00:00.185+02:00BOOK FEATURE: TRINOYONI: The Slaughterer of Sonagachi by Moitrayee Bhaduri<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxdv14qwTReWGQVgojMgCdqa0cvQ_H3oUv4VOhJHGEbHfYdtnnqF6iCpQLdOx4FmHOJyH4_Ouu1bWvgR88hzWus_Gu30sP3PNo7NZDmJWcxRSfM6I9YImuZHUP7RQVKftu6yXRtLb5oWuaN4BRMASgHJYq3Qp5w7F0ll9TlQsEEfaC76Zf0khQ_8M/s1024/Trinoyoni%20Banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLxdv14qwTReWGQVgojMgCdqa0cvQ_H3oUv4VOhJHGEbHfYdtnnqF6iCpQLdOx4FmHOJyH4_Ouu1bWvgR88hzWus_Gu30sP3PNo7NZDmJWcxRSfM6I9YImuZHUP7RQVKftu6yXRtLb5oWuaN4BRMASgHJYq3Qp5w7F0ll9TlQsEEfaC76Zf0khQ_8M/w640-h320/Trinoyoni%20Banner.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPeT6OtSdMtesvm3cSR7yewvCmJO35vYszkToSKhbbRiiFzD7-D5GF2r1mYxwyfQSGYT0H_toXhMoXMa62-KdaAs6etYLgqm1IL5o72RcS-77Bz8hfLRAYHf4P33Hbo8fBVMV3OYwuU6ax2WQQGzRXF67yPNwLnXcoIYlqyVydlOs3EdcYdv3YH4H/s499/Cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPeT6OtSdMtesvm3cSR7yewvCmJO35vYszkToSKhbbRiiFzD7-D5GF2r1mYxwyfQSGYT0H_toXhMoXMa62-KdaAs6etYLgqm1IL5o72RcS-77Bz8hfLRAYHf4P33Hbo8fBVMV3OYwuU6ax2WQQGzRXF67yPNwLnXcoIYlqyVydlOs3EdcYdv3YH4H/s320/Cover.jpeg" width="208" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Someone is stalking the streets of Sonagachi.’<br />It’s the 1870s, and Calcutta is bustling with commerce and colonialism. A sea of changes has been ushered in by the relatively new British Raj, which has led to migrants from all over India filling up the city with their hopes and dreams.<br />Amongst these struggling masses is a serial killer on the prowl. Corpses of sex-workers start turning up at ponds and in the by-lanes of Sonagachi, Calcutta’s famed pleasure district, choked to death and stripped of all their ornaments. Fear has gripped the city and the nascent police department seems to be chasing shadows.<br />This is the story of Trinoyoni Debi: a sensuous seductress with a silver tongue and a love for all things shiny. But behind those eager eyes lurks a savagery that has made Trinoyoni the stuff of legends. How could such a breath-taking beauty be so terrifying? How many more will she kill before she is satiated? And is there anyone who can stop her? Follow her life as she transforms from a child widow to a famed courtesan and merciless murderer, becoming India’s first-ever serial killer.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Book Links:</span></u></b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63333505-trinoyoni" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3BFSmn0" target="_blank">Amazon.in</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3FUKQqV" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></b></span><br /><br /></span></p><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Trinoyoni</u></span></h1><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Early Life</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On a scorching summer noon in 1853, a tired Priyogopal Sanyal entered Purnendu Shekhar Chattopadhyay’s house, wearing an irritated look. The 50-year-old Sanyal had travelled a long distance and could barely sit straight. His drowsy eyes and half-broken walking stick made him look much older than his age. He was chewing on a betel leaf and behaving rudely with his hosts. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">People crowded around the house, inquisitive to learn about the man who would be marrying the prettiest girl in the village. Trina managed to catch a glimpse of the man and felt disgusted. She was appalled and couldn’t understand why God had chosen this tragic destiny for her.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Jamai babu was bedridden for two years because of a life-threatening disease,’ Trina overheard her neighbour saying.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Even in his bedridden state, he married four girls and rescued them,’ Priyogopal Sanyal’s friend, who had accompanied him, informed Purnendu.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">With folded hands and a lowered head, Purnendu Chattopadhyay said, ‘Our daughter is very sensible and compromising. She excels at all household chores. She will not give you any reason to complain. I am grateful to Sanyal babu for rescuing her and agreeing to marry her.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tears trickled down Trina’s eyes as she saw her father begging Sanyal. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Priyo babu has rescued ten other girls too. But your daughter is much older than his other wives,’ Sanyal’s friend remarked scornfully. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Purnendu looked at the groom apologetically and pleaded, ‘I am an unfortunate father, burdened with the liability of an unmarried daughter. But as a Kulin Brahmin, I couldn’t commit a sin by marrying her off to a non-Kulin gentleman! Please forgive me.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Priyogopal Sanyal looked at Purnendu and nodded dismissively. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sanyal’s friend added, ‘Priyo babu will accept the dowry and marry your daughter tomorrow. He will leave for East Bengal soon after to see his newborn son. Your daughter can continue living with you for now. You can complete the remaining rituals during his next visit.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Purnendu nodded with folded hands and said, ‘We are truly blessed to have found him.’ </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>About the Author:</u></b></span><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0gnGnrFbnMg5-at0Wco5dM3FLpG8w465bNBrnEYmbGdO9kf_ppalldYPxtpWVVHchHmTaU_-d31hw-yT9uhy2GuHvST-RIBiowifwnzg2JWYCivYaDj3Hi-GcQkzfpS0H73NaCM_-K-8TwKbuJTlk870f227RpEud-BVoU3CQYJpnDbF0dEFrqT1/s933/Moitrayee.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="672" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0gnGnrFbnMg5-at0Wco5dM3FLpG8w465bNBrnEYmbGdO9kf_ppalldYPxtpWVVHchHmTaU_-d31hw-yT9uhy2GuHvST-RIBiowifwnzg2JWYCivYaDj3Hi-GcQkzfpS0H73NaCM_-K-8TwKbuJTlk870f227RpEud-BVoU3CQYJpnDbF0dEFrqT1/s320/Moitrayee.jpeg" width="230" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moitrayee Bhaduri is an author, screenwriter, and content specialist. Her first book, The Sinister Silence (Srishti Publishers, 2015), is an edge-of-the-seat murder mystery that introduced the feisty private detective Mili Ray. Her second book Who Killed the Murderer? (TreeShade Books, 2019) is a fast-paced psychological thriller that revolves around the murder of a TV actress in a beauty parlour.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moitrayee also writes screenplays for TV and freelances with IT firms as a content consultant. Before switching to a full-time writing career, she worked with organizations like IBM, Deloitte, and Oracle, among others, in various writing and people-managerial roles, for 15 years. An alumna of Loreto College and Jadavpur University, Moitrayee also has a certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Oxford.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Moitrayee enjoys conducting writing workshops for children and adults, encouraging them to cultivate a habit of reading. She is passionate about music, enjoys reviewing books and films, and loves dogs. Currently, she lives in Kolkata.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://itsmyworld-moitrayee.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Blog</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moits04" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/moits04" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moits04/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> </b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-28221756256801757722022-12-26T01:00:00.001+02:002022-12-26T01:00:00.196+02:00BOOK FEATURE: Wrong by Shilpa Suraj <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bookblitz-wrong-by-shilpa-suraj.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmLfZCvBuMcA08GblaBiL6xkIebXLzsz-yTOIMdyWYa_Y2WXwz85rP6ABr9nS83-Q5CkomFO_kqSeBR5Yqvoux4dPpw5kCaUI6TY-GIo-NCjSaG6rs3AT4MCdeydDMJdcfrX1WUFDSYZcpfgTsNy4NxVeLmElLb5KEFNj2j0bGLxwAmQvYIgdDzGi/w640-h320/Banners.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">One wrong choice on the eve of her wedding has left Ananya married to one brother and in love with THE OTHER…</h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bookblitz-wrong-by-shilpa-suraj.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReeGoPZE2LCfrbrsfravfWSM44aYhbYsQWfyepaGzMkWi5LOQrNmSp2uJ0fcXqmffvGKpYsCx5pHdHgabm6G-lEerof8FcIonN3FuGFpskOH0w5fYl01FxHL7ovmuN7A_jCkOn8mszhubyClbQxOwOtLBuym6Sk5XLYX6-S3s1qMxCzvbKp4Q1X0X/s320/Wrong.png" width="208" /></a></div><div>Ananya Saxena is the good girl who has always done the right thing. She is a dutiful wife, faithful daughter-in-law, fierce champion of the law. Except, in her heart was another phrase—reckless lover. An impossible choice for a good Indian girl. Duty had Ananya marry her best friend only to end up with a bitter, vengeful husband. Arvin Saxena is now a cripple, both physically and emotionally, after his wife’s confession the day before they were to be married. So, Arvin’s never-ending pain finds release only in hurting her. What he doesn’t know is that her secret sin was loving Arnav Saxena.</div><div><br /></div><div>Arnav turned his back on all of them when she discarded him and married his younger brother.</div><div>When he is forced to return, it sets Ananya on a collision course with fate and she chooses desire over duty to embark on an affair with Arnav. For a brief glorious time, they have it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>But soon, Ananya is faced with yet another life-changing decision when adultery, bankruptcy and a web of lies bring her to a crossroads. The dutiful wife or the defiant lover... who does she choose to be? And does she really even have a choice?<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63934499-wrong" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3PCwSND" target="_blank">Amazon.in</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3Fz1bQO" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Wrong</u></h1><div>There was a special place in hell for men who were in love with another man’s wife. Arnav contemplated the fifteen-year-old scotch in the crystal glass in front of him. It helped fan the flames of the hellfire in his gut. It didn’t stop his gaze from being drawn to the back of her dress. The outfit shimmered like silver smoke over her lithe body. He could see her husband’s hand resting possessively on her exposed back, a thumb gently gliding over her creamy, unblemished skin.</div><div><br />He clenched his glass and gulped down almost half of its contents, savouring the burning trail it left inside him. It did nothing for the guilt that was his constant companion, but it numbed the pain that clawed through him, be it only for a moment.<br /><br />She laughed. It was a tinkling burst of sound that cut through the quiet murmur of the sophisticated, high society crowd that had gathered for the charity event. A few tendrils of her hair escaped the complicated hairdo her glorious waist-length mane was caught up in and flirted with the nape of her neck.</div><div><br />Cursing, he pushed back from the table. He needed a smoke and he didn’t care if the world thought it was rude of him to walk out right now. As he made his way through the throng, a part of him registered the way she leaned against her husband and murmured something into his ear. Turning towards her, he gave her an indulgent smile that spoke volumes about their relationship.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yes, there was a special place in hell for men who loved another man’s wife. He breathed, crawled and existed in that abyss, for he didn’t just love another man’s wife, he loved his brother’s wife. Amidst the scum that grew in the filthy gutter of the deepest, darkest bowels of hell, he was the slime you scraped off the bottom of your shoe. He lived and breathed guilt, remorse and gut-searing pain. She was his friend, his passion, his endless torment, his curse. And yet, he loved her.<br /><p><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">About the Author:</span></u></b></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZsqPboVWvYQ2ECtbQpwNOY94rQahKP1Zr9xNxMrjazqen-8PnT67LHpMvpc4BLZGvJLEaVslU3IBcANA02rMhoEbBjGpz4zmd-1IccEtS3SU4q6z1dVccFwi5BBPZ2cYnuBots5N44e-3lwvHXBSsRQTNwcUuQEWTOkcPp_U31JF12FpE-K8wUT53/w200-h200/Shilpa.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Contact the Author:<br /></u></b></span></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://shilpasuraj.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> * <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shilpasuraj/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> * <a href="https://twitter.com/shilpaauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> * <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shilpa.suraj/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> * <a href="http://eepurl.com/dt-Br9" target="_blank">Newsletter</a></span></b></span></p><p><br /></p></div></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5129941348277747165.post-2232340544280862312022-12-20T02:00:00.001+02:002022-12-20T02:00:00.198+02:00BOOK FEATURE: Bad Girl Gone Good by Alisha Kay<p> <a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bad-girl-gone-good-by-alisha-kay.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxJeUPOtmLsU0WPgvJqKJD15-7l93-FKyVdDHV6T5h6l7Vk6bQ_tecV9CwvXpcZBfMD-RtDe1psTwd_HRdrxEb16CqRqzahueh8UhjVqtwMM2K-xMmwdQqFyXFPS2V02Rl-AH7IpGWg-TPaUr3lqYzmQjg5p9W6swxNh6QY5BYlxijZGGnkpJDNQt/w640-h320/33.png" width="640" /></a></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_K9dgq4gGe4hca6S9iEmhbkd-WTTYlUDLRMDRxanTIa79ZcVaUCxWJ9NnKOwHGRHO602lUGLOfzDbFEAf7g5kgjIVKgArl8EfswmR613ZQ1DofPMB_Tl0XYdta_mQ09iHkrtT0ITYJ2ZtwVATlgS05KNrCf6XLso1BmTDVTWJkVkUdxlyiPf5KHG0/s320/Final-Bad%20Girl-Good.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div>When Aisha Rajput, the queen of raves and celebrity after-parties, is asked to plan a hospital fundraiser, she's convinced the sun finally rose from the west. And yet, she is determined to blow this brief out of the water for it is her one chance at redemption.<br /><br /></div><div>Seven years ago, she shattered Dr Kabir Pradhan's heart with a deliberate, conscious act of betrayal. The least she can do to make up for it is to save his hospital.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aisha is the woman who loved him and broke him. The last thing Kabir needs is for her to do it all over again with his hospital. He doesn't want her, he doesn't need her, and he certainly won't tolerate her. Or so he tells himself.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the hospital board leaves them with no choice but to work together, the stage is set for fireworks.</div><div><br /></div><div>When the heartache of the past collides with the irresistible desire of the present, the future looks to be in jeopardy. Unless the Bad Girl goes Good and saves the day.</div><div>But can she?</div><div>And does Kabir even want her to, for like it or not, his heart has always belonged to the Bad Girl, hasn't it?</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Book Links:</u></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/69175472-bad-girl-gone-good" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3Pyh3re" target="_blank">Amazon.in</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3WgMB7k" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a></b></span></div><div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bad-girl-gone-good-by-alisha-kay.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3XeGCbo5kF4QqFOP_2CaUgPUNh90en8EyOmEzSvDmgWuXKHI90J6X7SkJn1-HLVIR_UCjg5ybaVbAKDKqnim_3_E058rd7nFNxEx0HZdTM5vgJE9HN3flP26VDG8_vJuNYV17ptJOx82JhyvDmPiswMB7LBVX7QUBmku6xA6H9rq05dZQG-cM9WH/s320/8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Read an Excerpt from Bad Girl Gone Good</u></h1><div><br /></div><div><div>KABIR<br /><br /></div><div>The Rajmata of Bannor looked positively hunted as she stared at me.<br />“She said she’s on her way, beta. I’m sure she will be here soon.”<br />My brow creased in confusion.<br />“Who is on her way? I thought we were meeting to discuss how to raise money for the new NICU.”<br />“We are! But you can’t raise funds without a proper fundraiser. And if anyone can organise a superhit, blockbuster event for you, it is she,” declared Her Highness.<br />What was the old lady smoking? We weren’t a Bollywood production house. Usha Kiran was a hospital with a reputation for quality healthcare. The manic gleam in her eyes made me very nervous, especially when she started throwing around words like superhit and blockbuster.<br />“She?” I asked carefully.<br />“Kabir, you can’t pull off such a big event all by yourself. You need an event manager.”<br />No. What I needed was for these old farts to get their heads out of their asses and come up with a plan to counter Her Highness’s schemes.<br />“Your Highness, we’re trying to collect funds, and I’m not sure how blowing up a huge chunk of money on a grand party is going to help us do that.”<br />The other members of the board nodded in agreement. The very thought of wasting money on a fundraiser made them turn ashen.<br />She shook her head in disappointment.<br />“Beta, sometimes you have to spend money to earn more.”<br />“Well, we don’t have much, to begin with, and I don’t think I can authorise such an expense when I could use the money to buy new ventilators,” I said apologetically.<br />I knew she meant well, but she needed a dose of reality. There was nothing glamorous about what we were trying to do here. We needed state-of-the-art incubators, ventilators with CPAP machines, as well as a well-trained NICU staff, all of which cost money.<br />“What if the board doesn’t have to spend a single penny? I will donate the money you need to organise the event,” she replied craftily.<br />“With due respect, Your Highness, why would you do that?"<br />She banged on the floor with the end of her walking stick.<br />“Because it is time to try something new. The world is full of people who have more money than they can spend in this lifetime. And some of them are even willing to share that wealth. You just need to know how to approach them. As for the ones that don’t want to part with their wealth, you need to know exactly how to lure and skin them,” said Her Highness, with relish.<br />Were we still talking about raising money? I had a feeling there was a ruthless serial killer lurking under that silk-clad grandmotherly exterior. I sighed as I resigned myself to an uncomfortable meeting with the event manager. But I would hear her out before I showed her the door. It was the least I could do.<br />I looked at my watch pointedly and nodded.<br />“Fine. Let’s see what this wizard of yours has in mind.”<br />There was a sharp knock at the door, and it swung open.<br />“I hope I’m not too old for one of your lollipops, Doctor Uncle,” called a voice that I hadn’t heard for years.<br />And yet, it hit me with the same force as it had seven years ago.<br />Her Highness rose to welcome her, but I stayed frozen in my seat, unable to do anything but stare at that familiar face. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck was Aisha Rajput doing here?<br />She walked into the room and greeted Her Highness with a warm hug.<br />“Now, where’s my favourite man?” she cooed, pulling away from the Rajmata of Bannor.<br />I clenched my jaw and stood up slowly to my full height as she turned towards me. When she spotted me, she swayed in place as if she had been dealt a body blow. I shot her a frosty smile that made her turn pale.<br />“Well, if it isn’t the OG Bad Girl,” I drawled.”<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bad-girl-gone-good-by-alisha-kay.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bIKIVkQztV0pWaTYLR50LB52QsSx9o1rZtFuUOThdYed2I9QM20n-5uNXp2OK_HTN424FLtopbHWG_0Qo9T3KajzgIMePaTDGy1AVdsswvw4IykC_2sOf_1ZTPtVGV2reKjBUkUEMAioMVAAfDGUwqfhe3MPJ4hA5h6snrHGttAnsfZky19gRPM5/s320/7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>About the Author:</b><br /></u></span><b>Alisha Kay </b>writes funny, exciting and steamy stories, with spunky heroines who can rescue themselves, and hot, woke heroes who find such independence irresistible.<br />The first book in The Devgarh Royals series, The Maharaja’s Fake Fiancée, won the grand prize at the Amazon KDP Pen to Publish Contest 2020.<br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><b>Alisha on the Web:</b></u></span><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alishakayauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><span> * </span><a href="https://twitter.com/alishakayauthor" target="_blank">Twitter</a> </span></b></p></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.b00kr3vi3ws.in/2022/12/bad-girl-gone-good-by-alisha-kay.html" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjuTH4SeDtWEEYMAU84MFImoWrmBvpJOaV7KSWUQpkutyiRcpQdcMAvLMGxWkVBRLyfsNuu_HecHvjyam-HzvCHJFnF8uM6mYdbW3Eox8Sdb3yAbX0qRjj2al-pEJbbHA_1oeyWJh3KgZwdAa-oQv21nrh8qJEDP-oUUy2D2mtZQJUqJrAyJJq5fc/s320/9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><br /></div>Linzé Brandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324912913866203089noreply@blogger.com0