Musings from a Writer’s Brain-Spam, Scams and Other Stupid Stuff by Catherine Castle

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Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, how to avoid phishing tips, phishing, scam calls, Spam

 

Spam, and I don’t mean the kind in a can, is a pain in the pattootie. I actually like canned Spam, the canned meat that fed an army during WWII. I know, I can hear you all saying, “Eeww!” But I’d rather eat Spam’s canned meat than have to deal with the spammy scams that come over our telephone lines.

We’ve all experienced it. Those annoying phone calls that pop up all day long from spoofed numbers with the first three numbers of your cell phone, home phone, the numbers from your neighborhood, or from 1-800 and 1-900 numbers. I live in a relatively small community and I don’t know a lot of people in the area, so when I get a call from an unknown number sporting the local exchange, I know it’s phone spam.

On a good day, I might get one or two on the land line, and as many on my cell. On bad days I can receive six to twelve, sometimes one every hour from the same numbers. Thank goodness for our home phone system that allows us to program different rings into the numbers for family, friends and service people who regularly come to the house, and the computer automated voice that tells us the numbers. The latter stuff we just let ring.

Although, there have been a few unexpected calls that we’ve inadvertently picked up. For example, there was the day that our own home phone called us. The hubby was downstairs working in the basement and I was deep into writing a new chapter for the book we’re working on. The phone rang and announced his name. I briefly wondered why my husband was calling me on the land line, not his cell, from the basement.

Not thinking, I picked up the receiver and said, “Hello?”

Immediately, the thickly accented voice on the other end began rattling off a scammy spiel.   I hung up. Had I been thinking clearly I would have realized that my land line can’t call itself. I know, because I’ve tried to do so before. A couple of days later, the scam repeated itself. That’s what they do when they get an answer. They keep calling back. I wasn’t in another zone, so I ignored the call.

Even if we don’t pick up the phone, we have robocalls that leave partial messages on the voice mail system. The partial messages are a result of the robocalls starting to speak as soon as the phone is answered. They talk through the answering machines message.

The newest robocall I’ve been getting is from a Mandarin speaking person who rattles off a bunch of words that mean absolutely nothing to me. Apparently, according to my local news resources, Chinese scammers are trying to reach illegal Chinese immigrants and scare them into sending money to keep them from being deported back to China.

Another call I get a lot of say “There is a $299 charge to your account for computer service. If you want to continue service, press one. If you want to cancel press nine.”

Another variation of this scam is the $2000 charge to your account. “If you did not make this charge, call to cancel it.” Yeah, right. I’m not falling for that one because all our cards have purchase alerts on them. Which, I highly recommend if you can do this. It’s caught false charges ranging from $.99 to $9,000.

Then there are the scams that say “…company shutting down. We can’t provide services due to changes in U.S department. To get refund for subscription please call “such and such” number. Within an hour I got three of this same message from a local and two different 1-800 numbers. I don’t know what company is shutting down, because the message started late, nor do I know to what U.S department the message refers. And, as Rhett Butler so succinctly said, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a d….”

The Social Security number scam had been making the rounds, too. Supposedly, my number has been used in Southern Texas. Before they stopped, I received about six of these partial recorded calls from multiple numbers, in thickly accented, broken English. Our credit information is locked down, and we have an ID Theft notification service, so I know this was a scam. I highly recommend if you haven’t locked down your credit information with the big three companies, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian do so NOW. I’ve heard reports on the news about people who didn’t do so when the hack hit, and now they’re dealing with ID theft and credit issues from hackers using their stolen information. Lock down your children’s ID information, too. They now have Social Security numbers assigned from birth, and there have been reported incidents on the news where a child’s ID was stolen.

But the scariest call of all had to be the first scam call I ever received, which came on my cell phone. I was working in the garden and by the time I got my gloves off, clicked the phone on, and held the phone to my ear, I heard a partial message from Officer Heather Gray, from IRS, telling me that I owed back taxes and if I didn’t call back the number they left right away, they would send an officer to my home to arrest me.

Talk about heart pounding! That initial message sent my blood pressure soaring. I hadn’t caught the number. Who carries pen and paper into the garden when they work? I knew we had paid our taxes, and even had received our refund, so the IRS calling me made no sense. Still, I called my husband and relayed the message to him. He told me to calm down. We weren’t in arrears. Our taxes were paid. The IRS didn’t have my cell number. We had never given it to them. In fact, at that time the only people who had our cell were family and close friends. I wasn’t giving it out even to my doctors.

“It’s a scam,” he said. “IRS will not call you on the phone. They do it all through the mail.”

Later that day, I searched the internet for tax scams and found a boat load of information about Officer Heather Gray. Now, after fielding hundreds of spam calls, I shrug them off, or if one piques my interest I google it.

Unfortunately, there are others who must not shrug off these calls or research them, because the calls keep coming. Someone, somewhere, is stealing from unsuspecting people, who don’t know any better, by scaring them sending them money.

My tiny list of telephone spam doesn’t begin to touch the hundreds of scams out there. If scammers can think of a way to cash in on your fear and unfamiliarity with their profession, they will. A quick internet search on telephone scams will bring up a list that will keep you busy researching for hours.

Bottom line, people: Please, don’t send money to strange people who call you. Don’t make Paypal payments to them. Don’t send them gift cards. Don’t wire them money, even if they say a family member is stranded or jailed or anything thing else. And don’t give out any information to ANYONE on the telephone when they call.

If you answer the phone and someone says you owe them money and the company happens to be one that you deal with, hang up. Then YOU call a number that you know is a reputable one. Your paper bills have numbers to reach the proper customer services. The numbers on the back of your credit cards will get you to the real customer service. Be very careful if you look the number up on the internet. Scammers often make their numbers look like the legitimate number you’re searching for.

Never, never, never engage the unknown persons who call you and demand money. Never, never, never give them Social Security, Medicare, bank or saving numbers, other personal information, or even your address. They may have your address, name, and even the last four digits of your Social Security number, but don’t let that fool you. Anyone with a bit of internet surfing knowledge can find out stuff about you. But that doesn’t mean they are legitimate.

Even better, invest in a phone answering system that allows you to block, identify, and sort your family, friends and service numbers by special rings. If you’re not sure about a call, ask a family member or trusted friend to advise you. Let any number you don’t know go to voice mail. If you miss a call, the people who matter will call back or leave a message. After a while, you’ll get used to letting the phone ring. And trust me, Office Heather Gray will not appear at your door to arrest you.

 

While you’re enjoying your new-found free time (since you’re ignoring all those robocalls) why not pick up a copy of Catherine’s award-winning romantic comedy with a touch of drama A Groom for Mama? Here’s a quick peek at the blurb. If you like the book go to Barnes and Noble or Amazon and pick up a copy or read the sample.

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

 

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–What Do You Do with the Mad You Feel? by Elliot Baker

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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Emotions, Mr. Rogers, Tom Hanks, What do you do with the mad you feel

What Do You Do with the Mad You Feel?
by Elliott Baker

A couple of days ago, Sally and I had the pleasure of watching A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster and directed by Marielle Heller. In the movie, Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers. I am incapable of writing spoilers so I can’t speak about the plot of the film. Watch it. It’s different from what you think. Sally and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fortunately, all of my generation had the privilege of watching “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” if not through our own child eyes, then through those of our children.

The first broadcast of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” took place on the National Educational Television network on February 19, 1968. I was already a teenager, and I remember thinking that the pace of the show was slow. I also remember thinking, “That guy can’t be for real.” Why did I think that, but perhaps more importantly, what caused me to change my mind? In 1980 I saw Mister Rogers through my son’s eyes and that image has stayed with me all my life.

“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was broadcast from February 19, 1968 to February 20, 1976, and again from August 20, 1979 to August 31, 2001. It was almost like he came back on the air for our three children. Our eldest was born in 1978. Two out of our three children watched the program and Sally and I loved the half hour we could use to do life other than children. Our daughter didn’t like The Neighborhood because she felt that Mister Rogers’ mother didn’t dress him properly if he had to change clothes every time he entered. Still, when I was home, the show would occasionally catch me and I’d sit with whichever little ones were glued to the set. My memory of those days was that Sally and I were both at a dead run juggling whatever momentous tasks that needed to be done. Why did I, a young adult, stop and watch Fred Rogers?

Most everything is new to the 2 to 5-year-olds which were the preschool ages Fred Rogers’ series was aimed at, even though it was labelled by PBS as “appropriate for all ages.” It might be said that children are unsophisticated about their choices of what to give their attention to. I don’t think that’s true, mainly because their choices followed a pattern and they often requested Mister Rogers. What they didn’t have was an unconscious experiential barrier to love, either giving or receiving. My first response to the show was “That guy can’t be real. He’s acting in order to catch an audience and maintain the success of the show in order to bring him more fame and money.” When I saw Mister Rogers through the eyes of my children and through their expressions, (I watched them watch him.) I saw the truth. Without the colors we add in through the bumps and mistakes of life, there’s just what is in front of us and we know it for what it is. The man in that sweater was exactly as my children saw him, a gentle soul teaching a child the benefits of kindness to oneself and others.

As children we lust after the power of the adults in our lives. We are hurt and the hurts scab over, but remain with us informing our lives and our search for acceptance. We learn what to do with mad from our heroes whether they’re heroic or not, whether we love them or hate them. Anger comes from fear and only from fear. We are never angry about the things we love. Anger is a signpost of an injury along the way. Acceptance leads to forgiveness which is the only true healing we can exchange.

That was Fred Rogers’ gift to us. His ability to surmount appearances and portray genuine acceptance. I wonder that the ability to accept others wasn’t the first and most powerful tool that allowed us to survive in a dangerous world. The only reason homo sapiens managed to survive a vicious primitive environment was their aggregation, not their aggression. Individually, tools notwithstanding, we were helpless. Together we were more powerful than the carnivorous fauna that surrounded us, more tenacious than the environmental disasters that beset us. Being accepted by the group implied the opportunity for survival, rejection was a guarantee of death. Those early motivations are still resident within each of us like old outdated programing, and in fear, we lash out at any attempt to challenge the group that has deigned to accept us. No matter the underlying motivation of the group originator. Even if the group’s destination is eventual destruction, we can’t seem to disobey that prime directive. Belong or die.

In his gentleness, Mister Rogers taught power, real power. There is such power in forgiveness and compassion. Forgiveness causes structural change, long lasting change whereas anger and its effects are always temporary. If compassion is forgiveness for the self you see in others, doesn’t its exercise release us from our own fears at the same time? Doesn’t it make our load lighter and the road easier to navigate? We all suffer from the belief that we are powerless no matter how many missiles we command. To an adolescent, adults have power in that they can compel behavior using the threat of bodily or psychological injury. And, as adolescents, we lust after that power. We use all kinds of behaviors to compel others to accept us. That strategy which often appears to work in the short term, always fails in the end because while we may have destroyed the self we see in others, that short lived victory has not given us the ability to accept ourselves. In fact, it reinforces our nonacceptance and without that self-acceptance, the world remains in ego colors of black and white, good and bad.

Fred Rogers was a shining light dispelling the darkness of that youthful inability. He wasn’t a saint. He was from our neighborhood. That we’re having difficulty accepting ourselves now does not mean that we can never do so. We do not live in a black and white world no matter how we choose to see it. Yet we all participate in thought conventions that use that limiting paradigm. Good or bad. My father-in-law, a man very much in the mold of Fred Rogers once told me a story about a young man in Russia at the turn of the century. I’ll shorten the story, but you’ll see the thread.

This is a universal story and my father-in-law set it on a Russian farm. One day, the farmer’s horse ran away. The neighbors commiserated with him saying, “Such bad luck.” “Who knows,” replied the farmer. The next day, the horse returned bringing three other wild horses with it. The neighbors came over. “Such good luck,” they said. “Who knows,” replied the farmer. The next day, while trying to rope one of the wild horses, the farmer’s son was kicked and his leg broken. “Such bad luck,” said the neighbors. “Who knows,” replied the farmer. The Russian army heard of the horses and came to collect them. While there they asked to see the farmer’s son who they intended to recruit. They needed more fodder for the front lines.

A world of color is so much more exciting. The complexity of our world is frightening because our personal knowable resources are shrinking against the total knowledge available. It is this fact that threatens our survival more than any carnivorous fauna could. It is also the reason why it’s imperative that we learn to accept each other in larger groups than our current tribes. No matter how it may look, the only way to accomplish this is one at a time until eventually the one becomes all.

There are many Mister Rogers among us. They don’t speak loudly. We have to quiet our egos and listen to hear them, but they all tell us the same message. What to do with the mad you feel. Thank you, Mister Rogers, for reminding me I can do better.

Award winning, international playwright Elliott B. Baker grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. With four musicals and one play published and done throughout the United States, New Zealand, Portugal, England, and Canada, Elliott is pleased to turn his skill to writing action adventure novels.

A member of the Authors Guild and the Dramatists Guild, Elliott lives in New Hampshire with his beautiful wife Sally Ann.

Learn more about Elliot Baker on his website. Stay connected on Twitter and Facebook. Like Elliott’s Author Page on Facebook to learn all his latest news.

Musings From A Writer’s Brain–Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity by Catherine Castle

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cars, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, humor, vanity, vantiy licsens plates

 

Have you ever wondered about vanity plates? You know, those license plates on the back of vehicles that say something other than a string of numbers and letters. My first introduction to vanity plates was from Hollywood on the Hart to Hart television show. The two main characters, who were rich and married, had license plates that read HART 1 and HART 2. His and hers matching, so to speak. It always gave us a clue as to who we would see getting in trouble next. Lots of telegraphing went on in the story line in those old shows.

We see a lot of vanity plates on the road as we travel. I’m always asking myself if the drivers mean to make a statement about themselves or just want to be able to remember their license numbers more easily. After all, a catchy slogan is a lot easier to remember that a bunch of numbers and letters in random order.

Recently, I’ve been jotting down some of the more interesting plates. The hubby and I often comment on the messages we see displayed. Sometimes we have to say the letters a few times to get the gist of the plate when vowels are left out. Here’s a few of the more interesting ones we’ve seen.

 

• OTTAMWAY—(outta my way) We saw this message on the plate of a car speeding down the highway a good ten miles over the limit. He dodged between 3 lanes of traffic and blew by a cop on the side of the road. Guess you know he really meant what his plate said.
• 1 CUP –This plate was accompanied by a pink ribbon design. I feel certain a breast cancer survivor drives this car, and she letting the world know she’s a survivor. Good for her, I say.
• GOOSE—Do you suppose the husband’s car had a vanity plate that said GANDER? Makes sense to me.
• DENTPRO—This one had me wondering is he a professional at fixing dents? Or maybe a pro at getting dents? Or maybe a dentist? Could work for all three scenarios.
• NVRYELD—(never yield) And he didn’t.
• ANEYE4ANI—(an eye for an I) Pretty sure you don’t want to make this driver mad.
• NOKTRNL—(nocturnal) My first thought when I saw this was “Vampire.” But the driver was out in the daytime. Guess that’s why all the darkened glass was needed.
• OUTATME—(outta time) A great plate for a time traveler, but we decided that the speed at which the driver went probably meant something else.
• DA WITCH—She’s driving. He’s riding. ‘Nuff said.
• 23GKIDS—In a Stop Abortion frame. We know this family’s philosophy.
• FUEL LOL—On a Prius. I did laugh when I read this one. It would have been even funnier had it been on a Tessla.
• DRUMSTIX—Guess we know what instrument this driver plays. Either that or he loves poultry legs.
• MED SS—I soooo wanted to see if the driver of this car had white hair and wrinkles. But they sped off too quickly.
• PICASSO—Probably not, but I’d bet this one is an artist.
• EXODUS 8—I just had to pull out my phone Bible and look up Exodus chapter eight. It’s about the second plague God brought on the Egyptian Pharaoh—frogs. Make of it what you will, because I couldn’t figure out what the driver might have meant.

I’ve always thought it might be fun to get a vanity plate, but the cost has stopped me. That and I’m not sure what I’d put on my plate. Should advertise myself as awrdwnngwrter (award winning writer)? That’s probably too long for the plate. Maybe I should say GOT BOOKS, because I do have quite a few. Or how about LVS ROMNCE (loves romance)? That seems like a suitable license plate tag for a romance writer. But then again, in today’s world it might be viewed as a dangerous invite.

On second thought, I think it’s safer to stick to the plates the BMV assigns randomly. Vanity plates will make your car much more identifiable, which could be a problem if you were going to break any laws. But they are fun to watch for on the highway and ponder on what the drivers wanted to convey.

What about you? Do you have a vanity license plate? Have you seen one that has stuck in your memory? Or if you were going to get one, what would yours say?

The hero and heroine of A Groom for Mama didn’t have any vanity plates, but if I were going to give them one I think I’d say DRAMEDY, because this award-winning book is filled with humor and a touch of drama. Take a peek at the blurb and then hop over to Amazon and read a sample.

 

A Groom for Mama

By Catherine Castle

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom For Mama.

 

About the Author:

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems. In addition to writing she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter @AuthorCCastle, FB or her blog.

 

 

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Psychometry 101 by Sharon Ledwith

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Blackflies and Blueberries, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Psychometry, Sharon Ledwith

I’m not sure I believe in psychometry, although I have experienced some of the things she mentions in her post. Like the time I walked into a hotel and didn’t like the smell. I ignored my first instinct to get another room, and we ended up getting fleas from that excursion. The room was infested. In fact, I didn’t even know what psychometry was before reading Sharon’s post. I would have just called it instinct or intuition. But there’s one thing for sure, psychometry makes an interesting “supernatural” aspect to include in fiction. And aren’t we as writers always looking for interesting things to include in our books? So, welcome to the blog, Sharon.

Psychometry 101

by Sharon Ledwith

The second installment of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, Blackflies and Blueberries, features Hart Stewart—a teenage psychometrist who has no problem reading the energy imprints from an object like a ring or watch, but struggles with the most basic reading skills. In world-renowned, late psychic Sylvia Browne’s book, Phenomenon, she explains—“Psychometry is the ability to sense and interpret the living energy that’s been absorbed by inanimate objects. Perceptions of that energy can come in the form of visions, smells, sounds, emotions and even specific empathic physical sensations like pain, heat and cold.”

So how does this psychic ability actually work? By handling objects, the psychic receives impressions through clairvoyance, telepathy, retrocognition (knowledge of a past event that could not be learned or inferred by normal means), and precognition (future sight). The act of reading an object in this manner is called ‘psychometrizing’. The term ‘psychometry’ comes from the Greek words psyche, ‘soul’, and metron, ‘measure’. It was coined in 1840 by Joseph R. Buchanan, an American professor of physiology who saw psychometry as a means to measure the ‘soul’ of objects.

Supposedly the best ‘psychically’ conductive materials are metals. So jewelry would be great picks for a psychometry reading. If an object has been owned by more than one person, such as an antique, a percipient may pick up information about different people. Psychics who specialize in psychometry when working with law enforcement, for example, can hold an article of a missing child’s clothing or piece of jewelry and, by reading the child’s energy contained in that clothing or jewelry, receive images or smells or sounds from where the child is, sense whether the child is feeling frightened or is with someone who makes them feel secure, and/or perceive any injuries the child might have. Cue The Twilight Zone music.

Believe it or not, you’ve used psychometry at one time or another. Think about when you’ve shopped for a purse or article of clothing—you pick up the desired item, and depending on whatever feeling it gives you, there might be something about it that makes you put it back and keep looking. An odd feeling. A weird thought. A shiver. That’s psychometry. Or you’ll be house-hunting or apartment-hunting and walk into a place that’s perfect and ideal in every way, with the one exception that for some reason you can’t wait to get out of there. That’s psychometry too.

You may think of psychometrists as modern day time travelers. With one touch of an object in an antique shop or museum, they can be whisked away into another time period. Oh, think of the things we could learn about history and historical events. And think of the cold case crimes that could be solved. So the next time you pick up an object, remember that it always has something to say. Even if you don’t like it.

Ready to receive a little foresight into Blackflies and Blueberries, the second installment of Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls teen psychic mystery series? Here’s a glimpse…

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

AMAZON BUY LINK

 

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books. Be sure to check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–The Importance of Trees by Carol Browne

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Carol Browne, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Fantasy, The Exil of Elindel, trees

The Importance of Trees

from Carol Browne

I’m a tree hugger and always have been. There’s something in my nature that draws me to them like old friends. How gratifying it is for me to see so many other people waking up to how important and precious trees are.

Photo by Studio Dekorasyon on Unsplash

Every oxygen-breathing organism on Earth benefits from the work done by these forest denizens. Their fallen leaves not only nourish the ground they stand in but also feed a network of fungi, plants and small critters essential to the circle of life. The trees hold the land in their roots, preventing soil erosion and landslides. They suck up water and protect the land from flooding. They provide shade, shelter and homes to countless animals, birds and insects. They give us fruit, nuts and medicine; wood for building and fuel. In the rainforests they even create their own weather.

Trees are amazing. And now we need them more than ever. Their ability to capture carbon from the air, to use and store it, while releasing life-affirming oxygen, is vital in the battle against climate change.

We must plant more trees. Anyone with a garden can do that. If you can’t, donate to an organization that will plant trees on your behalf and support campaigns to protect ancient woodland.

We have lost our connection with Nature, that fellowship experienced so profoundly by our ancestors. For far too long we have looked down upon primitive cultures that talked about nature spirits and the wisdom of trees. We dismissed the Druids for worshipping trees. It was all superstition. But we were wrong. The trees have been our allies all the time, even when we turned our backs on them. They remained the guardians of the planet and quietly went about the business of preserving its ecosystem. Now it is imperative we embrace them again as our friends and rediscover that lost connection, before it is too late.

There is a close relationship between trees and writers; don’t they provide us with the paper on which we write our stories? They can even give us the ink to write them with. Ink made from oak galls was favoured by scribes during the Middle Ages and Renaissance because of its permanence and resistance to water and it still enjoys a niche market today among artists.

It is fitting, then, that my fantasy novel The Exile of Elindel opens with the main character, Elgiva, asking an oak tree for advice. As an elf she is fortunate in being able to understand the language of trees and she knows that ancient oaks are steeped in wisdom. It is this encounter at the beginning of Chapter One that determines everything that follows.

Without the tree there would be no story.

About the Author:

Born in Stafford in the UK, Carol Browne was raised in Crewe, Cheshire, which she thinks of as her home town. Interested in reading and writing at an early age, Carol pursued her passions at Nottingham University and was awarded an honours degree in English Language and Literature. Now living and working in the Cambridgeshire countryside, Carol usually writes fiction.  Her non-fiction book is available at Dilliebooks. You can find her work atAmazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0034P87QC

Amazon Author Page UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B0034P87QC

Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Musings from a Writer’s Brain with Gail Kittleson

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Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Gail Kittleson, Until Then, WWII fiction, WWII nurses

Using Real-life Experiences in Our Writing . . . Or Not!

by Gail Kittleson

Sometimes we can use our real-life experiences in our manuscripts. Often, something you’ve experienced fits right into your story—you know the emotional reactions by heart because you’ve lived them. But it would be a mistake to think that everything we go through in life qualifies as novel fodder.

My husband and I recently spent a week with our church youth group as they traveled to Arizona to work for Habitat for Humanity, help out at a food bank, and see some of the area’s sights.

What a great bunch of Iowa youth—they set out determined to maintain cheerful attitudes and make a difference in this needy world. Every time we’ve taken a youth group to do work like this, people are surprised at how much they accomplish and how fast they complete the jobs. Without fail, supervisors wish they’d prepared more for them to do. It’s ten a.m. of the first morning, and they’ve already finished a full day’s tasks.

This time, I was recovering from a stem cell procedure on my hip, so that limited my involvement. But I made myself available to play Scrabble or a card game in the evenings, and helped make sure the food supply remained adequate.

One evening, the array of healing supplements I was taking for my condition caught up with my gastrointestinal tract. After dinner, some of the adults were sitting around discussing the beautiful weather and the abundant wildlife all around us. A few elk appeared on the property, and the youth went out for a closer look.

That’s when the warning signs occurred. Unmistakable rumblings and gurgling. Yep, diarrhea had showed up. You know how sneaky it can be, and how quickly one needs to hurry to the closest bathroom.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far away, and I got there in time. Relief! But at the same time, concern overwhelmed me. How could I heal if I couldn’t handle taking the required supplements?

I uttered something like, “Good grief—I really need help!” After cleaning up the area, I headed back into the hallway.

Just then, two of our teenagers almost ran into me and asked, “Have you seen Mellie? We’re playing hide and seek and haven’t been able to find her for a long time.”

“No . . .”

Suddenly a teen careened from the small bathroom I’d just exited. She looked a little pale —a greenish cast to her skin. A little sick.

“Mellie? Where were you? We’ve been hunting all over.”

“In there,” she gasped. “I was hiding in the shower.”

“You’ve been in there this whole time?”

“Yeah, but somebody just came in and . . .”

Now I must have looked sick.

“Oh no!” I blurted. “I’m so sorry—it must smell just awful in there.”

One of the other girls took a whiff and confirmed the truth. Then she bent double with laughter and the other two girls joined her.

I hope Mellie isn’t traumatized for life.

We never know when life will surprise us, or how. At times like this, keeping our composure offers the greatest challenge of all. I wonder if Mellie and I will ever be able to look each other in the eye again without bursting into laughter.

I’ve also been trying to think how this scene might work for one of my characters someday, but so far, nothing has come to mind. When you’re dealing with life and death situations in wartime, a bout of diarrhea and a little embarrassment don’t even compare.

About the Author:

An Iowa “baby boomer,” Gail Kittleson became addicted to books at an early age and spent as much time in the town library as possible. After earning her M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and some missionary work in North Africa, she instructed college writing and ESL courses. Years later, she penned a memoir. Soon after that publication, the fiction bug bit her HARD, so she writes World War women’s fiction and facilitates writing workshops and retreats. She and her husband, a retired Army Chaplain, enjoy gardening and grandchildren in northern Iowa, and the amazing Ponderosa forest under Arizona’s Mogollon Rim in winter.

Connect with Gail at http://www.gailkittleson.com/

www.facebook.com/GailKittlesonAuthor

http://amazon.com/author/gailkittleson

Until Then

by Gail Kittleson

March 3, 1943

Bethnal Green, London’s East End

Shortly after a quarter past eight, a siren split the air. Marian Williams lifted her sleeping daughter from her bed and darted down the stairs. Her mother and father-in-law, off on air warden duty, had left the front door unlocked.

She hugged her youngest child close. The blackout made the going difficult, but her husband’s instructions echoed in her brain: “Whatever you do, get down inside the station fast as you can.”

She hoped for a spot near the canteen, with access to milk. Uneven light shone over the paved steps. Then she tripped. Her knee hit the concrete, then something bashed her left side. Someone cried out. Another blow scraped her arm on the landing floor. Where was her baby? She attempted to get up, but an even heavier weight slammed her face down. A crushing burden descended, then all went black.

Riding in the backs of Army trucks across North Africa, throughout the Sicily campaign, up the boot of Italy, and northward through France into Germany, Dorothy Woebbeking served as a surgical nurse with the 11th Evacuation Hospital.

During World War II, US Army nurses worked and slept in tents through horrific weather, endured enemy fire, and even the disdain of their own superior officers, who believed women had no place in war. But Dorothy and her comrades persevered, and their skills and upbeat attitude made a huge difference in the lives of thousands of wounded soldiers.

Dorothy and Marian’s stories converge on a simple, hand stitched handkerchief.

My heroine and her real-life nurse buddies during the war.

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–He Wants His Cut by Donna DeLoretto Brennan

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Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Donna DeLoretto Brennan, short stories Forget the Mess It's Time for a Story, women's fiction

He Wants His Cut

by Donna DeLoretto Brennan

As a mom, I love to hear the thoughts that pop in my kids’ minds and tumble out their mouths. As a writer, I love to share some of those sentiments and words with others.

For example, twelve years ago, our family flew to Salt Lake City for my niece’s wedding. My youngest three kids had never flown before and were especially excited. As the plane ascended into the sky, six-year-old Tim stared mesmerized out the window watching the buildings and other planes on the tarmac getting smaller and smaller until they disappeared. That soon appeared to be forgotten as he and his siblings played inflight games, gabbed with each other, and found other ways to keep themselves entertained.

More than five hours later, as our plane began to descend, Tim’s nose was again glued to the widow. He saw the buildings and planes on the ground getting bigger and bigger, and exclaimed, “What? All this time and we’re right back here?”

This made me smile, and I patiently explained that many airports look the same from the sky; this was indeed a different airport.

A couple of years later, a parenting magazine I subscribed to was looking for funny vacation stories (in 50 words or less). I wrote about Tim’s comment and sent it off to the editors. To my delight, they bought the short piece and paid me twenty-five dollars for it.

That night, I proudly shared my news with my family at dinner.

Eight-year-old Tim asked, “How much do I get?”

“What?”

“You said they paid you twenty-five dollars. How much do I get?”

I tried to explain to him that that’s not the way it works. I wrote it. I sent in the story. I got paid.

His response? “But I said it. How much do I get?”

I sighed. Humor with a twinge of sarcasm is almost a second language in our house. I told him, “You’re eating dinner right now, aren’t you? That’s what you get.”

He didn’t like my answer, but he dropped the subject—for a while. That conversation took place almost ten years ago, yet every now and then he’ll bring it up. He tells me he’s still waiting for his cut.

Admittedly, I was tempted, all those years ago, to give him a few dollars to make him happy. But since so much of what I was writing at the time was based on interactions with my family, I figured I couldn’t afford to pay my kids every time they thought I got my idea from them. Especially since they seem to think everything I write is about them, even when it isn’t.

For instance, in one of my books the kids play soccer. All three of my boys played soccer from elementary school through high school. So my book must be about them. And one of my main characters in that same book is named Elizabeth. But that’s my daughter’s middle name. So it must be about her. And so on and so on.

I try to explain that most writers write from their experiences. I was a soccer mom; my main character is a soccer mom. And I like the name Elizabeth—that’s why I used it for my character and why it’s my daughter’s middle name. It really isn’t about them at all.

Yet now here I am, writing about my kids and what they’ve actually said or done. But I’m not getting paid for this post, so maybe I’ll make an exception this time and agree to split my earnings with them.

 

About the Author:

Donna DeLoretto Brennan was a technical writer for over ten years before becoming a computer programmer. Since leaving the corporate world after her twins were born, she’s had short stories, interviews, and nonfiction articles published online and in print magazines. She’s speaks at writing conferences and other events.

She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group (GLVWG). She’s served in various capacities on the GLVWG board, including several terms as Conference Chair. She’s always looking for opportunities to encourage others and to share what she’s learned.

Donna’s website is http://www.degunkinglife.com/.

Forget the Mess—It’s time for a Story!

by Donna DeLoretto Brennan

When life starts to fill with mindless chores and endless to-do lists, take a mini-break to relax and reenergize. This book contains six stories to help you forget about the dishes that need to be washed or the laundry that needs to be put away. Forget the mess for now, and enjoy a story. The mess will still be there, waiting for you, when the story is finished.

• My Good Son – The son she remembers is missing; and who is this man calling her “Ma”?
• Pretense – Sister-relationships can be complicated, especially if you’re afraid to tell the truth.
• Another Day – Clara looks for a way—and a reason—to keep going.
• Spectator – When watching other people’s lives is more interesting than living your own, maybe you need to take some action.
• Taking Care of His Wife – Brad promised to take care of Megan forever—but he never said exactly how he would do that.
• Love Your Frenimies – When Jesus said to love your neighbor, he couldn’t have meant Gina’s neighbor, Anna.

 

Forget the Mess—It’s Time for a Story is available in paperback form at Amazon. A kindle version will be available soon.

 

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–When Friends Become Characters by Anne Montgomery

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A light in the Desert by Anne Montgomery, Anne Montgomery, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, writing characters, writing tips

When Friends Become Characters

by Anne Montgomery

Authors are often asked how they create characters. In my case, as my friends and family now realize, they are sometimes inspired by people I know.

My long-time sweetie pie seemed shocked when he read his words coming out of a character’s mouth.

“Hey! I said that!”

“Yes, you did.” I admitted. “Thank you.”
As a former reporter, I tend to think everyone’s words are fair game. If you’re going to fling them out into the universe, don’t be upset if I catch them and keep them for my own.

At other times, I’ve incorporated friends’ stories into my characters. In my upcoming book, A Light in the Desert, which released on November 6, 2018, I borrowed numerous times from the life of my dear late friend Don Clarkson. I have written before about how Don and I met umpiring amateur baseball, a time during which I struggled with debt, a crumbling marriage, and joblessness following what would be the end of my TV-reporting career. That I spent a great deal of time feeling sorry for myself is an understatement.

Don, on the other hand, complained very little. This was astonishing in retrospect, considering the suffering he endured. Don was a decorated Green Beret, a sergeant who served alongside South Vietnam’s ARVN soldiers in the 9th Infantry during the war. His time in country was brutal and, like many servicemen and women, Don relived those experiences until he died at the age of 61 from a combination of Post Traumatic Stress and the myriad devastating effects of Agent Orange poisoning.

Don and I umpired baseball together for five years. During that time, he shared his stories with me. He was gravely wounded and left to die, but was saved by a South Vietnamese soldier who returned to the aftermath of a jungle fight to look for him. He was sometimes crushed by guilt, because of war-time life-and-death decisions and because – unlike many of the men he knew – he had managed to survive and come home. Tears would well in his eyes as he spoke about the soldiers – his brothers – that were lost.

And still, when we would sit in our folding chairs in a school parking lot, waiting for the second half of a double-header to begin, he sometimes spoke about the beauty of Vietnam and his love and admiration for the people who lived there.

One of the main characters in A Light in the Desert, is, like Don, a Vietnam veteran with memories that torment him. But Jason Ramm is also a sniper turned post-war governmental assassin, which Don was not. What they share is a deep desire for peace and forgiveness, which neither of them believe they deserve.

I wrote A Light in the Desert for Don. His wife Marie read the story to him before he died. I believe he understood Jason Ramm and recognized him as a brother. I also know that Don seemed appreciative that I shared some of his story and that I dedicated the book to him.

I miss my friend and the talks we used to have. Though he struggled mightily, Don always looked for the best in people and for beauty in the world.

 

Here’s a little from my suspense novel based on a true incident. I hope it intrigues you.

As a Vietnam veteran and former Special Forces sniper descends into the throes of mental illness, he latches onto a lonely pregnant teenager and a group of Pentecostal zealots – the Children of Light – who have been waiting over thirty years in the Arizona desert for Armageddon.

When the Amtrak Sunset Limited, a passenger train en route to Los Angeles, is derailed in their midst in a deadly act of sabotage, their lives are thrown into turmoil. As the search for the saboteurs heats up, the authorities uncover more questions than answers.

And then the girl vanishes.

While the sniper struggles to maintain his sanity, a child is about to be born deep in the wilderness.

BUY LINKS

Amazon Paperback – Kindle – Midpoint Books

 

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Vacation Reading Tips from Lori Bates Wright

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Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, Christian Historical Romance, Field of Redemption by Lori Bates Wright, Lori Bates Wright, Vacation Reading Tips

 

Tips For Vacation Reading

by Lori Bates Wright

Vacation season is upon us! We plan how to escape our daily grind all year long. By the time that red-circled date on the calendar rolls around, we want every aspect of the glorious week to go without a hitch. If you’re like me, searching for the right books to bring is as serious as planning where to stay or how to get there.

As an author, reading has become a luxury I don’t have as much time for as I used to. When I’m not writing or researching (or speaking about writing and researching), I’m on social media promoting my latest book so that readers of romance will know it’s available to take on their own vacations.

So when my hubby announced he’d booked us on a seven day cruise, I was estatic. The prospect of having seven days to catch up on my mile-high TBR pile made me a little giddy, not gonna lie. While he poured over brochures, picking just the right excursions to fill our days, I read back covers and reviews to narrow down my top three must-reads.

Our ship pulled back into port last week, and while our vacation was everything and more I’d hoped for, I did discover a thing or two about what I’d do differently next time to make it a better reading experience overall.

 

• Don’t chose a thriller set in the same location as your destination.
• Just don’t! When a few of my friends heard we were heading to Alaska, they highly recommended a series set there by a favorite author. I thought, “Yay! I’ll be able to experience the setting firsthand.” The plot included a dead body or two that turned up onboard (you guessed it) and Alaskan cruise. Everything was going fine until the assistant chef in my book was actually a mastermind for a foreign government and he commandeered a hijacking of the ship, painstakingly poisoning the passengers one by one. You get the idea. I narrowed my eye at everyone in the elevators and suspected the room steward of planting spy cameras in the towel sculptures. When the chef offered me to cut me a “special piece” of prime rib and I insisted he taste it first, my husband had had enough. He tossed the book overboard and I still don’t know how it ends.

• You probably won’t have as much time to read as you’d think.
• Especially if you are traveling with friends or a significant other. I only include this so you aren’t completely disappointed when you get back home and still have two and a half of the four you brought left unread. Part of the fun of getting away is making it worth the time, expense and effort that goes into vacation planning. We feel like we need to be doing and experiencing everything available to us in order to gain the full adventure. While I prefer to hole up in the cabin in pajama pants to read, my hubby looks at the daily schedule of events and insists we can’t miss Beatles karaoke in the Cavern Lounge. For the sake of marriage and sanity, more often than not the book was put aside.

• Leave the hardbacks at home.
• Suitcase space is a precious commodity. Especially on the flight back home when you have souvenirs and gifts for one and all. While you look cool reading it poolside, the practicality (not to mention extra expense for over the limit bags) is just not worth it.

• Kindle is a dream on vacation
• I’m one of those readers who like to have an actual ink-on-paper book in my hand. There’s just something about the feel, and smell, that I love. But, for convenience when you’re travelling you can’t beat an eReader. You can have ten other books at your fingertips in case one you’ve chosen just isn’t what you’d hoped. You can get waterproof cases for them to guard against splashes. And it takes up less space in your purse or carryon than a single paperback.

• Try an audiobook
• Another version I was sure I wouldn’t enjoy as much as holding a good book in my hand is the audio format. But when one of the books I wanted to bring was only available in audio from my local library, I gave it a whirl. The convenience on the plane was wonderful. I laid my head back and closed my eyes, and got just as immersed in the story as I ever had reading it. The lyrical play with words was still there.

• Forgot your book at home? Don’t panic!
• You can download a book to you phone anytime you have access to wi-fi.
• Most ships have a library and a limited amount of books in the giftshop
• Most every city has a bookstore or library
• Airports have one of the best selection of books anywhere

So kick off your heels and enjoy!

Don’t know what to read this vacation? Take a look at Lori’s book. It might be just what your vacation needs.

Field of Redemption

by Lori Bates Wright

They say confession is good for the soul.

But, revealing too much could prove deadly.

When devoted governess, Abigail McFadden, discovers her oldest charge has run off to join the Union army on his sixteenth birthday, her impetuous decision to go after him catapults her behind enemy lines and into a life-changing fight for survival.

Failing to locate the boy, Abby is stranded in Georgia with no means to get home. Under suspicion as a union spy, she takes a nursing position in a confederate hospital in Macon. Her only consolation is the work she does outside of the hospital walls in a shanty town of unwanted orphans.

Confederate Officer, Ian Saberton, a theological graduate of Yale, is thrust into war and forced to choose sides. Known for his skill in battle, his greatest struggle becomes a fight for his soul as his faith and deep convictions are put to the test.

As Sherman advances on Atlanta, Ian is sent to prepare his home state of Georgia for possible attack. Headquartered in Macon, he encounters a town full of devout Southerners who are completely unaware of the realities of war, or the imminent danger they face. He must see that the reserves are destroyed, and the town secured while avoiding a passel of matchmaking socialites.

Brought up on false charges, Abby is scheduled to be hanged. She has no choice but to trust the handsome Confederate officer who offers her a way of escape.

But will deep secrets destroy the fragile bond between them?

Want to read more of Lori’s Christian Historical Romance? You can find Field of Redemption at Amazon

 

About the Author:

Lori Bates Wright is an award winning author with a love for history.

Raised in New Mexico, Lori now lives in Texas with her husband of 34 years. She has two grown kids and four adorable grand boys (who leap tall buildings in a single bound!) She enjoys speaking and interacting with women of all ages.

 

Connect with Lori on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loribateswright

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lori-bates-wright

website: http://www.loribateswright.com/

 

 

 

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–That First Book Signing by Carol Browne

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Carol Browne, Catherine Castle Musings from a Writer's brain, survival in WWII, WWII

That First Book Signing

by Carol Browne

If like me you are introverted and social phobic, a book signing will be a very scary proposition. In my case I also live in a rural area without access to transport so just getting to a book signing event is a challenge. I was an eBook author for the first couple of years of my career too and so I didn’t have a book to sign anyway. This year, I did my first book signing courtesy of my supportive boss and his wife who not only allowed me to use part of their establishment (the pub where I work) but provided coffee and cakes for the people who attended.

A writer’s life might appear to be very glamorous to outsiders, but it’s usually quite the opposite. I do a variety of jobs to keep from starving in a garret and they are mostly very menial: cleaning and washing up, for example. And when I attended this, my first real book signing, I didn’t roll up in a Porsche, I had to walk there dragging my paperbacks behind me in a shopping trolley. Even with wheels, that thing got heavy after the first fifteen minutes. I had nearly forty books in it—well, I had no idea how many to take.

Of course I was nervous but it turned out better than I expected. I sold twenty books and met some very interesting people. They all seemed so pleased to be there, and to be meeting me! Suddenly Cinderella had gone to the ball and she could forget about the washing up and the cleaning for a while.

It was Holocaust Memorial Day in Britain on the 27th and so I was specifically promoting my book Being Krystyna—A Story of Survival in WWII. I discovered when I spoke to people at the event just how many of them have interesting stories to tell, especially about the war. One woman said her mother was born in a Japanese POW camp and the other female prisoners pooled their resources to provide food and clothing for the baby. I found out that my boss’s grandfather had been a prisoner of the Japanese too for three years. There are so many stories we shall never know about, stories of heroism and endurance.

Here are some more things I learned at the event that it is useful to share with other authors yet to experience a book signing:

1. Take book swag—postcards, bookmarks, etc.—because people love to get a freebie and they might pass them on to someone else. While I was promoting my non-fiction book, I handed out postcards that publicised my fantasy novel.

2. Have change ready for people who pay cash, as most will. You certainly don’t want to be taking cheques and if you’re like me you won’t have credit card capabilities! (My book was £4.99 and I had a stash of pennies in anticipation of all the five pound notes I was going to get, and did.)

3. Practise your signature before the event unless you’re that lucky person who has a naturally lovely and easily written moniker. Mine is a disappointment and that was a worry to me—who wants a spider scrawl on the first page of their pristine new book? And make sure you have a decent pen (and a replacement), one that’s not going to run out halfway through your signature or spit gouts of ink onto the paper. (I’m pleased to say, I was surprised and gratified at how my signature worked out on the day!) Don’t know what to write? Ask the person who the book is for (make sure to get the correct spelling) and simply put ‘To …., Best Wishes’ and then your signature.

4. Don’t worry that you’ll run out of books. You can always take people’s names and addresses. (I took a book of receipts in case people paid up front but as it turned out I didn’t need them.) If you are involved in advertising the event beforehand, you can suggest people buy your book first and bring it with them to be signed.

5. Have business cards to hand out. This was something I didn’t get round to. I didn’t have flyers or attractive posters either. And what that taught me was that next time I will be better prepared, but that it doesn’t spell disaster because most people who want to come to a book signing are coming to see you, the author, not all the bells and whistles you have brought with you. (People were so delighted to be given a mere postcard, you’d think I was handing out bank notes!).

6. Most importantly, stop worrying about everything having to be perfect. You have a talent to be proud of and you have achieved something most people haven’t. Enjoy that feeling of being recognised as a creative individual but at the same time remember that you are still just a human being and you can only do your best and no more. Don’t be afraid of doing a book signing either. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

If I can do it, anyone can. The important thing is, just have fun!

Here is a brief introduction to my book. Thank you for reading it.

It’s 2012, the year of the London Olympics, and for young Polish immigrant Agnieszka, visiting fellow countrywoman Krystyna in a Peterborough care home is a simple act of kindness. However, the meeting proves to be the beginning of a life-changing experience.

Krystyna’s stories about the past are not memories of the good old days but recollections of war-ravaged Europe: The Warsaw Ghetto, Pawiak Prison, Ravensbrück Concentration Camp, and the death march to freedom.

The losses and ordeals Krystyna suffered and what she had to do to survive, these are horrors Agnieszka must confront when she volunteers to be Krystyna’s biographer.

Will Agnieszka find a way to accomplish her task, and, in this harrowing story of survival, what is the message for us today?

Buy Links

Dilliebooks – Amazon UK – Amazon US

 

Born in Stafford in the UK, Carol Browne was raised in Crewe, Cheshire, which she thinks of as her home town. Interested in reading and writing at an early age, Carol pursued her passions at Nottingham University and was awarded an honours degree in English Language and Literature. Now living and working in the Cambridgeshire countryside, Carol usually writes fiction and is a contracted author at Burning Willow Press. Being Krystyna, published by Dilliebooks on 11th November, 2016, is her first non-fiction book.

Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog, Facebook, and Twitter.