Tuesday, June 29, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - my historical romance


I don't think this is going to work. I'm having so many problems sending my Word document to my blog. Here goes. Didn't work. Sorry about that. I shall try again tomorrow until I beat this problem.

In the meantime, I'm posting the cover of my romantic suspense here hoping to tempt someone, all of you, into purchasing it for your e-reader.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - Replacing Chapter One

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Monday, June 21, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - First chapter of a book!

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Friday, June 18, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - and a fork in the road

Before heading for the fork in the road, a question. Did you do thirty minutes of exercise to-day and yesterday and the day before? In the National Post to-day a whole section was devoted to "Help us Strike out Strokes." Signs to save y0ur life and here they are.

Five Stroke signs. WEAKNESS.: sudden loss of strength or numbness in the face, arm or leg, even if temporary. TROUBLE SPEAKING: sudden difficulty speaking or understanding, or sudden confusion, even if temporary. VISION PROBLEMS: sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary.
HEADACHE: sudden severe and unusual headache. DIZZINESS: sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the other four signs.

Severe Classic heart attack signs. PAIN: 1) sudden discomfort or pain that doesn't go away with rest; 2) pain in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back: 3) pain that feels like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure; and 4) chest pain or discomfort that's brought on with exertion and goes way with rest. SHORTNESS OF BREATH: difficulty breathing.
NAUSEA: indigestion, vomiting. SWEATING: cool, clammy skin. In the past, some patient education materials have suggested that women experience symptoms of a heart attack quite differently from men. However, that's not really the case according to a study presented at the 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

GENDER DIFFERENCES: In women, the pain may be more vague. And woman may be more likely to have both the typical symptoms of a heart attack as well as throat, jaw and neck discomfort. But the most common symptom in women is still chest pain.

There's the health lesson for to-day. Change of focus. A Fork in The Road. Do you go left or right?

Tomorrow I shall post part of the first chapter of an unpublished historical romance of mine and see if it brings in any comments. A wandering editor perhaps!

I hope you are enjoying pleasant weather and are able to get outside to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.

Anita Birt
www.anitabirt.com

Monday, June 14, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - continued on and on ...

On being eighty seven.

I read an article recently where the words "life is not a rehearsal" jumped out at me. I Googled them and discovered the saying is not new but goes back to 2003 - that's when I stopped looking for more examples.

On being eighty seven gives me pause for thought several times a day. How did I get so old and what have I done during those eighty seven years to mark my passage through life? I'm not a brilliant writer, I am a very small frog peeping away in a huge lake filled with big frogs occupying lily pads waiting for big Momma frog to deliver them bags of royalty cheques.

Having five published romance novels pleases me. They are not and never will be on the 'best seller lists" but they are an achievement. A marker. Anita was here!

Life is not a rehearsal. Being old challenges us physically and mentally. I read somewhere that "getting old is not for the faint of heart." So how do we make our days interesting and joyful?

As for me, I blether away on this blog. I write my memories for my immediate family. I should be revising two historial romances and two contemporary romances but since my husband passed away, I have lost interest. Perhaps it's a kind of writer's block or maybe, being eighty-seven has changed my focus. I shall open one of them this evening and see what happens. Can't hurt.

Life is not a rehearsal. How many chances will I have to revise four books, finish my memories and entertain you on my blog?

I am off now. Not to walk by the sea. There's a fierce wind blowing and it's hard to walk against it.

Do leave a comment. Or am I alone rattling away to no good purpose? I'm entertaining myself! That's good for my brain.

Anita
www.anitabirt.com

MY MEMORY PROJECT - continued to the end of time

Sunday, June 13, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - continued

Is there anyone out there? I'm getting some hits on my blog but no comments or e-mails. From what I read in the newspapers, we old folk have become interested in computers and use them for different purposes.

So, who are you? Senior citizens? Aged folk? Curmudgeons? Are you taking lessons in something, i.e, German, flamenco dancing, creative writing classes? There are opportunities galore if you live in a town or city. With a computer you can investigate the world libraries and download e-books, like mine!

What are you reading? I am reading Hilary Martel's fabulous book, Wolf Hall. It is a page turner about the life of Thomas Cromwell. It's a physically heavy book and I need something thinner for reading in bed. Reginald Hill, the British crime writer is one of my favourites. Problem is, putting the book aside and turning out the light and going to sleep. I am a disciplined person and I need my sleep.

A promo for one of my romance novels. ISABELLE'S DIARY. It's a contemporary romance with a mysterious ghost - or was it a ghost? Can a ghost appear in broad daylight in a cafe in the Welsh town of Llandrindod Wells? Go to my web site, www.anitabirt.com to read an excerpt and check out my other books.

I visited my Franciscan friends at Bridal Veil, Oregon, last week-end. You can find my book, THE HOUSE AT BRIDAL VEIL, second hand at Amazon.con or ABEbooks. It's on my web site as well.

Enjoy your days and leave a comment so I know I am not alone in the universe.

Anita Birt

Thursday, June 10, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - continued

I've been to Bridal Veil, Oregon and returned home on Monday - totally exhausted. I swear it's a mile to walk from the check-in at Portland to where Air Canada is situated. Worse than that was winding my way through the horror of Vancouver Airport. Is any airport friendly to passengers? Don't answer!

Aquarius. My horoscope for to-day, Thursday, June 10th. "The pen is mightier than the sword. True or false? It will certainly be true to-day as communications planet Mercy moves into the most dynamic area of your chart. Broadcast your vision to the world."

I wish. Anyone got any bright ideas to broadcast? Please send them to me at: anita.birt@gmail.com and I shall add them to this brilliant blog and credit your genius.

Canada is celebrating the Royal Canadian Navy's one hundred years of service. There's a huge party building right here in Victoria. Navy ships from New Zealand and Australia (our sister Commonwealth countries) Japan, France and our friendly neighbour, The United States. The USS Ronald Reagan has been lying at anchor outside the harbour at Esquimalt, the navy depot - not quite enough room for all the ships.

Tomorrow our Royal Canadian Airforce "Snow Birds" will be flying over. There'll be fireworks at night. A huge parade downtown and more.

Breaking news. The Blue Jays beat Tampa Bay this evening. Yeh.

Walking for 30 minutes a day can help reduce your risk for heart disease and diabetes. What are you waiting for? I walked 2000 metres this morning - that's one mile and a quarter. Not bad for an old dame. What did you do to-day? I'd love to hear from you. Is anyone out there? Are there no old people willing to talk about themselves. What makes your life interesting? Am I talking to myself?

Anita Birt
www.anitabirt.com

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

MY MEMORY PROJECT - continued

It's June 2nd and I'm off to Portland, Oregon tomorrow to visit my Franciscan friends at Bridal Veil. I'll return home on Monday afternoon. I'm taking some of my husband's ashes to sprinkle on the grounds at Bridal Veil. My husband loved the place and loved the Franciscan Sisters of The Eucharist, our dear friends. Another friend, Father Craig Boly SJ will say mass. It's ages since I've been to Bridal Veil. Craig was a student of mine many, many years ago when he was studying at Regis College in Toronto.

My book, The House at Bridal Veil was published in 1992 byBinford and Mort, Portland, OR. My book is available - used copies - at Amazon.com and ABE books. An inspirational read about a small group of amazing women, Franciscan Sisters, who reclaimed a run down old mansion on the Columbia River and through hard work and devoted friends, brought it back to life. It's worth a visit if you are in the area.

Back to more mundane matters. An article in the National Post caught my eye. Do not call us "seniors." Please call us "elders." Hmm. Sounds as if we have much wisdom to pass along. Some of us may have but some of us have lived humdrum lives, married, worked, raised a family, retired and, if blessed with reasonable health. will enjoy those sunshine years.

Humddrum? Seems to me we have something to say about commitment and loving and being there when times are tough. Care to comment.

I'm going to do some self promotion about my books. This time my time travel, Ring Around The Moon. My time travel is different My hero, Alan Tremaine, comes from two hundreds years in the past to the present time. This causes enormous problems for my American heroine, Beth Ormond. She rented Quest cottage in Cornwall for a month of R&R. Alan is sure she is his wife Elizabeth who lost her life when their home burned to the ground and has now returned to him.

Quest cottage was built on the foundation stones of Alan's ruined home. Imagine the problems facing a man from the past. He doesn't have a modern identity and all that entails. Check out my web site, www.anitabirt.com for an excerpt about my book and how to purchase it.

On my last royalty cheque, three of my books were downloaded to Kindles, one to Ipod and another to Createspace. Very interesting. I'm hoping for more sales. That's a pitch! Others of my books are pirated on various sites where my books are given awayfree and I, the hard working writer, are cheated of my royalties.

Thanks for dropping by. Please leave a comment if you feel so inclined. I shall return.

Anita Birt
www.anitabirtcom