To-day I'll skip social issues. No one commented on my Blog yesterday. I assume no one read it. Sigh.
I don't have an agent. I don't have a personal assistant. I certainly don't have a PR person flogging my books hither and yon. I use my Blog to write about writing and about my books.
About writing. I've heard many people comment, "I'd like to write a book but don't know where to start." My advice. "Write about some small thing you noticed to-day."
Is there a flower in bloom? Did you stumble over a stone on the path where you were walking? What did that feel like? Remember a childhood incident. Could be anything. Or write the first thing that comes to mind. What are you thinking about right this minute? Begin.
The famous Nora Roberts said wisely. "You can't fix a blank page." So write a few lines, they don't have to make sense. WRITE THEM DOWN! No one is standing over your shoulder making caustic comments. Tell me what the weather is like where you are. That's a start.
Now to promote my own books. I have had five romance novels published. Here they are:
A VERY DIFFICULT MAN, (a historical romance set in England 1858)
ISABELLE'S DIARY: (A contemporary romance. with turns and twists and a ghost)
ISABELLE'S STORY: (A historical romance. England. 1899/1900. Who was Isabelle who penned the Diary?)
RING AROUND THE MOON: (An unusual time travel. He comes from 200 years in the past to the present time in mysterious Cornwall and finds a new love, an American on a short holiday. She has to find him a new identity, passport, driver's license, all the trivia required in the present time)
TOO YOUNG TO DIE: (A contemporary thriller with a brave heroine escaping in the dark of night to protect a three month old baby from murderous thugs.)
THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY: My book is e-published by Smashwords, go to www.Smashwords.com to order. If you have a Mac order my book from ibooks. The cost is $1.99. at both places. A 85,000 word book for $1.99. A real bargain.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
ANITA BIRT - SPEAKING OUT
"Native women live in peril: RCMP report." There is an in depth article in the Globe and Mail detailing the problems native women have to deal with. Think about this:
"Aboriginal women suffer from greater levels of violence than other women in Canada, leaving them more vulnerable to murder and brutality at the hands of their spouses, family members and acquaintances."
It seems to me the problems lie within the aboriginal communities. Why not start there to deal with the violence against women? I already imagine the arguments. "Native communities are still suffering from the abuses and pain from the Residential Schools." Their stories must never be forgotten. Never.
Is it not time to move on? Is the violence on the reserves related to the past suffering? How? It's not healthy to play the role of "Victim." Healing won't take place until the the future is faced. Playing the role of "victim," can act like an addiction. If I give up the role of "victim," who am I?
I'm a mere mortal with the concerns of a mere mortal.I refuse to take the blame for the past injustices done to the native people. I wasn't there. What I can do is urge our federal government and the native chiefs to get their acts together and get the educational system on the reserves funded with money and educated staff. Our native children must be educated. Must be!
Millions of dollars have been poured into the reservations to no avail. Where has the money gone?
This sad story about murdered and missing aboriginal women begins where it started, where the women live. Yes, the police can do their work after the fact. Start by stopping the abusers.
Easier said than done. And so I leave you.
Anita Birt
www.anitabirt.com
"Aboriginal women suffer from greater levels of violence than other women in Canada, leaving them more vulnerable to murder and brutality at the hands of their spouses, family members and acquaintances."
It seems to me the problems lie within the aboriginal communities. Why not start there to deal with the violence against women? I already imagine the arguments. "Native communities are still suffering from the abuses and pain from the Residential Schools." Their stories must never be forgotten. Never.
Is it not time to move on? Is the violence on the reserves related to the past suffering? How? It's not healthy to play the role of "Victim." Healing won't take place until the the future is faced. Playing the role of "victim," can act like an addiction. If I give up the role of "victim," who am I?
I'm a mere mortal with the concerns of a mere mortal.I refuse to take the blame for the past injustices done to the native people. I wasn't there. What I can do is urge our federal government and the native chiefs to get their acts together and get the educational system on the reserves funded with money and educated staff. Our native children must be educated. Must be!
Millions of dollars have been poured into the reservations to no avail. Where has the money gone?
This sad story about murdered and missing aboriginal women begins where it started, where the women live. Yes, the police can do their work after the fact. Start by stopping the abusers.
Easier said than done. And so I leave you.
Anita Birt
www.anitabirt.com
Saturday, May 3, 2014
ANITA BIRT - WEAVER OF TALES
I've just read my last post and hope I haven't confused you as I described the book I'm writing. The characters are:
Phyllis.The main protagonist. Angie (six years old) Jake who walked out on Phyllis ten years ago. She divorced him. He is unconscious in the hospital. Mr. Livingstone. Whom I am trying to figure out if he is who he says he is or what is his motive in helping Phyllis, or is he helping her or playing for time.Should Jake be guarded while he's in the hospital?
I hope to make this a Novella - 35,000 words, but the story is growing like Topsy and I fear it is getting out of hand. I'm letting the story evolve on its own. Letting the story write itself. Seems far fetched and probably is but I'm in no hurry. I have published five romance novels, one not-fiction book and my latest, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY, e-published by Smashwords for $1.99.
So here is what I really hope you will do. Go to Smashwords and purchase my book. If you have a MAC, go to ibooks and purchase my book. Easy isn't it? $1.99
For my romance novels, A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE.
They are available from my publisher, Ellora's cave as e-books or in trade paperback. My two Isabelle stories are available in a handsome trade paperback. All my books can also be purchased from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.com
I'm on Twitter (when I can find myself!) I will soon be on Facebook when I figure out how to do so.
In the meantime, keep reading and buying my books.
IMPORTANT: Let me interview you on this blog. Who are you? Are you writing? Thinking about writing. Knitting pretty things. We all have stories to tell. I heard a wonderful true story yesterday and will tell you about it tomorrow - if you ask me!
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
Phyllis.The main protagonist. Angie (six years old) Jake who walked out on Phyllis ten years ago. She divorced him. He is unconscious in the hospital. Mr. Livingstone. Whom I am trying to figure out if he is who he says he is or what is his motive in helping Phyllis, or is he helping her or playing for time.Should Jake be guarded while he's in the hospital?
I hope to make this a Novella - 35,000 words, but the story is growing like Topsy and I fear it is getting out of hand. I'm letting the story evolve on its own. Letting the story write itself. Seems far fetched and probably is but I'm in no hurry. I have published five romance novels, one not-fiction book and my latest, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY, e-published by Smashwords for $1.99.
So here is what I really hope you will do. Go to Smashwords and purchase my book. If you have a MAC, go to ibooks and purchase my book. Easy isn't it? $1.99
For my romance novels, A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE.
They are available from my publisher, Ellora's cave as e-books or in trade paperback. My two Isabelle stories are available in a handsome trade paperback. All my books can also be purchased from Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.com
I'm on Twitter (when I can find myself!) I will soon be on Facebook when I figure out how to do so.
In the meantime, keep reading and buying my books.
IMPORTANT: Let me interview you on this blog. Who are you? Are you writing? Thinking about writing. Knitting pretty things. We all have stories to tell. I heard a wonderful true story yesterday and will tell you about it tomorrow - if you ask me!
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
ANITA BIRT - WEAVER OF TALES
All is peaceful and quiet after the celebration of Easter and its meaning. Back to writing, Phyllis. I have written 12,000 words and decided it was time to really get to know my characters. This always happens to me. I start writing the story and characters emerge and make their presence felt. Then the time comes when I must get to know those characters, who they are, how did they become who they are, did they fall afoul of problems in their life's journey, how did they get to become the character about whom I started writing.
There are three main characters in my book. Phyllis who is 39 years old, divorced. She's a chartered accountant. Has her own home.
Jake Bennett who has suddenly reappeared in Phyllis's life. More about him later.
Angie, six years old, a foundling, whom Jake found wandering on the road side.. Phyllis is forced to to care for Angie when Jake becomes seriously ill and ends up in hospital. Angie is a very bright child. She is a gifted artist for someone so young. She ran away from an abusive mother. It's a mystery to me (the author of this story) how Angie survived for several weeks before Jake picked her up. That I must think about. There is something about Angie - what is it?
Mr. Livingstone has walked into my story and I haven't a clue what to do with him. He's a Shaman, I think. He wants to help Phyllis but she doesn't want his help. Let's think of him as a skilled hypnotist who can tame a rowdy bunch of squawking, wing flapping geese,.
Four characters and the only one I'm sure about if Phyllis. I've been writing a short bio of Phyllis to get to know her better.
Until Jake returns to consciousness all I know about him is what Angie tells me.
There you have it. A story quite different from anything I've written before.
Please buy my books. THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY is available for purchase from Smashwords, and is also available at ibooks. Price: $1.99.
Also my romance novels available in e-format and trade paperback. A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. .RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE
www,anitabirt.com
There are three main characters in my book. Phyllis who is 39 years old, divorced. She's a chartered accountant. Has her own home.
Jake Bennett who has suddenly reappeared in Phyllis's life. More about him later.
Angie, six years old, a foundling, whom Jake found wandering on the road side.. Phyllis is forced to to care for Angie when Jake becomes seriously ill and ends up in hospital. Angie is a very bright child. She is a gifted artist for someone so young. She ran away from an abusive mother. It's a mystery to me (the author of this story) how Angie survived for several weeks before Jake picked her up. That I must think about. There is something about Angie - what is it?
Mr. Livingstone has walked into my story and I haven't a clue what to do with him. He's a Shaman, I think. He wants to help Phyllis but she doesn't want his help. Let's think of him as a skilled hypnotist who can tame a rowdy bunch of squawking, wing flapping geese,.
Four characters and the only one I'm sure about if Phyllis. I've been writing a short bio of Phyllis to get to know her better.
Until Jake returns to consciousness all I know about him is what Angie tells me.
There you have it. A story quite different from anything I've written before.
Please buy my books. THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY is available for purchase from Smashwords, and is also available at ibooks. Price: $1.99.
Also my romance novels available in e-format and trade paperback. A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. .RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE
www,anitabirt.com
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
ANITA BIRT - WEAVER OF TALES
Yesterday I mentioned the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.
"Lord, make an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow loves; where there is injury, pardon;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
Take what appeals to you from the prayer.
In past blogs I printed the Legend of the Hummingbird. Here it is again.
Legends say that Hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration.
The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation.
Back to everyday things. I attended a lecture by a Shakespeare scholar on Richard III. I felt my brain shifting into high gear. It was enlightening to have a play analyzed - not too much -but to show how Richard played to the audience to have them understand who he was, etc.
I'm sending one of my unpublished romance novels to be formatted for Smashwords. I'll need a cover. No point having a manuscript lying around when it could be out there in the e-published world.
THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY. If you are a Mac user you can buy my book at ibooks. Otherwise go to Smashwords and find my story.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
"Lord, make an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow loves; where there is injury, pardon;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive; it is pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
Take what appeals to you from the prayer.
In past blogs I printed the Legend of the Hummingbird. Here it is again.
Legends say that Hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration.
The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation.
Back to everyday things. I attended a lecture by a Shakespeare scholar on Richard III. I felt my brain shifting into high gear. It was enlightening to have a play analyzed - not too much -but to show how Richard played to the audience to have them understand who he was, etc.
I'm sending one of my unpublished romance novels to be formatted for Smashwords. I'll need a cover. No point having a manuscript lying around when it could be out there in the e-published world.
THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY. If you are a Mac user you can buy my book at ibooks. Otherwise go to Smashwords and find my story.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
Monday, April 14, 2014
ANITA BIRT - WEAVER OF TALES
If there are living souls out there who might cast an eye on my blog, go to Smashwords and by my e-published book, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY. Cost $1.99 I will send happy vibes as you download my book.
And so to other sad topics. The murder of Jewish people in Kansas as they prepared for Passover. What is it with hatred of Jews? They are a proud and resourceful people who have suffered at the hands of Christians for centuries.
I thought we Christians preached love and forgiveness. Seems we forget the basic teachings of Jesus to love one another. And God is reported to have replied,: "As I have loved you."
In Canada Jewish schools are targeted by witless thugs who probably can't read or write and have never read the Bible. How can hatred of the Jewish people continue generation after generation? It makes no sense to me. How can you hate something you do not know or understand?
Please enjoy this Passover time with Jews and Christians alike. And as Christians, (we seem to be the worst perpetrators) let us love and care for on another. Soon we will be celebrating Easter, let's make it a time of loving and caring for the Jewish people living in our midst.
On to another topic. I am writing a book that is taking me into strange happenings. I feel as if the story is intent on writing it's own content. Yesterday - no point in going into too many details but I came cross the prayer of St. Francis. I meant to download it before I started writing my blog to-day. I think it starts, "make me a channel of your peace..."
I'll print it. It is a beautiful meditation on prayer.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
And so to other sad topics. The murder of Jewish people in Kansas as they prepared for Passover. What is it with hatred of Jews? They are a proud and resourceful people who have suffered at the hands of Christians for centuries.
I thought we Christians preached love and forgiveness. Seems we forget the basic teachings of Jesus to love one another. And God is reported to have replied,: "As I have loved you."
In Canada Jewish schools are targeted by witless thugs who probably can't read or write and have never read the Bible. How can hatred of the Jewish people continue generation after generation? It makes no sense to me. How can you hate something you do not know or understand?
Please enjoy this Passover time with Jews and Christians alike. And as Christians, (we seem to be the worst perpetrators) let us love and care for on another. Soon we will be celebrating Easter, let's make it a time of loving and caring for the Jewish people living in our midst.
On to another topic. I am writing a book that is taking me into strange happenings. I feel as if the story is intent on writing it's own content. Yesterday - no point in going into too many details but I came cross the prayer of St. Francis. I meant to download it before I started writing my blog to-day. I think it starts, "make me a channel of your peace..."
I'll print it. It is a beautiful meditation on prayer.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
Saturday, April 5, 2014
ANITA BIRT - WEAVER OF TALES
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!
My book, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY, is published by Smashwords.com. It's an e-book ready for downloading on your e-reading device. The cost, $1.99. Make me happy and buy a copy. The story is fascinating and the cover is beautiful.
I loved writing the book, a radical change from writing my romance novels. It was fun and challenging. Imagine Ghost as one of the protagonists. You never see or hear Ghost. Ghost had a notion to write ghostly memoirs and needed a Ghost Writer. Lucky for Ghost, Liz Stanley, a published author, arrived at the retirement residence for a short stay.
But Ghost sensed a dark aura over the residence. Something was amiss. Liz's neighbor was murdered. Ghost and Liz, an intrepid pair of sleuths, set about searching for clues leading to the murder. What they found was more than they bargained for; Illegal drug dealing, diamond smuggling and money laundering. Bad news for the sleuths and worse to come.
Are you tempted buy? Go ahead. $1.99.
In the meantime my romance novels continue to sell. A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE.
They are available in trade paperback and as e-books. ISABELLE has been published as a stand alone copy of the two Isabelle stories. It has a very handsome cover. Buy it as a gift for a reader in your family or for a friend or for your grandmother or a great aunt, if they are young at heart they'll enjoy ISABELLE.
I am delighted to have written another book in a totally different genre. It was heaps of fun. So download a copy of, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
My book, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY, is published by Smashwords.com. It's an e-book ready for downloading on your e-reading device. The cost, $1.99. Make me happy and buy a copy. The story is fascinating and the cover is beautiful.
I loved writing the book, a radical change from writing my romance novels. It was fun and challenging. Imagine Ghost as one of the protagonists. You never see or hear Ghost. Ghost had a notion to write ghostly memoirs and needed a Ghost Writer. Lucky for Ghost, Liz Stanley, a published author, arrived at the retirement residence for a short stay.
But Ghost sensed a dark aura over the residence. Something was amiss. Liz's neighbor was murdered. Ghost and Liz, an intrepid pair of sleuths, set about searching for clues leading to the murder. What they found was more than they bargained for; Illegal drug dealing, diamond smuggling and money laundering. Bad news for the sleuths and worse to come.
Are you tempted buy? Go ahead. $1.99.
In the meantime my romance novels continue to sell. A VERY DIFFICULT MAN. ISABELLE'S DIARY. ISABELLE'S STORY. RING AROUND THE MOON. TOO YOUNG TO DIE.
They are available in trade paperback and as e-books. ISABELLE has been published as a stand alone copy of the two Isabelle stories. It has a very handsome cover. Buy it as a gift for a reader in your family or for a friend or for your grandmother or a great aunt, if they are young at heart they'll enjoy ISABELLE.
I am delighted to have written another book in a totally different genre. It was heaps of fun. So download a copy of, THE GHOST WRITER MYSTERY.
Anita
www.anitabirt.com
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