I just received the poster size cover of book two in the Paige Maddison Series. It’s a piece of art, thanks to Adam Dagenais of Effigy Design. Thank you Adam! The only thing I can share is a partial view. Readers are going to love it!
Can you guess what this is?
It’s all about the mind. It can reveal beautiful visions, scary dreams, trick us, or reveal the truth. In my life, I look for the truth in friendships, family, relationships, and experiences. Sometimes, it’s difficult and downright agonizing to accept the truth. And for a fiction writer, who creates an imaginary fantasy world, somewhere within my work lies my truth. You have to search for it, feel it and recognize it. That’s why I am a writer. I became sick of the lies, deception, manipulation and injury people can cause each other. Just look at the news! Although my husband and I often won’t watch it because of the wars, mass murders, bullying, torturing, and negativity that people will do to each other. It’s our job as a writer to look at the truth of what’s happening in the world and somehow translate that into our writing. It may not be obvious, it may be quite subtle but that’s the bottom line for me.
When Paige Maddison fights against evil, she’s representing every person in the world who has had to fight for something in the name of goodness. She has a positive outcome while she personally suffers from negative energy.
I just received another fantastic review from a reader who ‘loved’ Wake Me Up Inside.
First public reading of Wake Me Up Inside held in the teen section of the Orillia Public Library. I read for 35 minutes and no one left the room! Followed by many questions. It was this author’s dream come true 🙂 Thank you to all who attended.
And while I sit at my computer writing book two in the Paige Maddison Series, the review makes me smile. I write what I feel in my mind and in my heart – emotions that people can relate to. Anyone who has lost a family member, been estranged from family, or felt they had to fight a battle alone are the people for whom I created Paige Maddison. She is highly energized, intuitive, selfless, passionate, strong-willed and is pure of heart.
I am often intrigued by so many readers who ‘see’ the story between the lines in this book. I wrote it for you! Paige is human, has flaws and sometimes loses her way but in the end she knows what she must do to make things right. She’s a hero and I am proud that in my mind, I created her.
Thank you to the readers who are still contacting me about book one in the Paige Maddison Series called Wake Me Up Inside. Although I have not been actively marketing this book (taboo in the world of an author) there are many who are still finding their way to her story. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I am in the midst of re-writing Book Two in the Paige Maddison series. It’s been an extremely lively time creating Paige’s world and once in awhile I wonder if there are ghostly spirits hovering over my shoulder as I write. Come on! I write about ghosts. What did you expect? This is the most energized time in the world of a writer. It’s like entering a bubble wherein the O’Brien Estate can be seen and watch as Paige moves about battling against evil. This book has taken a twist that readers will not see coming. I promise to provide an entertaining sequel to Wake Me Up Inside that readers cannot put down. I have had many fans of Paige Maddison say just that about the first book. Word of warning – do not read alone or late at night. You do not know who will be hovering over your shoulder. 🙂
The key to a great book cover design is the graphic designer and their skills. The author must succinctly communicate the key points included in the body of the text and in order to do this one must have a great working relationship with the other plus the capability of explaining concepts literally so the graphic designer can abstractly imagine them and then produce a literal book cover. It’s an exchange of ideas and concepts that each professional takes to the next level until one day the book cover is complete and both parties look at it in awe! To me, as an author, the cover is just as important as the content! Thank you Adam Dagenais of Effigy Design for doing it again for Book Two in the Paige Maddison series. It looks fantastic! I am working on completion of book two so the rest of the world can view your artistic talent within this year. Adam, You’ve Got Talent!
It was five a half years ago in NYC when I first met Dr Xiu-Min Li. She is most gracious and humble and accepted me as a patient who suffers from asthma. This is her speciality along with finding a cure for allergies. Dr Li mainly works with children but my mild-moderate asthma qualified me, at the time, to become part of her trial for using chinese herbal medicines named ASHMI. Instead of giving children steroids, which has a whole host of nasty side effects, Dr Li invented a remedy to manage asthma in children.
It has been five years of testing and I have been symptom free for two years now. In fact, it has been recommended that I wean off my steroid over the next year and then slowly wean off the chinese herbal medicines in the years that follow. Although I will always take the chinese herbal medicines, the dosage will be lessened. This has been my goal since I first met Dr Li. I felt that Eastern medicine holds the answers to asthma and Western medicine needs to catch up.
When I first had an asthma attack, the general practitioner (M.D.) thought it was a panic attack. NOT! The nurse gave me an inhaler and I could breathe again. However, instead of undergoing testing they just provided me with a prescription for steroids. This is not how it’s done! And if you find yourself, or your child, in this same situation ask for proper testing. I may not have needed the steroid that I was taking had the lung function tests been ordered. Unfortunately the body becomes dependent upon the steroid and it is a slow and dangerous process to wean off. Steroids are nasty in the body and I for one cannot wait until I am steroid free. It is a process, of course, and must be monitored by the medical profession!
I am not condoning or suggesting anyone to stop taking their steroids, but look into it further, especially if you have young children. Thank you Dr Li for your hard work and support! Our visit in NYC was informative and very enjoyable. It was great to hear that my asthma is in remission and may remain that way for the rest of my life – symptom free! I am so happy I contacted you in 2007 and feel very blessed and honoured to be a patient and friend of yours.
BTW, although I was already writing at the time, it was Dr Li who instructed me to find something I love to do indoors as the air quality where we were living, at the time, was the poorest in Canada. I remember looking at Dr Li like she gave me a life sentence as I LOVE THE OUTDOORS. However, I would not be writing if it wasn’t for her adamant instruction. I do find it trickier now because I can be outside most days as we have moved to cottage country with fresh air! Meeting Dr Li has been life changing for me! I can do things I have not done in 15 years – ride a bike, run, and walk outside in the summer. All of the anxiousness (from not being able to breathe), worry, illness and lack of hope I once felt has been channeled into my writing. Thank you Dr Li and to the readers that contact me and encourage me to keep moving forward. Dr Li recommends What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Allergies and Asthma by Dr. Paul M. Ehrlich with Henry Ehrlich for further reading.
We are heading back to New York City this Victoria Day long weekend and rather excited to return. It is the land of opportunity for many Canadian authors. I’ve had many New Yorkers offer their support to me as an author. They are a kind and supportive group of artists. Thank you to my connections on linkedin for encouraging me every step of the way as I write the Paige Maddison Series: for ghost story lovers only.
Timeless flight.
What a beautiful Island to celebrate our son Justin’s 21st birthday! On our first day we met Latoya, a wonderful soul. She was our waitress and the first words spoken from her were: “Welcome to Paradise Island. Enjoy yourself. No one is watching you!” She repeated it over and over again. We do not need much encouragement to enjoy ourselves but after a rather haphazard start to our trip (our passports were expired on the Friday before we left on the Monday – no worries we obtained new ones before we left) it was a warm welcome. Getting up at 4 am is not our thing. I do not mind 6 am but 4? However, to fly to the Bahamas and be in our hotel room by 3 pm, it seemed logical. The culinary skills of the Chefs in the main restaurant was beyond belief. Each day there were many local specialties from conch, grouper to lamb and herbed chicken. Believe it or not, the chicken was to die for. We ate in the preferred Japanese restaurant one night and the teryaki chicken was out of this world. The sushi was succulent and the creme brule dessert beyond words. It is the first holiday that I have ever gained weight as I always watch my intake of food and beverages. However, our son’s 21st comes once and I decided to go with the flow. We met couples from Armenia, Los Angeles, Spain, Palm Island and many other exciting places. Conversations were lively and everyone had good old fun. We wanted to thank the staff of the Riu for all they did for us on our stay. This post is for you 🙂 Our room was beautiful and situated close to the oceanfront. That was a gift to Justin from the staff. Our balcony housed three chairs and a table – enough room to eat breakfast or enjoy the parasailors flying by. There was a good energy in the hotel. The decorations are more traditional Bahamian style and we loved it! We enjoyed the exquisite pool and white sand beach as waves crashed into the shore. The laughing gulls were aplenty providing entertainment and if you wanted daily exercise there were aerobic classes or a gym. However, we opted for walking along the beach and touring the Atlantis. My husband and I stayed there 23 years ago when it was Merv Griffin’s Casino & Resort and we flew into the Paradise Island airport (which is no longer) called the Merv Griffin airport. There are remnants at the Atlantis from our previous stay in the Coral and Beach towers – the older part of the hotel. But the aquariums are on a much grander scale with sharks, stingrays, dolphins, sea turtles and more. Life on the islands is a great place to let your imagination go, especially if you are a writer. Poor Paige Maddison. She has many battles left to fight but it will be worth the wait to read it. 🙂 Thank you to those individuals who have faith in Paige Maddison and send me direct messages on facebook or on my email to express your kind words regarding her story.
As a matter of fact, I have been at a loss for words since the Boston Marathon Tragedy. Not much really to say other than the fact it saddens my heart, as it does for many of you. It also reminds us of the turmoil going on around the world. We are happy the Boston Police took it so seriously enough to close down businesses and ask citizens to remain indoors. This is not to be tolerated on any level. It is not an everyday occurrence in North America nor do any of us want it to become one. We’re saying our prayers for those who died and those who were injured. This writer is taking a week off to celebrate our son Justin’s 21st birthday and to now reflect on life and remember who we are grateful for. My wish is worldwide peace in 2013. Best to all of you. 🙂
