Blog Archives
Masked Intent
Masked Intent by Kimberly Greer, is the first book of the Morality Series and is a powerful novel that focuses on authenticity and relationships. We follow Alexa Winston who has finally found contentment after her divorce and leads a predictable life. All this changes when she not only lands the job of her dreams but also the man of her dreams. There is only one obstacle to fully accepting their love for one another and it is their past, will they come to terms with it, or will it keep them apart?
Author Kimberly Greer has created a very detailed story and I was immediately immersed in Alexa and Mateo’s world. The author seamlessly transitions from Alexa and Mateo’s point of view throughout the story without creating confusion. This was my favorite part of the book because this gives readers an inside look as to what each character is thinking and feeling, which is important because this an impassioned romance novel with emotions underlying much of the plot.
I enjoyed reading about the passion both Mateo and Alexa felt for one another because it felt authtentic and deep, yet they tried so hard to hide it. This passion and intensity builds slowly throughout the story and provides the story with intrigue and melodrama that is intoxicating because you just want the two to let go and just be together.
This riveting romance novel is long side but the playful and tense back and forth banter between Alexa and Mateo makes pages fly by. I enjoyed the author’s character development as each character has a unique personality and evolution throughout the story. I enjoyed that Mateo wasn’t afraid to say how he felt about Alexa. Alexa is also a character I enjoyed as she is confident and, based off past experiences, she knows what she wants for herself.
I highly recommend Masked Intent to those who are looking for an intense and thrilling contemporary love story involving the romantic chase between two captivating people.
Pages: 492 | ASIN : B09FMP4BYP
A Very Long Way
![A Very Long Way by [Naomi Fryers]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lWV33gGoL._SY346_.jpg)
A Very Long Way by Naomi Fryers tells the fascinating true story of her complex, challenging and sometimes humorous journey through life. She tells us of her life from grade ten onwards and it is so full of big impacting life situations that readers will be left shocked more often than not.
This emotionally-resonant memoir includes many situations that young adults and new adults face in society. This helps the reader relate to the author among the partying and heartbreak, and even death, that fills this story.
Naomi Fryers is observant and her quality writing ensures readers get a clear picture of the story that is unfolding. Set in the semi-urban town of Epping, Victoria, this enthralling memoir tells a poignant coming of age story of a girl into a woman amidst the myriad of struggles that life presents. She is hit by many hard and hurtful things that I was personally able to relate to. That is the one thing this book does so beautifully, it makes readers relate and feel connected.
The fact that this book includes mental health awareness is something that I greatly appreciated because I feel that this is an essential aspect that is ignored today. Yet, Naomi narrates her life perfectly with no filler narration and explicitly tells us she was depressed, suicidal, and so hurt with life.
The author’s fierce will to express herself while holding nothing back takes readers on a very deep exploration of character, much deeper and more candid than I was expecting, but appreciated. And because of this we get a better understanding of mental health.
She is a resilient spirit with words that leave an impact. Naomi Freyer’s detailed and in-depth explanation of every emotion and scene is terrific, coupled with riveting storytelling skills readers will surely be glued to the pages.
A Very Long Way is a short but potent memoir that explores mental health issues, relationship, and so much more. This is a stirring and well crafted-story that will stay with you long after you’ve put the book down.
Pages: 96 | ASIN: B09HQPTRVK
In The Typhoon’s Eye: a story of childhood and leaving home
![In The Typhoon's Eye: a story of childhood and leaving home by [Bles Chavez-Bernstein]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ei9DPWt6L._SY346_.jpg)
In the Typhoon’s Eye by Bles Chavez-Bernstein is an impassioned memoir delineating the author’s difficult childhood, and how she overcame her circumstances to fulfill her dreams. Throughout the book, we find images of physical and emotional trauma and relentless struggle with poverty, portrayed from the viewpoint of an immigrant. This story is immensely powerful and unique in its own way. We see the author stick to her faith and how, with determination and perseverance, she goes on to become a mental health and addiction nursing specialist.
This is an emotional coming-of-age story tracing the journey of the author from childhood to adulthood. The passage is tainted by alcohol abusing parent, post-war trauma, impoverished conditions at home, and numerous other adverse aspects. The pages are colored with the unique vibe of the author’s early days in Ocampo. The vivid description of these locations takes us through a mini tour of this distinct place and allows us to peek into the lives of a generation tarnished by the Second World War.
The characters of the memoir are as authentic as they could get. The perspective of the author is the most predominant here, and at every stage of life, we can see her growing into a strong personality who doesn’t let her circumstances limit her goals. The story teaches readers to stay headstrong when life hits hard, and shows how to rise above these situations with sheer grit. Readers are bound to be inspired by the author’s dedication to her dreams and passions. Stories like these instill faith in the power of hard work, even when the world tries to pull us down.
The language used throughout the book is simple but graceful, ensuring readers understand every bit of this observant memoir. The flow of ideas from one stage of the author’s life to another has been portrayed in a realistic manner. The passages are full of emotions and bear the sign of all the sacrifices the author had to make for having a troubled home and something as grave as the post-war depression engulfing her life. Her selfless love for family and commitment to her passion helped her move forward in life and ultimately led her to become successful on her own terms.
The skilled handling of the setting, the characters, the storyline, and most importantly the message of inspiration communicated throughout the book makes In the Typhoon’s Eye a must-read.
Pages: 228 | ASIN: B08KQLV4Q7
Behind the Scenes
Sky Ranch is a riveting memoir of your life, and shows the stark contrast between city and rural life. Why was this an important book for you to write?
All my books are memoirs. SKY RANCH is about the time I lived on a ranch in Idaho. The first book, BEHIND THE SMILE DURING THE GLAMOUR YEARS OF AVIATION, is about the six years I was an international flight attendant, flying into Vietnam during the height of the war, telling about what goes on behind the scenes of an airline crew, and being captured in Cairo during the 6-day war. BLACK EMPRESS is about the 4 months I lived in Iran and rescued a black Labrador puppy and brought her back to the States. My next book, DARIEN WATERS, is about growing up in Darien, Connecticut (the good and bad of living in an upscale town near New York City). My last book will be about hitchhiking around the world twice. First for 4 months by myself. The second time for 18 months was with my former husband. We fly fished and hiked from New Zealand, to South Africa, to Scandinavia, and the British Isles. I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, carrying my own pack with eleven other hikers (from Canada, Germany, and Australia. We were the only Americans). Only 6 made it to the top (my husband did not).
I appreciated the candor with which you told your story. Was there anything that was difficult for you to share?
I wasn’t sure I should have put the section in about making love to my husband while he was driving a combine through a grain field. I’m still not sure.
What is one piece of advice that you would have given yourself before you moved to Idaho?
No advice. I loved Idaho. What a beautiful state and such wonderful inhabitants. I’d go back in a minute but all my relatives live in the East. As we age, I want to be close to them.
The memoir ends around 1996. What have you been doing since then?
After I sold the Angler’s business in 1995, I ran a successful clothing store in Buhl, Idaho. Married a high school boyfriend, sold the business but kept the building (which is now leased to Edward Jones Financial Company) and moved to Tennessee. I have started a new life as an author. Never a dull moment.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Once Bobbi Phelps married an Idaho rancher, she discovered what it was like to live in rural America. The contrast between her suburban background and her farming life created challenging yet rewarding differences.
Sky Ranch tells of Bobbi Phelps’s Idaho ranch experiences between 1980 and 1996, the adventures in a past time before camera phones, GPS technology, and social media. Throughout this memoir, she shares frightening tales of:
Dangerous white-outs during Rocky Mountain blizzards.
A terrifying flooded road crossing in pitch blackness.
A near drowning while fishing Henry’s Lake.
Losing her young son among huge harvesting machines.
Sky Ranch is a memoir about a naïve suburban woman who struggled to navigate an industrial farm and its commercial cattle enterprise. Her life on the ranch meant grocery shopping once every two weeks, driving through harsh winter storms and swollen streams, and rescuing her horse in a full-blown blizzard. Living in the Rocky Mountains allowed her to fish, hunt, and camp on a regular basis. She also discovered different aspects of the Mormon religion, coyotes hunting her dog, industrial farming, and environmental conservation.
Sky Ranch will appeal to readers interested in Western culture, cattle and row-crop farmers, hunters, anglers, and those who only dream of living on a ranch. It takes the reader on an exciting ride of terror, drama, and humor, giving us a look at what goes on behind the scenes at a rural ranch, many miles from civilization.
Her Place, Any Region
Dana Vilandre Interview
Her World is a creative collection of women’s literature from writers around the world and published by Her Place, Any Region. What is Her Place, Any Region and how does Her World support your cause?
Her Place, Any Region is a non profit organization which supports women and their families personally, professionally and emotionally. Through a myriad of resources we help women overcome devastating life circumstances such as homelessness, job loss, divorce and death of a spouse or child.
Our organization supports other benevolent and charitable causes through collaborative efforts. Her World, Creative Collections, is a compilation made up of women’s works from around the the world who have donated their works to support the programs in Her Place, as well as other causes of which they chose.
100% of the profits are donated to charities and benevolent causes.
Her World brings women together through the art eclectic, sharing their experiences, their talents and their hearts. Her World is a glimpse of what Her Place is really about, and why it is so important to have the support for these circumstances women face throughout life that traditional resources lack.
What was the collaboration like with all of the authors to put the compilation together?
Creating Her World started as an idea in 2011. Her Place was already in the works, and through that development we found that these creative women expressed themselves in ways that was unprecedented. The talents these women have come from such a deep place of sincerity and love, and bringing them together in print was powerful.
It was a fun project, and it took a lot of trust from the women to allow us to create this and treat it with the respect it deserves. We started pulling together pieces in 2016, and after a few attempts to complete it, we focused for 4 months straight to finalize it though the end of 2019 into 2020. The women were incredibly patient and were still on board throughout the 4 years.
There are 33 women from around the world featured in Her World, so you can imagine it was quite a project.
The final result was exactly like we imagined it to be, and we are all very happy with how it came together.
If someone wanted to get involved with Her Place, Any Region how would they do that?
Her Place, Any Region, has various programs within it; CreateFam, Glimpses, and Books, Bands, Businesses and Brands. While our primary focus is Glimpses, which is centered around helping women re-establish themselves after devastating life changing circumstances, CreateFam is community/volunteer focused and not gender specific, and Books, Bands, Businesses and Brands is a resource for women with businesses.
People can learn more about all of our programs and contacting us through our website http://www.her-place.org.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
We are currently accepting pieces for our next book: Another Year in Her World. We anticipate it to be released February 2021.
Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
![Her World: Creative Collections by [Her Place Any Region]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51+EnlkKcxL.jpg)
Her Place, Any Region, introduces you to Her World, Creative Collections. Enjoy a literary journey through the experiences, hearts, and minds of 33 women from around the world. Compiled in one single readable book, view life from the eyes of phenomenal female artists and authors in the form of photography, song lyrics, book excerpts, personal life experiences, prose, and poetry. We hope you enjoy this incredibly broad spectrum with which these stories are written, bringing women together to share a glimpse into each other’s lives, during a time unifying the population of women is more important than ever.
When Life Felt Overwhelming
Dana Vilandre Author Interview
Gypsy NoMad Hippie Chick is an inspiring memoir following one woman’s journey through homelessness and heartbreak. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The book was written during a time that I had personally fallen on hard times, and had few people that I could turn to to share my days with. I wrote the stories to women in an online private group that were supportive of the non profit I was creating which was founded on the emotional support for women facing life challenges such as I was facing. Writing is cathartic, and sharing about ‘her’ days helped keep me going when life felt overwhelming.
I appreciated the way in which you told the story so that all women could relate. Was this a conscious decision or was it a writing style that came naturally?
As I ventured into the journey to create a place to help women who were facing challenges such as divorce, death of a loved one, homelessness, and financial devastation, I ‘met’ women from around the world that were dealing with similar situations just as I was dealing with. I wrote the stories from a sincere place, sharing as I would to a dear friend. It was a natural flow, and as I wrote I had women continually say to me they thought I somehow was writing about them. This encouraged me to keep the stories about ‘her’, so others could see they were not alone with their experiences.
You share both good and bad experiences from your life in a way that is easy to relate to. What is something you see differently now that you look back at that time?
As hard as things were during that time, there isn’t a lot I would change. I accomplished a lot despite the odds I faced. I had a lot of panic attacks and fear, and I also had a lot of growth and healing from things that I had gone through throughout my life. There isn’t a lot I see different looking back to what I was experiencing at the time, and the book reaffirms to me that it is ok to take the time to heal and figure things out without being dictated by what everyone else thinks one should do differently.
I found your book to be ultimately inspiring. What do you hope readers take away from your story?
I think that there are times that people go through things that others cannot relate to, simply because they have have never had to. The book reflects that no matter what happens, we can get through it. There is no set time for a person to heal, and there is no set road a person should walk. Gypsy NoMad Hippie Chick brings her through a time of feeling alone, and devastated by the loss of friendships and support, finding strength and persevering with conviction and faith that she was doing what she needed to do. She was able to be emotionally there for her children, and keep her outward self brave and, most of all, kind, when she didn’t feel a lot of kindness around her. Maybe through the stories told others will relate and find their own ‘place’ like ‘she’ found in the creation of Her Place.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
![Gypsy NoMad Hippie Chick: Homeless In New Hampshire by [Dana Vilandre]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41baOx4jKSL.jpg)
Gypsy NoMad Hippie Chick’ is a woman’s journey through homelessness and heartbreak, with comical moments, crazy adventures and a search for self. Read about ‘her’- a woman who could be any woman, and the depth of her heart and she ‘rewrites’ her life.
LITERARY TITAN 