Welcome Renee Drummond Brown

 It is August and it's time to visit with another great author. This is a special time for me since my birthday is on the last day of the month. When I was a child I hated that it was in summer because I couldn't have a birthday in class when kids would bring cupcakes for their birthday. And none of my friends were around for it either. Though I was usually at camp where the entire camp sang "Happy Birthday" and there was a cake for my table only. It was funny because kids at other tables who barely knew me always suddenly tried to be friends so they could get cake. 

This is a big birthday and we started celebrating it early. But as the years go by I still love my birthday and have come to terms with the number this year. 

Anyway, on to my guest author for the rest of this month and most of next month: 

Renee Drummond Brown ------- Drum roll please---------

My very accomplished guest author, Renee Drummond Brown, has published over 75 books including hard cover, paperback, ebooks, coloring and activity books. Here is her interview with me:

• Where were you born and where do you live now?

Reneé Drummond-Brown is a renowned author born on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, located in Onslow County, in southeastern North Carolina. Drummond-Brown now resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• Besides writing do you have any other occupation? Do you have any hobbies?

I’m a retiree. My hobbies include: Deep-diving and delving in the Sacred Scriptures, providing child care for my grandson: Giovanni Dominic Antonelli (my ‘lil “Gio-Gio”) and creating his coloring book line “Gio’s Coloring & Activity Books: #1 - 10,” and attending college full-time - student at Liberty University (LU), pursuing higher and professional education. In addition, traveling across the globe.

• Who or what influenced you to start writing?

I began writing as early as five years of age (and just love it), however, there were several professors at college and a publisher (Judith Hampton-Thompson, Publisher of The Metro Gazette Publishing Co., Albany GA.,) who took a personal interest in my writing prose and convinced me to share my work with the world.

It is as equally important to note* The Civil Rights Activist/Songbird, Ms. Rutha Mae Harris, Original Freedom Singer of The Civil Rights Movement was solely responsible for having my first poem published in The Metro Gazette Publishing Co., that I wrote for her while in college.

The Father who art in Heaven and my beloved mother (who has gone home to glory) inspires/inspired me to write. Next, self-satisfaction and finally, the gratitude and comments that I receive from colleagues from across the globe while blessing their situation(s) with my unique style and form of poetic play on words

.• What made you decide to write your first book? Did you try to publish it with a traditional publisher?

My first book is self-explanatory: Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight-I’ll Write Our Wrongs! is a collection of poetic accounts designed to have colorblind justice, hear the truth, touch freedom, taste love, and smell the Rose of Sharon. This book is written with such conviction that it is sure to cleanse the soul, mend the broken heart, and ultimately transform one’s mind.

No, thus far, I have never been given the opportunity to work with a traditional publishing house to date but I’m open to that concept.  

• Most of your books are self-published. Please tell our readers how this happened?

Poets often write what others are thinking but are too afraid and dare not speak ‘IT’. Each of my global Anthologies (listed below) address our contemporary stance relating to societal issues (and the ‘IT’).

• How has poetry changed your life?

As a woman of color, I use poetic language: imagery, metaphors, similes, allegories and play on words sealed in parables coupled with the biological human senses relating to sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing to convey the emotions of what ‘we’ the African American people feel in our struggles and plights, by addressing ill-wills, fights, hurts, sorrows, grief, heartaches, misery, woes and anguish bestowed on us on a daily basis. Not to mention our horrific loses and assignations during slavery, throughout the Civil Rights Movement, and unto this present date with so many of our sons being buried 6 ft. deep (a baptism of tears eloquently flow within our issues).

The uses of these senses add dramatic overtones and provides the reader with an ambiance of sensations. This evokes a heartfelt reaction to my literary works causing the reader to not only connect with my storylines but to place themselves in the place or space with me and/or the character.

• Please tell us about a typical day of writing for you.

My best writings are at an extremely fast pace and start at 3:00 AM., (sometimes for two days straight) which makes it extremely hard for me to work with others. I can only focus with complete silence. Talking to me while writing annoys and infuriates me.

You know I feel the same way. When I'm writing I close myself off and don't want any noise either. 

• What made you decide to write coloring books?

I want my only grandson (thus far) to have a legacy long after I’m gone mirroring this Scripture:

                    “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,

               one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,

               till all be fulfilled” Matthew 5:18 King James Version (KJV).

• One of the ways we met was you sent me an invitation to be in your anthology many years ago. I also interviewed you on my radio show, Books and Entertainment Tales from the Pages, which has since gone off the air. How many books do you now have since that interview?

75 live titles and presently working on an International Anthology.

• What is your latest book? describe it for our readers.

As previously stated, I have over 75 published book titles (under my belt) via Amazon, AuthorHouse and Westbow Press.

 Read Between the Lines Poetry Book, and Haiku Anyone? Poetry Book are my latest publications.  Read Between the Lines, comes        from the African American’s perspectives on life, while, Haiku Anyone? speaks to the art of Japanese writings, form and artistic craft in which, I absolutely love. 

• You have won a great many awards. Please tell our readers about these and list them for us.

They are just too numerous to mention; my latest are from:

Well Read Magazine: Three Dogs Write Press bestowed International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown the “Well Done” March 2024, Award for her poem “Last Night I Cried!”

LAST NIGHT I CRIED by Reneé Drummond-Brown - Issuu

~Wildfire Publications Company and Magazine – President Susan Joyner-Stumpf: Graphic Design Artist and Vice President: Kerry Marzock – bestowed International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown, MA, BS, AA., the 2024, Humanitarian Award.

~ Fraternidad Poetica Mundial, World Poetic Fraternity 120 paises/120 countries - Founder: Juan Antonio V. Delgadillo – bequeathed International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown, MA, BS, AA., the Global Poet 2024 Award representing the United States of America (USA).

~Wordsmith International Editorial Issue #38 - By: Dr. Omatee Ann Marie Hansraj of Trinidad

(Drummond-Brown’s woks also appear in issues #13 and #36, sold via Amazon).

Author/Publisher/Poet Drummond-Brown, graced the July 2024, international magazine cover:

https://www.facebook.com/renee.drummondbrown/videos/480768338027861

~Bizcatalyst 360 – Life Culture Biz Reimagined Humanity Rediscovered – Conferred International Author Reneé Drummond-Brown, MA, BS, AA., the Columnist Award for 2024, publication

https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/kiss-aint-just-a-kiss/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEXqtxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHe95vlb9vCFAYiB7VgSuIGn7Exhnt1dNIc52rxamzvq_DGiGzaBMsF4wgQ_aem_RA5IRQ_AhAfTIXo22QtY0g

• In each of your anthologies and magazines you have your contributing authors give you a quote. When did you first begin to do that and why?

I have done that in every Anthology and/or magazine. Quotes add an experts’ point of view to their genre of writings and confirms their credibility from different positions.

Thank you for explaining that. Each time I submit I have had to dig to find a quote. But that is an inspirational moment too.

• Please tell us your website and all the places we can find you.

Drummond-Brown’s Hardcover, Softcover, eBooks, Coloring books (adult and children), Anthologies, Magazine and Children’s book are sold via Amazon:

Pittsburgh author Renee Drummond-Brown

(Renee's Poems with Wings are Words in Flight!). 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07V4GW9SH

AuthorHouse:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=Renee+Drummond-Brown&fbclid=IwY2xjawEXuB9leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHf26jWyMEit0j5pB0ko81yiw1XOcz5r-qBEl2vbRGpWsSoSU4v1FMfNfQw_aem_I9jhzSJOJecibWXxkEXVRQ

Westbow Press:

https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/706476-Renee-s-Poems-with-Wings-Are-Words-in-Flight

• My last question for you is one I always ask all my guest authors. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you plot out your work or do you just write?

A little bit of both a plotter and pantser (here and there) in the sense that I don’t plan and yet I have a strong intuition of what I feel within my body of literary works as I’m going along.

Moreover, as far as a plotter is concerned my artistic nature knows how to strategize to complete my literary projects on hand.

Renee Drummond Brown Bio:

Reneé Drummond-Brown, is a renowned author, visionary in literature, writer, publisher, and poet residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned a Grad certification in Christian Leadership from Liberty University (LU). She holds a Master of Arts degree in creative writing with a concentration in poetry from Chatham University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Ministry Leadership with a minor in biblical theology studies, graduating summa cum laude from Geneva College of Western Pennsylvania. In addition, she received an Associate of Arts degree in Christian Ministry at The Center for Urban Biblical Ministry (CUBM), where she served as class president and is presently in pursuit of higher education. Drummond-Brown is an accomplished poetess with experience in creative writing and authored several books to her credit. Her poetic prose is recognized across the globe. 

Thank you to the renowned and esteemed Pittsburgh author and poet Renee Drummond Brown for sharing her thoughts with us. I am honored to have her on my blog and I invite people to leave their comments here. She is truly a gift to the world and I look forward to seeing the next anthology in which I will have two poems. 

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I'm hopefully posting this on my birthday or the day after that. It goes into the month of August. I always think of my birthday as halfway through summer. I'm looking forward to the rest of the summer. It is my favorite season though it gets very hot. I practically live in air conditioning so I don't get out much. But when I do it is hot out there. Anyway, August will bring new adventures including one of my favorite things to do: sell books in person. I have my books all ready for the Norwalk Book Festival on August 24th. Anyone who lives near there should come and say hi. You won't miss me. I will have my pink poster and my books out in front of me.

Have a great rest of summer and don't miss checking out Renee Drummond Brown's books. I am in a lot of her anthologies and magazines too. She gives all writers a chance to be seen. Thank you to Renee Drummond Brown for the opportunities she has given to me and all other international poets.,

Unitl the next time, please check out my newly republished book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online bookstores. You might find one in your library or local bookstore. But if you don't, tell them to order it. LOL 

The next guest author on the blog will be: Cheryl Carpinello, who is another YA author and friend.

Happy Summer!!!!

Welcome Deepika Singh!

 

I hope you have all had a very pleasant month and a few days. I love this part of the year when it gets warmer and the flowers bloom. I'm a summer baby so this is when I feel most comfortable. 

 Sadly, we must say goodbye to Wendy Blanton for now and I am sure she will be back with her new book very soon. Let's welcome our new guest Deepika Singh. She is not an author yet, but she has been published in multiple anthologies. I remember the time when I wasn't an author yet. So I extend my hand to anyone who would like to be seen. I think you will find she is very interesting and talented in several areas. 

Welcome Deepika Singh and we are all interested in learning more about her. Here is her interview.

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I am an Indian native born and brought up in Margherita-Assam. Surrounded with lofty hills and vibrant tea gardens.

Besides writing do you have any other occupations? Do you have any hobbies?

Besides writing I am a torch bearer, a teacher. My hobbies include reading, writing and making rangoli. I feel that if a person tends to write then he/she must read enough. Rangoli is the traditional floor art of India. I also made a state and World record in Rangoli (2020).

That is great! Congratulations!!!Who or what influenced you to begin writing?

I did my Bachelor degree in English major and was very much influenced by Rabindranath Tagore, William Wordsworth and John Keats writing style. In my Master degree I started writing for newspapers. In the year 2012 my father went to heaven and I stopped writing. After some years I got married which didn’t go well and ended up in divorce.When the whole world was struggling against the Corona pandemic I was going through my divorce and I realized that pain is inevitable. I tried to transform my pain through writing and thus my pen started flowing again.

How wonderful, though it is sad that this caused you to start writing again. I also began writing again due to sadness. It is greatly healing to write when you are sad. 

Do you speak any other languages besides your native one and English? What are they?

India is a land of cultural diversity. Here in India other than the mother tongue and English language , people can easily speak fluently in other native languages tooI can speak easily in Bengali, Assamese , Hindi and English well.

Why did you become a teacher and what do you teach?

My mother is my strength.She was a teacher and I followed her footsteps. I have been in this profession since 2010 and I teach English and Social Studies. Teaching moulded me. It gave me a new ME. The best thing which I learned from my students is to always be kind.

That is a wonderful lesson and you can learn from your students. They are the greatest teachers.

How did you start to write poetry?

I don’t want to keep myself limited. I always wanted to explore myself and thus my writing journey started. As I already mentioned that pain is inevitable , I thought why not let’s make my pain beautiful by writing. I feel that poetry is like an art and the words are colors. Every verse gives me new birth and rejuvenates me.

What would you say are your main themes for your poem

My poems mainly deal with nature and life. And both are intertwined with each other.I am from a small town, where communication is not easy, books are not easily available butone thing which I am blessed with is bountiful nature. So I have become more inclined to write about natureAlso as we grow we become more entangled with life’s problems. We should use our pain as a shield and wake up like a Tigress and set an example for everyone how to fight back with your pain so that the whole world applauds.

Wow, I totally agree that people respond to painful poems. I have had the most comments on my saddest poems.

I noticed all of your poems are in free verse. Do you ever write in rhyme?

To be very honest this is my limitation. I always love and prefer to write in free verse. I believethat through free verse I am able to express myself more.

Your poem: “Ode to Chipko Women” is dedicated to the Chipko Women in Uttahrakhand,Inda. Are you a member of this group? What inspired you to write this?

Well I am not a member of any such group. The Chipko Movement originated in Himalayanregion Uttarakhand , India in 1973. When this region was facing rampant deforestation due tocommercial activities. What caught my attention is that the women group who started thismovement were simple peasant women not much educated. But still they understood the value ofnatural resources.It was a nonviolent movement. They hugged the trees and encircled them to prevent being hacked.Soon all over the world people came to know about this eco feminist movement and still we are following its legacy.

You mention in your bio your work is translated into many different languages. How did this occur?

When my work gets translated my poems get a new life. Many brilliant luminaries appreciated my work and they showed interest to give a new light to my work through their translations. I am very much grateful to them.

Many of your poems are published in anthologies. Have you thought of publishing your own book?

I know my limitations. As I always write in free verse, I feel that if I need to publish a book I need to explore more in the poetry genre. I need to work harder to catch readers' attention.

Well, you captured my attention and I'm sure our readers will enjoy your poetry too. You have to take the leap. 

Do you believe poets are important for society? Why or why not?

Poets'; words have echoed since ages , from ancient civilisation to modern era. They help us to delve into our imaginations. They dive deep into emotions offering solace through words and sometimes words can also have the impact to change our lives.

That was a great answer. I agree and feel that is why poetry has captured the spirit of society again. Poets translate events of the day and help people understand how to cope with them. Poets are the soul of our world. 

Please share your website and social media links here.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100028332699779&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Finally, my last question and the one I ask all my guests. Are you a plotter or a pantser? Inother words, do you outline before you write or do you just write?

I always jot down the words or beautiful sentences which come to my mind. Then I choose a. theme and start working on it. I dive deep into human emotions and always try to keep my poems simple so that common people can easily understand .My message to budding Wordsmith- no matter how remote region you live, if you love to write just be a voracious reader. Whatever you get, just read it. Make it a daily habit. We all go through mental trauma, don't stop yourself, rather rise like a tiger and roar like a lionby your creativity. God has made us all creative, we just need to explore ourselves.

Thank you Deepika Singh for being my guest here on the blog. This interview will be up here for about a month. Your words are so powerful and now let's see your poems. 

Here are some of the anthologies in which Deepika Singh is published:

Here are photos of Deepika Singh doing Rangoli and one of her Rangoli pieces. Rangoli is floor art. Please check it out here:

Here are some of Deepika Singh's poems:

MY REBIRTH

Time favoured bestowed with happiness,

And I build the kingdom of hope.

But life stabbed and crumbled me again and again,

My voice is choked, tongue tied up.

Went through innumerable dark nights.

The softest heart bruises the deepest.

The walls witnessed my pathos,

But life goes on.

I was like a caged bird,

Poetry gave me wings to fly.

You gave me beacon of hope,

You rewired my entire DNA,

A renewal of the new ME.

You crafted me, you nurtured me.

Poetry sanitized my mind,

And evoked my ink.

I woke up like a Tigress.

And roar like a Lioness

My words are my weapons now.

Which my mates adore 

And my foes abhor.

 © 2024  by Deepika Singh

JUST A FIGURINE

In my yesteryears I played with a lovely doll.

I caressed her everyday.

She was my soul,

And I was her heartbeat.

When I stepped in my budding days,

She smiled and said, “You are a dol”.l

I ignored her,

Never dived deep into the depth of her words.

I smiled and got engrossed in the mortal coil of life.

As days passed by I realised,

That I am just like a rag doll.

In the hands of fragile hearts.

Some souls are just pastime gadgets.

Life is so uncertain.

People step in our life.

Shower with a million dreams.

Toy with our emotions.

To expertise in flamboyance,

To master in oratory.

Their hunger is never fulfilled,

Always in search of new prey.

Leaving us abandoned,

When we need them the most.

And then come the mass parade

To hear our raw story.

Instead of helping hands,

Giving us a hamper of pit hole tips.

Adding more spices and advertising our tales.

too difficult to stitch our tormented heart and trust again.

Painted face carries its glory.

Beautiful soul lies somewhere in the corner of dark room,

Finally, we become the effigy.

© copyright 2024 by Deepika Singh

UNFILTERED STORY 

I was like you, one among you, 

Chirping all the time.

I loved to be enveloped with people. 

Always extended helping hands,

I was an ointment who healed the scars.

Fresh breeze, nutrition of thoughts.

I thought others to be the same, 

Who value honesty and treasure those humble souls.

Acidic remarks hijacked the pleasure centers in my brain. 

Bestowed with hollow promises.

I carry the burden of scars,

Don’t accept me to be normal.

Embarking on a great battle.

I don’t play the tune of my sorrows now,

Drained out hopes, faith in dwarf planets. 

Deep down my soul always cries,

Scars are nowhere to heal.

Bitterness is paralytic.

Storm of tears and mosses of sadness.

In solitude I find comfort now.

A piece of me dies every second.

If you don’t walk in my shoes 

You don’t know the path,

I had walked too.

I am just a laughing stock and topic of discussion,  

For bugging minds.

Everything seems alien now. 

Emotional battles hard to deal with, 

I cry tears of blood.

Arrogance reflects in my face.

I don’t like to see mirror now,

Yes I am harsh too.

In fear of getting pangs,

I too was unstained,

Betrayal contaminated my soul,  

Lost in unethical coil.

 © copyright 2024 by Deepika Singh

PACT with PEACE

Flapping her wings a butterfly whispered in my ears,

Call for peace, sign the treaty of love.

Our power is in our hands and devotion to our work.

Sweat till the flag of tranquility flutters in the sky.

We don’t want ponds of blood.

There is only one earth and we are God’s dazzling creation.

Bitterness is alien to our Almighty.

We are here to do our part,

To preserve the heritage of holy peace.

To fabricate our earth as the safest heaven .

Be alert, don’t fall prey to devil’s exploiting path,

Which only exhibits hatred.

Don’t let the path of peace short,

Quest for peace is not far.

Just shun your ego,

And drown in the stream of love.

We all are tired of strolling in the pavement of barbaric blocks,

Power peddlers don’t you feel guilty?

Civilization is on the brink of ashes.

It’s a hard picture to draw and too hard to be photographed.

Outburst noise of uncivilized nation,

Will be documented in the pages of history.

Restoration of love and peace is the utmost cry now.

Sow the seeds of love and breed humanity.

Spin thread of nonviolence,

Sing the melody of friendship .

Peace can only be gained when we sparkle love.

Let hope not be the luxury word

which we cannot attain.

Peace adds to empowerment; it’s the key to prosperity.

© copyright 2024 by Deepika Singh

Bio for Deepika Singh:

Deepika Singh is an Indian native from Margherita, Assam. She holds an M.A. and a B.Ed. degree,by profession, a teacher. Her writings are a reflection of the everyday experiences she has. She thinks the correct words have the power to transform our culture. Her works were featured in various publications, including Sipay Journal, The Poet Magazine, Womensweb, Journal of Macedonia Scientific Society, Poetry Zine Magazine, Archer Magazine, etc. Additionally, her writings were translated into Hebrew, Chinese, Macedonian, Spanish, Serbian, Tajik, and Turkish. She also recited poetry on Kent’s BBC Radio.

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I hope you enjoyed getting to know Deepika Singh and I wish all of you a great rest of this month of June and July. Happy 4th of July to my US readers. We are celebrating it on July 6th this year with my brother as we usually do. I hope some of you will comment on this and thank you to Deepika Singh for sharing her life with us. I am still adding authors to the blog so if you want to be on here please let me know. My next guest author will be Renee Drummond Brown. With all of the books she has authored I might need two posts for her. LOL Until the next time, keep reading and get out and enjoy life while you can. 

Welcome Wendy Blanton, Author of Dawn of Shadows

 

Friends, I know I was supposed to put on all the poems from Poem A Day but April was very busy for me and I had some health issues. But now I will post the rest of them on the My Poems section of this blog. The reason is I am starting my Author Interviews today with author Wendy Blanton. Each month I will be featuring another author. Please contact me if you are interested. I am on Facebook: BarbaraJEhr.

Wendy is someone I met at Prosateurs, a group which meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on Zoom to write and share our results. All we do is meet the first five minutes to talk of what we will write and then the last five or ten minutes to say how we did. It has enabled me to work on my writing in manageable increments and given me motivation to write all the time. Stephen Bagley, who is our leader, creates an atmosphere of confidence and openness with his funny comments and offhand remarks. Anyway, that is how we met and I learned of her new book series. I always admire authors who write about dragons, even though I know I couldn't possibly do it. With her Balphrahn Books she brings you into the world of dragons.

Interview with Wendy Blanton

1. Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born and raised in Michigan and I live near St. Louis, Missouri.

2. What made you decide to go into the Air Force? Did you know how to fly before you enlisted?

Oh, no, I don't fly. You have to be an officer and have special training before they let you do that. I enlisted so the Air Force would pay for my college education, but really, being in the military is an education in its own right. It's a blessing that I had no idea what I was getting myself into at the tender age of 19. 

3. How did you meet your husband? Do you have any children?

I met my husband in the Air Force. The squadron I worked for housed single airmen in the first two floors of a dormitory, and his squadron had the third floor. We tangentially lived together before we even met. We met, married, and birthed our two children in North Carolina. It was our longest tour in his career.

4. Describe the difference between being in the Air Force and being an Air Force wife. Were there any funny or unusual incidents you might relate to our readers?

On active duty, you're told what you need to know and nothing more. We said we were mushrooms--kept in the dark and fed BS. But there was a comradery in that, and we did have news trickle down through the chain of command. 

As the wife, it was the same, but sometimes the news didn't get to us. We got news from our spouses, but if they were deployed, we were at the mercy of whoever was supposed to remember to contact us. The spouse also takes on the responsibility of keeping the family together--caring for the kids/house/car/pets when the airman is away (and you can plan on something breaking within the first week of their departure), overseeing all the details of every move, and changing jobs with every new duty station. The job situation might be a little easier now, but when we were in the Air Force there was no such thing as remote work. We barely had the internet. It's a challenging life, but there are nuggets of wonderful. We lived in Italy for a year, and while that had challenges of its own, it was an amazing experience and came when our kids were the perfect age for it.·       

5. Who or what was your greatest influence for writing?

I've been a reader since I was little, and I've been making up stories almost as long. I think it's part of my DNA. My mom's family is artistic, and my dad's family is imaginative and witty. And sarcastic. I learned the fine art of BSing at my grandparents' table.

6. Why do you write about Balphrahn? What significance does it have for you?

 Balphrahn came into existence through a Facebook comment. I was working on short stories for the Blackbirds anthologies, and I posted about needing ideas. My friend posted a comment about fire exploding across the sky--the dragons were back. I thought it was cool, but I didn't want to write fantasy. At the time I thought I was going to write historical fiction. Silly me! I did one short story, which led to another and part of a third before I dissected them and scattered the pieces through the first novel. That was nine years ago, and it has taken on a life of its own, as projects like this often do. 

 7. How do you know so much about Celtic history? What made you decide to go to the festivals in Scotland?

Oh, I hope to do a festival in Scotland someday. For now, I tell Celtic folktales and history at Highland Games in Missouri (although I'm open to traveling under the right circumstances), and at local libraries. I got into it accidentally. The guy running the Clan Campbell tent at the St. Louis Scottish Games is a storyteller, and since I'm a writer, I volunteered to apprentice under him. He agreed, and the best part of a decade later, I'm doing it myself. I've gained knowledge through my mentor, but most of it has come from reading and study. I still have a lot to learn.

Thank you for clarifying that.

8. Please describe a typical day of writing for our readers.

Oh, you don't really want to know that, do you? I generally write between 8 am and 11 am, and I schedule sessions from 1 pm to 3 pm, but those hours are flexible and are usually writing-related things, like editing, marketing, scheduling social posts, and so forth. We won't get into the cooking/cleaning/scooping cat litter part. I think if you are working from home it's necessary to do all these things along with writing.

9. Why did you republish this book with a different name? 

Dawn of Shadows was originally Dawn Before the Dark, and it was published by Bear Publications. I had a three book contract with them, and writing the second novel made me realize we have different ideas of how the series should go. I negotiated to get my rights back, and changed the name and the cover to make it clear that it is no longer with Bear, but also to avoid any confusion with Amazon. It also marked a fresh start in my career, which was more important than I realized.

10.  Are you planning to add more books to this series after Book 2?

Yes, there will likely be 3 in this series, and I have a prequel series in my head that will probably also be a trilogy. As I write book 3, I'm getting ideas for spin-offs, so who knows how many books there will be?

11.  Are you planning to have any in person or online events for the book besides this blog, of course.

I'm open to it but don't have any plans currently. I have enough going on with editing book 2 and writing book 3, and I'll get more serious about promotion when I have more books out.

12. Please put your links here so our readers may learn more about your work. 

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Wendy-Blanton/author/B00OFLL43M

https://www.coffeewithdragons.com

https://www.facebook.com/coffeewithdragons2021

https://www.instagram.com/coffeewithdragons

 Coffee With Dragons? Where did that come from?

Dragons can represent the challenges we face in life. When you come up against one, you can kill it, but there will be another one right behind it. Killing dragons takes a lot of effort and energy. It's better, in my opinion, to find out what it's trying to teach you, and what better way to do that than over a cup of coffee?

Plus, I'm a coffee junkie. I quit drinking coffee for a while in the '90s and my family says I was hard to live with, so here we are. 

To give credit where it's due, I got the idea from Stephen B. Bagley. This is the second time his name was mentioned on this blog. Hmmm. No, seriously, Stephen is practically our muse.

13. Finally, this is always my last question. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write? 

I'm a pantser, which is strange because in every other part of my life, I'm a long-term compulsive planner. I've tried plotting, though, and it locks the process up, so it is what it is.

Excerpt from Dawn of Shadows

Chapter 1

    Three bodies lay like discarded rag dolls, all with the throats cut, but no blood. Not one drop. 

    Tanwen paced in the clearing. "What do you think it means?"

    Her dragon, Quillon, opened one eye. His silver scales glittered in the sun. He answered telepathically. I have not seen its like before. Speculation would be futile.

    She snorted and turned away from him to look at the carnage at the far end of the clearing. "What do you make of the tree burned into the side of the house?"

    It is a fair rendering, if a bit crude.

    She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Do you think it was done by magic?"

    I think all of this was done by magic. He lumbered to his feet. The others are coming. Though I wish to bask here in the sun with you, I will circle to guide them in.

    His muscles bunched as he leaped and flapped his wings to take off. He clipped the top of a spruce tree with his tail and circled the clearing.

    Tanwen turned away from the wrecked homestead and focused on the flowers in the meadow. Someone had been encouraging certain wild herbs to grow in the area. She recognized feverfew, skullcap, and coneflowers. All the other plants had been pulled out, and the grass that was there was patchy. She wondered if someone who had lived in the house suffered from headaches.

    From the west, she heard the clink of chain mail and the murmur of voices. "Tanwen?"

    "Over here." 

    A few minutes later, her husband rode out of the woods, followed by two other men.

    Liam slid out of his saddle and led his horse to her. His black hair was tied back, and the blue of his tunic matched his eyes. He kissed her lightly and said, "What are you doing in the woods?"

    He smelled of leather and chainmail, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Looking for you."

    He smiled, and her knees melted a little.

    Behind him, Siril said, "It's the same necromancer. See the tree branded on the side of the house?"

    She shivered. "Nice of him to sign his work, I guess."

    The others dismounted, and they led their horses to the clearing.

    Siril stopped as the sunlight reflected on his bald head. "We should tie the horses up here and let them graze. I don't like what I'm sensing over there, and they won't either, I'd wager."

    They led the horses to a patch of alfalfa at the edge of the woods and tied the reins to bushes before walking toward the scene. 

    As they got closer, Liam nodded. "I see what you mean, Siril. It's odd, like necromancy, but not the same."

    "I felt it at the last scene, too."

    "Pity a magical signature can't tell you who it is," said Tanwen.

    "Without a known signature to compare it to we can't, but when we find him, we'll know," said Siril.

    "But you're sure all the homesteads have been attacked by one necromancer acting alone?"

    "One bad single mage," said Colum.

    Liam bent next to the nearest body, looking at the wounds. "We need to check the buildings."

    They searched the house and outbuildings and found no people. There was evidence of cows and horses, but they were missing, too. Only the chickens and a barn cat were left.

    The cat twined around Tanwen's ankles. "I wonder if the dead are the people who lived here?"

    "Where are the women? There were two here, judging from the clothing I saw," said Colum.

    Siril ran his hand over his bald head. "I'm not sure it's possible to say just now. We'd better get back. Arwyne will need the details to pass along to the king."

    Liam nodded. "It's going to be close to dark when we get back." He took Tanwen's hand. "Are you going back with Quillon?"

"    Yes, I'll go ahead and report to Arwyne. Should Aithne and I wait to have dinner with you?"

    "No, go ahead. She'll be starving and cranky if you wait."

    "I might be, too." She leaned in to kiss him. "See you at home."

Wow, this excerpt makes me want to read the book! You have packed so much into this first scene. I want to know more about the dragon and Tanwen's life. 

Wendy Blanton Bio:

Wendy Blanton has been telling stories since she could string sentences together. In addition to the Balphrahn Books, she is featured in several anthologies with her writing group, including Yule Tidings, Prosateurs, Tales & Truth, Blackbirds First Flight, Blackbirds Second Flight, Blackbirds Third Flight. She is a United States Air Force veteran, having served on active duty for the United States Air Force for eight years and an additional thirteen years as an Air Force wife. Being the wife was a harder gig.

In addition to writing stories she performs as Scottish festivals and private gatherings, telling Celtic folk tales aned history to educate people about Celtic culture. If you see her at an event please feel free to ask her for a story. She divides her time between various locations in Balphrahn and her home in Missouri with her husband and cats. Visit her website at:
wendyblanton.com

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Thank you for being here, Wendy, I hope our readers will have comments for you. If you, as a reader, wish to comment please remember to be courteous. I moderate the comments so please be respectful and do not spam. Other than that please feel free to leave a comment and it will be posted as soon as possible. For Goodreads readers please add Wendy's book to your list of Want to Read books.

Wendy's interview will be up here for the rest of May and some of June, since I promised her a whole month. Until the next time, check out my poems from this April in the Poetry tab here. I will start with April 9. Also, please check out my books: If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, and You'll Probably Forget Me Living With and Without Hal.

 We are up to Day 5 of Poem A Day and I have written over 5 poems. For some days I have three or four poems. Today I have only one so far. 

The prompt is: Tell--------

Here is my poem for today:

Until the next time, I hope you are writing too. Please share your writing here in the comments.

This is a photo of me during my birthday dinner this summer. I was surprised by the sparkler on my tiny cake. So much fun and I saw my family too. Over the summer I also received the Indian Independence Day Award from Gujarat Sahitya Academy again. I am very proud to be a two-time winner of this very prestigious award. Here is what it looks like from last year. We didn't receive our individual awards yet.

During this year my focus has been mainly my computer and my family. Lately, my world has expanded and just as I feel I can go back to normal there is a new strain of Covid that is going to dampen my outlook and make me worry again. I spent months worrying and then got my shots and now my booster shot and thought I could go out again. Yesterday, I went to my Greenwich Pen Women Holiday luncheon. This was the first one we have had in two years. I saw all my friends and hugged them with and without a mask. We all had to show proof of vaccination before we could come. That is the way of the world these days. So I thought all would be okay. Then I went home and read about omicron, the new variant. Today there is news that this variant is now in the United States. We decided to move our theater tickets to another date, while they figure out how to combat this one. So it's back to online everything again for awhile. I have learned to tutor online and to have meetings online and speak to friends on Facetime. But there is nothing like hugging your friend. Yesterday was wonderful and seeing all of the people I have known for so long in person was the best. We have all learned to live with masks. We had them on and took them off and then when there were too many people we put them back on again. Masks have become so normal that people are using them as accessories. Also, the way people use them is interesting. Some hold them in their hands and some put them on a wrist and others wear them on their chins. But wearing a mask is a sign that you care about people and your own health. So having one is important if you are going out. You never know when you will need your mask. Sometimes, I walk out of the car without my mask and pretend that everything is the same. But then I get to the store and have to put it on. Actually, I usually put on my mask in the car and walk to the store with it on. It's better to be safe than sorry.

On another note, my publisher went out of business. So I have to find a way to republish my books. I spoke with someone in the business today and I am probably going to republish with Amazon or Ingraham. So, anyone who loved my books, they will be available again for readers ages 10 and up. Unfortunately, I don't think I can get them out for Christmas, but please expect the new and improved version of If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor with a new cover soon. I am hoping to publish the entire Mill Valley High series by next year. But if you are interested in reading a bit of it you should click here for a free chapter. 

I didn't have a November show, because there was too much to do that month. I am doing my annual Holiday show this year on December 23, 2021 at 4pm Eastern time. If you were a guest of mine during this last year or past years you are invited to be on this show. Please prepare a holiday story to read. For my listeners this is probably the best show of the season. Everyone reads a holiday story or poem and we all enjoy ourselves very much. Here is the link to last year's Christmas show:

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/booksandentertainment/2020/12/24/welcome-to-the-books-and-entertainment-tales-from-the-pages-holiday-show-2020

Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate. We have two menorahs this year. One is the traditional one and one is made out of cloth. You insert the candles into the fabric menorah. It hangs on the hall closet door and it's fun. 

Anyway, hope you are all staying safe, and remember to wear your mask. 

Until the next time. Thank you to anyone who has checked to see if I wrote anything new. You are all awesome. 

 Hi friends.  The photo is from the summer.

It's been over a year since I have posted and what a year this has been! I won't go into everything but it has been a year that I hope I never have to live again. I have received all of my vaccinations and I am free to go outside. Yet I still worry, because my daughters, who live with me, are not completely vaccinated. One had her first shot this Friday, and what an experience that was. 

I went with her and so did my older daughter in the car to Lord and Taylor's parking lot. We had to go into a certain entrance and we were in traffic waiting to go. Traffic was directed by a National Guard officer and then we went up into the parking lot where lanes of cones denoted where we could drive. National Guard officers directed us there too. After almost an hour of waiting we were directed to the place where they could speak with us. My other daughter had tried to schedule her appointment but at the exact moment that both of my daughters were scheduling their appointments the computers on the scheduling end went down and so they only got one of my daughters appointment. My other daughter had come hoping to persuade them to give her a shot but it didn't work. She was not happy but she managed to schedule one for tomorrow. So that is good. 

Getting the shot was fast and then we were directed to move through to another place where someone put this box on our car and then at the place we had to wait the designated fifteen minutes afterward to see if you have any reactions. My daughter barely felt anything and then did not have any real after effects. 

I got mine back in the beginning of March and I couldn't move my arm above my head both times for a day or two. But the second time the injection site got red and my arm got swollen and red to the elbow. It went away after a day. No other real symptoms except both times I felt tired and cranky. LOL

During this year I have also published another poetry book The Child Poet unfortunately not under my name but I co-authored and the other author published it without my knowledge. It is a wonderful book for children so please check it out. I have also been baking a lot and have rediscovered my love for this. 

April has ushered in National Poetry Month and I have been writing at least a poem a day. I have gotten out of the habit of writing this blog and since I am so busy otherwise I may not write another post for awhile. But I thought I would connect with anyone who is still reading this and will share with my new friends who do not know this side of me. 

I think poetry has kept me sane these months, since I could write whenever it got to be too much. And there has been so much that has happened that it was hard to keep quiet. Physically, there was the fear in the beginning and the constant vigilance to be safe. Hand washing has caused my hands to be dry and scaly and lotion doesn't help that much when you are washing your hands too many times to count. Using hand sanitizer also affects your hands. But everything is better than being exposed to this disease. Cardboard has come to be my enemy. Packages have to sit awhile or else you need to wash your hands after touching them. We get a lot of packages, since we have been doing all of our shopping online including groceries. I have ventured into a few stores in the last week and it has been a very enlightening experience. What I used to enjoy has become a stressful task. I am still wearing a mask in public and I am waiting for the day when I can safely go unmasked everywhere.

I have done a lot of live things online with my new friends and that is what I feel is the best thing to have come out of this. I have met so many wonderful and creative people through my position as Regional Director of the West of Motivational Strips. Connecting through writing and poetry is the best and making friendships with people who are halfway across the world is an awesome adventure. As a result of so many in person Zoom meetings too, I have become very comfortable on live videos. This has made me think that perhaps I might want to try doing a video version of my radio show. But that is a topic that has yet to be discussed with my network. But I have also been a guest on several interview shows.

On the writing side I have so many new poems I am thinking of publishing another book soon. And I am almost finished with the second sequel to If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, The Mill Valley High Five. I am hoping to make this a series: If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor, Who Is Jennifer Taylor? The Mill Valley High Five as the Mill Valley series. Right now I am on Chapter 30 and hope I get to the end. 

I have an idea but I am not sure when the end will come. I have a feeling it will be very soon. I never know when I'm going to end a book until the writing stops. For me that is the end.

So hope you all had a Happy Easter and a Happy Passover. Our Passover was just for the three of us and we did a whole dinner. Or let me say, I did a whole dinner and also shopped for a little of it in real stores. Then I did the cooking and the cleaning up afterward. My daughters helped a little but for the most part it was me. I was happy to do it, because it is important to have traditions. I usually spend that time with family but my family couldn't come. But as we read the Haggadah and the old words were said I truly felt that it was very important to have a Seder this year. We have gone through so much and we are in a way like the Jews who were forced to leave their land. We were forced into our homes and many things were forbidden to us for a long time. We had a terrible oppressive leader that we needed to remove and we did that. Unfortunately, the venom he sewed was not that easily removed so we had January 6th. That is a day I will never forget.

January 6th and September 11th were two of the worst days I have ever spent. Add in the one where I saw George Floyd killed and the very worst day when my husband passed away. I felt grief for our country and sadness that a monument to democracy had been desecrated and lives were lost. But I am thankful that despite all of the violence and chaos we finally were able to have a new president. And now life has gone back to a more relaxed pace and I can have faith that a sane person is at the head of our government and will keep our country safe and running. It makes me feel better and I can sleep a little better most times.

What I learned from all of this is that nothing is going to last and we have to keep being vigilant to protect ourselves and our democracy. The same kind of vigilance we are now using to protect ourselves from the Covid-19 virus should be given to watching our government by every person in this country. We can't be complacent that all will turn out okay. We have to be making sure that it stays the way we want it to stay.

So that's it for now. I still have my radio show but it has a new name: Books and Entertainment Tales from the Pages. It is still on the 4th Thursday of every month at 4pm Eastern time. If you miss it you just click on the link on my page and you will hear it. My next show has two great authors: Roberta Seret and Michelle Burns. Check this out. 

Until the next time I hope all of you are vaccinated soon and that very soon our world can go back to normal. I leave you with a poem I just wrote about this:

What Does the Future Hold?

For me it means walking outside without a mask

And meeting my friends for lunch

Having meetings in person and not on Zoom

Things I never dreamed would be wishes a year ago

Pummeled by the onslaught of so much in so little time

I have craved the idea of being normal again

As if it were an exotic elixir never to be drunk

My thoughts have caressed it as a forbidden dream

And though that dream is almost a reality

My brain does not completely believe it is a truth

For why should we trust when all trust has been tarnished?

Our future is brighter now than a year ago

and as we converse about a subject never conjured before -- vaccination status -- 

I picture a time when this will be a fun memory to discuss 

as we all laugh about the time we had to wear masks 

and were shut in our house for 6 months 

and had to wash our hands so much 

they were red and scaly and even lotion didn't help

What does the future hold?

I only hope the future will allow our children to live the lives

we hoped and prayed they would have

and the world will finally accept that peace is the only way

for us to live together

Though if we don't act soon there will be little left for our future generations. 

Really as I think about it, I hope the future holds bright days 

and more friends and lots of writing.

Copyright 2021 by 

Barbara Ehrentreu

                                   IS stock from The Hour Detroit

I meant to write on Wednesday but I was unable to find the time. I wound up having a very full day. First, a student needed to be tutored and I got approached on my tutoring app to do it. I haven't tutored all year so I did it and the lesson went well. We scheduled a lesson for today and tech was not kind. First the girl couldn't see the whiteboard and then all of a sudden the sound on my end cut out. I had been using a computer but that wasn't working. So I switched to my iPad and that was worse. Finally, since it was obviously a problem on my end, we rescheduled for Monday. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly. 

So it's weird getting all dressed up from the waist up. I put on makeup to hide my scary eye scars. I had to had eyelid reduction surgery this summer and it made me look freaky for awhile. Now they are almost back to normal but without makeup they look scary red. So makeup, a decent top and fix my hair. On the bottom I'm wearing my Betty Boop sweat pants. So I feel like a TV announcer who is wearing jeans and a very nice suit jacket and tie. But we never see the jeans. LOL

Anyway, this is Friday and the 5th day of our complete stay in the house. My daughters are working from home and so am I. Of course, I do that all the time, except for tutoring. So after the tutoring I went straight over to this awesome website: Poetry of Dark Angel that is on Facebook and did a 15 video. You can see it there. I read my poetry and talked a little bit. As I have told many of my friends, I hate seeing myself on the screen. I guess that almost everyone feels that way. 

As I said, I meant to write Wednesday but then it was too late. On Thursday my entire day was devoted to my radio show, Books and Entertainment Tales from the Pages. Here it is for anyone who would like to hear it. I think it was a great show this week. Many times this week I have heard how the arts can heal us and I believe it. Watching the Broadway stars sing to me and hearing the exquisite violin music of one of my friend's soloists on my show was breathtaking. Art does soothe your soul so if you aren't doing anything that concerns art you should try it. 

Also yesterday I got outside on my balcony!! Feeling and breathing in the fresh air did wonders for me. And I talked with the Aetna nurse and was able to allay some of my anxiety that I'm sure many of you have. Being calm and doing some deep breathing helps a lot. The air helped too. It was great seeing that the world was still going on but it was emptier. People are still walking on the boardwalk and walking their dogs. Kids are still playing and it was fun to hear the bird and feel the sunlight. It's 65 out now so I will be getting out there again soon.

Life is going on and though I am in the house I am trying to do things to keep myself occupied. I am watching less TV and more people doing things on TV. I rarely watch a movie, though I did last night. And I am watching the news sporadically to keep up with stuff. It is too devastating to watch all the time and I hope that it gets better. Right now we are having a huge storm of disease and this one we can't run away from as I said a few times. We are in a bunker and safe for now and hopefully it will protect us and all of us will come out of our safe havens stronger.

I talked with my brother about having a virtual Passover. We are going to connect the entire family in England and Japan and Manhattan and right here in Greenwich,CT. it should be fun as it always is and we'll just do the best we can to follow a seder together. During normal times that is not always very successful so online it should be different. This is the ultimate in social distancing I think!

In closing I would just like to say how grateful I am to the medical profession who are fighting this pandemic and who are constantly updating us on the seriousness of this virus. Life in the time of Covid-19 is feeling more and more like the beginning of a dystopian novel. I think I said this before but it can't be said enough. I have never lived in such a strange time and I think all my dear departed relatives, including my late husband, would never believe this could happen. Although, I think he would have not been fazed by it. I'm getting by and each day feel a little better about dealing with this crisis. As a TV doctor says: We will get through this and we are now probably at the end of the beginning. So there's lots more to follow. I will be writing as much as I can, because this helps a lot.

Until the next time everyone please stay healthy and safe.