Archive for the ‘Prescient observations’ Category
Mrs. N.N. Light Takes Over the Elfyverse…(AKA “Time for a Guest Blog”)
Folks, I’m very pleased to have Mrs. N.N. Light back for a second guest appearance. She and I are doing a blog-exchange today — that is, I’m guesting at her blog, and she’s guesting at mine on the very same day.
(Yes, we thought we were being clever. So?)
Now, how do I know Mrs. N.? She and I became friends on Twitter, mostly because we’re both big baseball fans (she loves the Minnesota Twins, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Chicago Cubs; I’m a Milwaukee Brewers fan and also follow the San Francisco Giants, as they were my late husband Michael’s favorite team). Then we started talking writing and editing, as writers and editors tend to do when we’re alone in order to avoid scuffing up the furniture…but I digress.
In this interview (which I didn’t conduct, but enjoyed reading very much), Mrs. N. talks about many things, including her love for author C.S. Lewis. (Yet another thing we have in common!)
So, take it away, Mrs. N.!
When did you begin writing?
I began writing stories and poems when I was ten years old. I had such an active imagination when I was young and was very shy so writing stories was an outlet for me. I loved creating new worlds and travelling using my imagination. As I grew older, I discovered I had a God-given talent for writing. I could inspire people with my words and that is a blessing.
What/Who is your biggest influence in writing?
C.S. Lewis has been one of the biggest influences on my writing. I first discovered him through reading The Chronicles of Narnia. I had the whole series and I read them repeatedly growing up. He brought Narnia to life for me and I would peek in my closet hoping for a secret entrance into Narnia. In my teens, I read The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce and The Four Loves. His writing style drew me in and I started to dream about becoming a writer. The more I delved deeper into C.S. Lewis’ writing, the more I wanted to inspire people with my own writing. C. S. Lewis doesn’t hit you over the head with his message but is subtle. I have tried to do the same thing with my writing.
What is your favorite topic to write on?
I love writing inspirational/self help thoughts. I have been blessed with the gift of encouragement and I try to help others. I started my blog as an outlet for not only talking about my book, Princess of the Light, but also encouraging others. Whether it was about kindness, school, work, believing in your dreams or helping others I wanted to share my message.
What are your biggest challenges as a writer?
One of the biggest challenges for me as a writer is getting down all the ideas that pop into my head so I don’t lose them. I walk twenty miles a week and usually my best ideas come to me when I am out walking. They appear almost like a You-Tube video and I have to try to convert it to a text message so I can write it later. If I wait until I get home, I may lose the idea.
Do you have a day job? If so, what is it?
I am an author, editor, book promoter, book reviewer and a social media marketer for the largest coin dealer in Canada. I spend my day tweeting about new products and services. It’s a great way to hone my writing as I only have 140 characters including a link.
Where are you from? Tell us about yourself.
I grew up in Minnesota, spent a decade in Southern California before meeting my beloved husband, MR N. I left the Pacific Ocean for chilly Ontario and have never regretted it. I am blissfully happy being married to my soul mate and living life to the fullest. In my free time, I love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking.
Do you prefer fiction work or nonfiction?
I am a fiction girl all the way. Sure, I read a lot of non-fiction but I have a soft spot for fiction. I love reading books that take me on an adventure and captivate me.
What is your favorite book and why?
I get asked this a lot and to be honest, it is so hard to decide. It’s like asking a woman to pick just one pair of shoes as her favorite. *laughs* One of my favorite books of all time is The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. It’s totally fiction but at the same time made me wonder what would happen if it was true. I love books that make me think. I have read this book at least twenty times and each time I read it, I discover something new. It blends mystery, intrigue, religion, art, adventure and family.
What inspired you to write your book?
I knew from the time I was little, the gift of writing and encouragement was given to me by God. I wasn’t sure what He wanted me to write but I knew He would reveal it to me when the time arrived. Three years ago, I was out for my morning walk and I saw a homeless man sitting in front of a gas station. I looked at him; head uplifted to the sun, and wondered what his story was. I had seen him before but he was different from other homeless people. He didn’t ask for money or hold up a sign. He walked the length of our town and avoided contact.
A voice entered my head, “What if you could help him? Would you? What if you were chosen by me to help him?”
I stopped walking and searched my heart. After a moment, I replied aloud, “Yes, I would.”
The voice echoed in my heart, “This is what you were called to do.”
I went home that day and started writing Princess of the Light. Every day I would see the Walking Man and as Miriam would help her Walking Man, I would help mine. I started small by smiling at him and saying “Good morning”. I soon got my husband involved and we started leaving food, clothing and blankets for him.
I promised myself that when my book got published, a part of the proceeds would go to helping people like the Walking Man find food, clothing and shelter. Spread the Light is my mantra and together we can inspire others to spread the Light.
Title: Princess of the Light
Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Christian Fantasy, Inspirational Fiction
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Tagline:
Inspiring spiritual growth one person at a time
Blurb:
Gabriel, the Archangel and Messenger of God – yeah, that Gabriel – visits Mary Miller. He tells her, as the key, she is destined to spread the Light and vanquish the Darkness. Her first assignment is to restore the soul of the Walking Man. Sounds simple enough — until she’s thrown into the face of evil. And then, Joe Deacons enters her heart. This battle just got a lot more complicated. She must complete her mission without losing all she loves.
Excerpt:
“Can I help you with something, sir?” The woman’s voice quivered slightly and she leaned a little, as if she suddenly needed the wall for support.
Whoa, I couldn’t help but think. I frankly felt like a moth to the flame. All I wanted to do was have a reason to get closer to her. The fact that her eyes seemed to shine with an actual light didn’t help matters. I had never felt such an automatic attraction before, and I wanted to lean closer and see what was going on with her eyes.
She was either looking at me like I was the only man in the world—and quite possibly the sexiest one—or else my open gawking had freaked her out. Either way, I couldn’t have told her which it was, because my mouth felt like a cotton ball container.
“Yes,” I managed to rasp to her. “Where is your Architecture section?”
“Are you looking for anything in particular?” Yes. You, I wanted to say. “I could look to see if it is in stock.” Oh. Are there more of you somewhere?
The sound of her voice was starting to make my heart pound.
She had an earthly beauty about her. There was nothing extraordinary in her features, yet something about her just seemed to glow.
I felt my breath quicken. Joe, what’s the matter with you? Get a grip. You’ve seen girls before.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts without worrying what I looked like and said, “Please forgive my manners, but what is your name?”
“Mary.” That just became my favorite name.
“I’m very pleased to meet you,” I said as I extended my hand to her. “I’m Joseph. Please call me Joe.”
She hesitated for a moment before she shook my hand. Electricity bolted up my arm that I wasn’t prepared for. I wondered if she could hear my heart beating. Pretty sure these emotions weren’t winning me any bro-code points.
Her face was flushed and her eyes brightened with interest. Let go of her hand, Joe, I tried to coach myself. If I didn’t let go of it soon, I might never be able to.
So I quickly let go of her hand but immediately regretted it. The whole room suddenly seemed cold and empty.
She probably thinks you’re some kind of wacko. Stop staring. You’re a logical guy… Be reasonable here. Besides, she’s probably married. I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to remember what we were just talking about. I looked up to see her glance towards the entrance. If she asked me to leave, I wouldn’t blame her.
I tried to act composed, while I glanced down at her left hand. I didn’t see a ring, so I cleared my throat and tried to act like a reasonable man again.
“Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mary.” Even to me, my voice sounded unnaturally thick and hoarse. I cleared my throat and looked back at her.
“Yes, it’s great to meet you, Joe. Let me show you where the section is.” She turned and simply pointed to the far left corner of the store.
Just when I thought she was through with me completely, she motioned for me to follow her.
As she led me to the back of the store, I tried to switch off my desire and concentrate on the task at hand. Focus, Joe! Decorum! The inner jokes weren’t helping. They just wanted to make me giggle like a schoolboy, and I doubted that would help matters much.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment while I tried to remember the books I came for.
She was driving me crazy! I shook my head like a wet dog for what seemed like the twentieth time and asked God for some help.
Suddenly she sidestepped and tripped. I reached out and caught her. As soon as my fingertips touched her, my whole being seemed to be on fire. You’ve gone completely insane, Joe. Maybe, I really had been working too hard lately.
Mary blushed and stammered, “I’m so, so s-s-sorry about that. There was, um, a stroller blocking the aisle.”
“Yes, I saw that.”
I knew I had to let go of her. When I did, she whirled around, stammering more of an apology. It took every ounce of my willpower not to bend down and kiss her. I should have taken that nap.
To keep from kissing her, I made a joke. “And here I thought you just wanted me to catch you in my arms to break the ice.” I hesitated and then added, “It worked.” Her light-hearted laugh made me wish I knew more jokes.
She cleared her throat, and turned back to where they were heading.
Once in front of the architecture books, Mary said, “If you need any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.” Then she stepped back and smiled politely.
“Thank you for your help,” I said, and wished I could think of something else to say to stall her.
As she walked away, I thought, I could watch you all day. I didn’t realize I was grinning until my cheeks suddenly felt sore.
Buy Links:
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469480
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-of-the-light-nn-light/1120170709?ean=9781502438454
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Light-N/dp/1502438453
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/princess-of-the-light-1
iTunes/ iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/princess-of-the-light/id913013798?mt=11
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5008419
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009005-princess-of-the-light
Newsletter:
If you would like to sign up to be an exclusive member of #TeamPOTL, send me an email:
info [at] princessofthelight [dot] com
You’ll get a free short story and you’ll get sneak peeks into what I’m working on. Plus, every Friday, you’ll get a special shout-out on Twitter. 🙂
Author Bio: N.N. Light has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.
She was born in Minnesota, lived in Southern California only to move to chilly Ontario, Canada to marry her beloved husband MR N. She is blissfully happy and loves all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports and baking. Her mantra is to spread the Light.
Most of the time you can find her on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. She is a proud member of ASMSG, Independent Author Network and Marketing for Romance Writers.
Part of the proceeds of Princess of the Light will go directly to food banks in order to feed the hungry and help those in need. With only 7,500 books sold, N. N. Light will be able to set up a monthly endowment for the local food bank.
In addition to being an author, she’s also a book promoter/reviewer and social media marketer. She loves books, has ever since she was young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives her great pleasure.
She’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:
Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Blog: http://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html
iAuthor: http://www.iauthor.uk.com/princess-of-the-light:10294
History in the Making — LGBT Couples Finally Able to Marry in All 50 States
Folks, I’m a very proud American today.
The United States Supreme Court said today that same-sex (LGBT) couples can legally marry anywhere in the United States. And that their marriages should be recognized — wait for it — in all 50 states (and the various U.S. possessions, like Guam and Puerto Rico).
Hallelujah!
This is a win for marriage equality advocates everywhere, yes. But to be honest, it’s also a win for honest fairness.
Look. I got married in Illinois, years ago. But when I moved to California, then to Iowa, no one cared where my marriage had been performed because my husband and I were not a LGBT couple.
Yet if a same-sex couple had married in California, and then moved to Michigan, say, that same-sex couple’s marriage wouldn’t have been recognized in Michigan. Until today.
And you know that’s not right.
Personally, I’m glad that Anthony Kennedy sided with the four liberal justices of the Supreme Court on this one. Because what was going on just wasn’t fair; it was discriminatory toward LGBT couples, and there was no excuse for it.
If you can excuse an anecdote here — my late husband Michael and I wondered, not long before he died, when the United States would recognize that LGBT weddings were just like any other weddings. We both thought, back in 2004, that it would probably take at least fifty years for the country to understand that LGBT people are just like anyone else, and deserve the same rights and privileges afforded to us as a more “traditional” male-female marriage.
And now, finally, that day has come.
(Boy, am I glad to be wrong on this one!)
Requiem for a Grocery Store
Folks, the grocery store closest to my house — the Pick N Save on Rapids Drive in Racine, Wisconsin — will be closing on June 26, 2015.
This is bad news for anyone in Racine, but most particularly for those living near Horlick High School.
I’ve known the store would close since mid-April of this year. I kept meaning to write a blog to talk about what this store means to me…and time got away.
Granted, I’ve been busy writing and editing. (And gladly so.)
But I didn’t want yet another neighborhood grocery store to go belly up in Racine because of our horrible economy without trying to say something about why I liked the store — and why I want it to stay open.
First, the Rapids Plaza Pick N Save is a neighborhood store. 75% of their clientele is comprised of foot traffic.
(In case you’re wondering, this is the store — this particular store, the Rapids Plaza Pick N Save — I walked to when my car was out for 52 days last year.)
Second, the employees are friendly, knowledgeable, and remember you. They ask about your family as if they truly care. And if you need a coupon, they’ll find one for you…they don’t turn their noses up and refuse to work over there, unlike some stores I’ve been in up in Milwaukee (and elsewhere).
And third…well, I used to work at this store, years back. I cashiered, stocked shelves, was the assistant dairy and frozen foods person for a while…I worked in nearly every aspect of the store, from produce to deli to health and beauty. (Heck, even floral — and trust me, I wasn’t that great, but they were desperate.)
Fourth…well, there aren’t any grocery stores for at least three miles in any direction. So if you don’t have a car and the buses have stopped running for the day but you need milk or bread, you will be out of luck after June 26, 2015.
There is perhaps a hint of good news on the horizon, if you believe in the scuttlebutt I picked up earlier today. Apparently Wal-mart, which has wanted to expand for a while now (Caledonia vetoed a proposed site in late 2013, if memory serves), is looking into buying the entirety of Rapids Plaza.
If Wal-mart comes in, at least there would be a neighborhood store to walk to…and the employees will have a chance (a very strong chance) to be hired on.
As it stands, though, the Pick N Save on Rapids Dr. will be closing on June 26. No one can stop it. There’s no way to change it.
It’s completely nonsensical, and I really had wanted to mount some sort of grassroots campaign to get a Woodman’s into Racine as I felt they’d know exactly what to do with this store.
But if the Wal-mart does come in, and if they do a good job, perhaps all is not lost.
We who live close to Horlick High School can hope for that.
Friday Inspiration — Who Are Your Heroes?
Friday’s inspirational thought is this: Who are your heroes? And why are they important to you?
Why are heroes important? They give us reasons to keep trying.
Long before I ever knew I wanted to be a writer, I knew who my heroes were. Henry Aaron. Ernie Banks. Larry Doby. And Jackie Robinson. Men who broke the color line in major league baseball, who dealt with gratuitous insults with grace and dignity.
Oh, I had others, too. Helen Keller, for learning and thriving despite being both blind and deaf. Florence Nightingale, for being willing to nurse the sick and for preaching the importance of proper sanitation. Art Pepper for getting away from heroin and resuming his jazz career in his early fifties…and Benny Goodman, for proving that a strong jazz clarinetist could play Mozart with equal ease.
Those are just a few of my heroes.
So who are your heroes? Why do they matter to you?
And one additional question for my fellow writers out there: How have your heroes factored into your writing?
Memorial Day for Sale: NFL Teams Take Money to ‘Honor’ the Military
Is Memorial Day truly for sale?
It sure seems that way, after finding out that 14 NFL teams have actually taken money to “honor” military veterans — including my own favorite team, the Green Bay Packers.
I found out about this last Friday (May 22, 2015) by watching Keith Olbermann’s ESPN2 show. As quoted from the website PoliticsUSA.com:
In a lengthy monologue on Friday’s broadcast of ESPN2′s Olbermann, host Keith Olbermann took NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to school over the recent revelation that the National Football League has taken millions of dollars from the US military to promote the armed forces of this country. Over the past few years, it has been estimated that the NFL has received $5.4 million since 2011 to ‘honor’ members of the military at games and other events. As Olbermann pointed out, the main issue isn’t that the league took money, but that it pretended that it was honoring the soldiers out of true patriotism rather than love of money.
This disturbs me for more than one reason.
First, veterans of the armed forces deserve to be treated well without teams being paid to do so.
Second, that teams have been pretending they’re doing this out of the goodness of their nonexistent hearts rather than some sort of business-oriented motivation is incredibly hypocritical.
It is especially upsetting because fans are expected to be both patriotic and uncritical of the teams they follow. So when we see teams giving what surely look to be deserving shout-outs to serving military members (or honorable veterans), we think it’s genuine.
We don’t expect these “Hometown Heroes” shout-outs to be merely a matter of public relations.
But they are. And that’s wrong.
Olbermann isn’t the only high-profile person angered by this behavior. Arizona’s two United States Senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, are also appalled. In an article from the Washington Post, McCain was quoted as saying:
“I think it’s really disgraceful that NFL teams whose profits are at an all-time high had to be paid to honor our veterans,” he said Tuesday (via ESPN)..
Agreed. (To the Nth power.)
Taking money in order to salute these real hometown heroes is wrong. Just ask U.S. Senator Jeff Flake, as quoted in the Washington Post article:
“You go to a game and you see a team honoring ‘Hometown Heroes,’ and you think it’s some sort of public service announcement, that the team is doing it out of the goodness of their heart,” Flake told ESPN on Monday. “Then you find out it’s paid for? That seems a little unseemly.”
This, right here, encapsulates why I’m so steamed.
Look. According to Olbermann (see his YouTube rant here), the Green Bay Packers took $600,000 from the Department of Defense for this practice.
But even if the Packers hadn’t taken any money, I’d still be upset.
As a fan, I’ve always seen military members get shout-outs. They are feted, get tickets to games, often are highlighted on the scoreboard, and the impression is that the teams are doing this because it’s the right thing to do.
Sure, it’s all public relations. We know this, deep down inside.
But we don’t expect that teams would actually be crass enough to require payment.
That these 14 NFL teams have done so is truly shameful. A recent editorial at Jacksonville.com said:
…the Department of Defense and 14 NFL teams deserve boos over revelations that the federal agency paid the clubs $5.4 million over a three-year period to feature military members during games. According to the Defense Department and the 14 teams, the payments were merely part of mutually agreed “sponsorship deals” designed to promote the military in a flattering, high-profile manner. But in truth, the deals were simply “crass” and “disgraceful,” as Sen. John McCain — a military hero who bravely survived captivity during the Vietnam War — so aptly put it.
(Preach it, brothers and sisters.)
Why the Packers ever thought it a good idea to take money to salute the military makes no sense.
NFL teams make money hand-over-fist. They do not need to take money from the Department of Defense or anyone else to salute the hard-working men and women who comprise the United States military.
That they did was absolutely reprehensible.
******
P.S. Because it’s come out that 14 NFL teams have taken money to salute soldiers, it makes me wonder…are teams in Major League Baseball also taking money for this practice?
Have the Milwaukee Brewers actually taken money over the years to salute these “Hometown Heroes” in order to put them on the big scoreboard in centerfield?
I sincerely hope the Brewers haven’t.
Barb Caffrey's Blog 