Feathered Book Quill just posted an interview they did with me.
http://www.featheredquillblog.com/2014/01/interview-with-author-veronica-r-tabares.html
It was an interesting experience being interviewed. The questions were much harder than I expected them to be.
Which made me nervous. What if I answered them wrong?
Anyway…
Here’s to new adventures in a brand new year!
Ironic, isn’t it? I wrote a book about bullies (Gray Zone), and now I’m the target of a couple of them.
No biggie. I’ve been the target of bullies before. I think it’s because I’m blond and smile a lot, so people who don’t know me think I’d be easy to intimidate. They probably even buy into that blond airhead nonsense.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Beware of stereotypes.
It’s a shame, really, that bullies even exist. But I believe, unpleasant as the thought may be, that we’ll never be truly rid of them. After all, bullies have been around since the first caveman stubbed his toe on a rock, then turned and punched the little guy beside him in anger. A bully just can’t accept that he’s the cause of his own pain. He always looks for someone else to blame. (Note: I used ‘he’ as a convenience. There are many female bullies.)
We need to raise our children to take responsibility for their actions and to care about the welfare of others. But that’ll take a while.
What we can change more quickly is the way we react to these mega-meanies. We’ve got to make it uncool to bully, socially unacceptable to pick on someone who seems weaker.
Oh, you think that we’ve done that already? Think again!
Name the last movie or television show that glorified good manners or gentleness. Come on, I’m waiting.
Not easy, is it? Especially since revenge, barbed comments, and punches are what bring cheers from the audience.
Funny that these are all things that the bully dishes out.
Is he waiting for his applause?
The first official book review for Gray Zone just got posted. And the honor goes to…
(drum roll)
…Feathered Quill Book Reviews!
I’m glad, really, since they pride themselves on giving honest reviews and they seem to like the book.
To read the entire review you’ll need to visit it on their site: Gray Zone Book Review.
It ends with:
“There is a great deal to be said for this book. Cyber-bullying has been a topic of conversation and debate for years now, with tragedy being one of the results for many young, talented, but frightened and exhausted teens. The story of Autumn and Sophie Rose is poignant, to say the least. And the writer has done a brilliant job of creating a story that is loving, educational and sorely needed.
Quill says: An excellent read for both young adults and adults.”
Did anyone else catch the word ‘brilliant’? I think it’s my new favorite word!
I haven’t been able to write since the whole demented leprechaun incident happened.
Oh, I don’t mean this kind of writing, a blog.
I mean the throw-yourself-into-another-world-so-deep-that-phones-don’t-ring-and-dogs-don’t-bark kind of writing. The kind where you nearly drown in an ocean of imagination, and it’s only after a massive struggle that you manage to break through the surface into reality, gasping for air.
The kind of writing that is an adventure all by itself. The type that revives the soul and rekindles that spark that so often bursts into spontaneous laughter.
I miss it, desperately. But there is simply too much clutter in my brain and too many items on my “To Do” list.
I can buckle down and clear off my “To Do” list, but the clutter in my brain is another story. My head simply does not like to be swept!
So I guess my dive into the ocean of imagination needs to wait just a bit longer. But only a bit!
We now have a plan of action. We’re selling our house and moving.
I can hear your cries of, “What! You’re gonna let ‘those neighbors’ run you out of your home!”
I understand why you might think that. But although we’re leaving we’re not running. The actions of “those neighbors” forced us to take a step back and look at what we really want.
What we really want is a house with a much bigger yard. Something that is impossible in our current location.
Sure, we probably would have stuck around in this house for a few more years if the demented leprechaun hadn’t moved in. It’s a comfortable house, filled with a lot of good memories. And for years we’ve put off moving for a while, and then a little longer.
But now we have a wonderful reason to take action and put our house on the market. Because really, why would we want to stay in the same neighborhood as a demented leprechaun and a secretive, creepy, chicken-hearted bully?
Unfortunately, that means we’re going to be very, very busy finishing up all those projects we’ve begun over the years. Until I looked around the house with new eyes I’d forgotten how many projects we’d left at the 90% completion mark.
I guess we can’t be lazy now!
Remember the neighbor I wrote about just this morning? The one who threatened me?
“I can do whatever I want in your yard,” he growled as he picked up a large piece of firewood and slammed it toward face. My eyes crossed as I stared at the log that had halted a mere inch from my nose. “Go about your business and leave me alone.”
Many thoughts flashed through my mind as I stood there nose to wood. Probably the most important was that I knew something he did not. He had made a mistake.
I mean other than losing control of his bullying tendencies and threatening me with bodily harm in my own yard. (Unprovoked, I might add. He had detonated faster than dynamite on a bonfire. Except with less reason.)
The mistake he made was in not understanding that a person can be both nice and strong. He thought I wouldn’t fight back, that I was a shrinking violet who would run and cower at the first sign of confrontation.
He thought wrong. My mama didn’t raise a doormat. Or a fool.
I turned and walked away, allowing him to make a further mistake. He thought his bullying tactics had won the day.
Yes, I’m sure he gloated, right up to the moment the police arrived.
As I said, my mama didn’t raise a fool. I know when it’s time to call in the cavalry. A threat of violence is a threat of violence, after all. If he’s nuts enough to shove a log in my face who knows what else he might do.
It was the first time I’d ever called the police on anyone. But if there are any more threats, I won’t hesitate to call again.
One good thing came out of it. As I mulled over everything a new plot popped into my head.
I love being a writer!
Twenty copies of my newest book, Gray Zone, will be given away!
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Have you ever had something wake you up in the middle of the night, but you don’t know what it was?
It happened to me last night, or I guess I should say in the wee hours of the morning. I was pulled out of a deep sleep by a noise, but what the noise was I have no clue. I only had an impression of the noise, not a memory of it.
I lay there, listening with my eyes closed, waiting for the noise to repeat itself.
That’s when I heard a loud, clear whisper, right beside my ear, that said, “I thought you’d open your eyes.”
My eyes flew open to see…nothing. Absolutely nothing.
So where did the whisper come from?
Life is good. Not perfect, mind you, but good. I might even call it great!
Isn’t point of view a wonderful thing? I could choose to focus on the negatives, on all the things, whether big or small, that are less than perfect in my life.
But frankly, I don’t relish the thought of allowing that dark cloud of gloom to hoover over my head.
Especially with sunlight pouring in my living room window like it is today.
And Thanksgiving is just around the corner! The huge dinner with extended family is one of my favorite things of the year.
So I’ll stick to the good stuff, thank you very much!
Honestly, I’ve got a lot of good stuff to be thankful for. In addition to all things family, and my family is pretty close to perfect, there’s my writing career.
Yes indeed, life is good.