Reading, Reviewing, Guest Authors, Giveaways and more.
…..of The Quaker State Affair by Dan Romain
20 Jaque Richards Leave a Blog Post Comment
An email has been sent and the winner has 48 hours to respond with a mailing address or another winner will be chosen. Thank you to all that entered!! More giveaways to come!!!
I have been waiting a month for today. Robyn from WOW contacted me and asked if I would read and review a book. After reading the synopsis, not only did I want to read it but I wanted to share it with all of you. So today, I am hosting a visit from an amazing person and fantastic author. Please welcome Ms. Chynna Laird.
ABOUT CHYNNA LAIRD
CHYNNA LAIRD – is a psychology major, freelance writer and multi award-winning author living in Edmonton, Alberta with her partner, Steve, and their three daughters [Jaimie (almost nine), Jordhan (six), and baby Sophie (three)] and baby boy, Xander (five). Her passion is helping children and families living with Sensory Processing Disorder and other special needs.
You’ll find her work in many online and in-print parenting, inspirational, Christian and writing publications in Canada, United States, Australia, and Britain. In addition, she’s authored an award-winning children’s book (I’m Not Weird, I Have SPD), two memoirs (the multi award-winning, Not Just Spirited: A Mom’s Sensational Journey With SPD and White Elephants), a Young Adult novel (Blackbird Flies), an adult Suspense/Thriller (Out Of Sync to be released March 2012), and a Young Adult Suspense/Mystery/Paranormal/Sweet Romance (Undertow, to be released 2012). She’s also working on a sequel to Not Just Spirited called Not Just Spirited: The Journey Continues and a few other projects in the works for Middle Grade and Young Adult readers.
Please visit Chynna’s website at www.chynna-laird-author.com, as well as her blogs at www.the-gift-blog.com and www.seethewhiteelephants.com, to get a feel for her work and what inspires her.
Just thought you should know:
April is… Alcohol Awareness Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
**GUEST POST**
From Abuse to Ability
The only things children should ever have to worry about growing up is learning, discovering the wonder and beauty in our world and having fun. It is the job of the adults around them to guide them on their journey with patience, wisdom and unconditional love. Sadly, for many children this isn’t a reality.
When a person is abused at a very young age, it changes her at the very core of her existence. It’s sort of like re-wiring something that was working perfectly fine. After you mess with it, it might still work but it will never run as well as it had before. And that’s so unfair.
You see, once a child has been changed in this way, it can be extremely difficult to build him back up again. Self-esteem and self-worth are two things we aren’t born with; they are learned and nurtured by trusted adults. And abuse—any kind of abuse—crushes those things. So these kids need steel-level support to relearn these basic traits. And I know a group of amazing people doing just that.
A few years ago while doing research for a school paper I was writing, I came across a link to a charity called Zebra Center. Not only was I drawn to the name but their purpose also captured my heart immediately.
Zebra Center is a Child Protection Center that helps children who have been abused or otherwise victimized. They help give these kids a new path to follow and give them the strength and courage to keep moving forward. The Center’s mandate is child-focused, which means the children brought there are put under the protective wing of the center, social services and the legal system. That doesn’t mean they don’t acknowledge the accused. They simply feel there is enough support for that person, and not enough for the victim.
I immediately emailed the CEO, Barbara, asking her if she and I could connect for an interview. For some reason, my gut told me that that this was a place I needed to connect with, but I didn’t know why at the time. The next day Barbara emailed me back and that was the start of a beautiful friendship.
Now, I went through a lot in my younger years. My brother and I could have really benefited from a place like Zebra Center, but there was no such place for us back then. So hearing some of these kids’ stories, I related. As she shared with me how this place came to be and why, and told me edited version of some of the kids’ stories, I felt it in the deepest part of my soul. I understood how it felt to have my privacy and my rights invaded. I knew that daily fear of not knowing what horrific things were in store for them. My heart broke picturing strangers coming to their home, giving them five to ten minutes to pack up whatever they could into a green garbage bag, to take them to a safer place.
But she also told me the amazing things they did at the Center to help repair whatever damage had been done in these kids’ lives. You can’t fix these problems, you can only find a new path for them to follow. And this starts with teaching these kids to define themselves rather than being defined by what they’ve gone through. That is essential. And Barbara taught me that too.
When I was finally able to tour the Center after more than a year of emails and phone calls with Barbara, it was an overwhelming experience. There is a feeling of wholeness there. There are stuffies and kid-sized chairs in every room. The waiting rooms for the children have complete sets of puzzles, games and play sets (and for those of us who are abuse survivors, the message in that is incredible). There is even a room called “Hope’s Closet” that is filled to the brim with brand new toys, games, costume jewelry and other items. Every child gets to choose one new item from the closet to take with him after his visit.
I think the part that touched me the most was when Barbara told me that they work closely with a local business that provides new backpacks filled with basic personal items such as pajamas, toothbrushes, a change of clothes, a pillow and other items that the child may not have or thought to have packed when removed from their home. Think about the significance of that for a moment. Before that, they had to stuff their belongings into a garbage bag. How could that not solidify the feeling they already have of their situation and themselves? Zebra Center recognized that.
Standing there in ‘Hope’s Closest’ with Barbara, looking around at all of the hope and future they are giving to back these kids was incredibly emotional. It was in that moment I realized my life had come full circle.
Years ago, I swore if I made it out of my childhood, I would do everything in my power to ensure that no other child had to endure what I had to. I made a pact that if I had the chance to help one child…like Zebra Center does every single day…I would be there in some way.
Barbara gave me the strength to tell my story and share it with the world. And hearing about how these kids came from so much pain and turmoil but have never allowed what’s happened to them to determine where they’ll go inspired me to do the same.
One thing that Barbara said to me during our very first telephone chat has resonated with me until this day: “I am so sorry the system failed you and your brother back then, Chynna. And I am sorry we couldn’t be there for you.”
My response to her is theme of this post: “It’s okay because you’re here for me now. And I’m comforted in the knowledge that kids have you here for them.”
Even the name of this place signifies the importance of what the people running it do. You see, zebras in the wild surround their young when danger is near. All of the in the adults in the zebra family encircle the younger ones so that no matter what happens, they will be protected. And we should all be doing the same thing for children.
We can’t erase what’s happened to these kids. I know my experiences will be engrained in my memory forever. But what we can do is help these kids be all they are meant to be from this day forward, taking them from abuse to ability. Just like Barbara and Zebra House did for me.
For more information on Zebra Center and the campaign Barbara and I created together, check out this page on my website: http://www.chynna-laird-author.com/p/chynnas-bookshelf.html
ABOUT THE BOOK
Elephant in the middle of the living room–that is one way of explaining how a family walks around the invisible presence of huge problems. Hindsight is what brings the elephant into focus.
Somehow at the innocent age of five Tami began to see the bulky creature crowding her family and took on a sense of responsibility far beyond expectation for her age. Her mother was different than other mothers. Family life in their household was not pretty. No one seemed to notice. No one did anything about it, and Tami wanted someone to do just that. As an adult Tami took on her first name, Chynna, and took up the challenge to find out what might have helped her mother fight her battle of self-destruction. She couldn’t help her mother, but she would consider it worth everything if her family’s story helped another.
This candid memoir is a story of one girl’s struggle to deal with her mother’s alcoholic/bipolar condition–the white elephant no one else would see. With a conversational tone, Laird shares her remarkable story of abuse, survival, and her triumphant recovery into becoming a healthy, well adjusted wife and mother. Tastefully written, this book will touch your heart. It offers hope that, no matter where you come from, life is what you make it.
See my review here.
THANKS TO AUTHOR, CHYNNA LAIRD, I HAVE
ONE (1) SIGNED COPY OF HER BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.
CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.
APRIL 23rd to MAY 10th, 2012
WHITE ELEPHANTS
by CHYNNA LAIRD
SYNOPSIS:
Elephant in the middle of the living room–that is one way of explaining how a family walks around the invisible presence of huge problems. Hindsight is what brings the elephant into focus.
Somehow at the innocent age of five Tami began to see the bulky creature crowding her family and took on a sense of responsibility far beyond expectation for her age. Her mother was different than other mothers. Family life in their household was not pretty. No one seemed to notice. No one did anything about it, and Tami wanted someone to do just that. As an adult Tami took on her first name, Chynna, and took up the challenge to find out what might have helped her mother fight her battle of self-destruction. She couldn’t help her mother, but she would consider it worth everything if her family’s story helped another.
This candid memoir is a story of one girl’s struggle to deal with her mother’s alcoholic/bipolar condition–the white elephant no one else would see. With a conversational tone, Laird shares her remarkable story of abuse, survival, and her triumphant recovery into becoming a healthy, well adjusted wife and mother. Tastefully written, this book will touch your heart. It offers hope that, no matter where you come from, life is what you make it.
*GIVEAWAY ENDS MAY 10th AT 6PM EST*
DISCLAIMER / RULES
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IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
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White Elephants by Chynna Laird
Published by Eagle Wings Press
ISBN-10: 0982624328
ISBN-13: 978-0982624326
At the request of WOW Tours, a PDF was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (from Amazon): Elephant in the middle of the living room. That is one way of explaining how a family walks around the invisible presence of huge problems. Hindsight is what brings the elephant into focus. Somehow, Chynna T. Laird began to see at age five the bulky creature crowding her family. And from that time as the child, Tammy, she took on a sense of responsibility to her mother far beyond expectation for her age. Her mother was different than other mothers. Family life in their household was not pretty. No one seemed to notice. No one did anything about it, and Tammy wanted someone to do just that. As an adult, Tammy took on her first name, Chynna, and took up the challenge to find out what might have helped her mother fight her battle of self-destruction. She couldn’t help her mother, but she would consider it worth everything if her family’s story helped another.
My Thoughts and Opinion: An extraordinary read!!! A memoir that was both emotionally disturbing yet inspirational. Chynna Laird, author, penned and shared a very transparent look into her abusive childhood and how she took back her power to become a scarred but forgiving and content adult. Her writing style is exceptional. A book so engrossing that I read it in 2 days because it was the type of book one could not stop reading. A story that HAD to be read, wishing it was fictional due to the trauma that this author had lived. I kept thinking how painful it must have been for her to write this book because she had to revisit so many tormented memories. Her young life living with an alcoholic parent with mental illness that was not treated, cared for improperly by a parent that was not equipped to love, having to be the adult at the age of 8 for her younger siblings and being molested at 12, attempted suicide when she was 15, just to name a few. Her coping mechanisms to get through it all from her own use of drugs and alcohol, cutting and eating disorder.
As I said, I could not put this book down. Reading the excruciating agony of a child, who felt “trapped and hopeless” was heart wrenching!! Knowing and wanting to help her mother, a child with adult thoughts of “fixing” her mother but not knowing how, riveting!! A story that consumed, captivated, and had me feeling an array of emotions, that at times were overwhelming. As a parent myself, I found myself agonizing for this child. And I also found myself to be so angry with the parent, at times even detesting, but then also realizing that she was a very troubled woman with untreated diseases. As distressing as this story was, it was also inspirational. It was about this battered child, who had lived through in surmountable times but prevailed to become a forgiving, sympathetic, loving adult. A spell binding read!! Poignant and profound!!! Off the chart read!! Touching!! I definitely recommend this book, it will stay with you for many years to come!!!
(2012 Challenges: Ebooks, Off The Shelf, Free Reads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Color Coded, Outdo Yourself, 100+)
Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading
Today’s question:
Other than working at a job, what is your biggest interruption to reading? What takes you away from your book(s)?
My answer:
For me, there are a two big reasons that take me away from reading but don’t consider them interruptions. The main one would be real life in general, daily tasks that need to be done around the house., day to day chores. However, I think the biggest cause of interruption, time wise, would be being on the computer, blogging and and taking care of business for Partners In Crime Tours . Other than that and due to the fact that I am now an empty nester, only hubby and I in the house, and not working outside of the home, once I do grab my current book and sit to read, there really aren’t any “interruptions” per se.
April is being hosted by Cindy’s Love of Books
Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.
According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.”
Author-galley-PICT Author-PICT
The Story Plant (Spread The Word Initiative)
Betty’s (Little Basement) Garden by Laurel Dewey
Published by The Story Plant
ISBN-10: 1611880386
ISBN-13: 978-1611880380
At the request of The Story Plant (Spread The Word Initiative, an ARC EBook edition was provided, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis (from publisher): Betty Craven is the epitome of elegance, class, and perfection. Her prize-winning garden is the envy of her neighbors; her impeccable manners and epicurean skills have made her the “hostess with the most-est.”
But all is not what it seems.
The truth is that this fifty-eight year old’s seemingly idyllic world is quickly disintegrating. Widowed and left with a modest income, Betty’s Colorado gourmet chocolate shop has gone belly up, leaving her floundering for purpose and meaning. Tied to a house in disrepair that she can’t sell, and mired in unrelenting grief for her dead son, this patriotic former Texas pageant queen comes to the shocking and debilitating conclusion that her entire life has been wasted. As that realization hits her hard between her well-manicured brow, the rebellious spirit that Betty has silently kept under lock and key, explodes to the surface.
When that happens, her staunch conservative world changes drastically, causing Betty to question every belief and opinion she’s ever had. The path she chooses is paved with secrecy, eccentric characters, toe-curling love, life-changing events, and a connection to her unconventional garden that she never could have imagined. No matter how hard she tries, Betty Craven will never be the same again.
My Thoughts and Opinion: Where do I start? There were so many components within this book. A fictional story, an extraordinary amount of compiled research, factual statistics, educational, instructions; personal development, values, moral, social, and some governmental issues, life lessons, friendships, relationships, principal passions, and even a very little bit of spiritual/paranormal. This is definitely recommended and a must read if you are in a book club due to the multiple and vast discussions that this book will trigger. I tend to write reviews that are concise but I just can’t with this book and I apologize in advance and will try to touch upon all the aspects that this book offers.
The author and the fictional side: I was first introduced to this author during a Partners In Crime Tours, reading her Jane Perry novelettes, Unrevealed and Promissory Payback, which I enjoyed. This book is so different compared to those stories, premise wise, about a topic that has many pros, cons, truths and fallacies but the writing style the same. Solid, fluid, descriptive, life like character development with palpable emotions, flaws and relatability. The settings likewise. It was very easy to create my imagery due to the depictions and narrative picture the author conveyed with her written words. The actual plot and story line will definitely have the reader turning the pages.
As a former nurse, I found the subject matter quite interesting, to the point that due to the accumulation of detailed facts and gathering of related material evidence, it was also an education. A lesson, that created some very personal thought provoking questions, a different mind set and possibly a change of personal opinion.
The plot with reality slant: Engrossing!! Are we being told the truth by our government, lobbyists, politicians, pharmaceutical companies? With the information, that the author has done an enormous amount of research on and shares with the reader, makes one wonder? This is one part of the book that I can’t stress enough. Ms. Dewey, definitely did her homework with the collection of facts. However, at times, it was so minutely described and technical that, and this is my opinion only, that it took on a bit of a non fictional story.
With that being said, the overall book was compelling, emotional, at times humorous, controversial, heart wrenching, inspirational, and definitely leaves the reader confronting one’s own personal viewpoint after the last word is read. Highly recommend!!
(2012 Challenges: EBook, Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)
Facebook link
Welcome to another FB Sunday Salon. If this is your first time visiting, Thank you. Hope you like what you see. Since I’m taking a break from Dewey’s Read-A-Thon to write this, I am going to get it started right away!!
Reading: As I stated, I am participating in Dewey’s Read-A-Thon. This is my first time ever to participate and am enjoying it, even though I thought I was going to be sidelined when I woke up. My left eye was swollen and in pain…great…never fails…I sign up for a read-a-thon and RL has other plans for me!! Did you ever get that eyelash stuck somewhere inside your lid and it’s scratching the cornea? Yup…that was me. So the 8am kick off didn’t happen. I have heard much about “Dewey”, but was not a blogger then but from what I heard, I felt that I wanted to give my time to her memory. I might not be doing what I am if it wasn’t for her!! But by 11am, even though painful and blurry, I started and it got better throughout the day.
Reading this week was a bit slow. I finished The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan and just couldn’t decide what mood I was in for my next book, so I picked up a few, read a few pages and then received one from The Story Plant for it’s Spread The Word Initiative Program, Betty’s (Little Basement) Garden by Laurel Dewey and decided on this one.
I received some great books this week but will post those tomorrow.
Blogging: Another week that I spent more time at the computer than I should have. I have a lot of guest author showcases and giveaways coming up and I like to prepare my drafts way in advance. Since I am not the quickest when it comes to the computer, it does take time to pull these together. And not only that, I feel that if for some reason, RL interferes, I don’t have to scramble at the last minute. Am I the only one that is OCD about showcases or does anyone else prepare their’s ahead of time?
Real Life: Highlight…spin cycle on my favorite appliance let go. At first I was YES!!! no laundry, then looked and saw the hampers and got on the phone for repair service. I just don’t understand…even though it’s just my husband and I living here, the boys out of state, my laundry multiplies like rabbits. But all fixed!! Back to normal, wash, dry, fold.
Not a very exciting week here, the next 2 will be though….stay tuned to what is coming up!!
How was your week?
This is my first year participating in Dewey’s 24 Read-A-Thon so am not sure what to expect. In the past, I have seen and read about this wonderful blogger, who is no longer with us but it is done in her memory (if I am right, she hosted and created it when book blogs were just starting…if I am wrong..I apologize).
Not sure how well I am going to do, and probably shouldn’t have entered because of RL issues that need to be done this weekend, but didn’t want to miss our on another year. Because of that, I am going to track my progress by the number of pages/% on Kindle (wish it had page numbers) on this post and update when my I need a short break from reading.
Good Luck to all that are participating!!!
My Plan:
*Getting up at my usual time (5-6 am)
*Try to complete my daily computer tasks before 8am, which when it starts here in New England.
*Have plenty of coffee on hand with maybe some toothpicks to keep the eyes opened lol.
*Read-I will be starting with my current read, an ARC from The Story Plant–Spread The Word Initiative, Betty’s (Little Basement) Garden by Laurel Dewey (450 pages).
Updates:
06 am: Murphy’s Law–Never fails..I sign up for a read-a-thon and RL interferes. Woke up 30 min late and with one of those annoyng situations where an eyelash is stuck inside your eyelid causing pain and interference with reading. Hopefully it will work it’s way out with the application of eye drops. Plus my spin cycle on washing machine is not working so have reapirman coming at 11am.
10:30am: Still haven’t been able to start reading due to an above. Have been putting in drops to flush it out and can’t. HELP!! Any suggestions?
2pm: WooHoo…finally started reading at 11am. Straining, still painful and a little blurry but I AM reading!!! Had to get up and do something so I wouldn’t doze off. Hubby is running errands so he is on a Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee run for me!! Making progress with the book I am reading, slower than usual due to the eye, but making progress. Starting point was 36% (Kindle…why can’t they have made page numbers?). Since I have time to make up…going back to the recliner to read. TTYS!! GL all.
5:30pm: Still at it. Had to take a couple of walks around the house though. The eyes are getting heavy, but then they didn’t start off that great. Plus the weather seems to be changing here in New England, well at least that is what my back is telling me. So the past 1/2 hour or so, am having trouble getting comfortable due to pain. Been munching on grapes. pretzels, grapefruit fruit cup and a few twizzlers. Still reading Betty’s (Little Basment) Garden. Not sure what page (Kindle) but am at 72%. I am determined to finish this!!! I just hope my eyes heard that lol.
9pm: Had to take an hour breather. On phone, taking care of some Partners In Crime Tours business but am headed back to read. Ohhhhh…how I remember those all nighters while in college, the problem is, that was a long, long time ago lol. Not sure when age is going to kick in tonight lol.
Thank you to those that have stopped by and left encouraging comments and being cheerleaders!!
3:00am: Finished reading or should I say had to stop. Fell asleep. Almost, but not quite made it. However did finish reading Betty’s (Little Basement) Garden by Laurel Dewey and started Permanence by Vincent Zandri.
7:30am: Wrap Up Post
**Which hour was most daunting for you?
My tough periods were around 4-5pm yesterday and then around 2:am.
**Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Since I only completed 1 book, I will have to say the one I finished. I am sure there were bloggers that finished multiple books, but I only finished one. Either due to that I am a slow reader, it was a large book, or the eye incident slowed me down.
**Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Since this was my first time participating in this Read-A-Thon, I have nothing to compare it to for improvements. Personally, I will need to start on time, plan better for snacking, stadegy and being able to do the mini challenges. I only did one since I didn’t know the procedure.
**What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Nothing to compare to so will say everything. I really appreciated those that stopped by with encouraging comments. Thanks for cheering me on!!!!
**How many books did you read?
Finished one and began another.
**What were the names of the books you read?
Betty’s (Little Basement) Garden by Laurel Dewey and Permanence by Vincent Zandri (started)
**Which book did you enjoy most?
Since I only finished one, it would have to be that one.
**How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
100%. Sign me up!! Since this was was my first time participating, I do have a question. Is this a Read-A-Thon annually or biannually? It was fun knowing that so many people were reading all over the world at the same time in an organized manner. Awesome!!
Great job from the hosts and cheerleaders!! Thank you for all your hard work!!
