The Magic of Clowns

June 26, 2025

On May 26th, 2025, Peru celebrated Peruvian Clown Day in honour of Jose Alvarez Velez, better known as Tony Perejil, a beloved clown who passed away on May 25, 1987. Tony Perejil was known as the Clown of the Poor, bringing joy to the shantytowns of Lima and donating his earnings to charity. Exch year, hundreds of clowns from across Peru gather in Lima for a colourful parade, donning extravagant costumes, oversized shoes, and painted faces.

Now, not everyone loves clowns, especially a few of my grandkids. When they were little and came to stay over, I'd hide them away. One summer, my husband took down a large clown that hung from the ceiling on a swing in the room that two of the grandkiddies were sleeping in. Instead of hiding it, he placed it on the deck in a lawn chair. All was well until my grandson ran onto the deck the next morning and froze, unable to move or talk. I put it in a garbage bag and hid it in the toolshed.

 I, on the other hand, love clowns and have a rather large collection,  some of which are displayed here.

                

    This is my favourite, a cut ceramic mask made for me by my DIL, Pam. 

    

   

                The one with the pearl tear drops is my 2nd favourite.

And finally, this display of butterflies, angels, and clowns sits above my writing desk.

So, what do clowns have to do with writing? To me, they represent life with all of our emotions. They inspire me when creating characters in my stories.

Enjoy (or not, lol), I hope your day is as joyful as the 

Clowns' day, who celebrate Peruvian Clown Day!

  

PLAYLIST

 Hi all! Recently, I learned something new in the publishing field: How to create a playlist for my finished novel, Beyond Impact. This was a new concept for me. It involves using songs to describe the book. Some people have a song for every chapter, some for the whole story. I chose to break the book into sections and suggest songs I love that, in my mind's eye, match the events happening in that section of the story.

It was a time-consuming job, but I had a lot of fun creating my playlist. Music has always been a part of my life. When settling in to write, I always listen to music. It stimulates my creativity. 

I also love to sing, and at one point in my life, sang in a local group called Nostalgia. We sang as a group of eight, sometimes shared duos, and we all had our moment to shine and sing solo songs. The idea of using songs to describe my books as a whole has been with me for a while. I planned to create videos for my online accounts that described the story, and sing a song that best reflects the book's overall plot.

Author playlists for books have validated my original thoughts for creating these videos. All I need to do now is find the time to produce them. If you are wondering what these playlists are used for, some authors include them in their books, use them as a marketing strategy, and some agents request a copy of the playlist when querying them for representation.

So, here's my Author Playlist. Enjoy, and if you see a favourite song of yours in my list, take a break, look it up and let the music soothe your soul. 

Beyond Impact Playlist

 

Opening & Impact (The Accident & Immediate Aftermath)

1. "Eye of the Tiger" – Survivor (Chaotic, adrenaline-fueled energy)
2. "All by Myself" – Celine Dion (Raw vulnerability, emotional wreckage)
3. "Everybody Hurts" – REM (Desperation, fate, and unintended consequences)

The Journey Begins (Escape, Uncertainty, and Bonding)

4. "Fight Song" – Rachel Platten (Movement, escape, and the weight of trauma)
5. "Way Down We Go" – Kaleo (Dark, brooding, inevitable descent into truth)
6. "Gravity” – John Meyer (Survival, tension, and the fight ahead)

Unveiling the Secret (Family, Betrayal, and Discovery)

7. “Memory – Barbara Streisand” (Regret, longing, and the past catching up)
8. "Mr. Cellophane – John C Reilly (Exposure, and emotional reckoning)
9. “Hallelujah” – Leonard Cohen (Power struggles, hidden truths)

The Climax (Breaking Point, Courage, and Transformation)

10. “Dark Side of the Moon” – Pink Floyd (Despair, and depression)
11. "Lose Yourself" – Eminem (High stakes, seizing the moment)
12. "I am Woman" – Helen Reddy (Resilience, determination, and facing the odds)

Resolution & Reflection (Healing, New Beginnings, and Change)

13. “That’s how the Light Gets In” – Leonard Cohen (Letting go, moving forward)
14. "Up Where We Belong” – Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes (Finding belonging, new bonds)
15. "Imagine" – John Lennon (Unbreakable connections, fate)
16. 
    

Until next time, cheers!

NEVER FORGET THE MAGIC!

I have tried to live my life by the above heading. I've used it in many aspects of my life, but more so in these latter years of my writing life. It's something I learned from my mother. Her life, in a lot of ways, was certainly different from mine, but it's all about how you determine the meaning of  'magic'.

I was fifty-four when I started writing my first novel, which took nine years to complete, and sixty-three when my first novel was published. I was a late bloomer. Looking back on my life, everything seemed to happen to me later than everyone else. But I do believe, it all played out how it was supposed to. We are products of our life experiences, and I'm who I am because of my choices and perhaps a little fate. Or is that a little 'magic'?

And here I am, finishing edits on my latest and ninth project, Beyond Impact. This story took me almost three years to write, and I'm reaching the point where one must say, "Okay, it's done, put down your blue pencil and get it published." My gut is telling me it's done.

Beyond Impact is a genre-blended tale of mystery and suspense with a supernatural theme that binds two female strangers together over a fast-paced, action-packed seven-day period. This is a character-driven story with strong female protagonists who keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seats and keep them guessing. Think Misery meets The Sixth Sense or Gone Girl collides with The Dead Zone.

My tag line:

A tragic motor vehicle accident brings two female strangers together, propelling them on a journey far beyond impact, unveiling a hidden family secret and a bond that will forever change their lives.

The point of this blog, besides blatantly promoting my next-to-be-published novel, is to emphasize the point that it is never too late to accomplish your dream. As long as you are breathing and stay a dreamer, anything is possible. So just do it. 

KEEP ON KEEPING ON WRITING! NEVER SAY NEVER! AND 

NEVER FORGET THE MAGIC!

Writing in a World of Uncertainty

Being a writer today, regardless of the genre conventions has its challenges and is associated with a lot more negatives than in the past. Once upon a time, writers were celebrities and revered for their talent. They could make a decent living working in their chosen profession. They could diversify their writing talent and one convention such as journalism or magazine articles could support their needs while writing the next novel. 

There has been a shift in available venues for writers these days. Journalism has taken on a new face with news outlets all but disappearing. Online self-publishing, although an innovative tool for those talented and blessed with the ability and means to market their stories, can be overlooked among the wanna-be writers who give publishing a tarnished reputation. Everyone is a writer and the reader is forced to search through the many choices available for quality writing. Most writers today work at other jobs, while their love of writing takes a secondary place.

Add to that the current practice of inundating readers with false news and ads for private monetary or political gain. In these troubling times. writers have taken a hit. Their legitimacy is questioned, their commitment to truth is tainted with lies, and their integrity is smeared. 

What happened to our moral balance? Fact-based truth?  And mutual respect? It all boils down to people. Greedy people, who crave power and confuse success with materialism, instead of becoming the best loving and caring human beings they can be. This isn't new, it's been around since the beginning of humanity. However, the world has become a smaller place where like-minded can connect easily through technology to spin their evil on the dark web or to the gullible, right in front of our noses. 

But a true writer writes for the love of the craft, and will not give up, regardless of the hurdles. The world needs writers not only to speak truth but in the case of fiction writers, to create worlds for people to escape into and ease their everyday stress. As someone who writes fiction, I can escape into the lives of the people I create, relieving my stressors. I'm one of the lucky ones in a position to dedicate my time to my craft and I promise to continue authoring my stories.

 

To all my readers, please stay the course, keep the faith and believe in the magic.

Still here and writing up a storm...

 
Well, who knew life would take me away from my love of writing for so long. Life got in the way and my priorities had to change. My husband has had a couple of years of medical issues which came first and together we have come through it all. His health struggles are behind us right now and we are resuming life as we knew it before this unexpected crisis landed at our door. His strength and perseverance brought him through and we have reached a place where we appreciate life one day at a time and are grateful to be in a stronger place.

 

Since my last post, my final book in The Crossing Trilogy, Storm Dreamer, 

              Book 3 was published in 2021.

         

 Pieman, The Papa D story, was published in August 2022. It is a nonfiction memoir about a period in my husband's life that we wrote together. 

       

Also, my publisher published a complete book for each of my series, The Georgia Series 

and The Crossing Trilogy.

      

  

Since then, I've been working on a new story and series, Beyond Impact, A Salish Sea Mystery, which is finished and in the editing stage. It took me off and on, for two and a half years to complete this project and I'm excited to see it in print, hopefully sometime this year. That's my life for the past three years in a short blog. Hope yours has been healthy and happy. 

In these changing and challenging times, remember to put YOU first and do something that you enjoy to take away the trials and stressors of your day. 

Until next time, cheers!

Checking In

Wow! What a year we've all had. It's been a long time, too long since I posted here. Just to let you all know, I made it through the first year of Covid and have received my first vaccine shot. Life as we all know certainly took a hit and I hope this post finds you healthy and safe. I've been lucky that we had no losses in our family due to Covid. My thoughts and wishes for peace and health go out to those of you who weren't as lucky.

We are seeing light at the end of the tunnel; here's to a better 2021 for us all.

So what's new on the writing front? Well in February, a short story book was published, Snap Shots, vignettes about women in trying situations; some sad, some inspiring, some funny. Hope you enjoy it.

I've just finished Storm Dreamer, Book 3, The Crossing Trilogy. It's in edits right now and I hope to see it published in the fall. A new protagonist with all the old characters from Book 1 and 2; this one is about reincarnation and how past events in our lives can carry forward into the next life--and how redemption comes in strange forms.

The other news, I'd like to share with you all, dear readers is Taleflick Productions is holding a contest to find their next book to screen project, with the winner's story being optioned. I've learned that Magnolia Tree and Chameleon Games, Book 1 and 2, The Crossing Trilogy, are both quarter-finalists in their second cycle search. Next month, we'll find out if either of my stories moves forward from the 25 quarter-finalists to 6 semi-finalists. Exciting, because I feel validated as a writer and humbled to be in such great company, regardless of the outcome.

That's my news, everyone. I'd love to hear from you about your life and how you are coping with Covid where ever you live. Wishing you peace, health, and stay safe! 

Stories to Screen

Here are the results of the contest for Stories to Film. I'm thrilled that Magnolia Tree came in 2nd place and here's hoping it gets chosen next month and optioned for film. Yay!

TaleFlick

Yesterday at 12:38 PM · 

Congratulations to our Top 5 #TaleFlickDiscovery contestants from last week:
⭐'Say You'll Stay' by Author Corinne Michaels
⭐'Magnolia Tree' by June V. Bourgo, Author
⭐'Keeper Of Dragons' by J.A. Culican
⭐'Bittersweet Timing' by S. D. Neill
⭐'Life On Repeat' by Amy Larson Marble W. Brand Publishing

We are excited to see where these stories get taken in the future - #Hollywood watch this space! 🎬

***BOOK to FILM***

CROSSING TRILOGY –TALEFLICK BOOKS TO MOVIES

FINAL DAY TO VOTE! CONTEST ENDS AT 4 P.M. TODAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME CURRENTLY AT #2!

Let’s see if Sydney Grey can do as well as Georgia Charles who came in third place in the Taleflick Discovery Contest. If you’d like to see Magnolia Tree on the big screen, please click HERE and vote; one vote per person within the next three days. On April 1^st, the Producers will choose 4 books/scripts to be optioned for movies from all registered books/scripts. Thanks all. Here we go... 

Another Free E-Book

My Publisher is offering 'Winter's Captive, Book 1, The Georgia Series for free until January 26th.

Being lost in the wilderness can be a frightening experience; being lost, alone and pregnant in a cold winter wilderness could be a death sentence for city girl, Georgia Charles.

Get your FREE copy here.

Visit my website and check out all my books at http://www.junebourgoauthor.com

*** FREE E-Book - Magnolia Tree ***

This is a story of family dynamics and secrets, with kidnapping, murder, and redemption. Sydney Grey must rely on her instincts to solve the mystery of her past and that of her mother’s disappearance twenty years previous.

THEY SAY YOU CAN NEVER GO HOME AGAIN, BUT IT SEEMS THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT SYDNEY GREY MUST DO TO FIND RESOLUTION.

Available FREE until January 12th. Get your copy here.

FREE E-BOOK STOCKING STUFFER 2019!

Another Christmas Special for 2019!

Just want to let you all know that you can get a free e-book copy of Missing Thread, The Georgia Series, Book 3 for the next two days.

This is the final book in the series, as Georgia's life continues to spiral out of control, not so much physically but mentally. A few new twists come alive in this suspense/mystery story.

Get your FREE copy HERE

A little reading for your holiday season!

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU AND YOURS

Hi everyone! Just want to let you all know that you can get a free e-book copy of Missing Thread, The Georgia Series, Book 3 for the next two days.

This is the final book in the series, as Georgia's life continues to spiral out of control, not so much physically but mentally. A few new twists come alive in this suspense/mystery story.

Get your FREE copy HERE

A little reading for your holiday season!

CREATIVIA OFFERS ANOTHER FREE E-BOOK

Hi everyone, I'd like to first thank everyone who have downloaded their free e-books and left a review. The Georgia Series is selling now and is within the top 50 Kindle Bestseller list. 

Creativia is now offering for a limited time only, a free e-book of Magnolia Tree, Book 1 of The Crossing Trilogy.

Here's a sample:

             The old two-story farmhouse with boarded windows, peeling paint and overgrown gardens appeared nothing like the house she remembered from her childhood. Sydney Grey stood on the gravel sidewalk that led to the sagging steps attached to a porch covered with leaves, dirt and broken tree branches. Her eyes scanned the windows on the second floor, resting on one window in particular. My bedroom. Her mind filled with childhood memories of swimming in the small lake behind the house and playing hide and seek in the grove of magnolia trees. She loved the smell of the magnolia flowers; a heady, intoxicating scent with a touch of cherry, lemons, and a hint of vanilla.

            An uneasiness that started in the pit of her stomach and pushed its way through her body made Sydney frown. She had no idea why. Feelings such as these plagued Sydney her whole life. Usually, they occurred before something happened. She shrugged it off. That’s because she didn’t yet know that she used to talk to a dead person. 

Click HERE to get your copy.

ANOTHER FREE E-BOOK

Good morning! A big shout all to all of you who downloaded Missing Thread. My Publisher is now offering for a limited time only, a free e-book of MAGNOLIA TREE, Book 1 of The Georgia Series.

On woman's struggle to survive, lost and alone in a harsh wilderness and her journey to empowerment!

Available from September 20 - 24 inclusive.

Click HERE to get your free copy!

And just a reminder, if you could take a moment to leave an honest review it would be appreciated. Thanks. Cheers and enjoy!

Rainy Day Reading-Free E-Book

Hello. Hope you all had a wonderful summer. Ours has been a strange summer. We had four months of draugt and now three days of rain. The air is moist and the nights are chilling down. All this tells me it's time to settle into the fall and get back to my writing and for you, my readers, to get back to reading. 

If you haven't yet read Missing Thread, Book 3 of the Georgia Series, now yours chance. The e-book is being offered by my publisher for free from September 11 to September 15. 

Click HERE for some rainy day reading: 

On a trip to Houston, Georgia Charles-Dixon disappears, taking Sean on a journey to Texas in search of his wife. An accident (or is it?) propels Georgia into a battle that not only threatens her survival, but also stretches the very fiber that holds her family together.

Can Georgia overcome the elements threatening to destroy her family? If not, can she adapt to the changes forced upon them and keep their love intact?

And how does an FBI investigation tie into Georgia’s plight?

A LIFE-CHANGING EVENT AND A MENTAL BATTLE THAT

CHALLENGES THE CORE OF FAMILY STRENGTH AND LOVE

Hope you enjoy the story! Please leave a review!

Books, Writing and Life

Hi everyone. It's been awhile, I know. But sometimes life gets in the way and that's what's been happening with me for the past several months.

First, I had knee replacement surgery on my right knee at Christmas time and went through extensive physiotherapy and healing. It takes up to a year for the inflammation and healing to complete. I'm halfway there now and so glad it is behind me. I am able to walk without canes or walkers and can do stairs and hills, albeit at a snail's pace.

Two months ago, we moved from the east side of the Island to the south end of the Island. A move we are happy with and has us closer to family. But during this period, my dear mother passed away at the age of 96. It was a blessing and she didn't suffer, but one is never prepared for these things, even though you know it's coming. 

The past six months took me away from my public writing life and led me into a personal life of introspection and spending time with family. The muse left me and I felt tapped out. But I'm back and eager to embrace my creativity once again. My last post revealed the release of Magnolia Tree, Book 1 of The Crossing Trilogy; a series of mystery/suspense, strong female protagonists and a touch of supernatural. I'm in the process of creating Book 2, Chameleon Games and am excited to be back in the game.

My debut novel, Winter's Captive, Book 1 of the Georgia Series is on special. The E-Book is FREE until the end of today only. So if you haven't read this story of one woman's struggle to survive alone and lost in a cold, northern wilderness, now is the time to download it for free. See below.

I'd like to once again thank all my readers around the world for their continued support; especially in Canada, US, Australia, Great Britain, France, Germany, India and Poland. You guys rock.

Visit me at my Facebook Author page HERE. #CreativiaPub

To the writers out there, Keep on Keeping on Writing!

https://www.amazon.com/Winters-Captive-Georgia-Book-1-ebook/dp/B077TGGYR6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529784430&sr=8-3&keywords=june+v+bourgo

***NOW AVAILABLE-MAGNOLIA TREE***

Hi everyone.

I'm excited and proud to reveal that my newest book is now available online in e-book and paperback formats, or can be ordered through your bookstore, or your local library can order it in.

Magnolia Tree, The Crossing Trilogy, Book 1 is a new series of  suspense, supernatural, family secrets, murder and love.

They say you can't go home again, but that's exactly what twenty-one-year-old Sydney Grey must do to solve the mystery of her teenage mother's disappearance twenty years previous. Returning to the vacant family farm, she intends to renovate and open a home-based business. Just as things are coming together, the discovery of her mother's journals, strange happenings, lost keys, and a relationship that opens a new set of problems put Sydney in danger. Can she survive a startling discovery?

Click HERE to check it out.

THE GEORGIA SERIES - ALL AVAILABLE AGAIN!

Hi everyone,

First I want to thank everyone who purchased Winter's Captive, Book 1 of The Georgia Series. It hit #1 in ebooks on Amazon, which in turn generated sales of Book 2 and Book 3. And I gained eight more reviews on Book 1 and two more reviews so far on Book 3. So appreciative.

The whole series is available again in ebook and paperback formats with my new publisher, Creativia. 

Please use this link HERE to check out all three books.

Currently, Magnolia Tree, Book 1 of The Crossing Trilogy is in edits with my publisher. I'll keep you posted as to it's availability.

Check out my Facebook page HERE. 

FREE EBOOK, WINTER'S CAPTIVE, BOOK 1, THE GEORGIA SERIES

Wishing everyone all the best in 2018. Hope you are happy, healthy, and find peace in your lives.

Just want to let you all know that Winter's Captive Ebook is available for FREE on promotion for two more days. If you haven't yet read Book 1 of The Georgia Series, here's your opportunity to download a free copy. 

Being lost in the wilderness can be a frightening experience; being lost, alone and pregnant in a vast winter wilderness could be a death sentence for city girl, Georgia Charles.

Thank-you to all of you who have already downloaded your copy and a big thank-you in advance to those of you who will. Very appreciated. It would be most helpful if you left an honest review with your thoughts of the book on Amazon and Goodreads if you use that platform.

To get your copy now, click HERE.  Enjoy!

New Beginnings

Hi everyone!

Just a quick note to let you all know that I am back. After a much needed hiatus, I'm writing again, have a new publisher, and am excited to let you know that The Georgia Series will be available again in e-book and paperback format. 

I'm pleased to have signed with Creativia Publishing, an international publisher and am excited to announce that Winter's Captive, The Georgia Series, Book 1 is now available as an e-book for FREE to Kindle Unlimited subscribers! The paperback is now available as well. 

To get your FREE e-book, a great addition to any Christmas Book, download here: http://mybook.to/WintersCaptive

All I want for Christmas is my readers to leave an honest review on Amazon.com to help get the word out. Thanks all. I'll be back to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

And to all the writers, keep on keeping on writing.

Check out my Facebook author page HERE