Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
2013
A new day, a new month, a new year.
Just checking in to wish all my readers a happy and prosperous new year.
My 2013 has started at a low point, so it can only get better LOL. First off, we had a great Christmas Day at my sister's house in Vancouver area. My mom came from the care home and my sisters and family celebrated our get together, one we haven't had for a few years. We are so grateful to have had this day with Mom who was having a 'good' day. We will cherish the memory.
Then came the accident. As the household headed to bed, my husband turned at the top of a steep stairway to say his goodnights, and facing back to the stairs, took a step out into mid-air, missing the top step. Fourteen stairs later, he found himself at the bottom lying on a tiled floor. Three broken ribs in his back and a punctured lung had him in the hospital for the rest of the holidays. My 'me time' to be spent finishing my sequel to "Winter's Captive" grew wings and flew away. My days were filled with hospital visits. But I am so grateful it wasn't worse.
The initial prognosis was that he would require surgery to repair his broken ribs and a tube in his lung, but he fooled everyone and started to heal on his own. New Year's Eve found me by his bedside watching Mr. Bean. A quiet and light-hearted evening, although it hurt him to laugh.
We arrived home to find our sewer had froze. Our water pipes into the house are heated so no worries there. So while hubby laid in bed feeling useless, I dug out the snow, removed the skirting, and crawled under the house to place a heater under the house to thaw the pipe. I trudged out a few times to adjust the heat temp as the breaker kept blowing. Then realized I needed to use a different outlet.
By this time, my jeans were snow-covered and frozen solid. I felt like Georgia Charles, my heroine in Winter's Captive. I sucked it up and stopped whining. The pipe finally thawed and all is well in our home.
When accidents like this happen at this stage of our lives and at our ages, it makes one reflect on just what we are doing, where we are heading, and think that maybe it's time to make the changes we have been talking about for awhile.
So my husband and I are heading into 2013 with a renewed, grateful spirit, determined to make the changes we think are for the best in our lives.
On a personal note, I WILL finish the sequel and get it published. Time to put some thought into novel number three.
To everyone out there, make 2013 your year to do the things you want to do and if you write, keep on keeping on writing.
Just checking in to wish all my readers a happy and prosperous new year.
My 2013 has started at a low point, so it can only get better LOL. First off, we had a great Christmas Day at my sister's house in Vancouver area. My mom came from the care home and my sisters and family celebrated our get together, one we haven't had for a few years. We are so grateful to have had this day with Mom who was having a 'good' day. We will cherish the memory.
Then came the accident. As the household headed to bed, my husband turned at the top of a steep stairway to say his goodnights, and facing back to the stairs, took a step out into mid-air, missing the top step. Fourteen stairs later, he found himself at the bottom lying on a tiled floor. Three broken ribs in his back and a punctured lung had him in the hospital for the rest of the holidays. My 'me time' to be spent finishing my sequel to "Winter's Captive" grew wings and flew away. My days were filled with hospital visits. But I am so grateful it wasn't worse.
The initial prognosis was that he would require surgery to repair his broken ribs and a tube in his lung, but he fooled everyone and started to heal on his own. New Year's Eve found me by his bedside watching Mr. Bean. A quiet and light-hearted evening, although it hurt him to laugh.
We arrived home to find our sewer had froze. Our water pipes into the house are heated so no worries there. So while hubby laid in bed feeling useless, I dug out the snow, removed the skirting, and crawled under the house to place a heater under the house to thaw the pipe. I trudged out a few times to adjust the heat temp as the breaker kept blowing. Then realized I needed to use a different outlet.
By this time, my jeans were snow-covered and frozen solid. I felt like Georgia Charles, my heroine in Winter's Captive. I sucked it up and stopped whining. The pipe finally thawed and all is well in our home.
When accidents like this happen at this stage of our lives and at our ages, it makes one reflect on just what we are doing, where we are heading, and think that maybe it's time to make the changes we have been talking about for awhile.
So my husband and I are heading into 2013 with a renewed, grateful spirit, determined to make the changes we think are for the best in our lives.
On a personal note, I WILL finish the sequel and get it published. Time to put some thought into novel number three.
To everyone out there, make 2013 your year to do the things you want to do and if you write, keep on keeping on writing.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
...TIS THE SEASON OR IS IT?
It's been awhile since I posted and my first thoughts were to sum up my year like I did last year.However, it seems to me a little self-centered to focus on me in light of the horrific events in Newtown, Connecticut. And it is hard to be in the spirit of Christmas without feeling guilt.
Living in a small village, I can imagine how hard this season will be for the residents of Newtown. Even those parents whose children survived, know the parents whose children did not. The children who survived have lost classmates and close friends. Some have lost relatives and neighbors. How do they act as if all is normal and celebrate the holiday season?
News stations, TV talk shows, radio talk shows, e-news, newspapers..everyone is talking about Newtown. Conversations about the incident quickly turn into debates for gun control and more stringent security, with talks of arming teachers (a thought that truly frightens me).
As a writer, I have always tried to stay apolitical and avoid taking a strong stand on the side of anything. My choice has always been to side-step controversy. I have never been a good debater, unable to push my voice forward and command the audience's attention. Today, I make an exception. Here on my blog I'm the speaker with no one to challenge me or out yell me. So I'm taking a stand.
I don't blame lack of gun control for what is becoming too common a tragedy. Gun registration keeps the honest people honest. The bad guys aren't going to register their guns and they don't buy them at a gun shop. If someone wants a gun for a bad deed they know where to get them underground. I also don't believe arming teachers is going to solve anything. First of all I can't see the average teacher wanting a gun, and unless they are outfitted with semi-automatic weapons, their hand guns will just be pea shooters in comparison. Teachers are a caring, supportive breed of human beings whose mission is about helping our children become better adults through education, social interaction, and mutual respect. For most teachers, this fundamental core of their nature would deter them from wanting to carry a gun, let alone shoot to kill...and shoot to kill they must if taking on a dysfunctional shooter determined to kill them.
The issue is a social one, full of complexities such our lack of support for victims of mental health; our obsession with the "American" dream; we're losers if we don't have enough money, aren't pretty or handsome enough, aren't famous, aren't educated enough, or don't have enough "toys". What's wrong with being a good person, who lives by the golden rule and treats those as they would like to be treated. There's a lot more satisfaction in being the best human being you can be as opposed to accumulating "things".
My thoughts are full of compassion and healing energy for the people of Newtown, Connecticut.
Just sayin...
Living in a small village, I can imagine how hard this season will be for the residents of Newtown. Even those parents whose children survived, know the parents whose children did not. The children who survived have lost classmates and close friends. Some have lost relatives and neighbors. How do they act as if all is normal and celebrate the holiday season?
News stations, TV talk shows, radio talk shows, e-news, newspapers..everyone is talking about Newtown. Conversations about the incident quickly turn into debates for gun control and more stringent security, with talks of arming teachers (a thought that truly frightens me).
As a writer, I have always tried to stay apolitical and avoid taking a strong stand on the side of anything. My choice has always been to side-step controversy. I have never been a good debater, unable to push my voice forward and command the audience's attention. Today, I make an exception. Here on my blog I'm the speaker with no one to challenge me or out yell me. So I'm taking a stand.
I don't blame lack of gun control for what is becoming too common a tragedy. Gun registration keeps the honest people honest. The bad guys aren't going to register their guns and they don't buy them at a gun shop. If someone wants a gun for a bad deed they know where to get them underground. I also don't believe arming teachers is going to solve anything. First of all I can't see the average teacher wanting a gun, and unless they are outfitted with semi-automatic weapons, their hand guns will just be pea shooters in comparison. Teachers are a caring, supportive breed of human beings whose mission is about helping our children become better adults through education, social interaction, and mutual respect. For most teachers, this fundamental core of their nature would deter them from wanting to carry a gun, let alone shoot to kill...and shoot to kill they must if taking on a dysfunctional shooter determined to kill them.
The issue is a social one, full of complexities such our lack of support for victims of mental health; our obsession with the "American" dream; we're losers if we don't have enough money, aren't pretty or handsome enough, aren't famous, aren't educated enough, or don't have enough "toys". What's wrong with being a good person, who lives by the golden rule and treats those as they would like to be treated. There's a lot more satisfaction in being the best human being you can be as opposed to accumulating "things".
My thoughts are full of compassion and healing energy for the people of Newtown, Connecticut.
Just sayin...
Monday, October 8, 2012
WORD ON THE STREET..FREE EBOOK AT LIBRARIES...HAPPY THANKSGIVING..SO MUCH TO SAY
So last weekend, my hubby and I travelled to Vancouver for the Word on The Street Book Festival. It was so much fun, great weather, lots of people, a few sales. I wish it could have been more for the other authors I represented at my table for our common publisher. Most people wanted to support the only BC author and I appreciate that. It was a wonderful experience. I talked to so many people about publishing, writing, ebooks, and finding that right publisher. And I noticed this week that visits to my webpage and my blog site have increased big time, as well as sales increased on Amazon Canada.
Our table was set up close to the main live stage which entertained us all with music, story telling, poetry, and readings from the BC Book Award winners. I was representing my publisher, Asteroid Publishing, Toronto, so I offered up books from other published authors of Asteroid's as well. See picture below. All in all a very positive atmosphere, and even ran into an old neighbour from Gibsons.
Our table was set up close to the main live stage which entertained us all with music, story telling, poetry, and readings from the BC Book Award winners. I was representing my publisher, Asteroid Publishing, Toronto, so I offered up books from other published authors of Asteroid's as well. See picture below. All in all a very positive atmosphere, and even ran into an old neighbour from Gibsons.
Preparing my table
***
For all of you ebook lovers out there, you now can get a free ebook download from your local library of my book, Winters Captive. If your library says they do not have it, tell them they can obtain a downloadable copy from EBSCO and Overdrive. Some American and Canadian Libraries already have it available.
Rachel Coldwell, a local rancher gives us this to ponder and I think it is so fitting for Thanksgiving: If you've food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep..you're richer than 75% of the world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace..you're among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. (Hmm...) If you woke up this morning with more health than illness..you're more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you've never experienced danger of battle, loneliness of imprisonment, agony of torture, or pangs of starvation..you're ahead of 500 million people in the world. If your parents are still alive and still married..you're very rare, even in Canada. If you hold up your head with a smile and are truly thankful..you're blessed because the majority can, but most do not. If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch their shoulder..you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing as someone is thinking of you and you're more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and pass this along to remind others how blessed we are.
***
Finally, it is Thanksgiving weekend for Canadians and I would like to share the following with everyone, Canadian or not. It says it better than I can.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and pass this along to remind others how blessed we are.
Keep on keeping on writing.
www.junebourgoauthor.com
Saturday, September 1, 2012
NATIONAL POST TOUTS "WINTER'S CAPTIVE" AS AN OBSCURE TITLE IN THE RACE FOR THE GILLER PRIZE
In wondering what my next post should be about, and thinking about featuring a fellow artist, the decison was taken out of my hands. I guess it will be all about me again.
I have my name and book name in Google Alert. Anytime my name or book is mentioned in Google anywhere, an email is sent to me and I check it out. Imagine my surprise last night when a Google Alert showed up telling me I was linked to the Giller prize.
Check out this article in Thursday's edition of the National Post.
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/08/31/the-giller-deflect/
Okay so a name mention isn't winning, short listing, or long listing (announcement on Tues Sept 4) but to be mentioned as an obscure title along with best selling author, Vincent Lam, in an article about the Giller Prize (One of Canada's prestigious literary awards)...I'll take obscure any day. Am I flying? Oh yeah!
As the article says, after the long list is announced, the other 214 eligible titles could slip into oblivion. I appreciate the fact, as I'm sure do all the other authors, that we are available for viewing on the Scotiabank Giller Prize website,
The past six months of marketing since my book was released has been exciting, yes...but also hard work and not always fruitful. But I keep slogging along because I believe in my story and what I think it has to offer my readers, in the hope that my efforts and that of my publisher, Asteroid Publishing Inc., will pay off.
As a family friend said, "Ironically, having your name mentioned might just bring your book out of its "obscurity". I can't think of a better plug for it." He's so right. So if after the long list announcement on Tuesday, my book disappears into oblivion, I will have had my "mention" in a Giller article. It's humbling and inspires me to keep on writing.
I have my name and book name in Google Alert. Anytime my name or book is mentioned in Google anywhere, an email is sent to me and I check it out. Imagine my surprise last night when a Google Alert showed up telling me I was linked to the Giller prize.
Check out this article in Thursday's edition of the National Post.
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/08/31/the-giller-deflect/
Okay so a name mention isn't winning, short listing, or long listing (announcement on Tues Sept 4) but to be mentioned as an obscure title along with best selling author, Vincent Lam, in an article about the Giller Prize (One of Canada's prestigious literary awards)...I'll take obscure any day. Am I flying? Oh yeah!
As the article says, after the long list is announced, the other 214 eligible titles could slip into oblivion. I appreciate the fact, as I'm sure do all the other authors, that we are available for viewing on the Scotiabank Giller Prize website,
The past six months of marketing since my book was released has been exciting, yes...but also hard work and not always fruitful. But I keep slogging along because I believe in my story and what I think it has to offer my readers, in the hope that my efforts and that of my publisher, Asteroid Publishing Inc., will pay off.
As a family friend said, "Ironically, having your name mentioned might just bring your book out of its "obscurity". I can't think of a better plug for it." He's so right. So if after the long list announcement on Tuesday, my book disappears into oblivion, I will have had my "mention" in a Giller article. It's humbling and inspires me to keep on writing.
To all my fellow competitors, good luck on Tuesday and keep on keeping on writing.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
"WINTER'S CAPTIVE" SEQUEL
Writing is such an elusive activity that is so tied to your emotions. One can feel empty and a failure or fulfilled and ecstatic at the accomplishment. Last month my creative pool was dried up, tapped out, painfully non-existant. This month the muse found me again. Well...I'M BACK!
Reading the above paragraph sounds like a description for manic depression or bipolarism, which I don't suffer from to my knowledge. But writing can feel like that at times. And I certainly hope I don't sound like I'm demeaning those who suffer with the any of these conditions. I can walk away and forget my writing for a while and gain a new perspective, whereas diagnosed sufferers have to deal with their symptoms on a day to day basis. They have my utmost empathy and respect.
My sequel to Winter's Captive, tentatively called Finding Georgia is coming to fruition. The story is in two parts. One more chapter and part one is complete. Two more chapters in part two with a little flushing out, and the book is complete. At least this book only took a little over a year and half to write, as opposed to the first one that took me nine years LOL.
I do believe the sequel will be the end of Georgia's journey. As much as I love Georgia Charles, who is my alter-ego and I hope the alter-ego of many women out there, I'm ready to move on to a completely new heroine, a new story with new twists and empowerment of a different kind.
Just for those who are in the nieghbourhood, I have a signing at Cole's Bookstore in Vernon, BC on Saturday, Augst 11th, Noon-3:00 p.m. Love to see you there.
Have a great week and those who write, keep on keeping on writing.
http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/
Reading the above paragraph sounds like a description for manic depression or bipolarism, which I don't suffer from to my knowledge. But writing can feel like that at times. And I certainly hope I don't sound like I'm demeaning those who suffer with the any of these conditions. I can walk away and forget my writing for a while and gain a new perspective, whereas diagnosed sufferers have to deal with their symptoms on a day to day basis. They have my utmost empathy and respect.
My sequel to Winter's Captive, tentatively called Finding Georgia is coming to fruition. The story is in two parts. One more chapter and part one is complete. Two more chapters in part two with a little flushing out, and the book is complete. At least this book only took a little over a year and half to write, as opposed to the first one that took me nine years LOL.
I do believe the sequel will be the end of Georgia's journey. As much as I love Georgia Charles, who is my alter-ego and I hope the alter-ego of many women out there, I'm ready to move on to a completely new heroine, a new story with new twists and empowerment of a different kind.
Just for those who are in the nieghbourhood, I have a signing at Cole's Bookstore in Vernon, BC on Saturday, Augst 11th, Noon-3:00 p.m. Love to see you there.
Have a great week and those who write, keep on keeping on writing.
http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/
Monday, July 2, 2012
POST CANADA DAY
Today, I've been reflecting on Canada Day and what that means. I'm lucky enough to live in a great country that allows me to be free. Freedom is multi-faceted and encompasses so much like freedom of speech, freedom to travel, freedom to vote (not only democratically, but as a woman), freedom to become whatever I choose to be, freedom to live where I want to live, freedom to follow my own belief system...it's endless.
Estentially what that means to me is freedom is to not have to do what I don't want to do, 'cause the only thing I have to do is die. Until then, everything else is optional.
I love my country, I love living in a beautiful province surrounded by raw nature...unpredictable, challenging...yes, but Mother Nature is constant and she's free.
On checking my visitor stats on my blog I have had visits from all over the world. I don't know who you are but I know what country you're from. This morning saw a huge jump in my blog visits. A big portion of those have come from a little country in Europe called Latvia. A nice surprise. Latvia is a small country on the Baltic Sea and borders Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Eastonia to the north. Probably about the size of Vancouver Island. They are an independent, democratic country of about two million people whose land mass is hugely raw, natural forests, undeveloped beaches, protected wildlife. I'm sure these people are fiercely proud of their country and heritage as I am of mine.
Yes, I'm a Canadian and proud to be one of its citizens. But living in my cyberspace world, I'm linked to people from all over the world just as proud of their citizenship. This has me reflecting if perhaps our fierce pride in our own little spot of the world can create an isolation. Cyperspace confirms we are all citizens of a global village. And if we believe we aren't alone on our little ball in the universe, then we are all citizens of the universe.
Yesterday, I wished my fellow Canadians a happy Canada Day. Today I wish my fellow citizens of the universe a happy Monday. Just sayin'.
And to all my cyberspace visitors, thank you for visiting me and next time leave a comment, so I know who you are.
All you writer's out there: Keep on keeping on writing!
http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/
Estentially what that means to me is freedom is to not have to do what I don't want to do, 'cause the only thing I have to do is die. Until then, everything else is optional.
I love my country, I love living in a beautiful province surrounded by raw nature...unpredictable, challenging...yes, but Mother Nature is constant and she's free.
On checking my visitor stats on my blog I have had visits from all over the world. I don't know who you are but I know what country you're from. This morning saw a huge jump in my blog visits. A big portion of those have come from a little country in Europe called Latvia. A nice surprise. Latvia is a small country on the Baltic Sea and borders Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Eastonia to the north. Probably about the size of Vancouver Island. They are an independent, democratic country of about two million people whose land mass is hugely raw, natural forests, undeveloped beaches, protected wildlife. I'm sure these people are fiercely proud of their country and heritage as I am of mine.
Yes, I'm a Canadian and proud to be one of its citizens. But living in my cyberspace world, I'm linked to people from all over the world just as proud of their citizenship. This has me reflecting if perhaps our fierce pride in our own little spot of the world can create an isolation. Cyperspace confirms we are all citizens of a global village. And if we believe we aren't alone on our little ball in the universe, then we are all citizens of the universe.
Yesterday, I wished my fellow Canadians a happy Canada Day. Today I wish my fellow citizens of the universe a happy Monday. Just sayin'.
And to all my cyberspace visitors, thank you for visiting me and next time leave a comment, so I know who you are.
All you writer's out there: Keep on keeping on writing!
http://www.junebourgoauthor.com/
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