Marilyn Celeste Morris and Her Courageous Fight

  
Marilyn Celeste Morris has been on a virtual book tour this month and is now stopping at Paperback Writer to share with us her book, Diagnosis: Lupus: The Intimate Journal of a Lupus Patient. Her struggle to find a diagnosis for her symptoms took her 5 long years to diagnosis. Marilyn shows a courageous strength and determination and it is shown througout the advice in her book.

And my treatment took a very long time, and brought with it, not the expected relief of pain, doubt, fear and anger, but Four (Other) Horsemen of This Disease:  Weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and vasculitis.  I must also add clinical depression, job loss, loss of income, foreclosure, lining up for food stamps, medicines and other Public Assistance services.  I was truly humbled when I picked up my handicapped parking tag, food stamps and vouchers.  I was infuriated by low-level clerks who used their positions of power to assert their superiority over me, verbally slapping my wrists, and at one point, one even shaking her finger at me, yet I had to submit in order to get whatever assistance they could offer. 

I had a meltdown in my parish priest’s office, confessing that I needed financial help; I had a true gasping-for-air, snot-slinging hissy fit in the college library when I was told I might not be able to complete my schooling.  And all this time, I tried to reassure my family and friends that I would not, could not, leave this crappy world via my own hand, even though I admitted, however, I would just like to lie down and die.

That’s what this disease did to me.

This is what this disease did for me.

I learned there is a God, and I’m not Him/Her.

I learned that God loves me as much as he loves you. 

I learned I’m not perfect, never have been, never will be, and that’s okay.

I learned that this disease is not a punishment for “sins.”

I learned how to ask for help.

I learned how to be grateful for and accept that help.

I learned that things are merely objects, that money is simply a means to an end, and not      the be-all and end-all of life.

I learned the difference between needs and wants.

I learned to surrender, to “Let go and let God.”

I learned that expectations are only pre-meditated resentments.

I learned not to discount the message because of the messenger.

During the last two week of her book tour some of the comments that have been left at the sites show the same strength. A few of the comments are shown here;
Marilyn, you have taken a personal challenge and used it as a way to help other face the same issues. You compassion is amazing. You ability to help others is what makes you special. Theresa Chaze
Let me just tell you that I was crying the whole time while I was reading her book, I see myself in every page.  Emmy Rose
It’s obvious that you’re a courageous person with a lot of wisdom to share with others. Good luck on your tour. I’m trailing along with you. Author, Jim melvin
I hope my experiences inform you, strengthen you, and give you hope.
Diagnosis: Lupus: The Intimate Journal of a Lupus Patient is available at www.PublishAmerica.com, Amazon.com and other online bookstores, or your local bookstore may order for you.
 

A Blog’s Makeover

Dear Reader,

One day my blog and I were feeling blue and really blogged down. We had a little chitchat (ha! ha!) and decided that we were restricted in being a writers notebook when the blog had expanded to become so much more. Quite literally we felt that we were stuck in a rut, so the only thing to do was to get a complete makeover.

So, with a nip and tuck here and there and a little bit of liposuction, botox injections and a new warddrobe this blog is new and improved.

• New name; Paperback Writer, the title is less restrictive than Chitchat and All That and focuses on the new pathway. Being a tour coordinator with Pump Up Your Book Promotion and a Freelance Writer has expanded my horizons and I’ve enjoyed each author interview at the blog. 
• New design; sort of the same width as a paperback book. Makes you feel like you’re reading one. Now, if only the blog would allow you to actually turn the page rather than reading down the screen. To me that’s still the most annoying thing about computers, having to scroll down to read.
• Comments link;  is now easier to see. This blog is here for you, the reader,  so I invite you to leave a comment.
• New date;  it’s a bold as the day sitting in the left corner 
• New tags;  if you can’t find the blog in the future, you might remember one of the tags and can search that way.

Posts that remain the same will include;

• Word of the Day;  this has gotten some great comments. Nothing can advance my writing more than challenging myself to find books that provide new words outside of my vocabulary.  
• Question of the week; this will be featured on a weekly basis 
• Featured authors;  will continue to be spotlighted and maybe we can get some more authors to stop by.

I invite you to visit often and leave comments.

Happy Halloween and Happy Reading!

Author Interview with Shobhan Bantwal

     Join us here tomorrow when our featured debut author Shobhan Bantwal will be joining us. Shobhan is the author of the Dowry Bride and this is her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.  Shobhan will be talking about her book and the dreaded phase that she went through going from unpublished to published author. She admits that it should have been a time of excitement and celebration but she dreaded the public relations and marketing which are usually associated with cold calling and getting the door slammed in one’s face.  Well, she’ll certainly be surprised when our interview proves to be effortless, she won’t even realize that she’s marketing herself and her book.

THE DOWRY BRIDE SYNOPSIS:One sultry night, Megha overhears an extraordinary conversation. The voices speak of a plot to murder her for failing to produce the promised dowry. Megha is horrified when she realizes her husband and his mother are plotting to kill her! In the moment of panic, she runs for her life. Frantically racing through Palgaum’s deserted streets, her single goal is to escape death by fire.

With nothing but the sari she wears and a memory of kindness, Megha finds her way to Kiran, the one man who has shown her friendship and respect. Hiding her in his apartment, Kiran becomes her protector. But the forbidden attraction that grows between them can only bring more danger.

Caught between their conservative Indian culture and the truths buried in their hearts, a dowry bride and the man who loves her will discover the real cost of the only things worth having in life…

8 Things To Know About Me!

I got tagged by Jen Nipps, from Creatif to carry on this post in the blogsphere.

http://jensorganizedwriter.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/bonus-post-8-things-about-me/

What can I tell you about myself and my writing that won’t bore you to tears.

1. I recently joined Pump Up Your Book Promotion Public Relations Agency. This is an online agency that promotes authors and their books with virtual book tours. In the short time that I’ve been with this company it has been great. I’ve been learning the ropes and let me just say that the PR business is a very fast moving and exhilirating environment to work in. If you’re an author and are interested in taking a virtual book tour check out Pump Up here; http://pumpupyourbookpromotion.com

2. It has always been a dream of mine to have a writing career that would financially and emotionally support me. Recently, I have moved that dream into the goal category and have begun to make an action plan and timeline for it.

3. When the time comes that I can see my writing as being a succesfull paid venture then I can leave the Corporate Business world behind. Hip, Hip, Hooray!

4. I have always loved the written word and how the great literary authors can just make the words sound effortless.

5.  I’ve had two short stories published in two anthology e-books, they’re available here at this site. Love is in the Air, A Valentine’s Day free e-book. My short story, Dad’s Tips on Love and Marriage, (5 Answers to Those Questions a Woman Asks in Marriage).   My previous short story was in the Christmas 2006 anthology, The 12 Days Of Writersville, and is a twist on a familiar old tune.

6.  I write and drive at the same time and while they haven’t outlawed this yet, I wouldn’t advise trying it unless you’re really good at writing blindly. Place the notebook on your lap and with your eyes on the road, scribble your thoughts on the page before you without looking down at it. The deciphering part of what you scribbled is the fun part. 

7.   I would be love to meet Nora Roberts or actually her imagination. With over 100 books in print she must have a very vivid one.

8.  I am overly ambitious person and a I possess a drive to accomplish all that I can. I have this quote posted on my computer screen. “Either you decide to stay in the shallow end of the pool or you go out in the ocean.” Christopher Reeve, Actor (may he rest in peace).

Now, I have to tag 8 other writers to carry on this post;

eavesdrop writer,  http://eavesdropwriter.blogspot.com

Rock Stories, http://www.rockstories.blogspot.com

Helen Ginger, www.helenginger.com

Victorya Chase Goes To Therapy, http://victoryachasegoestotherapy.blogspot.com

Terrence Culkin on Writing, Poetry, New York, http://www.terrenceculkin.com

Into the Inkpot, http://www.intotheinkpot.com

Word Strumpet, http://www.wordstrumpet.typepad.com/word_strumpet

To Live and Write in L.A., http://360.yahoo.com/rebecca.camarena

Don’t Break The Chain, Happy Posting!
 

Funeral for a Friend

At first when you hear it, it sounds like glass crunching under boots, crunch, crunch, crunch, only it doesn’t go away and you fear the worst. Then it stops and you breathe a sigh of relief. You won’t know it at this point, but the next key that is pushed is the deadliest move ever. The computer screen goes black and white text appears, it reads;

Physical dump of hard drive is in progress.

You find yourself staring at the screen in a panic and thinking Oh no! this can’t be happening. You begin to wonder when was the last time that you actually backed up the computer? 

Text appears on the screen and you’re praying everything has fixed itself and life will return to normal, instead the text on the screen reads;

Physical dump of hard drive is complete.

You turn it off, then on again and now you’re just hoping much like a doctor does when trying to retrieve a patients heart beat, but instead the patient flat lines. The computer screen says no hard drive can be found. A dozen or so times of hitting the F1 button and still the same message appears.

Realization begins to set in, that it’s gone and nothing you can do will ever bring it back. You glance at the clock and note the time. Time of death 5:10 p.m.

Goodbye old friend.