Loss of Faith in Humanity and Power of Media to Lift Spirits

In today’s world it seems more and more people are losing their faith in humanity as a whole.  It is not difficult to understand why this has happened.  News channels constantly bombard with stories of crime, war, and disease.  The financial crisis that began in 2008 has touched almost every life in the United States and untold numbers of people around the world.  Many people have lost jobs, homes, and hope.  

Loss of faith in humanity is not a new phenomenon.  The great physicist Albert Einstein said in his era that “perfection of means and confusion of ends seems to characterize our age.”   One example of a loss of humanity people today are all too familiar with are those who witness an injustice and do nothing – except take a video of it with cell phone cameras to post online.  This, too, is not something limited to our age.  Einstein also commented on this issue, saying that “the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

Fortunately, television and movies can have a positive effect on a person’s faith in humanity as well.  Television series such as Touched by an Angel and Highway to Heaven helped depressed or troubled people and showed there is still goodness in human kind.  There are few people who have not at least heard of the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, where a kind-hearted man falls into despair but has his faith renewed.

Through the years, the written word has also had a powerful influence, and often times authors can have a profound effect on the opinion of the masses.  The author of Charlotte’s Web, was a strong supporter of a writer’s duty to uplift the human spirit.  In 1973, the author received a letter that spoke of the letter writer’s loss of faith in humanity.  The author’s response is a testament to the power of the written word to uplift:

         As long as there is one upright man, as long as there is one compassionate 

         woman, the contagion may spread and the scene is not desolate.  Hope is the thing 

         that has left us, in a bad time.

Now, more than ever, people need uplifting prose to remind them why humanity is not a lost cause. Lisa Boucher’s Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is just such a manuscript.  Flo and Mo Brown, the main characters, are an elderly couple who have seen their share of adversity.  Their only son died as a teenager.  Flo has a deformed eye from a car accident.  Yet through all this, Flo has never lost her faith in Jesus or her love for Mo… and oh yeah, a love of cheese puffs.  Mo is a bit more jaded, but Flo has a way of making him see the best in most things.  When Flo wins on a scratch off lottery ticket, there are so many things they could do, but Mo has an idea.  He wants to take Flo to a TV doctor in California for plastic surgery on her eye, and the two set out from Indiana for an appointment in California.

But, as with real life, the couple is often sidetracked along the way.  In every place they stop, they find people in need – some financially, some spiritually – and Flo being who she is cannot help but help them.  Mo is wise enough to follow Flo’s lead, sometimes leading to new outlooks on life.  Every person Flo touches is uplifted and has at least a little faith in humanity restored thanks to her kindness.  In the end, Flo learns a great lesson about herself and how often the only limitations people have are those they put on themselves.  

Jesus, Mo and Cheese Puffs is available in Kindle edition on Amazon - click here

Mommy Porn: eBook Proliferation Leads to Rise of a New Genre

Although the erotic romance genre has been around for a while, the category seems to have picked up in recent years with the advent of ebook technology. The best part about today’s EE romances i.e. electronic erotic romances is that one can enjoy them without having to endure the cashier's smirks at the bookstore or the uncomplimentary furtive glances of your fellow commuters at your book’s adults-only cover. Even the sauciest, steamiest, and most sensual novels with high-resolution imagery can be downloaded in the privacy of your ebook reader in the middle of a crowd, with no one noticing anything – unless, of course, you react to the titillating words and have an orgasm right there on the moving train. 

Interestingly, some of the hottest erotic romances that are making waves these days are coming from some very talented new authors. These aren't your conventional bodice-ripper paperbacks; neither are they "50 Shades of Grey," with its somewhat cringe-worthy BDSM scenes and degrading slave contracts. The newest sensual romances are tender, sweet, and yet sexy enough to earn the dubious classification of mommy porn.

Yes, hot and sexy is the popular sentiment among today’s erotic romance writers. The hotter and sexier, the better.

This summer, the rise in ambient temperature is matched by the sizzling-hot-and-sexy newly released romance series Private Emotions, written by the up-and-coming British author Elize Amornette.  

The series opens with "Appointments," where we get to know young Emily Harris, who starts a chain reaction when she meets her best friend for coffee. That innocent meeting with a friend leads to series of events resulting in her being engulfed in a haze of love, romance, and sexual discovery with Ethan Sterling.

Emily’s trust in Ethan finally gives her the courage to break free from the chains that have suppressed her sexually all her life – but at what cost?  In Book 2, "Invitations," young Emily has fallen madly in love with Ethan but is forced to confront her inhibitions again and again, as Ethan continues to push beyond her boundaries. 

In Book 3, "Promises," it appears that Emily has finally found her zone of comfort. She now feels confident that there are no surprises left, sexual or otherwise, with Ethan. How solid and unshakeable is her newfound confidence? Will Ethan be able to still surprise her nonetheless? 

A delightfully sexy and sensual series, the Private Emotions trilogy is a thoroughly engrossing read. The story is well written, with engaging characters and a lively plot that propels you to the end as if there will be no 6 a.m. alarm in the morning. 

The Kindle and print editions of the Private Emotions series are available at Amazon.com,  Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, Amazon India, and other national Amazon sites. 

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The Benefits of Keeping Track of Your Life

Days pass by really quickly. Before you know it, the week is gone, the month has passed, and the year has ended.

Some people choose to keep track of their life, be it through a blog, a diary, a picture book - whatever that person feels is an appropriate recording of their days. Keeping track of your life actually has several benefits, all of which could push you to start doing so or to start doing a better job at it.

1. Look back. The simplest benefit, but it should not be taken for granted. Looking back on the awesome things that have happened could inspire you. On the other hand, looking back on the not-so-awesome things could hurt, but it could also give you more drive to succeed in the next stages of your life.
2. Clarify things. While keeping track of your life, be it through words or pictures, you get to study all the intricate details of your days. You learn to realize that if it wasn’t for this thing that happened last week, this thing wouldn’t have happened today. You see the bigger picture of everything that’s happening around you, not just what you remember as you go to sleep every night.
3. Record lessons. So this is a great place to hang out. So this person shouldn’t be trusted. So this is how you do this awesome thing. The lessons of life, from the most mundane to the most profound, become so much more important when you’re able to remember them. Because what’s a lesson learned if you don’t use it, right?
4. Share to the world. This is the last benefit and the most important. Why would anyone be interested in my life, you ask? Well, it’s because it’s yours. Not mine, not his, not hers. Only you go through it, and only you understand it the way that you do. It’s a mystery to everyone else – and that’s what makes each person’s life most interesting.

“Inspirer: Poetic observations” by Allen Vaysberg is one such sharing of a person that kept track of his life – but instead of an everyday account or an album of pictures, he uses the power of poetry to share his life to the world.

“Inspirer: Poetic observations” is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

The Thrill of the Spider’s Dance

Environmental disasters have always been the worst kind of catastrophe: The environment gets destroyed, the people suffer, companies lose millions upon millions, and the government is forced to extend a lot of resources to have the disaster neutralized.

But what if an environmental disaster is actually part of a deliberate scheme? What if someone intends to gain from such a horrific tragedy?

“Spider’s Dance,” by Will Graham, is a fast-paced thriller that features the orchestration of an environmental disaster for personal gain.

Nicholas White, the protagonist and a computer security and forensics consultant, is sent by his company to investigate an oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. What is deemed to be the worst environmental disaster of the millennium becomes several shades darker when White notices patterns that suggest that the explosion of the oil rig was not unplanned.

White is then thrust into a complex web of deceit and death as he unravels a mystery that dates back to the Holocaust, back to World War II.

The story, though very suspenseful, is also filled with wit and humor that is tirelessly incorporated into every chapter. White and all the characters jump out of the page, pulling you into this masterful thriller.

The fear that you experience while reading the book feels so real, and that’s probably because you know, as with other real-world thrillers, that such a scenario could actually happen. Graham blurs the line of fact and fiction with his impeccable writing that keeps readers completely immersed and involved in the challenges White goes through and all the forbidden knowledge he uncovers.

“Spider’s Dance” makes you ask how far things can be taken in the grand scheme of the world. Amidst the complicated world of oil and in the memorable but painful history of World War II, Graham shows you how far – and how deep.

“Spider's Dance” is currently available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Click on the link to preview the book or download your own copy.

The Beauty of Modern Conversation

Fraser Sinclair’s New York Exchange: The Parachutes in Between is an insightful look into the lives and minds of two endearing individuals as they go on with their daily lives. The book uses a familiar style - telling the story through communications between the characters - but Sinclair does it with a unique blend of humor and mystery that keeps its readers looking forward to what's next in the messages between George and Lauren.



This book illustrates how readers can still appreciate a well-crafted story that’s brought to life by well-imagined characters. New York Exchange: The Parachutes in Between is a light read that shows just how beautiful modern conversation can be.

A Good Kindle Short Thriller Such as "Getting Gone" Is Like an Espresso

A Kindle "Short" is a new emerging trend made possible by the digital ebook revolution. A growing number of authors have chosen to express their creativity by publishing short books - equivalent to 40 to 100 printed pages. This trend span across  an genres and include essays, memoirs, narratives, and short fiction.

I like Kindle "shorts" - For me to enjoy a good quality book, it does not need to be a million words. They are the Espresso of the book world, full punch of a coffee cup packed in 2 oz. 

"Getting Gone" is such a book. A thriller I could enjoy in two sittings - a ride to San Francisco and back on the train.   In this gripping "revenge of the nerd" story, an ex-CIA operative foresees her possible death at hands of rogue spies and leaves enough clues for her autistic genius inventor husband to avenge her death.  And this communication from the dead is not done using any super secret classified encryption, but  use of everyday technology. 

Loved the book. You can download this inexpensive, gripping short thriller for $0.99  (£0.77 in UK) at Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and other Kindle Stores.

The Guardian of Genghis Khan's Tomb: New Historical Fiction Novel Unearths Fictional Secret of Great Khan’s Empire.

- Press Release - 

 

For Immediate Release

Valrico, FL – Even though he died almost nine hundred years ago, the legacy of Genghis Khan has always remained very much alive. With both his life and death capturing the attention of audiences young and old, a gripping new novel by Michael B. Hickland is about to become as timeless as the Great Khan himself.

‘TheGuardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb’ is a unique historical fiction novel that focuses on the Emperor’s post-life influence.

Synopsis:

Since 1227, finding the Tomb of Genghis Khan has been the obsession of tyrants, adventurers and treasure hunters. All have failed to find it. It is a Genghis Khan fact that, looking at a map today, he had conquered a geographic area which would include 30 countries and 3+ billion people. The legend says that, in order to keep his tomb’s location secret, Genghis Khan slaughtered hundreds if not thousands of his captives after they had been forced to dig his burial site.

He had amassed untold wealth with enormous quantities of jewels, gold and silver from his conquests that are believed to be buried with him. So why hasn’t his crypt been found in almost eight hundred years? In The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb, the Great Conqueror extracts a sacred oath from a special advisor. It binds both this trusted counsellor and his family forever to protect the tomb and the most immense treasure ever known. Now, in a remote Asian river valley, a beautiful English scientist’s chance discovery of an ancient artifact tied directly to Genghis Khan ignites a furious race among China, Russia and the United States to find that crypt.

The stakes are huge, putting the young woman along with her American sponsor at the centre of the confrontation. Can The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb manage to keep the grave site safe and his beloved country, a fledgling democracy, from being overrun? Or will war break out between the world’s Superpowers? Michael B. Hickland’s e-novel is a fast paced historical fiction thriller full of turns and twists.

As the author explains, his narrative will appeal to an eclectic audience.

“Like Ken Follett, Dan Brown, Cussler action with Indiana Jones/Lara Croft thrown in? You'll love this ebook. It’s a story that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Hang onto your hats!” says Hickland.

Since its release, rave reviews have been flooding in from around the nation.

“Well written, excellent characters and an amazing story will keep you turning page after page. You'll both be anxious to get to the end and dreading it because you won't want the story to end,” commented one reader, reviewing the book on Amazon.

Another reader, Valerie, was equally as impressed – “I adore books such as this and this book delivers with a great tale of a powerful leader, his hidden treasure, an ancient protector with three world powers all after the same prize over generations!”

With demand for the book increasing, interested readers are urged to purchase their copies as soon as possible.

‘The Guardian of Genghis Khan’s Tomb’ is available from the following outlets (click on the link):

• Kindle Store at Amazon.com
• UK Kindle Store  
• Barnes & Noble 
• Song 
• Kobo 
• e-Sentral 
•  

More information can also be found at the book’s official website. 

Skip the commercial at the beginning and see the Guardian of Genghis Khan 60 Sec You Tube Promo below. You'll like it!

What is a Heightened Awareness?

By Guest Blogger Kate Burke,  Author of Noticing Nature’s Intriguing Inspirations


For some time the eastern teachings have known there is a deeper ‘sense of sensing’. Some may call it a ‘presence of awareness’, spirit, soul, stillness, silence, or simply a quite with mind or thought, even emotional intelligence. I happened to be fortunate enough to learn from western teachings which would have really originated from the east. The terms used were presence of awareness, “beingness” and “isness”, meaning it “just is’ what it is. Yes, we can be aware. Yet, “awareness” suggests something beyond ‘aware of’.

So what is “heightened” awareness? In my experience, and I can only really write on my experience, it is really aiming to write on the ‘non-descript’ which may be why there are so many differing words for it. It needs no words to be, just as the blue sky needs no control to be what it already is, nor does it need to control. It seems fair to honour that “awareness” is non-descript and allow each to discover this intriguing nature that’s born within. Some have suggested a non-suffering. Could they be so bold? Well, they have been, Nisargadatta Maharaj, sage from India, for example!

Words or visuals are all thought and perception, yet “being” that awareness that already is born within takes it a step further for exploring an unlimited potential from the inside.Whether that ‘awareness’ is noticed or not, it is there for emotions to move and flow in, on and through. Also, I noticed when I tuned into what is actually here in this moment, rather than “what was” and “the past”, I was much more naturally open and free on an internal level. Beneath is an outrageous joy, and a softness that seems at the deeper true nature of the being. Once, again when allowing the self to discover its own truth beyond what it thinks it truly is, the real nature can be explored internally. What is it that is aware of ‘thinking’? Are you that awareness? Could you welcome and notice that!

That present ‘beneath the surface’ beauty of ‘being’ what you already are, remains just like ‘the clear of clearest’ movie screens upon which the story of life is played upon. If you are open to it, with your mind and heart, you may well discover a ‘greateness’ from deeper within allowing for your infinite nature to be noticed as what it truly is, a freedom beyond any words or pictures whilst still being that exquisite ‘awareness’, in any moment and beyond ! Enjoy the ebook Noticing Nature’s Intriguing Inspirations. I certainly did and do, when in that moment and beyond!

The ebook is available at amazon.com and is dedicated to “thrivors” of sexual assault and rape.

Thank you Lester Levenson, and Hale Dwoskin, from The Sedona Method. The teachings which unravelled “a heightened awareness”. Thank you J. Canfield, Breakthrough To Success Event, where I was first introduced to many resources which expanded who and what I truly am!

Kate Burke http://www.kateburke.weebly.com