Chasing Dreams

The world is full of responsibilities; some are forced upon you by your parents, others you take up because you feel a sense of duty or to please your families or friends. But what of your dreams? Do they fall by the wayside or are they kept close to your heart as you complete the mundane tasks that you have accepted as your fate, hoping that someday, somehow some small portion of them might reach fruition?
 
Very few people live the life they envisioned for themselves. Some know what it is they seek, while others desire something more, something special, something unusual, something magical.  I and others like me share a secret, our birthright, some might call it astral projection, though I'm not quite sure it is the right word. 
 
We appear to you like everyone else, while you see us toiling along, whether it be housework, or sitting alone at a desk in a hospital entering bits of code into a computer, our minds, our very souls, are elsewhere. We live vicariously through the thousands of people we've met in a land of our own creation or of the lands created by others with similar abilities.  
 
How sad it must be to only live once, to not see the wonders I see when all is quiet and I am at peace. Only yesterday, I spent my time with Erin Morgenstern as she told a tale of  a circus like none you have ever seen, a black and white circus that has come to be known by those who frequent it as The Night Circus.
 
Toward the end of her tale, she told of business card given to a patron as she left the circus just before dawn. The black and white card was said to contain just a few pieces of information.

Le Cirque des Reves

 

Mr. Bailey Alden Clarke, Proprietor 

 

bailey@nightcircus.com 

 

There are tales that when told leave you wanting more, the Night Circus is one of those rare few. With the evening coming to a close I changed and went off to bed only to be woken by a the hushed whispers of a voice concealed in the shadows of my mind. "Write Him." it whispered over and over again, it refused to be ignored.  

 

So at three minutes to midnight I sent the following..............

 

Dear Mr. Clarke,

 

It is with some apprehension that I write to you today, therefore I hope this communication is well received. I felt compelled to contact you and comment on a tale written by Erin Morgenstern regarding the events leading up to your eventual proprietorship of what has come to be known as the Night Circus. The account was nothing short of spectacular and is said to have been originally relayed by someone in your employ, a Mr. Winston Murray.

 

Though I have never had the pleasure of attending the circus myself, I have followed the writings of Herr Thiessen and adore it. Your Widget is a truly gifted story teller and through him I have envisioned the circus in New York, London and Massachusetts, as well as other cities. His detailed descriptions of the entire contents of the circus from the wishing tree and ice garden right down to the caramel apples was a delicious smorgasbord for the senses. Even as I was intoxicated by the smell of fantastically delicious cinnamon things I feared for the circus and distressed over the love shared between the Illusionist and Assistant and [mourned] the devastating losses of Miss Tara Burgess and Friedrick Thiessen.

 

Yours is a tale like no other,

Morrigan Aoife, Fellow Rever

 

 

I did not expect that my letter would reach the circus, however I was delighted to receive an immediate response. There are some story tellers that would not have been so diligent in the relaying of such minor details, but it is often those small details that make all the difference.

 

Thank you for your interest in Le Cirque des Rêves!

If you are inquiring as to the itinerary of the circus, we apologize,
but it is against our policy to disclose information about current or
upcoming locations.

Other inquiries will be responded to in as timely a manner as possible.

Cheers,
Erin

 

It is my sincere hope that I hear from Erin or Bailey again, but if the circus moves on and that never comes to pass I shall never forget the tale.

 

~Morrigan

 

 

 

 

 



 

Author Sarah J. Pepper

Today I'm highlighting the work of author Sarah J. Pepper.  So don't think of today's entry as a book review, but as more of a Gallery of Art containing multiple depictions of paranormal romance.



Words From Author Sarah J. Pepper

I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn't only filled with hugs, kisses, bunnies, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn't always on time, and the glass slipper doesn't fit. However, it doesn't mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?





(#1 of the Fate Trilogy)

Forgotten Excerpt:

“My death granted immortality.

With one look, I knew he’d be my undoing…”

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

     His chocolate brown eyes didn’t radiate with vengeance as he pressed a knife to my chest. They glistened with tears. His dark brown hair shimmered, like gold had been melted into each strand. The sight would’ve been utterly breathtaking if sand and sweat hadn’t dried into his hair as well. A bloody gash under his left eye interrupted his otherwise perfectly tanned skin.

      Burnt oranges, soft yellows, and deep reds surrounded the sun as it neared the horizon. My time was quickly slipping away. A hint of scorched wood piggybacked the wind while smoke crawled over the blood-soaked dirt.

      I reached up with my gnarled, weathered hand and gently stroked his face. Hiding in the sheer beauty of his eyes rested his tortured soul – screaming for forgiveness. His tears trickled onto my aged skin as he shoved the blade deeper through my chest. I struggled to breathe. My vision darkened at the edges.

Forgotten Trailer:



(Stand Alone)

Fallen Tears:

     Defiant and vengeful by nature, the Fallen were often the catalyst in destruction and mayhem of this world. Meddling with the humans’ lives, especially divine persons, was a pastime many enjoyed. However, that was before angels were recruited as Guardians, a millennium before I fell.

     Now, I was a Fallen – a wicked creature with no purpose and driven by an untamed urge to hunt. Filling the void left in our soulless bodies motivated many of us to play with humans. But the games we indulged in weren’t merry and innocent; no, we would partake in more torturous entertainment out of jealousy. For even though we wield infernal-powers, they have one thing we crave.

     Souls.

     An infinite number of days lay before me… if I chose it. There was always a choice. I could accept my fate and perish, or consume a human’s soul and live the length of their life. I’d chosen the latter. The last human soul I devoured glowed like a fireball inside my chest. Even though my body never aged, I grew older. Each passing day the soul I’d harvested faded a little more. One day it’d eventually begin to flicker and then never shine again. I would die. The Imbiber angel who’d consumed it would have one less glowing orb rippling through her hauntingly beautiful body. If that day came, the Jael and Neriah would know I’d finally perished.

     Until then, it was game on.

Fallen Tears Trailer:



(Book #1 of the Ringer's Masquerade Series)

Devil's Lullaby:

       In the darkest hours of my life the demonic spawn whispered the juiciest lie, tempting me to join him. My name rolled off his lips as if it was the basis for every lullaby sung, the motive for any sonata written, and the very reason a desperate man serenaded his muse. I caught my breath as he closed the gap between us, but he hesitated to embrace me. The memory of his fingertips as they caressed my cheek, and wiped my tears away nearly drove me into his arms. However, he promised me nothing of a happy ending. Our fate was foretold long before we breathed life into these bodies. I loathed that my heart craved him like a soul’s addiction yearning for life.

      As a pawn in his game where the rules constantly changed, I fought him—yet the outcome was still the same. The same spawn who nearly killed me when I was two now commanded my will. Studying me relentlessly for years, he knew what I couldn’t live without and thus gave me a choice. In one hand he held the truth—accompanied by agony, ecstasy, and his enslaving kiss. And in the other...my naïve death, my life’s purpose, and lies—sweet, beautiful, carefree lies.

     The dark shadows of his soulless gaze beckoned me closer..."Come to me."

     Losing myself in his midnight blue eyes, I wanted nothing more than to believe he could protect me from the deception that engulfed me. I gave myself up to him, sliding my hands up his chest. I ached for a taste of his kiss. He pulled me against his magnificent body. When his lips grazed mine our worlds collided to form one of our own.

 

Devil's Lullaby Trailer:

Sarah J. Pepper's Newest Release in the Ringer's Masquerade Series:

 Death's Melody



(Book  #2 of the Ringer's Masquerade Series)

To discover more about author Sarah J. Pepper and her many books please visit any of the sites listed below.

Twitter: sarahjpepper

Fate Trilogy facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FateTrilogybySarahJPepper?ref=hl

Ringer's Masquerade Page: https://www.facebook.com/RingersMasqueradebySarahJPepper?ref=hl

my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.pepper.754

Website: www.peppersreadingcorner.com

Youtube book trailer for Forgotten: http://youtu.be/_tyV8A5dUAE

Youtube book trailer for Fallen Tears: http://youtu.be/7fELALpOhQA

Youtube for Devil's Lullaby : http://youtu.be/1PCIuXeMuZU

GoodReads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5762464.Sarah_J_Pepper

List of all my novels both teen and adult: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/280926

Forgotten on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_17?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=forgotten%20by%20sarah%20j%20pepper&sprefix=forgotten%20by%20sara%2Caps%2C168&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aforgotten%20by%20sarah%20j%20pepper

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/forgotten-by-sarah-j-pepper?store=allproducts&keyword=forgotten+by+sarah+j+pepper

 

Pardon Me - Blog Settings Change, Darn Spammers!

Over the weekend spammers attacked the blog. Settings have been changed to reflect  registered users only in hopes that this minor change would deter unwanted comments and prevent  you from having to read "Male Enhancement Ads".

If you are unable to post in the comments section because of this change please contact me at
morriganaoife@gmail.com

Thank You.

Morrigan

P.S.  Please stay tuned, a second Entertaining blog post is almost finished and will be posted shortly.

Andrea Bunginsky - Author of My Open Heart

February 7th kicks off CHD Awareness Week, which takes place from February 7 - February 14. I can think of no better time then to share my friend Andrea Buginsky's book "My Open Heart" with all of you. Below Andrea takes us through how her story began and the trials she went through as a child living with a Congenital Heart Defect.

To get the week started, I’d like to share the opening of my autobiography, MY OPEN HEART.

I was born on March 10, 1975. I guess I decided to let everyone know just how challenging I was going to be right from the start because I didn’t breathe on my own when I was born. I had to be resuscitated. But after that, I was good to go.

When I was three months old we lived in New Jersey, and my parents wanted to take me on my first trip to Florida to visit family. My mom brought me to my pediatrician for my regular checkup and mentioned the trip to him. He said it would be fine, but let her know that he had been hearing a heart murmur, or “a sound,” since my birth. Just in case I needed to see a doctor while I was in Florida, he wanted to make sure she already knew so she wouldn’t be upset when another doctor asked her if I was born with “the murmur.” He told her it was caused by a hole in the heart, common in a lot of babies, and not to worry because these holes usually closed by the first birthday.

So off to Florida we went! My first airplane ride…not that I remember it, but how many kids get to fly when they’re only three months old? Pretty cool!

Five months later, the pediatrician could still hear the murmur and told my parents it would be a good idea to take me to a pediatric cardiologist and get the murmur checked out – just to be sure it wasn’t something more serious.

So I met my first cardiologist, Dr. Griffiths, at eight months. She was the first of many wonderful doctors I have had throughout my life. After Dr. Griffiths completed a full examination, an EKG and chest x-rays, she gave my parents her initial diagnosis: Tetralogy of Fallot with transposition of the great vessel (aorta), which means that my aorta is on the wrong side of my heart. Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth, including right ventricular hypertrophy, or a narrowing of the pulmonary valve; a ventricular septal defect, or a hole in the heart wall separating the two ventricles; an abnormal placement of the aorta; and pulmonary valve stenosis, or a deformed pulmonary valve causing the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs to be slowed.

Dr. Griffiths also told my parents that I had an amazing pediatrician because very few would have been able to hear my murmur from birth. She recommended that I have a heart catheterization (cath), which confirmed her diagnosis; she was dead on with her initial evaluation.

And so, my adventure began. Dr. Griffiths was the first of many cardiologists to take wonderful care of me over the years. I would like to thank all of my doctors, nurses, and paramedics who took such tender care with me over the last 35 years. Because of you, I'm here to tell my story.

Growing up with heart disease can be difficult, but it does not always have to alter your life course. MY OPEN HEART is written for young adults growing up with heart disease. It's meant to inspire them to chase their dreams, to show that they are not alone, and, perhaps, to help guide them through the maze of life with heart disease. Parents of children with heart disease and other chronic illnesses will find support and inspiration within this true story. We are not alone.

MY OPEN HEART, as well as my other books, is available in multiple formats on my website.

"CHD Awareness Week is an annual awareness effort to help educate the public about Congenital Heart Defects. Participants include individuals, local support groups, national and local organizations and congenital cardiology centers throughout the world!"

Heather McCorkel's New Release - The Dragon Empire

Today we're celebrating the release of Heather McCorkle's fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire! For today's stop Heather is answering the following question:

The world you created in The Dragon Empire is very elaborate. How did you keep track of everything?

Heather: I created a notebook and put everything about the world in it. I wrote up pages on each type of dragon, each island, each character, the different creatures and cultures, and even drew maps of the world. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!

B&N / Amazon / Goodreads

Here is a bit about it:

On Yacrana dragons are the advanced species. But advanced doesn't always mean civilized...

There's trouble in the Dragon Empire, the kind that could start a war between dragons and the races of people. Hidden factions of dragons believe they should rule the lesser races, not simply stand aside and allow them to develop as they will. Having lived so long in peace, the Emperors turn a blind eye, many oblivious that such attitudes even exist.

Despite being only an architect class, emerald dragon, Grendar is willing to risk banishment and death to stop that which his rulers refuse to see. The hope of peace lies not within the scaled breast of a dragon however, but within the hands of a group of people. But if the hidden factions have their way, these people won’t live to fulfill such a destiny. With a reluctant seer at his side, Grendar must leave his precious Empire for the outside world to save those that will one day save his kind.

While The Dragon Empire is for ages young adult and up, it does contain mild violence and some difficult subject matter. 

New Year, New Website, New Fan Page!

I've spent the last week or so trying to create a professional image. I've updated my profile information on a number of sites  like Google Plus and Twitter and also created a Face Book Fan Page .

Additionally, in this Tuesdays  Writers Chat  we discussed the value of a web presence. So I spent the remainder of  the week working on web graphics and  a new design for my website. I'm trying to make the official website more attractive to an audience of  middle grade and young adult readers. I hope I have succeeded in that goal. 

I'd be happy to have you over for a visit.
Feel free to comment and make suggestions on the New Web Site.

~Morrigan


P.S. These are new URLs, so you'll need to update your bookmarks or favorites to continue visiting!

Walt Disney - Disney World - The Magic Kingdom

On July 17, 1955 Walt Disney's first theme park, Disneyland, opened it's doors in Anaheim California.

To the people in attendance Walt Disney is quoted as saying...

"To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world."

 

~Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955, 4:43pm

 

 

 

Walt Disney died December 16, 1966. In spite of this, the Walt Disney Company continued to expand his vision in Lake Buena Vista Florida. The second park, Walt Disney World, opened on October 1, 1971.

Today, when  you hear a friend say "I'm going to Disney World"  it could mean that they are planning to visit any one of four theme parks: The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom or one of two water parks: Disney's Typhoon Lagoon or Disney's Blizzard Beach.

In celebration of our daughters 12th birthday (January 23) my husband and I took the twins, Selena and Sabrina, to the Magic Kingdom on January 19th 2013. This was their first visit to any of the Disney Parks due to the fact that both girls are autistic and have difficulty with the repeated bumping, pushing and sounds produced by large crowds of people, but also because instant gratification (no line waiting)  is a necessity if we, as their parents, plan to have a "good day."

Each stage of our trip needed to be carefully planned out to ensure the best possible outcome. I bought four of the Florida Resident 3 day park tickets for $509.96 online and reserved a room at the Knights Inn Maingate Kissimmee 7445 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, Fl 34747 (407) 396-4200 for the night of the 19th. Disney does not have printable tickets anymore so if you buy them online you will need to pick your tickets up at Will Call and you can expect to be standing in line for 20-30 minutes just to acquire them. Additionally, the hotel was fine for what we required however although it is one of the closest hotels to Disney World you may wish to make reservations at a more upscale hotel if you plan on staying for a while as the TV did not work and we had significant difficulty with our key card lock and door.

Why am I telling you all this? Well although my daughters birthday and the grand opening of the new Fantasy Land is a good enough reason, I'm telling you because I want to help other families like my own get the best experience possible. 

When we finally entered the Magic Kingdom, I made a short (10-15 minute) stop at the Town Hall and explained my unique situation to the cast member behind the desk. When I mentioned this was our first visit to Disney World, she handed over two buttons for the twins, when I said  the visit was for their 12th birthday two more buttons appeared.

 

 

I then explained that both my daughters were autistic and that they were wearing name badges with our name and cell phone number on them. She asked me about the nature of their disability and with out hesitation I told her that one of my daughters suffers from Pervasive Developmental Disorder and the other has Rhett's Syndrome. Neither of them like crowds, nor being touched, bumped or jostled around.  She asked me how many people were in our party (4) and then reached up under the desk and came up with two cards.  

 

Disney calls this the Guest Assistance Card. We were given one for each of our daughters in case we needed to split up for a period of time but unless you have two disabled children you'll likely only require one as long as there are no more then eight people to your party. Basically this card allowed us to use the "alternate attraction entrance" (the entrance wheelchairs use)  on rides and shows that have an alternate entrance... Not all do!  It's a Small World, Enchanted Tales with Belle, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Swiss Family Treehouse and Pirates of the Caribbean are among those that DO NOT.

 

Please Note: This does not grant you  immediate access to the rides. Most of the time there is still a line only shorter as many times the alternate entrance is the "Fast Pass Line."

 

Throughout the day we were able to take the girls to:

• The Walt Disney World Railroad
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (x)
• Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
• Jungle Cruise
• Pirates of the Carribbean (x)
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Tom Sawyers Island
• Haunted Mansion
• Peter Pan's Flight
• It's a Small World (x)
• Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mad Tea Party
• Space Mountain
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (x)
• Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
• Stitch's Great Escape
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor.

 

And for $52.00 additional dollars all four of us got to go to Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe for a burger, fries and a coke!

 

 



The list of things we accomplished in one day, is a great feat for any family dealing with a child with disabilities who is out of their comfort zone. While we did not get to see any of the parades, the character shows, the fireworks (which are a big no no for us)  or the electrical parade, our Guest Assistance Card truly helped make our day a memorable one, free of meltdowns and tantrums and for that my husband and I are most thankful.

We even brought home a few memories..

 

 

Even though I am a member of numerous autism groups, I am active in the disabled community and attend the Family Cafe and Governor's Summit on Disabilities in Orlando almost every year I had never heard of the Guest Assistance Card. I hope that in sharing our experience at Disney World, other families in our situation will have a similar pleasant experience.



Ushering in 2013

2013 started off with a bang. 

 

Meet the newest addition to our family, my grandson,

Jaxon Matthew.

 

Jax was born January 4th and although due to some medical complications he isn't home with us yet there are a plethora of things to do before he's carried through our door for the first time. Jax is expected to find his way home some time in March. Until then our family will be making two hour trips to and from All Children's Hospital to visit with him and my daughter Megan who has found lodging close to the hospital.

 

I have given my daughter my lap top and camera to use while she is away so we can keep in touch. Therefore, I can not currently write "on the fly" or even out of the confines of the 4 walls of my office. However I have a short story ready for the editor of Skipping Stones Magazine and  I am currently working an additional story that takes place in Oahu.

 

Many thanks to Shelly Tarmey, Operations Manager for the Lodges at Kaneohe Bay and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau for providing me with some geographic, cultural, and historical information that will lend itself to the completion of the story.

 

The one year Bloggiversary of the Power of Words on Paper (Jan 2nd) came and went virtually unnoticed by everyone, including me. I was preparing for Jaxon's arrival and was with Megan at the hospital and it never even crossed my mind that I should have been doing something to make it a big deal.  I suppose the only thing to do now is to continue building a fan base and plan for next year.  It's a shame though, Year One is gone and I would have liked to have found a way to thank those people who have supported me in my newest venture.

 

New Years also passed without a big fuss, but I assume that just like every year, New Years Resolutions were made and being that it is already the 14th of January at least 1/8 of you have given up on the prospect of loosing weight or quitting smoking.  No matter what change your trying to make to better yourself this year, have faith my friends.  Soldier on and keep fighting, it can be done.

 

I didn't have time to think of any Resolutions for the New Year with everything that was going on here at the time however now that I have had time to think, throughout the year I would like to ...

 

1. Muscle Train - I am planning a major surgery, a hip replacement, later this year and I need to be in better physical shape to aid in my recovery.

 

2. Post on this blog and my author Facebook Page, a minimum of 2x per week.

 

3. Complete NanoWriMo this year. Be it at camp in the summer or in November.

 

4. Cut the fat! No I'm not talking about my weight, I'm talking about the people who weigh you down. The non supportive people, people  who just take and never give, the ones who expect you to do everything for them and never lift a finger. I need a better outlook on life so...... Ya me despido! ( It's time to say goodbye. )

 

5. To take time with my husband,  plan a trip, go fishing, discover a new hobby  or pick back up a forgotten one. Our children are 22, 19, 15, and soon to be 12 and 12.  With the exception of the youngest of the lot, it is certainly time they become independent and run their own lives.  

 

Those five things shouldn't be to hard to do. I know there will be times when I fail but that's the thing about Resolutions they make us reflect on ourselves, something we seldom do as a people, and then compel us to try and and improve our own faults.  The journey is often just as important as the accomplishment.

 

So what were your Resolutions for this year?