“Tell us about your book” – Day #Books #MFRWAuthor #amreading #mustread

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Time to shine everyone

I’m still trying to return to something like a routine, in life as well as online. I remember this one used to be a popular post …. feel free to share and add your books.  ♣

The blog is open today for everyone to post a purchase link to

a- the book you’re currently reading – or
b- the book you have just read – or
c- your favourite book – AND
d- your own book.

Please don’t go overboard with the invitation and keep the links to a maximum of four!

As for me:

I’m currently reading: “In the Woods” by Tana French 

My favourite book (still) is: Cecelia Ahern “If you could see me now”

I haven’t had a new release in a while because of my illness, but do give my book NEW BEGINNINGS a try. The story is set here in Australia, and I hope to release the second book in the series very soon!

Everyone post away, so I can choose my next book:-)

When #Cancer knocked at my door ~ #breastcancer #staypositive #health

Wow … what a roller-coaster ride!

I’ve been wondering whether or not to publish this post, because it has nothing to do with me as an author, but then again, it has all to do with me as a person which defines who I am as an author.

A couple of months ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Scary thought. Especially as the mammogram came up clear, the ultrasound was not clear, and it was only the biopsy that confirmed the bad news.

Since then … I’ve been in this fast flow of rapids and haven’t had a chance to catch a breath. First I had a couple of scans which were all clear – THANK GOD. I had surgery early November to remove the lump and a lymph node. Again, I thought luck was on my side with the lymph node coming up clear as well. I prepared myself for radiation …

But luck wasn’t on my side. The actual tumour was big and aggressive resulting in my first chemo treatment yesterday. I’m doing well considering the stuff they pumped into me. Getting the needle into one of my veins was actually the worst part. To be honest, it wasn’t as easy as I’ve read it’d be. It was uncomfortable and the second dose of meds was a bit tough to take in. My wonderful friend gave me a recording of a meditation which was a lifesaver! I have been reasonably well since then, though, with the occasional wave of nausea, but nothing serious.

The worst thing for me, though, is the thought that I’ve got the medication, the poison that destroys so many of my good cells, inside me. I’m having a hard time to cope with this.

But my small family, my mum and my sisters, friends, neighbours, colleagues, the doctors, the nurses, and even strangers have been such a wonderful support, I feel I am in good hands.

So what lies ahead of me?

Christmas!

I want to have a wonderful Christmas with my husband and my girls who have been my rock, my best friends, my support, my everything over the last few weeks.

And then … well then we take 2017 as it comes. Each day at a time.

Have a wonderful Christmas season everyone … and don’t forget to count your blessings ♥♥♥

Love to you all.

#Writer or #Storyteller? @_Iris_B #Blog


I wrote this blog for my publisher a few years back, but thought it’s still applicable – so I thought I’d share. Comments appreciated 🙂

Writer or Storyteller?

“To be or not to be “ ….. Now I’m not here to tell you that there’s difference. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t dare. I’m not Wikipedia. But in my humble opinion, yes there is one. See, when people come up to me and ask whether I’m an writer I’m always tempted to tell them I’m a storyteller.

I’m not a writer. For the life of it, I cannot sit down and just write, may it be a story, blog or even a letter. I need the “right moment”typewriter, most of the time it’s the “right music” that makes me wonder off into a daydream – and bingo! I’ve thought about how the next scene for my story could be. I don’t plot, I don’t develop characters, I just write down my words. So, I’ve got the music, I’ve got my laptop and jot it down. Easy and straight forward. After a few months I’ve got a really nice story and I ask friends for their opinion – luckily they’ve always liked it so far. Now comes the part writers do from the very beginning: my story now needs to be polished with “show not tell”, with the right POV and to bring a “flow” into the sentences. Then you send it off to a pro Editor for more polishing.

Now for me a writer has learnt these talents (or they even come naturally to them) –  They can show the character’s heart is aching in a way that the reader is searching for their tissues to wipe a tear. They describe the scene so subtly you don’t notice the words, but you have the picture right in front of you. They have the hang of the POVs. They know where they want the story to go to and they know how to get there. Read a good book, not necessarily a bestseller, and concentrate on just those points and you see what I mean.

Writing a book is a craft and should honestly not be underestimated. I know I did!  So if you think you have a great story all your friends and critique partners loved, do yourself a favour and have it polished into that diamond that it deserves to be!

 

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Where’s the old stuff?

Everything old can be found @ http://iris-b.blogspot.com.au/

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