I’m once again cleaning out my bookmark stash. You know, all those sites you want to save because you mean to check them out more closely later on. These are all related to authors and writing. Next week it will be on self-enhancement and lifestyle.
- The Romancechick Speaks
- NovelTalk www.noveltalk.com/
- KOKO BROWN’S WEBLOG cocobuttr72.blogspot.com/
- Midnight Moon Cafe midnightmooncafe.blogspot.com/
- A novelist speaks on books, the universe and everything… yewalus.blogspot.com/
- Riding with the Top Down – cruise the cyber highway with 10 chicks who rock and write.
- TheGRITS.com, Literary Services, The GRITS Online Reading Club, Virtual Book Tour, GRITS Kidz Book Club, On The Air With TheGRITS.com thegrits.com/
- Welcome to Satin Notes www.satinnotes.com/
- Tote Bags ‘n’ Blogs www.authorsoundrelations.blogspot.com/
- Red Room. Where the Writers Are http://www.redroom.com/
- Crash and Burn
- Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary
- Smart Bitches, Trashy Books | Romance Novel Reviews Come for the Dominican Bitches, Stay for the Man Titty
Check out as many as you can. Maybe you’ll add them to YOUR bookmarks! Let me know what you think or leave sites of your recommendation in the comments section.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Today’s author is talented and multi-faceted. I’ve been proud to call her a friend and mentor for many years.
Rachel Berry is a word-fairy in love with the power of expression and feels blessed to be a creation of God, crowned with many royalties such as mother, wife, grandmother, daughter, best friend, aunt and so much more. Berry feels her work as an author, poet, radio talk show host, motivational speaker, community leader and book publisher are all a part of her life’s journey. Rachel says she’s excited to see where her feet are guided to next.
Where do we find you on the web?
http://www.rachelberry.webs.com/
What’s your current release? Other books available? 
My current release is Family Pictures. I am also the author of From the Heart and Heat of Me, a chapbook of poetry & prose. It’s also an interactive journal.
What’s your next project?
I’m working on a few things1. another collection of poetry 2.wo,a collection of short stories and 3. Another mainstream novel entitled Between the Tears and the Laughter.
Was there a moment that told you “I’m a writer”?
Not really, I’ve been writing stories, songs, plays and biblical speeches since elementary school so I guess I just grew into it.
How did you get starting in writing?
My mother – I was trained to be a bible student at an early age, this included doing what the religion called “ministry school assignments” where you’d be on stage and conducted a prepared speech with another person. I liked to make up my own.
Name the three qualities you think a good writer must possess. Which do you think you have?
I think there is a multitude of qualities needed but if I must pick three they’d be imagination, dedication, and the love for words. I feel I have all three, especially imagination. My mind takes me on some unexpected journeys sometimes.
What kind of activities do you do to clear your head?
I write poetry, work on a web page or create something either with my hands or on the computer. Or I’ll read a great book, go out to dinner, the movies or pick up my granddaughters and spend some time with them.
What are some of the other ways you express your creativity?
I like to make up gift baskets, frame & wrap poetry in material as gifts, decorate a room, create memory books for other people, and participate in poetry slams, event planning or hosting an event for someone.
That will certainly keep you busy!
In what way have writing friends or mentors helped you?
It’s always great to watch and learn what others are doing. Seeing or listening to other artists helps me better my craft and gives me inspiration and ideas. Also I always ask for criticism because someone always telling you that you’re good isn’t going help you correct your shortcomings.
Describe what you think a reader will learn about you after reading your book?
Probably that I’m a little crazy. But definitely that I like to tell a story that shows the challenges and celebrations, shortcomings and growth of my characters. I do this especially highlighting ordinary women doing extraordinary things.
What are you currently reading? What author(s) do you admire?
Right now I’m reading Eric Jerome Dickey’s “The Other Woman,” “Shame on It All” by Zane, and “Ms Understanding” by RL Taylor. I admire Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Mary Higgins Clark, Eric Jerome Dickey…gosh there are so many.
Just for fun: If money were no object, what would you do?
Write, travel, dine out and then write about my travels and dining adventures.
Sounds like something I’d enjoy too! Thank you for sharing some time with readers of my blog. If anyone has questions or comments for Rachel about her work, please leave them in the comment section.
Being a Paperback Diva means you love books! On my Delicious bookmark page, I’m always collecting great websites I mean to go back to. Sometimes I do; often times I don’t. Here are 13 of them, that show reviews and/or give away books.
- Urban Reviews
- Book Mooch
- All About Romance
- Powell’s Books
- The Romance Reader
- The Sistah Circle Book Club
- Annual Cover Contest
- Electronic Publishing Internet Connection (EPPIE)
- African American Literature Book Club (AALBC)
- The Virginia Writers Book Club
- The Virginia Festival of the Book
- Romance Wiki page
- Literary Sisters
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” ~-Marcel Proust
I’ve always longed to travel and explore. For a while I did it. When I lived overseas with my military husband, I took day trips to all kinds of interesting places. I took car trips to small towns to Volksmarch. When I was a young single parent, I traveled back and forth to DC to visit friends and relatives, relax. Then things began to change. One thing after another got in the way. I had more young children, long after that first child had become fairly independent. Money was tight. Health problems.
Still there have been a few trips. I spent a weekend in a tourist city of Gatlinburg, TN with my sister and aunt. I’ve been to a couple of writers conferences in places that excited me.
But I still long for more travel. Now that my baby daughter has graduated from high school. I promise myself that I will do more traveling.
In the quote above, Proust talks about seeing with new eyes. That’s true too. You can walk around your own town, your own neighborhood, and see things you’ve never done before. So I’m going to promise myself to do that too.
Like the rest of the world, I’m mourning and struggling with the reality of Michael Jackson’s untimely death. My tribute to Michael Jackson today is about the way he changed the music video. Videos burst on the scene in the 70’s but they were still basically the artists performing their music. But when Thriller premiered it was promoted and greeted with all the excitement of a big Hollywood production. It had credits roll at the end of it. Director, producer, costumes, special effects… etc. It was a movie, more than just the song. I remember my fascination and hunger, not being able to get enough of it. I watched it constantly. And it was always exciting.
I’ve watched it a few times since yesterday, in part or in whole. And what struck me is that one important element that made it so different from what had gone before was that it told a story. It had characters one could relate to. The pretty girl, the eager boyfriend. A back-story was easy to fill in. They hadn’t been dating long and she was still virginal and prim. He was respectful but eager. And he was a kid at heart. Remember Michael grinning and gobbling popcorn in the theater? How he teased her outside? Yeah. The song starts to play as she begins to move down the sidewalk. He’s trying to impress her. She’s obviously affected though she still pretends to be mad.
Then, unknown to them, the creepy monsters start to rise up out of the cemetery. Oh, lord! My first time watching it, I jumped. After that I just watched in fascination, grinning as wide as Michael had. They were so elaborate, so many of them! You could feel the menace and the suspense as they gather and move slowly after our unsuspecting couple. Michael and Ola are surrounded! There’s no way out! What will happen next? Heart-pounding tension! And then–Ola turns and sees her boyfriend turn green and raggedy just like one of the un-dead! 
Whoo, yeah! Ola runs but then comes that long dance routine with Michael and the zombies. Now who hasn’t practiced those steps alone in front of their mirror? Even I, a rhythm-less, lead-footed, awkward overweight mom. Couldn’t duplicate it but it was fun. And of course, you have to do the screams! Yeah.
So the camera goes back to Ola running into the spooky house. And the zombies closing in on her, bursting through walls and doors. Zombie Michael is leaning over her, she’s yelling, all seems lost– And it turns out to be some kind of nightmare. The tension bursts like the air gushing out of a popping balloon. It’s all just a dream–or is it? Michael looks over his shoulder with that little boy grin and those evil eyes. The picture fades with Vincent Price’s spooky laugh.
What made people sit through that thing for 20 minutes when there wasn’t even any singing for much of the video? Because it was a story. A story as solid as Charles Dickens or a Norah Roberts. Or maybe Laurel K. Hamilton–a precursor of the urban fantasy. It had characters to care about. Ups and downs, conflicts, suspense, plot twists, surprises. And a satisfying ending. What more can we ask from a story?
So Michael, we will miss not only your talent and your bizarre but fascinating lifestyle, but also your skill with a story. Thank you. RIP.
My daughters in their favorite t-shirts.
