It's All Good!

Last week, I put out requests here and in social media outlets for interviews I'd like to do to showcase other artists. I'm thrilled with the response I've received! My thanks to Facebook friend Kim Baker who saw my requests online for suggestions, and sent me a message to contact someone she knew who would be an interesting interview.  I chose Bernie Fallon for the first one because he advocates an ideal that is very close to my heart. His book is called "Goodology" and perceives that all of the energy in the world is good.  I've always been of the attitude that love gets love.  Kindness gets kindness, good gets good and it all makes the world go 'round.  Except...there's that hate business, and greed, and wars, and all the stuff in the world that has absolutely nothing to do with love, giving or receiving.  Bernie Fallon has dedicated himself to spreading pure love, and the meaning of love even among what we see as evil that exists.  I asked him some questions to learn more about his quest and was delighted with how forthcoming he was! For my first interview, he made it so easy and quickly calmed any nervousness I had about it. 

I asked Bernie two questions to get started, then planned to proceed with more questions based on his answers, as I anticipated I would want more information from his responses. He elaborated on his answers on his own and I didn't even have to do anymore work! Talk about an easy first time interview, Bernie was the perfect subject!  I think you all will find his quest in life as interesting as I do.  Some may see him as idealistic, perhaps even unrealistic, but I'm one who believes that if we all did our share of giving from a loving heart, from the good we all have deep down inside of us, the world would be a much better place. 

K - How long did it take you to gather the information you needed to complete this project?
Bernie - I started “knowing” what I wanted to do in 1988 – study “good”. But, I needed to have answers that I was comfortable with. I realize now that I was stubbornly studying “good” because I would only accept answers that resonated within.

K - Once you gathered the data, how long did it take to get it to completion?

Bernie – I sold my business in Massachusetts August of ’10, I arrived in Phoenix in September, started writing, finished and published the book by April of ’11. 7 months. The book flowed out to completion once I began writing.

K - Give us some background on how you arrived at the finished product. 

Bernie - In my mid-twenties when it was time to “really” think of what I wanted to do with my life, the answer kept coming up, “good”. That is what I wanted to do. I wanted to study the depth of good. I didn’t want to use the pre-existing labels to come up with answers. If I did that, then my answers would be the same as what was out there.

I couldn’t be an accountant, lawyer, engineer or whatever. I certainly didn’t want to work for a company that sold a product that was unhealthy without its customers knowing it. We can see a starving child on TV. We can be moved. A few minutes later we are making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while watching Wheel of Fortune.

There is a power deeper. I wanted to know and understand that!

Yes, I had lots of pain in my life. But this was not a reaction to a painful experience. This is not an epiphany. It didn’t result from an “Aha” moment.  I don’t think we need to react from pain to experience good.  Good is who we are.  Thus the desire for good is effortless and synergistic.

Getting into the study of spiritual health turned the corner for me. One thing I always promised myself is that I would act consistently with the level of power that I have. I was not going to “force” success or fake it. If I had it, it would be given to me naturally. Thus, it would be effortless and attracted.  In my life, whatever happens, happens. I just enjoy the process.

The desire was just to do “good” and I worked hard toward that goal because of that desire. The desire was not to make a certain amount of money or have a certain amount of coercive power or move away from the pain. If you are reacting from pain, then you will be always limited to that.

So, you see the first way of gathering information is to read, study and listen to the world. The second way is to listen to yourself. That is what I did – in depth - listening to my insides. The real power comes from inside.

Think of it this way, if you learn many things from a book, you are absorbing labels. For that to resonate, it must come from within anyway - match a truth. If you listen to truth inside, the answers will be beauty, love, patience, happiness, smiles and so on. It's an easy way to learn if you listen and trust. If learning something makes sense then we are awakening information within. It matches. It’s GOOD.

Me - You have the book finished and published, the website is all set up. Where do you go from here?

Bernie - It's so wide open, it's a very cool experience. Everything happens because opportunities keep arising and all I have to do is say "yes" to them. I had three successive radio appearances, many speaking engagements, workshops and television coming up. All of these happened by others asking me (bumping into people).

My positive response of "yes" helps a lot. More specifically, soon I will go to Phoenix to do more workshops, speaking and promoting the book, websites and cause.

I also have contests with questions like, "What GOOD could you do or would you do with $100?" or "Share a GOOD act to win $100" or the next one I think will be, "Share an expression of LOVE." The reason I do these is that it expands us giving us new ideas and encourages energy flow within. That is the ultimate goal - to experience flow.

There is a video planned. I am experimenting with a game to encourage good and a radio show. I also have some very good book ideas that I will follow through on. I just want to enjoy each day and live in the "current" of good as I say in the book. The greatest currency is that of kindness, compassion and love.

Thank you, Bernie, for allowing me to be nosy about you and what you do.  There's much more to know, so please visit Bernie's website http://www.goodology.com/ for more information about "Goodology".  There are links on the home page for purchasing the book and there are videos, too.  So...you can watch TV while on the internet while absorbing pure love and joy. What more could you ask for in a website?  You can also join Bernie on Facebook at www.facebook.com/goodology.

Next week, tune in for some enlightening questions with two fabulous musician friends, Jamon Scott and Brian Blush of "The Toluenes".  It's guaranteed to be interesting with those two!

Hug somebody today and share the love!

Lovingly yours,

~ K

And now, for something completely different

Remember those skits with Monty Python back in the '70's? I do, and what fun we had!  Simple slapstick British humor (and a little help from THC) had us rolling on the floor with laughter! Ah...the good ol' days J

I would like to move on to featuring other author content in my blog.  I've already blogged about my favorite music, some of my favorite reading, what makes my character in "Random Encounters" tick, her motivations for what she does and now, I'd like to talk to other authors and even readers about their art.  If you are an author, know of an author who would like some shameless self promotion, or if you are a reader, who would like for authors to know your perspective of the art of writing and reading, shoot me a line.  Send me a tweet @speshlk0510.  Text me! I'll take any ol' suggestions from anyone, anytime.  Computer is always on and so is the phone. I'd prefer not to get phone calls as I spend an inordinate amount of time talking on the phone for business and band bookings, which can't be avoided...it goes with those territories, so if you are so inclined as to communicate via phone, text is preferable.  Those of you who know me, already have my number.  Those who don't, well...I'd suggest e-mail, tweet, Facebook, or comment here at the bottom of my blog and we'll hook up.  Not like Veronica Walters hooks up, that might be illegal in some states, but we'll get together somehow to get your suggestions and start showcasing here.  It'll be fun! I love group participation ;-)

Go to any site of your choice, whatever floats your leaky little boat, to buy "Random Encounters".  Sales have been steady, so I'm really encouraged that people are reading it, now I just need some reviews from some brave souls who don't mind having their names mentioned, their lives paraded in public for all to see and scrutinize...oh, no! Not that last part.  I think I'm the one that gets that flogging. 

Sites where "Random Encounters" is available, and it's usually in the romance/erotic section:

www.amazon.com for paperback and Kindle

www.lulu.com for paperback

www.smashwords.com for paperback, Kindle, Nook, E-reader, etc. including pdf download

www.lifelovelust.webs.com

Hug somebody today! 

Randomly yours,

~ K

What's Love Got To Do With It?

     Love has to do with everything!  The beautiful and talented Tina Turner sang those words way back in 1984, however the song has become timeless over the years.  Just about everyone, everywhere has heard the lyrics or seen the sultry, sexy video.  It also titled the biographical movie of Tina Turner's life.  This reference simply because I love music and find it influences nearly every facet of my life.

     Love has to do with everything we do and make decisions about.  Going to buy a new car? You've got to be in love with it to spend so much money for it and so much time in it.  I know...'cause I have a vehicle I am hopelessly in love with.  Buy a new house? You've got to be in love with it knowing you'll spend many years living in it, not to mention paying it off! Even simple things like clothing, music, right down to the color of nail polish...we have to absolutely love it, or we wouldn't pay good, hard earned money for it.

     Then of course, there is the actual act of love.  To love someone. We couldn't anticipate spending the rest of our lives with a person we are not in love with.  Sometimes we take unconventional paths to get to a blissful place in life that shows us we either are, or aren’t, in love with the life we've made for ourselves.  My character in "Random Encounters" Veronica Walters took a very unconventional path to get to a serene place in her life and the missteps she takes along the way make for an entertaining tale bringing her to a conclusion she hadn't envisioned.
      Books, and or eBooks...reading material.  If you preview a book whether in paper form (my favorite way to engross in a story) or download it online, or get it on one of those snazzy new e-readers, you really want to love it.  It would be a let down to pay money for something and have it be so-so, or mediocre, or not live up to the hype.  I'm not big on hype, because the literal definition of that word means greatly exaggerated publicity intended to incite public interest.  Nothing about "Random Encounters" is hype, or exaggerated.  The cover is simple, the interior pages are plain and simple and the story is told in unadorned language that is easily understood, and hopefully engrosses the reader. I want people to love it, but it doesn't cost a lot to do so because simple pleasures in life shouldn't cost a lot. I'm excited to report I followed the instructions to e-formatting for dummies and I now have "Random Encounters" available for either pdf download or your e-reader at smashwords.com for the disgustingly low price of $3.99.  That's a fargin' bargain!  If you're like me and want to touch the paper pages and savor the scent of black ink print, you can order from amazon.com or my website www.lifelovelust.webs.com.  I look forward to reading reviews.  So long as they're favorable.  *wink*

Hug somebody today!

Randomly yours,

~ K

Where do dreams go to die?

That’s a question I asked in prose once.  I pondered it as if there were an answer.  It pains me that sometimes, there are no answers.  I like things concrete.  Black and white and written in stone.  Promises. Even though in my experience promises get broken more often than not, they still lend a false sense of security.  People make promises, I believe, with mostly good intentions.  Then, the closer it gets for promises to be fulfilled, they find ways to renege. Does that shake our confidence in people? We get so used up by the outside world, sometimes it’s safer to just stay inside our own little cocoon. Even if it’s wrong, it’s still easier to stay with an already steered course than go into the wake and risk being dumped in the drink, and drowning.  One of my worst fears...drowning. Large bodies of water are scary.  Perhaps it’s because it’s a metaphor for life.  We stay on safe ground, feet firmly planted, instead of venturing out into waters unknown and risk being sucked in by a current.  We can see the palm tree and fine white sand, the beautiful vibrant hued birds, and crisp sunshine on an idyllic island...yet, going into the water to get there is so scary, we slink away back to our safe comfort zone. We trick ourselves into being happy, or at least OK, with the way things are just to avoid taking chances. What does that leave us? Unfulfilled, hollow inside, and apathetic towards life in general and especially towards people.  So, if someone should come along who has honorable intentions and does keep promises, we may not even recognize it or if we do, we’re so scared of the unknown we run like hell from taking chances and miss out on something that might have truly been worth the risk.

Sometimes, the line is blurred between reality and fantasy.  Our dreams take us to a safe place, because no one can get inside our heads and mess with our dreams.  We have complete control over that. People with selfish intentions can trick us into believing usual daily life is more essential than our dreams, and we give up on our dreams having been convinced that wanting any other life than what we have, is silly.  Inconceivable. Because we’re taught from childhood to be practical, not idealistic.  Take the safe route, don’t take chances.  Then, before we know it we’re waking to a mediocre life at middle age surrounded by mediocre people who don’t dream and don’t believe in dreams or that our dreams can bring us happiness.  So, our dreams remain inside our heads intermingling with our everyday lives until something, or someone, comes along and rattles them out.

My hero in “Random Encounters”, Veronica Walters, believed in her dream. It took her until she graduated from Harvard Law to realize that her dream is the one that mattered, not her family’s dream for her. She broke out of the mold that had been sculpted for her by her family, steeped in their traditions and values.  She ventured out on her own, searching for her own traditions and values and after putting one foot in front of the other and mistrusting people and being used by people at times, she stumbled into her own path in life, which led to her own truth and happiness.  A truth she found under her own terms with her own dreams, and learned from her own lessons and her own mistakes. We can’t get much more honest than that, can we?

I’m extending my two for one offer just so you’ll have that prose I spoke of earlier, along with some other ramblings that even if not entertaining, does make a pretty decent cat box liner.  Go to my website to order “Random Encounters”, I’ll include a copy of “LiveLoveLust” and I’ll send them off to you in a jiffy.  I like that word...jiffy...

www.lifelovelust.webs.com

Independently yours this 4^th of July holiday,

~ K

What’s YOUR inspiration?

I like to say that life is my inspiration.  I people watch, read other writers blogs, and try to keep up with current affairs.  There are some things that happen in life that seem so far fetched. The old saying is, truth is stranger than fiction and I find that’s often the case. 

Music is a big inspiration for me.  Listening to musicians tell a story in song, inspires me to write my own short (and longer) stories.  If I can see a little mini-movie in my head of the story being painted in song, then it’s really good storytelling and I find myself comparing my own stories to that.  Some set the bar pretty high.  Those who know me know that some of my favorite music is anything by Roger Clyne.  Achieving his first hit song with “The Refreshments” then later forming “Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers”, Roger is such a prolific storyteller in song.  It’s one of the main reasons I was encouraged to write my own stories. Being successful in the independent music world is no easy task.  Roger has turned his passion for storytelling in song into his own way of life recording and being on the road for many weeks out of the year to support his addiction to the music, free of corporate control. Oh, people are skeptical.  They’ll say that he plays hard in order to make a living, but it’s also hard work being an independent musician. Have you seen the obscenely low price of tickets to a Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers show?  I’m not convinced he’s making enough of a living at it to justify the hard work and expense of a road crew. There’s definitely a deep rooted love for what he does and it’s reflected in the finished product.  If you’ve attended a live show, become addicted to the music and be part of the cult audience that follows the band, it’s easy to see why he’s successful at it.  He has a passion for what he does; he truly loves performing music for his fans who adore him and the band.  That ethic is what inspired me to take my scribbled down thoughts of poetry, short stories and now novels to the next level, getting my writing in print for others to read. 

An integral part of “The Refreshments” as bass player, Art Edwards became an independent artist in his own right. Taking a deliberate sabbatical from music when “The Refreshments” disbanded, Art pursued his master’s degree and went on to write his own successful novels.  I re-read Art’s writing frequently to refresh (no pun intended) my own writing skills and it gives me a higher standard to aspire to.  His first novel “Stuck Outside of Phoenix” is an engaging story of a musician “Hote”, a life building tale that reveals the highs and lows of the music business and the personal relationships he forms along the way.  How determination and passion take control of aspirations. His continuation of the adventures of “Hote” in “Ghost Notes” shows a writing skill that I can only hope to achieve a fraction of some day.  Both are a perfect example of those little mini-movies in my head as I read the story and lend flesh to the characters, the events in their lives, and gives me a sense of being in the here and now with them.  Art is a big inspiration for me and I have much admiration for his determination to succeed independently in the literary world.  It’s a tough gig, I am finding out, but I’m enjoying every learning step of the way. Having those pioneers before who’ve paved the way and set examples lends a good role model to aspire to.  Congratulations are in order for Art’s third novel “Badge” which has been named a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association Literary Contest in the Mainstream category. Anticipation is killing me, Art! When do we get to read it?

These are two examples of what has been my catalyst to pursue publication of my writing.  There are far more that would take a whole ‘nother blog space to mention, like Edgar, (I’ve read his complete works so many times, we’re on a first name basis now) Lee Childs “Jack Reacher” novels are my favorite escape stories, no one weaves suspense with the supernatural like Dean Koontz, and Erma Bombeck always provokes laughing tears at the calamity of family, home and everyday life, are just a few I’ll mention. Recently,  I took a short break from heavy reading and am laughing tears at “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Zombies!”, by Michael P. Spradlin, cuz it’s like...totally cool. (You probably have to read the book to get that line, though.)

So...what’s YOUR inspiration? Any artistic aspiration you have is a worthwhile outlet, and I encourage everyone to find your muse. Find the artist within you and celebrate it!  I may not make large sums of money selling my writing, and perhaps not appeal to mainstream literary, but I get a wonderful sense of satisfaction and completeness that I wouldn’t have had I not pursued it.  Express your unique self!

If you buy “Random Encounters” at my website http://www.lifelovelust.webs.com/  before July 2^nd, I’ll throw in a copy of my poetry ramblings “LifeLoveLust”. You can’t beat a two for one offer. I’ll even personally autograph it for you to add to your literary collection, or use to line the litter box with. The choice is yours.   

Hug somebody today!

Randomly yours,

~ K

Moving into the 21st century

So...I self published a couple of books. You can see them over there ->  Third one on the way now.  One thing that is practically mandatory these days is to have a blog for shameless self promotion. Create a buzz.  Get people snooping around on the web to be intrigued enough to click on the link and buy a book.  Well, this is my form of shameless self promotion. And it's the hardest thing I've ever done! This part, creating a blog to promote and get people interested is a big step into this century and the world of self-publishing.  It also gives me a chance to do something I enjoy very much, which is writing about just about anything and everything. If you know me, you know I'm a rambler from way back. In writing, that is. I'm not so chatty in person and that's the biggest surprise for people who meet me in person who've previously only known me online.  Enough about me, let's get to what is important here!

It seemed so easy when I was writing it all.  Developing characters, setting story scenes, getting a plot that would hold a readers interest while surreptitiously leading them to a hook in the story, one that would be an "a-ha!" moment as an element of surprise.  Here in my noisy little head, it seemed so right and good and...simple.  Now, I'm like an expectant parent.  Pacing. Waiting for my baby to show itself. How will that baby be accepted by the world? Fashionably entrenched among the cool kids, popular, happy and carefree? Or...the worst...outcasted, not accepted, unloved by peers. I'm waiting for the readers to respond in some way.  Positive? Negative? Lukewarm? I don't know and it's like that damn cat...the curiosity is killing me!  On the one hand (pick a hand, any hand) I do want to know what the reader thinks.  On the whichever hand that's left, I'm fearful of the comments.  Writing is so subjective.  My poetry writings and short stories have been published all over the world mostly with favorable reviews, and that environment is much different than the literary arena of novels.  I have three novels finished, two more partially written that still need some attention.   I write them all with all the cliche' terms of description.  Heart, soul, character, objectivity, form and fashion.  The who, what, where, when, why and how that is taught in basic creative writing courses.  Ultimately, what I think of the story isn't the main attraction...it's the reader, and that has become painfully close to my heart now.  As I release "Random Encounters" on Amazon and at my own website for the entire world to read, I'm trembling like a virgin on her wedding night.  It's wrenching! Will it live up to the expectation? Will the actual act itself be as satisfying as the anticipation? Or, will it lose it's erection and disappoint?  The anxiety of the not knowing is giving me chest pain!

I give you "Random Encounters". My heartfelt story of a privileged woman who is a bit confused about her place in the world, how her promiscuous behavior leads her on a journey to find peace within herself, which allows her to make peace with her family as well.  It's a poignant sweet story of finding a path in life that we all know exists somewhere.  That every step we take, no matter how painful or misled, brings us to the exact place we are within our lives at this moment and that's the heart of the story.  No matter where those steps have led us, nor how much regret we have about those missteps, they all brought us to this very moment and what we are doing right now. I hope you enjoy and will review.

Randomly yours,


~ K