Nano November: Halloween and other Costumed Parties

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Remember all my costumes from 2015?

Zombie Waldo made an appearance with a second zombie Waldo this year for Thrill the World in Redmond, WA on Saturday the 28th! This time, with two of us – we took home second place.

We had a few zombie cocktails! Marriot had a fun cocktail with dyed sugar and skull candies, but my favorite tasting cocktail was from BJ’s – the Beetlejuice (like a Tokyo tea). Thanks to Pecado Bueno for the excellent chicken tacos we got (free) with the Thrill the World coupons. See the official video Here.

One of my dance studios had a party Friday October 27th and I went with my sister. I had on two costumes. Do you know who I am?

 

The final celebrations took place on Halloween! I dressed up as a lion with my sister and we visited some of our old childhood homes as trick or treaters.

 

As a National Novel Writing Participant, Halloween has become even more of an event for me as at the end of the night kickoff begins. I, however, was asleep by 11pm

Book Review: House Divided by Jami Deise

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House Divided by Jami Deise

A Contemporary Humorous Fiction Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (11/08/17)

Summary:

“…because like every other working mom in America, the logistics of day-to-day suburban life with school-age kids fell squarely on my shoulders.” (Kindle Locations 393-394).

Erin and Jack are married with two kids. They both have careers. They have opposite political views. They can leave all the politics at work. That is, until Erin loses her job and Jack gets an amazing job offer – as the star of a very politically-centered show. The new money means Erin can be a stay-at-home mom, like Jack’s always wanted her to be. Erin never wanted to be a trophy wife, but jobs are slim for democrats. Home life is just as busy as work life, but without a career, Erin doesn’t really know who she is anymore.

Keywords:

Humor, Politics, Republicans, Democrats, Organizations, Working Mothers, Stay at Home Mothers, Family, Husband and Wife, Kids Activities, Soccer, Work/Life Balance, Politically Correct, Career, TV, Republican TV

My Review:

So many times during my read of this novel, I grew frustrated with Jack because Erin did all the work in the house! Gah! If Erin wants to have a career, she should be able to have a career! This book made me frustrated! Frustrated for Erin and her situation, how people treated her and thought about her, and how Jack disregarded her wants and dreams.

My life is so different from Erin’s life. I learned so much about the chaos of working motherhood, stay-at-home parenting, living above your means, trying to keep up with the upper class, and so much more! This book had so many world building details and insights into the lives of these unique characters. I felt like I learned so much!

This book was so entertaining! The dialogue was spot on. The writing style was immersive, eloquent, and smooth. The storyline made sense . The characters were detailed and interesting – flawed and everything.

I loved this story and the writing style and can’t wait to read the next book from Deise.

I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest opinion.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 11/08/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Jami Deise’s Website

Facebook

Local Event Alert! Thrill the World Redmond Town Center, WA 10/28 at 3pm!

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October 28th at the Redmond Town Center

11:00am to 3:30pm

Worldwide Simultaneous Dance of
Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ at 3:00pm

Event Schedule

11:00am Event Opens – Dance Registration Check-In, Photo booth, Zombie Makeup/Zombification Zones
12:00pm Live Music: Ricky Venture Review, Seattle’s premier variety dance band
12:45pm Adult Costume Contest Adult First Round
1:15pm More Live Music from Ricky Venture Review
1:45pm Youth Costume Contest
2:15pm More Live Music from Ricky Venture Review
2:30pm Dancer Registration Check-in Closes
2:45pm Dancers Assemble in Center Court for the Check Presentation
3:00pm “THRILL THE WORLD” World-wide Simultaneous Dance
3:10pm Zombie March, Sign Out and Certificate Pick Up

 

Book Review: Shy Ways by Susan Griner

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Shy Ways by Susan Griner

A Middle Grade Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (08/28/17)

Summary:

“I wanted a day off from being part Japanese, part anything.” (Page 145).

Sarah doesn’t like her new home or her new school. The other kids call her mean names because she’s half-Japanese. She wishes she would stand up for herself and speak up, but every time she doesn’t say a word and sometimes cries instead. When the plant where her father and most of the town works has an accident with a chemical leak, it will affect Sarah’s entire family and the whole town. Sarah will forget all about the mean, ignorant comments at school when her mother falls into a deep depression. Taking charge, Sarah will have to find her voice and help her mother.

Keywords:

Sisters, School, Mean Comments, Bullying, Japanese-American, Bi-Racial, New School, New Town, Small Town, PTSD, Racism, Chemical Pollution, Depression, Mothers, Family, Growing Up

My Review:

The story really picks up after the incident at the plant, but we see such a change in Sarah’s home life from before the accident to after. Sarah herself goes through quite a transformation from the beginning of the book to the end. She grows up a lot for a young girl and learns quite a few lessons – like standing up and saying something when someone says something ignorant and mean. She also learns to embrace her mother and her ethnicity, even though it isn’t a part of her life at all except for her heritage.

Both Sarah and her sister were so true to their ages that I could picture them clearly as the kids they were. The young one blurts out whatever’s on her mind and the older one tries to do what she thinks she’s supposed to or follow social norms.

This is a great example of a book of diversity – drawing on issues that kids face when they grow up as second generation Americans.

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 08/28/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Susan Griner’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

Bard & Starlet Aftermath – Best Community Event of the Year

by in author platform, Local Authors, Local Eats, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Didn’t get a chance to come out? Here’s the video of the first scene and the one I wrote and starred in!

The Black Dog is one of my favorite local restaurants – they have the absolute best Fritata! I love the staff and the homey feel of the building. The stage and all the great community events are awesome! It’s great that there are enough actors/actresses in the North Bend/Snoqualmie area to lend their voices to this event every year (this is the third Bard & Starlet) and they did an awesome job!

 

Book Review: Dissident (Forbidden Things Book 1) by Nikki McCormack

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Dissident (Forbidden Things Book 1) by Nikki McCormack

A Fantasy Novel published by Amazon Digital Services, Inc. (9/02/14)

Summary:

Indigo has always suppressed her Ascard power because society does not allow the use of powerful Ascard. She can use a limited amount as a healer but has worked all her life to hold in her inner aspect and connection to Ascard. Her power does not go completely unnoticed, as an exotic stranger contacts her through Ascard, seeking her help. Intrigued by him and ruffled by her rocky relationship with her fiancé, she follows the stranger into his prison. After she helps him escape, she thinks she will never see him again. Fate brings them together again, but he still needs her help.

Keywords:

Power, Control, Magic, Inner Strength, Inner Aspect, Travel, War, Fighting, Struggle, Talent, Healing, Abuse, Sex, Love, Creation, Lies, Slaves

My Review:

This novel had a great balance  between romance, fantasy and plot. I was pulled in by Indigo’s struggles to live up to others’ expectations in her restrictive society and her struggles with her fiancé. The intrigue and quick attraction between Indigo and Yiloch pulled me into the romantic aspect of the book and the plot kept the entire novel together as action wove through until the end.

Indigo is a role model for female characters. She’s strong, not in relation to man, but in relation to her enemies and her friends. She doesn’t have to stay in her relationship. She has control over her fiancé in a way he can’t even fathom. She isn’t smug about her skills and she doesn’t look down on others, even though she is stronger than everyone around her, even her teacher.

I enjoyed the writing style of this fantasy novel, just as much as the clean writing of McCormack’s steampunk series – Clockwork Enterprises.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services, Inc. on 06/09/2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Nikki McCormack’s Website

Indie Author Day 2 Wrap-Up – Thanks KCLS, PNWA and Indie Authors!

by in author platform, Local Authors, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

I love the library. They are such an invaluable resource in our community and KCLS (King County Library System) is the 13th largest in the nation! I’ve used them for books, audiobooks, CD’s, DVD’s, printing, research, community space, meetings, and more! Indie Author Day is another wonderful program put on by the library and I was happy to have a booth and the opportunity to speak about my experiences as an Indie Author in my own presentation!

Thanks to PNWA for sponsoring the snacks table and for all the wonderful information they provided for authors and participants.

At 11, Jenni Conner and D.V. Berkom discussed Conception without Deception: The Birth of Your Story Without the Pitfalls. At noon, Pam Stucky confronted a common challenge in Fear, Failure, and the Fallacy of Writer’s Block: Getting Out of Your Own Way. At 1, Rachel Barnard talked about how to celebrate a new book in New Book Release Checklist: Planning a Fun and Inviting Launch. Did you miss the panels? Here is the link to my downloadable pdf of the book release checklist.

In addition to the presentations, twenty authors were in attendance to share their books, their self-publishing or indie publishing experiences, and their tips and tricks for marketing and promotion. Authors and editors who attended included Kristin Alana, Rachel Barnard, D.V. Berkom, Pam Binder, Tom Blaschko, D.K. Cassidy, Jennifer Connor, Nicanor Garcia, Josephine Hao, Sara Lynn Hoyt, Sheleen Napar, M.E. Palmer, Deborah Schneider, Pam Stucky, Michel Visger, Marcus Ward, and David Workman.

Book Review: First Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Three) by Susan Kaye Quinn

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First Daughter (The Royals of Dharia, Book Three) by Susan Kaye Quinn

A Fantasy Novel published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. (09/29/14)

Summary:

Aniri is ready to do anything to save her home kingdom and her future kingdom, but first daughter Nahali will be the new leader of Dharia soon and they don’t always agree. Nahali thinks war is the answer while Aniri still hopes that war can be evaded by stopping the second son of Samir and his deadly skyship from within.

Keywords:

Fantasy, Airship, Mountains, Barbarians, War, Threats, Royalty, Duty, Romance, Duels, Intrigue, Secrets, Love, Alternate Reality, East Indian, Arranged Marriage

My Review:

Twists and turns and adventure cover the pages of this last novel. Of the three Royals of Dharia books in this trilogy, First Daughter is the most exciting and filled with the most action! The book was very fast paced.

Aniri grew and changed so much in the course of these three books, coming into her own as a soon-to-be queen of her own kingdom. Each of the sisters of Dharia; Seledri, Nahali, and Aniri grew into their own by the end of this trilogy. I loved how their bond of sisterhood was the strongest in the end and seeing their love for each other as they fought for each other and their kingdoms was wonderful to behold. I loved how different each of the sisters were in their personalities, their actions and their political predicaments.

A great ending to a fantastic, steampunkian and historically-angled trilogy!

This novel was published through Amazon Digital Services Inc. on 09/29/2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Susan Kaye Quinn’s Website

Goodreads

Local Event Alert! Indie Author Day in Issaquah, WA

by in author platform, Local Authors, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Indie Author Day
Saturday, October 14, 2017 (10:00AM – 3:00PM)
Service Center – 960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah WA 98027

Join us for the second annual Indie Author Day, a celebration of self-published and independently published books and authors! Meet local indie authors, attend presentations, and workshops, and learn more about what KCLS offers for self-published authors and the readers who love them.

Authors and editors include Kristin Alana, Rachel Barnard, D.V. Berkom, Pam Binder, Tom Blaschko, D.K. Cassidy, Jennifer Connor, Nicanor Garcia, Josephine Hao, Sara Lynn Hoyt, Sheleen Napar, M.E. Palmer, Deborah Schneider, Pam Stucky, Michel Visger, Marcus Ward, David Workman.

Presentations will cover overcoming writer’s block, marketing your book, and planning a successful book launch (aaaah the one I’m presenting!)

Sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.