Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Reviews

So these were the reviews I got from the Amazon experts. I was a little demoralized when I checked the Quaterfinals List and my name was missing, you know how your heart is beating so fast and then it sinks to the bottom of your tummy? Anyway, I logged in to the back end, and the reviews made me feel somewhat better. The reviewers read the first 5000 words, which in the MS was the first 2 chapters, and it's heartening to read that they liked it, and saw potential.

1. ABNA Expert Reviewer

What is the strongest aspect of this excerpt?

The setting in Nigeria is the strongest aspect of this setting. Though several of the characters have spent time or are connected somehow to other regions, they all seem to be drawn back to Nigeria. I have heard of few books that are set in this country, and I'm willing to bet not many of those are romances. I feel that if this story explores Nigerian culture and history, the setting will prove a great asset.

What aspect needs the most work?

I don't read many romances in general, so I found the main romantic relationship hard to follow, especially because it was in the past. I could tell that there was a strong relationship at some point, especially since the couple had been engaged, but not many details are provided otherwise. Though these may be revealed later on, I would have liked to know them somewhat earlier on to get a better grasp of where the story is going.

What is your overall opinion of this excerpt?

I think this excerpt is as a whole pretty well done, even if the only large aspect that stands out to me is merely the setting. So far the characters are interesting and unique, and although I found it difficult to follow the history of the main romantic relationship, I did find myself wanting to know more about it and where it could possibly go. This story seems to have a lot of potential to confront some important issues; of course, this early on, I am unable to judge how well this is done, if at all.

Paint it Purple - Obudu Cattle Ranch

The earth soared up on both sides of the narrow, winding road and the car slowed down so that we could take in the impressive view. The trees were tall and majestic, covering the mountains for as far as the eyes could see. We soon got to the sharpest bend in the track which was signposted as the Devil’s Elbow and slowed even further. As the summit approached, the terrain became more of rolling hills with swaying shrubs and grass waving in the wind. By the time we got almost to the top, we had sighted a couple of small animals and several different kinds of birds.

That evening as we dined on the balcony of the restaurant, I witnessed one of the most impressive spectacles of my outdoor experience. The sun went down and the horizon became obscured by a stately and continuous movement of the sky. The clouds descended in a swirling mass of vapor that heralded the beginning of a curious twilight. The valley became filled with this splendid mass and to us watching, it was as if the heavens touched the earth.

Book Launch! March 31 - April 3!

Hello everyone, I need your help and support.

My new book, A Love Rekindled is launching from Thursday March 31st to Sunday April the 3rd. I'll be grateful if you can sign up below to take part in the month-long book premiere. There will be the official release of the book trailer video, a real-time online chat on my blog, where you can ask me anything, a Twitter Party, a Facebook discussion, casting call for the main characters, and many more. I can only do all these if you can offer me the use of your blogs, Facebook or Twitter. The blog tour continues afterwards too. Please help me spread the word.

Advance review from Lara Daniels, author of Love at Dawn - A recommended "Spring" Read

It was a novel that I enjoyed tremendously. As a sucker for poignant romances with premises of new beginnings, I found A Love Rekindled right up my alley. The theme of a love, once lost, then found again, touched a deep chord within me, such that I found myself emotionally revved up at the finale when the main characters declared their love to each other. Another reason why this book touched me is that it exposed the insidious prejudices that different cultures may have towards another – a bias that has unfortunately damaged relationships – often times permanently.

Book Review and Release: A Love Rekindled

So, A Love Rekindled will be launching in about a week from now, and the first book review has been published by a sweet friend. Folake gives A Love Rekindled 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommends it to anyblody, especially those that enjoyed A Heart to Mend. Head on over to read the full review...

Empowering You...: Book Review and Release: A Love Rekindled by Myne ...: "Pre-Publication Review of A Love Rekindled by Myne Whitman If you liked A Heart to Mend, you’ll love A Love Rekindled. Myne Whitman is on ..."

Folake Taylor is also an author, her book The Only Way is up is an inspiring read.

Sweet City of Mine

So, I'll be sharing a video I made about the city I currently live in - Seattle. We live in the suburbs and I don't often go into the city, but it's always fun when we do. Well, except for the parking, and the one-way streets that just jump out at you. However, I love walking and can safely say that most places in downtown are within walking distance of each other.

This is for the Sweet City of Mine Blogfest by Holly of Girl About Town"...post an entry on your blog about your favourite city. Whether it is the city you live in, the place you wished you lived in, somewhere you travel to often or have only been once. Or it could be a city that only you know of, a city that you have created in your own writing. You can post it as a descriptive piece of writing, a poem, a collection of photos, drawings, a video, a scrapbook page, greeting card...It's your city, you choose."

Enjoy the video. If you cannot view it, please check the Bellevue Botanical Garden post HERE.

The Lost/Found BlogFest and 500 Followers Giveaway!

Just a reminder to start getting your posts ready. To those who have not signed up, or left a comment to enter for the giveaway, you can also do so now. All the best everyone!

So, having hit the 500 mark, I want to use this opportunity to thank you all, my friends, fans, blog readers, feedbackers, contributors and I'll be showing my gratitude through a giveaway. You guys are really amazing! You all have been very supportive in the year and half this blog has been up, supporting me through the publication of A Heart to Mend, and now a second book is in the works!

To celebrate with all you great people, I've launched the Lost and Found Blogfest and 500 Followers Giveaway!

There is something for everyone, pick as many as you want!

1. Leave a comment below and you'll be eligible for an autographed paperback copy of my forthcoming novel, A Love Rekindled - Hot off the Press!

2. When you sign up for the blogfest using the Linky Tool below, there is another autographed copy up for grabs.

Picture Weekend - Bellevue Botanical Garden

I've missed having this feature on my blog for a while now. Blame the weather that made it not so appealing to be outdoors as much as one would like, and also means that pictures taken would not look good, due to poor lighting. When there's rain, I don't even want to bring out my camera! Anyway, these are taken with my Blackberry camera, so bear with the quality.

A lovely, welcoming garden in my city. We decided to go after seeing an article in the local paper about it. The weather still isn't that great, but hey, that's what jackets and hats are meant for, right?

It definitely does grow! Lots of different plants and flowers, thriving even in the cold weather. Kudos to the gardeners.

Myne Whitman Presents: Tears of my Heart

Today, I present to you another upcoming talent. I first read this entry on NaijaStories.com and was struck the theme of the piece. Many of us rail against injustice, but we often do not understand how this must hurt those who are directly involved. The narrator of this real life piece experienced it first hand and tries to show us a view of his heart.

Martin Chisom Ojukwu is 20 years of age and a Fourth-year student of Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri in Nigeria. He's your average young guy on the street but for the shock of premature grey hair and a pen always stuck in the right pocket of his pants! Martin loves to write, creating his own worlds, and hoping his works serve as respite for any wandering soul.

He has written a lot of articles mostly for CAMPUSLIFE pages in The Nation newspaper, and he's also done some poems, but his strength is with creative non-fiction. I'm sharing the piece with you today with permission from the author.

Enjoy...


TEARS OF MY HEART


Wednesday, December 15, 2010, I sat at home in a pair of boxer shorts watching a movie. The time was about 11am but I was on holiday and considered an occasional lazy morning my right. Then the bell buzzed. Since the time my father installed a commercial water bore-hole system at home, we have had two bells – one for the gate and another for the customers looking to buy water. The latter was the culprit on this occasion and unwilling to interrupt my lazy morning, I ignored it. The noise got too irritating however, and to make matters worse, whoever it was decided to press the second bell too. So in the cacophony of both buzzing bells, I pulled on jean shorts and a sleeveless top and walked out barefoot to go see who it was.

Honing my Short Story skills - Twin Bonds

picture from Google search

Papa had hosted his age grade to a feast to celebrate his promotion at work and the new car he had purchased. It was almost over, but people still milled around. The house was all a bustle and Mama had warned us not to get underfoot. We were in the field playing when Odion, my twin collapsed on the ground crying in pain. A sharp stab almost stopped me in my tracks as I moved to him. He was lying like a baby clutching his middle. Another jab had me falling beside him with moan. Odion groaned and rolled on the wet earth not minding the mud, or the thorns hidden between the long blades of grass. I dragged myself up and limped inside to find our parents. This was worse than the pain I had experienced some months earlier, when my appendix was removed.

“Mama, Mama!” I screamed once I burst through the door.

The party scattered soon after as Papa ran out into the field and scooped Odion into his arms. My brother was unconscious by then, and Mama began to wail. Two of Papa’s friends and another woman were squeezed into the back of the car with me as Papa sped off for the clinic. Mama sat in front with Odion on her laps. She fanned him continuously, muttering a prayer intermittently. Odion recovered after some minutes and whispered my name. I whimpered and leaned over the seat. The woman with me dragged me back and pushed a small drink at me. She handed the other to Mama with the instruction to give some to Odion if possible.

Beware the Ides of March!

How would you like to know when you will die before the time? It sounds very morbid but for some people, they say it gives them the opportunity to plan and organize things, to spend more time with their loved ones, etc. Personally, I wouldn't mind knowing because it won't really change much, I try to live my life as if each day is the last. But maybe if they told me how, now that could be a different matter.

To the title of the post; the Ides refers usually to the middle of the month, the 15th (today) in March. Caesar in Shakespeare's play, Julius Caesar, was warned by a seer to "Beware the Ides of March" but he scoffed. Basically, Ceasar did not take the seer's predictions seriously, he went for a senate meeting after their meeting and was stabbed to death (23 times) by several of over 60 conspirators. You know that saying, Et tu Brutus? That was Caesar giving up the fight against his killers when he saw that one of them was a man he took like a son. It is said that the murderers were in such a frenzy they even wounded each other in the melee. It seems it's not today that fightings and violence begun in senate chambers.

Anyways, drawing from this "foretold death" theme  Hart Johnson of the Watery Tart in the Delusional Doom blogfest, suggests that we predict our own death, predict someone else' death, write our own obituary, write someone else's obituary, or plot someone's murder.

Very gory eh? Since I couldn't stomach doing any of the other options, I decided to predict my own death.

I will die an old and fulfilled woman in my own bed.

Hahaha...

So would you like to know when you will die before the time?