Spotlight: Horror Writers Association

Bree on December 19, 2022

The ninth volume of Poetry Showcase, which comprises never-before-published dark and spine-chilling poems, was published as part of the Horror Writers Association’s yearly poetry collection release. The collection, which Angela Yuriko Smith edited, includes an anthology of 50 poems by various authors chosen by judges Lee Murray, Maxwell Gold, and Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito. Only 50 of the approximately 300 submissions from multiple authors were selected to be included in the ninth book. Pick up this book if you’re seeking a fantastic collection of poems to satisfy your appetite for bite-sized horrors!

Let’s look first at what Horror Writers Association is all about!

Horror Writers Association

The Horror Writers Association (HWA) is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals worldwide dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it.

Horror Writers Association was formed in the late 1980s. With over 1400 members in countries such as Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, and more, it is the oldest and most respected professional organization for writers. As an organization, HWA is dedicated to recognizing and promoting diversity in the horror genre; they’re also strictly practicing anti-harassment policy in all their events.

Who Can Join HWA?

Anyone can join Horror Writers Association. HWA has different membership levels based on the person’s experience. The person must apply for the group they fit into, alongside proper documentation to prove their experience. The membership levels include (1) Supporting Ally, for those who are not professional writer but has an interest in Horror, reading and watching horror movies. (2) Associate Ally, this is for non-writing horror professionals such as booksellers, agents, illustrators, editors, and more) (3) Academic Ally is for those who are working as an academic and has an academic interest in the field of Horror or dark literature (4) The Affiliate Writer membership is for those who published a little at professional rates. Lastly, (5) Active Writer or Editor (voting member) is for those who are already established professional writers or editors. It’s easy to send an application and provide proof of experience with your application. 

Aside from a chance to get featured for the upcoming volumes of the HWA Poetry Showcase, joining HWA can reap many benefits. HWA can help further your career with their career-building programs if you’re an aspiring writer. There’s the Hwa Mentor Program for educating beginning writers in the craft. HWA also helps writers find agents by providing comprehensive contact info for agents who specialize in the horror genre. Many networking resources exist for producers, publishers, editors, and agents. For librarians or booksellers, you’ll have an inside track on talented writers and the hot new book and award winners. If you’re just a fan of Horror, HWA can still help you by giving you access to the writers you genuinely love.

What are you waiting for? Come and be a member of the Horror Writers Association now.

You can check out HWA Poetry Showcase Volume IX on Amazon.

For more information about Horror Writers Association, you can visit their website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Read another Author Spotlight about Stuart Waldner here.

Author Spotlight: Deborah Levine Herman

Bree on December 2, 2022

Writer and literary agent Deborah Levine Herman releases the 2nd edition of her book Spirtual Writing: From Inspiration to Publication. Deborah has a vast knowledge of the literary world, that marks her as an expert in her field. Her knowledge is paramount for authors who strive to become successful.

Deborah Levine Herman is an author, literary agent, and publishing entrepreneur. Deborah Herman is the CEO of Micro Publishing Media, a niche and kitsch indie publishing company. Micro Publishing Media offers complete editorial services, design, and marketing for entrepreneurial authors.

When asked what this new edition can teach writers, Deborah said, “The first part will help them center and focus on being a positive vessel for higher information. I stress the need to move above ego. The seven lessons are laid out clearly for writers to understand their individual journeys.

Then these writers will learn everything they need to know about how to navigate the publishing industry, but more importantly, how to create success with the many alternative opportunities. I stress that becoming a bestselling author may not be the goal. It could be the result. However, the important thing is to be accessible to those who need the message they convey. The book includes sections on platform building and digital marketing that didn’t exist when I first conceived of the book.”

Deborah Herman’s latest book was a collaboration with Dianne’ Snake’ Lake, the youngest member of the notorious Manson Family, who, for the first time, shares her survival tale and how she contributed to the arrest of Charles Manson and the other killers. As a lawyer/journalist Herman contributed to the most recent Manson book, Inside the Manson Jury: From Deliberation to Death Penalty, written by Jury Foreman Herman Tubick in 1973 and was founded by his daughter in 2017. Deborah inserted well-placed transcript portions when MPM published the book to demonstrate Manson’s attempts to influence the proceedings and verdict. Like a puppeteer, psychopath Manson got all the accusers to do what he said and give their lives to clear his name. In the end, the court refused to give him the power to make decisions.

While still in her first year of law school at the Ohio State University College of Law, Herman set her sights on authoring works similar to this. Herman was approached to interview comics for a nearby entertainment magazine by the comedy club proprietor where she was unwinding her 1-L overworked skull–this sparked a passion for writing and a voyeuristic attitude toward personality profiles.

Aside from those, Deborah Herman has also written on other subjects such as parenting and motherhood. She has a book tailored for writers titled Spiritual Writing from Inspiration to Publication this book is now being revised to fit and reflect the digital age. Herman also co-authors Jeff Herman on the industry bible titled Write the Perfect Book Proposal: Ten Proposals that worked and Why.”

Deborah Levine Herman

Regarding Deborah Herman’s interests; horses, jewelry-making, bead weaving, drawing, and painting are some of Herman’s passions. Deborah Herman currently resides in New England.

Make sure to grab a copy of Spiritual Writing: From Inspiration to Publication 2nd Edition. This book is ideal for you if you’re a spiritual writer looking for a book to help you with your writing process.

You can check out Spiritual Writing: From Inspiration to Publication 2nd Edition on Amazon.

You can visit their website for more information about Deborah Levine Herman and her other books. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Alexander Payne Discusses Why He Likes All His Characters

Article Editor on October 11, 2022

Alexander Payne is interested in wordless storytelling, which is a bit ironic for a filmmaker who has won two Academy Awards for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay). However, it takes strong characters brought to life by talented actors to tell these captivating stories without words. And Payne is proud of all the characters he’s helped create during his career. “I like all of the characters in my films,” he says. 

There’s a big difference between what people will tolerate about a character in a movie compared to what they’ll put up with in real life. “You have to make a distinction. If you knew that human being in real life, separate from whether you love this person as a literary character,” says Alexander Payne. “Take, for example, Michael Corleone from The Godfather or Alex from A Clockwork Orange. Would you like them in real life? I don’t know — might be kind of tough. But you do love them as characters.” 

Payne has zero desire to solely create sympathetic characters. “I hate when movie people say, ‘Your lead character has to be sympathetic,’ which for them means ‘likable.’ We shouldn’t care about ‘liking’ a character as a person. We have to love them as characters, or at least be fascinated by them.”

A Cast of Characters

Alexander Payne and Bruce Dern working on the set of "Nebraska".
Alexander Payne directs Bruce Dern on the set of “Nebraska”.

Payne says he “has a soft spot for all the characters in my movies, and Tracy Flick was a special one.” He’s referring, of course, to the overly ambitious teenage antagonist of Election. The film, adapted from Tom Perrotta’s book of the same name, premiered on April 23, 1999. It stars Reese Witherspoon as the titular character in the dark, edgy comedy that cemented Payne as a master of satirical storytelling. 

“As driven as Tracy Flick was — and her name has entered popular culture as a very driven person, typically a female — I still wanted to give her understanding and depth,” explains the filmmaker. “There’s a scene in the movie where she’s really weeping, and you see how much she’s been manipulated by her mother. Everyone’s got a story.”

In addition to Ms. Flick, these are some of Alexander Payne’s most memorable characters:

— Ruth Stoops in Citizen Ruth

— Jim McAllister in Election

— Warren Schmidt in About Schmidt 

— Miles Raymond in Sideways 

— Matt King in The Descendants 

— Woody Grant in Nebraska 

— Paul Safranek in Downsizing

“I’ve been very fortunate to work with excellent actors throughout my career,” says Payne. Matt Damon is one of them. They worked together on 2016’s Downsizing. “I’m proud of that film,” says the director. “That was the first chance I had to work with Alexander Payne,” Damon said. “He is very sure of himself and the shots he needs to make. I am not saying he is controlling; instead, he knows when he’s got the shot. It makes you feel like you are in the hands of a master director.” Payne felt the same way, noting, “Many of us put a lot of heart, soul, and love into that film. Even though it tanked.”

People who have worked with Payne say that he treats everyone on set with the same care and support. However, he considers the secondary characters to be the real heart and soul of the films. “It is easier on leads because they have the landscape of the entire film to build their characters,” says Alexander Payne. “It is tougher for the bit players or smaller character parts because they have to suggest an entire human being in one or two or three scenes.”

The filmmaker has shot four of his eight films in Nebraska and has a knack for casting locals to help lend a sense of realism to the scene. That tactic paid off while making the 2013 comedy-drama Nebraska. “Bruce Dern’s character’s brothers and their wives have spent their entire lives in rural Nebraska and had never even been in a high school play,” says Payne.

Alexander Payne Makes the Movies He Wants To Watch

Alexander Payne says, “I desperately love movies and am so glad that my love of watching movies as a film geek was able to translate into a career.” Indeed, it’s a dream come true for the 61-year-old, who grew up watching as many movies as he could as a boy in Omaha, Nebraska, and fantasized about being a film projectionist.

Today, he’s content to create quality cinema he hopes will be enjoyed for generations to come. “Of course, I have to make a movie that I feel connected to on some level so that I can feel it. I have to feel what’s going on in the movie to be able to direct it halfway decently,” he says. “I’m just trying to find the movie that I myself would want to see. That’s my job. Even on the set, when the actors are doing it and I have the camera watching their performance, I’m watching them projected on a movie screen in my brain. Of the tens or even hundreds of people on set, only one is actually sitting in the theater, watching the movie.”

Author Spotlight: Stuart Waldner

Bree on September 28, 2022

Activist and author Stuart Waldner is up to release his debut novel ‘Escape the Meatrix: Eat Plants, Feel Great, and Save the Planet!’ this October 11, under Houndstooth Press. But before we talk about the exciting details of his upcoming book, let’s get to know Stuart Waldner.

Stuart Waldner is an author/activist of the upcoming book ‘Escape the Meatrix: Eat Plants, Feel Great, and Save the Planet!’. The book Escape the Meatrix was written after Stuart switched to a plant-based diet in 2008. 

Stuart Waldner is living in Lexington, Kentucky, in the United States. Lexington, Kentucky, is one of the country’s poorer and least educated areas with unhealthy individuals. Despite this, it’s one of the most beautiful places filled with genuine people, which Stuart appreciates. Growing up, Stuart witnessed those around him become ill, so he decided to make some changes in his lifestyle that could offer him the best chance to avoid the illnesses he saw in his relatives and the people he grew up with. In 1985, when Stuart was 23, he stopped eating meat and started exercising. It was not until 2008 that Stuart entirely went with a plant-based lifestyle. People may see it as a foolish decision, but Stuart’s life experiences prove that it was a big, good decision.

After transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle, Stuart discovered the connection between food choices and global crises such as climate change. The more Stuart learned about the statistical data that links dietary choices and the current global crisis, the more he was eager to convince other people to wake up.

When not advocating, Stuart Waldner spends his free time playing with his dogs, cooking plant-based foods, running, and restoring his 128-year-old Victorian home. Stuart’s doctor and the people around him can’t help but notice his excellent health—all thanks to a plant-based lifestyle.

 ‘Escape the Meatrix: Eat Plants, Feel Great, and Save the Planet!’ is an environmental, health, and wellness nonfiction book which features personal experience and data supported with research and scientific evidence. Here, Stuart Waldner boldly tells the truth about the Meatrix and how it led people to believe that animal-based products are natural and necessary when it was only conditioned to use them. Supported by science and research, the book illustrates how switching to a plant-based lifestyle can positively affect and improve a person’s health. It also averts the effects of climate change which can be a more significant problem for future generations. Stuart Waldner invites the readers to challenge the status quo and don’t sway with the growing animal-based consumers. The evidence is presented in the book. It’s up to you to decide whether you accept the action or stay the same.

You can check out and pre-order Escape the Meatrix: Eat Plants, Feel Great, and Save the Planet! on Amazon.

For more information about Stuart Waldner, you can visit his website. Find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Author Spotlight: Steven Joseph

Bree on April 22, 2022

Steven Joseph is an attorney and a remarkable writer. He experienced writing comprehensive legal briefs to pen award-winning non-fiction for children and adults. Aside from that, Steven is also a professional negotiator, marathon runner, and comedian whose humor can be seen significantly in his books. He lives in Hoboken, New York, and is a proud father of a grown-up daughter, Vita.

Steven is also a Holocaust survivor’s son, which explains his recognition and celebration of his Jewish heritage. Most of his writings circle the concept of survival and crankiness, which came from the household he grew up in, and the acknowledgment he has learned through his Zen practice. As a crankiness expert, Steven Joseph can help manage one’s emotions, embrace inner crankiness, and improve communication with friends and family.

Steven’s goal as a writer is to tell a story that nobody ever imagines. He wants to tell a funny story but, at the same time, has an important lesson for the readers to ponder. He wishes his readers to come away with an optimistic view of themselves and their world through his books. 

Steven also mentions having a great time collaborating with his illustrator Andy Case. After putting the story into blocks, he describes what exactly he sees in the scene. Andy will then add pleasant surprises unto Steven’s vision. Both are open to changes and mutually supportive of each other. Steven Joseph’s books are put to life by Andy Case, a long-time and experienced freelance illustrator and cartoonist from Nottingham, UK. You can find more about Andy Case on his website.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

 “I have a story on my website called “Can’t Make This Stuff Up CrankaTsuris.” We always say that you can’t make this stuff up when the unusual happens. I turn that around and say that when you go through the same motions every day, it becomes your rut. And you get cranky! So, never be afraid to use your imagination to make stuff up.” – Steven Joseph.

Steven Joseph has written a couple of books, namely A Grown-up Guide to Effective Crankiness: The CrankaTsuris Method and the Mom’s Choice Award-winning Book The Last Surviving Dinosaur: The TyrantoCrankaTsuris. His upcoming book Snoodles, Kidoodles, Poodles, and Lots and Lots of Noodles is a feel-good, smell-good, and taste-good story for children (as well as children at heart) that is up for an early January 2022 release! 

When asked about Steven Joseph’s plan for future books, he mentioned that he plans to write a second Grown-up Guide to Effective Crankiness! He is also working on a story with Willy Nilly, Dilly Dally, and Nervous Nelly as the main characters. There’s no news yet, but it’s going to be a fun read as well. Steven urges the readers to stay tuned for more updates!

You can check out his books at Amazon.

For more information about Steven Joseph, you can visit his website or find him on Facebook and Instagram.

Click Clone Cash: How NFTs Can Be More Than Just Artwork

Chris Turn on March 24, 2022

NFTs are one of the most interesting forms of investment in the modern world. There is so much mystery and niche surrounding the technology, and this mystery is what makes it so exciting to watch. 

Most people only know about NFTs because of the Gifs and Artworks that are selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. But NFTs can be so much more than art. To prove my point, I asked Click Clone Cash for an interview. 

If you don’t know, Click Clone Cash is an organization of NFT experts and the source market analysis, news, and insight into new NFT projects. If anyone can explain, it’s going to be Click Clone Cash! Now, let’s get to the interview.

Can you tell us what it is about NFTs that make them so sought after? Why are NFT art, videos, and the like worth so much?

Well, the thing with NFTs is that they are all unique. So usually, if you have a file, let’s say an image file, all you have to do is copy and paste that file. 

Now you have two completely identical files, you send them out, and no one will know which is the original or who the owner of it is. With NFTs, there is only one, and you know who owns it. That’s the allure of the technology. 

How can NFTs be used beyond art? What else can be created? 

That’s another thing about the technology. It is limitless in possibilities. People can make art, make music, and make albums, and all of these things can be minted as an NFT and traded. The blockchain is absolutely phenomenal. 

There are video game developers creating NFTs for in-game items to give their players something of real value, Nike has a line of Cryptokicks, which are virtual shoes, and virtual worlds like Decentriland have so many uses for NFTs. 

READ

Click Clone Cash: Incredible NFT Tips For New Artists And Collectors

Are any other companies using NFTs other than Nike?

Oh yeah, just about any big-name company you can think of probably has at least a toe in the game. McDonald’s, Taco Bell, WWE, Nike, you name it, have likely experimented with the technology. It’s just too good to ignore, and there are so many directions to take. 

So do companies only use NFTs to advertise? Are there any other uses? 

Sure there are. You can store anything from tickets to proof of sale documents. People have even started experimenting with the technology for use in data storage. 

There’s no better place to store sensitive documents than an NFT because NFTs are not hackable. Not without significant human error, and I mean things like giving away your password. I see a future where all significant contracts are done via the blockchain. 

So do you think the future of NFTs lies beyond art?

Absolutely, we here at Click Clone Cash believe that NFTs are the future, plain and simple. Right now, art is just one of the most popular uses and easiest for people to get into. 

In the future, however, we expect to see a lot more companies using the technology how Nike is. We also expect to see a lot more practical and less artistic uses: contracts, code storage, things like that.

ALSO READ:

Click Clone Cash: Here Is The Ultimate Guide To NFTs In 2022

Finding Self-Sufficiency in Babe in the Woods

Bree on October 26, 2021

May involve taking advice from strangers.

Self-sufficiency requires identifying three things: what’s within your control, what’s beyond, and what falls in-between. Yvonne Wakefield tells how she finds all three in Babe in the Woods: Self Portrait, a story of what happened after building a log cabin for herself as a young adult. After the unfortunate death of her parents, Wakefield uses what little money she has left to her name to purchase land and build a home by herself. Whether you grew up in the city or in a rural area, her story of perseverance and self-sufficiency will inspire and likely remind you of your own experiences.

In a similar fashion to how she learned a lot while building her home in Babe in the Woods: Building a Life One Log at a Time, she begins a new chapter of her life upon purchasing a truck. She quickly learns how being “safe” can take on many different meanings. For instance, she appreciates the safety offered by the canopy from rain and heavy coastal fogs. That being said, it is not enough to protect her sketchbook from the morning moisture and she quickly learns to wrap it in a plastic bag before sleeping. Despite the safety offered by the canopy from the rain, she also understands it cannot provide safety from greater dangers. She spends many sleepless nights on the roadside watching headlights whizz by. She found it most helpful to practice drawing a gun, aiming, and being threatening overall, with a fierce “I shoot first… ask questions later”. 

Whenever things became overwhelmingly tough on her journey, she was lucky enough to obtain advice from both strangers and new friends. Some of this advice was important, such as how her friend Del told her to always watch for ripped up stumps and windfalls because those were signs that the bears were out and about. Some of this advice was painful, such as keeping whiskey on hand for when injuries occurred; she notes that whisky is good for not only wounds, but also for loneliness. 

Perhaps one of the best pieces of advice she got was also the simplest; so long as you keep warm and fed, you will survive. She had no time to be self-absorbed because crying over her losses was a luxury she could not afford; she instead kept her eyes on the prize of survival and focused on staying warm and fed. 

In times of self-doubt and fear, Wakefield worried that the glue holding her together might crack. She makes a conscious effort to keep herself intact by focusing on herself and having confidence in the many skills she’s acquired along her journey. While most readers will not find themselves in this exact situation of living alone in a homemade log cabin, Babe in the Woods: Self Portrait will still inspire you to be self-sufficient in whatever environment you spend time in.

A Romany and an Englishman in Always a Princess

Bree on September 26, 2021

Will their love prevail?

If you start reading Clyve Rose’s Always a Princess and find yourself waiting for the classic meet-cute, such as the handsome prince catching the enchanting gaze of the prettiest girl at the ball, it is time to throw that expectation out the window. Like much of the historical romance genre, this novel will more than satisfy your cravings for smoldering desire, fiery passion, and the excitement of uncontrollable love. Unlike much of the historical romance genre, this story begins with a gunshot, a Romany family who exists on the outskirts of the English, and a very angry Princess.

If you find yourself confused on who the “Romany” people are, look no further than the Author’s note at the end. Rose explains the background of the disconnect between calling this population “gypsies” versus “Romany”. By supplying you with both contextual information on the Romany and a bit of their language, Rose differentiates herself from the rest of the genre to guarantee that you will want stick around for the rest of this three-book series.

Although you may already be familiar with the ins and outs of how the English live in the Regency period, Rose kickstarts this series by throwing a Romany family into the mix. Princess Syeira, the oldest daughter of the Romany King, takes on the unfortunate duty of witnessing her oldest brother Valkin in a duel that ultimately forces her to cross paths with Englishman Captain Warwick “Wil” Clifton.

Syeira struggles to control her emotions when tending to her brother’s resulting injuries since he is “sher-engro”, meaning Head of the House in Romany. While the extent of the damages Wil had inflicted were unbeknownst to him at the time, Syeira’s unfiltered temper immediately clued him in. This duel set into motion a story of two people from opposite cultures who met by chance, blend them together in a whirlwind of emotion and erotic tension.

            Rose gives life to Syeira’s character in a way that surpasses any stereotypical gypsy tendencies you might have expected. From the moment he first lays eyes on her, Wil is intrigued to say the least. Initially torn between admiring and fearing her wild spirit, he struggles to keep his feet on the ground around this woman who he instinctively knows would make a great wife. In stark contrast to the English women he has grown accustomed to, Wil quickly learns to respect Syeira’s devotion to the House of Brishen and the mighty strength of her moral standards.

            Despite existing in a world where the English and the Romany have different mindsets and codes of conduct, Wil and Syeira throw caution to the wind in Always a Princess, the first of a three-book series. Find your copy on Amazon now.

History Behind Vinyl Records

Article Editor on July 29, 2021

History Behind Vinyl Records

Vinyl

There is probably no way one could imagine not being able to get any song at any time with the push of one finger. With today’s innovative world of technology, one can have access to any song, and all the music that covers the globe, right at their fingertips by way of subscription-based streaming. Therefore, some may wonder how and why in the world, would anyone want a vinyl record, and even more so, how could vinyl records actually be making a comeback. Well, it is quite simple for the ones out there who are audio enthusiasts and collectors of vinyl records as Alexander Djerassi is a collector. Many collectors pay a lot of money just for one record, and there is something extra special about not having the best in quality with the scratchiness and popping sound of that old vinyl. Perhaps it is the simple love of having a moment of nostalgia. However, from vinyl to streaming there is a lot of history. And, one would have to go back to see just how vinyl records came to be in order to have an appreciation for where one is today in regards to the sound of music. So, let’s take a look at the history behind vinyl records.

History

It all started with the phonautograph. In 1857 the phonautograph was invented by Edouard Leon Scott. Edouard Leon Scott was a French inventor who was interested in getting a better understanding of sound and how it works. With this device, sound would be represented graphically onto paper that were small discs by way of a vibrating pen. However, in 1878 Thomas Edison took the phonautograph a step further by creating a way to hear music by using a stylus. The stylus would cut grooves into tinfoil. This enabled sound to be recorded and then played back.

Next, it is important to note that while the phonautograph was being invented in 1857 a decade later a vital part of the vinyl history was invented. Yes, in 1867, the gramophone was invented by Emile Berliner, a German born US citizen. The gramophone is the first actual record player as it played rubber discs that were seven inches. It was operated by hand. Later in 1901 a record player called the Red Seal was released by the Victor Company. The Red Seal played vinyl records that were ten inches.

Continuing to move along, or one may say leap forward to 1948 when the 33 1/3 RPM was released by Columbia Records. This is the next step in the history behind vinyl records. The 33 1/3 RPM was made from polyvinyl chloride or PVC as it is referred to. The grooves in the vinyl have the recorded sound and as the record spins needle runs on the grooves. This passes the information or sound to the electromagnetic head.
Fast forward again to 1982 when Sony invented the compact disc (or CD as it is most commonly referred). This basically made the beloved vinyl record obsolete except for collectors like Alexander Djerassi.

I Found My Love for Poetry in Tears of Change

Bree on June 25, 2021

Even if You’re Not a Poetry Person, You’re Going to Love It!

I never saw myself as a poetry person. No, wait! That’s a lie. In school, I would use my journal to scribble small pieces of poetry (or at least, my attempt at that). But over time, I forgot about it because I didn’t think it meant anything. Now, years later, I’m inundated with so many book recommendations from friends who read and love poetry that I had to give it a fair shot.

Even so, up until most recently, I hadn’t picked up a single book of poems. It wasn’t until I watched a book reading by an author and instantly fell in love with the form. Debbie Monteggia, the author of “Tears of Change,” read two of her most-liked poems, both so touching! They made a home in my heart.

Debbie’s poem brought back those old memories, and it hit me. Those squiggles weren’t “nothing.” They were the most fluid expressions of my deepest feelings, freewheel dreams, and pure child-like imagination. “Tears of Change,” as I learned, was Debbie’s way of channeling her thoughts and feelings to cope with anxiety. She hopes her poems resonate with the readers and inspire them in more ways than one. The verses that stuck with me are “A Child of God,” “Friendship,” and “A Mother’s Love.”

As you can tell, Debbie’s book sure has made a significant impression on me.Although my journey is different from hers, so many of her poems struck a mutual chord. They hit a little too close to home. You don’t need to be experiencing the same things as the poet to feel those emotions after reading these delicate yet impactful words. For me, the poems that stuck with me were “A Child of God,” “Friendship,” and “A Mother’s Love.”

As you go through the poems, you’re likely to feel the full range of emotions that you experienced in a while. The theme may be drawn from our day-to-day life, but the poem will help you appreciate things in a whole new light. You’ll learn to acknowledge them, be grateful for, and love them with all your heart.

I guess that’s the beauty of poetry. It tugs at the strings of your heart, creating nothing less than a sweet melody. Even if it’s sometimes drenched in tears–washing your sorrows away. Poetry also reminds us to pause and admire our surroundings, our relationships, our blessings that we may take for granted ever so often. It evokes a calm, soothing realization of the present and appreciation for the past. It prompts us to get in touch with our innermost selves to bring out the best of what we have to offer to the world around us.

“Tears of Change” by Debbie Monteggia delivers joy, tears, comfort, and so much more. But most of all, it inspires people like me and you to appreciate the gifts we’ve received. And encourages us to think of our life as the greatest gifts of all!

For anyone who loves poetry, this book is a must-read. Those of you who’re like me, unsure of your liking for poems, please give “Tears of Change” a chance. Who knows, you too might end up loving it. I highly recommend you get your copy today. You can thank me later.