Guest Author: Kate O’Reilley

It was a cold winter day in 2009 when my life changed forever, however, it would be months before I figured that out.  On that fateful day, a drug-addicted surgical scrub tech assigned to my operating room purportedly stole syringes of fentanyl, a potent intravenous narcotic, from my anesthesia cart.  According to news reports, investigative summaries, and the scrub tech’s confession, once she took the syringes, she used them on herself.  

It’s hard to fathom, but that’s not even the really sick and twisted part to this tale.  The scrub tech had hepatitis C, a blood-borne virus that attacks and, sometimes, destroys the liver.  She knew she was positive for the virus.  Yet, after injecting herself with a drug that was intended for a vulnerable and innocent patient, she chose to refill the syringe, with saline and replace it in my cart.  The syringe was contaminated.  

There was no way I could have known that she had tampered with my drugs.  The syringes were in the same place where I left them, and both fentanyl and saline look identical.  So, on that unfortunate day, I allegedly injected a mixture of saline and hepatitis C into my patient’s bloodstream, instead of a painkiller.  

The following summer, the story made local and national headlines.  At least 5,000 patients were at risk for having been exposed to the virus.  Every anesthesiologist in my group secretly prayed that they weren’t involved.  I too selfishly hoped that the fiasco would involve somebody else – anybody else – besides me.  

A few months later, I received notice that I was being sued, along with the hospital.  The ensuing two years was by far the most painful, mortifying, demoralizing, and caustic event of my life.  Of course I grieved for the patient, but I had to do so in silence because any discussion of the event was forbidden, on the advice of my attorneys.  Never before would I have imagined the depths of shame, guilt, and self-doubt that I was capable of inflicting upon myself.

As the malpractice case evolved, the patient’s lawyers got nastier and greedier.  My initial feelings of compassion and empathy dissolved into rage and betrayal.  I suffered through an eight-hour deposition with hostile attorneys where I was belittled, ridiculed, verbally abused, and intimidated.  

Months later, I was emotionally beaten down, and I made the painful decision to settle.  At that point, it was no longer about right versus wrong.  I just wanted the nightmare to end.  It was at that time, in the middle of settlement negotiations, that I was featured on the local television news station, only to be followed a week later by a front-page headline in the local paper.  Statements that I had made during my deposition were taken out of context.  The public commenters on the stories cried for my crucifixion.  The timing of the stories and their prejudicial slant reeked of a couple of reporters on the take.  I was made to look like a cold, heartless, reckless villain, and the patient was the innocent victim of my blatant negligence.  That wasn’t the reality, but I was forbidden to speak out in order to defend myself . . . on the advice of counsel. 

I never got my day in court or my opportunity to explain that I’m not a monster.  I wish I could have explained that, before this happened, I was a caring, compassionate, skilled, and highly qualified physician.  The manner in which I secured and stored my narcotics was identical to the manner in which at least 95% of my colleagues handled theirs.  We were all taught during residency that the operating room was a secure environment.  There were no rules or policies in place at any of the hospitals at which I practiced at that time dictating how narcotics should be secured.  It wasn’t until after the event, and a national spotlight highlighted the issue, that strict rules were established and policies were rigidly enforced.  Anyone who claims otherwise is deceitful and more interested in self-preservation than the truth.

Now, sadly, I am a shadow of my former self.  With respect to the practice of medicine, I’m bitter, defensive, cynical, and wounded.  I need to stress that in no way is this article intended to take away from the fact that a patient was hurt and suffered while under my care.  The circumstances under which this occurred, though, were extreme.  I was as much of a victim of the scrub tech’s crime as my patient.  We just endured different kinds of injuries.  Mine were of the heart and soul and will never heal.

Once the malpractice case came to a conclusion, friends and family urged me to tell my story.  From my grief and devastation, the words poured from my soul, and It’s Nothing Personal was born.  

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is if the writing process was cathartic.  Surprisingly, it was not.  Researching the story opened old wounds and even inflicted new ones.  What was cathartic, however, was being able to take the ordeal and mold it into a story.  I finally got to be the puppet master.  Imagining what could have been, instead of what actually was, left me invigorated.

IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL

by Kate O’Reilley

Publisher:  Quandary Publishing

Pages: 385

Amazon Link

Kindle Edition

File Size: 533 KB

Print Length: 386 pages

Publisher: Quandary Publishing, LLC; 1 edition (January 14, 2013)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Amazon Link

Synopsis:

Dr. Jenna Reiner had no idea when she went to work on a snowy January morning that her life would be change forever.  A rogue scrub tech, infected with a lethal virus, is stealing anesthesiologists’ narcotics.  The scrub tech’s addiction evolves into a public health scare, potentially affecting thousands.  Unfortunately, on that fateful day, Dr. Reiner falls victim to an addict.

The ensuing medical malpractice suit filed by Dr. Reiner’s patient and a set of ruthless attorneys becomes a battle for survival.  For Dr. Reiner, the lawsuit is personal.  Her very soul is on the line as she fights against greed and a corrupt legal system.  Will Dr. Reiner prevail?  Or will the system win?

Inspired by true events, this is a story of survival and pain beyond imagination.

Read chapter 1 HERE

Book Spotlight: Kate O’Reilley's IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL

IT’S NOTHING PERSONAL
by Kate O’Reilley

Publisher:  Quandary Publishing
Pages: 385

Synopsis:

Dr. Jenna Reiner had no idea when she went to work on a snowy January morning that her life would be change forever.  A rogue scrub tech, infected with a lethal virus, is stealing anesthesiologists’ narcotics.  The scrub tech’s addiction evolves into a public health scare, potentially affecting thousands.  Unfortunately, on that fateful day, Dr. Reiner falls victim to an addict.

The ensuing medical malpractice suit filed by Dr. Reiner’s patient and a set of ruthless attorneys becomes a battle for survival.  For Dr. Reiner, the lawsuit is personal.  Her very soul is on the line as she fights against greed and a corrupt legal system.  Will Dr. Reiner prevail?  Or will the system win?

Inspired by true events, this is a story of survival and pain beyond imagination.

CHAPTER 1

January 20, 2010

Dr. Jenna Reiner’s Land Rover fishtailed as she turned into the parking lot of St. Augustine Hospital, nearly striking a cement post.  Inside the relative safety of the parking garage, she felt relieved to have finally escaped the icy roads.  Little did Jenna know, things would have been much simpler if she would have had the good fortune to slide off the road and into a ditch on her drive to the city.  Unfortunately, life dealt her a different fate.  She arrived safely at work and began the day that would change her life forever.

The clock on the dashboard read 7:12.  Time was against Jenna.  She had only eighteen minutes before her first case was scheduled to start.  “Dammit,” she muttered, as she rushed to gather her things from the back seat.  Lassoing her stethoscope around her neck with one hand, she unloaded her briefcase and extended its handle with the other.  Trudging across the parking lot, wheeling her bag behind her, she had to dodge a minefield of chunks of dirty, sloppy snow.

Entering the main lobby of the hospital, Jenna felt a rush of heated air.  In order to make up for lost time, she nearly sprinted down the narrow, dimly lit hospital corridor toward the elevators.  The rubber soles of her operating room clogs were wet from the grime of the parking lot.  With each step against the worn, discolored tile of the hospital hallway, Jenna’s shoes let out a series of high-pitched, relentless squeaks that echoed behind her.  

Jenna approached the elevator, and the doors opened spontaneously.  She breathed a sigh of relief, jumped in, and punched the button for the third floor.  Only a few feet away, Jenna spotted a couple of patients and hospital workers advancing toward her.  She knew she did not have the luxury of wasting time waiting for the stragglers, nor did she have any particular desire to be overly polite.  Pretending not to see them, Jenna repeatedly pressed the close button, and the doors shut before the others could enter.  The elevator reached the third floor, and she anxiously glanced down at her phone.  It was now 7:18, which allowed her barely enough time to meet her patient, prepare the operating room for anesthesia and, God willing, get one last chance to use the restroom.

She strode toward the main doors of the operating rooms and frantically swiped her identification badge in front of the sensor pad.  The sensor’s light switched from red to green, and the double doors swung open.  Jenna bolted inside with her bag trailing in a wild track behind her.  Passing the assignment board, she located her designated operating room.  She grabbed a blue surgeon’s cap, tied it snugly in place at the back of her head, and carefully tucked her ponytail of brown hair inside.  Glancing in the mirror, she nonchalantly pulled out a few wisps of hair from in front of each ear – just enough to look more feminine, but not enough to get her in trouble for having exposed locks.  Grabbing a mask, Jenna secured it over her face.  Her deep, blue eyes were her only visible facial feature, and they stood out well against the cap and mask.  Satisfied with her appearance, Jenna headed off to her operating room.

Upon opening the door to OR 2, Jenna was chilled by the familiar, yet always unpleasant, draft of frigid air that emanated from the operating rooms.  The Talking Heads’ song, “Once in a Lifetime,” blared from the operating room speakers.  The lyrics somehow seemed appropriately matched to her mood.  

Inside the operating room, Hillary, the scrub tech, and Rebecca, the circulating nurse, were busy counting surgical equipment.  Hillary, dressed in a sterile surgical gown and gloves, fingered each item as Rebecca stood by and checked them off from her count sheet.  Jenna walked in to hear Hillary identifying each item on her table, “Ten ray techs, five laps, two blades, one hypo . . .” 

The women paused when they saw the doctor enter the room.

Rebecca spoke over the music.  “Dr. Reiner, I just wanted to let you know that Dr. Hoover’s caught in traffic, and she’s going to be at least thirty minutes late.”

One of Jenna’s biggest pet peeves was to be running behind schedule, but now that it was the surgeon’s fault and not hers, she was grateful for the delay.  

“Rebecca, you’re a life saver,” Jenna said as she smiled underneath her mask and slowed down her hectic pace.  She made her way past the tray of surgical devices and toward the head of the operating room bed, where her equipment and medications were located.  Clumsily, she wedged her briefcase into the only crevice not taken up by anesthesia gear.  Jenna then devoted her attention to performing her routine check of the ventilator, monitors, and equipment.  Like a prima ballerina performing on stage, she floated through her routine.

During Jenna’s preparations, she discreetly reached into her bag and pulled out a Diet Pepsi.  Rebecca caught sight of Jenna’s indiscretion and glared at her, but the doctor knew better than to take Rebecca’s feigned scorn seriously.  Looking Rebecca directly in the eye, mocking innocence, Jenna asked, “What?”  Then, defiantly, she opened her forbidden soda.  The cracking of the metal tab and the small explosive release of carbonation resonated throughout the room.  Rebecca shook a disapproving finger at Jenna, but the twinkle in her eyes indicated otherwise.

Hillary winked at Jenna and said, “Hey, Doc, we’ve all got our vices.  Your secret’s safe with us.”  

Thrown off guard by Hillary’s gesture, Jenna blushed and quickly turned her back on the scrub tech.

Rebecca and Hillary resumed their count, and Jenna was ready to check out narcotics for her first patient.  She stepped in front of the Accudose machine, entered her personal identification code on the keyboard, and pressed her index finger over the red, illuminated biometric sensor.  After confirming a fingerprint match, the automated machine came to life.    

Grabbing the surgical schedule taped to her anesthesia machine, Jenna scanned it for her patient’s name.  Her first patient was Michelle Hollings, a twenty-two-year-old female scheduled for breast augmentation.  Just another routine case, Jenna surmised, as she proceeded to enter the patient’s name into the machine.  Under Michelle Hollings’ account, Jenna typed “Fentanyl” and touched the screen to select the 5 cc ampule from the menu.  One of the small drawers sprang open, revealing a bin containing six glass vials filled with the drug.  Jenna took one, verified the initial count, and closed the drawer.  

She was about to retrieve Versed when Rebecca asked, “Hey Dr. Reiner, I’m guessing you haven’t seen the patient yet?”

“No, Rebecca.  I’m hoping she’s young and healthy, so it shouldn’t take me more than a couple of minutes.”

“Well, since Hillary and I are done with our count, I’m gonna go see the patient and then hopefully score some coffee before Dr. Hoover shows up.” 

“Go for it.  I’ll be right behind you,” Jenna replied, without looking up.

Rebecca scurried off to meet the patient, leaving Jenna and Hillary alone in the operating room. 

Jenna finished checking out a 2 cc vial of Versed.  With her narcotics in hand, she exited the Accudose machine.  The machine clattered as its drawers automatically locked.  

For several minutes, both Hillary and Jenna quietly went about their respective tasks.  The silence made Jenna uneasy.  She barely knew Hillary, who was relatively new to St. Augustine.  They had worked together only a few times.  While Jenna had to concede the newcomer always conducted herself professionally in front of the surgeons, she also saw an element of “white trash” in the scrub tech.  Hillary had bleach-blonde hair with black roots, brown eyes encircled with heavy eyeliner and mascara, and an excess of tattoos and facial piercings.  However, her impression was based upon more than Hillary’s physical appearance.  Hillary’s manners were unrefined.  She pictured Hillary more as a bartender in a seedy watering hole than as a healthcare professional.  If Jenna had to choose two words to describe the scrub tech, they would be “dark” and “scrappy.”  Hillary had the air of someone who had lived a hard life.

There was something else about Hillary that put Jenna on edge.  She had not noticed it until the two of them were alone.  Jenna had a disconcerting feeling that Hillary was watching her.  Yet, every time Jenna glanced at Hillary, the scrub tech was looking in another direction.  The sense of paranoia made Jenna feel foolish.  She tried to put it out of her mind as she engaged Hillary in small talk.

“So,” Jenna asked, “how do you like St. Augustine so far?”  

“You know, it’s been fine.  Everyone’s been pretty cool.  I’m not used to your winters, though.  What’s up with all the snow and ice?  I was sliding all over the place on my way in.  It scared the crap out of me.”

“Well, you get used to it, I guess.  Where’d you come from?”

“I just moved here from California.  I’ve been going through some pretty rough shit lately.  I have a little girl who lives with her dad in San Francisco.  I’m just trying to get my life back on the right track so I can regain custody.  I haven’t seen my daughter in over a year.”

The fact that this person Jenna hardly knew would divulge such intimate, sordid details about herself left her feeling anxious to leave.  She glanced up at the clock, which read 7:45.

Jenna moved over to her anesthesia cart.  The cart was nothing more than a glorified, multi-drawer tool chest containing non-narcotic drugs and anesthesia supplies.  She drew up the remaining intravenous medications needed for the case.  Per her routine, Jenna took all of her syringes, opened the bottom drawer of her anesthesia cart, and concealed them in a bin beneath bags of intravenous fluid.  After stashing her medications, Jenna took one last glance around to make sure everything was in order for the start of her first case.  Satisfied, she grabbed her stethoscope and headed out of OR 2.

On her way out, Jenna told Hillary, “Well, I hate to cut things short, but I need to go see the patient.  Good luck with everything, and I really hope things work out for you.”

“Thanks, Doc.  Think I have enough time to break scrub and go get some coffee?”

“I can’t imagine why not.  My guess is we won’t be bringing the patient back to the room any sooner than fifteen minutes from now.” 

By the time Jenna walked out of the operating room, Hillary had already ripped off her sterile surgical gown and threw it into the waste bin.

Jenna could not shake the eerie feeling she got from being alone with Hillary.  The woman conveyed a sense of danger. 

Hillary was finally alone in the operating room.  Unfortunately, Jenna’s suspicions were correct.  The scrub tech had been secretly watching Jenna as she hid her drugs and knew exactly where to look.  Hillary opened the bottom drawer and lifted the bags of IV fluid.  Immediately, she found what she craved.  She plucked the 5 cc syringe filled with clear fluid and labeled with a blue “Fentanyl” sticker from the pile of other medications.  Slipping two fingers into her breast pocket, Hillary pulled out an identically labeled syringe filled with saline.  Swapping one syringe for the other, she covered the drugs, and closed the drawer of the anesthesia cart.  Everything was exactly as Jenna had left it.  Hillary smiled as she headed to the locker room.  

AMAZON LINK

Guest Post: Jos Rogiers (Editor of Message From A Hidden Past)

An Unexpected Parcel
(By Jos Rogiers, editor of Message from a Hidden Past)

In the beginning of November 2011, on a rainy morning, I was surprised to find an unexpected parcel in my mailbox. It contained a number of handwritten pages, the work of a gentleman unknown to me, a learned dwarf, apparently, who wished to remain anonymous. In an enclosed note, he kindly requested that I edit the manuscript and have it published. I decided to comply with his request, because the content of this book was so amazing that I felt it necessary to make it widely known. Indeed, this text traces nothing less than the history of a vanished species of hominids—who apparently once ruled over the world—and their predicted return sometime in the future. Now, if that is not amazing, I do not know what is. (Please, see the synopsis of the book)

I have left the dwarf’s text as it was—unaltered, but for some writing and language errors—thinking it wise to respect the author’s somewhat peculiar English, a language which he managed to acquire a fairly good knowledge of in a relatively short time. The old-fashioned chapter headings flowed out of the dwarf’s pen, and I did not touch them. The writer forgot to create a title for his book, and therefore I had to invent one myself. I chose “Message from a Hidden Past.” For the rest, I thought that it would be useful and clarifying to add some maps and endnotes to the text, and to complete it with a cover which I felt would be appropriate.

Why the dwarf asked me, a Dutch-speaking Belgian, to edit and publish his book, written in English, which is not my mother tongue, is another question. In any case, whatever the dwarf’s motives were to pick me out, he saddled me with a hell of a job! I can tell you that my English dictionary is well-thumbed now and all dog-eared, while my English grammar is almost falling apart.

Neither the author nor the editor being a native speaker, the reader should not expect the language of the book to be Standard English. But let this not prevent him or her from reading this baffling story, which, indeed, throws a completely new light on the human existence, on our history and future.

(The photo with this article shows the editor, not the dwarf!)

MESSAGE FROM A HIDDEN PAST
An amazing book, wherein an ancient dwarf sheds
a revolutionary new light on our history & future

Written by an ancient dwarf (of whom no picture is available, since he preferred to remain anonymous and must be in the Hereafter by now)

Edited by Jos Rogiers.
Published by Create Space, December 28, 2012.
Viii and 247 pages, twelve maps.
Look Inside on Amazon.com:




Synopsis:

More than 3,200 years ago, a learned dwarf was pricked with the Sleeping Thorn and fell into a deep slumber in a secret cave somewhere on Earth. When he finally awoke, towards the end of 2009 or in the early part of 2010, he started to carry out the task he was charged with by his king: to reveal the truth about a hidden chapter of our past, that misunderstood period of our history when the so-called “gods” held sway over the world. He wrote an amazing book about this subject, a book that throws a completely new light on world history and human existence: "Message from a Hidden Past." According to the author, the gods were neither supernatural beings nor products of the human imagination, let alone extraterrestrials. He describes them as hominids of flesh and blood, belonging to the further evolved species of Homo supersapiens. They were smarter, taller, and much more beautiful than humans. They were the true founders of civilization. The book explains their origins, describes their culture, and pictures the land in which they lived. Most revealing, it relates how the gods became involved with humans and the disastrous consequences of that fateful interaction. The dwarf recounts the story of a great world war that took place at the end of the Bronze Age and of an epic calamity that finally extinguished the Era of the Gods. Despite their physical destruction, the lore and images of the gods lived on in poetry, song, and myth. The book’s last chapters deal with what remains of them today, and discuss ancient prophecies that foretell their return at an uncertain date in the future.

Follow Friday

It's time for the weekly hop!! If you want to join the fun, visit Alison Can Read  or Parajunkee's View for the link.

Q: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?

Two books, actually. Out of Breath and The Ghost Runner books #1 and #2 of the Lithia Trilogy by Blair Richmond. I am addicted to book series and these are great books. So glad to have read them both. 

How about you? Happy weekend!

Book Review: The Ghost Runner by Blair Richmond

The Ghost Runner 

Author: Blair Richmond
Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: Ashland Creek Press (October 15, 2012)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 346 KB
Print Length: 267 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1618220179
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Ashland Creek Press (October 9, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Ashland Creek Press. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

Katherine's life is improving. Months ago, she was homeless, well, after she ran away from home. When she met David and Stacey in Lithia, they gave her life back. It seemed like everything is back to normal, not only she was given basic needs, she's also been given an opportunity to go back in college. However, she misses Stacey so much. She felt "homeless" again after Stacey's death. According to some people in the community, Stacey died in a bear attack. Katherine knows it wasn't a bear but she cannot divulge what she knows because David and the police wouldn't believe her - that a vampire is responsible for Stacey's death. And the worst thing is knowing Stacey was killed by someone special to her.

And Katherine's father is looking for her. She was beyond shocked when her father showed up in her school. That can't happen, his father should have not been able to visit her because the father she knows is dead and Katherine is sure because she's the one who killed him. Who is this man and why is he following Katherine?

The Ghost Runner is the follow-up book to Out of Breath, book 1 to the Lithia Trilogy. This time, the story focuses on Katherine's family. This book has "wowed" me a few times because of the twists. The revelations were kind of surprising for me, except how Katherine's mother died. I knew who killed her mother, actually even before knowing about Stacey's killer.

Katherine.... I really like her but I often get annoyed when she's mad at either Alex or Roman. I think she's changed. In this book, it's like she can't decide what's best for her. I hate it when a character is indecisive, especially with boys. It is alright to feel uncertain at times but throughout the story? Please just choose one! There was one question in the first book that I was looking forward to be answered in the second book. What is Roman's relationship with Stacey and why did he kill her?? I thought there would be an explanation at some point but there was none. I was intrigued because Katherine felt the tension between Stacey and Roman whenever they're close to each other.

Anyway, I enjoyed The Ghost Runner because I see Alex more here. He's such a very charming guy, I love how he takes care of Katherine. He's very gentle, romantic and selfless. If I have to choose between Alex and Roman, it would be Alex. Wish the author would write more about Alex in the next book.

I loved The Ghost Runner as much as I loved the first book, Out of Breath. Can't wait to read book #3!

About the book:

You can't outrun the past...

In The Ghost Runner, Kat is still in Lithia, trying not to see Roman’s face everywhere she looks. It’s not easy, but she tries to move on: She starts taking classes at the local college, keeps up with her job at the running store, and is beginning a relationship with Alex.

Yet Kat’s past is never far behind, and as old ghosts begin to catch up with her, she finds herself fighting to defend the things she believes in, from the hope of a new family to the deeply wooded forests that she has begun to call home. As her relationship with Alex begins to crumble, a new secret from her past emerges, and she is once again torn between those she loves as she struggles to reconcile her dark past with her hopes for a brighter future.

The Ghost Runner, continuing Kat's adventures in Out of Breath, brings us further into the mysterious town of Lithia, where the old traditions of logging and gold mining—and the new traditions of development—collide with conservation. Meanwhile, the spirits of the town keep watch over everything—and occasionally find it necessary to intervene...

The Lithia Trilogy, which blends adventure and the paranormal with environmental awareness and Shakespeare, offers an exciting new series in young adult fiction.

About the author:

Blair Richmond is the pen name of an author from the Pacific Northwest.
Website: http://blairrichmond.blogspot.com

E-ARC Book Giveaway: The Trajectory of Dreams by Nicole Wolverton

For Lela White, a Houston sleep lab technician, sleep doesn’t come easy—there’s a price to be paid for a poor night’s sleep, and she’s the judge, jury, and executioner.

Everyone around Lela considers her a private woman with a passion for her lab work. But nighttime reveals her for what she is: a woman on a critical secret mission. Lela lives in the grip of a mental disorder that compels her to break into astronauts’ homes to ensure they can sleep well and believes that by doing so, she keeps the revitalized U.S. space program safe from fatal accidents. What began at the age of ten when her mother confessed to blowing up the space shuttle has evolved into Lela’s life’s work. She dreads the day when an astronaut doesn’t pass her testing, but she’s prepared to kill for the greater good.

When Zory Korchagin, a Russian cosmonaut on loan to the U.S. shuttle program, finds himself drawn to Lela, he puts her carefully-constructed world at risk of an explosion as surely as he does his own upcoming launch. As Lela’s universe unravels, no one is safe.

To read my review (5-star), click HERE

GIVE AWAY GIVE AWAY 

The author is giving away one E-ARC copy of The Trajectory of Dreams, and this is open worldwide, must be 18 years old and above.

  

To join the book giveaway, leave a comment with your email. Extra points will be given to those who will follow Bookingly Yours, share this post thru Facebook and/or Twitter, with the link/s included in the comment section. Book give away will end on February 6 and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

"It's Monday! What are you reading?" is a fun meme hosted by Sheila @ Book Journey. This is where we share the books we have read the last week and our reading plans for this week.

Read and Reviewed

Out of Breath by Blair Richmond (5-star)

Book For Review: 

Currently Reading: 

Senior year of high school has begun. For most students that means settling into classes, doing homework and maybe working part-time over the weekend.

For Alice Goodenough, it means navigating the tricky cliques of her high school, staying on top of her studies and making new friends ... in addition to experiencing more nightmares, more sword training and more doing battle with the Corrupted. 

After facing off with the dreaded dwarf named Sam Grayle, Alice finds her dreams plagued by two separate visions. In one, she's floating through a massive mansion filled with old, dusty furniture and drafty windows. Shadows dance across the wall. Children cry out in terror. A mysterious animal growl echoes through the halls.

In her second dream, a terrible smoke-like creature roams the streets of Minneapolis, feeding off human victims while it plots a terrible revenge that threatens to have far-reaching consequences. Alice must decide which dream to pursue: does she foil the smoke-creature's plot or try to rescue the children from an unseen evil?

This book also contains the following Grimms' fairy tales:

-- The Juniper-Tree

-- The Mister in the Bush

Upon making a surprising discovery in a Corrupted's lair, Alice finds herself torn between her responsibilities as the hero and her desire to live a normal life. She's been granted a unique opportunity to leave the entire world of the hero behind. But before she can make her ultimate choice, her nightmares return ...

A ship is coming. And aboard that ship is one of the most terrifying Corrupted creatures Alice has faced yet. In order to face her foe, Alice will have to do without the help of her scorned friend, Br'er Rabbit.

At school, a miraculous recovery by the star of the baseball team prompts more questions, all of them bringing Alice back to that fateful encounter at the orphanage of doom. To make matters worse, a school bully has taken his terrorizing too far, a friend is in trouble, and the mysterious ship in Alice's nightmare holds a terrible secret ...

This story also contains:

- "The Fisherman and His Wife," by the Brothers Grimm

- Chapter one of "Moby-Dick," by Herman Melville.

Book Spotlight: MESSAGE FROM A HIDDEN PAST

MESSAGE FROM A HIDDEN PAST

An amazing book, wherein an ancient dwarf sheds a revolutionary new light on our history & future
Look Inside on Amazon.com:

Written by an ancient dwarf.
Edited by Jos Rogiers.
Published by Create Space, December 28, 2012.
Viii and 247 pages, twelve maps.

Synopsis

More than 3,200 years ago, a learned dwarf was pricked with the Sleeping Thorn and fell into a deep slumber in a secret cave somewhere on Earth. When he finally awoke, towards the end of 2009 or in the early part of 2010, he started to carry out the task he was charged with by his king: to reveal the truth about a hidden chapter of our past, that misunderstood period of our history when the so-called “gods” held sway over the world. He wrote an amazing book about this subject, a book that throws a completely new light on world history and human existence: Message from a Hidden Past.

According to the author, the gods were neither supernatural beings nor products of the human imagination, let alone extraterrestrials. He describes them as hominids of flesh and blood, belonging to the further evolved species of Homo supersapiens. They were smarter, taller, and much more beautiful than humans. They were the true founders of civilization. The book explains their origins, describes their culture, and pictures the land in which they lived. Most revealing, it relates how the gods became involved with humans and the disastrous consequences of that fateful interaction.  

The dwarf recounts the story of a great world war that took place at the end of the Bronze Age and of an epic calamity that finally extinguished the Era of the Gods. Despite their physical destruction, the lore and images of the gods lived on in human poetry, song, and myth. The book’s last chapters deal with what remains of them today, and discuss ancient prophecies that foretell their return at an uncertain date in the future.  

About the author

The only things that are known about the author of Message from a Hidden Past is that he was a learned dwarf who lived at the end of the Bronze Age, that he was the best historian of his generation, and that he was a bachelor. His king sent him on a special mission, of which this book is the result. No more information is available


CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1/THE SLEEPING THORN - How the king of the dwarfs saddled me with a hair-raising mission

Chapter 2/AWAKENING – How I awoke, after more than 3,200 years, in a world beyond recognition

Chapter 3/“HOMO SUPERSAPIENS” – In this chapter, I explain that the gods were nothing more than further evolved hominids

Chapter 4/MOTHER EARTH’S FINEST – Wherein I describe what Homo supersapiens looked like

Chapter 5/HOW THEY WERE FASCINATED BY THE STARS – And some puzzling elements of their worldview

Chapter 6/THE PENINSULA OF KER – In which I give a guided tour of the Land of the Gods

Chapter 7/THE CAPITAL OF KER – Wherein I admire the wonders of the oldest and most fantastic town ever

Chapter 8/MEETING THE NEPHEWS – How Homo supersapiens committed his first great error

Chapter 9/“THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION” – How Supersapiens brought humans the light of civilization

Chapter 10/VESTIGES OF THE EMPIRE OF THE GODS – How humans manage to ignore them

Chapter 11/ATLANTIS – In which I give an overview of the emperor’s gigantic personal dominion

Chapter 12/THE COLONY ON THE SAINT LAWRENCE – How humans neglect the evidence that America was discovered in the Era of the Gods

Chapter 13/MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE GODS – Wherein I explain how these fantasies arose

Chapter 14/OPENING THE GATES – How Homo supersapiens committed his second and fatal error

Chapter 15/THE AMAZONS – In which I relate how they came into being

Chapter 16/TOWARD WORLD WAR – Wherein I describe how the conflict arose

Chapter 17/THE EMPEROR INTO THE OFFENSIVE – How the armies of Atlantis invaded the Mediterranean

Chapter 18/COUNTERATTACK OF THE GREEKS – In which I describe how Dionysus defeated the Indians

Chapter 19/VICTORY OF HERACLES – A sad chapter, wherein I relate how the Greeks conquered Atlantis

Chapter 20/THE BATTLE OF TROY – How the demigods took up arms for the last time

Chapter 21/DOOMSDAY – How a comet collided into the Earth and how Ker sank into the ocean

Chapter 22/THE CANARY ISLES – In which I try to find out what happened on the remains of Ker

Chapter 23/THE AGE OF HUMANS – How the last traces of Homo supersapiens are vanishing from the Earth

Chapter 24/RETURN OF THE GODS – Wherein I dwell on the coming of the new Golden Age, and take leave of the reader

ENDNOTES

Chapter 1 - THE SLEEPING THORN

How the king of the dwarfs saddled me with a hair-raising mission

I will not disclose you my name, and neither will I reveal you my whereabouts. Suffice it to say that I am a dwarf, the last and only one left on this planet Earth. 

Let me tell you my story.

I was born about three thousand and five hundred years ago. In that time, the gods still lived on Earth, ruling over dwarfs and humans. From childhood on, I took an enthusiastic interest in the past. My parents offered me all the opportunities to follow this vocation. With all the zeal and dedication that we, dwarfs, can work up, I applied myself to the study of history. Since dwarfs can grow very old, up to three hundred and fifty years in many cases, my long life offered me plenty of time to acquire a profound knowledge of the past. In this way, I slowly but steadily became one of the main authorities in the field of history. Eventually, I became the celebrated Number One historian of the dwarfs. 

Being small in stature, we, dwarfs, are modest by nature. Therefore, the status of being the best historian of all did not make me overconfident, let alone arrogant, but I acknowledge that it made me feel contented. Life was smiling at me. In this way, my years passed in peace and quiet. Only one single incident occurred to disturb my perfect little existence. I still remember it as if it had happened yesterday. At a family party, when I was still young, a wise, white-bearded old dwarf, a great-granduncle of mine, told me that my interest in history would one day prove to be a less lucky vocation than I thought. He raised a finger in warning while he told me this, and looked serious, which was something exceptional, since he normally used to smile all the time. At that moment, I did not understand what my great-granduncle meant to say. I was puzzled, but I did not worry about his comments too much. How on earth could studying history bring bad luck? Nevertheless, I never forgot that remark. After all, I knew all too well that wise, white-bearded old dwarfs do not tend to talk nonsense. It was good that I took notice of his warning. In this way, I was, at least, not completely unprepared for what awaited me many years later.

In my days, the gods had been living on Earth for many thousands of years. I do not know exactly for how many millennia they had existed. The first millennia of their era, the Era of the Gods, were called “the Golden Age.” Then, gods and dwarfs lived in a paradise. Everybody was happy and joyful. Even nature seemed to cooperate, because in those times the climate was much better than it would become later. Both in the literal and figurative sense, the sun shone over the Golden Age. 

After the Golden Age came the somewhat less happy Age of Silver, which was followed by the Age of Bronze, the last age of the Era of the Gods. 

It was then that I lived, in the last centuries of the Age of Bronze. Much happiness remained to be found, but degeneration and warfare had crept in to an ever-increasing extent. Gone was the golden paradise of yore. The world of the gods was going downhill. We, learned dwarfs, knew vaguely of certain prophecies which foretold that the end was nearing, that all gods and dwarfs would soon disappear from the Earth and go to the Hereafter. A new age would come. This new age we called “the Iron Age,” an age in which humans would rule this planet. Then, the world would become a kind of hell. All this made us sad, but we could do nothing about it. Destiny had ordained it that way.

However, we had something to comfort us. Another prophecy foretold that, one day in the future, the Iron Age too would come to an end and a new Golden Age would come to light. Then, the souls of the gods would reincarnate on Earth to rule again and create a new paradise. The dwarfs, too, would return to live in this new Golden Age. In this way, at least, we had something for which to yearn.

One day, rumors began to circulate that a major event had taken place, somewhere far away, and that our Doomsday was now fast approaching. Only, at that point of time nobody knew yet what exactly had happened. 

Shortly afterwards, the king of the dwarfs suddenly convened all his savants into his palace for an extraordinary meeting. Everybody openly wondered what this could mean. All the learned men of the dwarfs hurried to our king’s palace, anxious to hear what His Majesty
had to say. Since many of the invitees were at an advanced age, it took some time before everybody was present. 

When all the guests had finally arrived and the assembly could begin, our beloved monarch rose from his golden throne. Flanked by the queen and his counselors, his bejeweled crown on his head and his golden scepter in his hand, he addressed us as follows, looking grave and solemn:
“Learned men of the dwarfs, be welcome! I have called you together here for an extremely important meeting.”

Here, the king politely paused for a few moments, to give some of the older savants in the hall the time to clear their throats. Then, he went on:
“You have heard that far away from here a terrible event has taken place, the very event that, as some of us know, heralds our Doomsday. Now, at last, the die is cast. Inescapable fate has run its course, and our days are almost numbered. Already, the Iron Age is showing its dreadful beginnings. Soon, a few decades from now, neither we nor the gods will dwell in this beautiful world any longer, in this world that was once such a magnificent, golden paradise. We will remain, for many millennia to come, in the Hereafter, until the day arrives when we finally will be allowed to return and live in the new Golden Age.”

At this point of our ruler’s speech, many dwarfs tried, in vain, to hold back their tears. It was a sorry sight. The king proceeded:
“However, one last noble task remains to be executed. The three fate goddesses have ordered me to ask one of you to carry out an important mission. And an important mission it looks like indeed!”

The audience now stood on tiptoe. Every dwarf in attendance held his breath. One could almost hear a needle fall.
“You are aware that humans will soon be the masters of the world. Knowing how they are, you realize that they will inevitably mess up the history of the Era of the Gods. Eventually, they will even smuggle away this chapter of world history, our chapter, as if it had never happened. I am confident that none of you have any illusions about that.”

A murmur of approval arose at these words, after which His Majesty went on:
“Therefore, one of us, a brave volunteer, must unveil to the world the historical truth about the Era of the Gods. This act must be undertaken when the ordained time for it has come. That destined moment will finally arrive when more than three thousand and two hundred years have passed from now. Why this must happen exactly then, I do not know, for I have not been entrusted with this bit of information.”

The king again paused for a short while, giving his surprised audience the time to absorb his words. Then, he continued:
“You know all too well, dear savants, that we have the means to execute this task. We will put to sleep our brave volunteer with the Sleeping Thorn, and hide him in one of our secret caves, where humans cannot possibly find him. When the day has come for his mission to begin, he will finally awaken.”

At these words, everybody became nervous. Understandably, not one of the king’s guests was anxious to remain asleep for so long a time, and, on top of that, to wake up in a world where he would be deprived of the company of his fellow dwarfs, and left all alone amidst a mass of humans.

Our sovereign went on, now focusing his attention on the volunteer he sought. With ears cocked and with bated breath, his audience listened:
“Not everybody in this hall is fit for this kind of mission. Such a sacred task requires not only a person of great courage and stamina. Above all, I need somebody who can carry out this formidable assignment in an appropriate way. In other words, I need a historian, a dwarf who has a profound knowledge of the history of our era.”

Hearing this, I suddenly felt as if I was turning into stone. For some moments I was completely stupefied. When I came back to my senses, I noticed that nearly every dwarf in the hall had begun to gaze upon me out of the corner of his eye. Only the king had the courtesy not to look at me.

After a short, unpleasant pause, our monarch continued:
“In fact, my dear savants, what I need is the person who can execute this mission in the best possible way. What I need is the very best historian we, dwarfs, have available.”

This time, the king did look at me.

It is not difficult to guess the outcome of this story. I volunteered, more or less of my own free will. I swallowed hard, and then I answered the king, trying to sound firm and to preserve a smooth face: 
“Mission accepted, Your Majesty!”

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Guest Author: Craig Naibo

How to Finish Your First Novel

Many new fiction authors view writing the great and mighty novel as an almost insurmountable task. There is no mystery to completing long form fiction; it takes elbow grease, patience, and perseverance.  It also takes an organized plot structure on which to hang your prose.

Long form work goes uncompleted most often due to one of two obstacles: 1) The author simply gets lazy and lets the story go cold; 2) The author writes herself into a corner and, not knowing how to get out, gives up on her story altogether. I can’t help you with obstacle 1. Setting aside a consistent writing schedule and following through is up to you. 

But I might just have the ladder you need to get over obstacle 2. To successfully put the satisfying words “the end” at the conclusion of your 80,000 to 110,000-word story, you must insert plot points in all the right places in advance before writing your copy. 

Your assignment
It can be simple to complete a plot map, much like filling out a blank form. To step out a simple plot, as an exercise, write a few paragraphs for each of the chronologically ordered plot points defined below. This first phase outline should not turn into a novel itself. Keep it brief. Who knows, at the end of the exercise, you might have a great story on your hands.

Here we go:

Act 1
Hook –What are you going to write in the first 3,000 words to trap your readers into your story’s world. 

Cast the dye – Your protagonist must do or fall victim to something early in your story that causes her to act. Once the dye is cast, it can’t be uncast. There can be no turning back for your protagonist. 

Game Changer – This plot point is like a big bear trap. Throughout act 1, you should draw your character closer and closer to this trap. At the end of act 1, SNAP, the trap goes off and your protagonist is caught. Your protagonist must spend the rest of the story working his way out of this trap. The game changer marks the end of act 1.

Act 2
Pinch – At these plot points, you must put your protagonist at a crossroads and force her to make a decision on which way to go. Any road from this intersection must have its own set of conflict and consequences. You must insert at least 1 pinch in act 2. You may put up to 2 additional pinches, but moderation is the key. Each pinch has consequences. These conflict sequences must be resolved and it takes time to do so. Too many pinches in act 2 might mean too much time making critical decisions for your protagonist and not enough time resolving the consequences of those decisions.

Disaster – This plot point concludes act 2. The disaster marks the point in your story where life is at its worst for your protagonist. Throw everything you can think of at your main character at this point. Give him a broken leg, a bloody nose, and make him crawl. The lower your protagonist descends during the disaster, the more gratifying the ending of your story becomes.

Act 3
Showdown – This plot segment includes the path your protagonist must take to recover from the effects of your story’s disaster. The showdown can take place over several scenes or in a single scene. Lining out your story’s showdown with a few paragraphs might be the most important ladder rung to move you towards finishing your story.

Resolution – How does your story end? How has your protagonist changed from the moment the dye was cast in act 1? Be certain that your story’s resolution satisfies your readers. The resolution must comply with your story’s rules. Readers must be able to put your novel down and, like it or not, accept that your story’s ending is correct.

Rather than rolling up your sleeves and diving headlong into chapter 1 of your story, spend a couple of hours stepping out your novel by putting down few paragraphs for each of the above plot points. Not only will this practice lay down a roadmap for you to follow, it will force you to think through your story, to baton down the loose ends, to clarify your conflict, and to define your main characters’ attributes.

With a clear roadmap and a well thought through story line, you will find that, with a consistent writing schedule, you will at long last type those satisfying words at the end of your novel: “the end.” 

Allied Zombies For Peace

by Craig Naibo

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Nybo Media LLC. (October 1, 2012)

About the book:

Zombies vs. the KKK: The darkest hour in undead civil rights history. Allied Zombies for Peace covers the violent 42-minute time period that took place on November 11th, 1968, known as the Veterans Day Parade Massacre. This report outlines, according to eyewitnesses, the events that mark that day as a black stain on undead civil rights history. Violence explodes when a shot is fired during the 1968 Veterans Day Parade in Columbus, Ohio. Not knowing who pulled the trigger, rivaling factions, The Allied Zombies for Peace and The Ku Klux Klan, turn on each other in a vicious flurry of urban combat. Other groups join the fight, including the Vietnam War veterans, a peace-loving group of hippies who call themselves the New Revolutionaries for Peace and Love, and veterans of World War I.