Bud Hassard

There is someone on facebook who is my inspiration to write this blog today. His name is Bud Hazzard-Hassard. I don't know much about him except from what I have read on his writings and his facebook posts. He wrote a post today that really got me to thinking. He is a minister so yes he is good at what he does. He gets you to thinking.
Bud has lived a life most of us could never dream of. He has served in the armed forces been over seas and been a leader of men. He is married and now with him being a minister he is still a leader. He tends to his flock and now his flock is growing on facebook too. Does he preach at us? no. He talks to us and connects with us. today he mentioned about feelings and how we as artists can't possibly share an emotion we haven't ourselves felt. here is his post.

Bud Hazzard-Hassard

 "Authors can only emote love when they are filled with love. They can only emote fear when they themselves feel the fear. They can only emote the pain, when they again, feel the pain. Poets or Story Tellers can never touch the emotions, the hearts, of their readers if they themselves are not touched." ~AWH

All artists withdraw from their emotional bank those feelings once experienced in times of joy, pain, fear or love. No more than the theater, that is in acting, is that true; but this truth is not confined to theater. The painter who puts brush to canvas, the singer who belts out a song, a violinist who pours out his/her soul in performance and yes, the writer who reaches into the myriad of former experiences to pour out their hearts via pen and paper. We can not be bankrupt of feelings and expect to emote to others in our writing.

A great writer must be moved by the experiences of others as well. Empathy is the highway of a writer to allow their emotions to be stirred. If a writer is feeling "flat" or "not inspired" then get involved in the lives of others via their stories or their current circumstances. Research for a novelist is not just about facts. It is much more than that. It is about humanity. I've read that a good author is a good people watcher. I purport that a great author is a people empathizer. They not only watch the people and how they behave when emotionally stirred, but they also feel that emotion with the people. Empathy can not be taught, it is something within sensing something felt by others. Only when an artist can be in touch with the emotions of others, can they effectively emote to others.

 

and he wrote here as well on MasterKoda.com

Bud Hazzard-Hassard As a minister, I would ask someone who was down in the dumps to assist me in helping others. In the process of refocusing their attention to helping others they find themselves rising above their doldrums. I'm not talking about clinical depression; but rather those times when the weight of our challenges overwhelm us. I would suggest that for the day, they should leave those burdens at the cross of Christ and help me help someone else.

Their problems were still there at the cross when they came back, but somehow, they seemed lighter to carry. :) MasterKoda.com is a great place to help others and in doing so, find our load a little lighter to carry.

There is a reason Kim requires that we help others BEFORE we try to promote ourselves.

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

Write ON!! Kodas

 

 

His words are there to read and to feel. They get me to thinking. I have empathy for all man kind. Sometimes I get tired though. I have given and given without ever thinking of getting anything back until I myself felt I had nothing left to give.

I pray constantly and daily. Do I get down in the dumps? yes, I fight depression daily. I show a cheerful person and do my best to help make others happy. Bud's words touched me in the same way as a friend's once did. She told me I have two choices in this old life. I can let my past make me bitter or I can put a smile on my face and help make others happy.

I chose to help make others happy. Even though I could be filled with doubts and pain. I give of my time from my heart. Do I always succeed in showing the happy face? No. but I keep trying and pick myself up and go again. There is a bible saying, Give and yea shall receive. I don't know that I believe it for myself. The receiving part. But I have given.

I have seen it happen where someone gives and receives 10 fold. I believe it happens for others and I have seen it happen for others. I look forward to reading Bud's writings because he touches my soul and gets me to thinking. Thank you Bud for your wisdom and your prayers. God certainly knew what he was doing when he touched you to spread his word.

So if you get a chance to meet Mr. Bud Hassard say hi to him and talk to him. He isn't your typical minister. He is a real down to earth person who has lived life. Maybe you do believe in God, maybe not. He will talk to you no matter your faith or religion.

As writers we are often filled with doubts and fears. We wonder if we are good enough if we have what it takes. Are we just wasting our time, money and resources on something that will never happen? I don't know the answer but I do know we are a better person because we do go after our dreams. Just as its better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all. The same can be said of dreams. It is better to have taken a chance on a dream then never to have tried at all. At the very least we can at least say we tried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Exciting Adventure!

We now have three published works! The first in a series of books, and two short stories that were entered into a contest.

 Kai's Journey

Hiding in plain sight

The Curse of the Red Eyed Witch

 

 

To date we have three stories done and are working on book two of Kai's Journey. We have finished the story line and are now editing the book! Dan Peyton has drawn up a picture of Freya the dragon and Kai for the cover. We don't have a background yet but will soon. The beta readers are busily reading the second book so we can finish the editing portion before we send it off to the publishers! Here is a picture of what Dan has done so far on Kai's Journey Two, A new Beginning.

We are so thrilled with the way it has turned out! Now we just need to give it a beautiful background that Rebbekah White did on the first one and we will be off and running again! I am still doing what I can to get us out there. looking for places to be interviewed. We still do a few interviews, just not as many as we did before. I look forward to finishing the second book and seeing what the final cover looks like.
We are also currently working on a few other titles as well. My story that are basically about the kids when they were young called "Lost" and another called, "The Cimera Effect" and a new one called "Minitour". The latest one is really taking a life of its own and it is tentatively titled, "The Fallen Angel". If anyone is interested in interviews, we are more then happy to be interviewed! Stay tuned for more updates!



Prioitizing life

Well, today I think I have been doing a lot of soul searching and thinking. I have been pushing so hard trying to get our book out there and noticed that my family is getting neglected. Our writing stories are getting neglected. I just wanted too much to have Charlie's book be the success I know it can be.

 

My daughter is going to see her uncle for the last time. He is dying. And I can't be there with her. My husband on his last visit to the Dr. for his diabetes checkup had the EKG put on him due to an "irregular heart beat." Still don't have the results on that. My middle son is going through a pretty rough patch right now and there is only one me. I am working to help pay bills and keep caught up. I am trying to get caught up on things at home that have been neglected. Hence why I take flex when offered. I'm trying to do too much I think. It’s up to me to promote, to get reviews and blah blah blah. I think I am going to have to take a step back and just figure out what is important. My family is the most important to me. Bar none.

 

I found out this weekend that a friend on Facebook is possibly going to be homeless in a couple of months. Another young lady said pretty much the same. I want to help them but don't have the means or the knowledge of how to do that. It’s frustrating to feel so helpless. So many people with the same dreams of becoming "writers" and what ever that entails to each person. Many will think we are chasing a pipe dream by trying to become authors. We are frittering our lives away. The thought has crossed my mind.

 

I just want to help but there is only so much time in the day and only one me. I'm supposed to sit back and enjoy the fact that the book is finally "out there" again. I also get told not to sit back on our laurels thinking that things will take care of themselves. That readers will magically find our books.

 

I think I will just have to pull back, regroup, and figure out what is important and what isn't. Trim back what I am wasting time on and just do what we need to do. I think we just need to focus on the books we are writing and editing and let the promoting thing handle itself. Put effort where it will be most productive. I just don't have the time to schmooze online any more. I don't have the time to socialize and help everyone else sell their books. I will still promote where I can, but just not in the large quantities I have before. Am I dumping Facebook? No, not completely, just having to pull back and regroup. Family comes first, So if you don't see me on as much or hear from me or see me much anymore that will be why. Not giving up, just prioritizing.

Our Interview with Lynne Cantwell!

 

 

1.

What was the driving force that started you on the journey to write this book? 

 

 

For Annealed, the driving force was finishing the series!  I wanted very much to do a credible job in bringing Naomi’s story to a close.  That included being extra careful with the Big Mediation.  I realized sometime during the drafting of the third book, Tapped, that I was actually going to have to write the mediation scene. The thought of actually having to craft a discussion between Jehovah and White Buffalo Calf Pipe Woman was more than a little intimidating.

 

2.

Are you organized or do you write as you go?

 

 

A little of both.  For this series, I’ve been writing a rough outline for each book, mainly so that I can keep everything within the series arc.  But the characters sometimes go off on their own tangents, as characters are wont to do, and if it fits my overall plan, I leave it in.

 

3.

How much time and research was spent in the writing of this book?

 

 

Probably four months, from starting the research until making the final edits and publishing it.  But because it’s the final book of five, I relied a fair amount on research that I’d already done for the earlier books.

 

4.

Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

 

 

My favorite author is Stephen R. Donaldson, who wrote The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.  I was writing long before I ever read any of his books.  But what I took away from his work was a sense that fantasy can be very much an adult genre, with a deep psychological basis.  I do try to incorporate that kind of thing into my own work, although I still strive to be entertaining -- it’s not all deep Freudian or Jungian stuff.

 

5.

It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

 

 

In terms of writing/editing/publishing, no.  I mean, I complain a lot when it comes to wrestling with the various Meatgrinders, but I can’t think of any part of the process that I dread.  The only part I don’t really like -- or at least, I’m not sure I’m all that good at it -- is marketing my work.

 

6.

Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

 

 

Yes! I’m always reading something, and over the past year or so, I’ve been reading a lot of work by my fellow indie authors.  Right now, I’m reading the first “Allie’s War” book by J.C. Andrijeski.

 

7.

How did you come up with the idea to write this book?  Is there personal life experience in the writing?

 

 

Not directly.  I’ve been sort of studying my “heritage” mythologies, if you will, over the past few years, and all of my novels so far have had some connection to a myth or legend in one of my own hearth cultures.  But none of the characters or events in the Pipe Woman Chronicles is based on something that actually happened to me.

 

8.

Many books are going the indie publishing route; Do you see the publishing industry headed this way? Or do you think the tried and true will win out?

 

 

Publishing is certainly undergoing a profound change right now, as a result of the indie revolution.  What fascinates me is how the big publishers can’t seem to grok what’s going on.  They appear to believe that vanity publishing and the indie revolution are the same thing -- and they’re not.  Author Solutions and the other vanity publishers have as much to do with indie publishing as does a guy pushing a pyramid scheme with his mark: both the grifter and the vanity publisher might fool you and take your money -- once.

 

9.

Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

 

 

Absolutely.  I blog every Sunday at hearth-myth.blogspot.com.  I also write a weekly post for Indies Unlimited, and a monthly post for The Indie Exchange.

 

10.

Do you have any more stories in the works? What kinds of stories do you plan to write next?

 

 

I’m still working this out, but I have a feeling that it will be another fantasy series, and it will probably be set a few years after the end of the Pipe Woman Chronicles.

 

11.

Who would be your first choice to play narrator of your book if it were ever to become a documentary?

 

 

My first choice would be Linda Ellerbee, just because I think she’s awesome.  But if she’s not available, I’d be happy to do it myself.

 

12.

If you could meet anyone from any time, who would it be and what would be your first question?

 

These kinds of questions always stump me.  I’m not really the sort of person who looks backward in history, other than to draw lessons from it.  I think it would be more fun to meet, say, Naomi, and ask her what she thought of the way I told her story.  (With any luck, she wouldn’t whack me over the head with a two-by-four....)

Pipe Woman Chronicles – series synopsis

Seized (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #1)

by Lynne Cantwell 

The winter solstice 2012 won't be the end of the world. It will be the beginning of the end....

Naomi has a pretty sweet life. Respected as a skilled mediator, she has an almost uncanny knack for getting people on both sides of a dispute to agree. And her handsome boyfriend Brock has just proposed to her. But a white buffalo calf is bowing to her in her dreams. And who is the Native American man who has been following her around?

Naomi doesn’t know it, but things are about to change.

 

Fissured (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #2)

by Lynne Cantwell 

Naomi’s having a bad week. She’s already overwhelmed by setting up her solo mediation practice and second-guessing her relationship with Joseph. An old acquaintance seems to be setting up shop down the road from their friend Charlie’s ranch. And Charlie has a new pal: a filmmaker who might be the Investigator – except that he doesn’t exactly believe in teamwork.

Then a jaguar attacks her in downtown Denver

 

Tapped (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #3)

by Lynne Cantwell 

Ah, winter in South Dakota…

Naomi’s caught some kind of bug, and she hasn’t seen Joseph in weeks. But she lets Shannon drag her on vacation: a road trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to find Naomi’s father. There, they find more than they bargained for: a dream wolf, a mysterious walled compound that might or might not belong to Loki, and a lot of snow.

Shannon certainly knows how to show a friend a good time.

 

Gravid (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #4)

by Lynne Cantwell

Denial is not just a river in Egypt…

Naomi Witherspoon, back home in Denver after her “vacation” in South Dakota, has amassed a catalog of things she doesn’t want to think about. Her due date is just around the corner, but she has yet to buy a single diaper – let alone look for a bigger place for her, her boyfriend Joseph, and the baby. Speaking of housing problems, Joseph’s grandfather is in failing health and needs to move out of his wickiup, but the old man won’t budge. Naomi and Joseph may have found a replacement for their woo-woo teammate/nemesis Jack in TV reporter Antonia Greco – but Antonia comes with her own set of problems, not least of which is that she’s dating Naomi’s ex-fiance, Brock. Meanwhile, Jack has escaped from the Mexican drug lord who owns him, and the thugs sent to find him aren’t above roughing people up.

Best of all, Naomi hasn’t shared any of this with her mother, who wants to sell her house in Indiana and move to Colorado.

 

Annealed (The Pipe Woman Chronicles #5)

by Lynne Cantwell 

It’s zero hour…

Naomi has just two weeks to find a new home for Joseph's grandfather. The old Ute shaman is fighting for his life against a mysterious injection of toxin he received at the hands of the Norse Trickster god Loki. If Naomi is to defeat Loki once and for all, she must learn what it is he seeks under the old man's wickiup.
She has just one week before she must mediate between the Earth's pagan gods and goddesses and the Christian God. If her efforts fail, all of humankind will suffer the consequences.
And her baby is due any day.

In this, the fifth and final book of the Pipe Woman Chronicles, Naomi is in a race against the clock to balance the demands of her body, her family, and her friends – and she must do it while the whole world is watching.

 

Our interview with Author Melody Anne!

                                                             Submit by Melody Anne


                                                                        Bio
Melody Anne is the author of the popular series, Billionaire Bachelors, and Baby for the Billionaire. She also has a Young Adult Series out; Midnight Fire and Midnight Moon - Rise of the Dark Angel. She's been writing for years and published in 2011. She hold a bachelors degree in business, so she loves to write about strong, powerful, businessmen.
When Melody isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and pets. She lives in a small town that she loves, and is involved in many community projects.
See Melody's Website at: www.melodyanne.com. She makes it a point to respond to all her fans. You can also join her on facebook at: www.facebook.com/authormelodyanne, or at twitter: @authmelodyanne.
She looks forward to hearing from you and hopes you enjoy her stories.


1.    How has your life changed since you started publishing ? 

"Wow, my life has changed in a lot of ways and yet stayed the same in a lot of ways. I can do more vacations with my family, but I also work 7 days a week. I can now just take my work with me. My family is so great, and it's all about them, and spending time together. I always wanted to work from home so I wouldn't miss out on their activities. Now, I'm able to do that and still pay the bills. :)

 

2.    How do you come up with so many story ideas?

Romance is the easiest thing in the world to write about. It's all around us. I constantly talk to people, and ask questions and learn about their love stories and then twist it in my mind. Several times, I will be talking to people and then have to rush to grab a pen and paper and write it down before I lose the idea. I also read a lot, and get inspired that way, or watch sappy romance movies. There is romance everywhere we look. We just have to find it and utilize it.

3.    How much time and research was spent in the writing of each book?

Some books take longer than others to research. I'm writing a book now that involves a boat rescue. I had to order several books on the coast guard rescues so that I have accurate language and don't mess that up. I want to keep it as real as possible while still being original. Another thing I do is go to the websites of the places I am writing about and send for their chamber of commerce catalogs listing the activities in the areas. I haven't done a lot of traveling to all these places, so again, I want to be accurate, so I research the cities and sometimes, I'll ask fans what they love about their areas and use that information.

 

4.    Who is your favorite author and how did they inspire you to write?

I don't have one favorite. I love Nora Roberts. I can't imagine a romance author out there who doesn't. :) I also love Stephen King and Dean Koontz, and JK Rowlings. Some of my favorites are people I have met the last couple years such as Randy Mixter, Ruth Cardello, Kathleen Brooks, Sandra Marton (who I have loved for years) Lynn Raye Harris, Terri Marie. The list goes on and on. I could write a book on the authors who I love.

 

5.    It’s easy to see that you have a passion for writing but is there any part of it you don’t like?

Honestly, no. I used to hate editing, but Kathleen Brooks said something that has stuck with me. She said editing was her favorite part, because it meant she was no longer staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration, but a page full of words. That really changed my attitude on it. I love my job. I love that I can take it with me no matter where I go, and that I can see the world if I want to. This is about as great as it gets.

 

6.    Do you make time to read and if you do what are you reading right now?

Yes, yes, yes. I love to read. At the moment the book on my kindle is Ruth's newest release, rise of the billionaire. I have been in editing right now, so haven't got to read the last couple weeks. I'll be soaking up about 10 books while on vacation.

 

7.    Have you seen any changes in the publishing industry since you started?

Definitely. When I first published, self-publishing was really looked down upon. It still is by some, but that is fading with rising stars such as Bella Andre out there. I've had an offer to publish traditionally, but I don't want my book prices raised so high my fans don't want to buy them. I like the small house, Gossamer, that I'm with. Jack is amazing. I may go with a series with a traditional NY house, but at the moment, I'm happy where I'm at.

 

8.    Many books are going the indie publishing route; Do you see the publishing industry headed this way? Or do you think the tried and true will win out?

I think NY will need to make some big changes if they want to stay around. I have several author friends who have switched from traditional to indie. If you have a good team with you, especially a good editor, then there isn't much a NY house can do that you can't do on your own. I think there are benefits to both ways of publishing.

 

9.    Do you have any online sites where others can read more of your writings?

No. I offer 3 free books right now, and a couple discounted books, so I don't post my writing anywhere else. I like the security of picking up the books through amazon, iBooks, or the other places. I have an amazing manager at amazon, too, who I love. My books are now being made into audiobooks, thanks to him.

 

10.Do you have any more stories in the works? Have you ever thought of writing in any other genre?

I have my stories planned out for at least a year, and I can't seem to write fast enough. I wish there were more hours in the day. :) The Andersons have a new line coming out, starting this June 30th. It's available for pre-order now. I have 2 more books for the Surrender series, and then I have to complete the Tycoon series. As for another genre, yes. I have my YA series out now with the final book in that series coming in December. I am also working on a horror book, but don't have a release date on it right now.

11.Who would be your first choice to play Arianna of your book Submit (Surrender Series Book Two) if it were ever to become a movie?

I honestly don't know. I watch very little tv anymore. I get in maybe a half hour a day on my ipad. I just download show on it, but I would rather write than watch tv. I do love a good movie, but even those have been slow lately. I think Alice from twilight may be good for her. I don't even know the actresses real name, but I love her.

 

12.If you could meet anyone from any time who would it be and what would be your first question?

That's a tough question because having this opportunity is priceless. Instead of really meeting someone for a moment, I would love to have 2 hours to sit down with Nora Roberts and ask her some of these questions you've asked me. I would love to know how she keeps her stories fresh after having 200 books published. This woman is amazing. I do get to sit down with Sandra Marton in July who has over 80 book out, and believe me, I will pick her brain. She is an amazing woman. I love learning the different creative processes of these powerful, strong women who have taken the world by storm. They are my heroes.

You can find out more information on Melody Anne’s books on her blog site here

http://www.melodyanne.com/

 

also you can follow her on her Facebook page here too!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/authormelodyanne