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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Guest Post and Giveaway: Echoes of Paradise by Deanna Kahler

Cover photo by Steven Jon Horner

Description: 

Connor’s dead. But she can still feel him. Is it just her imagination or something more? Celeste wants to know. And she’ll stop at nothing to find out. 

A once-aspiring artist, Celeste is going through the motions of life. She’s stuck – in a job she doesn’t love, with a man who isn’t right for her, in a web of painful memories from the past. Adding to her despair is the sudden and unexpected death of Connor, her true love. As she struggles to make sense of the world around her, strange coincidences and mysterious events lead her to question her sanity. When the happenings persist, she wonders if Connor’s spirit is trying to tell her something. Her jealous husband Dave insists it’s all just her imagination. But when Celeste’s young son has an experience of his own, she is determined to uncover the truth.

Join Celeste as she risks her marriage, her career, and her own safety to escape the demons from her past and unravel the mysteries of life and death. With so much uncertainty, there’s only one thing Celeste knows: her world will never be the same.

GUEST POST
Writing: The Forgotten Artistry 

When you think of the word “artist,” images of paintings, drawings and sculptures come to mind. But there is another type of artist that is often overlooked: the writer. 

A writer doesn’t use crayons, paints or clay to create a work of art. Our masterpieces are crafted with words. What we say and how we say it can paint a beautiful picture in the reader’s mind. A good writer can help the reader visualize the scenes and characters to bring the story to life. We can evoke emotions, inspire others, give readers a look into our souls and even cause people to roll their eyes or drop their jaws. Some will gasp in horror at the ugliness of our words, just like those who are appalled by controversial sculptures or violent paintings. Others will be wowed by what we show them and spend a great deal of time thinking about the messages in our books, similar to how people stare at a piece of art to figure out what the artist intended to convey. 

While you cannot physically see our artistry with your eyes like you can when viewing a painting or sculpture, all you have to do is pick up a book and start reading. Before you know it, you mind will be full of images — those that we created for your enjoyment, education or enlightenment. We can do everything a painter or sculptor can do. The only difference is the medium. 

Yes, writers are artists too, which proves the point: You don’t have to see something with your eyes for it to be genuine.

About the author: 
Deanna Kahler is an accomplished writer and proud mom. Her work has been published in numerous corporate newsletters and magazines across the country. She began writing as a young child and enjoys the opportunity to reach others and make a difference in their lives. 

Echoes of Paradise is her second book. The story is close to her heart because it was inspired by some of her own experiences. Deanna is now working on a follow-up novel, Visions of Mortality, scheduled for release in 2015. The book will feature some of the same characters and also have a paranormal/afterlife theme. 

Deanna holds a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, where she graduated with departmental honors. She lives with her husband and daughter in a Metro Detroit suburb and enjoys writing, dancing, walking, and visiting parks in her spare time. 


9 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for having me at your site! Have a great day!

Joseph Hawkshaw said...

Would love to read looks like a very good book.

Unknown said...

Thank you, Joe! Glad you stopped by.

Linda Romer said...

Hi Deanna your book Echos of Paradise sounds very good. I would like to read it. Thank you

Unknown said...

Hi Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your interest. Good luck in the giveaway!

collenga said...

Sounds like a great book, love the trailer!

Unknown said...

Thank you, Collenga! Glad you enjoyed the trailer. :)

Unknown said...

Love the sound of this. Nice, refreshing and different!

CCAM said...

I never doubt that writers are artists even if in our days are enough "authors" that see writing as a business. Time will have the last word. I liked the Guest Post