Monthly Archives: November 2016

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Channeling ze inner goddess

Nurtured

Nurtured

Hubby went away. Will be away for 20 days. He is the resident cook. Heck, not just the resident cook. He is cordon bleu, a cooking superstar, with legendary chef-like prowess.

Many have passed through our door, the invited – and those who invited themselves – testing him, and finding themselves impressed. Always.

So I was naturally apprehensive. With him away, we might grow hungry.

In panic, I sat down to list all the places in Vancouver we could eat at. Then I stopped. Frowned. Led to a different path by my thoughts.

I started to list down all the food I loved to eat as a child, food my mom would cook, food that I missed. Food from a time long ago, comforting, heart-satisfying. From memories that have not been a part of my recent life.

The life starred in by the hubby-chef.

As I listed down my favourite food from my childhood, I was seized by an idea. Why not cook them while hubby is away? With no one to critique my cooking, I should be okay.

Right?

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No More 9-5 – Alternative Careers for Millennials

Which way to go?

Which way to go?

Guest post

In our world of unpaid internships and ever increasing property prices the number of millennials wanting more diversity, flexibility and most importantly satisfaction from work is growing. A work/life balance is becoming more of a priority, with many starting to reject the post-college prescribed life of the 9-5 commute. Young people are wanting to put more emphasis on quality of life than resign to the ‘one size fits all’ approach to building a successful career, the result a surge in so-called ‘alternative careers’.  Whether it’s flexible working hours or a sense of gratification, let’s look into the best alternative careers to get you dreaming of a life free from the mundane Monday mornings.

Go Freelance

In your current career, is there any way you could go freelance? Many industries (from set design to marketing to recruitment) not just accommodate but rely on freelancers, so if you’re looking for more control over your working hours then it may well be worth considering whether there’s any scope in your current profession for you to go freelance. Benefits vary from diversity of work to exposure to different people, with the gratification of being able to take ownership of your own career rather than working under someone else’s terms. For instance, if you’re a graduate of English or Journalism then you might want to consider freelance writing as a viable alternative career. Start by identifying your niche and putting together a portfolio. Take a look online to see if any established freelancers in your field offer any advice, or even free of charge courses to help you get started.

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So you wrote a book

Five Stars! for As Above So Below: Veil Over Atlantis

Five Stars! for As Above So Below: Veil Over Atlantis

No, I did. I just did. Okay, some moons ago. But not that long ago. And I promise I will tell you all about it. Some journey it was.

Before I go on, because you guys have been amazing and have supported me since forever, you can have my book for zero dollars (for a limited time only) at Smashwords. Here’s the coupon code KX95W. My only request is that you leave me a review. Please 🙂

And what was I saying? Oh yes, a journey! An exciting amazing journey full of potholes and rainbows. Yes, they could go together.

I had it published via Amazon Kindle – and I did it via their KDP Select, which was the best thing I ever did. But it did not seem so in the first few days, weeks, months. In fact, I was convinced I made a mistake. Big mistake. Big. Huge! (channeling you know what)

And yes, I will tell you more about this in the days and weeks to come.

In excruciatingly detailed accounts.

Because you need all the support you need when you are publishing a book.

Because publishing is not for sissies. It’s tough. More so for first time authors. More so for first time authors who have great dreams for their book.

Like you. Like me.

Authors who want the most amazing experience without spending a gazillion dollars. Yes, it is possible (you have to be married to a great graphic designer but…)

But let’s start somewhere in the middle. Where my book had this wonderful review from Sarah Stuart of Readers’ Favorite:

As Above So Below: Veil Over Atlantis by P Milisande is a very different YA thriller. It’s a challenging novel for teenagers to read with its mix of past and present, scientific fact, Greek myth, and fantasy, but they will be able to empathise with the lead character. Maia leads such a normal life, touched by sadness when her friend, Elle, loses her mother to cancer. The religious aspect is intriguing, hinting at an affinity between Maia and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and yet the prophesy carved in stone spells danger. “For to journey within is to heed the call but to find the path means to lose it all.” Illustrations keep the focus on Google Earth: the device used to drive the plot and tie the threads together.

 

“In the beginning… the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” Beneath the sea lie the caves where the seven sisters play. Thrilling fantasy at its best may be found in As Above So Below: Veil Over Atlantis. The story opens with mischievous Maia using magic, forbidden in their game, to tease her sisters. Their father believes in living life to the full, and the reader is plunged into the twenty-first century; fourteen-year-old Maia is learning to fly a Cessna, but her instructor’s name is Noah. Curiouser and curiouser… yes, this book enchants the way Lewis Carroll’s Alice stories did, and still do. P Milisande has given us a future classic: unique and stunning.

Reviews like that, it simply makes one glow. And want to go on. (thanks, Sarah)

So yes, it is possible for anyone – anyone – to write a book. So you wrote a book. It can be your story. And I will tell you how.

Soon.