Thursday, June 30, 2022

ENTERTAINMENT: Our Great National Parks with Barack Obama (Netflix)


This was a great documentary about our National Parks. I don't think we realize just how importance our National Parks are to us as a people. This land was set aside for the benefit of all our people, not just the rich. 

 

















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Wednesday, June 29, 2022

INTERVIEW: Romantic Fantasy Amanda Muratoff

 

Amanda Muratoff

Langley, BC 

Canada



 

Good morning, Amanda, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the place for art and authors. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?

We've written and published ten full length novels and one novella in the romantic high fantasy series, Patricia Chronicles. Three more books are coming, hopefully within the year.


What is your favorite genre to write? 

I love writing romantic fantasy. The magic, the swords, the adventure and the love… It’s the best.


Favorite food. 

That’s a hard one. I love all food. Some of my faves, though… sushi, poke, thai… Oh, and fresh bread or baked goods. 


Tea or coffee? 

Decaf latte. :)    


Pizza or ice cream? 

Ice cream, but it’s gotta be good ice cream. Homemade or Ben & Jerry’s, etc.


Wine or beer or soda or what? 

I actually drink mostly water, but if I want something fancy, I’ll reach for a craft rootbeer. I don’t drink much alcohol anymore. 


Where would you like to visit? 

I want to go back to Thailand, it was such an amazing place.


Favorite musical artist. 

That’s ever-changing, really. It depends on my mood and if I feel like singing along. But I’ll pretty much listen to anything but metal and bluegrass.


Do you listen to music when you write?  

No. Since I write with Kayla, we tend to be talking the whole time, and music would get in the way of that.


What makes you laugh? 

Dry, sarcastic, witty humor. 



Favorite work of art or sculpture. 

Statue Cheval a la Herse, in Paris, France. I actually modeled a 3D version of it in in university I loved it so much. 



How old were you when you started writing? 

I published a poem in the newspaper when I was ten years old. I’d been writing short stories since I was eight. I started writing the characters of Pantracia with Kayla around age 13-14 after we’d been writing together for a couple years.



Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? Or just write? 

We use many outlines. Some for plot, and some break down timelines by the week so we can keep everyone’s location straight. 


Describe your perfect evening

Hmm. A nice dinner with my son, who then goes to bed like a champ. Then the hubby and I go out for dinner. It’s summer, of course, so we don’t need jackets and take a stroll along the beach after with ice cream. 


Where do you get your inspiration? 

Wherever and whenever I can. Kayla and I often get sparks of inspiration from super random places and have to text the other about an idea. Anything and anyone can cause an idea to hit us.


What do you do when you get a writer's block? 

We go back to the outline, to brainstorming. We feel like if we hit writer’s block, then maybe something needs adjusting.


Who is your favorite author? 

I really enjoyed Terry Goodkind’s books, and Diana Gabaldon was such a pleasure to meet, but I can’t really say I have an absolute favourite. I love anyone who writes a story I enjoy.



Amanda, that's the sweetest answer I've ever got in over 100 interviews!

Best book you ever read. 

That’s a really hard one. I’m going to choose the nostalgic answer, because Kavik, by Walt Morey, was one of the first novels that got me hooked on reading.


Last book you read. 

I just started The Walled City, but Ryan Graudin.


What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer? 

I’d be an artist. I left my career in VFX as a 3D artist to focus on writing, but I also love painting and creating with resin. 



Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why? 

My personal life? Probably my husband. He knows me the best and strives to encourage me to do the things I love. To write and do all the other things I enjoy. To make good friends and let the toxic ones fade into the background. He looks out for me in a way no one else can, and I’m grateful for it.



If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

I always wanted to meet Robin Williams, so he would be one of my first picks for sure. But I’d also love to sit and talk to Amelia Earhart. You know, ask her where her plane crashed. :)   



What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer? 

Don’t give up. Keep writing. Be gentle to yourself, and set daily, weekly, monthly goals to keep yourself on track. You cannot fail unless you stop.




Do you have some links for us to follow you?


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X7J1SK2

https://www.facebook.com/PantraciaChronicles

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1403350093427347

www.pantracia.com











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Tuesday, June 28, 2022

BOOK REVIEW: Avenger by Blair Howard


In Avenger, Blair Howard, author of the captivating Harry Stark series and others, tries his hand at a sci-fi military space opera set a thousand years into the future, where humans have lived in peace, alone in the galaxy.  A young Prince is out on a space adventure when an unknown alien race launches a vicious attack. The mission is two-fold: one: Save the Prince, and two, Survive. Maybe not in that order. Excellent world building. Believable, likable characters. And tons of action.

Sunday, June 26, 2022

SCHEDULE: June 27- July 1, 2022

 
Mon., June 27 - ART:
Ron Mistovich Show at Davis Fellowship Center,
Riverside Fellowship Gardens, Mill Creek Park
Tues., June 28 - BOOK REVIEW: 
Avenger by Blair Howard
Wed., June 29 - INTERVIEW:
Romantic Fantasy Author
Amanda Muratoff
Thurs., June 30 - ENTERTAINMENT: 
Our Great National Parks
with Barack Obama
Fri., July 1 - BOOK:
Wait for Me
by Carol Ann Kauffman









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Friday, June 24, 2022

BOOK: June Green Leaves of Deceit, A Cat Collier Mystery, by Carol Ann Kauffman


 

Join Cat Collier is this serial mystery short story series, described as a cross between Nancy Drew and Mike Hammer.

Cat's fiancé Carter Larsen disappoints Cat in the worst possible way. She begins to doubt her worth. Can a new location bolster Cat’s self-confidence? Is she strong enough to let a new love in?

June Green Leaves of Deceit continues and adventures and misadventures of Mary Catherine Collier, known as Cat, as she opens a second online investigation office, away from Heaton Valley and the love and support she’s known there. 

Can she make it on her own?


Amazon Link:

Thursday, June 23, 2022

ENTERTAINMENT: Come Away ( Amazon Prime Video)


 A new retelling of an old favorite, Come Away was a beautifully shot version of Peter Pan Meets Alice in Wonderland for today’s young audience. In this adaptation, Peter Pan and Alice are siblings.

Angelina Jolie, stunning as usual, played the role of mother to three delightful children with fantastic imagination with grace, beauty, and finesse.

There were parts I found darker than the original, like how the uncle extracted revenge on Alice’s father and the unexpected loss of a child.

But today’s kid is used to darker, more violent content in film and television than us old lady wusses, so I guess it's okay.





This little girl, Kiera Chansa, who plays Alice, steals the show.



The young Alice, played by Keira Chansa, was amazing. And I also had major hair envy. 

The reviews are bad. Not too many people liked it. I, for one, did. Watch it if you get a chance. Make your own decision. 









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Wednesday, June 22, 2022

INTERVIEW: Historical Fiction Author Raphael Sohnn

 

Raphael Sohnn
London, England
UK


Good morning, Raphael, and welcome to Vision and Verse, the site for art and authors. Can you tell us a little about what you've written?

The Captains of Legend, a novel set in a fictional kingdom, around 500-700 hundred years ago in what eventually became to be known as India. It’s a story of love that blossoms between two young people who’d until then been best friends, set against a backdrop of political intrigue and eventual war. 


What is your favorite genre to write?

This genre, historical fiction


Favorite food.

Too many too list, though I eat meat and fish and have a varied diet. I love red meat, since you ask. But then again I adore seafood too. The right serving of vegetables never goes amiss either


Tea or coffee? 

Both


Pizza or ice cream?

Both


Wine or beer or soda or what?

Alcohol, generally speaking


Where would you like to visit?

I wouldn’t mind being at the top of Mount Everest, though I don’t fancy the life-endangering climb up much…not at all, actually


Favorite musical artist.  

Once again, too many too list, though I grew up listening to Prince amongst others, just to name one. I listen to all types of music, across different cultures and languages, being of Indian decent, yet UK born and bred. 


Do you listen to music when you write?

No


What makes you laugh?

Genuinely funny, no-holds-barred humour



Favorite work of art or sculpture.

Taj Mahal


How old were you when you started writing?

Early 20’s



Do you plan out your book with outlines and notecards? 

Or just write?

I just write.


Describe your perfect evening.

Out with friends and/or family, enjoying a knees up lubricated with much alcohol



Where do you get your inspiration?

From all that I’ve known, seen and experienced in my life. The highs, lows, heartaches and love, and everything else in-between


What do you do when you get a writer's block?

Have been fortunate enough not to have suffered from it...as yet


Who is your favorite author?   

Tolkien


Best book you ever read.

I’ll have to think about that.


Last book you read.

12 More Rules for Life – Jordan B. Peterson


What would you do for a living if you weren’t a writer?

Something where I was answerable only to me.


Who is the one person who has influenced your personal life the most and why?

My wife, I suppose. Having been married to her for just over two decades, she’s given me all her heart, patience, understanding and love, along with two fabulous children.


If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

Bruce Lee – He inspired me, like many young boys and girls, to take up martial arts.


What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

Know exactly what you want, the story you want to tell and start writing. And if you find yourself on a particularly rich spell of form, keep going.


Do you have some links for us to follow you?

Website: RaphaelSohnn.com

Facebook: TheRaphaelSohnn

Instagram: RaphaelSohnn







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Tuesday, June 21, 2022

BOOK REVIEW: A Scene in Time by Jessica A. Clements



A Scene in Time, Wellesley-O’Brien Saga Book 1 by Jessica A. Clements is a Civil War era story about three sisters during a time of strife. 

Each girl has her own story of life, love, and heartbreak, and they are beautifully threaded together.  This is a historical romance, but it has strong paranormal indications.
 
If you like historical fiction or are a Civil War bluff, you will enjoy this book. The battle scenes are so well written you can almost smell the smoke.






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Sunday, June 19, 2022

SCHEDULE: June 20 - 24, 2022


 

Mon., June 20 - ART:
Another World byRobert Gribbrock
Tues., June 21 - BOOK REVIEW:
A Scene in Time
by Jessica Clements
Wed., June 22 -INTERVIEW:
Historical Fiction Author 
Raphael Sohnn
Thurs., June 23 - ENTERTAINMENT:
Come Away
(Prime Video) 
Fri., June 24 - BOOK:
June Green Leaves of Deceit
by Carol Ann Kauffman








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Friday, June 17, 2022

BOOK: MacKalvey House by Carol Ann Kauffman


 

After college graduation, young American Michelle Rosemont visits a quaint, little village in England and decides to stay. She takes a job as a photographer for a historical magazine and meets Kenneth MacKalvey, an older British author whose work she has long admired.


Their mutual attraction is instantaneous, but can she deal with his dark and shady past or will old family scars and secrets stop her from trusting him and keep them apart forever?


They are opposites in every way. Can they find happiness together despite their major differences?


Twists and turns at every corner heighten the suspense in this cozy village mystery.


In this new and exciting chapter in the many lifetimes of our eternal lovers and soulmates, they find each other again. In every new lifetime, fate tends to keep them apart until they’re ready to face the obstacles and handle the burning yet beautiful emotions of love.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017HZ6DIS



Excerpt:

Chapter One

 

Too Many Cooks

 

 

“Yes, sir.”

“And do not bother me with this nonsense again!”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why is it suddenly SO bloody difficult to find suitable, decent, dependable domestic help? My father never had any trouble finding or keeping suitable staff. Are the whole lot of these new domestics slow on the uptake?”

“I believe so, sir.”

“They’d all rather be on the dole than work for a decent wage.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What the hell has happened to this country?”

“I have no idea, sir.”

“Thank you, Edwards. I’ll not be needing you for the rest of the evening. Get some rest. You look tired, Bernard. See you in the morning.”

Bernard Edwards gave Mr. MacKalvey a slight nod and disappeared down the hallway and into his room. It was harder and harder to find suitable, decent household help because Mr. Kenneth MacKalvey was becoming more and more demanding, increasingly irritable, and terribly unpleasant. Bernard remembered a discussion with a former employee, the sweet, wonderful, Italian cook, Loretta Colavita.

“Bernardo, does he think he owns us? He is so critical. Nothing is ever to his satisfaction. He is never pleased with anything. He never smiles anymore. He’s never happy.  I hardly recognize the wonderful gentleman who hired me years ago. What the hell happened to him? He nitpicks about every tiny thing we do. He wants constant perfection. And then he goes on and on like some nag of an old woman. He can be so mean and vindictive. He treats us all like pond scum. He’s nasty.”

“I know, Loretta. I think he must be a very sad man on the inside.”

“Yeah, well, on the outside, too.” 

“I’m so sorry to see you go, my dear. You are a terrific cook. And you are… delightful company. You are truly a wonderful woman and… and a joy to be around. And I… I…” he stopped himself.

“Well, I’d rather scrub toilets in a men’s prison for the criminally insane than stay in the same house with the likes of that foul bastard and cook for him one more day. If I cook him one more meal, I swear it will be laced with arsenic. 

"Goodbye to you, my dear sweet Bernardo, and good luck to you, too. When are you going to get disgusted enough to leave that miserable fart all alone, which is what he truly deserves?”

“Oh, dear Loretta, I’m afraid it’s not that easy. I’ve been with his family since I was a child. You could say we grew up together.”    

“Except that one in there, he never grew up. He’s still a mean-spirited rich boy, who has lost his charm, if he ever HAD any charm in the first place. Which I am beginning to doubt.”

“Oh, that’s not true, dear Loretta. He’s a good man.”

“I know, I know. I’m just so angry with him at the moment.”

“He will regret this day, I assure you, and he will beg you to come back. Goodbye, my dear Loretta. And until that day comes, I shall miss you. Terribly.” Bernard gave her a hug. 

“Well, until that cold day in hell comes, I shall miss you, too, sweet man,” said Loretta, kissing one cheek, and then the other. She patted his cheek. She looked deep into his eyes. 

And with that, the exceptional Loretta Colavita left MacKalvey House. Bernard waved as he watched her car pull out of the driveway and disappear down the long road toward town. Days passed.

“I miss Loretta Colavita, sir,” Bernard sighed

“Damn it, Edwards! I know you do. I saw the way you mooned after her. I heard her call you ‘Bernardo’ and ‘sweet man’. I saw her fuss all over you when you caught a cold or complained about a sore throat. I miss her, too,” he sighed, “very much. So let’s not go getting so attached to the next cook, what do you say?”

“Yes, sir.” 

The delightful Loretta Colavita was followed by three less than stellar cooks. The red-haired Irish woman told him off, brandishing a kitchen knife at him, and left within the week. 

Then came the Swedish matron who only made fish, fish for breakfast, fish for lunch, and fish for dinner. She lasted almost three weeks, and only because she understood very little English and had no idea the Master of the House was insulting her and her cooking day in and day out after every meal. 

“Bloody hell! I feel like a hapless prisoner of war aboard a Viking warship in the middle of the damn miserable ocean. Fish. Fish. Fish. MacKalvey House positively reeks with the disgusting smell of dead fish. Luckily our nearest neighbor is more than thirty-two kilometers away, or they’d all be complaining about our stench and reporting us to the clean air authorities.”

The Swedish matron was replaced by Greta, a German woman who hardly spoke and made decent, stick-to-your-ribs food three times a day with absolutely no conversation. 

“Well, finally, some luck in the kitchen. The Italian, though an outstanding cook and a good woman with a heart of pure gold, was just a tiny bit over-sensitive to criticism. The Irish woman was obviously part of a coven. And the Swede was trying to kill us both with mercury poisoning. But this German woman, the food is decent and she is nice and quiet, she’s okay.”

Greta stayed in her room when she wasn’t cooking. She spoke to no one. She looked hauntingly out the window.  One Tuesday evening, after dinner, she shot herself.

“I can hardly believe this bad luck of mine. I can’t seem to find a decent cook without mental problems,” said Mr. MacKalvey after the police and coroner left the next day about noon.

“Loretta Colavita was wonderful, Sir. No mental problems. Excellent mushroom risotto. Exquisite lasagna Florentine. Wonderful woman,” sighed Bernard nostalgically.

“And now that the police and the coroner have finally finished, I have to have that room cleaned and repainted and hardwood floor refinished. Buy a new mattress set and bed linens. A new small carpet. A completely unnecessary expense. AND I need to find another cook. I tell you, Edwards, it’s a bloody nightmare.”

“Yes, sir. A bloody nightmare,” agreed Bernard. It must have been a bloody nightmare for poor Greta also, he thought, with never a kind word or a nod of appreciation in her direction. Never a soul to talk to, no one to care. Maybe if she had someone to talk to, things would have turned out differently for her.







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Thursday, June 16, 2022

ENTERTAINMENT: *All the Old Knives (Amazon)











There were some great actors in this. But I just couldn't get into it. It may have been me, I don't know. 









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