tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89770840412132676132024-03-07T00:55:36.521-08:00Ruyi's World of Books and Stories.Ruyi's World of Books is a one-stop shop for inspirational stories, books and reviews from all over the world.
Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.comBlogger417125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-53769652927569232872024-03-03T00:39:00.001-08:002024-03-03T00:39:29.085-08:00Mr Ibu Dies at 62<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>After months of undergoing multiple surgeries for an undisclosed ailment, veteran Nollywood actor John Okafor, alias Mr Ibu, died on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, confirmed this in an Instagram post.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Ibu, 62, suffered a “cardiac arrest” and “didn’t make it,” Rollas stated.</div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-55344384553276972162024-02-28T02:09:00.005-08:002024-02-28T02:17:59.861-08:00EXCERPT: From the Work in Progress, The Mystery of Taiwo Da Silva by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren.<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64R6obd43N5XcKmCRT_zHEtbzxABKnWOByrkKk01z3BGt7j6B4kDF3CerlBJpMAD3ujCQZk_anrgjiPZLT_TqnxAgZi8XpnM6T746hlVWkcjkxZBdbvrt1etQNdPRmCIinhjQcYStGAqPMhfSUHcX3ODuQgS1I0ovxfCprnb_WYQ545iEc67DR-vQQH4/s3899/cover%20mystiry%20Taiwo.CORRECT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2699" data-original-width="3899" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64R6obd43N5XcKmCRT_zHEtbzxABKnWOByrkKk01z3BGt7j6B4kDF3CerlBJpMAD3ujCQZk_anrgjiPZLT_TqnxAgZi8XpnM6T746hlVWkcjkxZBdbvrt1etQNdPRmCIinhjQcYStGAqPMhfSUHcX3ODuQgS1I0ovxfCprnb_WYQ545iEc67DR-vQQH4/s320/cover%20mystiry%20Taiwo.CORRECT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">omoruyi uwuigiaren</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHAPTER FIVE</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Dilemma of Syclos</span></b><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So many things crept into my mind as I waited for a vehicle to
convey me to my destination. I thought of kicking Yomi out of the house, for
his coming has robbed me of my job. The thought of taking my life was an
infirmity in my troubled mind. Then a vehicle pulled by at the other end of the
road. Before I could blink, four masked men stormed out of the car and opened
fire on me. I ran into an old busy street. People scrambled for safety. Stray
bullets caught an old woman in the head. She drew a loud shriek and lay
struggling for life. One motorcyclist became a victim of the crossfire. Bullets
riddled his body. He tumbled from his bike and fell stone dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As everyone on the street fled for dear life, I raced with my
legs almost touching the back of my head. People perished as bullets flew in
every direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was the target. As they gave chase, I went past two or more
bends. I glanced back at intervals at the horrible creatures. They were making
strange noises. I made the best use of my legs down the last bend that led to
an old graveyard near an abandoned church. Two men formed a whirlwind and flew
into the other two. As soon as the devils entered the men, they snarled. The
devils became very strong and apprehensive. They became supercharged. My pair
of legs did not disappoint. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then I climbed the barbed wire fence that separated the
abandoned church from the street. I tossed myself clear over. As I made for the
church, the horrible men took a new form. They transformed into large dogs,
barking, and scaled the fence without breaking a sweat. Before the wild dogs
could get me, I was already in the church building.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My pants almost hit the roof of my chest. I went near the altar
and found a door half-open. I looked in every direction, no enemy in sight, and
I went in. The room must have served as a lodge for the pastor or owner of the
abandoned church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An old candle and some Bibles occupied a table covered with
dust. Discouraging sights of cobwebs were in every corner. Also, a bookshelf
lay on the extreme. The cobwebs on it suggested no human activity there in
recent memories. Why it was in such desolation, I could not tell. There was a
little window on the wall. And there was another window that faced the church.
It would help the pastor or whoever was in the room see the church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was a steel door in the far end under lock and key. I
looked in every direction to find a weapon I could use against my adversaries
if I ran into them again. My gaze met a piece of note on the floor. I went for
it and dusted the piece. There were strange writings on it and I could not read
it. Then I squashed the note and disposed of it. I broke off one leg of the
table in the room to serve as my weapon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then I went to the window to glimpse at the church. My heart
jumped into my mouth when I noticed the dogs were around. I dashed to the other
side to secure the door. When I got back to the window again, one dog came near
the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Before the devils stepped into the area, I pondered over the
possibility of running through the iron door as ill will kiss my soul. There
was a short barking from the temple. Before I could blink, it mixed with the
thin air. To imagine the beasts would never find me was only an illusion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moments later, I noticed a dog appeared on the wall and entered
the room. The stench of treachery hung in the air. My heart died within me, for
the dog snarled and attacked me. I fought back and sent the dog the other way
with my weapon. As the wood fell to the ground, I wrestled my way to the back
door—my hope of deliverance. I broke the lock with a single blow. I was already
on the other side before the beast found its feet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My legs were true to their responsibilities. They did not fail me
as I raced through the field to the graveyard. Devastation caused me to stumble
and weep at intervals. As the mad dogs chased, I noticed an old man holding a
digger at the only building in the graveyard. As I cried for help, the old folk
got to the veranda, dropped the digger, and went into the house, ignoring me. I
suspect the man did not hear me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My legs, gravestones, and demarcations here and there almost
gifted me to the devils. Before they could make quick work of me, I was already
on the veranda. I grabbed the digger and hurled it at one beast. The whine of a
miserable dog hit the air as the enemy lay struggling for life. Before the
other could make any move, I pushed the door open and dashed into the house.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I slapped my hand on my chest and gasped when I got into the
room and did not find anybody. No old man and the room were quiet, as if no
life had set foot for ages. As the strange barking of one dog flew into the
room, I accepted my fate. Find my way before the dogs poured in like night
rain. As I threw my gaze in every direction, I noticed strange carvings on the
wall at the extreme of the room. When I went close, I was glad it was on a door
to some other habitation. Only a push got me to the other side of the bloody
mess.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was a gigantic house, calmer than the still water. The
enormous house contained books, papers, wooden boxes, and so forth. There were
inscriptions on the walls that proved difficult to decipher. On the far left
were old graven images. Horrible creatures that sent jitters down my spine. I
feared I had stepped into a world of misery. As soon as I made two or more
cautious steps forward, one image fell and shattered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every other thing, including a curious little man reading a
book, was upside down. The old man was bald and had a beard I could not notice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At intervals, he would grin and let go of a yawn that took some
time to mix with the air. I thought he did not see me. So I moved towards a
door on the far left, which I felt was an exit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">God will make a way where there seems to be no way. He works in
ways humanity cannot see. I was a stone’s throw from the exit when the old man
cleared his throat. He turned to me, “Fat pig, what are you trying to do?” He
turned the other way and flew to knock me over. As I fell, begging at his feet,
a withering smile paraded his face. He muttered, “Why are those creatures after
you? What is your crime?” He raised an eyebrow that gave birth to a furrow on
his forehead. “They always have a reason to hunt, you know. I don’t want to
make life difficult for you. Give me an answer so I can resolve what to do with
you immediately. I have no time.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His hesitation to strike was a sign that there were chances I
would leave the hole alive. I sat on my elbow, panting, and answered, “I guess
they are from my landlady. I have not known peace since I moved into her
house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The old man chuckled. He crossed his arms over his body and
threw out a question. “Who is the fellow?” A strange look sat on his face.
“Saying you have not known peace since you moved into her house is a weighty
allegation, isn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She is Methuen!” I stammered. “I am not lying. The allegation
is true.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It wouldn’t have been a clever thing to say if you have no
evidence. Methuen is a bloodsucker, unholy, and a coldhearted murderer. It’s a
shame! I knew that was your problem. Good, you did not lie to me. I would have
cracked your ribs with a single blow! You were trying to play tricks like most
silly kids do, but she is not your regular woman. She is always a step ahead.
You cannot pull her down. She is tough. If she feels cheated, she will hunt you
down like a dog.” He laughed out loud. “You had sex with her and you wanted the
party to stop because of your girlfriend. Is that not a silly thing to do?
Methuen is wild, and she doesn’t understand the language of a weak man. She
will always come for more!” He glared his eyes at me and growled. He breathed
fast as if he was about to emit some destructive powers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Who are you?” I asked, adjusted my terrified body on the floor,
and tried to look at him. “May I ask why you know so much about her?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I am Syclos. I know enough of the world,” he replied. He chewed
his lower lip and added, “Such questions provoke me. Don’t remind me of my
past. It wasn’t palatable. I should not remember how I ended up here. This is
how far she can go to get back at people who she feels have hurt her. I fear
for your life!” He shook his head. “You are dealing with Armageddon.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Sorry if I have offended you. I am scared. Could you let me go?
I need to leave here before my pursuers arrive. If they find me, they will kill
me…”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“SHUT UP! Methuen is my wife! You had sexual intercourse with my
woman! We were married.” He hissed and turned away. “Things were fine until one
evening she found some text messages on my phone.” His countenance fell. The
man walked away from me. He sat on a chair that I guess was his favorite. He
paused. I froze when a cat suddenly crossed the room. The poor cat disappeared
into a little opening on the roof of the building. The man placed his head in
his hands. “I could not cover my tracks. Methuen found me out. I forgot to
delete the chat on my phone.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Didn’t you password your phone?” I adjusted my frame on the
edge of sorrow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I did to fend her off. That did not work. I wonder how she
unlocks the phone, checks my messages, and calls logs. That is strange for a
woman who is not tech-savvy. If I had not found out, I would never have known
who she was. I underestimated her. Methuen is a top-level witch. She tells
people she is a devoted voodooist. That is on the surface. But she is a shadowy
creature. She doesn’t require any expertise to break into any phone. I have
seen her do it with my phone many times.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She is in the habit of checking my messages when I go to the
restroom. For this reason, she never allowed the both of us to use the showers
at the same time. At first, I did not understand, but later I realized she was
doing something behind my back. I observed that once I was away in the showers,
things didn’t remain as I left them if I got back to the room. She was
disgusting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“To summarize my story, Methuen felt I was messing around with
my secretary. She was right. Mirabel and I were seeing each other. She accused
me of cheating on her, which I denied. I thought there was nothing to worry
about. But Methuen has a heart of stone and was always a step ahead of me. She
doesn’t forgive. Have you seen a man cry? I once did to prove my innocence.
It’s not good to lie. But if you must lie, be brief. Once you are out of
trouble, fix that thing that made you lie as quickly as you can. You may not
have the luxury to lie another day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“For several days, we argued over my cheating. I thought I was
in the clear. Not knowing it was only a matter of time before things would
spiral out of control. To avoid her, I started skipping our usual evening meals
together. That did not change the situation. She did not believe I had anything
to do with the poor lady. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“One day, she asked that I sack the secretary. For peace to
reign in my house, I agreed and asked the lady to go. Yet, Methuen remained
unsatisfied. That was the beginning of my sorrow. She kept a close watch on me.
My wife monitored my every move. It was trouble. There is no peace for the
wicked. There is no concord for the fellow who cheats on his partner.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“One evening, she came home. She ran upstairs and burst into the
room. Then I was in the room reading a novel. The force at which she broke into
the room scared me. I flung the book away and jumped out of bed to see who must
have caused the disturbance. It was my wife. Methuen came to my corner. She
landed a slap on my face. Her eyes were red with rage. She was shaking out in
anger. It was a jealous rage. If she had a gun that very moment, she would have
closed my eyes upon the light of the world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I was the thorn in her flesh. I was the devil on a cold night.
She told me she will deal with this matter once and for all. I didn’t need a
prophet to tell me what she was talking about. It was Mirabel. My secretary was
the reason my wife lost her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Before I could blink, she smacked me on the face again. It was
killing a fly with a sledgehammer. I lost my balance and went to the ground.
She walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. I sat in a corner,
with my head in my hands. She must have gotten wind of the information that I
was still seeing the woman. I sacked Mirabel, but I did not let her go. She was
a good worker. It was difficult for me to let such a nice staff leave my
establishment. She knew her job. The poor girl was efficient. There are few
workers like Mirabel. She was exceptional and loyal. Instead of severing ties,
Mirabel and I agreed she should work from home. I had her where I wanted. It
was like she never left. Nothing changed. We only moved location so we could
have more time for ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It was fun. So, I started spending more time at her house than
at the office. We made love like wild dogs everywhere in the house. Mirabel was
the forbidden fruit and forbidden fruits are the sweetest. We used the showers
together. Did almost everything like love birds. Mirabel could cook. She
spoiled me with sex. She was the perfect woman. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“As for Methuen, I took her outburst as one of those things that
women say when they are angry. I did not read any meaning into her message
until I had a fatal road accident.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I was returning from a business trip to Ondo state. I took a
public bus that could take eighteen passengers at once. Then I sat in the
passenger seat in the front beside the driver. We were comfortable, and the
atmosphere was peaceful. It was clear weather. The sun had settled on the bare
chest of the sky and everyone could see beyond their nose. The city had burst
into life and I could see the future from the horizon. It was a beehive of
activities. Men from all civilizations would gather here someday to eat and
drink to the greatness of the land. Everything started fast. Our time here was
up. We had to move on. I was eager to get home to see my family again after
some days outside of Lagos. I missed my daughter so much. She was the
consolation in my entire life with Methuen. My marriage was a bone in my neck.
We didn’t have that connection. Sometimes I wonder why. But I could not walk
away from the marriage because Methuen brought so much to the table. She wasn’t
a woman you could push aside by the mere wave of the hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“As we left the city behind us, our vehicle gathered dust.
Trails of Ore were fast fading. We were descending into the road that would end
in the popular Ojota garage in Lagos. Tall buildings and houses were growing
smaller as we moved on. Soon, they disappeared completely from sight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We saw huts, pockets of them spread about like pastures clothed
with flocks. Then the huts too, either became a tiny fraction or disappeared.
Only beautiful bushes, tall trees, and the forest world stared at us in the
face as we journeyed back to the center of excellence. I was happy that Ore had
disappeared. It meant we were advancing to our destination.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“After the driver had covered a vast distance, I noticed he
dozed off. I tapped him on the shoulder. The man looked at me and nodded his
head. The motorist pulled his handkerchief from his chest pocket and wiped his
face with it. He threw the handkerchief on the dashboard of the vehicle. The man
steadied himself again behind the wheel. He tried to fend off the sleep that
had crept into him as soon as we left Ondo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Not long after, a giant bird flew into the path of the bus. The
driver tried to avoid the creature and lost control of the wheel. Our vehicle
wheeled off the road and plunged into a pothole. The bus somersaulted. It
landed on the nearby bush, a few inches away from the road. We were motionless.
The once bubbling atmosphere in the bus had gone silent. No one, except my poor
soul, survived. Human body parts littered the place. The driver had his head
snapped from his body; his torso ripped off his body and was by the road. I saw
an index finger covered in blood on the dashboard. I guessed it was that of the
driver or the passenger behind him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I couldn't feel my legs, and my shoulder was dislocated. I tried
to pull myself out from under the ruins, but there was nothing I could do. I
had no strength. It was the saddest moment of my life. I thought about my
little family back home in Lagos. How will they cope without me? When I
remember my only child, Bisi, I had this rush of energy. I wanted to survive
and go back home to be with her. These seemed like an uphill task. I had one
arm moving and the rest of my body buried under the bus. I could do nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“As I bled inside the vehicle, I started growing weak. I lost
hope. Defeat stared at me in the face. I thought about death, her fangs, and
all the madness in this world. It was vengeful. Bitterness wrapped itself in
the air. I was going to die after all. No matter how hard I try, I may not
survive before help finally comes. We were on the lonely road that stretched
from Ondo state to Ijebu Ode. No houses on either side of the road. Bushes
encroached on the tarred road and no sign of life in the near jungle state
sealed my fate. I wish death would come fast. At intervals, a vehicle will
speed past. The drivers or the passengers will glance at us and then they will
move on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I understood their fears. We are in a wicked world. The fear
that it could be their turn if they stopped to help was real. That area was
notorious for armed robbery. It’s a kidnapper’s den. Drivers don’t pull up
there for any reason. It was a black spot. From a distance, we must have
appeared like some victims of kidnappers or highway robbers. And the criminals
are not far away from the scene. So it would have been a miracle if any vehicle
with no armed security men pulled up to help us. I tried to pick up my phone
from my pocket so that I could call home. Peradventure, my wife could get me
help. I could not reach into my pocket because the lower part of my body was
stuck on the bus. I felt the pain mounting and my end growing with each passing
second.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“As I waited for death to kiss me goodbye, the gigantic bird
that caused the disaster landed on the floor some meters away from me. It shook
and transformed into Methuen, my wife. She wore a dark, flowing garment.
Methuen was elegant and robust, as usual. The enchantress walked up to me as I
bled to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She paraded a wicked smile on her face. The woman paused and
stared at me. Then she shook her head and said I did not respect her. I broke
her heart. My wife revealed my secretary confessed I was her boyfriend. Methuen
thought she tamed me, but she was wrong. My mind was a wild animal. The woman
disclosed how I rented an apartment for Mirabel so that I could eat her rotten
fruit. That was true. We were even planning to marry. That was how dirty we
were and how we had gone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Methuen told me she placed my secretary where she belongs. I
understood her. She killed Mirabel. Then she grabbed her large boobs and turned
around. “Look at me, Syclos,” Methuen fumed at me. “Is this not enough?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I couldn’t say anything. What exactly is that thing the skinny
girl gives she does not have? You have had sexual intercourse with my wife,
Taiwo. You can also testify. She spat on my body.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It is true she gave me everything I asked of her on the bed.
But my wife gave more than sex. She established me. How much did she invest in
me? It’s already in the millions. Methuen was close to tears. It was clear I
frustrated her. When she said I always call her a witch. But she used her
powers to push me up the ladder. I felt depressed. It was obvious I was
ungrateful. I didn’t value my woman. I took her generosity for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“That woman made sure I brushed shoulders with the best in my
industry. What else do I want? Rather than tag along, I cheated on her. I lied
to her. She told me it pains her. She had to take me through this. I was out of
control. I brought the mess upon myself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She looked at me one last time. I could feel the heat on her
face. I sensed she still loved me. But I pushed my luck too far. Mirabel killed
me!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I tried to apologize, but I had no strength left in me to talk.
She tossed her hand in the air; a dark cup appeared in her hand. Then she
emptied the content on my body and said I will not die but will suffer. I will
live like a bat. Because of my daughter, she will spare me. She will give me a
chance to get my life back. I will recover if I can find any man who has slept
with her. Sacrifice the fellow on an open field. As the smoke goes up into the
high heavens, I will recover and be a human once more. But there are no
guarantees that we will be together. Our paths will cross again when I come to
see my daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She will make me tough so that I can protect myself and make
the most of my new house. She walked up to me and touched my lips; my body
shook for a moment. Then she disappeared. As soon as she disappeared, a mighty
force pulled me from underneath the vehicle. It tossed me into outer space. I
disappeared into the wandering clouds. By the time I opened my eyes, I found
myself in this room. I hung upside down in a corner of the room like a bat.
Every night here, I must transform into a bat. Then fly around town. Perch on
trees and eat fruits. That’s depressing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Now, as providence would have it, you are Methuen’s runaway
boyfriend. You have bruised her petals and eaten the forbidden fruit. You have
had sexual intercourse with my wife. It pains me that another man is seeing my
wife. But there is nothing I can do. It is what it is. Life is no bed of roses.
With you in my arms, I stand a chance to be a complete human all over again.
Bisi will see her father once more…”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He clenched his fist, roared beating his chest, and waved his
tiny fingers at me. He got me in midair. The fear of death stood before me. I
could feel the heat on my face. “I will do exactly as Methuen had suggested. I
will not only sacrifice you, I must have my revenge. You will burn on the
fields and I will feed you to the bald vultures. Your death will have a
purpose. My pain will disappear from the face of the earth. My name will rise
and swim against the tide. I have been in this hole for a few years. Nobody
wants to be trapped forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Shivering, I said, “It is true we had sex a lot of times, but I
have stopped seeing her. I called it quits because I have a girlfriend and we
are getting married. Please don’t kill me!” As I begged, the walls behind us
cracked and the fiery dogs broke into the house. They almost barked the room
down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The dogs transformed into creatures of dual appearances. From
their waist to their heads, they were the head of a human and the torso of a
wolf!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Syclos, unfazed by their appearance, waved his tiny bony fingers
at me. I flew out of his sight and landed in a corner. There was no time to
check for bruises. My eyes shot back and forth, watching for his return.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then he turned to the creatures and spoke. “Ah, Methuen’s
puppets are here. I have long expected you. I see you want to claim your meal
under my nose?” He clenched his fists.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes. Feasting is the beauty of living.” One creature said and
straightened his chin as if he was ready to emit some harmful powers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I hope you know the rules. “ Syclos asked with a frown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Which rules, old man?” said the other creature.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You are such a terrible interloper. Under normal circumstances,
you shouldn’t be here! This is my house!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The creature chuckled and took some steps forward. “Syclos, we
are players in this world. He is our meal, and it is not our wish to trouble
your soul. You know what we stand for. We are messengers. In a situation like
this, you must hand him over to us. You could see he strayed into your net,”
said the creature, and his head swelled. “He did not fall from the sky. He got
here because we chased him. The man belongs to our boss. Respect our decision
so that peace would reign.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“He is more useful under my nose than anywhere else. I also need
him for my sacrifice so that I can be a complete human again. If I use him, I
will walk the street and trade with humanity. I am missing my daughter. The
little girl your wayward boss had for me,” Syclos said and swallowed hard. “She
knows. She is aware I need this situation to get back on my feet. I already
have her blessings. I expect you to leave now so that I can begin the process
of my recovery immediately.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The beast wore a frown. “Not this one. Syclos, find another
meal. He belongs to Methuen. She has ordered us to deal with him because she
still needs the poor soul. If she did not need him, she would have ended his
life before now.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You are insulting me. Methuen is my wife! Respect my decision
and get out of here!” Syclos yelled at them. Syclos threw his hand into
the air and made some incantation. Before I could blink, stones fell from the
roof and crashed on the intruders. But they were smart enough to duck before
they could get hurt. One beast charged and clashed with the old man. They
shared blows from one end of the room to another. The devil tasted misfortune
as his meal for the day. Syclos waved his hand at him. He landed on the floor
and broke his neck. As he groaned in pain, the old wizard cast a spell on him. The
beast transformed into a piece of stone and disappeared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The other creature grabbed hold of one of the graven images and
hurled it at Syclos. It knocked him over. Before he could regain his feet, the
beast pounced on him and a fresh battle followed. As they descended on each
other, sharing filthy blows in the air, I crawled out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Syclos saw me crawling away but was too engaged in the fight to
get his hands on me. Then he yelled, “I know your scent, silly boy. I will hunt
you down….” His voice filled the room as I fled the scene. I ran at top speed
out of the graveyard and raced homeward. My legs were touching the back of my
head as I ran fast.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0e101a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><o:p> </o:p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Related stories</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 24px; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 24px; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2024/02/fascinating-titles-by-jason-yachanin.html" target="_blank">Fascinating Stories by Jason Yachanin</a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 24px; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2024/02/turtle-soup-is-enough-laughing-and.html" target="_blank">Turtle Soup Is Enough</a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 24px; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large; text-align: left;" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">If the Existing Plan Fails, </a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">Make a New One</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s320/hope%20raisers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s1600/hope%20raisers.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE HOPE RAISERS<br />BY NIHAR SUTHAR<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1538168731" target="_blank">BUY</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s320/ROSEN.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s1600/ROSEN.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ROSEN<br />BY MICHELLE HALL<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rosen-Michelle-Hall-ebook/dp/B0BCMJP6ZG?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><b>BUY</b></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-75271927597367214672024-02-27T05:39:00.007-08:002024-02-28T02:13:05.879-08:00Turtle Soup Is Enough: Laughing and Biking When Everything Falls Apart by Bestselling Author Margaret O'Connor<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1to79NyTC5ZtPk6kDltF66KMSII0tuLMyrlvhCh-WEISo1DW5oQrJi5qrbGOo0Zq_x0WIrp1U1JAzkCSEsOacjah0JVVJf7qoSiDKf74FhTfJHFwDx8vvSKEkFftJC06M0nMN481kX1KeuBDnJNiwd17F1PaMsarUC4_jiJA8Qng68IbT3R1VFj6Cx44/s342/margaret%20o%20cornor%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="214" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1to79NyTC5ZtPk6kDltF66KMSII0tuLMyrlvhCh-WEISo1DW5oQrJi5qrbGOo0Zq_x0WIrp1U1JAzkCSEsOacjah0JVVJf7qoSiDKf74FhTfJHFwDx8vvSKEkFftJC06M0nMN481kX1KeuBDnJNiwd17F1PaMsarUC4_jiJA8Qng68IbT3R1VFj6Cx44/s320/margaret%20o%20cornor%20cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle Soup is Enough</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="color: #0f1111;">Did you know that the fluid in
your spinal cord is the same color as lemonade?</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"> I sat and
watched it drip from my little brother's limp body into a medical bag on his
bedside, as one of his surgeons told us the news that nearly shredded my faith
to chaff.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="color: #0f1111;">"This kid will never walk again."</span></span></span><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">These
essays were written during the worst year of my life. I wrote them for one of
my college classes, answering various prompts on the theme of place. I didn't
know at the time that I was chronicling a fight for my existence.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">My family
and faith have never been about fitting in. We don’t believe in God because of
what they say at church. We see him in the mud that cakes our jeans and the
laughter we share around the campfire, drinking beer and listening to the
grisly stories our dad brings home from the ER. Our faith in God has never been
about propriety; it’s been about relationship.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="color: #0f1111;">How can you reconcile that kind of faith when it seems
like God stands by as your whole world falls apart?</span></span></span><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">When my
faith went up in flames, I found truth like I never had before. Sometimes God
shatters you to shatter the lies you didn't know you believed, and there's
nothing left to do but buck up and face what's right.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">Faith is
tested, hope victorious, and valuable lessons are learned along the way in this
raw, wildly funny and inappropriate memoir.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Soup-Enough-Laughing-Everything-ebook/dp/B0CP6SGMJG?ref_=ast_author_mpb" target="_blank">BUY LINK</a></b></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt;">Meet </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Margaret-OConnor/e/B0CP8BW2TX/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1"><span color="windowtext" style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Margaret
O'Connor</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJXNAcBs6XBazHJVYurcilrdUaihtJBuxA-OzwQe8S-sHCF2X12NbHxoLk7S7F3c7wiUR6C1k-GTL9e1HTTo_7ILc-lJDdX4JoRL9VmQWka6Pok9HDeNYMHiqzTF3Oory796AjByNv7rPKHeyxvXrYq3ylu0V9xl5HgzfYlDRs5WreEw_MWXNxVvOZNo/s600/margaret%20o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJXNAcBs6XBazHJVYurcilrdUaihtJBuxA-OzwQe8S-sHCF2X12NbHxoLk7S7F3c7wiUR6C1k-GTL9e1HTTo_7ILc-lJDdX4JoRL9VmQWka6Pok9HDeNYMHiqzTF3Oory796AjByNv7rPKHeyxvXrYq3ylu0V9xl5HgzfYlDRs5WreEw_MWXNxVvOZNo/s320/margaret%20o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margaret O'Connor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Margaret-OConnor/author/B0CP8BW2TX?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Margaret O'Connor</a></b> is a bestselling author and public speaker.
Her works have been published in both literary and academic journals, and she
was a finalist for the Annie Dillard Award for Creative Nonfiction with the
Bellingham Review.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #0f1111;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /><br /></span></div><p></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-33014580633103506392024-02-23T18:58:00.005-08:002024-02-28T02:11:51.846-08:00FASCINATING TITLES BY JASON YACHANIN<p> </p><h1 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Mysterious Happenings on </span></b></span></h1><h1 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Hyde Avenue: The Lair of the Incubus </span></b></span></h1><div><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-XpfK3xdOkZz5-u3NMXL2EJoq1oImj6klzlNYM6o0q0PjSlMaEV_AxOMEp06ylyZR_HrU2lS0nC2p7pfCXrcPEqBPPrvJL-c0k_cNsgsVN4CvbeS2u7Tspc4WOdxHtr9XemDFrhoQR-G9n7sLitI71u7ABn_JamTfIX0HWWgGbCyffXpv2EGC7YYk1w/s1583/IMG_4571.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1583" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-XpfK3xdOkZz5-u3NMXL2EJoq1oImj6klzlNYM6o0q0PjSlMaEV_AxOMEp06ylyZR_HrU2lS0nC2p7pfCXrcPEqBPPrvJL-c0k_cNsgsVN4CvbeS2u7Tspc4WOdxHtr9XemDFrhoQR-G9n7sLitI71u7ABn_JamTfIX0HWWgGbCyffXpv2EGC7YYk1w/s320/IMG_4571.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">There’s
nowhere to hide.</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
In this heart-pounding, irreverent sequel to </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Mysterious Happenings at 2 Morning view</span>, high
schooler Justin, his two best friends, and a cast of</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> unforgettable offbeat characters desperately try to defeat a
horrific supernatural</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> being, close the portal to its demonic world, and save
Justin’s family</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> from eternal damnation.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
______________________________________________________________<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span class="a-text-italic"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">“Jason Yachanin’s </span></i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Mysterious Happenings at 2 Morning view</span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">, and sequel, </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Mysterious Happenings on Hyde Avenue: The Lair of the Incubus, </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">were both so entertaining I didn’t want to put them down once
I started reading! If you are a fan of the supernatural, 90s nostalgia, and
comedic mysteries, then I highly recommend Yachanin’s work. Did someone say a
future TROMA film?”</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="a-text-bold"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">– Lloyd Kaufman, President of TROMA Entertainment, Creator of </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The Toxic Avenger</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></b></i><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span class="a-text-italic"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">“Yachanin authentically captured the nostalgia of the 90s in
his first novel, and this sequel is even more thrilling and charming, taking
the reader on a brand new and darker thrill-ride. A must read for any horror
fan. We have a talented new author with a very promising career ahead. He
deserves your attention.”</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="a-text-bold"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">– Aaron Reid and Ben Allen, A&B Horror Movies</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Happenings-Hyde-Avenue-Incubus/dp/B0C2RSC27C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=26K0J1HNR3EHS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Yw6qSdtwqa3ilCLcHcmIWwueIRzKtprQeDIoW6I9utQ.xDybXnY9QPLGOOMeHdoBMq3I_inu1oTYSLi03148CK0&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+mysterious+happenings+on+hyde+avenue&qid=1708742033&sprefix=%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1" target="_blank">AMAZON BUY LINK</a></span></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mysterious-happenings-on-hyde-avenue-jason-yachanin/1143510672?ean=9798987920343" target="_blank">BN BUY LINK</a></span></b></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></span></p><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">The Mysterious Happenings at </span></b></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 27pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">2 Morning view Paperback </span></b></h1><div><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6NdpLxziPRcoQYhRczCn0bGz92eTG3kX6kMAPV-Di6RwCc9B4Aov28WxkXufloM1c5mcWKnKMUGm784OxPBKer2NIWsf6tdj4z8huL7AA1RCOthcfI4BN3WLXFE0-3t0BwmIl1-eAsZGOpgt-xn4W5aUDpI6xTHGAImlzc44WsV2K_Xgfh6K3cclA6Q/s1280/3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1013" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6NdpLxziPRcoQYhRczCn0bGz92eTG3kX6kMAPV-Di6RwCc9B4Aov28WxkXufloM1c5mcWKnKMUGm784OxPBKer2NIWsf6tdj4z8huL7AA1RCOthcfI4BN3WLXFE0-3t0BwmIl1-eAsZGOpgt-xn4W5aUDpI6xTHGAImlzc44WsV2K_Xgfh6K3cclA6Q/s320/3D.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The Mysterious Happenings at 2 Morning view</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"> takes place in 1996, the sophomore year of high school
for the main character, Justin. He's popular enough for your average punk-rock
teen. He recently made the snare line in marching band, and he seems to have
caught the attention of one the best-looking girls in school. There's only one
problem: High school may be going great, but something's seriously wrong with
Justin's family. Mysterious events have been occurring at Justin's house, and
all signs point to extraterrestrial contact. Or so he thinks... Determined to
get to the bottom of his family's strange behavior, Justin enlists the help of
his best friend and soon-to-be girlfriend. (He hopes.) What begins as a simple
search for answers will soon turn into something darker and more terrifying
than the three of them could ever imagine.</span></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></p></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mysterious-Happenings-Morningview-Jason-Yachanin/dp/1737288656/ref=pd_bxgy_q_d_sccl_1/147-4993849-1845917?pd_rd_w=sAgGS&content-id=amzn1.sym.27be5bbe-3574-4f40-8c57-ce12023a2e77&pf_rd_p=27be5bbe-3574-4f40-8c57-ce12023a2e77&pf_rd_r=G0KSQ98XQYS0V4KCPJYN&pd_rd_wg=5I5jn&pd_rd_r=24903283-3429-404f-9b83-e3938d1f73f0&pd_rd_i=1737288656&psc=1" target="_blank">AMAZON BUY LINK</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mysterious-happenings-at-2-morningview-jason-yachanin/1143500731?ean=9781737288657" target="_blank">BN BUY LINK</a></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOz9EphPlIamjSdbs2m4aot5H5GmAQ93oJv-KdB6kU0__UtDBS00TxTjswHFdlilaA-0VJDKI5tmjBRxsq5YW0p-R-OIv19Ieas4zpljWCGRsIvQEH_VPI-Oors_GUaSGUvNBXunaIggsHkUUDZ4obyv0ZsGZgFThULyDCXOOiPvfOWZvYBflhJf92bY/s450/JASON%20MAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOz9EphPlIamjSdbs2m4aot5H5GmAQ93oJv-KdB6kU0__UtDBS00TxTjswHFdlilaA-0VJDKI5tmjBRxsq5YW0p-R-OIv19Ieas4zpljWCGRsIvQEH_VPI-Oors_GUaSGUvNBXunaIggsHkUUDZ4obyv0ZsGZgFThULyDCXOOiPvfOWZvYBflhJf92bY/s320/JASON%20MAN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Yachanin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jason-Yachanin/author/B08PG1Y5P1?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Jason Yachanin</a></b> is a professional actor, small
business owner, and author. He is best known for his roles in the indie-horror
anthology, V/H/S, the cult classic, Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead,
and Blue Bloods. He resides on the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, dog,
cockatiel, tortoise, and two parakeets.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></b></span></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-45001198860003470922024-02-05T05:30:00.000-08:002024-02-05T05:30:53.584-08:00Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and Ignite Your Most Intentional Life by John R. Miles<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wbPVgCpi29EXT7QmmpyimhCDNVEU8-glwAQQB-pt91XN7oOFfoRjFDscXIiPIe4kAp8L-Nt_VYY4Xw5Sr-bA9cFJ0NXQFB7iitTL1Lx-IWNHSv8HkwIqfG2b6oi2TQ-3wF5aoZsR76SUVr0-MyMfNJz0UA6rH7ivtIh_5rb3-gHI6ABvZWBv6g3IbFU/s671/JOHN2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="452" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wbPVgCpi29EXT7QmmpyimhCDNVEU8-glwAQQB-pt91XN7oOFfoRjFDscXIiPIe4kAp8L-Nt_VYY4Xw5Sr-bA9cFJ0NXQFB7iitTL1Lx-IWNHSv8HkwIqfG2b6oi2TQ-3wF5aoZsR76SUVr0-MyMfNJz0UA6rH7ivtIh_5rb3-gHI6ABvZWBv6g3IbFU/s320/JOHN2.jpg" width="216"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Inside
of you resides an intentional life without limits.<br>
<br>
The time has come to awaken it.<br>
<br>
Are you living intentionally, with purpose and passion? Are you embracing the
flame that ignites within you, or are you evading it? Will your future self be
proud of your story, or do you yearn for something more?<br>
<br>
We all have personal limits that apply to different areas of our lives, such as
creating abundance, making changes to our health or body, overcoming recurring
patterns of self-sabotage, or simply believing in ourselves. However, we can
tap into our unlimited potential when we push ourselves beyond these
limitations. Once we let go of our doubts, we can begin to have faith in our
new life. By intentionally acting as if it’s attainable, we can gradually
transform into the embodiment of that belief.<br>
<br>
John R. Miles—entrepreneur, award-winning podcast host, former U.S. Navy
officer, and Fortune 50 senior executive—reveals his groundbreaking discoveries
that allow you to reshape your past and create an empowered and limitless
future through authentic and candid personal stories. Alongside these
narratives are twelve science-based principles on mindset and behavior that
Miles discovered by examining and interviewing successful professionals such as
Marc Benioff, David Rubenstein, Katy Milkman, Bernie Marcus, Uri Levine,
Marshall Goldsmith, Robin Sharma, Susan Cain, Shawn Springs, Thaddeus Bullard,
Elon Musk, Susan Wojcicki, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Navy SEALs, astronaut
Chris Cassidy, and General Stanley McChrystal.<br>
<br>
In this book, you will learn how to:<br>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br>
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Create a meaningful mission that will enhance your life's
purpose from Square founder Jim McKelvey<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Identify the root causes of self-doubt and overcome fears that
are holding you back from Oprah Winfrey<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Transform the way you lead from General McChrystal and the
Honorable Keith Krach, former Under Secretary of State<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unleash your potential by taking purposeful actions toward
achieving your dreams from Astronaut Captain Wendy Lawrence<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Transform the world around you by harnessing the power of
adaptability from Jeff Bezos<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br>
With the help of the insights and strategies presented in Passion Struck,
you can craft the life you truly desire and make it a reality.<br>
<br>
Are you ready? It’s time to live life Passion Struck.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><strong>Most books are meant to be read, but this one is meant to
be lived!</strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book is not just about
achieving success; it's about embarking on a relentless quest for personal
growth, impact, and fulfillment. It's about becoming Passion Struck - a state
of existence where your actions, intentions, and aspirations are deeply infused
with an unwavering dedication to personal excellence and self-actualization.
Through authentic and candid personal stories, I reveal how to create a
meaningful mission, overcome fears, transform your leadership style, and
harness the power of adaptability. This book is a journey of becoming, a guide
to channeling your inner fire towards intentional action, and courageously
crafting your life in the image of your ideal self.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: none !important; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;"><em style="outline: none !important;">“There
are many self-help books that discuss how to find your passion. There are many
fewer about living your passion - not a fixed state of being, but as an ongoing
process that encourages creativity, challenge, and meaning. Passion Struck is
such a book: original, grounded in well-researched wisdom, and thoroughly
practical."</em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: none !important; white-space: pre-wrap;">-– Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, Author of
the #1 New York Times bestseller, "Young Forever."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><i><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">John R. Miles is the
dynamic force behind Passion Struck®, captivating millions with his
globally-renowned podcast and national radio show, making a significant impact
as a thought leader in the fields of behavior change, health and wellness, the
science of personal mastery, and self-leadership. His journey, from the U.S.
Navy to senior executive roles in the Fortune 50, grounds his insights in
real-world experience. He's not just a voice on leadership and personal growth;
he's lived it, making his guidance and storytelling resonate authentically with
his audience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As an author, keynote
speaker, and entrepreneur, John blends practical wisdom with relatable
anecdotes, making complex ideas about health, wellness, and personal mastery
both accessible and inspiring. His Podcast, Passion Struck, is one of the
world's leading shows and the #1 alternative health podcast, featuring engaging
conversations with notable figures like Angela Duckworth, Seth Godin, Susan
Cain, Robin Sharma, and Dr. Mark Hyman.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His latest work,
"Passion Struck: Twelve Powerful Principles to Unlock Your Purpose and
Ignite Your Most Intentional Life," delves into the heart of what it means
to live a life fueled by passion and purpose. Drawing on insights from
luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey and Astronaut Chris Cassidy, the book offers
twelve science-based principles designed to awaken the dormant potential within
us all. It's a journey through overcoming self-doubt, catalyzing personal
growth, and embracing a life lived with unwavering intention. It's been honored
as a 2024 must-read by the Next Big Idea Club and The Best Business Minds Book
Awards for 2024.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For more insights into
John's transformative approach to intentional living, visit [passionstruck dot
com] or follow him on social media @john_R_Miles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p></div><p><br></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-17283239724717126552024-02-05T04:44:00.003-08:002024-02-05T04:46:28.763-08:00NEW BOOK ALERT: The Evolution of Human Motivations: An AI-Illustrated Odyssey by John V. Wylie MD<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7iFGZHruabfDQLRLZV7Iwubhp9jJc4jRhIujeVu8aF0Iv8l99IJYNO0xNuYP1QVVBWi6ty3_bJ_VkU4eJJ62gVF6bNzOSMQG9r7YV9M8j67ZOsXnFEY-51jSj-siCQH_zk0YUBUsK7Ns9YljI8nOWcbdg4Uu8ToTHrQ6vXVgIWRnX7lUSapiQE6Lr8A/s2560/cover.%20John.%20wylie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1983" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7iFGZHruabfDQLRLZV7Iwubhp9jJc4jRhIujeVu8aF0Iv8l99IJYNO0xNuYP1QVVBWi6ty3_bJ_VkU4eJJ62gVF6bNzOSMQG9r7YV9M8j67ZOsXnFEY-51jSj-siCQH_zk0YUBUsK7Ns9YljI8nOWcbdg4Uu8ToTHrQ6vXVgIWRnX7lUSapiQE6Lr8A/s320/cover.%20John.%20wylie.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b> MOTIVATIONS BY <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AJohn+V.+Wylie+MD&s=relevancerank&text=John+V.+Wylie+MD&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1" target="_blank">JOHN V. WYLIE</a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; line-height: 115%;">This is, perhaps, the first serious book for a
general audience to be illustrated by AI. The capacity of AI to clearly
illustrate complex ideas with breathtaking detail and beauty is truly
remarkable. Each paragraph of the text was used as a unique prompt, guiding the
advanced AI systems (Chat GPT-4 and DALL-E-3) to serve as my “science
illustrator in earth tones.” This creative endeavor has been influenced by my
perspective as a visual thinker but is firmly rooted in scientific literature.
It embodies my ideas about the relevance of mental illness to human evolution,
ideas that have evolved over 50 years of contemplation.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
As a seasoned psychiatrist, I offer a unique perspective on the origins of our
deepest motivations. Join me on a visually phantasmagorical journey backed up
by mainstream science tracing our motivational roots from the earliest social
interactions of our primate ancestors, through the crucial developments of our
hominin forebears, to the complex emotional landscape of modern </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;">Homo sapiens</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: start;">.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AJohn+V.+Wylie+MD&s=relevancerank&text=John+V.+Wylie+MD&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1" target="_blank">JohnWylie </a>holds a BA in history from Yale, an MD from Columbia, and completed a
psychiatric residency at Georgetown University. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AJohn+V.+Wylie+MD&s=relevancerank&text=John+V.+Wylie+MD&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1" target="_blank">Dr. Wylie</a> was a founding member
of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society and has had a longstanding interest
in the relationship between mental illness and human evolution.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Human-Motivations-AI-Illustrated-Odyssey-ebook/dp/B0CPW2YJS8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UTSNPHNN2EE&keywords=The+evolution+of+human+motivations%2C+an+ai-illustrated+odyssey&psr=EY17&qid=1702388243&s=todays-deals&sprefix=the+evolution+of+human+motivations%2C+an+ai-illustrated+odyssey%2Ctodays-deals%2C129&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><b>READ FOR FREE ON </b></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Human-Motivations-AI-Illustrated-Odyssey-ebook/dp/B0CPW2YJS8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5UTSNPHNN2EE&keywords=The+evolution+of+human+motivations%2C+an+ai-illustrated+odyssey&psr=EY17&qid=1702388243&s=todays-deals&sprefix=the+evolution+of+human+motivations%2C+an+ai-illustrated+odyssey%2Ctodays-deals%2C129&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><b>KINDLE UNLIMITED</b></a></p></div><p><br /></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-31676538737234645342023-12-27T18:02:00.006-08:002023-12-28T04:44:55.168-08:00BOOK EXCERPT: THE MYSTERY OF TAIWO DA SILVA BY OMORUYI UWUIGIAREN<p> </p><h4 style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBO0tnhYrOTdvMxpVvJXa9Qmgs-qSL_pIKDbOaUnEUdpcUw40Xc5OaTaP4ipdA3URWvsxjoisjHgAvGlvLDAlR0lLntQQ7hrIkdoj56d2COp4Yel01FwZeebN-uGPHRIMPni0OlxcB_-enc6G_6xYYTnjIozpxKT5xmNow2hICW8auxy0a_YDWUgMdwg/s1979/MYSTERY6ABy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="1114" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBO0tnhYrOTdvMxpVvJXa9Qmgs-qSL_pIKDbOaUnEUdpcUw40Xc5OaTaP4ipdA3URWvsxjoisjHgAvGlvLDAlR0lLntQQ7hrIkdoj56d2COp4Yel01FwZeebN-uGPHRIMPni0OlxcB_-enc6G_6xYYTnjIozpxKT5xmNow2hICW8auxy0a_YDWUgMdwg/s320/MYSTERY6ABy.png" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt;">CHAPTER
ONE</span></b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span></b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt;">My
Guest</span></b><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt;"><br />
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<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Even
as brilliant weather sat on the bare chest of the beautiful earth. Our mutual
friend, the morning, took its place in the progression of days. A bizarre tale,
more hellish than the enterprise of a sorcerer, crossed my threshold. It led me
into a gloomy morning. I had vowed to get rid of the cockroaches in my cupboard,
where they claimed lordship. Confusion greeted my arrival, as the insects
dashed here and there to escape my blows. As I ended their reign, a frightening
figure, brawny as a man who had spent hours in a gym, emerged from my shabby
walls. He began to punch me. His eyes were fire, and a puckish nose sat upon
his wicked face! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As
his treachery crushed me against the wall, I yelled like a man that misfortune
had dealt a miserable blow. I did not need a prophet to tell me that my very
survival depended on how I could maneuver my young fist. The blows I delivered
did not betray me, for the devil almost lost his balance. As he regained his
footing, he clenched his fist. He flashed a menacing smile at me, as if my
effort to retaliate were an abomination. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
cruel creature charged me, his bulk like a battering ram. Before I could snatch
a breath from the wings of the morning, he descended upon me. I fought, but the
interloper got the upper hand as we traded punches. But the vigorous blows he
dispensed, none would prevail. So, when it dawned on me that my adversary would
spare me not a breath. His blows tossed me about– I decided to feign death. I
collapsed on the floor. I was an antelope silenced by the frenzied attack of a
predator. My attacker grabbed one of my legs and suspended me in mid-air. He
examined me as if taking inventory of his stock. Convinced that I was lifeless,
he threw me against the wall. The monster rubbed his hands. His face gleamed
with pleasure that he had finally snuffed the life out of me. As he roared and
beat his hairy chest, a whirlwind came out of the ground and carried him away
through the back door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Now
the air was still, and Lady Tranquility returned to her esteemed seat in my
house. Still not recovered from the assault, I heard a faint knock on my door.
I was not expecting anyone except my co-worker who had promised some nights ago
to pay me a visit. I battled to pull myself to my feet, but my legs betrayed me
and I fell to my knees. The knock persisted, harder than ever. As I considered
the possibility that the devil had returned to cause me more pain, I was
afraid. My heart died within me. So I quelled my impulse to open the door and
crawled to my armchair to rest. It is only natural to retreat when one does not
have what it takes to confront his adversary. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As
the knock continued, a second thought flew into my head. If it were the devil,
he would not bother to knock at my door; he would burst in, as he did a while
ago to wreak his havoc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
took a deep breath. Was I that man who has bitten more than he could chew and
lost control over his life? I summoned my courage, subverted my ugly
predicament, and staggered to the door. “Who’s there?’ I asked. My voice was as
soft as the morning breeze.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
baritone voice responded from the other side: “It’s I, Yomi Badore.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My
fear and sadness flew away in an instant. My childhood friend stood outside the
door to my shabby house. I cast my calamity behind me and opened the door. I
flashed an exaggerated smile at him. “Yomi! Where have you been? I have tried
to get in touch with you a million times, but all my attempts met a brick
wall,” I said as I embraced him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“After
we left school,” Yomi disclosed, “A school in London offered me a scholarship.
A few weeks after I left, my father wrote to me that he relocated to another
town. So that was how we lost contact, Taiwo. We didn’t tell you we moved.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
are right. I hope life has been fair to you. As you know, the world is a
beautiful place. But sometimes a change of environment does not bring the fortune
we desire.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh
yes,” he cocked his head. “But I know enough of the world now. Our part in life
is to persevere and to learn as quickly as we can, for our victory depends upon
our perception of the world. My study abroad was interesting but not stress-free,
as I had anticipated. Even so, as I’m sure you can see, it has made me a better
man.” His smile was a majestic mountain. That’s the beauty of getting the best
out of life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank
God, your journey abroad made you a better fellow,” I told my truest friend.
“It is all over you, and you will be a blessing to the society that brought you
up!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
is only human to be kind to others,” he noted. “We will be better off if we do
not create problems for ourselves,” he predicted. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
did the right thing without further delay. I led this beautiful fellow with a
large chin, a little nose and full lips inside my humble home. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My
pain had now abated and my joy stood taller than the pair of legs that carried
me. Reminiscing, as old friends would, I reminded my guest what he did in the
‘good old days’. “Do you remember how you threw the entire school into
pandemonium?” I prompted him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hmm…
My particular madness is like the wind that blows with a vengeance,” he said.
“It is the sand at the bottom of the sea. Back then, many thought I was under
the influence of a wicked spirit. Or I shared in the misfortune that excess
liquor gives her lovers. What particular event are you talking about, Taiwo?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMMKZgvTV_x3h5cPuyslfFcTbA2glGC5E6NSLz8mKHJER1IIHd0yWfcFoTKjiS7yzBYqNebFeUo5nvWmabR1CvNOlh6uMaPYj9cjl88cSAfWlV1_ElJE7svkFOg3w3IW75G1vBxm_1y4g4wRIcjElyFN6wcDBsNafwMssuGMiCrcVJxKPQVHMtok6UK8/s1495/MYSTERY1ABC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1495" data-original-width="1301" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixMMKZgvTV_x3h5cPuyslfFcTbA2glGC5E6NSLz8mKHJER1IIHd0yWfcFoTKjiS7yzBYqNebFeUo5nvWmabR1CvNOlh6uMaPYj9cjl88cSAfWlV1_ElJE7svkFOg3w3IW75G1vBxm_1y4g4wRIcjElyFN6wcDBsNafwMssuGMiCrcVJxKPQVHMtok6UK8/s320/MYSTERY1ABC.png" width="278" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The
dormitory nightmare!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-highlight: white;">“Ah, yes, I remember!” He paraded a smile
over his face.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; tab-stops: center 2.0in right 3.5in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> *** <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">On
a day that the sun was hot, tormenting the earth as if there was no tomorrow,
Yomi ran into the dormitory shouting. “Hey! Hey! The Headmistress is dancing
outside her office. She’s invited everyone to join her. Come and have fun!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Without
a second thought, some of the students ran to the office to catch a glimpse of
the dancing headmistress. There was commotion. The forest of legs reminded me
of triumphant warlords. Their feet wrote frustration on the face of the old
earth as they returned from battle with an enemy. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">But,
the students received a rude shock when they found out it was a lie. The
Headmistress had set foot out of her office and was about to enter her car to
attend a meeting. “What is the problem? What’s chasing you all?” She turned to
the students and shouted.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There
was no answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
confused students were like monuments in a vast land. Before the headmistress
could blink, they faced the dormitory. The students ran back to their classes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This
is ridiculous! Someone initiated this,” said Mr. Jamiu. He was the personal
assistant to the headmistress. “It must be a prank!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
you are right,” Mrs. Akintomide, the Headmistress, agreed. “It would have been
an embarrassing situation if the inspectors had been here. It appears that the
prefect is not alive to his responsibilities! Tell the head boy I want to see
him in my office, right now!” she thundered. She went back into her office and
sat down with her hand to chin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not
long after, Tolu, the head boy appeared, drowned in fear. He was a terrified
lizard on his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
old woman sat up and looked out over her bifocals. “Tolu,” she began. “Have I
not warned you to never allow the pupils to roam the school premises when they
are not on break?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
you have. A boy in Class Four ran into the dormitory, shouting that you were
dancing in front of your office!” Tolu trembled, and lowered his head.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What!”
She banged her table. “Who is the foolish cricket?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yomi
Badore!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She
took off her lenses, placed them on the table and sat back in her chair.
“School is a small world. I will make an example of him. Go and fetch him for
me!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Tolu
made the best use of his legs to reach the dormitory with speed and dispatch.
But before the proverbial dust had settled, Yomi had slipped out of the school
and rushed home! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A
few days later, I was struggling to adjust to a life without Yomi. I noticed a
large man carried himself into the school. Now little more than a shadow of
himself and looked sober as if he had drowned his ugly past and turned a new
leaf. Yomi ran to catch up with the old feet of his father. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It
was easy to tell what had transpired for Yomi in the office of the
Headmistress. He returned to the classroom with a broad grin on his face. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">***<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That
was an old chapter, now gone forever,” said Yomi, yawning. “I am not trying to
say I can no longer fall into delusion. If you study my face and read my lips,
you will see that things have changed. You don’t have to be a clairvoyant to
see that man does not have total control over his own life.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
are right. Only change is constant. It would have been a disaster if you were
still married to your old life!” I chuckled and threw myself on my feet. “Let
me get you something to start your day,” I said. “Then we must roll out the
drums.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
nodded with a smile and made himself comfortable on my old wooden furniture. As
I stepped toward the back door, he cleared his throat to command my attention.
“Taiwo, I noticed something,” he said. He raised an eyebrow that gave birth to
a furrow on his forehead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What’s
that?” I turned toward him.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What
happened to your legs? Did you dash your foot against a stone?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No,
I was attacked this morning by a fiendish creature. It is not safe here
anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“A
fiendish creature attacked you?” he asked, making a face. “Where did he attack
you?” Then he sat up and crossed his arms over his body.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Right
here in this house. He was a monster sort of. He came out of the wall and beat
me to the ground. He almost killed me.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
chuckled and sank into his seat. He paused and tried to think. He did not
believe my story. He leaned forward, glanced up at me and said, “You sound
strange, my friend.” His eyes traveled round the room as if inspecting a below
par decorated casket and then back to me. My effects were not out of place. The
framed pictures on the wall were not shattered. “There are no cracks on the
wall to suggest that someone broke into this house. Not to talk of saying you
were attacked by a creature that almost killed you.” He looked at me as if he
was inspecting his poultry. He cleared his throat and asked once again, “Are
you alright? Tell me the truth. Don’t beat about the bush. Tell me the truth.
We are friends. If it is something I can do for you, I will fix it. Are you
okay? Do we need to see a psychiatrist? I can arrange it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No
need for that. I am good.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m
afraid you are not. You need to see a psychiatrist!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
was angry because he was a friend that I have not seen for a while; I had to
mask my anger with a smile. “I am not lying,” I shook my head. “My landlady is
a terrible woman. She is diabolical. By the mere wave of the hand, she can set
a hundred demons on an insect. She sent a creature to attack me this morning. I
never knew she was this bad until we were so intimate. We started seeing each
other the moment I set foot here. Ever since I told her that I was no longer
interested in the illicit affair, my life has been a nightmare. I find myself
battling against all odds. It has been from one problem to another.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
don’t understand you. Your story is still not making any sense. You are
limping. What happened to you?” He raised his voice with a streak of meanness.
“I didn’t ask you to explain how you have been sleeping with your property
owner. That’s your cup of tea. It’s your private life. I don’t want to know how
you live with your woman. I am worried because you don’t look good.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
took a mighty heave and tried to be calm so that I can explain things to him in
a manner that will not upset me. “Listen, Yomi. Before you came into this house
today, someone came into the house through the wall and fought with me. It was
an interloper. He was tough. We shared blows from one end of the room to
another. I sustained slight injuries to my leg as I tried to defend myself.
Were it not that I feigned death, only God knows what would have become of me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
shook his head in disbelief. “You still don’t understand. Your story does not
look good, Taiwo. It is ridiculous to say the least. I need you to convince me
that you are telling the truth. We are friends. I know what you are capable of
doing. Do you remember how I used to beg you in school to cook up stories each
time I want to tell lies to my parents? Without breaking a sweat, you told lies
that my parents never bothered to verify whether they were true. You were so
good. You had an answer to any question. Once you open your mouth to talk, we
are done. That was Taiwo Da Silva. You can’t deceive me in secondary school and
still do it again today. I am an adult. Now I can pick holes from your lies
without breaking a sweat, too.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“If
you need me to swear by the name of the gods, I will do it. My landlady is
chasing me everywhere with her body!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
laughed aloud. “That is fine. I do not dispute that,” he stated. “We have two
issues here—the woman and the devil. As things are, if we decide to take her to
court, you won’t win. What evidence do you have that suggests your landlady is
the devil or she is the one that sent the devil to attack you? This is simple
logic. You don’t need to be a professor to know. I am trying not to say things
that will offend you. We are meeting for the first time after many years. It
won’t be nice to start quarreling over little things.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
you are right. But I know what I’m saying. She is a top level witch. She told
me I will be punished for messing up with her.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
shook his head. “I have heard stories that appeared to be true but after proper
investigation, they were lies. I will rather be patient and get the facts than
rush into conclusion.” He placed his elbow on the arm of the chair with his
hand to chin. He tried to think. According to him, I was not making any sense.
I don’t know why he doesn’t believe my story. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Two
foolish men cannot stay in a room,” he continued. “They will bring down the
roof of the house. You should be able to convince me beyond any reasonable
doubt that you are telling the truth. It is not enough for you to accuse her.
You need to have evidence or you could run afoul of the law. It is as simple as
that. Your story does not sound true. You have to be careful how you accuse
people so you do not land yourself in trouble.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
know what I am saying,” I protested. “She is going to kill me if I do not
continue with her. I meant it. Believe me!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
will be easier to believe a bedtime story than agree with you that a demon came
out of the wall and attacked you. Look at the house. There is nothing that
suggested there was a burglar. No investigator will believe you because there
are no cracks on your wall. Nobody broke in. You are trying to frame her up for
something that doesn’t exist. If such a creature had broken in, part of the
house should have collapsed and some of your effects smashed. If you were
right, you should be devastated now. Apart from your rickety legs, you don’t
look like someone that came out of hell. I should have met you clearing the
wreckage. Windows shattered, walls cracked, chairs and table out of
position. Seeing your house in a bad
shape is enough. Then I will fight for you with my last ounce of strength. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Did
the fellow use the window? Your explanation did not suggest that was what
happened. If you had said he came into the house through the window, you would
have a point. Common criminals are always in a hurry. So often than not, they
will use the window rather than break the walls and get into the house. There
is no vault here packed with money. Your story would have passed the test of
logic if it had gone in this direction. To make the matter worse, you accused
your landlady as the devil who came into your house through the wall. Or did
you say she sent some creature to beat you up?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> “She is a top level witch. She sent someone to
beat me up!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
travel a lot,” he interjected. “The last time I heard this type of story, the
person was later diagnosed with high fever. He was treated immediately and the
nightmares and troubles stopped. He accused his neighbor of stealing a goat.
After further investigation, the authorities discovered the incident only
happened in his dream. In real life, the man had no goat. He could only boast
of a few old shirts and two pairs of faded jean trousers. He was broke and
weak. There was nothing to steal from him. It’s a crazy world that we live in
today. People say all sorts of things and get away with it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Those
who were not patient enough to get the full gist had already gone to attack the
neighbor. It took the intervention of the village chief to save the poor soul
from the mob. ” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
looked straight into my eyes, “Taiwo, I am struggling to believe you. I don’t
know why.” He crossed his arm over his body and threw out a question, “How did
it get to this? What have you done to yourself? There is no smoke without fire.
Tell me what is wrong with you so that we can find a solution before it is too
late.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
have nothing much to say. I lost my peace when I started seeing my landlady.” I
sank into my favorite seat next to him, and explained. “One evening, Methuen,
my landlady, came to my house to ask that I help her check her new phone.
Whether it was a ploy to get me or it was the cruel hands of fate, I do not
know. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
was pouring with rain that evening. I was at the dining table. I had my dinner
and was preparing to put the day behind me. Aside from my boxers that hung to
my waist, I had no shirts on. Then I heard a faint knock on the door. I thought
it was my girlfriend, Elena, because she promised to spend the night with me. I
jumped to my feet, rushed to the door, and threw it open. I was shocked to see
Methuen. It was like an ambush. My keen eye sight makes me the perfect hunter.
She was in the rain. The nightgown that flowed to her knees was light and stuck
to her skin. One could see through the outfit. I greeted with a bow. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
smiled and stared at me. She placed her left hand on my bare chest and guided
it down my abdomen. Her hand missed the body of my boxer by a few centimeters.
She pushed me into the house. I moved aside as she carried herself into the
house. As I followed her in, I noticed she wore no bra. Her breasts were in
their natural gravity embraced position. I felt a cold shiver down my spine.
This was not a good idea. So I put my feet on the ground. It was tough and she
was a skilled assassin. It was an unholy hour. The cool temperature was all
about life or death. This was my territory and I need to defend it with all I
have got. It was worth fighting for or I will be busy chasing shadows.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Her
round body filled the room. I could not breathe. Her unpredictable gyration
means she was not afraid to show her assets. It looks crazy but it works. It is
all about the hover. This takes a lot of energy. It is no secret that the whole
world has gone butt wild. Then she stopped in the middle of the room and turned
around to me. I was struggling to think straight. I could see my weakness. Her
body almost popped out from underneath her dress. In as much as I fell in love
with her body, I tried to avoid eye contact. It was the saddest state a man
could ever be, staring at things that may never be his. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No
matter how hard I try, my warm arms will not grab her. We do not belong to the
same estate. She was at a level that would need so many years of hard work for
me to arrive at. I retired to the seat on the other side. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
walked up to me and stood before me. Without saying a word, I managed to glance
up at her. Then she said she knew I was surprised to see her this evening. I
shouldn’t be nervous. She said she only needs my help. If I can help her, she
will be grateful. She revealed she doesn’t know what happened to her phone. She
couldn’t receive calls. She told me her daughter said I was a technician. I can
fix things. She asked if I could fix her phone. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
nodded and asked for the phone. She stretched the phone. I took it from her and
inspected it. Before I could blink, she sat next to me. She was a distraction.
Her weight could sink a ship. The room kept spinning. Now was not the right
time to feel weird. I tried to concentrate on the phone. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
placed her hands on my thigh. Methuen moved her fingers around my body. My
heart skipped a bit. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Before
I could snatch a breath from the wings of the evening, she crept into my boxer
and I was within her reach. She squeezed me.
Her phone slipped from me onto the sofa as she kissed me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“At
that point, I should have shut her down. But my response spoilt everything. I
tore her fragile dress. Her brown delicate body was exposed. I went for the
fountains on her chest. I pulled and squeezed them. I bent to take one in my
mouth. She elicited a loud moan and grabbed my head. She pulled me to herself
so that I could have enough of it in my mouth. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
pushed me and I went down with my back on the sofa. She pulled down my boxers.
She wrapped her warm, wet tongue around me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“My
head was light. I was in heaven. I saw angels and the son of man sat next to
God without lifting a finger. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Good
sex is noble for the body. Nothing beats having your brain intoxicated with
love hormones. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I left her in the
sitting room and my legs carried me to the shower. Not long after, Methuen
joined me in the shower. We washed ourselves and returned to the sitting room.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“By
the time I finally checked the phone, it was not an issue that required anyone
to see an engineer. The phone was in flight mode! I returned it back to normal.
She thanked me, and sank a kiss into my neck. That was the beginning of our
affair. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
stayed back. We made love until she reduced me to the mere weight of a dry
leaf. She did not leave the house until it was six in the morning of the next
day. We were exhausted and satisfied at the same time. After that day, our
meeting became regular.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Transfixed,
Yomi laughed. “With your long oratory, I don’t see her as someone that you can
toss aside by the mere wave of the hand. I am trying not to sound negative
because a determined spirit can conquer all frontiers. Otherwise, I would say
you are in for a long night. If you don’t want her, you must give her good
reasons why you cannot continue the relationship. It is not going to be easy
but you have to try,” he advised. “You have bruised her petals. She won’t let
you off the hook without a fight.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
are free to tell me, Yomi,” I coughed a bit. “A man can achieve little in
isolation.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do
you love her?”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No.
I guess it is the sex thing. There is nothing more. I cannot spend the rest of
my life with her. Our relationship is not going to lead anywhere. I have Elena.
That is enough…”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
shook his head in dismay. “There lies your problem. Why sleep around with a
woman you do not love? It doesn’t make any sense. It is counterproductive and
dangerous, especially for a promising young man. You cannot afford to make a
mess of your life. I have seen precious lives wasted because they fell into the
wrong hands. I thought that by now you would be married and have kids.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
have plans to settle down and get married. Like I told you, I have a girlfriend
and we are planning to get married soon. Ever since my landlady came into the
picture, things have not gone according to plan. I am struggling to commit
myself to Elena. My landlady is a huge distraction.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That
is because you allowed it. She is your landlady does not mean she has your
life. Be a man, Taiwo. You have no excuse for messing around with her.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You
are right, Yomi. She was all over me and I could not help it. Only God knows
what came over me. Sometimes I do think it was a spell. That woman is capable
of anything.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why
do you think it is a spell?”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She
is a Voodooist.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“How
does that exonerate you from any blame? You are a man. If you had shut her down
the night it all stated, it would have been a different story.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
tried to stop her. Any time I lift a finger, she does something crazy. I have
never met such a seductive woman in my life. Something is not right. It was the
spell that made me have sex with her, no doubt. If not, how could I have slept
with such a terrible creature? I know myself. I don’t fall for anything in a
skirt. I know my boundaries and I respect them. There are things that I cannot
do no matter how hard I am pushed. One of such is having an illicit affair with
someone I do not have an affinity with. She doesn’t fit the profile of the kind
of woman that should go to bed with me. But once I set my eyes on her, I will
almost pee in my pants.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
chuckled, “Listen to your story. You are such a funny creature. <i>‘It was the spell that made me have sex with
her.’ </i>Does that sound nice? You are clever. You should come up with
something reasonable. I would have forgiven you if you only had sex on one
occasion with her. But your story suggests you do it almost every time. That is
not class. It is reckless. You have lost any act of clemency from me. You knew
what you were doing. It was not a spell. It was lust. You saw the danger and
the cracks on the wall. You ignored it because you lacked self-control. That is
crazy. If she is a terrible creature as you claimed, she will not leave you
without a fight. She came to your house with a phone that was in flight mode.
Rather than fix the phone, you had sex with her for several hours. Nothing
stops you from rejecting the job if you suspect something sinister. That you
did not do. People say all sorts of things to appear innocent. Right now, you
are guilty!”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yomi,
she manipulated me. I couldn’t have done that under normal circumstances. She
once told me she has a shrine in one of the rooms in her flat. She practices
Voodoo! When I confronted the daughter, she confirmed it. My landlady once
confessed to me that she is an enchantress! So what more proof do you need
before you can believe me that I was manipulated into having sex with her? For
reasons best known to her, I can’t have my peace.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">He
laughed aloud, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He paused and
said, “Whether you have been banging a witch or not, it was within your powers
to reject her advances. Do not push the narrative that she is a top-level
witch. That’s why you were powerless. It does not make sense. Going forward,
avoid her. Scale down on the things that connect the both of you.” </span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Anyway,
I have stopped seeing her. As far as I am concerned, we are no longer together.
But she will not let me be. I do not blame myself for all the mess. My
girlfriend, Elena, too should share in the blame. She pushed me to the wall. If
she had come that night, that witch wouldn't have had her way. Mere seeing
Elena with me would have put her off.” </span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Here
you go again. You are blaming your poor girlfriend for your mistake. Do not
bring Elena into this. You should bury your head in shame. She did not ask you
to cheat on her, did she?”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No,
but she is not always here...”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That
excuse is still not enough for you to cheat. If you want a woman to stay with
you, show some commitment. Take your relationship to the next level. Today, it
is your problem, deal with it. You should have let Elena know how you feel.
Relationships are all about sacrifices. Two of you need to meet and talk things
over. Or else, your attitude will continue even after you finally get married.
As you know, old habits die hard.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Elena
is a busy woman. She works in a media house.”</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
does not matter. If your girlfriend cannot come here, then you visit her,
Taiwo. You cannot afford to fall into the seductive arms of a strange woman.
She will ruin you.” He cupped his hands on his mouth and coughed.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
I have decided to seek God’s intervention and stay away from my landlady. The
woman is not my life.” </span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
am hungry,” he yawned. “Go and prepare something for us.” </span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 13.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Okay.”
I rose to my feet and moved into a shadow.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); mso-outline-level: 4; text-align: center;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FAFAFA; line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p> If you enjoyed this story, watch this space for the book COMING soon. </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p>HOW TO ORDER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><o:p>VISIT <a href="https://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/omoruyi-uwuigiaren" target="_blank">AFRICAN BOOKS COLLECTIVE</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">OR COPY THE LINK BELOW INTO YOUR BROWSER</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p>https://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/omoruyi-uwuigiaren</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HIyqpLCtez3x7jVb1TUDqs1DmwpMW10OD6aHE6uPYhJCQmlHVqelUXmluP_8weQEpvo8k35jcdGdAyDRGbTPfR9q7sza9sevXQGhjeAvGybxOD9NJW85teJgXIxbLa3TdR32dXqqY_BFclAY2ydcqa-BjHyUCM-Nh6q6nezxLJnoLSylH8qALSI-OBw/s1979/MYSTERY6ABy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="1114" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HIyqpLCtez3x7jVb1TUDqs1DmwpMW10OD6aHE6uPYhJCQmlHVqelUXmluP_8weQEpvo8k35jcdGdAyDRGbTPfR9q7sza9sevXQGhjeAvGybxOD9NJW85teJgXIxbLa3TdR32dXqqY_BFclAY2ydcqa-BjHyUCM-Nh6q6nezxLJnoLSylH8qALSI-OBw/s320/MYSTERY6ABy.png" width="180" /></a></div><br />Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-26058420853086291142023-05-14T05:26:00.007-07:002023-05-14T05:37:19.041-07:00Book Excerpt: Mid-Summer Tales by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixolkFu_VM_igawW1HeEzroyKPqXir7e9Eyf3CDj9fqP3Hp1ic83PH4UZonOStn5-ZHhDqCKyLCQwh8mkOpPP8CFlB7fLO6GvkqsBnj_UBD9F-QEyqzX-g_RlnReA2VggEb3bdB212CVuDkCEFcVXved9-fE-H0Fbjxa_Y9RvRGIL7oT7dEhCIfSj/s2433/Cover.%20mid%20summer%20tales.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2433" data-original-width="1571" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixolkFu_VM_igawW1HeEzroyKPqXir7e9Eyf3CDj9fqP3Hp1ic83PH4UZonOStn5-ZHhDqCKyLCQwh8mkOpPP8CFlB7fLO6GvkqsBnj_UBD9F-QEyqzX-g_RlnReA2VggEb3bdB212CVuDkCEFcVXved9-fE-H0Fbjxa_Y9RvRGIL7oT7dEhCIfSj/s320/Cover.%20mid%20summer%20tales.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-Summer Tales <br />by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Tom woke up with a
start. He stretched and yawned on the bed. He was uncertain of how the day
would go and he had no worries. He has dedicated parents. They have fared well
in handling their poor son. He attends a school that befits the
status of his family. His rations were never reduced. Tom and his parents
live in the middle estate of life where people are neither rich nor poor. He
had no reason to be gloomy and exist like a terrible creature. He was scrawny,
as dark as midnight and his head was like an egg. Tom was a miniature version of
his father who walks as if he is unable to hurt a fly!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">As the birds were
singing aloud, he drew the curtain and looked out of the window. His large
innocent eyes traveled round the countryside. There were trees in their rows
separated by inches or meters. The dusty roads littered with dry leaves. Houses
are either begging for renovation or in a good state. And a sweet blend of
nature and civilization paraded the streets. Nothing was out of place. No
commotion and there was no disturbance. This was beauty at the heart of
civilization.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">There was a clear
sky and the beautiful morning was like the best day of his life. The boy
rolled out of bed. He threw his tiny feet in his slippers and his nightwear
still hung over his body. He stretched his body once again as if he had a very
long night and made for the door. Tom walked out of the room, slammed the door
behind him, and carried himself to the sitting room. His mum and dad were
awake, cleaning the house. “Good morning, Mum and Dad,” Tom greeted and sat on
a chair beside his mother. She was busy brushing out cobwebs in the dusty
corners. Sweat was pouring off her as if she had come out of a pool. In the
human world, strange things abound. A man’s sweat could actually become a
river and carry him away.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“Good morning, my boy,”
his father replied and smiled. “How was your night?”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“Great, Daddy!” Tom
said.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“I am happy for you,
Tom.” His mother placed her hand on his head. “Will you go to the stream
today?” she asked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The boy raised his head.
“Yes, if you want me to go.” Tom raised an eyebrow, “Mum, Dad, last night I
dreamt that I killed a big rat on my way to the stream!”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">His mother smiled and
nodded. “It’s a good dream. You could be lucky today. As you know, we are
in the rainy season. If you pick enough snails at the stream, I will prepare
your best soup for you. I promise!”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Tom dreamed of the snail
soup and licked his lower lip. “Okay! That’s not a bad idea,” he
responded. The boy rose to his feet. “Please, I want to check my dog,” he told
his parents.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“You can go!” his father
raised his head and said. The rug was dirty and there was no better time than
this to clean up the mess.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Thick cobwebs still hung
in the dusty corners. As the boy walked away, his mother grabbed her broom and
went back to work.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br clear="all" />
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, "serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter Two<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Tom had a dog-called
Fred. The dog has a short tail and grey fur. Fred lived in a kennel and enjoyed
going to the stream with his little master, Tom. The dog was alone when the boy
came to the kennel. Seeing his young master, Fred wagged its tail and jumped on
him. Tom rubbed its head. “Hope you enjoyed your night?” he asked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">There was no answer.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The way the dog wagged
its tail and played with the master showed that the going was good.
Tom took it for a yes.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“I have so much to do
today. Come with me!” the boy told the dog and faced the way he had come. As if
the dog knew what the master had said, it followed Tom into the building.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Tom walked into the
sitting room with his pet by his side to meet his busy parents. “Mum, can I
wash the dishes before going to the stream?” he asked as soon as he was close
enough.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">She raised her head and
wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. “No, Tom. I will
take care of them. The taps are not running. So we need water for washing. Get
your dirty clothes to the backyard and run to the stream to fetch some water.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“Okay, Mum!” Tom smiled
and walked to his room with his dog beside him.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">After a time, he came
out of the room with his dirty clothes. They almost weighed him down as he
walked. He took them to the backyard and placed the clothes in a bucket. There
was an empty water pot beside the bucket. Tom grabbed it. He placed the water
pot on his head and left for the stream with Fred by his side wagging his tail
as they went.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b>If you enjoyed the excerpt, you can order the </b></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b>paperback or eBook from your favorite store</b></o:p></p><br /><br /><a href="https://fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18220-mid-summer-tales.htm?fromaut=Y" target="_blank">FICTION4ALL</a><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mid-summer-tales-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/1143364017" target="_blank">BARNES & NOBLE</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Summer-Tales-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren-ebook/dp/B0C2MV2XZM/ref=sr_1_3?qid=1684067526&refinements=p_27%3AOmoruyi+Uwuigiaren&s=books&sr=1-3" target="_blank">AMAZON</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/1391362" target="_blank">SMASHWORDS</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">If the Existing Plan Fails, </a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">Make a New One</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.4667px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s320/hope%20raisers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s1600/hope%20raisers.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE HOPE RAISERS<br />BY NIHAR SUTHAR<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1538168731" target="_blank">BUY</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s320/ROSEN.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s1600/ROSEN.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ROSEN<br />BY MICHELLE HALL<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rosen-Michelle-Hall-ebook/dp/B0BCMJP6ZG?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><b>BUY</b></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s248/ABC%20LOGO.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="248" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s1600/ABC%20LOGO.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">African Books Collective (ABC) is an African owned, worldwide marketing and distribution outlet for books from Africa - scholarly, literature and children's books. We also run the website </span><a class="external-link" href="http://www.readafricanbooks.com/" style="background: rgb(252, 250, 243); border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(154, 145, 117); box-sizing: border-box; color: #9a9175; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration-line: none;">readafricanbooks.com </a><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">which profiles the work of African publishers and books. CLICK <b><a href="https://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/omoruyi-uwuigiaren" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> TO BUY BOOKS FROM THE COLLECTIVE.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-5944466679909701582023-05-05T16:18:00.004-07:002023-05-05T16:50:27.822-07:002023 FAVORITE FAN COMPETITION<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zdK55FQFyv5bZEP8JlWHRH2YYkDq77vGh--2zSgSK2Falz8mnnBjKARHsaPP2xj__aZlHPdr2bu0n_aUpgbjnsrP-6cvgWAa3bgJkoc08I8qNLxBh7djLNNrOyt-eOuxGn2w_NI7vT7uklvOC5pxY25Xms7ayjF2PNA-6cAFHK5lHX7e1oIlw5QT/s500/op.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zdK55FQFyv5bZEP8JlWHRH2YYkDq77vGh--2zSgSK2Falz8mnnBjKARHsaPP2xj__aZlHPdr2bu0n_aUpgbjnsrP-6cvgWAa3bgJkoc08I8qNLxBh7djLNNrOyt-eOuxGn2w_NI7vT7uklvOC5pxY25Xms7ayjF2PNA-6cAFHK5lHX7e1oIlw5QT/w200-h320/op.jpg" title="Book cover: Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" width="200" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">World Famous author,
Opëshum, will be opening The 2023 Favorite Fan Competition on June
1st and closing it for entries on June 30th.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you love SciFi and
Fantasy Fiction Novels, and have a solid following on Instagram, you are
eligible to enter the competition, and compete with others for the title of
being her FAVORITE FAN of 2023 along with a cash prize of $75 U.S.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">👉🏼CONTEST
RULES:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Read "Beyond the
Father -Book 1 of gods on Trial: The Series™️"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Prepare a four minute
video reel and post on your Instagram, sharing your detailed analysis of the
book, the plot, theme, greatest problems facing at least two characters, and
what you liked most about the book. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Reels must be
authentically yours and reflect ACTUAL content in the book. Brief recap
summaries of the book synopsis are not eligible to win.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• The competition
opens on June 1, 2023 which means those competing may start posting
their Instagram reels as early as June 1st.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• The competition
closes on June 30, 2023, meaning the last eligible reels must be
posted on Instagram no later than 12 midnight EST on June 30th<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Opëshum and staff
members from 1iR3 Publishers will be viewing each reel to judge them for
quality, depth, and to look for the person who provided the most thoughtful
analysis on the book. The person with the most intriguing analysis posted to
Instagram will be selected as Opëshum's Favorite Fan of 2023!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The winner will be named
in mid July via 1) an announcement on Goodreads, 2) the author's Instagram, 3)
the 1iR3 Publishers Twitter page and 4) on the publisher’s website <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Only ONE winner will
be selected. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• Contestants can borrow
a copy of the book from a friend, grab a copy from the library or get a
copy of the book on Amazon here:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;">https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• REGISTRATION TO ENTER
THE COMPETITION IS FREE!! However, you must email the author directly to
register for the competition before you are an official contestant. Email
Opëshum Patroz directly at <a href="mailto:BookReviews@GodsOnTrial.com" target="_blank"><span style="color: #196ad4;">BookReviews@GodsOnTrial.com </span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• In your email include
your name and link to your Instagram page so that the author and judges at the
publishing house can view your reel when it’s time to start posting your
book analysis in June.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• The winner will
receive:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">🏆 $75 U.S <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">🏆 A personally
autographed paperback collector’s copy of the paperback version, signed with
the author's famous purple pen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">🏆 A gods on
Trial T-shirt <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">🏆 And the
coveted title of Opëshum's FAVORITE FAN OF 2023!! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Clem Bunch<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Senior Marketing
Manager <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1iR3 Publishers <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.1ir3publishers.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">30 N. Gould Street Suite
26909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sheridan Wyoming 82801<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">+1 307-201-0543<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">If the Existing Plan Fails, </a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-existing-plan-fails-make-new-one.html#" target="_blank">Make a New One</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s320/hope%20raisers.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s1600/hope%20raisers.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE HOPE RAISERS<br />BY NIHAR SUTHAR<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1538168731" target="_blank">BUY</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s320/ROSEN.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s1600/ROSEN.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ROSEN<br />BY MICHELLE HALL<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rosen-Michelle-Hall-ebook/dp/B0BCMJP6ZG?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><b>BUY</b></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s248/ABC%20LOGO.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="248" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s1600/ABC%20LOGO.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">African Books Collective (ABC) is an African owned, worldwide marketing and distribution outlet for books from Africa - scholarly, literature and children's books. We also run the website </span><a class="external-link" href="http://www.readafricanbooks.com/" style="background: rgb(252, 250, 243); border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(154, 145, 117); box-sizing: border-box; color: #9a9175; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration-line: none;">readafricanbooks.com </a><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">which profiles the work of African publishers and books. CLICK <b><a href="https://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/omoruyi-uwuigiaren" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> TO BUY BOOKS FROM THE COLLECTIVE.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><br style="font-size: 18.6667px;" /></span></o:p></span></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-75026020049693960442023-04-30T16:38:00.009-07:002023-04-30T17:09:18.438-07:00If The Existing Plan Fails, Make a New One.<p>Written by </p><p>Omoruyi Uwuigiaren</p><p><br /></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt;"><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In
this age and time, there are things you shouldn’t expect to remain the same.
One of them is your approach to marriage. Take note of every change in your
partner. Failure to do so might leave your marriage gasping for breath. As the
goal post shifts, bring new things to the table. Or set new rules to play. Know
where the goalpost</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> is at all times. Your ability to keep track of your
partner and be on the same page is what makes you a great team player. Marriage
is not a competition between two people. It is cooperation<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> between them.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In this digital age, some rules are not only
obsolete, they are no longer practicable. So, to survive in any relationship,
you need to set rules to guide you and your partner. The rules that you set
must evolve. You must create room for improvement. You must never be afraid to
start all over again. So, put yourself in a situation where you can easily
change things without rocking the boat. Whether it is a short-term or long-term
relationship, look out for your interest and security. You are in a relationship.
You are not on the battlefield. Even soldiers on the battlefield look after
themselves, too. The soldier wears helmet, bulletproof, boots and bear firearm
to look after himself. If he does not go about with the aforementioned, he will
be vulnerable. He will be killed. If you do not protect yourself and set
boundaries, any relationship can drain you. Once you are at the receiving end,
you are approaching your end.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Your interest and security is what will make the
relationship worthwhile. They are things that every sensible person must look
out for in a marriage or relationship. Failure to look after yourself or set
rules that give you an advantage or fair standing may lead to turbulence and
regret. There are no shortcuts to a better life. The roads are often bumpy,
deplorable and tough. Because tough times don’t last, you need to know that
things sometimes look scarier than they really are. So, bend any circumstance
to your favour. Making a relationship work is expensive. It takes so much for
two adults to live together in a house as married couples for years. To achieve
this, you must bring your best to the house. A healthy relationship will never
come cheap. It takes a lot to be at the top of Mount Everest. So don’t go into
any relationship unprepared. Give it your best shot. Yes, marriage is an
achievement! You deserve an award if you can make it work. You cannot argue
that living with a particular person for 10-60 years without divorce is
easy. </span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">In the past, a lover could reach a distant partner
through letters sent by post. Postal services were not perfect. In most cases,
the sender may wait forever for a reply. At one time, replies were luxury and
may never come. If they do, it could take weeks, months or even years to get to
the recipient. An unfortunate lover may have his or her letters lost in
transit. Many relationships hit the rocks due to lack of communication. You
can’t blame people who choose to move on from a partner that they sense is no
longer interested in them. Rather than wait, some settled for less. They moved
on with people they could see without needing to write letters that may never
reach their intended target.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Communication is important in any relationship.
Communication builds confidence. You cannot build any lasting relationship
without sacrificing your time and making yourself available.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There are several factors that determine how fast a
lover can communicate with their partner. They are:</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">TIME:</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> With peace comes responsibility. Irrespective of
the place and distance, making out time is always essential. You are going to
have free periods to write letters and catch up with loved ones. Some people
that have tight schedules or no time to socialize, always miss out. Some
relationships that mere phone calls and texting would have sustained slipped.
Very busy people miss out on great relationships because of the nature of their
job. They were too busy to keep the line of communication open. Relationships
that you do not spend time nurturing will die a natural death.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">FINANCE:</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> It’s quite expensive to be a decent lover. It’s
even worse when you are in a distant relationship. You have no choice but to
write often to your lover to build trust and hope. There was a time when letter
writing is all you have to keep the love alive. In reality, the piece of paper
is the only image of the fellow that goes with you everywhere. So, a partner
that is not buoyant may find it difficult to send letters to the lover. The
writing was never for everyone. People, who could not keep up with this, looked
elsewhere for love. Love is expensive. There is no shortcut to nurturing love.
You must go through the long, hard road. Writing letters was expensive. Keeping
the communication line open, only shows how committed you are to the
relationship.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">MOBILITY:</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Having your own car or taking the public bus is the
best way to reach a post office that is far. Those who could not commute grew
disillusioned. They found catching up with people who are far away hard. They
had to let go. The harder it is to get the basic necessities of life, the
harder it is to meet your needs and those of your loved ones. In a
relationship, it is not a question of love. It is a question of ability. Your
lover should tick all the boxes.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Today, technology has wiped out most of these
challenges. With the Android phone, you can reach out to anyone from anywhere
in the world. So, it is easy to gauge a lover who is unresponsive by checking
how many times they reply to your calls and emails. So, in a relationship, it
is not a question of love. It is a question of ability. You should be able to
fix many things for your lover or loved ones. Once you are not measuring up, it
is a clear sign that you are set up to fail.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Nowadays, you don’t have to be a million to express
love and set rules that will enhance your relationship. All you need to do is
understand the trend, the mood and fix the things you want. Marriage and
relationships are on the autobahn. The right amount of energy is all you need
to have everything in place.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Today, lovers hardly send letters by Snail Mail or
Postal service. It is not only slow; it costs more to do so. Also, you may not
be able to say much about a letter that could take days or weeks to deliver.
But with the advent of the internet, things have changed. Things are a lot
faster now. With the help of the telephone and social media, you can send
messages to your loved ones in an instant. And you can say a lot! This is how
advancement has affected the way we relate with people whether they are our
partners or not. With</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> the click of a finger, you have sent a message. So,
the chances that marriage will survive are getting slimmer by the day. The
reason is simple. Many people still approach marriage with the same mindset as<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> some centuries ago in this age and time. It cannot work.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Bring your A-game</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> to the table. Be
dynamic. Set your rules and live by them. If the rules are not working, set new
ones. Because things are changing fast, you are likely not going to survive on
the same set of old rules. You will never look genuine. You will be behind. Recreate
yourself. With the massive progression at<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> the turn of the
century; not being dynamic is a crime. Be ever ready to learn new things. Your
marriage is not a concentration camp where everything should be stagnant. Flow
with the trend. Bring something new to the house. Get everyone excited again.
You don’t have to be wealthy to be innovative. Reinvent yourself.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Apart from people looking for where to survive. More
people are looking for where they can be secure. Guarantee security. Be the
hope that people are looking for. Be the light. Be the direction. Be the dream
man. Be the dream woman. You cannot be attractive if you are not working on
yourself. Under no condition should you operate on rules that are obsolete. If
you are going to love, set your rules. And get everyone in your team to play by
the rules. It is the safest thing to do.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If you have done the right thing, you won’t be at a
loss when your partner files for divorce. You will know what you should expect.
And what you shouldn’t be asking for. This is how to guarantee your future and
be in control. Get the details. Know what you are getting into. Set your rules.
There is no possibility that you are going to live out the rest of your life
with your partner. So, prepare for the exit from day one. And enjoy the
relationship while it lasts.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Gone are the days when you approach a relationship
without a goal, direction and plan. If you fail to plan and prepare, you will
end up on the wrong side of things.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Marriage is a combination of many things. Which include
love, trust, financial capability and sound health. If you narrow it down to
only money and sex, you are not far from reality, too. If a relationship is
devoid of sex and money, how will that relationship survive? A lot of couples
are shocked in their first few months together. Why? They didn’t plan before
they walked into the trap. Yes, it is a trap because any wrong union will drain
you mentally and otherwise. Some things that they didn’t expect to happen, rear
up their ugly heads. They start planning their exit from the marriage. That is
exactly how to set up yourself to fail.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What do you think will happen if a relationship is
not set up on a solid foundation? The solid foundation is not how religious you
are or how beautiful you are. A</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> solid foundation is knowing the strength
and weaknesses<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> of your partner. And your partner knows
your strengths and weaknesses, too. It gives you an idea of what to expect in
the short term or in the long run in your relationship.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Be dynamic. Set the new rules and live by them. If
they are not working, set new ones. Never get tired of recreating your
relationship. It is your life. Create your own happiness. If the existing plan
fails, make a new one.</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></strong></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SbzXRlJW8ZPfswm5ka9ZXGB-leMUV-a7pBuLvEmewlNhMcU8rZfsm_u0R9Id0ZKi4_1BqSldmg1wHeIgj-fV6DHY_05IPe_8ZA98NayT0MzjK3ABsOTRi_DMPwuuomwVw5O4E5g-p0VOdW-vwB4MP28D4G_kwyq_a6prjhRjWtOu-O8-SGUtTqbD/s526/omoruyi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="526" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6SbzXRlJW8ZPfswm5ka9ZXGB-leMUV-a7pBuLvEmewlNhMcU8rZfsm_u0R9Id0ZKi4_1BqSldmg1wHeIgj-fV6DHY_05IPe_8ZA98NayT0MzjK3ABsOTRi_DMPwuuomwVw5O4E5g-p0VOdW-vwB4MP28D4G_kwyq_a6prjhRjWtOu-O8-SGUtTqbD/w200-h200/omoruyi.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></strong></div><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br />About the author</span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/omoruyiu/home" target="_blank">Omoruyi Uwuigiaren </a>is a cartoonist and writer. When
he was a kid, he loved music and composed songs for his high school band. After
school, he wanted to pursue a career in music. Instead, he embraced writing and
studied Mass Communications. </span></strong><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://sites.google.com/view/h3cpublishers/home" target="_blank">Website</a></span></strong></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></strong></p><h4 style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s320/hope%20raisers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8ptZWpsVIpM_qkQI9CCImyIGVNsDuJndWkTr7_fQn0kl3s-CgyFc0dh6Yttm8xxT95TPdyxYruBmE_-0PnXrUFUhrZGSijCQbl5mNPImyOYT9LuuwTW1SgpIDwAb8vhQzs3FQddA5BPmkTkmMFLyRCi4e6vsM_T9s2ZPl2xJr8hPafgtbZRMEzAs/s1600/hope%20raisers.jpg" width="195" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE HOPE RAISERS <br />BY NIHAR SUTHAR<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1538168731" target="_blank">BUY</a></td></tr></tbody></table></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s320/ROSEN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRSHhPhqfdk-7YWvHuqddizZW_YqNhB3bdZodxzNfLnv5z9l0ZaOR__w-B02miLwVF__HF_Nx8roRHUl7Ev6-LPGcCxhglcqQNOX05dYVRgDfvSEKW59Rx6_8LiaH5zvtlHLHikWbvqe-OiloN-guWoU21au-60Pizn06jYC79U--KIGV62OXsLkO/s1600/ROSEN.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ROSEN <br />BY MICHELLE HALL<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rosen-Michelle-Hall-ebook/dp/B0BCMJP6ZG?ref_=ast_author_dp" target="_blank"><b>BUY</b></a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s248/ABC%20LOGO.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="248" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ojzAKJIEBhWbY2d2_ou0CD4gxQVhSd0uDmkYw3bFpzU1OIgTPZwbAiFzOlW3heWCsQboatBxjWiUvifIvIivEs7oeNd1Mfi1MSwRaglr_GaFa2CEm4GGZtVcbw5Mcn5z6gPZ9ZNcj5kTjPb1K06oqBeSYtRY61VYqId9hHcNnNZemxfUGIJ7WmWa/s1600/ABC%20LOGO.png" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">African Books Collective (ABC) is an African owned, worldwide marketing and distribution outlet for books from Africa - scholarly, literature and children's books. We also run the website </span><a class="external-link" href="http://www.readafricanbooks.com/" style="background: rgb(252, 250, 243); border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(154, 145, 117); box-sizing: border-box; color: #9a9175; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; text-align: -webkit-left; text-decoration-line: none;">readafricanbooks.com </a><span style="background-color: #fcfaf3; color: #222222; font-family: "Crimson Text", serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: -webkit-left;">which profiles the work of African publishers and books. CLICK <b><a href="https://www.africanbookscollective.com/authors-editors/omoruyi-uwuigiaren" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> TO BUY BOOKS FROM THE COLLECTIVE.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-83091663639112335682023-04-27T12:26:00.001-07:002023-04-27T12:30:08.489-07:00BOOK EXCERPT: WHY ALWAYS ME? BY OMORUYI UWUIGIAREN<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmx4helxpw3DsAgoABUkUbzlZu1goaealhPyHuuQp2-0WczMwNaIUF3F9eCESL7aLzqolvZaqiI3OrjygzYN3v-czX0NIfAawbBHvraJSbJ8z4GlsQ_apmg9aYRQ9698QV4r9dT9U2Mmjmwe9idLHXHPtuI8U49CvTK8dnBCVspkZu3unK35KuSWuN/s3243/why%20always%20me%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3243" data-original-width="2094" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmx4helxpw3DsAgoABUkUbzlZu1goaealhPyHuuQp2-0WczMwNaIUF3F9eCESL7aLzqolvZaqiI3OrjygzYN3v-czX0NIfAawbBHvraJSbJ8z4GlsQ_apmg9aYRQ9698QV4r9dT9U2Mmjmwe9idLHXHPtuI8U49CvTK8dnBCVspkZu3unK35KuSWuN/s320/why%20always%20me%20cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">why always me?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">BOOK EXCERPT: </span></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Title: Why Always Me?</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Author: <span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1qq9wsj xo1l8bm" href="https://web.facebook.com/omoruyiu?__cft__[0]=AZWMH5xCJTjcpBDo9tpX3bwsmv9xtZW48D_laHu_8qngqNY9xgzbr-cO52xIUXmHVAaSjKPAAx0Y0u-HNXH6mvTkC54wEInCnuB6EeSh0OC48qotNfWw0xaL8emRgFpxszg&__tn__=-]K-R" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0"><span class="xt0psk2" style="animation-name: none; display: inline; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Omoruyi Uwuigiaren</span></a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Tom wore a long face and trudged on. His trousers had faded and clothed with dust. Reaching the threshold, he inserted the key into the lock and embraced his house. He hissed and slammed the door behind him, for the evening was the worst day of his life. He had to work late again even though it was Christmas Eve. But now, at last, the hammer had fallen on him! As soon as he was indoors, Tom sank into his favorite <span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a style="animation-name: none; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>chair. After a time, he sat up and drew his rickety table. The little man lit up the room and his face looked pale in the lamplight. He took the letter out of his pocket. He lowered his bifocals. He glanced above them at the letter and a deep melancholy settled over his spirit. The company had sacked Tom and it was a bitter pill to swallow. “WHY ALWAYS ME?” he banged the table.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Tom had disposed of the letter when he heard a faint knock on the door. “Who’s there?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“It’s I, Priscilla,” her voice was as soft as the morning breeze.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Tom masked his anger with an exaggerated smile and opened the door. He said a friendly good evening to her. “I am sure you came to inquire why I did not attend the church service. My employer asked me to work extra hours…”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“Oh, I understand,” the lady smiled as Tom led her into his humble home. Priscilla sat on a chair with her back to the wall. She placed her hands on her thighs and glanced at the little man. “I have good news for you.” She revealed, “God told me that you have lost your job. But He will use this setback to turn your life around.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">A ray of hope flushed over Tom’s suntanned face as he sat up and muttered, “Amen!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">She closed her eyes and faced the ceiling. Priscilla brought her hands together, making recitations as if she was praying to a powerful god. Then she paused and turned to Tom. She swallowed hard and said, “The Company downsized to reduce cost…”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“Yes. The manager told me they will downsize. But I never saw this coming,” Tom nodded almost a million times. “I didn’t plan for it. I am confused!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“I understand,” the prophetess said. "You can bounce back. I have a secret that will make you rich. Do you want to hear?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“Yes, oh yes!” the little man answered. He straightened his chin and looked at her face.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“You have an eighteen carat diamond ring you inherited from your father. It’s wrapped up in a handkerchief in the right-hand corner of the third drawer. God said you are to get it and give it to me!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Tom gasped and beat his chest. “Ah, my heirloom? I have never told anyone about it. How did you know I have it under my roof?”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Priscilla laughed, “God told me now. It’s the spirit. Do as he had said and you will be fine!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">The little man chewed his lower lips as he imagined that his setback was temporary. He would live in luxury for the rest of his life if he turns the diamond over to Priscilla. Then he sat back and scratched his head. She was right about the diamond in the drawer, he thought. He decided to give this a try. Everything that she had said was true. As if he was under a spell, he rose to his feet and moved to the corner, and then returned to the table with the heirloom. Priscilla grabbed it and placed it in her pocket. “I like people who obey God,” she smiled and gave him a hug. “If you need another hug, just ask,” she heaved. “Follow me!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">“Where are we going?” Tom yawned and shifted his weight to one leg.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">She rubbed her hands together. “I want to introduce you to a friend. If you have a little money, he knows how to multiply it many times over!”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Tom dreamed of the money. He said, “Thank you. I will be forever grateful, Priscilla.”</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Priscilla held his hand and they walked out of the house.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Order Paperback:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">BN:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%2Fw%2Fwhy-always-me-omoruyi-uwuigiaren%2F1143183895%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2h7ZsLAb78k3CpzrrAlrxBZuC4vLti251yFri6ZMnL5KgvMDa4RCLQwZc&h=AT2acS3IqyPx2n31erQotGXV-r6Qj_v7tsv5u_jR3fH7hTL78aRpBPDlIEI9FmiG-NmslpYgOYVVjmJqCbmb72LgpPZFj9u7p5b5vioqiYTg2QJV2YaDMv1e0oICQTLN5g&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/.../why-always.../1143183895</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Takealot, South Africa</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.takealot.com%2Fwhy-always-me%2FPLID92808696%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3cJl8aOgwZDo15KTXt3kycSErDCuezp46z1bVgr9Cq7XMw19qprTDfdu4&h=AT2TydCeJvoh_1n7SV4oFCqsVKvF8UmqBI73IFtSzRZRur0HvF_b1R_oeRtK4O8PfNSf-f3y86RpealKmXwwxRCGkhzNNQlrdTSm8-ronx5YVeqjI51rr5Tjb5syY6phgg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.takealot.com/why-always-me/PLID92808696</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">WALMART:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FWhy-Always-Me-Paperback%2F1902066266%3Fwmlspartner%3Dwlpa%26selectedSellerId%3D0%26fbclid%3DIwAR27NnEFgnNTn1vsxnhWL9lZ9Ymk_-kj5RarcZI6Ou8IxDp4i4JowG9RsX8&h=AT3piEI_xlJNthjy-UwuVOEQLuBc-J74LX0cMUdqeFxK1FSmq6g-IGCxXICOO6Qx4VkkxrpMh52SrFT9xirLmwcaSKk08q86Zwrt56O5BZCPVWTtKew3YJdhn0h9LteF_w&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.walmart.com/.../Why-Always-Me.../1902066266...</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">FICTION4ALL:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffiction4all.com%2Febooks%2Fb18158-why-always-me.htm%3Ffromaut%3DY%26fbclid%3DIwAR0kxplz9X5yO2BdYLzjsVo8bN3a7No2PmjTxxlAy_Dc3hi-bYGK3cyatek&h=AT3ZMuxKX5cknA_98xWIU55z0LsCuN9jMe-2-azXznRf6b4DCFSemL4yT13FiQDrgHJfqR50jwTRYEYhLUuTHCohsvHBUBivblu-mn7rDw0wXrf_otnG65y_4h72JcT-qg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18158-why-always-me.htm...</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">EBOOK:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">Smashwords:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smashwords.com%2Fbooks%2Fview%2F1372171%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3x3osR4i-vWA_5qzpgKaafDU5jXhnqluqw2shXGv-bTP2Vy8sHh1KZN8Y&h=AT0bvog13VCkCdwptrp7vxchyMAW_rmxXim73Y4EalOOCKmBzGhcuGgIlvRNDr3B6hiSY6Y_Rcin29mMQkdFnf1dhVpy2UzQbWVdbPjWfXobglchvtjITs9tRSr8no0Kcg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1372171</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">SCRIBD:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><span style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scribd.com%2Fbook%2F636551325%2FWhy-Always-Me%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2wlyo6iJ6cyFXe0KKZ5st25yHZuvNoDeojADWLLV0KBHavvBwj6hF_F4Y&h=AT0JtcYFwWrrLAllqD5g8OSMeyYfdCLL_VR3SUs7pde6rOxkrybjXn3EfFK7lwOA0mgVFwns74CcTAklM7ILwMkVvdbdC_1heozNWQ8T4W7keNFhOf1_nyYeFy4eXmrCaQ&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT0XVA4Ai8eBqmjoUv9s4b7RkEs5rf4HEqI4VUDTNAytreitagpdEs3KI71w460RVcT8bllKy_T_YWMTWx5DP8aurtftyYz0T5ZOXPI75HwpUwHjfXLVqe3p9u3L4_Eye3c9on1baM1oWZjxh5OI17JwTtY" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; animation-name: none; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.scribd.com/book/636551325/Why-Always-Me</a></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;">ThriftBooks:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none; 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cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; transition-property: none;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/why-always-me/38410513/...</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none;"><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;" /></p></div></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-3936671199834487882023-03-05T00:41:00.005-08:002023-03-05T00:44:17.153-08:00BOOK REVIEW: Reader Views Kids Review of The Adventures of Nihu by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HQPXHqBtsrBN614-70BMQ0hqLfzxwBsAGBe4fZHsmPvWOCELH7Xn2xBBI6Emk08GOvgDBRcjWP8Q7t-2x05OHoVZFgY1RvkUD8OzRPhYhc9clkYo5nbZmEe-f7vvzPV9ZmMVHxJaReu5BMS6iOXkfjSjrNlAGWAfTYCFSRxG17_zZpM4vc6UWNIs/s3500/bihu%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reader Views Kids" border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HQPXHqBtsrBN614-70BMQ0hqLfzxwBsAGBe4fZHsmPvWOCELH7Xn2xBBI6Emk08GOvgDBRcjWP8Q7t-2x05OHoVZFgY1RvkUD8OzRPhYhc9clkYo5nbZmEe-f7vvzPV9ZmMVHxJaReu5BMS6iOXkfjSjrNlAGWAfTYCFSRxG17_zZpM4vc6UWNIs/w214-h320/bihu%20cover.jpg" title="The Adventures of Nihu by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="background: rgb(246, 248, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #4055a9; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">This long book takes place in a jungle and is
about a boy named Nihu that lived in a small village. One day Nihu is out
hunting, and his uncle was killed by an arrow that a robber took after Nihu
shot it. Everybody thought Nihu killed his uncle, so he was told not to
come back to the village. He went to the jungle to live, and met Old
Phil. They got to be friends, but Old Phil died. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: rgb(246, 248, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #4055a9; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Nihu met many creatures when he was in the
jungle. Some were friendly, but some were mean and scary. He
finally tries to find his way out of the jungle and falls through a crack in
the earth. A very mean creature takes him and puts him inside a stone,
with some other prisoners. We don’t find out until the very end if he
ever escapes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(246, 248, 250); box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; max-width: 100%; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; text-align: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; transition-duration: 0.8s; transition-property: background, padding, margin, border, transform, box-shadow, opacity, color, fill, font, border-radius, max-height, max-width, filter, -webkit-transform, -webkit-box-shadow, -webkit-filter; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #4055a9; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">This was a
long book, and it was hard for me to read by myself. There were a lot of
big words, and some parts were hard for me to understand. It was
exciting, and sometimes scary. The different creatures that Nihu met were
very strange, and some wanted to kill him. But some of the creatures that
were the scariest turned out to be nice, so I liked that. The ending was
good, too. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: rgb(246, 248, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #4055a9; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The words that the writer used made it feel
like you were in the middle of the jungle with Nihu. I could picture in
my mind what the jungle looked like – very scary, and a place I would not like
to visit. I could understand how Nihu felt. I kind of liked this
book, because my mom helped me with the parts I didn’t understand. It
would be better for someone a few years older than me that could read it
without help. Boys and girls that like exciting books would like “The
Adventures of Nihu.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="background-color: #f6f8fa; color: #4055a9; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.readerviewskids.com/the-adventures-of-nihu-by-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/" target="_blank"><b><i>Reviewed by Reader Views Kids</i></b></a></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b><i>HOW TO ORDER THIS BOOK:</i></b></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; 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margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Nihu-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren/dp/1786958252/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1677977416&sr=8-1">AMAZON.CO.UK</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1334659" target="_blank">SMASHWORDS</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-adventures-of-nihu-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/1008522664" target="_blank">BARNES AND NOBLE</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18134-the-adventures-of-nihu.htm" target="_blank">FICTION4ALL</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#bookreview</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#books</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#youngreaders</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#bookpromotion</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#ebooks</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">#ebookstore</p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-7492779206406974522023-03-04T17:59:00.012-08:002023-03-04T18:49:27.617-08:00BOOK REVIEW: The Adventures of Nihu by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_lyx6_-80tcTzzuf6i2a0Y9iOxrKLPPB9rlzi1oKzTroNdES550fIZsM4GmYijsq6tnJ2pqMXUBNEbsDZJ8Lqlg0rQtP_rJrcyrt7zU-QA_lJIb1l41HIK2L5r0cBgWRckhtbsRao6DU8N8Dto4Mh3N6WgKumm6Xwa0CmiLuD2jtAKQQ7PHvOZMw/s3500/bihu%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_lyx6_-80tcTzzuf6i2a0Y9iOxrKLPPB9rlzi1oKzTroNdES550fIZsM4GmYijsq6tnJ2pqMXUBNEbsDZJ8Lqlg0rQtP_rJrcyrt7zU-QA_lJIb1l41HIK2L5r0cBgWRckhtbsRao6DU8N8Dto4Mh3N6WgKumm6Xwa0CmiLuD2jtAKQQ7PHvOZMw/s320/bihu%20cover.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">I believe it was Stephen King who said
something about writers holding the power of creating worlds in their hands. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Nihu-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren-ebook/dp/B0BS1QS9LP?ref_=ast_author_mpb" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #e4573d; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Adventures
of Nihu </span></em></a>provides quintessential proof of that statement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">Not only has the
author managed to tell a story that covers all the facets of human endeavor, he
has very much birthed his own world. A world full of wonder, beauty and
darkness, all blended together so effortlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">The author explores the human situation, exposing the very
nature and disposition of man in relation to his predicament. The author
explores man’s capacity for greed, love, temerity and cunning, while taking
the reader on a <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">literally </em>multidimensional
chase.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">It is a story of
bravery, a story of friendship and loyalty against staggering odds. The author
has put his own spin on the eternal battle between good and evil, using a very
lovable protagonist as Nihu is wrongly accused and faces a world of treachery
and evil.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">It is vital for a story to be able to capture the imagination of
the reader, to leave an afterimage in the eyes of the reader after the pages
are shut. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Nihu-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren-ebook/dp/B0BS1QS9LP?ref_=ast_author_mpb" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #e4573d; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Adventures of Nihu </span></em></a>does just
that!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;"><span>The reader is
held spellbound every step of the way as the story weaves in and out, from
tragedy to disaster, and from gory, bloody battle to glorious revelry. The
author is not afraid to delve into the darker realms of reality, and of course,
make-believe, stretching the boundary between both in a way which can only be
described as “</span><span>sinister</span><span> ”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 15pt; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">The reader is
immediately absorbed into this epic quest, as the author paints a beautiful
landscape of adventure with probably the most eclectic group one could come
across. The author has managed to create characters which, even by themselves,
tell a story, each one as different and unique from the next as the human DNA.
These characters embark on a perilous journey through worlds, while battling
the evil forces intent on their destruction, with nothing other than skill and
friendship as weapons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;">A good read from top to bottom, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Nihu-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren-ebook/dp/B0BS1QS9LP?ref_=ast_author_mpb" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; touch-action: manipulation;" target="_blank"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #e4573d; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Adventures
of Nihu</span></em></a> is solid proof of the author’s mastery of
storytelling. By virtue of this book, it can be said that the author has shown
himself as a “creator of worlds”.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><a href="https://vibe.e86.ng/book-review-the-adventures-of-nihu-by-omoruyi-uwugiaren/" style="font-size: 21.3333px;" target="_blank">REVIEWED BY VIBE E86</a></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><b><i>HOW TO ORDER THIS BOOK:</i></b></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><i>Click on the links below. </i></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; 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background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><i>Thank you!</i></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Nihu-Omoruyi-Uwuigiaren-ebook/dp/B0BS1QS9LP?ref_=ast_author_mpb" target="_blank">AMAZON</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; 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font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1334659" target="_blank">SMASHWORDS</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-adventures-of-nihu-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/1008522664" target="_blank">BARNES AND NOBLE</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><a href="https://fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18134-the-adventures-of-nihu.htm" target="_blank">FICTION4ALL</a></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: dimgrey; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-2790190612646632322023-01-27T17:37:00.001-08:002023-01-27T17:43:19.441-08:00Global book reading statistics for 2022 and 2023 (complete survey data)<p> </p><article class="post-319356 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-miscellaneous" id="post-319356" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Mukta, sans-serif;"><div class="inner-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; float: left; height: auto; position: relative; width: revert;"><div class="the-post-content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><h3 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 22px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;">What are the most popular books in the world? We asked 945 book readers in 56 countries what genre of books they read in 2022 and what they plan to read in 2023. Here are the world book reading statistics from the survey results.</h3><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We wanted to know what, how and how much people were reading. So, we asked 945 readers in 56 countries about their book reading habits. Here is what these book readers had to say.</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/american-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-usa-survey-data" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Click here for the book reading data from the United States.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://seo-writer.ca/blog/canadian-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-canada-survey-data" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Click here for the book reading data from Canada.</a></li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Reading is alive and well. People around the world responded to our reading survey, and they shared the details of the books they read and how they read them. Here are some of the key findings of the global survey results.<span id="more-319356" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"></span></p><h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key findings from the book reading statistics</h2><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 1: Most people read either a few books or a lot of books.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 2: People plan to read more in 2023.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 3: The top books people love reading are history, mystery and biography.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 4: Readers want to read more history, mystery and biography.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 5: People still love paper books.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 6: People like the length of their books.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 7: Readers come in all ages.</a></li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/#8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">Key finding 8: More women than men see themselves as readers.</a></li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We captured the data. We captured the uncensored, anonymous comments. Here’s what we found.</p><h2 id="1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 1: Most people read either a few books or a lot of books.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We asked people how many books they read in 2022. It turns out there are many light readers, and quite a few dedicated bookworms, but much fewer moderately-committed readers.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: according to the latest book reading statistics, 27% said they read over 20 books in 2022, whereas 32% said they read one to five books. Just 18% said they read six to 10 books, and 19% read 11 to 20 books in 2022.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Regionally, American and British readers tended to be high consumers of books (39% and 44% respectively reading more than 20 books), whereas Canadians tended to be lighter readers (23% reading more than 20 books).</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-how-many.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – how many books" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319350" decoding="async" height="768" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-how-many.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-how-many.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-how-many-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-how-many-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Worth noting is that some people felt we limited the question too much by making “more than 20 books” the top category. “Over 100 books,” commented one Canadian reader. “Having 20+ as the highest category seems very low,” commented a British reader.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">If people are reading so many books, what are those books about? You will find the answer in Key finding 3.</p><h2 id="2" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 2: People plan to read more in 2023.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Predictions that the end of books was nigh have proven to be premature. If books are to fade into obscurity one day, that day is not yet on the horizon. In fact, the data shows that people plan to read even more in 2023 than they did in 2022.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: 64% of readers plan to read more books in 2023 than they did in 2022. Just 3% plan to read fewer books. These results are fairly similar across all regions. One Kenyan reader summed up the mood of the survey: “I enjoyed all the reading this year. I’m looking forward to reading more.”</p><div class="tm-tweet-clear" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; zoom: 1;"></div><div class="tm-click-to-tweet" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); margin: 15px 0px; padding: 15px 30px; position: relative; zoom: 1;"><div class="tm-ctt-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; margin: 0px 0px 10px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Reading+is+alive+and+well+around+the+world.+&via=Amabaie&related=Amabaie&url=https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #999999; font-size: 24px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; line-height: 33.6px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Reading is alive and well around the world.</a></div><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a class="tm-ctt-btn" href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Reading+is+alive+and+well+around+the+world.+&via=Amabaie&related=Amabaie&url=https://thgmwriters.com/blog/global-book-reading-statistics-2022-2023-complete-survey-data/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: initial; background: url("/wp-content/plugins/click-to-tweet-by-todaymade/assets/img/twitter-little-bird.png") right top no-repeat transparent; color: #999999; display: block; float: right; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 24px 0px 0px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">CLICK TO TWEET</a></p><div class="tm-ctt-tip" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"></div></div><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Whether people end up reading more in 2023 or simply aspire to do so, only a well-oiled crystal ball will tell. Nevertheless, the intention to read more shows that their love of books remains strong.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Reading is alive and well. In the words of one Australian reader: “I just love reading, it’s my favourite pastime.”</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-more-fewer.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – read more" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319353" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-more-fewer.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-more-fewer.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-more-fewer-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-more-fewer-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">If people plan to read more, what are they planning to read? You will find the answer in Key finding 4.</p><h2 id="3" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 3: The top books people love reading are history, mystery and biography.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We asked people about the books they are reading. We wanted to know if they were reading fiction or non-fiction. And we wanted to know what genres were their books. Let’s see what the statistics show.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: according to the latest book reading statistics, the top three genres around the world in 2022 were:</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">History (34%)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">Mystery (33%)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">Biography/memoir (31%)</li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We noted some minor regional differences. Canadians were much less interested in history. Meanwhile, UK readers showed a strong interest in fantasy.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-genres.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – genres in 2022" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319349" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-genres.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-genres.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-genres-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-genres-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Other well-read genres were fantasy, science fiction and self-help. Both other fiction and other non-fiction were selected by many readers (36% and 34% respectively), meaning that next year we will have to add more categories. And many respondents offered suggestions. Here are a few of them:</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I love reading poetry books, maybe that should be a category.” (Kenyan reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“Horror and cookbooks aren’t listed. I read a lot of those.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I also read a lot of children’s books to my preschooler.” (Canadian reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I also read a lot of spiritual and poetry.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“It isn’t specifically on your list, but I read a lot of horror and multi-genre.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I normally love to read more spiritual books with lots of history and knowledge.” (Indian reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I read a lot of plays and fanfiction.” (Canadian reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I read little modern fiction, no mysteries or romances. Strongly prefer poetry, non-fiction, and older novels.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“You don’t have a category for poetry or one for short stories, so I had to lump both together under ‘Other Fiction.’“ (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I read mostly non-genre fiction and philosophy.” (Canadian reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I like reading freestyle poetry as well.” (Pakistani reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I’m an adult who reads a lot of horror and non-fic, but I still read graphic novels, picture books, & chapter books, too.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I read mainly 20th century paperback horror. there wasn’t a genre option for horror but I focused a lot on that.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“I read a lot of LGBTQAI leaning books.” (Irish reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“Love horror and true crime.” (US reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“Philosophy!” (Canadian reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“Popular science and literature.” (UK reader)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">“Social justice, education, psychology.” (US reader)</li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">So, it looks like next year, we will expand the categories. At very least, we’ll need to add horror, poetry, children’s books, philosophy, spiritual and comics (like manga and graphic novels).</p><h2 id="4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 4: Readers want to read more history, mystery and biography.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">If people said they plan to read more in 2023, it should come as no surprise that more people plan to read each genre in 2023 than in 2022.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: the three top genres people around the world plan to read in 2023 are:</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">History (39%)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">Mystery (35%)</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">Biography/memoir (34%)</li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Other in-demand genres were fantasy, science fiction and adventure. Both other fiction and other non-fiction were selected by many readers (38% and 35% respectively).</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">In the graph below, the numbers and the blue bars represent what people plan to read in 2023. They are superimposed over the yellow bars, which represent what people read in 2022. You can see that in almost every genre, the statistics show that people aspire to read more than in 2023.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-genres.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – genres 2023" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319352" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-genres.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-genres.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-genres-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2023-genres-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Again, we noted some miner regional differences. Canadians were much less interested in history, and much more interested in science fiction. Meanwhile, American readers want to read a lot more “other fiction”. This strengthens our need to add more categories, such as poetry, horror and comics/manga, next year.</p><h2 id="5" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 5: People still love paper books.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">The demise of books has been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/books/review/the-death-of-the-book-through-the-ages.html" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">predicted</a> – and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/aug/30/death-books-exaggerated" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">disputed</a> – for over a decade. Yet, people are still reading them.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">I <a href="https://thgmwriters.com/blog/18-pros-cons-ebooks/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">wrote about the pros and cons of eBooks</a> in 2017, citing more pros than cons. Yet, I still read paper. Am I the only one? That’s not what the book reading statistics in our survey say. We asked people to name the one format they read the most in 2022.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: 57% of people read paper (print books) most – 41% paperback and 16% hard cover. 32% of readers chose eBooks – 20% Kindle and 12% other eBooks. Another 8% listened to audio books and 3% chose “other” (which might include comic books, brail or some other format).</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-Kindle-paperback-eBook.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – paper versus eBooks" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319351" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-Kindle-paperback-eBook.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-Kindle-paperback-eBook.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-Kindle-paperback-eBook-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-Kindle-paperback-eBook-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">That is a strong vote of confidence in paper around the world, but with some equally strong regional differences.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Americans are less interested in paper and somewhat more interested in all other formats. Striking is the 29% of American readers who love their Kindles. Canadians show the exact opposite inclination, with 67% reading mostly paper, including 53% paperbacks, and just 23% opting for eBooks.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Americans-and-Kindles-and-Canadians-and-paperback-books.jpg" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Amercian book readers love Kindle, but Canadians are paperback print book fans" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319355" decoding="async" height="371" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Americans-and-Kindles-and-Canadians-and-paperback-books.jpg" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Americans-and-Kindles-and-Canadians-and-paperback-books.jpg 660w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Americans-and-Kindles-and-Canadians-and-paperback-books-300x169.jpg 300w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="660" /></a></p><h2 id="6" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 6: People like the length of their books.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Writers sometimes struggle with their manuscripts. Have I included too much? Do I need more detail? Will people find my book too short or too long?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Writers: just keep doing what you are doing.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: according to the latest book reading statistics, 86% of readers think their books are just the right length. 11% think they are too long in this age of short attention spans, but 3% of dedicated can’t-get-enough readers think their books are too short.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Of course, not everyone agrees. One Italian reader said, “I love really long reads, something I can really dive into.” But an American reader countered, “Books over 600 pages really slow you down. No end in sight.”</p><h2 id="7" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 7: Readers come in all ages.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">If you thought that the enduring popularity of books, and paper books in particular, was due to old-timers having difficulty adapting to new technology, this survey suggests otherwise.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: There are roughly equal number of readers 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-age.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – age of readers" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319340" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-age.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><h2 id="8" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Key finding 8: More women see themselves as readers than men.</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Who reads more, women or men?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey says: 56% of respondents were women, 42% were men and 1% identified as other. This divide was even more pronounced in the United States, where two-thirds of respondents were women. This is consistent with other research that shows <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/technology/technology-media-and-telecom-predictions/2022/gender-gap-in-reading.html" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">girls and women around the world read more books</a>.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-gender.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Global statistics of THGM book reading trends survey 2022-2023 – gender of readers" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319348" decoding="async" height="768" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-gender.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-gender.png 1024w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-gender-300x225.png 300w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Book-reading-data-statistics-World-2022-gender-768x576.png 768w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="1024" /></a></p><h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #16542e; font-family: "Source Sans Pro"; font-size: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Survey methodology and limitations</h2><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We surveyed 945 people about their reading habits in December 2022 to gather book reading data. Because this is an Internet poll, no margin of error is assigned to the results. The results have not been weighted by age, gender, location or any other factor.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">This was not a random survey. Respondents tended to self-identify as “readers”. Most people who do not read books or have not read books in a while declined to participate. When citing this survey, it would be most accurate to refer to “world readers”.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">The survey was disseminated primarily through social media. The accounts used to reach people were primarily on Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as on Facebook and some smaller networks. The bias on these accounts, based on the composition of their followers, skews towards:</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">writers, authors and self-identified book lovers</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">bloggers and online marketers</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">other artists (musicians, crafters, photographers, etc.)</li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">The bias on these accounts, based on the composition of their followers, skews away from:</p><ul style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px;"><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">sports-themed accounts</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">religion-focused themes</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">scientists and healthcare accounts</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">fashion-focused accounts</li><li style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 3px 25px;">food- and travel-themed accounts</li></ul><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">In the global results, there is a massive bias towards English-speaking people, and therefore English-dominant countries. In particular, Canada is overrepresented for its size. We do not consider the UK sample size large enough for us to treat it as statistically definitive; it should be consumed for “entertainment value” only.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">A HUGE “Thank you!” to all who completed the 2022-2023 reading survey and shared their book reading habits with us. You people rock!</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/You-rock.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Readers rock" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-319354" decoding="async" height="160" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/You-rock.png" srcset="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/You-rock.png 660w, https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/You-rock-300x73.png 300w" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin: 5px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="660" /></a></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">Permission is granted to republish the graphics on this page and cite the book reading statistics. Attribution is required, and a link back would be appreciated (and useful for readers) but not required.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;">We’ll leave the final word to a participant from Algeria: “I love books. Everyone should read a book.”</p></div></div><div class="clearfix" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; clear: both; width: 550px;"></div></article><div id="profileBlock" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: rgb(232, 232, 232); font-family: Mukta, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 30px; overflow: hidden; padding: 10px;"><img alt="" class="avatar" height="70" loading="lazy" src="https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f7d9f76ffa83cf15144ac38c89eaa786" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 4px;" width="70" /><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">About David Leonhardt</strong><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">David Leonhardt is President of The Happy Guy Marketing, a published author, a "Distinguished Toastmaster", a former consumer advocate, a social media addict and experienced with media relations and government reports.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Read more <a href="https://thgmwriters.com/contact/david-leonhardt-biography" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;">about David Leonhardt</a></p><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="bio_social" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><a href="https://www.twitter.com/Amabaie" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="Twitter" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/themes/thehappyguy/assets/images/twitter.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; max-width: 100%;" /></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidleonhardt" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="LinkedIn" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/themes/thehappyguy/assets/images/linkedin.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; max-width: 100%;" /></a> <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/amabaie/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #0067a2; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="Pinterest" src="https://thgmwriters.com/wp-content/themes/thehappyguy/assets/images/pinterest.png" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; max-width: 100%;" /></a></span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h4 style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></h4><h4 style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></h4><h4 style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-85660284707992789422023-01-22T02:06:00.027-08:002023-01-22T03:14:28.364-08:00New Books to Read Right Now: Billy the Goat, Tunde's Red Hen, The Adventures of Nihu and Why Always Me?<p> </p><p class="CDt4Ke zfr3Q" dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Arial; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">Our part in life is to persevere and learn as quickly as we can, for our victory depends upon our perception of the world</strong></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p><p class="CDt4Ke zfr3Q" dir="ltr" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212121; font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: none; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 15px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Kids - Bedtime and
Dreams, </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Kids - Illustrated Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SEWtcMYcwFyX-pFAtCkW0BkR_rHH0i_S6aN5e9R1eejGzbxSgpOnQIAgD_a7nqVxfRSQVUlvkYC0yKwzX2PvHuEywxtSAt7mOeAiFCAmGcaktz7jO6EErai1yXFsOizU2vS8_LaxR4UNjHs9FMo1MNUkJSovMA664Ih4dSct0KJ0j9495BqGDQXH/s775/Tunde's%20Red%20Hen.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SEWtcMYcwFyX-pFAtCkW0BkR_rHH0i_S6aN5e9R1eejGzbxSgpOnQIAgD_a7nqVxfRSQVUlvkYC0yKwzX2PvHuEywxtSAt7mOeAiFCAmGcaktz7jO6EErai1yXFsOizU2vS8_LaxR4UNjHs9FMo1MNUkJSovMA664Ih4dSct0KJ0j9495BqGDQXH/s320/Tunde's%20Red%20Hen.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">eBook: Tunde's Red Hen</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Tunde’s Red Hen</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Author: </b>Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Publisher:</b> Fiction4All<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Imprint: </b>Dragon Claw Books<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">SYNOPSIS<o:p style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Tunde did not know his loyalty to his red hen would be
tested. The boy wanted the best for the hen, but an intruder wanted the hen and
everything for itself. For the hen to survive, the boy must be brave.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">EXCERPT:<o:p style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Chapter
Three<o:p style="font-size: 16pt;"></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Later on</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> the day, Tunde’s father had arrived from work. The man sunk
into his favourite chair when Tunde ran to him. “Welcome, Daddy!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Tunde, how are you today?” he smiled. He began
to untie his shoelaces. Once the laces were undone, he took his shoes and socks
off.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The boy wore a frown and hissed. “I am not
fine,” he managed to reply and lowered his head.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What is the problem?” The man sat up and turned
to his troubled son. He began to unbutton his shirt.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My hen refused to lay eggs!”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tunde’s father chuckled. He adjusted his huge
frame and stroked the boy on the head. “Someone is stealing the eggs! Did
anyone fry eggs in this house last week?”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“No. Except for the ones that mummy fried last
night. And I was the person that bought them!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The man sat back. He paused with hand to chin as
his mind began to work. “Something must be wrong,” he finally broke his
silence. “Did you inspect the cage?” He took off his shirt.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Inspect the cage for what?”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Your hen ought to have laid many eggs by now.
If the eggs are not stolen, there could only be one reason why we don’t see
eggs!”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What is it?” Tunde glanced up at his father.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“As you know, we live near the bush. A snake
could crawl into the compound through any little opening on our walls to
swallow the eggs!” his father answered.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“So snakes swallow eggs?” Tunde beats his chest
and gasps.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Of course, some do. When I was a boy, we had a
similar concern. My father thought his children were stealing his eggs. So,
each time his eggs went missing, the whole family suffered.”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“How? Did he flog all you?”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes! My father valued his eggs like gold.
Sometimes he punishes us by asking us to skip meals. Yet, that did not solve
the problem. One day, my elder brother decided to find out who was behind this.
He suspected that it must be a snake but no one believed.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“A friend gave my brother an idea. He told him
to buy some boiled eggs and put them in the cage. My brother did without us
knowing. Once it was evening, he sneak to the cage and replaced the fresh eggs
with the seven boiled eggs. The device worked. We woke up the next day to see a
big black snake near the cage.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The snake had swallowed several boiled eggs and
could not move. The eggs choked the creature. Only God could have made my
father believe that it was not his children that were stealing his eggs. He
called us thieves! As you know, society does not like thieves!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The next day, my brother ran into the house to
inform us that he found the thief. I thought the thief was a human being. As
soon as we heard the news, we rushed out of the house and followed him to the
backyard. Only to find a snake that had made our lives a nightmare. We were
very angry at the sight of the creature. The morning was our day!</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The snake was like the still waters because it
could not move. It had swallowed over five boiled eggs. My father grabbed a
club near the house and laid it eight or more times on the animal. The snake
writhed from one end to another until it expired.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We burnt it and buried its remains in the
nearby bush. My elder brother had saved us from punishment and hunger. Ashamed
of himself, my father regretted treating his children as thieves. That same
day, he called a family meeting and apologized for his mistakes and we forgave
him.”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After the long speech, Tunde’s father sat back.
He breathed. “Tunde, we can solve this problem with some boiled eggs!” he said.
He placed his hand in his pocket and brought out some money. “Take. Go and buy
some boiled eggs from the grocer!”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tunde took the money and ran very fast out of
the house. Moments later, he was back with the eggs. Tunde and his father went
to the cage near the fence and put the four boiled eggs there. They locked the
cage and moved away.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5s2bW_r9rZ-6I4Vxon59r2gzqsZBJz0bbwq2KJ9EBx7UAVf0uD5ahxkSJZVC17K6JG8C_w1T14PvzbWLZdXCDBagvJ6AoD7EhPDsZsJt3uCEfv9QjuSnJAeMaRlVj7aa_C53Rb7AmQqriNEKFEV1QNJqVNCgGjYr7QKGYV7_8vW_I9OIGlaVYqEpl/s310/billy%20the%20goat%20cover.new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="200" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5s2bW_r9rZ-6I4Vxon59r2gzqsZBJz0bbwq2KJ9EBx7UAVf0uD5ahxkSJZVC17K6JG8C_w1T14PvzbWLZdXCDBagvJ6AoD7EhPDsZsJt3uCEfv9QjuSnJAeMaRlVj7aa_C53Rb7AmQqriNEKFEV1QNJqVNCgGjYr7QKGYV7_8vW_I9OIGlaVYqEpl/s1600/billy%20the%20goat%20cover.new.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Billy The Goat</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Author:</b> Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Publisher:</b> Fiction4All<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Imprint:</b> Dragon Claw Books<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">SYNOPSIS<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It was the rainy season. Billy's house was under the water.
Fleeing to the mountain won't save the goat from trouble. If Billy decides to
stay and fix everything, there could be consequences.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 115%;">EXCERPT:<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria, "serif";">Chapter Two<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The rainy season had begun. Billy was hungry.
The white goat bounds off to the field to eat some grasses, weeds and
tree bark. The goat did not worry about his safety.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It had rained for two days. Parts of the forest
near the river were under water and it was cold. As the goat ate in a nearby
bush, it began to rain again. Billy didn’t like it.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each time it rains, it is hard for forest
animals to enjoy meal time. “<i>Oh my house,”</i> Billy cried. He raised
his head. He looked at the sky and to the corner of the forest he called
home. <i>“I forgot to lock my windows! If I do not go back and
lock them, the rain will mess things up. I have not eaten to my fill. What
should I do?”</i> Billy paused and tried to think. <i>“I can always
come back to the field,”</i> he frowned. <i>“If I don’t act fast, I
won’t be safe. The river could overflow its bank. That could put me in danger.”</i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For his own safety, Billy had to go back home.
As the poor goat bounds off, the river continues to rise. Rain water started
creeping into the low lands. This slowed him down. As soon as Billy got to the
corner of the forest he called home, he locked the door and windows. Safe and
happy, he sank into his favorite chair.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Billy tried to read a book. After turning a
few pages, he dozed off. Not long after, the goat was snoring hard on the
chair.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><a href="https://www.fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18173-billy-the-goat.htm" target="_blank">Add to Cart</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><br /></p><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJXhwCd7_F9a8Ag0LlTp8M8pV22JfBKtPNlm7aVMW48ZsRioI8fXEptWVGp7Z7RwAqyyWAWVueJcGK09OTt6i5uisbzzJFSWiIIOdG77cFNbXwjAMuePvRs5kdb6o-QrJRdiUenX7feLlVfvQhGJ3zO61egOjuX7FWQDQLWDqUs8HP32DG9qSZLfH/s1000/WHY%20ALWAYS%20ME%20COVER.456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJXhwCd7_F9a8Ag0LlTp8M8pV22JfBKtPNlm7aVMW48ZsRioI8fXEptWVGp7Z7RwAqyyWAWVueJcGK09OTt6i5uisbzzJFSWiIIOdG77cFNbXwjAMuePvRs5kdb6o-QrJRdiUenX7feLlVfvQhGJ3zO61egOjuX7FWQDQLWDqUs8HP32DG9qSZLfH/s320/WHY%20ALWAYS%20ME%20COVER.456.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why Always Me by <br />Omoruyi Uwuigiaren</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Why
Always Me?</span></b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Author:</b> Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Publisher:</b> Fiction4All<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Imprint:</b> Dragon Claw Books<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">SYNOPSIS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">There was trouble. Tom was at the heart of everything. When
it involved the police, things did start to spiral out of control. You don't
need to know everything. You only need to know enough.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="background: white;">He had to work late again even though it was Christmas Eve. But now, at
last, the hammer had fallen on him! As soon as he was indoors, Tom sank into
his favorite chair. After a time, he sat up and drew his rickety table. The
little man lit up the room and his face looked pale in the lamplight. He took
the letter out of his pocket. He lowered his bifocals. He glanced above them at
the letter and a deep melancholy settled over his spirit. The company had
sacked Tom and it was a bitter pill to swallow. "WHY ALWAYS ME?" he
banged the table.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">EXCERPT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;"><b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Cambria, "serif";">Chapter
One - Hard Times<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tom wore a long face and trudged on. His
trousers had faded and clothed with dust. Reaching the threshold, he inserted
the key into the lock and embraced his house. He hissed and slammed the door
behind him, for the evening was the worst day of his life. He had to work late
again even though it was Christmas Eve. But now, at last, the hammer had fallen
on him! As soon as he was indoors, Tom sank into his favorite chair. After a
time, he sat up and drew his rickety table. The little man lit up the room and
his face looked pale in the lamplight. He took the letter out of his pocket. He
lowered his bifocals. He glanced above them at the letter and a deep melancholy
settled over his spirit. The company had sacked Tom and it was a bitter pill to
swallow. “WHY ALWAYS ME?” he banged the table.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tom had disposed of the letter when he heard a
faint knock on the door. “Who’s there?”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“It’s I, Priscilla,” her voice was as soft as
the morning breeze.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tom masked his anger with an exaggerated smile
and opened the door. He said a friendly good evening to her. “I am sure you
came to inquire why I did not attend the church service. My employer asked me
to work extra hours…”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh, I understand,” the lady smiled as Tom led
her into his humble home. Priscilla sat on a chair with her back to the wall.
She placed her hands on her thighs and glanced at the little man. “I
have good news for you.” She revealed, “God told me that you have lost your
job. But He will use this setback to turn your life around.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A ray of hope flushed over Tom’s suntanned
face as he sat up and muttered, “Amen!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She closed her eyes and faced the ceiling.
Priscilla brought her hands together, making recitations as if she was praying
to a powerful god. Then she paused and turned to Tom. She swallowed hard and
said, “The Company downsized to reduce cost…”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes. The manager told me they will downsize.
But I never saw this coming,” Tom nodded almost a million times. “I didn’t plan
for it. I am confused!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I understand,” the prophetess said.
"You can bounce back. I have a secret that will make you rich. Do you want
to hear?”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, oh yes!” the little man answered. He
straightened his chin and looked at her face.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You have an eighteen carat diamond ring you
inherited from your father. It’s wrapped up in a handkerchief in the right-hand
corner of the third drawer. God said you are to get it and give it to me!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tom gasped and beat his chest. “Ah, my
heirloom? I have never told anyone about it. How did you know I have it under
my roof?”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Priscilla laughed, “God told me now. It’s the
spirit. Do as he had said and you will be fine!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The little man chewed his lower lips as he
imagined that his setback was temporary. He would live in luxury for the rest
of his life if he turns the diamond over to Priscilla. Then he sat back and
scratched his head. She was right about the diamond in the drawer, he thought.
He decided to give this a try. Everything that she had said was true. As
if he was under a spell, he rose to his feet and moved to the corner, and then
returned to the table with the heirloom. Priscilla grabbed it and placed it in
her pocket. “I like people who obey God,” she smiled and gave him a hug. “If
you need another hug, just ask,” she heaved. “Follow me!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Where are we going?” Tom yawned and shifted
his weight to one leg.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She rubbed her hands together. “I want to
introduce you to a friend. If you have a little money, he knows how to multiply
it many times over!”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tom dreamed of the money. He said, “Thank you.
I will be forever grateful, Priscilla.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Priscilla held his hand and they walked out of
the house.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><a href="https://www.fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18158-why-always-me.htm" target="_blank">Add to Cart</a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-kw6k8Egkj2Xd77tXczfn9IsJdh1QXl8h92gwjLKc_2WQtJkfylSstPmFnwtukHVJQ0X9Yetm3swpJhHrKU-G6QwhyyzAom-rMu3pBMppwg-T3xuE-luY4GkhTDmBeySRBiqHOKxmCtydlQWb8RxAH1WelI67MJ4pFHQ9et-v2INSwiv6jmvsW4y/s3500/bihu%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3500" data-original-width="2336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja-kw6k8Egkj2Xd77tXczfn9IsJdh1QXl8h92gwjLKc_2WQtJkfylSstPmFnwtukHVJQ0X9Yetm3swpJhHrKU-G6QwhyyzAom-rMu3pBMppwg-T3xuE-luY4GkhTDmBeySRBiqHOKxmCtydlQWb8RxAH1WelI67MJ4pFHQ9et-v2INSwiv6jmvsW4y/s320/bihu%20cover.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Book to Read<br />The Adventures of Nihu<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Adventures of Nihu</span></b></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Author:</b> Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Publisher:</b> Fiction4All<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Imprint:</b> Dragon Claw Books<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">SYNOPSIS<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Nihu is falsely accused of a crime and is banished to the
Lonely Forest. He is challenged with a mission by a magical character. As brave
Nihu quests to fulfill the mission and gain his freedom, he is sucked into a
world inside of a stone, visits a powerful ruler in an underwater city, and
makes friends with a group of refugees only a hero could love.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">EXCERPT:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, "serif";">CHAPTER FIVE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: Cambria, "serif";">A STRIKE TOO LATE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Old
Phil’s time was up. The next day he would be leaving for the countryside. “I am
already dreaming of home. It will be the new start to the life I have always
wished to live. It will be a heaven every night. A man is for himself, but God
is for us all.” Old Phil was once again seated on the log outside the
hut. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes.
You are right.” Nihu was straddled next to him. He nodded. “God is
for everyone.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Even me. Surviving the
perils in this Lonely Forest means so much to me. I ought to give gratitude to
the one that protects my soul. I do not do it ordinarily. I have to be tough.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
expect that of you. God is a tough mogul. We need to be worthy if we hope to
find His favor.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “But
which god do you think I’m talking about, Nihu?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “The
god of our forefathers.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Does
he really exist?” He brought his hands together, making recitations as if he
was praying. Then he stopped and turned to Nihu. “Any result in that?
Nothing. I will say my prayers facing heaven henceforth. My deliverance must
have come from there.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Are
you sure?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
don’t know. I just want try new things since my past had not yielded any result
other than troubles. However, I have prayed throughout my life. Good moral
conduct must be trapped somewhere in my heart ever since I set my foot into
this world of beauty and terror. Do you believe me, Nihu?” He looked deep
into the boy’s eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
can’t find falsehood in that, at all. But I think it is too late to start
finding perpetual faults in your life.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Oh,
faults? They are gone. In the past, I had many. My life was no better than a
rat’s, which is left to struggle for survival in the heart of the red sea. My
weaknesses brought me a hard knock life. Macques would tell you my
odds of survival if he were here with us. He tells my story more accurately and
with a lot more feeling than I do. However, he had a talking impediment. Often,
his tongue added more excitement to every word that walked out of him. One
would think his words drop like wind-blown rain.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “That’s
a terrible burden to carry.” Nihu thought of something else Phil had
said. “Do you derive much pleasure in mediations?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes,
oh yes. My meditations have yielded results. The last time I was under the
influence of morning mediation, I saw dwarf angel. It looked like a green
mallard. It told me all would be well with me. I am sure it had come to give me
hope of returning to glory after the truckload of the misfortunes I have
experienced here. I will hold a holy service of songs when I return home. That
is the first thing I will do when I get there.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “But
you have nothing now. The King now owns your house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Of
course. I expect to join my brother right away. He will be very happy to see me
alive</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The celebration will
carry to the next level.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“What does he do for a
living?” Nihu shifted on the log.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“He is a farmer. And his
well is deep enough to swallow ten of your stature.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Then
you will be well. I thought you were just like every journeyman whose heaven is
the street inn or corner. After every blessed day, he seeks comfort in a wonder
of unholy women. When the police come to raid, you will only see his back.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“This journeyman has served his time
for offending others.” Old Phil removed his old hat that revealed rivers of
sweat that were carefully gliding down his hollow cheeks. With the back of his
hand, he rubbed them off his face and slapped the hat back on his head.<span style="color: teal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I have a dream, a big one indeed.
My survival means I was not guilty at all. There are people who believed in me
because I have had a positive effect on their lives.” Old Phil straightened his
shoulders, raising his chin.<span style="color: teal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Things will be
different for you now. Your travails are over.” Nihu sighed quietly,
chin in hand. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Surviving
the Lonely Forest to tell the people of the devils here is news. No one in
recent memory has returned from here alive. Do you realize that? I am the
first. If you survive too, you can expect to increase your fortune ten-fold
when you get back to the countryside. God will see to that.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: teal; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“That will be a grand
accomplishment for an old soldier like you. I cannot hope to follow
you.”</span><span style="color: teal; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Nihu revealed a
trail of discouragement on his face. “I will be well into my years by the time
I am allowed to walk out of here. If I</span><span style="color: teal; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">survive to that day.” He gazed desolately at the
old man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Old Phil looked straight
into the eye of the disenfranchised youth, “Nihu, there is always hope. God has
made sure of that. I believe you can survive just as I have survived all these
years. Live bravely, your day will come.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> He
rose to his feet, “Let’s go out together to hunt for the last time. The animal
we bring in will be my parting gift for you.” He smiled at the boy. Nihu returned
it weakly. Old Phil would soon be gone for good.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“I will be with you in a
moment.” The old man said. “I want to bring my old Dane gun that has always hit
its mark.” He entered the hut as Nihu lowered his head between his
thighs scratching in the Earth with a stick.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> In
a few minutes, Phil emerged, fully dressed in his hunting attire. “Boy, you
must get ready. The forest awaits our ambitions. So it would seem. But it is a
beginning that brings us closer to the
end.” Nihu got slowly to
his feet, as if he was being forced to go against his principles. He went into
the hut to get all he would need for the hunt. He took the spear that was in
the doorway and returned to Old Phil’s side. “I am ready,” he said
quietly. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Look, Nihu,
upon our return to the cabin, we shall have a long swim in the river, you hear
me?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “And
I remember you told me you have a flute and that you can play very well. You
must play for me. I will dance like a man celebrating in triumph before leaving
for the countryside.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
will play as well as I can. May the gods find favor.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “You
will engender favor by celebrating with me. It is well that a body casts doubt
and fear aside so that he might honor another’s good fortune. So, Nihu, I
want the best from you.” He coughed and his hat fell off his head. He went for
it and added, “I will send prayers for you every day that your sojourn here
will be as uneventful as possible.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> They
walked down the path in silence for a while. Presently, Old Phil inquired
if Nihu had his flute with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“No, I left it in my
rucksack in the hut.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
was tempted to ask you to play now a dreamy song of the countryside.” Old Phil
sighed. “Oh well, it will wait until we return.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">They trampled the dry
leaves, heading for the interior of the forest, Old Phil leading Nihu who
followed slowly behind. Phil was almost skipping in happy anticipation as if
heading to a glorious alter. After some time, the forest swallowed them up, as
if wanting them to become a part of the Lonely Forest forever. It is hard to
say which of them would have bargained harder for his freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> By
sunset, the two had not yet found a single animal that Old Phil could have
gotten with a clean shot. The evening was beginning to stare them down and
there was no animal in sight. The day had finally surrendered to the coming of
the evening powers. Both were tired and had little strength left. Old Phil’s
shoulder has sagged and Nihu could barely lift his feet. Without
speaking, they stopped to rest under a tree. Old Phil broke the long silence
that had stood between them. “Nihu, what shall we do? We cannot remain here
like stagnant waters on the street of the local district. I wanted to celebrate
properly, not in such a weak manner. The fun must start right away.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “What
shall we do?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Just watch me. You may
learn the way the army of the countryside celebrates their victories after a
hard fought battle.” The old man got to his feet and sent bullets from his old
Dane gun into the air. As excitement within him grew, he let more bullets into
the air, chanting old spirited songs of victory that every soldier of the
countryside sings when the mission has gone the right way. Old Phil let go more
bullets until he had none left in his gun.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Satisfied
he turned to Nihu, “Boy, let’s return to the hut. The bullets have served
their purpose. I feel as good as if they had brought down a tasty beast. What
is more exciting than forest life? A forest where even the trees now believe in
my prowess and wits?” He caught Nihu’s eye. “I can see you are glum.
Lively up, Nihu. No need to bury your head in discouragement. We can get
one of the monkeys near the hut to fill our bellies. I will show you the stores
of provisions I have made and of course, the hut is yours to live
in. Tomorrow, I leave you to your life. A solitary life is not such
a bad thing. I have new-found confidence after I have eaten and
lived with the jungle devils that never cease to arrive at my doorstep.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “At
least, I was able to get to know you for a little while,” Nihu was
resigned to his fate. “Living with you was not written into my banishment
order. It was luck that I met you here and now circumstance is now setting us
apart. Your time here is done. The providence that kept you alive all these years
can also deliver me from painful claws of death.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“It is good to hear you
say such things. Nevertheless, be careful. Macquesemis had much faith
in providence, but today his remains rest under the shade of an old oak tree.
Let us go.” Old Phil put his hand on the boy’s shoulder as they set off in the
direction of the hut.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> The
light was waning and they went along quietly. The dry leaves crackled under
their boots. Nihu’s eyes spied a walnut tree; the ripe fruits among
its leaves spoke to his stomach. Up the tree he went. With a hand on one of the
tree’s fruits, he called out, “Phil, I will be along presently. No need to wait
but a moment.” He went for another as Old Phil continued alone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“I will wait for you by
the river. Just be careful.” His voice carried back as Nihu faded
into the tree.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Who would find me up
here?” Nihu wondered in a whisper. “I will pluck some walnuts and
catch up to him before the river.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Old
Phil waved his left arm into the air by way of farewell as he went down the
path, suffering the dry leaves and grasses under his worn boots. Just as he
pursed his lips to whistle a tune for companionship, a lion leapt onto his
path. Seeing the old man, it charged without hesitation. Old Phil had less than
two seconds to face the animal with his Dane gun, ready with his finger on the
trigger to dispatch the animal to its grave. In a twinkling, it dawned on him
that the gun was empty and he had no other option but to flee. As he turned to
run, the lion pounced.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Nihu heard
the roar and knew Old Phil was in peril. An agonized cry from the old man and
another roar from the beast set the forest ablaze in the quiet night. Nihu jumped
from the tree, took hold of his spear that he had left leaning against it, and
hurried to the scene where Old Phil was battling to stay alive underneath a
wild lion. The lion had the attack advantage and had Phil pinned to the ground.
Old Phil was trying his best to roll away from the lion’s claws and teeth, but
he cried aloud and panted for air.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Nihu raised
his spear above his head and raced into the melee to save Old Phil from
becoming a meal for the wild beast. He struck the lion in the neck, a little
below the mane. The spear stuck deep in the neck of the lion, but the handle came
apart in his hand and Nihu could only hope that a second strike would
not be necessary. He stood back, as the lion, knocked off his feet, struggled
with fate. Old Phil, battling hard to overcome blackout, made a final effort to
send his foe to the world beyond. He drew his jackknife from his boot, sat up
and slit the lion’s belly. The lion lay still at last.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Old
Phil sank back and began to gasp for his life in the pool of his blood. Nihu rushed
to him in a horrible fright, to see if he could save the old man from dying at
the brink of his release. He knelt by the old man’s bloody head, took it onto
his lap and tried to encourage the old soldier back to life. “Phil, you are
strong. Stronger than the willows in the brook. You must not die.” Tears
flooded his eyes. “I will care for you in the hut for as long as it
takes.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Old
Phil struggled valiantly against the incoming blackness. “No, Nihu, it is
too late already for medicine. I have met my fate today. A soldier never
travels through the woods with an empty gun. Had I remembered that, I would be
worthy to see my home again. Former deeds cannot insure survival in hell. My
life is tragedy and I hope you might learn something from it. I advise you to
take your own life, my boy. Do not wait for the devil of beast or disease to
ravage you. You must find a way out of here . . .” He gasped and choked as
speech left him. His head rolled to one side as the last of life faded from his
lips.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Nihu stroked
Old Phil’s face and wept bitterly as he recognized that the old man’s ghost had
gone. “No, no, Phil. No! You cannot leave like this. This is not how it’s
supposed to be!” He fell on the dead man and wept, harder than ever before in
his life. He wailed aloud in the dark until he could cry no more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Somehow,
he managed to drag the remains of the old man back to the hut where he found a
shovel to dig a grave. After he finished the mound, he built a small fire and
went in for his flute. Returning to the graveside, he began to pay Old Phil his
last respects. The melody was a dirge, played for fallen heroes in the
countryside. It was equally good enough to move one’s feet. However, Nihu remained
seated on a log as he played out his despair.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Presently,
a deer came out of the woods into the clearing. It made few steps toward the
fire and transformed into a white dwarf that began to dance to the
melody. Nihu’s heart jumped into his mouth. He stopped playing and
watched the creature, fear gripping his heart. In the absence of music, the
dwarf continued to dance. The flute slipped from Nihu’s grasp as his
grip relaxed and the dwarf, cloaked in animal skins, laughed. The eyes in the
sockets of his skull were incredibly large and yellow and quite terrible to
look at. The dwarf skipped forward a few steps and laughed a terrifying laugh
in Nihu’s face, revealing a crooked set of yellow teeth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“You are good. You play
well. If not, I would have had to eat you.” The dwarf stared into the boy’s
eyes. “I have watched you bury your dead countryman and when you pulled out
your flute I forgot everything to dance. I don’t get much chance for
festivities anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Nihu’s eyes
widened. He plucked up his spirit to ask, “Who are you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
am Magonda, the god of the Lonely Forest. I rule everything here.” The
bulging eyes of the dwarf were fixed on Nihu. He did not look pleasant or
friendly. A dwarf’s countenance can send one’s courage packing at the drop of a
hat. Being stared at by one of them was an invitation to flee.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Cold jitters ran
down Nihu’s spine. The bravery that had come to him in the face of
the lion had gone. Nihu could only wait for the kind of consolation
that old Philominenges got or the slow death that swallowed Macquesemis.
Yet something the dwarf had said prompted an inquiry to the quick-thinking boy.
As if probing a weak spot in the dwarf’s reply, Nihu crossed his arms
over his body and threw out his question. “If you rule here as you say, why
didn’t you prevent the lion’s attack and the snake bite that killed the men that
lived here for so many years?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> The
dwarf was unfazed and laughed, covering his mouth with a hand as rough as the
back of a turtle. This protected the dismal sight of his teeth from the eyes of
the boy. The laugh bowed his body to the ground. Then he stopped abruptly, and
threw a wicked look at Nihu. “Why didn’t I save your countrymen from their
deaths? I ordered their deaths. It was as I wished. Your friends caused me no
end of trouble since the day they arrived here.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “So
you killed them?” Nihu could not take his eyes from the proud
creature’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">“Yes. Moreover, I can
end you, too, with a devilish zap such as this.</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">He drew a short battle-axe from his cloak and
threw it at a tree. The piercing not only ravaged the tree, it destroyed other
trees in a wide swath behind it. When Nihu turned to see the ruin,
his eyes widened, for the battle-axe had cut down over ten trees with that one
hit. The dwarf raised his hand to catch the axe that flew back to his grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Nihu realized his peril,
and his knees knocked ferociously together. “Please, let me go.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes,
indeed. Your fancy flute playing has saved your life. I will let you go on one
condition. I want you to go to the western mountain.” He pointed with his left
hand into the gloom beyond Nihu’s fire. “It is at the far end of the
forest and is a home of evil powers; a place of frequent volcano eruptions that
has cost this forest and other areas their natural beauty. When you get there,”
he brought out a smooth, round stone, “you will drop this stone in the pit of
fire. If you do that for me, I will spare you forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Where
is the pit of fire?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “It
is right there in the mountain. Your intuition will lead you to it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Can’t
you tell me the way?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You will have to find it yourself.
That is my price for your freedom. If you fail, I will kill you as I did to a
thousand-man army that came to war with me many years ago. I am sure they are
from your land. Look here and you will see.”<span style="color: magenta;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Magonda opened his cloak and
raised his arm as if forming a large wing. Nihu saw a scene of a
bloody war revealed in the cloth. A battle was being fought between the wood
demons led by Magonda, and country army sent by his own king, who had
believed the powers in the Lonely Forest, could be conquered as any foreign
enemy they had successfully driven from the kingdom.<span style="color: magenta;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Men approached the
Lonely Forest like insects with swords, javelins, long spears, and
short-handled battle-axes with heads as big as the head of a four-fisted
wrecking ball. They carried shields meant to protect against the onslaught of
the wood demons. As they advanced, the plain in front of the forest began to
vomit horrible looking creatures. Zombies formed out of the ground, carrying
weapons like those of the enemy. They prepared to confront the intruders in a
showdown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Seeing the zombies
readying themselves for attack, the invaders roared and charged, raising their
weapons above their heads. As they were about to close in, the army halted as
if sizing up their opponents. The leader stepped forward. A man of a
considerable height, his neck was as thick as the handle of his battle-axe. He
instructed the soldiers handling the bows and arrows to step forward and then
commanded them to shoot. A thousand arrows were let loose, which descended like
night rain on the wood demons. They received the shots as if there was nothing
significant about them at all. If an arrow pierced anywhere in their bodies,
they drew it out and bit off the point, as if eating from a plate at a banquet.
When the country army saw that their shots did no harm to the wood demons, the
leader cried out to attack right away. The soldiers roared, raising their
spears and axes to high heavens and raced across the field to the clash.
Likewise, the wood demons ran down the plain to meet their adversary.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Heads began to roll and
blood flowed like a river. The zombies had the upper hand and the army fell
like a pack of cards. Suddenly, the zombies began to vanish, disappearing into
the forest as if they had lost all lust for battle. Greatly encouraged the
survivors pressed their advantage and advanced into the woods.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The battle took a new
turn when they got to the forest. The soldiers stood in amazement as they
discovered that the demons they had chased were nowhere in sight. They seemed
to have mixed with the air.</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">As the armies were still looking confusedly to every side, strange
cries like wild wolves filled the air. The howling grew and the men stood in
fear, holding their weapons in an iron grip.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">A rumble shook the
ground and moments later a pack of giant wolves leapt upon the men from every
direction, sending a host of them to early graves. The soldiers did not give up
in the face of the massacre. They fought gallantly and were able to overcome
the wolves that turned to ashes when a capable soldier’s lance made good its
mark. After a ferocious onslaught, the wolves retreated into the wooded forest.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The men were still
lamenting the huge number of deaths to their camp, when they noticed trees
around crackling. They fixed their eyes on the developing cracks. Mythical
zombies like the ones they battled earlier began to come out of the trees.
Immediately, they pounced on the remaining army and another round of
breathtaking battle ensued.</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">These zombies were even more horrible than the first contingent
was. They were cannibals whose fingernails skewered their prey as they feasted
on all they could lay their hands on.</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">This completely demoralized the remaining
troops. They took to their heels. As they ran, trees began to vomit arrows
after them. At every turn, men fell and died. The zombies increased their numbers
and made many meals out of the corpses. They were still in frenzy when Magonda,
the ruler of the Lonely Forest, emerged to survey the scene. Recognizing him at
once, the creatures got up and bowed to their god. Then quietly, they retreated
into the trees from whence they had come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Nihu watched the scene fade with a heavy heart.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “You
are but a gnat in my teeth,” said Magonda. “A wolf would make short work
of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “That
is what I want. Kill me now. No need to send me to a place where I will die
like a poor dog. And now I know I am not meant to return home from this place.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The dwarf laughed, “So
you prefer to die, Nihu?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Yes.
It is better. I am ready now.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The white dwarf opened
his mouth. A whirlwind came out of it and transformed into a great gorilla. The
beast roared, beating hard on its chest. Without thinking of his prior
resolve, Nihu took to his heels with his feet almost touching the
back of his head like an antelope broken loose from the snare of a desperate
hunter. The beast had the speed of ten men and chased Nihu around the
camp. They went past trees and bushes with amazing speed. Nihu was no
match for the agile beast who finally pounced, crushing him to the ground. He
roared with the roar of a rampaging river that has broken free of a dam. He
grabbed hold of one of Nihu’s legs and suspended him in the
air. Magonda came forward.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “STOP!”
the dwarf ordered. “I have no reason to want you dead, Nihu. You did not
disrupt my home like your compatriots. You did not upset my animals, you did
not hurt my trees, and you did not make noise. I am pleased with your playing.
Those countrymen of yours got what they deserved.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “Will
you free me?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
will. Are you ready to do as I asked?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “I
will, if you let me go.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> The
dwarf signaled to the gorilla. He dropped Nihu on the ground and
stalked off into the dark night. “If you do as I instruct, the powers in the
mountain will not destroy you. However, if you try to outsmart me, you will
never come back alive. The trail to the mountain is as difficult as walking on
the wheels of fire. However, the quest must be completed. I must confess, even
if I knew where the pit was, I could not tell you. I will give you this
battle-axe. Once you cast the stone into the pit, it will start work for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “If
I may ask, why can’t you cast the stone yourself?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> “You
will find out when you get there.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Magonda handed
the stone and the battle-axe to Nihu. He took them gingerly. “The axe will
work for you immediately upon accomplishing the task before you,” repeated the
dwarf.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Nihu was
still contemplating the Herculean task that was ahead of him when the dwarf
became a black panther and bounded beyond sight of the glowing embers. Nihu shuffled
through the dark to the hut and sank onto the wooden bed, covering himself with
a cover of animal skin he found on the bed. The darkness grew as a giant troll,
making it dangerous to venture out for a night hunt, as hunters would do in the
bush tribes. Stars refused to smile, starving the Earth of brightness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Nihu had
yet to put the day behind him. He kept thinking of the white dwarf and could
not sleep. The days ahead held so much uncertainty. There was no lamp in the
hut and it was pitching dark. As the night sunk into every crevice and
corner, Nihu threw the cover off his body. He got hold of the
battle-axe and the stone and began to run his hands over them in the huge
darkness. After some time, he sank into sleep. An old soldier like Phil
or Macquesemis might have been wakeful, knowing from experience what
things he might face by embarking on such a journey, a mission full of danger and
with little hope of success. Nihu however was only a boy and he began
to snore very hard in the quiet hands of the night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.fiction4all.com/ebooks/b18134-the-adventures-of-nihu.htm" target="_blank">Add to Cart</a></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"><b>Related stories</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-74315560347043340512023-01-22T00:44:00.007-08:002023-01-22T01:42:12.810-08:00WORK IN PROGRESS: The Savannah Wind<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Written
by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren</span></b><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Chapter
One</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Strange
Night</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Poor weather wreaked havoc on
the waters of Guzah. A ship which had struggled all day, bubbling with Makundah
pirates, anchored at the shores. They were happy that they survived the madness
of the raging storm. They chanted victory songs and shot several bullets into
the quiet hands of the night. They had a ladder. One after another, the men
clambered down and waded waist-deep through the water to land. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/jordanpeeles-get-out-ray-bradburys.html" target="_blank">South Side Alchemy</a></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"></span></p><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">They had weapons, victuals and
treasures stolen from past expeditions. They conquered the madness of the day
and now they faced the way home to feed from their valor. The night was cold
and glowing insects paraded the forest. An ambitious rider who is not
conversant with the forest might take them for a wild cat waiting to walk a
body to hell.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">After they had gathered at the
shore, they took body count. No soul was missing. They set off in a file into
the forest behind their leader, Mukande, a wicked dwarf, whom they feared like
a god. They looked in every direction to make sure that they were not followed.
In a treacherous world, you cannot trust the dark night. Out of its belly are
issues of death. There were few stars on the bare chest of the sky. They gave
light near the moon. When darkness began to tread the sun’s old path, going
further would be a dangerous choice. A man is for himself but God is for us
all.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px; mso-themecolor: text1;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" style="background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The forest was old and the
stench of treachery hung in the air. Fruit bats made the forest and her fruits
their restaurant. The human presence did not hinder them from moving from one
tree to another to find a meal. The trees were in their rows, separated by
inches and yards. Many fruits were not eaten. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Hunters trailed the pirates.
The old forest has always been a battlefield. The strong thrive on the shadow
of the weak. The intruders were Oza hunters from the hinterland who venture
south of the waters.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 18.6667px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">After covering a good distance,
they chanted and brandished their weapons. Someone attacked one of the pirates.
Before he could snatch a breath, the hunter who plucked him from the group,
drove a dagger into his neck. As he lay struggling for life, the attacker
grabbed his battle-ax and exerted a mighty heave to zap off his neck. The body
of the pirate rested on the bare chest of the earth as his head rolled onto the
bush path. , he collected all that was on the severed pirate. Rings, beads and
all his belongings were in his pockets. The hunter flashed a menacing smile at
the severed body of the pirate. He looked to every side to make sure that no
eye was watching. Then he disappears into the waiting hands of the forest.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/discover-yourself-understand-who-you.html" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Discover yourself</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">As the gang journeyed against
all odds, the attackers fell on them. One of the hunters who hid behind an old
baobab tree fell upon one of the pirates. They had a fair struggle. The pirate
fought back with his battle-ax. His blow came a bit late as the hunter had
already driven his sword into the pirate’s chest. He elicited an agonized cry
that drew the attention of his cohorts. Before they could blink, the hunter had
disappeared into the forest. The man surrendered to the incoming blackness. He
was a heap on the floor under the watchful eyes of the quiet evening. Death has
no joy.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">They rushed to the scene,
flashing their torchlight and wielding their weapons. They checked the man. He
was cold like a headless chicken. One pirate flashed his light about. He saw
strange mask on a tree. He walked to the tree to have a closer look to learn
what type of mask it was. He plucked the mask from where it hung; he flipped it
back and forth. He was trying to figure out its source. A large man who was as
dark as midnight emerged from behind the tree and drove a spear into his belly!
The pirate yelled up to the high heaven and fought back with his ax. He missed
his aim. He staggered. The large man who is an Oza hunter stabbed him by the
side with the spear. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Before the attacker could take
cover in the nearby bush, his pair of legs betrayed him. He stumbled on a log
of wood and landed on the ground. He tried to regain his footing and run.
Arrows from the pirates sank into his body. The hunter fell to his knees. But
as they rushed to vent their anger for killing one of them, the creature drew
his knife and took his own life. He fell on his face to the ground.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/interview-with-author-roni-rosenthal.html" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></p><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">They rushed to his corner. They
stood over him and looked down on his lifeless body. “He’s a hunter from Oza!”
one of the pirates said and spat on him.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">“What is an Oza hunter doing
here? They hardly go beyond the hinterland,” said Salis. He frowned and looked
about.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">“Where does that leave us?”
Moadab inquired and looked at Salis.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Mukande chuckled. “We have a
big problem in our hands, Moadab. This is not good. The hunters are tracking
us,” Mukande disclosed. He blinked his eyes almost a million times. The fierce
balls that sat on the socket of his skull traveled round the trees and back to
his men. “Salis and Moadab will protect the treasure, while the rest of you
will make sure they are safe. You must fight as if your life is in your mouth.
If you do not resist this storm, we may never make it out here alive! The Oza
hunters are no mere men. Legends say they are sons of a dark spirit that once
roamed the old earth. Yet they bleed like us and draw breath from the wings of the
morning breeze. Spare no one. Spare no hunter. Make them pay for the departed!”
He clenched his fist.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">They nodded in agreement. They
grabbed their weapons with iron grip and continued their journey. Not long
after, five or more arrows flew out of the woods. Two pirates caught. They fell
and others injured. Rattled, Mukande and his men decided to run through the
dark forest to their hideout in the cave. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The pirates tasted misfortune
as their meal for that day. The hunters fell on them and they fought all night.
</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The horror of death stared them
in the face. Those who escaped the frenzied attack of spears and arrows fell by
the sword and ax of the hunters. Many lay struggling for life like primitives
that fell stone dead at the blast of muskets. The battered bodies of the
pirates littered the floor. Hidden behind the odd night and tall trees, the
hunters had the advantage. They grabbed the opportunity with both hands and
wreaked havoc. </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Yet, the hunters also suffered
loss. Makunde, Captain Salis, Moadab and the few others that were still alive
decided to flee. The hunters chanted victory songs and brandished their weapons
before they gave chase. As they chased them down the path to finish them off,
the hunters made life unbearable for the pirates. At intervals, an arrow would
pierce the ugly darkness and rob a dear soul of his life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Mukande and his men ran into a
swamp, where some territorial crocodiles had taken refuge. But the night
hindered them from seeing beyond their nose. Three or more pirates wade through
the swamp to the other side fell into the mouth of the crocodiles. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Mukande and the others took
another route. As the hunters approached the swamp, they faded from the chase.
The creatures disappeared into the forest. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">It was relief as they no longer
hear the noise of their pursuer. Trying to keep their pace and looking back at
the same time, they dashed into their cave and secured it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Men sat on the floor groaning
in pains. Those who escaped hurt made fire and offered treatment to those that
were casualties. Mukande, the dwarf, suffered a deep cut on his shoulder and
was languishing in a corner near the fire. Treatment offered to those they felt
would survive. They killed others whom they felt had little or no chance of
survival. And they threw them out of the cave. Salis and Moadab only suffered
bruises and were in good company. It was a long night. Uncertainties spread in
the camp. Their safety was no longer guaranteed. The group had never come under
attack in the forest. After surviving the raging storm, it was hard to say what
will happen next.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(250, 250, 250); line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKIrpSqH5ui9-HFzLucY6Jki7oaquX_-p8Q22JdtdaVPSGAKP1jemZ9-OskBCiA0wtpzT3pIsoWVuO-go1ZnPlc-Kkvb-csBDDdAKp-xpOmoRvjw82lMXBzB4XXshnVdv2gbL-o4XLqn9NVziHGn6cXLxH7NGJdOwgryLA7qnTyBn2Aprj9jNr_Zh/s293/anthony%20wray.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="196" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKIrpSqH5ui9-HFzLucY6Jki7oaquX_-p8Q22JdtdaVPSGAKP1jemZ9-OskBCiA0wtpzT3pIsoWVuO-go1ZnPlc-Kkvb-csBDDdAKp-xpOmoRvjw82lMXBzB4XXshnVdv2gbL-o4XLqn9NVziHGn6cXLxH7NGJdOwgryLA7qnTyBn2Aprj9jNr_Zh/s1600/anthony%20wray.webp" width="196" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anthony Wray<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;">One minute, Colonel John Locklear was in an
ambush in Iraq, and the next he was home and his entire team was MIA. In his
dreams, he’s drawn into another world where past, present, and future are all
happening at once. There are high-seas pirates negotiating with sentient robots
and people who feed off of nature’s light energy. Natasha is a leader in this
other world and she keeps calling John by the name “Zac.” Then, it isn’t a
dream anymore and John becomes Zac, accepting that he—and his team—have a role
to play in Lunia, the world on the other side of a black hole, the world Zac
needs to save.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Distant-Fantasy-Return-Anthony-Wray/dp/B09ZZTFQ5K" target="_blank">BUY NOW</a></span></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-57337783538623905072022-11-25T20:17:00.001-08:002022-11-25T20:19:25.789-08:00Read an excerpt from the City Heroes and other stories from the heart of Africa<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">A prolific writer shares his knowledge…</span></h2><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Tonight during story time take a trip to the heart of Africa.</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="background: white;">Make new friends including a clutter of cats
otherwise known as The City Heroes. Follow a pair of jungle ants as they rescue
their friend from a raging storm. Tag along with a country boy as he hunts wild
birds to prepare a feast for his father’s arrival. Understand the true meaning
of mercy and charity when a stranger is caught stealing eggs from a farmer.
Help a baby named Thomas find his way home after he strays from his father’s
boat. Follow Blaize and his newfound canine friend Thatcher as they thwart a
group of kidnappers in Blaize and the Master of Enchantment.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="background: white;">Beautifully illustrated pictures help tell all six
stories including The City Heroes, The Jungle Ants, The Country Boy, Stranger
on the Farm, Baby Thomas and Blaize and the Master of Enchantment. Encounter
adventures beyond your wildest dreams, learn about the beautiful country of
Nigeria, and see how easy and how fun it is to learn about a new culture in the
heart of Africa.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<span style="background: white;">The City Heroes and other stories from the Heart
of Africa by Nigerian writer Omoruyi Uwuigiaren is a perfect introduction for
young readers to learn about the African experience. Suitable for middle grade
readers, the stories within the collection contain messages and themes about
forgiveness, charity, redemption and loyalty all from a decidedly African
perspective.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iMkhVSLAMktxd71HhVboA26bU-EoUJvJacGelCdJNW-h9_vL9vwSF42QCzlNyFyG2QS72tDRtaofLCx_UweGVf2zLYuo1kX5Khw-HkhyBQpAeTZraq_i2N-F3dZn4RG1GrY9QqggmfjEdjnRmeNm-l8CUs_ZJ_TvkdPmmFkoW89iSv8xS8X2ugUQ/s500/city.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Omoruyi Uwuigiaren" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5iMkhVSLAMktxd71HhVboA26bU-EoUJvJacGelCdJNW-h9_vL9vwSF42QCzlNyFyG2QS72tDRtaofLCx_UweGVf2zLYuo1kX5Khw-HkhyBQpAeTZraq_i2N-F3dZn4RG1GrY9QqggmfjEdjnRmeNm-l8CUs_ZJ_TvkdPmmFkoW89iSv8xS8X2ugUQ/w266-h400/city.jpg" title="The City Heroes and other stories from the Heart of Africa" width="266" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The City Heroes by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><br /><span style="background: white;"><br /></span><p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-other-stories-Africa-ebook/dp/B007C4CY6A/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342082694&sr=1-7&keywords=The+City+Heroes" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heroes-other-stories-Africa-ebook/dp/B007C4CY6A/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342084149&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-city-heroes-and-other-stories-from-the-heart-of-africa-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/1109036917?ean=2940013967786" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p></h3><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The
night was as dead as a doornail and Lady Tranquility took her seat in the
neighborhood. Dag, a frustrated cat in the pool of old age, had nothing better
to do than lie on the rooftop of a bungalow that was begging for renovation.
The cat gazed at the beautiful earth that spread before him as if it were a
balance sheet under the nose of a shrewd accountant. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/jordanpeeles-get-out-ray-bradburys.html" target="_blank">South Side Alchemy</a></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dag was not alone. Other cats that had
also known misfortune lay around the old cat like a pasture clothed with
flocks. Dag cleared his throat and said, “I have no passion for living any
more. How can we exist without offending?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That is for the next world!” said Fred
as he scratched his hindquarter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Raising
his head and yawning, Pork said, “It is impossible to walk through life without
enemies. It may be better to live in isolation. But I have yet to see an
isolated man who is happy.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dag sighed as if the hands of impossibility
had challenged him. “Did I tell you my master has not fed me for two nights?”
he asked his friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, but I have heard that bedtime story
before,” said Pork as he sighed then turned away. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I will never forget what that old man did to me,”
said Dag as he shook his head. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I have never seen you in this mood,”
said Pork. “Tell us, what did he do to you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Three nights ago I chased a rat into
his kitchen. The little devil disappeared into a hole in the wall, which was
near my master’s soup pot. I wanted to leave the kitchen, but I knew that as
soon as I’d gone, the rat would come out of the hole and devour the soup. So I
stayed back to keep vigil over the old man’s meal and possibly snuff the life
out of the foolish rat if he ventured out of hiding. As I lay silently in the
corner, hoping I would take care of the unfortunate soul if the opportunity
presented itself, I heard a squeak and was not disappointed when I raised my
head and saw the rat. It was heading towards the soup pot on the table. Seeing
that the rat was too close to the pot, I pounced.” Dag paused and fought
gallantly to hold back his tears. “But I missed the little devil and fell on
the pot, and the soup poured out. The rat, happy with my fate, squeaked and
disappeared through a little opening on the window frame.” Dag heaved at the
indignity of his memory.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px; mso-themecolor: text1;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It was silly of the rat to mock you,”
Pork reacted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dag continued. “The disturbance almost
presented me with a meal, it’s true. But before I had even a taste of the soup
my master, an old dwarf of a man, rushed into the kitchen and pointed his torch
in the direction of the chaos. He found me at the center of the mess and was
disappointed. His face went red with rage because he thought I was trying to
feast on his soup. This might have been true if I’d had the opportunity, but
before I could blink, he grabbed the broomstick by the doorpost and gave me the
beating of my life. When I finally broke free of his angry grip, I fled from
the kitchen. That night I slept on a mango tree by the old fence in his
compound.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pork’s countenance fell. “Anybody in
your master’s shoes would have done the same. Don’t get me wrong; I do not mean
that you were at fault. You had good intentions, but your master did not
understand. Well, such is life! And don’t blame yourself, because mistakes make
our world go round. Like every cat, your duty is to get rid of the rats. But
that was not your night, Dag, and apparently your master could not understand
why such a deed was committed under his roof.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I doubt if he will ever trust me
again,” Dag said sadly. “I have not been myself since he chased me out of the
house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Don’t be drowned by your misfortune.
And don’t expect too much from people. Let it go, Dag. The only thing that is
constant in life is change. Besides, you are not the only one with a sad story.
Fred told me that his master’s new wife doesn’t like him,” Pork said. He looked
at Fred, who frowned as if he had not tasted a befitting meal for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">related story- <a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/discover-yourself-understand-who-you.html" target="_blank">Discover yourself</a></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s too bad,” said Dag.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fred spoke in his kindest voice:
“Every cat knows how important it is to be loved by the master and his family.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dag coughed a bit and said, “So true!
At my age, I have no business with people who do not love me. But as long as I
get my meals, I’m okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I understand you, Dag. But what
happened to me was a miserable experience. My master’s wife is a witch!” Fred
disclosed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pork was alarmed. “Ah, that’s a
horrible suspicion.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I know what I am saying. I cannot
count the number of times that she threw me from the balcony,” Fred replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?” Dag mused. “You mean she threw
you from the second story of the building?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fred nodded. “Yes! The last time she
did it; I fell on top of a car and fractured my leg.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“So that’s why we didn’t see you for a
few weeks,” Dag said with a frown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I had to stay away to avoid
embarrassing questions,” Fred replied. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Was your master aware of her
treachery?” Pork asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“No!” Fred replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s where you went wrong. If I
were you, I would have disgraced his wife before him,” Pork boasted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How?” Fred drew his haunches into a
tight ball as the stars began to disappear from the bare chest of the sky.<span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“Good
question… I would make sure he saw me as soon as he returned home,” Pork
replied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I tried it several times. But the
woman always locked me out. My master never once set his large, innocent eyes
on me,” Fred said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">related story- <a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/interview-with-author-roni-rosenthal.html" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again </a></span></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dag cleared his throat as if an idea
had flown into his head. “I wonder when all this will end. If we are not
beaten, then we are killed without guilt or mercy, like an antelope that strays
into the den of a deadly predator.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I do not foresee any end to our
tragedies because the people do not care about us. They seem to be swimming in
a strange pool. They are selfish and self-centered. To be optimistic, our
victory might be in the next world,” Fred declared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pork disagreed with them: “We are not
all suffering. Blaize has a good master and he is doing well.” He looked about.
“I wonder why the little soul is not here. Maybe he is under the spell of
sleep. Of course that is what to expect when the going is good.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why would a rich cat venture into
such a humble neighborhood to find his meal? Blaize told me he has the luxury
of feasting on the same fare as his master, whose heart flows with the milk of
human kindness,” Fred said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Suddenly, a strange movement from
behind alarmed them. “Who is that?” Dag inquired. He cast a weak glance at the
darkness that wrapped itself around the silent night. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Who do you think?” said a tiny voice,
laughing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Blaize advanced grinning from ear to
ear, his tail held high and the tip curled forward. “Good evening, guys?” he
greeted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Blaize, it’s you!” Dag smiled and
thrust his face forward, as if trying to spy a thief on a cold night. “I didn’t
know that you would be here tonight. And what is it that you’ve brought with
you?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“A roasted fish—for you guys,” Blaize
replied and dropped the meal before them. A ray of hope flushed over their
faces. Pork smiled like a man under the spell of liquor. “Fish from you,
Blaize?” He moved a few steps closer and smelled the fish. “It smells like the
gate of heaven!” he said. Then he looked at Dag and Fred and said, “What are we
waiting for?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And all three cats feasted as if there
were no tomorrow. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">“The
stars have disappeared,” Blaize observed. “Let’s make it snappy; I am afraid it
may rain tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Rain is good,” said Pork. “It washes
the dust away.” Then he returned to the meal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Blaize was apologetic: “The fish seems
not enough for you guys. Perhaps you will need to find something else to eat in
the neighborhood.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The neighborhood is for all of us,”
Dag said, chewing noisily. The joy of all three cats almost reached the high
heaven as they licked their mouths and the meal settled well in their bellies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Thanks, Blaize,” said Pork. “What a
lovely way to begin the evening.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What are friends for?” said the
fortunate Blaize. “I would give more if I had my way.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Now, let’s see what we can get in the
neighborhood,” Dag suggested.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Enthusiastic Fred agreed. “Not a bad
idea!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Blaize led the way down the bungalow’s
rainspout, and one after the other, they disappeared into the warm hands of the
darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihml3dHUTJ3nFkj4MPELBUx77JT4UvRKpXgKpFDWCQfGYSvbPK2mW1GqYnEpApfaqndtEEAOJnIJAVlEcW48r32t7_fH1TpX_VXG3MWEWVIU6VpCXcufkeivbFeAN6FJdLGR8TW3tlSQb20jZTZqaooIGvGNjGOMBvaZsXIfGOfcQU0DJpG9lJSGEs/s500/city.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FREE EXCERPTS TO READ RIGHT NOW" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihml3dHUTJ3nFkj4MPELBUx77JT4UvRKpXgKpFDWCQfGYSvbPK2mW1GqYnEpApfaqndtEEAOJnIJAVlEcW48r32t7_fH1TpX_VXG3MWEWVIU6VpCXcufkeivbFeAN6FJdLGR8TW3tlSQb20jZTZqaooIGvGNjGOMBvaZsXIfGOfcQU0DJpG9lJSGEs/w266-h400/city.jpg" title="The City Heroes and other stories from the Heart of Africa" width="266" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">The City Heroes by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 28.08px; text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-other-stories-Africa-ebook/dp/B007C4CY6A/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342082694&sr=1-7&keywords=The+City+Heroes" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 28.08px;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heroes-other-stories-Africa-ebook/dp/B007C4CY6A/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1342084149&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 28.08px;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 28px;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-city-heroes-and-other-stories-from-the-heart-of-africa-omoruyi-uwuigiaren/1109036917?ean=2940013967786" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 28.08px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 28.08px;"><br /></p></h3><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/search/label/EXCERPT" target="_blank">Read free book excerpts from different genres, including
romance, thrillers, historical fiction, children’s book, classic literature and
more</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/search/label/EXCERPT" target="_blank"><o:p></o:p></a></span></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="line-height: 24px;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-51577585520634565872022-11-25T17:50:00.015-08:002023-05-05T16:21:28.671-07:00Best author interview: Opëshum Patroz, author of Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO4qNvPjFTvctaJkTYRcqGzd8eEGTvYZfjoExQ4K2YoFLsC2lVShbQWfnRrn35OBRfgYG5sJ00shtu10FpvaK6QWsiPeS_kolPY7ssSIAu8m4d1Soez7MrTc-IZEwKU-lVxC5r5t4NndxHRsiOISgUifnbRKW4i92J4BTEq6q9pO_ZBoslX61w87M/s820/1667124301557894-0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="820" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO4qNvPjFTvctaJkTYRcqGzd8eEGTvYZfjoExQ4K2YoFLsC2lVShbQWfnRrn35OBRfgYG5sJ00shtu10FpvaK6QWsiPeS_kolPY7ssSIAu8m4d1Soez7MrTc-IZEwKU-lVxC5r5t4NndxHRsiOISgUifnbRKW4i92J4BTEq6q9pO_ZBoslX61w87M/w200-h76/1667124301557894-0.jpg" title="Opëshum Patroz (Author) Best author interview" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Opëshum has been writing since she was a child,
and believes that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">authors are selected by their</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> characters to bring their
stories to the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> world. Incredibly shy and introverted, Opëshum does not make</span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111;"><br /></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> public appearances. She prefers to remain behind the scenes as the characters
in her books take center</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> stage. Her current work, the 8-Book SciFi Epic gods on
Trial: The Series™ kicks off with</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> Book 1,</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">BEYOND THE FATHER.</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">Opëshum
calls Sheridan, Wyoming her home, where she is currently writing</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> Book 2 of this
series. She </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;">enjoys nature walks, full moons, and open spaces where she can
stare up at</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111;"> the stars.</span></div><div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Tell us something about yourself, where you are based, and how you came to be a
writer.</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP: </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">I live out in the
sticks, off the beaten track near Sheridan, Wyoming. It’s a sanctuary for me
after having been born in New York City, having lived in London for years, and
having reached a point in my life where the noise and stimulation was
disconnecting me from who I truly am - a recluse. However, as I moved to
different locations, I always stayed close to my typewriter and wrote for the
sheer joy of it. Although I no longer use a typewriter to create my work, I am
forever captivated by the writing process, which has been a part of who I am
since childhood.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Tell us something about the books/contents that you have written or created and
the story behind them. </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span class="yiv7677148068s2">OP: I </span><span class="yiv7677148068s1">have written several books - but the
characters in the books that currently remain unpublished have yet to give me
permission to bring those books to the light of day. I will share, however, the
story behind my first published work, <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Beyondthe Father</a></i></b>. The first of 8 books in the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“gods on Trial series,” Beyond the Father</i></b> </a>is a story that
captures the memories of a precious population known as the Xżyberians. I
regard them as precious because my conversions with them, and my ability to see
them, have been both an honor and a gift. While I know that most people who
dwell on earth will be uncomfortable with this answer, and will be inclined to
believe that we are the only life forms in this infinitely vast universe, I
must still be forthright about the origin of this book series. The Xżyberians
chose me to tell their story, and I am humbled to have been selected.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zdK55FQFyv5bZEP8JlWHRH2YYkDq77vGh--2zSgSK2Falz8mnnBjKARHsaPP2xj__aZlHPdr2bu0n_aUpgbjnsrP-6cvgWAa3bgJkoc08I8qNLxBh7djLNNrOyt-eOuxGn2w_NI7vT7uklvOC5pxY25Xms7ayjF2PNA-6cAFHK5lHX7e1oIlw5QT/s500/op.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zdK55FQFyv5bZEP8JlWHRH2YYkDq77vGh--2zSgSK2Falz8mnnBjKARHsaPP2xj__aZlHPdr2bu0n_aUpgbjnsrP-6cvgWAa3bgJkoc08I8qNLxBh7djLNNrOyt-eOuxGn2w_NI7vT7uklvOC5pxY25Xms7ayjF2PNA-6cAFHK5lHX7e1oIlw5QT/w250-h400/op.jpg" title="Book cover: Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" width="250" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Are your books available as eBooks? How involved were you in that process? Do
you read eBooks or is it paper all the way?</span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:
I</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">
enjoy both eBooks and physical copies. The format does not change the
experience for me if the work is written well. <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Beyond the Father</a></i></b> is available on eBook, and the delivery of
that format was handled entirely by my publisher. They will be releasing a
paperback version of Beyond the Father in early December 2022.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Which of your book is your favorite?</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Among the
stories I have written, I have</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> no</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> favorites. They
are all equally important to me.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
If any of your books were made into a movie, who would you have as the leading
actor.</span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> There is one
character, <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anglid</i></b>, which readers
have told me they see as the main character of <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Beyond the Father</a></i></b>. However, as the author, I am ultimately
positioning the book series to have a main character in the physical world and
one in the spiritual world. It would indeed be interesting to see how a film
director would capture the image of <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flexix</i></b>,
the god in Book 1.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">related story- <a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/discover-yourself-understand-who-you.html" target="_blank">Discover yourself</a></span></h4><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Do you think self-publishing is the future of book publishing?</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> I think self-publishing
has changed with the advent of the internet and smart phones, since publishing
knowledge is no longer closely centralized. For authors who can traverse the
demands that self-publishing requires, there are no barriers to entry. It’s a
wonderful time to self-publish your manuscripts, if you have the time and
resources to leverage all of the opportunities that self-publishing can offer.
However, while self-publishing has earned a strong position in the way books
reach readers, traditional publishing will continue to offer its own key
benefits to authors who choose that option.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What place does writing or content creation hold in your life? </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> It’s
everything. It’s all - and COMPLETELY- who I am.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What is your writing process or a typical writing day routine? </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> A typical
writing day entails isolating myself from as many external sounds and
distractions as possible. I am pretty easily distracted, and cannot write with
music playing, the radio or TV on, or other noises. However, as long as it’s
quiet and the moment feels still enough, I am able to develop my stories with
the depth and crafting I feel they deserve.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What marketing techniques have been most effective for you? </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> My publisher
has gotten measurable results by forcing me to open a Goodreads account- which
I wouldn’t have known to do since I am not social media savvy. They have also
used Twitter, Bookstagrams, and blog tour partnerships to expose my work to a
larger audience. There are many great marketing options out there; however,
these are the strategies that appear to be working best.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: large;" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></h4>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What do you think makes a book or content sell? </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Honesty. When
authors write from their own unique voice, honestly crafting their stories with
a style that really reflects their personal style of storytelling, then readers
will be drawn to that. There is so much vast content out there to write, and so
many wonderful ways to tell those stories. I believe that in being present in
our own skin and honoring who we truly are when we write, we are able to
produce books that people will want to read.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What is the most moving or affecting thing a reader has said to you? </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> One reader
whom I greatly respect said that Book 1 of <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank">“gods on Trial: The Series</a></i></b></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Father-Book-Trial-SeriesTM-ebook/dp/B0BL3YPKWN/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=gods+on+Trial-+BEYOND+THE+FATHER&qid=1667590848&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjU0IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&s=digital-text&sr=1-1" target="_blank"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">™</span></i></b></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">”</span></i></b></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span></a><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">would make a great
movie one day. <b>That statement made me cry :)</b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></h4><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What are your favorite books, and why? </span></b></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> I will always
adore Goethe’s “The Sorrows of Young Werther” for the joyfully luscious
description of unrequited love that particular novella achieved. I was also
heavily influenced by Dostoevsky’s <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Notes
From Underground”</i></b> for its razor-sharp edginess, and the successful use
of magic realism in Gabriel Márquez’s <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“One
Hundred Years of Solitude.”</i></b></span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Who are your favorite authors and what do you like the most about them? <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> For the
reasons above I adore the writings of Goethe, Dostoevsky and Márquez. As an
author, I also feel deeply drawn to Alexander Pushkin.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Tell us about the works that you are currently working on and their
progress. </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> I am
currently heads down drafting <a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com/" target="_blank"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book 2</i></b>
of <b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“gods on Trial: The Series</i></b></a></span></span><a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com/" target="_blank"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">™</span></i></b></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">”</span></i></b></span></a><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com/" target="_blank"> </a>- which I am
expecting to complete by the end of 2023. </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p><h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">related story- </span><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/jordanpeeles-get-out-ray-bradburys.html" target="_blank">South Side Alchemy</a></h4><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
What challenges do you think are faced by writers, content creators like you,
and what is the worst thing about the industry according to you? </span></b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> I think the
biggest challenge when creating a novel series is making sure you don’t get
distracted and derail the direction of the work. I try not to read every single
review or every recommendation or wish list that reader’s express they want to
see in <b><a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com/" target="_blank">Book 2</a></b>.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">I also try really
hard not to rush the process of completing the upcoming story just because fans
may be anxious for the release of <b><a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com/">Book 2</a></b>.</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;">At the end of the
day, I ultimately want to deliver </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">fully developed stories that pass the rigor
of getting past my own standards, and I fear I will fail if I rush the process.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Apart from writing, what goals do you want to achieve in life? </span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> OP:<span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> I want to
learn as much as I can about what “makes the world go around” and what inspires
humanity.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi: What message do you want to share with
budding writers and content creators? </span></b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s2"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">OP:</span></span><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"> The most
important message I have for budding writers is to take your time. The very
best of what you will write will take more than a day, a month, or even several
years. Take your time to perfect your work. Your future dedicated readers will
ultimately thank you for it.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s1"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ruyi:
Where can readers find you on social media?</span></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://m.facebook.com/groups/446407354028249/" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://m.facebook.com/groups/446407354028249/" target="_blank"> </a></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://twitter.com/1iR3Publishers" target="_blank">Twitter</a></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/opeshumpatroz/" target="_blank">Instagram</a></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p2" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><a href="https://www.1ir3publishers.com " target="_blank">Website</a></span></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="yiv7677148068s3"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22660923.Op_shum" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22660923.Op_shum" target="_blank"> </a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKdUIUME4Fmfrs0kWEemSTe05K6cInjZeA5aICrNGN191MWtzxTt39CQ7w2VOtjo9rTr3tBdc0U7hCQNmeXa1QWq8U7LMwr41xO-iM0T3iYFvZXDAMiJQbGrDQRc-JlAXx2Pi4p3M8hGCNRivUU2QR5jhtOsQb96eF82scP-TT6Xrb7mT6Xm_BbNq/s500/op.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="NEW BOOKS TO READ RIGHT NOW" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKdUIUME4Fmfrs0kWEemSTe05K6cInjZeA5aICrNGN191MWtzxTt39CQ7w2VOtjo9rTr3tBdc0U7hCQNmeXa1QWq8U7LMwr41xO-iM0T3iYFvZXDAMiJQbGrDQRc-JlAXx2Pi4p3M8hGCNRivUU2QR5jhtOsQb96eF82scP-TT6Xrb7mT6Xm_BbNq/w250-h400/op.jpg" title="Beyond the Father : Book 1 (gods on Trial: The Series™)" width="250" /></a></div><br /><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="yiv7677148068p1" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: medium;">New books to read right now:</span></b></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p></div></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-33607171816782995722022-11-20T21:11:00.004-08:002022-11-20T21:22:49.571-08:00Interview with Author Roni Rosenthal<h1 style="text-align: center;"> </h1><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"></span></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNkKPYDVNnK4ZjWSL-yxk-XJdcz8Hvj9UqLtUaqeRlwtznJeXVijfWMlAkcv4JFatUIWU7J6qYHZuJsj5r5w_qN90dvxv8K7yjZ3Nbrqw5oT6kHsqZIsP6jXx_NjZbq5su948NoFrpjapJhIQg33AQN8Ms-8np9bOmIyGD1eEfM-w5060TGNaYq88/s600/roni.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="RONI ROSENTHAL" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNkKPYDVNnK4ZjWSL-yxk-XJdcz8Hvj9UqLtUaqeRlwtznJeXVijfWMlAkcv4JFatUIWU7J6qYHZuJsj5r5w_qN90dvxv8K7yjZ3Nbrqw5oT6kHsqZIsP6jXx_NjZbq5su948NoFrpjapJhIQg33AQN8Ms-8np9bOmIyGD1eEfM-w5060TGNaYq88/w200-h200/roni.jpg" title="Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again: Friddie’s story" width="200" /></a></i></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /><br /></i></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-align: left;">Roni (Aharona) Rosenthal, PhD, was born in Haifa, Israel. She
is named after her grandfather Aharon, who passed away eight months before her
birth.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 150%;">
<span style="background: white;">Roni is the Director of Judaic Studies and a
Hebrew Literature Professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: Tell
us something about yourself, where you are based, and how you came to be a
writer.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: From a young age I loved reading books,
but I never thought I had the ability to interest another person through my
words. I started writing only when I reached my 30’s. I wish I knew it before. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">I always knew I would be a teacher
because I loved working with students. At some point I realized that a good
school needs a good leader and I found myself in the position of a school
principal. Later I went back to school and completed my Ph.D. I really enjoy
working and supporting my college students now. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: Tell
us something about the books/contents that you have written or created and the
story behind them. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: In December 2009 my father passed away. I
went home for the funeral and found an old family photo album, a handwritten
family tree, and a note that read "Write their stories, tell the world
what really happened to them."<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">And so, I did.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">I’ve recently published a new book titled
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank"><i>“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”</i></a> based on a true story and real events of my
Jewish family in Romania.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank">“This is a beautiful, heart-wrenchingstory about the journey of a Jewish family in Romania throughout WW2 and the20th century. A Powerful, Tragic-Heroic story of unsung heroes and anEverlasting memoir, based on a true story.”</a> (Amazon reviewers)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">Ruyi: Are your books available as eBooks? How
involved were you in that process? Do you read eBooks or is it paper all the
way?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">RR: Yes
absolutely, I enjoy various book formats, including E-books, audiobooks and
paperback. It was especially important for me to make my books accessible to
all readers. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank">“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”</a> is available as a Kindle here: <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">Ruyi: Which of your book is your favorite?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">RR: The
book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank"><i>“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”</i></a> is a culmination of 12 years of family
research. I was able to find a lot of supporting and personal documents, but there
are still many questions that remain open.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">I’ve
done my best to honor my father’s wishes and pay respect to the hardships
endured by my great-grandmother Rosa Isopovichi and her niece (my grandmother’s
cousin), Friddie Stoleru.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">Ruyi: If any of your books were made into a
movie, who would you have as the leading actor.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">RR: Interesting
question. I recently watched (once again) the movie: "Woman in Gold"
based on a true story. I believe that the excellent relation between the two
wonderful actors: Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds creates something magical on
the screen.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">Ruyi: Do you think self-publishing is the future
of book publishing?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times;">RR: Yes,
it allows writers to express their unique voice and literary works in various
ways and encourages diversity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also
exposes readers to a wider range of literature and cultural aspects that might
not have been available to readers within the traditional publishing
industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
place does writing or content creation hold in your life? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: Writing is part of the air I breathe.
Over the years, despite the daily hardships, I never stopped creating and
writing. Today I feel that writing is an essential part of my daily life and I
wish I had more time to focus only on writing.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1cBCqtVdc7LvAu-9Fuj7SlR4IlpZrUjZwSauJGDOFs6gSW5XHdcYKfOysSNh9G15OrKEdqnsNiaxgaJqSRugtNBXiPeqFJuMpNufQrTovSYQlrkZFh2wEbh2ckj0yJLSeXH7FBUg_oJQ_adcROBVl2s1vouKjWVv8QRbcwVq4GIB4pFyZmgD6QXZ/s500/roni%2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Roni Rosenthal" border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1cBCqtVdc7LvAu-9Fuj7SlR4IlpZrUjZwSauJGDOFs6gSW5XHdcYKfOysSNh9G15OrKEdqnsNiaxgaJqSRugtNBXiPeqFJuMpNufQrTovSYQlrkZFh2wEbh2ckj0yJLSeXH7FBUg_oJQ_adcROBVl2s1vouKjWVv8QRbcwVq4GIB4pFyZmgD6QXZ/w320-h200/roni%2023.jpg" title="102 Hebrew Online For You: 102 Fun activities for teaching Hebrew online" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
is your writing process or a typical writing day routine? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: The best hours for me to sit and write
are at night. Often, I set the alarm to 4am or just write after midnight until
the early morning hours. These are the quiet hours. When everything is calm, I
allow myself to connect with my feelings and thoughts and give my whole to the
world of writing and creation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
marketing techniques have been most effective for you? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: I wish I had a good advice to share with
other writers. I believe in word of mouth when it comes to book recommendation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
do you think makes a book or content sell? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: I personally enjoy reading books based on
true stories. When I wrote this book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank">“Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”</a> I let
reality and real events dictate the book. I remember having a sort of argument
with my editor who suggested changing the ending of one of the events. My
answer was, but it happened like that in reality. I can't revive the woman and
give the event a happy ending, if reality outlined the end in a certain way.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">I believe that sometimes reality is
greater than imagination.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7Pxe7GYl7ei5Mp3Jrg6jNFo5rRUetwiiyiOkMVyUmfxFUl64Pb2OI73NZWluMQlnwmkHNhlfhZwTKN136d7Z0cM1lus15MtOEq6Y8YAKGYz0VXwTq3dTVCNK7eFjhcYJMhxh22Zb6YabzMBdTJnjqZ_2vRSESTynN8PVfYm5R-oOhkeltXhfA9d5/s600/Roni666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Roni Rosenthal" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7Pxe7GYl7ei5Mp3Jrg6jNFo5rRUetwiiyiOkMVyUmfxFUl64Pb2OI73NZWluMQlnwmkHNhlfhZwTKN136d7Z0cM1lus15MtOEq6Y8YAKGYz0VXwTq3dTVCNK7eFjhcYJMhxh22Zb6YabzMBdTJnjqZ_2vRSESTynN8PVfYm5R-oOhkeltXhfA9d5/w160-h200/Roni666.jpg" title="Author of Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again: Friddie’s story" width="160" /></a></span></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
is the most moving or affecting thing a reader has said to you? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: Times, "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: red;">RR: </span></span><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Readers really liked the book and that
moved me. I was told that my book is a “page-turner”. I was told by some
readers that they had tears in their eyes while reading Fridie’s story. That
the story reminded them of their lost family members, and a reader who said
that she wished my book would never end.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">I have tears in my eyes thinking about
those readers, their families and so many lost lives. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
are your favorite books, and why? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: I enjoy memoirs and historical-fictions.
I mostly read stories based on real life experience.</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: Who
are your favorite authors and what do you like the most about them? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: With intention and foreknowledge, I
decided years ago not to choose one favorite author. (The same goes for my
music taste). I have many authors whose writing I enjoy. I prefer to keep all
options open and read a wide variety of different writers and literary works.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: Tell
us about the works that you are currently working on and their progress. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: I was asked to translate the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BC5LF1KQ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_YNWHSDBDWSJ4XJD4J5R3" target="_blank">“Wherethe Lilacs Bloom Once Again”</a> into Hebrew and I am working to accomplish this
task day and night. It is important for me to publish the book in other
languages as well. It is important for me that the book and my family's
memories resonate in different parts of the world. It is important that we
learn from history. It is important that we hear the silenced voices. It is
important to know, it is important to learn from history and most importantly -
to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbGJTsdm8NEwppxC7pYJxZyym4VarUvzRqdGWX4xCAyXXiWKF50S8nKlQGrtyJYn-jqjdJRd7cdj9GSoJOCodI3wFdyQYO39zSSf40rE-YqnUwX5GbjawzxyAqrjPKKkOcnZ0cXkzoyWc32AV8VUjpFu23ukpnWpS2Rf1Ef4e96oXcmrGZrdMVkOh/s499/romi.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Roni Rosenthal" border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbGJTsdm8NEwppxC7pYJxZyym4VarUvzRqdGWX4xCAyXXiWKF50S8nKlQGrtyJYn-jqjdJRd7cdj9GSoJOCodI3wFdyQYO39zSSf40rE-YqnUwX5GbjawzxyAqrjPKKkOcnZ0cXkzoyWc32AV8VUjpFu23ukpnWpS2Rf1Ef4e96oXcmrGZrdMVkOh/w130-h200/romi.jpg" title="where the lilacs bloom once again" width="130" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
challenges do you think are faced by writers, content creators like you, and
what is the worst thing about the industry according to you? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR:The downside of the system is that there
is a huge variety of books that are printed every year but receive very little
attention. These are the books that I, as a reader, prefer to read. I will
choose to devote my already limited time to reading the books that do not have
a well-oiled machine of advertising relations and money behind them. I prefer
the books published by writers who are just starting out, local or anonymous
writers. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: What
message do you want to share with budding writers and content creators? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #980000; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">RR: Keep writing. Your words touch and can
move mountains. Even by reaching the heart of one reader, consider it as your
true success.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;">Ruyi: Where
can readers find you on social media?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FriddieStoleru">Facebook </a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://twitter.com/RoniRosenthal">Twitter</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18093655.Roni_Rosenthal" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roni-rosenthal/" target="_blank">Linkedin</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Times; mso-highlight: white;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-15765433684016892072022-11-19T07:49:00.006-08:002022-11-19T10:48:07.863-08:00Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again: Friddie’s story by Roni Rosenthal <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK0gNd2pNbdVPhLjbqh9jjSMLEqSpUe2gaeVmHvYDlJWxv9VjWXx9uDRHficiy5pEN8hfujKAbsZOm11BVr85-v9Ka-ZkM3a5vfhPXSSQzOZ5X7ELrCCHPG3TUAu97XsuJUPBTWAY20JG-ei2W528jvsIIDgxKdkAT9Knei5Cul6PuuDCorIiFoyk/s499/romi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again: Friddie’s story" border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK0gNd2pNbdVPhLjbqh9jjSMLEqSpUe2gaeVmHvYDlJWxv9VjWXx9uDRHficiy5pEN8hfujKAbsZOm11BVr85-v9Ka-ZkM3a5vfhPXSSQzOZ5X7ELrCCHPG3TUAu97XsuJUPBTWAY20JG-ei2W528jvsIIDgxKdkAT9Knei5Cul6PuuDCorIiFoyk/w260-h400/romi.jpg" title="Roni (Aharona) Rosenthal" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Friddie, 18, is an ordinary yet rebellious young Jewish
woman, living in Bucharest in the 1930s. Born and raised in Romania’s capital,
she dreams of living as a “free Romanian woman.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">
After calling off her wedding to a young, parentally-approved accountant, she
escapes to a city on the coast, where she meets a scientist-perfumer named Freddy.
He is the true love she has been looking for—and a ticket to her dream.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
Soon, though, that dream turns into a nightmare she never could have predicted.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
Friddie’s story of incredible hardship is interwoven with the stories of her
family. We follow her Aunt Rosa’s life as the glue of her household, even
though she loses her husband in mysterious circumstances; her Uncle David, who
dreams of becoming a schoolteacher and starting a family in Iași, and her
cousins, who uproot their lives in Bucharest to start again in Israel.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
In this tragic-heroic novel, the true stories, the victims, and the small
moments of happiness are revealed in the Danube’s labor camps, under the
fascist-dictatorial and communist rule that has been a part of Romania for so
many years.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
Based on the true experiences of a Jewish Romanian family, </span><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">unearths stories that could so easily be lost to the passage
of time. This family’s tale has emerged at a critical time, to show the need
for compassion and kindness, even in the hardest moments.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><i><b>About the author</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ViyDrQJ_733C3q6otfUwA0myMmnKfIa3w8mYdTnTgO2r2ETv-8DtV4GjQgclKEZM1qkAjWhIuTkX7-8q53IlLeoJDdattwA13w7SyqPBF8qaMb7bQi3tIVcRwwreIQihEEx4bGe_KmK3CS2gJmooUTEu2XDWyXqIV3IFLE4ybilrIO7sXyceEBrH/s600/roni.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ViyDrQJ_733C3q6otfUwA0myMmnKfIa3w8mYdTnTgO2r2ETv-8DtV4GjQgclKEZM1qkAjWhIuTkX7-8q53IlLeoJDdattwA13w7SyqPBF8qaMb7bQi3tIVcRwwreIQihEEx4bGe_KmK3CS2gJmooUTEu2XDWyXqIV3IFLE4ybilrIO7sXyceEBrH/w200-h200/roni.jpg" title="Roni (Aharona) Rosenthal" width="200" /></a></div><br />Roni Rosenthal, PhD, is the Director of Judaic
Studies and a Hebrew Literature Professor at the University of Maryland.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Born and raised in Israel, she is named
after her grandfather Aharon, who passed away eight months before her birth.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Roni believes in communication and
empowerment. She believes in giving a voice to those who were unfortunate.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">She believes that stories carry greater
messages for all of us. "We must give voice to and tell the stories of</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">those who have been silenced. We must
tell, explore, and reveal the truth. No more hiding. No more living in fear.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Although “we are not required to
complete the work,” we must take the first steps to start it."</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Roni is a frequent speaker at workshops,
universities, and schools.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Roni is also the innovator of the
Brain-Empowered with Creativity model. She is known for challenging and
motivating people in becoming creative thinkers. Her goal is to promote
original thinking worldwide.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Where-Lilacs-Bloom-Once-Again/dp/0979280087/" target="_blank"><b>BUY NOW</b></a></span></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>To follow Roni:</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoniRosenthal" target="_blank">Facebook</a></span></span></p>
<span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/roni-rosenthal" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></span></span><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New books to read:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p></span></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-50917947485639634422022-11-19T07:18:00.001-08:002022-11-19T07:21:18.440-08:00South Side Alchemy by J.M Sawyer<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8HVomLLfHfFNyUsJSCkw8k6fP_QC2oqqSWMTTvIcLHugDzhG0tYSP6saFFpFSg7k7BeoyJsUe795K2jE9xatjDc3I8wtgvg3krphTrRDv4eoBOBaO4c6yBNzDWpi_ddl2iQiRn6eckvM9vZyAFbCzeaSO1DooHh0Nq10zlqeb6HhE3uCj-iFL9xW/s499/sawyer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="J M sawyer" border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8HVomLLfHfFNyUsJSCkw8k6fP_QC2oqqSWMTTvIcLHugDzhG0tYSP6saFFpFSg7k7BeoyJsUe795K2jE9xatjDc3I8wtgvg3krphTrRDv4eoBOBaO4c6yBNzDWpi_ddl2iQiRn6eckvM9vZyAFbCzeaSO1DooHh0Nq10zlqeb6HhE3uCj-iFL9xW/w260-h400/sawyer.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">Jordan
Peele’s </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Get Out</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> meets Ray Bradbury’s </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Something Wicked This Way Comes</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />
Henry Lewis needed a temporary escape from his life. His job, home, and family
have become the shackles that bind him in the prison of his mind. He longs to
be free of it. . . for at least a little while. When Henry learns the circus
has arrived in his Bronzeville neighborhood, he sneaks away in the night,
hoping to find a brief escape from his troubles. With a world of distractions
all around him, he finally feels free. But the circus paints a bright facade
over a dark past, and the freer he feels the more bound he becomes. He needs to
break away. But before he can save his future, he’ll have to discover the
sinister truth about his past. The stakes are high, and time is running out.</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7kwOb7ZVmQd0LmG_Ip8tkeOVpfz79_qt3ZJDo3J5scTUylbrbwN5KNzm4r0QkE5m8v_q03_YxiNR1_0TroJ3C966508SMJc2IHbFcppqlIPcdCaU_QdeShP6uwGadFJchIaHXgsRsZa5vUob_Wm162YbqyZexNH_EVezyqzkWVquNuJcSGaePmGV/s315/sawyer22.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7kwOb7ZVmQd0LmG_Ip8tkeOVpfz79_qt3ZJDo3J5scTUylbrbwN5KNzm4r0QkE5m8v_q03_YxiNR1_0TroJ3C966508SMJc2IHbFcppqlIPcdCaU_QdeShP6uwGadFJchIaHXgsRsZa5vUob_Wm162YbqyZexNH_EVezyqzkWVquNuJcSGaePmGV/w200-h200/sawyer22.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">J. M. Sawyer is an author of adult suspense and horror
novels. He received his B.A., summa cum laude, in Political Science from Seton
Hall University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Formerly
a criminal defense attorney, his road to publication was anything but
conventional. It was during trial preparation that he learned his true calling
was that of a storyteller and his true talent was plotting complex,
multi-layered narratives that will keep readers turning pages until the very
end. Those are the stories that shaped his love of books, so those are the
stories he endeavors to tell. A New Jersey native, he now lives in Michigan
with his wife, Nora, and his two sons, Jesse and Alexander.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/South-Side-Alchemy-J-Sawyer/dp/B0BHFXZX6Q" target="_blank"><b>BUY NOW</b></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 36px;"><o:p><b>Related stories</b></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><br /></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-16061211716792948482022-11-19T06:15:00.001-08:002022-11-19T07:19:33.842-08:00Discover Yourself: Understand Who You Are, What You Do Well, and What You Are Passionate About by Scott Schwefel<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyV8Z76LiCdk40hYYq5qFXHoLX2nfi9sWFSGNo0ghqDofSq3P_1GATn0mW6cvaDLpxPUoz17T7jC9pgXjB_jl1PV9fmJS3_1rvjqnsvI3CiwzjJcg2aW8Zp4TcVcCfKmIROKG6kUW665vOkIthKITsT14C__0iwWo5tlbGnnHwodQDCnOehm_qAd0/s1094/discover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="684" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsyV8Z76LiCdk40hYYq5qFXHoLX2nfi9sWFSGNo0ghqDofSq3P_1GATn0mW6cvaDLpxPUoz17T7jC9pgXjB_jl1PV9fmJS3_1rvjqnsvI3CiwzjJcg2aW8Zp4TcVcCfKmIROKG6kUW665vOkIthKITsT14C__0iwWo5tlbGnnHwodQDCnOehm_qAd0/w250-h400/discover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;">Highly successful people think differently.
They own certain habits and rituals that set them apart</span></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> from others. They know
themselves, they operate every day with purpose...and you can be one of</span></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> them.
Successful entrepreneur, author, and global presenter Scott Schwefel, whose Ted
Talk has</span></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111; line-height: 150%;"> been viewed by more than two million people, now shares these secrets
of success with you in </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Discover Yourself</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">. Schwefel has taught these principles to over
3000 CEOs and has spoken to more than 1000 audiences across the globe in
London, Paris, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Kuwait, and Beijing. He has even lived with
the Haadza and Maasai tribes in Tanzania, adding to his global perspective.</span></span></h1><h1 style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #0f1111; line-height: 150%;">Do you want to live a consistent,
purpose-driven life? Discover ways to tap into your creative brilliance?
Discover your unique personality type to live up to your full potential?
Discover your own path to personal success? Then </span><span class="a-text-italic"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Discover Yourself</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is for you!</span></span></h1><div><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Discover-Yourself-Understand-Passionate-About/dp/B08VF21SSP/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=discover+yourself&qid=1667850462&sr=8-5" target="_blank">BUY NOW</a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 36px;"><o:p><b>Related stories</b></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-76105664831776552152022-11-19T05:40:00.007-08:002022-11-19T05:52:09.826-08:00NEW RELEASE: First Assignment by Mary Synder<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqg7MjSLA-RUW9Tg92ofJfx0RSDlvhBMrGqmB3ors1Ega8ErweV39SqBeTImizL6r5Jgs4iuUHUdRuGhe7XCyZYiN5nOWlRRKNZEER_iIicIWpYPUwbN1KU6-4ZP88JelXQeeA-g1kOxA3VUfBvXFisWRupxXUuNRIYCGdxKSDw3R5X1w1xEhwI_Q/s746/cover.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="544" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqg7MjSLA-RUW9Tg92ofJfx0RSDlvhBMrGqmB3ors1Ega8ErweV39SqBeTImizL6r5Jgs4iuUHUdRuGhe7XCyZYiN5nOWlRRKNZEER_iIicIWpYPUwbN1KU6-4ZP88JelXQeeA-g1kOxA3VUfBvXFisWRupxXUuNRIYCGdxKSDw3R5X1w1xEhwI_Q/s320/cover.png" width="233" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mary synder| First Assignment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; line-height: 150%;">CIA analyst Alex Everett wasn't expecting to uncover the
compelling facts he stumbled upon during a </span><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">covert assignment</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">. But he quickly learned that his superiors weren't expecting it
either-they had assigned Alex to lead the investigation into the triple murder
because he had little field experience. And they counted on that inexperience
to keep him from uncovering what really happened. </span><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">With his CIA bosses' access to the most sophisticated
technology in the world, Alex attempts to hide his discoveries from them. </span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">He struggles to fit the pieces together-a tortured Marine in
the Middle East, an egotistical conservative U.S. president, a senator with a
dirty little secret, enormous amounts of laundered money, and the CIA stalking
one of their most experienced agents. The more Alex uncovers, the more certain
he is who is ultimately responsible, but </span><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">clear incriminating evidence is elusive</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">. </span><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">The twists and turns in this espionage and politically liberal thriller
will keep you guessing until the surprising, final twist.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span class="a-text-bold"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Assignment-Mary-Snyder/dp/B0BBY79RL3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Meet the author<o:p></o:p></a></span></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTWLSOBlphLvhK11e4PS9aed3IgitFqyDsEJsWSzfmdcpyfFjxBifUT1IWaKRpm-IiPFzhWPnZaTbq7uba1aHZCXfyDF89_4mJvYhx6iKLks_VUikpfhgIlbut1RONJGErJKNXE7HUQin7CYDOpxicDzspLLMpPWsYgocwz0Q14RFmpI65rTdcGwK/s601/mary.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="mary synder" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="601" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTWLSOBlphLvhK11e4PS9aed3IgitFqyDsEJsWSzfmdcpyfFjxBifUT1IWaKRpm-IiPFzhWPnZaTbq7uba1aHZCXfyDF89_4mJvYhx6iKLks_VUikpfhgIlbut1RONJGErJKNXE7HUQin7CYDOpxicDzspLLMpPWsYgocwz0Q14RFmpI65rTdcGwK/w200-h199/mary.jpg" title="first assignment" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;">My English teacher in high school was Mrs.
Ellingson. She once commented how my class had "some good writers". I
was not necessarily one of them at the time, but I enjoyed writing! Actually, I
went on to become a nurse and worked in psychiatry and later home health and
hospice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;">During
my nursing career, I always spent time writing. Most of my writing was poetry.
My favorite genres were murder mysteries and espionage thrillers. And, after
going through a painful divorce, I decided to write a murder mystery
myself--the story of an unhappy wife who got away with murdering her slothful
husband who had a credit card addiction. He got the couple in deep financial
trouble and frightening events followed. Yes, it was about my marriage,
although I didn't murder my husband! I never finished that book, but the pages
and pages I did write proved to be both therapeutic and educational related to
writing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;">Years
later, I began my recently-published novel, First Assignment. Between my love of
espionage thrillers and how deeply troubled I was becoming over the lack of
integrity demonstrated by many conservative politicians, I decided to combine
the two elements in my book. Then January 6, 2021 happened and my anger piqued
as well as my writing pace. I finally finished the book in July, 2022 and
self-published it later that month.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 10.5pt; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;">I
have often thought about Mrs. Ellingson and wonder what she would think if she
was still living and read my book. I hope she would give me an "A".
Thanks for the outstanding educational experience you gave me, Mrs. Ellingson!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;">Personally,
I remarried 30+ years ago to a wonderful man and we have two amazing adult
daughters. I retired from nursing four years ago and now spend much of my time
writing--except when I am oil painting, watching baseball, or giving our dogs
and cats attention!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Assignment-Mary-Snyder/dp/B0BBY79RL3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">BUY NOW</a></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Assignment-Mary-Snyder/dp/B0BBY79RL3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"> </a></b></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><b>Related stories</b></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-60380443021137169532022-11-13T21:13:00.002-08:002022-11-13T21:13:37.974-08:00🚨 RONALDO BOMB! “I feel betrayed, Man Utd tried to force me OUT”<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/30rN-I4pW5Y" frameborder="0"></iframe>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8977084041213267613.post-68992355978742854242022-11-13T00:57:00.004-08:002022-11-19T10:52:19.541-08:00So sad Adetutu Adedotun chose the wrong way to die by Omoruyi Uwuigiaren<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoIJxw-EbxAy0Kr17XEXRVPHlfuty2-p7hirsE43E_eIh-xcgcckhf6TTwYvGauV8Zg9usxmhN2olMtnnjAk9I_UJkMl8SLMHbQZFLVvF48R8m8ABv2d-gfya0yAwlmsIJi-1DB1pG7u9zWUvp1CAKBsVKwjw8zPbbjmm7QQPHBvX3B7s_4DA5ZHN/s650/Adetutu-Adedokun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="650" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYoIJxw-EbxAy0Kr17XEXRVPHlfuty2-p7hirsE43E_eIh-xcgcckhf6TTwYvGauV8Zg9usxmhN2olMtnnjAk9I_UJkMl8SLMHbQZFLVvF48R8m8ABv2d-gfya0yAwlmsIJi-1DB1pG7u9zWUvp1CAKBsVKwjw8zPbbjmm7QQPHBvX3B7s_4DA5ZHN/s320/Adetutu-Adedokun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><h1 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: left;">Smart people don't die for love. </span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: left;">After
considerable sacrifice, </span></h1><h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 16pt; text-align: left;">if things do not improve, they move on.</span></h1><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p></o:p></span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Love and relationship that works</span></b></h3><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When </span>Tupac Shakur<span style="font-weight: normal;"> released his popular track, <i>“Unconditional Love”,</i> I guess he didn't envisage that a time will
come when humanity will need to look at issues from a comprehensive perspective.
Ditch the old conventional way, set new rules and play the cards from a
significantly higher table for balance and precision. Love is memorable and
refreshing. But it carries its own responsibility. Sometimes, it steals your
time, money and resources. You are expected to give. That is one major reason
why you are in any relationship. No one person can make any association to flourish.
It takes two or more people to be on the same page. When people have given so
much to any relationship that is when they tend to become apprehensive. They don’t
want their sacrificed to go down the drain. They want to see results. They want
to see significant improvement in the behavior of their partner. If they don’t
succeed, they start dying. That is why you should always give yourself attention.
If the relationship is taking its toll on you, give yourself a break. See a
psychologist. Get the necessary help to bounce back. The weight you bear while
loving someone could sink a ship! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">Build your relationship around ethics</h3><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;">At any rate, you don't place affection at the center of everything. It
is dangerous to build any relationship around it. Because people change and you
cannot completely control how they will react to you all the time, you must
prepare and build boundaries. Work on yourself. Be psychologically balanced to
face uncertainties. Love and relationship are areas in our lives that require
constant sacrifice even in the face of uncertainties. You cannot rule out
giving. You cannot reject commitment and expect things to stay the same. Correlation
is broad. You can hardly put a figure on what individuals bring to the table. The
persons that once loved you could turn their back on you. So you need to know
when to draw the line. Set the boundaries. Know when to pull the plug. You should
easily sense danger. That is why you should always consider your well-being
first. Put your interest at the heart of everything. If need be, place your concern
on the negotiation table. Let everyone see what you want, what your goals are and
what you stand for.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b>There is no such thing as unconditional love<br /></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;">Your mental health is your life. We live
and succeed by certain rules we follow. This high level of organization is what
is needed to keep you afloat. In your darkest hour, you should remember that your
body functions properly when you feed it with the right meal. To maintain great
body this condition, you must keep an eye on a strict diet. If you don’t do
this you are going to have health challenges. Meaning the key to survival is to
lead a healthy lifestyle. So there is no such thing as unconditional love. It’s
a weak perception to carry yourself about thinking your loved ones cannot hurt
you. People who have this mindset are easily dazed. In most cases, they take
rash decision because they are in a hurry to get out of a problem. Not minding
the outcome of their choice. Adetutu
Adedotun plunged herself into the Lagos
Lagoon because she allowed her emotion to get the better of her. She forgot
that by taking her life, she was going to hurt thousands of people that
believed in her. Sadly, the people will heal and move on. But she can never
reclaim her place in this beautiful earth again. We may not let her go in our
hearts for as long as we want. Can we say the same of her that she will not let
us go in her heart? Nobody is worth dying for. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b>Don’t be stuck in one place</b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;">If your partner is making too many
demands and brings little or nothing to the table, there is no way that will
change when you decide to marry. In most cases, such people tend to wear you
out. You should know you are possibly going to be stuck with that attitude for
as long as you can bear. If the relationship is not working at the moment, it
is likely going to be problematic in the future. Be open to new things. Don't
be stuck with a person that offers nothing. That is liability that will leave
you vulnerable. You are possibly going to foot all the bills and shoulder all
the responsibilities. This is not good enough. There must be something he or
she is giving in exchange for your time and resources. You can never find
complete happiness when you are everything to everybody. It will drain you. In the
long run affect your mental health.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b>Self-esteem is for everyone</b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;">The lady that plunged herself into
the lagoon didn't deserve to die. She was leading people but could not lead
herself. She must have dropped so low to fit into a system. And when you do
that, you are looking for trouble. She was the one that needed affection. Probably,
she wasn’t getting enough from her partner. She wanted all the attention. It was
her right. As a woman of substance, she
should ordinarily get whatever she wants. But in the real world, it is hardly
so. Not everything is written in gold. At some point, you will need to create
your own happiness. It may never come cheap. You take it by force. You are
permitted to create your own world if everyone is against you. I don’t know
how much she contributed to the relationship. In most cases, you cannot get
everything you hope in one partner. So she should have lowered her expectations.
At her level, an instructor with the DSS, she was supposed to be everything you
need in a decent woman. Sadly, she lacked the most important of them all—self-esteem.
She didn't love herself enough. She didn’t place herself above everything. She
never had shock absorber. When people focus on what is not necessary, they
easily miss the big picture. She was supposed to be the center of the universe.
She didn't believe in who she was. She didn't see herself as a top performer.
She saw herself as someone without hope and aspiration. She was defeated. At heart,
she was fragile. She was too weak to carry her future on her shoulders. The
lady was struggling. She was being devoured from the inside. She was vague and
didn't know her true worth.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><b>In order to live above the waters, you must develop thick
skin</b></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Basic education does not end in the classroom.
Government should borrow idea from the street to further develop the national
curriculum to solve the problem of having graduates who don’t understand that
life is no bed of roses. On the street, people are forged from furnace and are
made to taste life at its finest. Some billionaires went through this school
where they are exposed to many things that leave them tough and ready for the
real world. Parents should endeavor to educate their children about the street.
Let them know that academic qualification alone is not a guarantee for success.
Young people should build themselves to withstand shock and unpleasant
situations. In order to live above the waters, you must develop thick skin. In
real life, you will sometimes be tested beyond your limit.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p>
<h4 style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><b>About the author</b></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgJhrWST4FYzqH6I-dCwzqq0Tq8yQBdFL_qNbeSH9WFE_ygwU0z7VQNr38TT500LAN7O4GVr89NAExmPLpBAmAqFLizuPyjJc76jCe_5H__75u9ERqKtUs3c7F-p9z0K7cBGDgETgc2wx3kAxJQlMr9aNPgs6H6_U2U9fqyQQsNkmKcH8T7vej0Y_/s1200/IMG_20200101_093111.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="727" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwgJhrWST4FYzqH6I-dCwzqq0Tq8yQBdFL_qNbeSH9WFE_ygwU0z7VQNr38TT500LAN7O4GVr89NAExmPLpBAmAqFLizuPyjJc76jCe_5H__75u9ERqKtUs3c7F-p9z0K7cBGDgETgc2wx3kAxJQlMr9aNPgs6H6_U2U9fqyQQsNkmKcH8T7vej0Y_/s320/IMG_20200101_093111.JPG" width="194" /></a></div><br />Omoruyi
Uwuigiaren is a former cartoonist turned writer. When he was a kid, he loved
music and composed songs for his high school band. After school, he wanted to
pursue a career in music. Instead he embraced writing and studied Mass
Communications. His literary works and books have appeared in <i>Moronic
Ox Literary and Cultural Journal, Qwenu, Open Books, Urban News Express Online,
Academy of the Heart</i> <i>and Mind</i> and many more. He’s the editor
of <i>Ruyi’s
World of Books and Stories. <o:p></o:p></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%;"> </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">New books to read:</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><o:p><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-hope-raisers-by-nihar-suthar.html#" target="_blank">Hope Raisers</a></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: medium; line-height: 27px;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/great-book-for-holiday-rosen-by.html#" target="_blank">Rosen</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">Authors earn more </a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/authors-earn-more-when-you-buy-direct.html#" target="_blank">when you buy direct</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/fake-news-around-dinner-table-by-erin.html#" target="_blank">Fake news around the dinner table</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-review-beyond-father-gods-on-trial.html#" target="_blank">Beyond the father</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/new-release-first-assignment-by-mary.html#" target="_blank">First Assignment</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://omoruyiu.blogspot.com/2022/11/where-lilacs-bloom-once-again-friddies.html#" target="_blank">Where the Lilacs Bloom once again</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p></div></div></div></o:p></span></h2></div>Omoruyi Uwuigiarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128639258596249055noreply@blogger.com1