Would you like a pop quiz? Yes? Okay, here goes. What was the first social media platform and when was it started? Extra points if you didn’t google it. In case you couldn’t bother to look it up, the first social media site was SixDegrees.com, born in 1997.
Then we got Friendster (2002), My Space (2003), followed by the king of them all, Facebook. Other popular sites are Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, Pinterest and a host of others, all having their own set of rules and all keeping us glued to our devices whether we want to or not.
I must confess when I first heard about Facebook I was determined to ignore it as I had done MySpace, but once I began writing professionally, I saw the value of Facebook to help me get the word out about my work. Then I discovered I could establish connections with like-minded individuals, friends and relatives from every corner of the globe and get to know people I would otherwise never meet. Social media is a wonderful tool.
But like everything else, it can be misused. We have heard in recent times about the accounts of prominent officials— not just here in America, but other parts of the world— being suspended. Some see this as an infringement on their freedom of speech; others see it as a necessary means of curtailing activities that can be harmful to individuals or the general public.
As with any freedom we enjoy, speech should be used responsibly. I don’t like it when people send me messages I didn’t invite them to or consider inappropriate, as happened recently. I was able to delete the message but could not block the sender and I didn’t have the time to contact Facebook there and then.
That’s just a small example of the way social media can be abused. I have seen other hate-filled responses directed at someone simply because they did not agree with the post. Social media should not be a battlefield but a place to establish worthwhile connections, exchange ideas and learn from each. So on this social media day, will you contact a friend and tell them you’re thinking of them and you appreciate having them as your friend?
Having said all of that, will you share this post with a friend and follow me on the platforms listed below? Thank you!
Another Father’s Day has come around, and with it there will be family gatherings, now that the pandemic is almost behind us, and men will be unwrapping the ties and socks and smiling broadly as if it’s the first time they received one. Steaks will be grilling, drinks will be pouring, and laughter will be roaring. And that’s the way it should be.
After all, where would we be without fathers? We wouldn’t exist, right? So, let’s show our fathers some real love. Let that man know how much he means to you. When I watch paternity shows on TV and I see young men and women cry because they grew up without a father, my heart breaks for them.
But for many boys and girls who would have grown up fatherless, some loving and caring men stepped in and adopted those children so they wouldn’t have to grow up not knowing the love of a father. I always think of my adoptive cousin who has nothing but praise for my aunt and her husband who adopted her. My cousin says she received all the love and support as any biological child would.
In In the Promised Land, book 3 of my Egypt trilogy, Detective David Bowen and his wife Cicely adopted Marva the protagonist and her sister June, orphans, after Marva had been involved in a serious accident. The excerpt below is part of a scene where Marva reflects on what David had done for her and June.
Marva’s gaze returned to the picture of David in his khaki uniform, shirt bedecked with medals. The cap partly concealed his eyes, but the neatly-trimmed mustache, firm, chiseled mouth and cleft chin testified to his good looks.
What a history they had together. She could almost hear him saying, “Now, Sister, how many poor girls did you send trembling to the corner today?”
She would always laugh and say, “They’re not afraid of me as I was of you.” Then they would laugh together.
But it was true. There was a time when the sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine, as she wondered how long it would be before he threw the noose around her neck and hauled her off to jail. When she finally confessed to the murder of her father in her suicide note, David had been instrumental in having her committed to Corpus Christi instead of being sent to prison. And later, he and Cicely had adopted June and unofficially adopted her. And now he was in the hospital. How badly he’d been hurt they would have to wait until the morning to find out.
Marva stared at his picture again. They don’t come any better than David Bowen. I love you, Dad.
Book 3
To learn more about Marva and June and how they came to be adopted into a family, why not get the Egypt series now at the discounted price of $5.97?
You may be wondering what the headline above has to do with books and writing—which is the focus of this website. Actually, it has a lot to do with one of my books, In the Wilderness, book 2 of the Egypt trilogy.
But before I tell you the connection between In the Wilderness and PTSD, let me explain a little about what PTSD is. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) “is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. During this kind of event, you may not have any control over what’s happening, and you may feel very afraid. Anyone who has gone through something like this can develop PTSD.”
The report goes on to say that “PTSD is also more common after certain types of trauma, like combat and sexual assault.” If you have read Coming Out of Egypt, the first book in the series, you would know that Marva, the protagonist, and her sister June both experienced sexual abuse. The psychological effects of this abuse carried over into the characters’ lives in the second book, however Marva’s were more intense. When you read the book you will see why.
Without giving away too much of the story, I will tell you that Marva exhibited some of the related problems mentioned in the VA article: anger, depression, traumatic brain injury, suicide, avoidance, mistrust, and a lot more.
As a therapist who worked in behavioral health, I observed first hand the symptoms of PTSD in some of my patients. I can tell you that my heart went out to them, and with the rest of the team, I did my best to help them return to living a normal life — one without fear and mistrust and all the other symptoms they were experiencing. Many of them left the hospital feeling much better.
If you or someone you know suffers from PTSD, I’m here to tell you there is hope. There are many treatment options available; all you have to do is to recognize you need help, then speak to your doctor who will refer you to the right place. Surround yourself with people who are supportive. They may not always understand what you are going through, but that’s okay. Talking to others about your experience and reading books like In the Wilderness will also help.
Bear in mind that In the Wilderness is not a treatment book. It is fiction that is based on the life of the main character who suffered from PTSD; therefore, all of the content is not the mirror image of what PTSD is. I have layered scenes of romance, family matters, and the healing journey of faith against the backdrop of an exotic Caribbean setting for your information, entertainment, and inspiration.
If you would like to get a copy of this book, I encourage you to get it now while it is at the low discount price of 99c.
Angelica Delfino takes a special interest in the lives of her three nieces, whom she affectionately calls the daughters of her heart. Sensing that each woman is harboring a troubling, possibly even toxic secret, Angelica decides to share her secrets—secrets she had planned to take to the grave. Spellbound, the nieces listen as Angelica travels back six decades to reveal an incredulous tale of forbidden love, tragic loss, and reinvention. It is the classic immigrant story upended: an Italian widow’s transformative journey amid the most unlikely of circumstances.
Inspired by Angelica’s example, the younger women share their “First World” problems and, in the process, set themselves free.
But one heartbreaking secret remains untold…
***Free ebook of No More Secrets – thru June 10th***
Excerpt
Tupperware in all the pastel shades. Head-to-toe clothing and accessories in the same hues. Who does that? Bellastrega shook her head at the avalanche of plastic that accompanied Velia Russo into the kitchen. She was already on her third trip back from the car, puffing and panting as she placed her food gifts on the kitchen table. Bellastrega could feel her jaw clenching at the thought of all those white devils—heavy sauces and creams and pounds of sugar—contaminating the kitchen.
Velia held one finger. “One more trip,” and then she was gone.
Bellastrega turned her attention back to the hearty vegetable stew that had been simmering on the stove. She sighed contentedly as she breathed in the aroma of the rosemary and Italian seasonings. Angelica’s favorite. As she glanced at the appetizing array of vegetables, she mentally calculated how long it would take to finish cooking. Everything was on schedule, and dinner would be on the table at six o’clock. Why had Velia decided to arrive three hours early?
From the start, Bellastrega had her misgivings about this all-girls weekend. She had listened while Angelica lovingly described each niece and shared her concerns regarding their unhappy lives. At first, Bellastrega had humored her, not realizing Angelica was intending to help her nieces get back on track. Her duty as aunt, she had explained.
Bellastrega had formed her own judgments regarding the three younger women. Usually right on target, Bellastrega had been surprised when this particular incarnation of Velia Russo arrived, laden with her food gifts. From Angelica’s descriptions, Bellastrega had expected a younger version of her mother, Rosetta, a heavy-set hausfrau and gossip, not this glamour-puss who could pass for a younger Martha Stewart. But first impressions could be deceiving.
“Help. I need your help.” The whiny voice interrupted Bellastrega’s thoughts. Sighing, she lowered the heat and made her way to the living room.
Bellastrega resisted the urge to laugh as she took in the comical sight before her. To save herself another trip, Velia had decided to lug in a large Pullman using her left hand, carry a pastry box in her right hand, and use her teeth to hold on to her purse.
All this for a weekend get-together? What would she have packed for a longer trip? Bellastrega forced a smile as she took the pastry box from Velia.
About the Author
In 2008, Joanne Guidoccio took advantage of early retirement and launched a second act as a writer. Her articles and book reviews have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Joanne writes paranormal romances, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Today I am happy to announce that Love, lies, and Grace is coming to a blog near you via RABT Tours. I hope you enjoy this look into my newest novel and would share the news with your friends.
Christian Women’s Fiction
Date Published: 5/24/2021
Grace’s life is one most women will envy. She is married to a wealthy banker who is loving and passionate and showers her with expensive gifts, but there is only one catch: they live in different states. However, Grace’s faith in God, her two friends with whom she shares her home, and her pet Papillon fill the void while she and her husband are apart.
Grace’s friends, Pat and Milli, each has a heavy secret which they eventually reveal to Grace. Pat’s husband is dying in a nursing home, when she initially told Grace he was dead, and Milli, the health buff, who is trying to hide the fact that she has been diagnosed with cancer, is eventually forced to disclose it.
Without being judgmental, Grace cancels a vacation her husband had planned for her birthday in order to help her friends. Once the crises are over, she travels to New York to visit her husband and discovers that another woman is pregnant with his baby. As if this is not devastating enough, the woman makes a request that can change Grace’s life forever.
Reminiscent of the Golden Girls TV series, this provocative tale `shows how strangers can become friends, and friends can, literally, become family.
About the Author
Angela is the author of Love, Lies, and Grace; the Egypt series consisting of three books, and Women For All Seasons, a Christian non-fiction book. Angela’s work has also appeared in Chicken Soup For the Soul: Reboot Your Life, A Cup of Comfort For Mothers and Guidepost magazine.
Angela has a background in occupational therapy and also writes for online health publications. Angela is married, with four children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Angela loves reading, writing, travel to historical spots and cooking up award-winning dishes for her family.
