My Books For Your Reading Pleasure

My Books For Your Reading Pleasure
Proud Indie Author

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

REAWAKENING

About Reawakening:

Unlike many of their acquaintances they stayed in love and they stayed married for many years. Jim was now an old man, even by earth’s standards, when he suffered the fatal coronary. He left his young wife a childless widow. She mourned. She grieved. She never remarried. Jim was her only love. Linda grew old as her husband before her had grown old. She died a peaceful death.

And then it happened . . .

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Publisher's Review:

Every now and then a manuscript comes across my desk that completely captivates me. Austin has reached inside the human heart and removed all boundaries pertaining to everlasting love . . . and her ability to play with the English language successfully is astounding.

Austin’s Reawakening is a must-read. It will take you into a land not far from your heart and bring you back to earth again - believing that all things are possible with love and hope.

Maggie Kirton
Executive Director
Wynterblue Publishing



 
Cover Design:  Susan Ruby K.  http://yuneekpix.com  
 
Print copies available -- audrey@persona.ca
 
 
 
 

Monday, July 15, 2013

An Interview by CommuterLit.com - Does every story need a moral?

Does every story need a moral?

This week’s Q & A is with contributor Audrey Austin, who sticks to a one-book-per-year writing schedule. Today on CommuterLit we present Audrey’s story Weaving Alice.

CL: Many of your stories seem to include a protagonist who is helped by God or communicates with God. Is this reflective of your own personal belief system/faith? How is your faith reflected in your fiction?

AA: A religious person I am not, however I am a strong woman of faith. When I meet new characters in my short stories and novels they take on a life of their own. Often no one is more surprised than me to realize that a character’s comfort or challenge with religion is often a reflection of my own internal struggle. Fundamentalists of all religions cause the hairs on my back to stand on end. At an early age I felt discomfort in the Christian fundamentalist pew in which I was required to sit. Today I am grateful for this past woe because it set me on a path of learning and discovery, which has enhanced my life and I hope, in the process, my creative writing. I am reminded of Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance — the balance between hope and despair. To maintain this balance is a fine goal. The exploration of faith and religion through fictional creative writing is pleasurable, but always I keep in mind the advice of a dear friend who said to me, “Beware the one who says he knows.”

CL: What role does faith play for you in your writing process, and in the pursuit of your writing and publishing career?

AA: It was not until I retired from the working world that I began my writing career. Faith plays a major role in my pursuit of publishing success, the definition of which is ever changing in my mind. I cling, sometimes precariously, to faith in myself, faith in my writing proficiency accompanied by its own imperfection plus my faith in the wonderful readers whose encouragement and support keep me writing when sometimes fear — the opponent of faith — comes knocking on the door.

CL: Do you think all stories need a moral in them?

AA: When I begin to write a story in no time at all the character(s) take over and I feel as though I become the student; the observer; the typist who records all that they want to express. I’m not sure if all stories need a moral. I leave that decision to the characters because I swear each one has a mind of his own.

CL: What authors are you currently reading and why?

AA: To know and to understand people, to try to grasp the reasoning behind human behaviour is the carrot. Since early childhood it has never been enough for me to simply accept that this is what people do. Always I want to know why people do what they do. This desire to know is carried over into my writing but also into my reading. For this reason one of my favourite authors is Rohinton Mistry. I have read and re-read all his books. Poppie Nongena by Elsa Joubert offered a memorable journey and a more recent book I’ve read is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Today my short story titled Weaving Alice is featured on http://CommuterLit.com  

Friday, July 12, 2013

Talking about REAWAKENING .....

The title of my second novel is REAWAKENING.   This is a love story -- a love between a man and a woman who are torn apart more than once.  Why?  Simply because of the difference in their ages.  It is a difference that proves to be too much and brings an end to their marriage on earth and one that allows no greater success in the land of Notsew where all of life is renewed.

REAWAKENING was my dear sister Muriel's favourite of my many stories.   It is to her loving memory that this book is dedicated.   Muriel's love for life was also cut short too soon on this planet and she is greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

The first print run sold out in January of 2011. 

Today I still have some print copies left of its second print run.

In addition it is available as an E-book on http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin

At the time of this blog posting REAWAKENING  had received only two reviews on amazon.com: one is very positive, a five star review while the other is a three star review.

No book can be loved and appreciated by every reader.  I know I don't like every book I read either.   All reviews are welcome but, of course, every author prays and hopes for positive reviews.  I am no exception to that rule.

With regard to this book let me share with you one review by Maggie Lacroix (now Kirton) who is the Executive Director of Wynterblue Publishing Canada.

She writes, "Every now and then a manuscript comes across my desk that completely captivates me.  Austin has reached inside the human heart and removed all boundaries pertaining to everlasting love ... and her ability to play with the English language successfully is astounding.

Austin's Reawakening is a must read.  It will take you into a land not far from your heart and bring you back to earth again believing that all things are possible with love and hope."


The print copy of my second novel is 195 pages long.   To order your autographed copy please email me at  audrey@persona.ca  The book is $15 plus $4 for mailing.

The E-book is also available at the link posted above and the Amazon price is $2.99.

I have written two more novels since the publication of REAWAKENING.   Just as a mother loves all her children equally, that is the way I feel about my books.  They are out there in the world on their own.  I hope they will be respected and cared about.  You see each of my books is an important part of me and I hope an important part of your life too when you sit back and make yourself comfortable to read. 

The cover design for REAWAKENING  is a beautiful creation by local artist and illustrator, Susan Ruby K.  of http://yuneekpix.com 

I will end this blog post with a short excerpt from my second novel.

"I have missed you, Jim," he received. Her message was clear. "I have been missing you for a very long time. You have always been in my thoughts."

"But how can this be?"  Although he was hesitant to ask the question he knew he had no choice.  The question must be asked and as he enquired he was hoping against hope that no one, other than Linda, was picking up his thought transmission.

The language of thought knows no boundaries."   (Chapter 8, page 66)

To order your print copy I am just an email away.  audrey@persona.ca

If your preference is an E-book the link again is http://www.amazon.com/author/audreyaustin