As you know, I write fiction by night. My day job is writing non-fiction and I'm known as the Fibro and Fabulous Lady (aka Kimberley Linstruth-Beckom). I'm an indie author through Lulu.com and found a lovely contest that Lulu is doing for Earth Day. I'm an avid gardener and anything that has to do with planting gets me excited! I hope all of you can either participate in this contest or help out an author who is. The details of the contest can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/Luludotcom/app_322805704439844
I'm participating with Fibro and Fabulous The Book and it's being offered at 40% off. A link to the book can be found here:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/kimberley-linstruth-beckom/fibro-and-fabulous-the-book/paperback/product-6285933.html
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
It Pays to be Persistent!
Persistence, I guess is the key to formatting ebooks. I wasn't happy with the layout of my latest book. It's an anthology and poetry never seems to come out right. It's even worse when you can't get the headings right because they are rejected by your publisher. But I kept trying this time out of determination to have the book excepted-- and it paid off! You can now purchase The Fast Still Life at the iBook store! Yay! Nook is soon to follow and I will keep you updated on the release. You can also find it here:
http://www.lulu.com/shop/amanda-kimberley/the-fast-still-life/ebook/product-20034247.html
http://www.lulu.com/shop/amanda-kimberley/the-fast-still-life/ebook/product-20034247.html
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Smashwords, Paypal, and Censorship...OH MY!
When I think of censorship I think of the days of Tipper Gore. Her thoughts on parental stickers were good-- don't get me wrong. I'm a mother and I appreciate a heads up on what's contained in the music, video games, and TV shows that my children ask me to listen, play, and watch, but her censorship didn't stop there. She started to ban books from schools. She was a very upstanding Christan woman and I can understand her thought process, but let me explain why this can be hurtful and dangerous.
Some of you may remember a few of the titles that were banned, but for those who don't-- let me enlighten you. One of the first book victims was Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because the book depicted racism-- something that is appalling, yes, but was in deed a fact during the days that Mark Twain wrote. I believe Mark Twain is one our world's most brilliantly gifted writers. He had a beautiful heart that came through in his writing and if he were alive today he would probably find a way to rewrite the book, however, even if he tried, why would we let him? That book is a part of our culture and a part of history whether we like it or not. People can learn from that piece of history-- even today because it's about a little ignorant, uncaring boy who turns into a knowledgeable, compassionate man once he learns the hardships of slavery. To me that speaks volumes and is quite Christan to its core.
Victim number two on the chopping block was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, another great classic. This one was banned because Snow White was living with seven men. Look, perhaps I'm a little innocent moralistically speaking, but the story is about dwarfs-- NOT men. So now you know. I'm completely innocent I don't think dirty thoughts when it comes to anything Disney and I most certainly don't think ill thoughts about Bert and Ernie either. This is kid's stuff people! Let's keep it there and not ruin the wonderfully fond memories of childhood with dark, negative adult crap!
Book number three I found a little comical or rather ironic I should say since it was Fahrenheit 451. In case you don't know, that book is about book burning. It was banned because there was foul language in it. Okay, perhaps the language was a little foul, but we read it in high school when we were 16 and we were told to look past the foul language and appreciate the literature. Why do I find the banning of this comical? Well, it's simple. The government was the one burning the books. Granted they did it for "good" reasons. They wanted a Utopian society, one free from crime, a wonderful want but they went about it in the wrong way. They wanted people to watch TV and consume "happy pills" to get them to "think" their way instead of allowing them to have the freedom to search for knowledge and develop their own thoughts. Tipper, I love ya dear, but when you banned this one it just proved to me that you didn't get the book.
Smashwords recently sent me an email about Paypal, along with major banks, wanting to censorship certain books due to content. While I applaud their efforts on moral thinking because I'm not a fan of brutality to humans or animals either, I wonder like Smashwords, how far this may go. It's one thing to make certain topics off limits due to morals, but it's something completely different when we make those off limit terms loosely without thought.
I would never harm an animal. It's not in my nature. I love each and everyone of them. I've even had problems with killing flies-- no joke. So I can see bestiality being a problem. The thought is DISGUSTING-- it really is. HOWEVER, Smashwords has a valid point when they bring up the issue of paranormal. And this is something I need to pay attention to because I'm writing about things that could be censored. In fact EVERY writer out there could be.
Let me give you an example. Everyone loves the Twilight series and there are a lot of Jacob fans out there-- me included (though I rooted for Edward too-- call me crazy). But what if Stephanie Mayer wasn't allowed to write the series because Jacob, a werewolf, was involved with Bella, a human. Does it sound crazy? I don't think so. Werewolves-- at least in Twilight and other movies, TV series, and books like it portray a wolf as an adorable animal. Let's face it-- people love wolves. They are fascinated with them. And how can you even think about harming an adorable animal? Granted Jacob is fictitious. He doesn't exist in our world. But in his world he's a beautiful animal. This could be considered-- dare I say-- a bad thing when it comes to censorship. I have to stray from the harsh terms because I can't say it. I just can't make this dirty like some people. It just makes my experiences with falling in love cheap.
Why can't I say it? Why don't I want my experiences made cheap? Because Twilight, like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Fahrenheit 451 touched me and I can't see any of these works as evil or filthy. I have a heart and I have morals. I'm also intelligent and I think for myself.
It's sad that people want to censorship because it takes away our free will as a human. Without getting completely religious on you, God granted us free will. I'm torn spiritually like everyone else when it comes to censorship because-- let's face it-- we all have limits when it comes to negativity, evil, and just plain crap. But who are we to judge? If we ban a book like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what are we telling our kids? It sounded good at the time to let you see it but now not so much?
Maybe I was hurt because I lost my childhood that year. The year that Tipper banned something because she wanted to make it dirty and the year I lost Jim Henson, another dear man who made many great childhood memories for me. Perhaps I am bitter.
I don't know if I have an answer for all of this. I love America and its beautiful thoughts on the right to freedom and the separation of Church and State. Yet, I worship God and I try to be a good Christian and profess my faith. I go to Church and I even teach religion to the little ones. So I'm torn with censorship. But I'm also no special spiritual guru, nor am I Mother Theresa. I have no right to instill anything on anyone. Yet, I am human and I have feelings. And I don't want those feelings cheapened by someone who thinks dirty about childhood stories.
The thing is I think censorship is good when it comes to the person or parent. If you personally can't watch something, turn it off. If you don't think your kids can understand it, get them away from it. If they wind up seeing something innocently-- do what parents do best and have a discussion about it. That's the beauty of censorship and I don't believe any establishment has a right to force anyone to believe what they do. Period.
Some of you may remember a few of the titles that were banned, but for those who don't-- let me enlighten you. One of the first book victims was Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because the book depicted racism-- something that is appalling, yes, but was in deed a fact during the days that Mark Twain wrote. I believe Mark Twain is one our world's most brilliantly gifted writers. He had a beautiful heart that came through in his writing and if he were alive today he would probably find a way to rewrite the book, however, even if he tried, why would we let him? That book is a part of our culture and a part of history whether we like it or not. People can learn from that piece of history-- even today because it's about a little ignorant, uncaring boy who turns into a knowledgeable, compassionate man once he learns the hardships of slavery. To me that speaks volumes and is quite Christan to its core.
Victim number two on the chopping block was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, another great classic. This one was banned because Snow White was living with seven men. Look, perhaps I'm a little innocent moralistically speaking, but the story is about dwarfs-- NOT men. So now you know. I'm completely innocent I don't think dirty thoughts when it comes to anything Disney and I most certainly don't think ill thoughts about Bert and Ernie either. This is kid's stuff people! Let's keep it there and not ruin the wonderfully fond memories of childhood with dark, negative adult crap!
Book number three I found a little comical or rather ironic I should say since it was Fahrenheit 451. In case you don't know, that book is about book burning. It was banned because there was foul language in it. Okay, perhaps the language was a little foul, but we read it in high school when we were 16 and we were told to look past the foul language and appreciate the literature. Why do I find the banning of this comical? Well, it's simple. The government was the one burning the books. Granted they did it for "good" reasons. They wanted a Utopian society, one free from crime, a wonderful want but they went about it in the wrong way. They wanted people to watch TV and consume "happy pills" to get them to "think" their way instead of allowing them to have the freedom to search for knowledge and develop their own thoughts. Tipper, I love ya dear, but when you banned this one it just proved to me that you didn't get the book.
Smashwords recently sent me an email about Paypal, along with major banks, wanting to censorship certain books due to content. While I applaud their efforts on moral thinking because I'm not a fan of brutality to humans or animals either, I wonder like Smashwords, how far this may go. It's one thing to make certain topics off limits due to morals, but it's something completely different when we make those off limit terms loosely without thought.
I would never harm an animal. It's not in my nature. I love each and everyone of them. I've even had problems with killing flies-- no joke. So I can see bestiality being a problem. The thought is DISGUSTING-- it really is. HOWEVER, Smashwords has a valid point when they bring up the issue of paranormal. And this is something I need to pay attention to because I'm writing about things that could be censored. In fact EVERY writer out there could be.
Let me give you an example. Everyone loves the Twilight series and there are a lot of Jacob fans out there-- me included (though I rooted for Edward too-- call me crazy). But what if Stephanie Mayer wasn't allowed to write the series because Jacob, a werewolf, was involved with Bella, a human. Does it sound crazy? I don't think so. Werewolves-- at least in Twilight and other movies, TV series, and books like it portray a wolf as an adorable animal. Let's face it-- people love wolves. They are fascinated with them. And how can you even think about harming an adorable animal? Granted Jacob is fictitious. He doesn't exist in our world. But in his world he's a beautiful animal. This could be considered-- dare I say-- a bad thing when it comes to censorship. I have to stray from the harsh terms because I can't say it. I just can't make this dirty like some people. It just makes my experiences with falling in love cheap.
Why can't I say it? Why don't I want my experiences made cheap? Because Twilight, like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Fahrenheit 451 touched me and I can't see any of these works as evil or filthy. I have a heart and I have morals. I'm also intelligent and I think for myself.
It's sad that people want to censorship because it takes away our free will as a human. Without getting completely religious on you, God granted us free will. I'm torn spiritually like everyone else when it comes to censorship because-- let's face it-- we all have limits when it comes to negativity, evil, and just plain crap. But who are we to judge? If we ban a book like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what are we telling our kids? It sounded good at the time to let you see it but now not so much?
Maybe I was hurt because I lost my childhood that year. The year that Tipper banned something because she wanted to make it dirty and the year I lost Jim Henson, another dear man who made many great childhood memories for me. Perhaps I am bitter.
I don't know if I have an answer for all of this. I love America and its beautiful thoughts on the right to freedom and the separation of Church and State. Yet, I worship God and I try to be a good Christian and profess my faith. I go to Church and I even teach religion to the little ones. So I'm torn with censorship. But I'm also no special spiritual guru, nor am I Mother Theresa. I have no right to instill anything on anyone. Yet, I am human and I have feelings. And I don't want those feelings cheapened by someone who thinks dirty about childhood stories.
The thing is I think censorship is good when it comes to the person or parent. If you personally can't watch something, turn it off. If you don't think your kids can understand it, get them away from it. If they wind up seeing something innocently-- do what parents do best and have a discussion about it. That's the beauty of censorship and I don't believe any establishment has a right to force anyone to believe what they do. Period.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Fibromyalgia Bloggers’ Best Tips for the Disease | Lifescript.com
Check out this article on Lifescript.com that features yours truly!
Fibromyalgia Bloggers’ Best Tips for the Disease | Lifescript.com
Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,
Kimberley
Fibromyalgia Bloggers’ Best Tips for the Disease | Lifescript.com
Stay fabulous!
Love and friendship,
Kimberley
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Taken from Backtrax
This is an excerpt from a novel I've been writing. The excerpt is from Helium.com. The novel is called Backtrax.
I always tried to figure out why people were a certain way. Why they don't like certain things or why they act a particular way. David was always an organized, conservative person and I never questioned it. I assumed my boyfriend just grew up that way and that was that. He always planned our dates a few days in advance- something an organized guy does. And I later found out that his father is the same way. So , that's where he got his traits from. He one day asked me why I didn't like him being affectionate in front of other people. I always assumed that I didn't like it because I was conservative. I thought showing affection should be done privately- not publicly. It just advertised that you're a couple and I didn't like drawing attention to myself in that way. That sounded like a real good argument, one that worked, one that fit my lifestyle. Then a thought hit me, maybe that's not the reason. The thought hit me after David told me about Dillion's girlfriend, Tara. Apparently she didn't like affection of any kind. I understood that because of her situation. She was abused by another man. So it made sense. She's not comfortable trusting herself or men. Either way, the fact remains, she doesn't like to be touched. So the thought hit me... Am I like her? I always worry about what others think of me. I'm always careful of the men I date and I always correct someone when they wrongfully think that I am seeing someone other than David. But could it really be that? Did he have such a great effect on my life that I am the way I am today? Did he abuse me so much that I can't trust my own feelings or any others? Especially men? Was I so naive at age eleven that I allowed someone to hurt me? No. It can't be. I'm not like that. I'm conservative and I don't make mistakes. I wouldn't let someone touch me like that. I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't allow that kind of behavior.
The Backtrax bar room was at it's usual 9:30 pm sound level. Hearing yourself think was always hard, but could be achieved till the band went on. The corner seat always seems to look like there's an impression in the brownish vinyl cushion, warn out from the amount of time I spend on it, waiting for my fiance', David and my friends, Dillion and Tara. We picked this place as a random choice one night and we just kept coming back every weekend there after. I think we come here out of habit more so than anything else. The clientele and the bar scream of a flash back from the eighties with big hair, spandex, and the occasional song choice, "You Give Love A Bad Name" from Bon Jovi, the king of hair bands. My hair, even back then, never seemed to reach the death defying heights that the occasional thirty- somethings would show off as if Cosmo was coming out with this trend as the latest fad.
"What will ya have hun? The usual?" said a voice in front of me, disrupting my thoughts for the moment. It was the blond bartender on duty tonight. She always looked as perfect as the drinks she made. Never a hair out of place on her head or a slice of lime in a drink served by her. I don't think a pimple has ever dared to show up on her 22 year- old face.
tag, deadlines and rushed writing to put the paper to bed tonight. The story about coffee houses worked, but the interview with the band, Jade Tree, would have to go into the morning addition.
"So are the margaritas good here or what?" said a male voice coming from my right.
"Oh yes, they're good." I managed to get out, startled by the interruption.
"Is there anything else that would entice one's thirst? Because I see something else that looks good." the voice said while the eyes behind those baby blues shifted down with each word uttered and then came to rest around the third button of my blouse.
Here we go again, I thought. The mating season has started and I wasn't even a third of the way finished with my drink. The alcohol always seemed to make the ritual of man vs. woman more bearable, but this time I had wished I had sharper claws to fend off this tacky line of attack. I had to come up with something good to make him leave- and fast. But what? The lines from the voices every night were growing worse and lacking creativity and luster with each passing moment, like the oldie but ever so memorable "What's your sign?" of the seventies. They were becoming as cleche' as the big hair. But the voices that lingered around like bad cologne were probably the worst. They never seemed to be able to take a subtle hint and my patience with that was growing thin.
"Any drink from here will quench one's thirst." I coyly said while thrusting out my chest as a trophy to win. I wasn't going to make him leave without a playful tug at the hook first. The sting from the tug should make him squirm away from the bait all night if I did this right.
"Enticement of one's thirst, however, is another story."
"And what might quench that thirst?" the voice said as if it were rehearsed for opening night.
"I would be satisfied with anything except you." the hook, line, and sinker was now visible to the voice along with a nod, smile, and a shift in position of my seat. The voice took the mac truck of all hints well and proceeded to look for his next prey of the night.
I always tried to figure out why people were a certain way. Why they don't like certain things or why they act a particular way. David was always an organized, conservative person and I never questioned it. I assumed my boyfriend just grew up that way and that was that. He always planned our dates a few days in advance- something an organized guy does. And I later found out that his father is the same way. So , that's where he got his traits from. He one day asked me why I didn't like him being affectionate in front of other people. I always assumed that I didn't like it because I was conservative. I thought showing affection should be done privately- not publicly. It just advertised that you're a couple and I didn't like drawing attention to myself in that way. That sounded like a real good argument, one that worked, one that fit my lifestyle. Then a thought hit me, maybe that's not the reason. The thought hit me after David told me about Dillion's girlfriend, Tara. Apparently she didn't like affection of any kind. I understood that because of her situation. She was abused by another man. So it made sense. She's not comfortable trusting herself or men. Either way, the fact remains, she doesn't like to be touched. So the thought hit me... Am I like her? I always worry about what others think of me. I'm always careful of the men I date and I always correct someone when they wrongfully think that I am seeing someone other than David. But could it really be that? Did he have such a great effect on my life that I am the way I am today? Did he abuse me so much that I can't trust my own feelings or any others? Especially men? Was I so naive at age eleven that I allowed someone to hurt me? No. It can't be. I'm not like that. I'm conservative and I don't make mistakes. I wouldn't let someone touch me like that. I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't allow that kind of behavior.
The Backtrax bar room was at it's usual 9:30 pm sound level. Hearing yourself think was always hard, but could be achieved till the band went on. The corner seat always seems to look like there's an impression in the brownish vinyl cushion, warn out from the amount of time I spend on it, waiting for my fiance', David and my friends, Dillion and Tara. We picked this place as a random choice one night and we just kept coming back every weekend there after. I think we come here out of habit more so than anything else. The clientele and the bar scream of a flash back from the eighties with big hair, spandex, and the occasional song choice, "You Give Love A Bad Name" from Bon Jovi, the king of hair bands. My hair, even back then, never seemed to reach the death defying heights that the occasional thirty- somethings would show off as if Cosmo was coming out with this trend as the latest fad.
"What will ya have hun? The usual?" said a voice in front of me, disrupting my thoughts for the moment. It was the blond bartender on duty tonight. She always looked as perfect as the drinks she made. Never a hair out of place on her head or a slice of lime in a drink served by her. I don't think a pimple has ever dared to show up on her 22 year- old face.
"Yeah hun, a margarita." I said while reaching for my neck with my tired hands. It was a long day of phone
"So are the margaritas good here or what?" said a male voice coming from my right.
"Oh yes, they're good." I managed to get out, startled by the interruption.
"Is there anything else that would entice one's thirst? Because I see something else that looks good." the voice said while the eyes behind those baby blues shifted down with each word uttered and then came to rest around the third button of my blouse.
Here we go again, I thought. The mating season has started and I wasn't even a third of the way finished with my drink. The alcohol always seemed to make the ritual of man vs. woman more bearable, but this time I had wished I had sharper claws to fend off this tacky line of attack. I had to come up with something good to make him leave- and fast. But what? The lines from the voices every night were growing worse and lacking creativity and luster with each passing moment, like the oldie but ever so memorable "What's your sign?" of the seventies. They were becoming as cleche' as the big hair. But the voices that lingered around like bad cologne were probably the worst. They never seemed to be able to take a subtle hint and my patience with that was growing thin.
"Any drink from here will quench one's thirst." I coyly said while thrusting out my chest as a trophy to win. I wasn't going to make him leave without a playful tug at the hook first. The sting from the tug should make him squirm away from the bait all night if I did this right.
"Enticement of one's thirst, however, is another story."
"And what might quench that thirst?" the voice said as if it were rehearsed for opening night.
"I would be satisfied with anything except you." the hook, line, and sinker was now visible to the voice along with a nod, smile, and a shift in position of my seat. The voice took the mac truck of all hints well and proceeded to look for his next prey of the night.
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