Wordy Wednesday - Liberal

Last night my coworker (and friend) drove us home from the ferry. Somehow, and I can't recall exactly, we ended up on the subject of religion. It's a well known piece of advice to avoid the subjects of politics and religion when indulging in conversation, but I say to hell with this. If you avoid these powerhouse conversational subjects, how will you ever know if you truly like the people you're keeping time with? Think about it. Almost all moral views and ideologies fall under one or both of these categories.

I want to know if the people I call friends don't agree with gay marriage or think climate change is a myth. Not just because it will allow me insight into who they are as people, but I will understand why our friendship is ultimately doomed. But today is Wordy Wednesday, so why I am I telling you all this? Well, you know how I love my tie ins ...

The word: Liberal

For what doesn't seem like a very exciting or interesting word it sure can whip someone into a frenzy and cause problems. There are those who sneer at the mere mention of someone being liberal, like it's a very bad, dirty thing. All I can assume is the definition has actually gotten lost in the twisted world of politics.

My coworker and I are liberal. As we talked, we exchanged ideas. We discussed. I talked about my thoughts on every single person and animal being interconnected and read her a short story I stumbled across on the intersnacks called The Universe Is Our Egg. She told me about her interest in Buddhism, how she finds religions interesting, and actually enjoys listening to people talk about their faith. We agreed faith is a good thing. A great thing. How it seems to be an essential component of existing in this world, which can be so daunting and cruel, so callous and cold.

There was talk of what we find disconcerting about religion. All the judgement. How people push their beliefs on others. The close-mindedness and unwillingness to accept others' thoughts and opinions. Following religious practices without asking questions. Not being able to listen to what another person has to say.

To be liberal is to accept differing opinions and ways of behaving. To be sympathetic. Compassionate. To try to understand others. You don't have to agree with what others think and feel, you don't have to embrace their morals or beliefs, but you are receptive to what they have to say. Being liberal is having your own thoughts and ideas but still accepting other people have theirs too. If you ask me, the world could use a whole lot more tolerance.

So, I believe we are one and that it is only with love that we should move. What do you believe?

Busy Bee

Honestly, there aren't enough hours in the day.

On top of work being crazy hectic, I feel overwhelmed with the pile of writing clogging the bar at the bottom of my screen. No, really. Here, I took a picture:

Granted, one of those is a file I am editing for someone else, and there are two of Seeking Eleanor because I am rewriting it. I know she is my first book, but I can't let her go. I left her in a drawer for a long time, but now I feel disconnected enough to rip her apart, axe the terrible stuff and keep the good. It might be wishful thinking.

Still, I am part of this Pankhearst Review site, and I have 14 books to review in my inbox. My box is full and needs to be emptied. I'm sure someone, somewhere, probably down in Texas, will find something dirty about that. And there, in the background, not showing anywhere, is the other story I need to write.

When did I ever find time to tweet or frequent book review sites.

And it's strange, because the busier I am, the less I feel I am doing.

There may or may not be too much on my plate.

I'll let you know in a couple days if I've drowned in virtual files.

Cars & Girls

For some strange and inexplicable reason, I haven't announced the release of Cars & Girls here.

This raging romp of a read is highly important to me because I have a short in it. The novel was released by Pankhearst, an independent collective, and features four nearly novella length stories all centring around revenge and badass women.

Word on the street is it's all about femme noir. And is incredibly sexy and violent.

Because I also write a few things for the Pankhearst blog, located here, I sometimes forget my friends, followers and fans in this realm need to be kept in the loop. So, first thing first...

If you want to follow an awesome, and I do mean awesome, blog and get a butt load of fantastic information, sign up and follow the Pankhearst blog.

Second, if you are interested in buying Cars & Girls, you can find it on Amazon, or you can click this link. It's available in Kindle and paperback. Choose whichever pleases you.

And last, if you want to try to snag yourself a FREE copy of Cars & Girls, then you should invest your time and energy into the very first ever Thisisnotagiveaway Contest Pankhearst is holding over on their blog. It starts Sunday night at 12:01am. Basically, you write a crime/noir themed Haiku. Details can be seen here.

Oh, and if you want to hear my voice talk about this book, I am featured on For Books' Sake's podcast. CLICK HERE.

Here I am holding the new book: