Introducing Nadežda Rajčan

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Last week, I met Nadežda Rajčan at a writing workshop. I offered to share her book, Contemporary Fairy Tales and Stories for all Ages, with all of you.

Here is the book which was envisioned in the heart and soul of our author, Dr Nadežda Rajčan, a long time before it was published. This book was created in a special part of her heart, as if with silk threads, and it now has its own myth and permanent dimension. The stories within this book needed to be told and as they came forth, they offered the listeners and readers a beautiful and imaginative revived world.

Contemporary Fairy Tales and Stories for all Ages is a collection of stories that allow the reader, or listener, to visualize the connection between the things which can be, or cannot be connected, in such a harmonious fashion. What I was especially impressed with, was the way Dr Nadežda Rajčan brought things, such as toys, computers and flowers to life. In this way, she succeeded in making everything interesting, and everybody around herself a goodhearted person.

As well, the professionally designed illustrations, and the carefully selected photographs, compliment the stories, thereby allowing children to develop their imagination. Dr Nadežda Rajčan wrote these modern fairy tales, which are full of wonders and positive emotions, as a spiritual gift to her grandchildren.

By dividing the stories into six chapters, according to certain topics, the writer leads the readers from her corner of former Yugoslavia, where she grew up, not only to many countries and continents, but also beyond – to other planets and the outer reaches of the universe. Therefore, before you start to read these fairy tales and stories, I would like to suggest that you…

Buckle your seat belts because we are taking off on a grand journey!

This review was written by Radovan Vlahović, a writer at the Banat Cultural Center in Serbia.

Contest Time

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

 

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Last evening, I attended the  Humorous and Table Topics Speech Contests for Toastmaster Areas 62 and 66 (Guelph, Ontario).

New Life Church, with its large altar and colorful autumn displays,  provided the perfect backdrop for the contestants. We were all able to relax in the comfortable seats and listen to nine prepared speeches and seven impromptu talks.

Congratulations to the winners: Steve Noonan (Humorous Contest–Area 62), Blake Kurisko (Humorous Contest–Area 66), Rosalind Scantlebury (Table Topics–Area 62), Danve Castroverde (Table Topics–Area 66)

Movie Review: The Chaperone

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Having supervised many high school dances and activities, I could easily empathize with Cora Carlisle as she tried to restrain the wild and rebellious fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks. But Cora faced an even greater challenge: she agreed to chaperone Louise for an entire month in New York City.

The two women could not be more different. While Cora’s childhood was tumultuous, she married well and led a comfortable life in Wichita, Kansas. An early “lady driver” and suffragette, she still espoused traditional values and dressed modestly, wearing high collars and constricting corsets. On the other hand, Louise defied convention by dressing provocatively and flirting with every man she met.

Often frustrated by her charge, Cora quickly realized she would have little, if any, impact on the younger woman. But that did not stop her from exploring her own orphan roots. Born in New York City at the turn of the century, Cora was placed in an orphanage run by nuns. As one of the healthier charges, she was sent off on trains throughout the Midwest. She was “part of an exodus, a mass migration that spanned over seventy years.”

While those five weeks did not change Louise, Cora underwent a major transformation and discovered new possibilities for her life. Upon her return to Wichita, she made dramatic changes to her domestic arrangement and became more involved with the social issues of her day: homosexuality, KKK, contraception, unwed mothers, Prohibition.

Author Laura Moriarty has skillfully combined fact and fiction to produce a compelling novel about two very different women in search of freedom and fulfillment.

Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and women’s literature.

The Next Big Thing

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

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Author Jenny Herrera tagged me in her The Next Big Thing post. The idea comes from She Writes and is meant to help female authors promote their WIPs (Works in Progress). As per the rules, what follows are my answers to ten interview questions about my WIP. At the end, I’ll tag five other writers to carry the banner.

What is the working title of your book?

A Season for Killing Blondes

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Eight years ago, I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer. While receiving my treatments, I started reading murder mysteries. I must have read at least two a week for the entire ten months.  I started to think about writing a murder mystery based in my hometown of Sudbury, Ontario. I considered the following scenario: What if a 50something woman wins a nineteen million dollar lottery and returns to her hometown. While reinventing herself as a career counselor for boomers,  the woman encounters a number of obstacles, among them four dead blondes neatly arranged in dumpsters near her favorite haunts.

What genre does your book fall under?

It’s a cozy.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Since most of the characters are boomers, I would prefer to use actors in that particular age group. Lorraine Bracco would make a great Gilda Greco, the protagonist of the novel. For her love interest, I would go with Pierce Brosnan.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

It is a season for killing blondes and a brunette lottery winner never has an alibi when dead bodies turn up in dumpsters near her favorite haunts.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I would prefer the traditional route but am open to all options.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I started the novel eight years ago and took almost a year to finish it. This past January, I revisited the manuscript and rewrote it in first person. I added another sub-plot and more characters.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Cozies written by Denise Swanson (Murder of a Small Town Honey, Murder of a Sleeping Beauty, Murder of a Smart Cookie) and Mary Jane Maffini (Organize Your Corpses, The Cluttered Corpse, Death has a Messy Desk).

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

As I was going through my own difficult season, I started thinking about other people’s rough patches. I combined that with my new interest in reading murder mysteries and came up with a plot for A Season for Killing Blondes.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Not too many cozies are based in Northern Ontario. Also, the combination of fiftysomething Italian women, their mothers, their men, food and four dead blondes is an interesting one. I have included eight dessert recipes.

Now, it’s my turn to tag some follow authors:

Cindy Carroll | Linda Johnston | Jordanna East | Beth Verde | Patricia Anderson

Oprah and Deepak Chopra

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Yesterday on Super Soul Sunday, Oprah went soul to soul with one of the greatest thought leaders of our time: Deepak Chopra. Together, they addressed some of life’s biggest questions and provided us with excellent advice on how to improve the quality of our lives.

A prolific writer, Deepak has penned nineteen best sellers and sold over twenty million books worldwide. It was interesting to learn that he wrote The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success on a plane ride from Singapore to Melbourne. He commented that readers struggle most with the Law of Least Effort. They have difficulty realizing that when they are rested and full of love and compassion, things will synchronistically fall in place.

Deepak’s greatest desire is to see a peaceful, just, sustainable and happier world—something that can only be accomplished if there is more love and compassion. But he is optimistic and believes that we are seeing acceleration in that direction.

When speaking with children, he encourages them to look in the mirror and repeat the following short, but powerful, statements: I am beneath no one. I am fearless. I am immune to criticism. He encourages all parents to follow that example and help build up their children’s self esteem.

I was most impressed by his comment—“I never react anymore.” While he did not handle criticism very well in his younger years, he is now able to watch himself and not get angry. In fact, he has not argued with any member of his family during the last thirty years. A glowing testimonial to forty years of daily meditation!

He hopes his legacy will be that of “a passing breeze, a pattern of behavior in the universe that came and is now gone but the fragrance lingers.”

So many wonderful quotations…

When you recognize the impermanence of your body, you enter the present moment.

You can change your biological age if you change your perception.

People don’t grow old. When they stop growing, they become old.

The best way to prepare for the future is to be totally present now.

Now is the moment that never ends.

Life is a field of infinite possibilities and an opportunity to evolve in the direction of truth, goodness, beauty and harmony.

My greatest teacher is my own inner silence.

God is the evolutionary impulse of the universe.

We are the consciousness that makes the universe manifest.

Affirmation: Everyday and in every way, I am increasing my mental and physical capacity.

Secret to a happy life: Recognize that no matter what the situation, there is a creative opportunity in it.

Starting November 5, Deepak Chopra will offer a 21-day meditation challenge. It is free and open to everyone–worldwide.

The Art of Storytelling

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Last evening, I enjoyed listening to seasoned storytellers from the Guelph Guild of Storytellers. The ninety minutes flew by as Sya Van Geest, Brian Holstein, Maryann Bailey, and visiting storyteller, Donna McCaw shared original, traditional and personal stories with us. I was impressed by the complexity and simplicity of the stories and took note of the different styles of telling.

Brian likes to start his stories with “Once upon a time” and offers twists on traditional favourites. Last night, the classic Three Little  Pigs became Three Little Wolves with the pig as the bully. He is not a fan of “happily ever after” and often changes the expected endings.

I love watching Sya’s expressive face as she describes the setting and characters in her stories. This seasoned teller likes to borrow stories from African and Aboriginal folklore. Sya also delivered a short, informative PowerPoint session on “Finding Your Story.”

When I listen to Maryann, I know there will be a universal lesson in her stories. Last night, she entertained us with a “devil” story.

Donna shared two short stories: a personal one and a variation of the big bad wolf tale. The retired teacher and author impressed all of us with her poise and soft-spoken delivery.

I now know why the guild has been described as “one of Guelph’s best kept secrets.”

A few details…

The Guelph Guild of Storytellers meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Main Branch of the Guelph Public Library.

Hope to see you there.

Book Review: This Beautiful Life

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

While the theme of This Beautiful Life is a timely one, the narrative dragged and disappointed many of the members in my book club.

The storyline follows the Bergamot family as they deal with a scandal that threatens their sense of security and identity.

Fifteen-year old Jake attends an unchaperoned party with his new friends in an affluent district of New York City. He briefly makes out with Daisy Cavanaugh, the twelve-year old hostess, but rejects her offer of sex. The next morning, Jake wakes up and finds an email in his inbox. Daisy has made and sent him a sexually explicit video. Flattered and confused, Jake forwards the email to a friend, who then forwards it to another friend. Within hours, the video has gone viral.

As Liz and Richard—Jake’s parents—react to the video, they reveal the cracks in their relationship. Art historian Liz resents giving up a teaching position so that Richard could move up in academia. The once busy and fulfilled mother now spends her days overseeing the life of her children. She is unhinged by the scandal and feels like a “modern-day Hester Prynne” as she moves through the world of the Manhattan upper classes. Richard, on the other hand, is consumed by his executive role in a large New York university and reluctantly handles “this thing with his kid.”

Many of us felt that the adults made poor choices as they tried to help their son navigate this brave, new world where privacy and shame are so easily compromised. We would also have liked more chapters devoted to Daisy. While she is described as “rich, spoiled and deprived,” we are not introduced to her parents and see very little of her after the original incident. So many questions come to mind: If she was that upset, why was she giving out autographs at school? Did she get counseling? How did her parents react?

I found the ending scenes rushed and crammed with ten years of future happenings. Author Helen Schulman could have left some of these details to our imagination.

Book Review: Gone Girl

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I have always wondered what would happen if two narcissists married each other. Would one narcissist dominate and succeed in out-manipulating the other? Could the relationship survive the common marital concerns about money, in-laws and parenthood?

In Gone Girl, Amy and Nick Dunne’s marriage collapsed long before their fifth wedding anniversary.  After falling madly in love, these two beautiful, dysfunctional people watched each other’s dark sides emerge as they suffered through job loss, financial difficulties and relocation to a small Missouri town.

On the morning of their anniversary, Amy disappears and Nick indulges in an endless series of lies, deceits and inappropriate behavior leading the police, townspeople and media to suspect him of wrongdoing. More chinks in his armor emerge as he follows the anniversary treasure hunt laid out by his wife before she disappeared.

The book alternates between Nick’s story and Amy’s diary, leaving the reader uncertain who, if anyone, to trust. Can we believe the town’s golden boy who disarms and charms with his smile? Is Amy, the alpha-girl perfectionist, really a victim?

Best-selling author Gillian Flynn leads us through a twisted, disturbing and sometimes horrifying path with this well-plotted thriller. While the ending is totally unexpected and somewhat anticlimactic, this book is irresistible.

Movie Review: Trouble with the Curve

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I was motivated primarily by curiosity.

A long-time fan of Clint Eastwood, I looked forward to seeing the octogenarian perform in a film he had not directed. And after his antics at the Republican convention, I also wanted to restore my faith in his acting abilities.

While I was not enthralled with Eastwood’s portrayal of Gus Lobel, an aging baseball scout who is losing his sight, I did enjoy this plodding but pleasant film. Justin Timberlake lit up the screen with his good looks and charm as he played the part of Johnny, a former pitcher who now scouts for the Boston Red Sox. But the real star of the film is Amy Adams, who plays Mickey, Lobel’s workaholic daughter.

After Lobel’s boss (John Goodman) learns that the Atlanta Braves want to get rid of the cantankerous old man, he calls Mickey and asks her to spend a few days helping Gus out in North Carolina. Father and daughter have their issues: Gus refuses to talk about the past while Mickey still resents him for leaving her with relatives after her mother’s death. In the romantic subplot, Johnny and Mickey spar with each other.

Safe…easy-going…predictable….I agree with the critics.