Saturday, December 8, 2012

New Book

If is a sequel to Born in Sarajevo series. More info at:

 http://www.amazon.com/If-Born-in-Sarajevo-ebook/dp/B00AK21Q3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354960862&sr=8-1&keywords=if+by+snjezana+marinkovic

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/262785

Monday, May 21, 2012

Review of Occasional Writers

I was always amazed by personal stories tell by people I have never met in my life, and no matter how my experience may differ from theirs, are able through its contents to make me feel close and connected. This is exactly what I got from reading this book. Occasional Writers show people from different walks of life, lawyers, teachers, homemakers, and others who carried different memories in their hearts while meeting at the same place, with the same goal—to bring the past forward. Based in Charleston, Illinois, the memoir group called Past/Forward wrote short stories, poems, words through which they preserved and shared their memories, and words through which a reader is reminded of many reasons why we laugh, why we cry, why we cherish some experience more than others, and why people come into and leave out our lives. We can read from a first date in the childhood to a marriage proposal, adored father, some beautiful moments from a grandmother’s life and many others. This book proves that behind every life is a story, and Occasional Writers might actually inspire others to write their own. It certainly inspired me, as one of the poems in the book goes: I wish, I wish, I wish, that I could write just one more poem. Past cannot be changed; we can only change its role in our lives. Every moment is destined to become past and many of us, just as people who wrote Occasional Writers, have those moments that we want always to remember. 

New Book! Coming Soon!


Saturday, March 10, 2012

Interview with Author Anne Petzer


Being always surrounded by all kinds of pets and working in many veterinary clinics didn’t help me to find definition that fits the cats. One thing I did learn was that they have their own way and there is no such bribe that could make them to meow and paw to something different.

It is my pleasure to host this Sunday author Anne Petzer on my blog and to let her share her knowledge about cats and how they inspired her to write.









     
    Anne is a South African currently living in 

   Prague.  She  lives with her two cats, Zvonek who 

   inspired the  series and Metaxa, a feisty young lady 

   who rules the household! She works as an English 

    teacher in a private language school in the city.
  





How your cats inspired you to write?

Cats, all cats, have always inspired me. I love their totally unaffected attitude towards life and how uncompromising they are. For example did you know: cats have evolved the least because they refused to change their diet and habits? Now am not sure how true this it but it just fits, doesn't it? The most precious observation I had recently was at the zoo in Prague. I was watching the tiger clean himself and realized the Zvonek and Metaxa use exactly the same method. Truly the cat was created so we can pat tigers :).

Your favorite book/author?

That is an interesting question because my favorite book isn't written by my favorite author. My favorite book of all time is My Traitor's Heart - it's written by Riaan Milan. He is the nephew of a former President in apartheid South Africa. He writes about a dark and confusing time in South Africa. Not all white South Africans were racists but many us grew up in families where we were exposed to it. One grew up with constant guilt. You felt guilty because did things that were expected of you or you felt guilty having non-white friends or not agreeing with the regime. He captures the  white story really well and it is also a time that I grew up in.
My fave author on the other hand is Ken Follett. I adore his books and have everyone of them between my home here in Prague and back home in South Africa. The first book of his I read was Code Zero and was immediately hooked.

If you were to write in a different genre, what it would be?

Hmmmm a different genre. I am not sure. Possibly some futuristic sci-fi. Or a medical thriller. But this would take loads of research on my part as it is completely out of my depth. who knows maybe in the future :). For now though I am happy with my cats. 
 
 Do you have current work in progress?

 As you know I am currently writing a series of short stories with the same characters - all cats - set in Prague. I have finished the first two book and currently working on the third one. I have also been making notes for a future novel but its a long way off.

Here are sneak peaks at some of Author Petzer's works:






Cat Among the Pigeons:
Life was great on the streets of Strašnice until Zvonek is accused of mercilessly killing pigeons and leaving their ripped bodies strewn all over the street. But it’s part of a cat’s nature you might say. FI operatives have a code to live by and someone is breaking it, leaving Zvonek to take the blame. 


Zvonek stretched out on the big comfortable bed with the thick soft duvet, and closed his eyes. Life was good again; at least for a few days; hopefully weeks, now that the mission was finished. He loved Strašnice, it had been his home for a year now and already he had so many good memories. Bad ones too, but they didn’t count when you had so much to be grateful for. Ahhh…with only one life gone, he could still enjoy himself.
The evening had ended on a good note, although it had not started that way. Zvonek had not called for back-up, leaving him and Honza in a very vulnerable position. Vladimir, his boss, known to them as V, was not happy with them. He felt Zvonek not only compromised the mission, but put their lives in unnecessary danger. However, the job had been done, he and Honza had escaped unscathed, and after a few days, V would see that.
So in true cat fashion, Zvonek stretched out and closed his eyes once more. Remembering all the good things, he slowly drifted off into a daydream of salmon truffles and low fat milk, served by pretty feline waitresses at a luxury resort paid for by Feline Intelligence (FI). This kitty agent was certainly due for some down time. He was, after all Zvonek 08.


Return of the Rats:
A local enemy re-surfaces in Strašnice. The on going struggle for dominance between cat and rat. The rats have the upper hand this time when they snatch one of FI dearest. Will the operatives be able to rescue their own? It’s a maze in the rodents’ tunnels under Prague, foreign territory for the the felines.
The Miracle of the Carp:
Christmas is dawning and preparations for cats and humans are under-way. Disaster strikes. The centre of the Czech Christmas dinner is in danger. Stray felines? Or is it more sinister? FI aims to find out to save the strays and Christmas.



Places where we can find Author Petzer's and her cats' latest achievements:   

 www.annehpetzer.cz

 http://annehpetzer.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zvonek-08-Feline-Intelligence-Czech-Republic/227751560589059




All of Anne Petzer's books are available through Gypsy Shadow Publishing, Amazon.com, Smashwords, OmniLit, AllRomanceebooks.com. Barnes & Noble and many other fine sellers of e-books. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Black History Month


Let's start celebration of Black History Month with this beautiful poem by Maya Angelo

"love builds up the broken wall
and straightens the crooked path.
love keeps the stars in the firmament
and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides
each of us is created of it
and i suspect
each of us was created for it"