I don’t socialize often in real life, and online, I’m shy, at best. I’m upset sometimes by flaming wars, by needless, venomous bitching, and of course, trolls, whether on blogs, or on Amazon. But I know that in life, whether online and offline, it works best to focus on the positives. If enough people focus on positives, the negatives would shrink back — as darkness always does, from light.
So, focusing on the positive stories I’ve seen and shared on the internet in the past week:
Bridget Zinn’s first YA novel, Poison, is being released by Hyperion on
March 12, 2013. Unfortunately, Bridget died from cancer in May 2011 at
the age of 33. Being published was Bridget’s dream. Now, nearly four
years to the day from her diagnosis, her novel is at last reaching
readers. On her behalf, her friends and family want to celebrate her
accomplishment and help get her book into the hands of readers, and this is how bloggers are helping out.
Chad Morris and Shelly Brown have much to celebrate because Chad’s first book, The Inventor’s Secret,
has just been launched. But their
daughter Maddie, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. The
good news is that she is recovering from successful surgery,
and we can all do our bit to help make her smile: Maddie loves moustaches! So fellow blogger Shallee McArthur has
organised an awesome giveaway whereby we must blog, tweet and Facebook
our moustachioed faces to lift Maddie’s spirits.
Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew edited by Nick Wilford : A collection of seventy moving and uplifting original pieces – real
life, flash fiction, and poetry – about battling against the odds and
the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The contributors include
Amazon bestselling authors Alex J. Cavanaugh and Kyra Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent.
The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor’s
stepson, Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew
has cerebral palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising
future. A bunch of writers got together to help Andrew to college by contributing to the anthology. Many bloggers are buying and blogging a book that runs the full gamut
of human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive.
Please consider sharing the stories, and buying the books. Spreading the love never hurts.
———
Less than two weeks to go to the A to Z April Blogging Challenge. Are you participating? Would you like to help out Challenge co-host Livia Peterson? She has been busy, and hasn’t found a team of helpers who will support her with co-host duties. I must give a huge shout out to the team of kind and generous ladies who are holding me up as I struggle with my co-hosting duties: Rosalind Adam, Misha Gericke, Pam Margolis and Mina Lobo. Please visit them and give them some comment love — if not for them, I would have been drowning right now! Livia needs some awesome bloggers to help her out. Will you be one of them?
Really good books you shared! Thank you 🙂
New follower….http://demitrialunetta.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the follow, Demitria!
Lovely to hear something positive!
I'd love to help out but I have enough trouble these days finding time to shower. 🙂
I hope you did have time to shower, Talli 😉
Ooh, great recommendations. Thanks for this! I'm excited for April to come around 🙂
Sarah Allen
(From Sarah With Joy)
Sarah, you have No idea how excited I am 🙂
Hi Damyanti,
My dear friend, much respect for your honest, heartfelt candour. We both know that positivity breeds positivity. The positive environment starts from within and transcends to the world beyond.
I'm very aware of all the links you have so kindly shared. I believe that through adversity we discover inspiration. You are a shining light in the ethos of a sharing, caring blogging community. For that, I'm profoundly grateful.
In peace and goodwill,
Gary 🙂
Thanks for your kind words, as always, Gary! May you find peace and goodwill as well, (which I don't doubt, given how cheery and cheering you usually are!).
The blogoverse can be a truly kind place!
I'm already a minion for Diane at Spunk on a Stick, but good luck to you and Livia on your quest for minions. It's a big job on top of the posts and everything. I love your theme, BTW, A-Z stories of life and death–was that last years? Mine is going to be paranormal case files from my MCs point of view. My first year:)
Gwen, you'll be a fantastic minion 🙂
A-Z stories of life and death was a book that came about from my AZ 2011. This year, I'm going wordless.
These are all wonderful books/authors to be highlighting. I received my hard copy of Overcoming Adversity last week, it's great. I'll be checking out the other two as well.
I have a kindle copy– will check if I can get my hands on a 'real' book 😉
Totally agree–focus on the positives!
Stopping by to check you out 🙂 on the A to Z Blogging Challenge. THANKS for being a host! I will be blogging at http://www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com and http://www.achristianmomsguide.blogspot.com.
Thanks for joining the challenge…look forward to your April posts!
I just wanted to let you know I am following you and have signed up for the A-Z Challenge again this year…blessings!
http://runningsurvivor.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for both! Will drop by your blog soon 🙂
You might be interested in True Strength, the autobiography of Kevin Sorbo. He describes in detail how he had three strokes while filming the series Hercules.
Mark, I shall look it up. Thank you.
Sorry I can't help supporting Livia, already a Spunky Soldier.
Poignant stories about people helping people. Will look out for the books.
JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
Thanks Jo — these books need readers more than most.
It's wonderful to see everyone rallying to support Bridget, Chad, and Nick. I'm pretty much ready for AtoZ. I have up to X loaded. X needs to be prettied and I know what I'm doing for Y. Z still has me stumped.
My X for this blog is Still stuck. Dunno what I'll do.
These real-life stories are both heartbreaking and uplifting :).
Poison was a really fun read, and it's great that Maddie's surgery was successful.
These are the kind of stories that make me feel good about being a blogger!
Thank you for sharing about Bridget. I got my copy of OA. Have a great weekend.
Mina, I hope OA sells a gazillion copies. Thanks for doing your bit.
This is such a heart-warming post. Already signed up to help Nicole, or I'd throw my hat in the ring to help Livia. I'm sure she'll get a few helpers soon. A – Z community is very generous and resourceful. Best of the weekend to you!
MJ, Thanks! I'm sure Livia will get all the helpers she needs in case she hasn't got them yet.
Very sad about Bridget and glad so many have supported Chad.
Really awesome all the support for Andrew's book!
Livia still needs helpers? If she doesn't have enough by Sunday, I'll give her a shout-out as well.
Alex, I did reach out to Livia. I put her in touch with at least one blogger who wanted to help, but did not hear back from Livia on that.
I'm so sorry to hear about Bridget Zinn. I'm glad her novel got published anyway. I'l check it out.
Thanks, Theresa.
Need to get Poison. Got the other one.
Tweeted.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
That's great, Shelly 🙂