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Archive for the ‘Memoir’ Category

“The Heart of Teaching Tour” with author John Fioravanti


I’m grateful to Bette A. Stevens, my host of this fifth post of THE HEART OF TEACHING TOUR, and to Nonnie Jules of 4WillsPublishing who arranged it all! The full lineup for this tour can be found @ 4WillsPublishing Events Page

Book Cover-2“Their success and their well-being became important to me personally. It had become less about me and my struggles, and more about them and theirs.”

Excerpt from John Fioravanti: A Personal Journey To The Heart of Teaching.

At the very beginning of my career, my fear of failure set the priorities for my day-to-day work in the classroom. As my hard work began to reap dividends, it became easier to control the fear and the anxiety. That made it easier for me to focus more of my attention on my students—as individuals with unique personalities, gifts, and needs.

I had always been focused on their academic success. I realized that their success, or lack of it, was at least partially attributable to my teaching. As I became a father myself, I was able to see these students as something other than just students. They were sons and daughters and I began to look at them differently—in a more caring way.

Rightly or wrongly, I was not the kind of teacher who dealt with academic or behavioural issues in a confrontational way. I had tried that on more than one occasion, and found it to end in a lose-lose scenario. It was really a bad scene if I tried it in front of the class. At some point, it twigged on me to deal with the more serious issues privately with a student.

Since it is next to impossible to discuss something privately with a student inside the classroom, I would give the class some seatwork, take the student into the hallway, and close the door. I would smile, motion the student to the middle of the corridor, while I leaned my back against the wall. I arranged us this way so the student wouldn’t feel boxed in or threatened. I would then ask, in a kindly tone, what was causing the issue? I could tell by the surprised look I often got, that they were expecting a tongue-lashing. I discovered that my approach worked for me. Even if the student didn’t want to disclose the problem, they knew that I cared enough to ask, and that I was expecting an improved performance from them.

To me, confrontation between a teacher and student is all about power. A power struggle of this nature always ends badly. I’ve seen it too many times. I don’t think we should teach young people to solve issues of conflict by way of confrontation. Conflict is inevitable, and I believe that people can keep cool heads so that solutions can be found that turn a conflict situation into a “win-win” for everyone. This is what we need to teach young people.

Author Bio:

Author John Fioravanti

Author John Fioravanti

John Fioravanti is a retired secondary school educator who completed his thirty-five year career in the classroom in June, 2008.

Throughout his career, John focused on developing research, analysis, and essay writing skills in his History Classroom. This led to the publication of his first non-fiction work for student use, Getting It Right in History Class. A Personal Journey to the Heart of Teaching is his second non-fiction work; it attempts to crystallize the struggles, accomplishments, and setbacks experienced in more than three decades of effort to achieve excellence in his chosen field.

John’s first work of fiction is Passion & Struggle, Book One of The Genesis Saga, and is set within Kenneth Tam’s Equations universe (Iceberg Publishing). He claims that, after two non-fiction books, he’s having the time of his life bringing new stories and characters to life!

At present, John lives in Waterloo, Ontario with Anne, his bride of forty-one years. They have three children and three grandchildren. In December of 2013, John and Anne founded Fiora Books for the express purpose of publishing John’s books.

Contacts:

Book Purchase Links:

banner 4WillsPublishingToday’s host: Bette A. Stevens at 4writersandreaders

“This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.”

 

Category:

About the Author, Book Picks, Books, Education, Memoir

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GENERATION GAP – GROWING UP BOOMER


I grew up Boomer too… In fact, I write books about Boomers. I thoroughly enjoyed Marilyn Armstrong’s post and hope you do too!  Marilyn has also written a fascinating memoir: The 12-Foot Teepee. If you enjoy this post, I’m sure you’ll enjoy her book as well. That’s how I got to know Marilyn Armstrong. I not only follow her fabulous blog, I’ve been honored to meet her in the flesh! ~ Bette A. Stevens

Marilyn Armstrong's avatarSerendipity - Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth

My generation — the post-war baby boomers — had an unusually high percentage of dysfunctional relationships with parents. I thought it was a self-selecting sample. I had a pretty awful childhood. My father was a sociopath who should never have been allowed near children, much less to be a parent. Maybe I was just attracted to kids like me.

1963. I'm in the front, in the middle, arm on my knee. 1963. I’m in the front, in the middle, arm on my knee.

Blogging has given me a broader perspective. Younger generations have issues with parents, but they can talk, if both sides try. In my growing-up years, not so much.

“The Generation Gap” was a laugh line for comedians, a mantra for the young. Most people blew it off as media hype. It was not all hype. My parents, Garry’s parents, most parents of the boomer generation grew up during the world wars. With the Great Depression in between. They learned to be…

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Written

on 04/23/2015

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MEET THE AUTHOR: Micki Peluso


Micki Peluso and book signing

 

Mick Peluso is the author of …And the Whippoorwill Sang—an outstanding memoir:

“Micki Peluso takes readers along on her journey through life as she deals with the tragedy of the imminent death of one of her six children in a story that will bring tears—not only of immeasurable sadness—but also those wonderful tears of the joys and hilarity of a family’s life. As I traveled with Micki along life’s highway and byways, I not only met her wonderful family and friends, I felt like I was one of them. That’s what I call great writing! From antics to dilemmas, you won’t want to miss out on the laughter, the love, the sorrows, the courage or the tears as Peluso poignantly weaves a well-written memoir that will not be forgotten in AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG.” ~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator

Let’s get ready to meet Micki

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to an outstanding author; and once you’ve met her, I invite you to grab a copy of her book and get reading. You’ll be glad you did!

Hi, Micki. I’m delighted to have you with us on 4writersandreaders today. I absolutely loved …And the Whippoorwill Sang. I can hardly wait to learn more about you and your memoir and to find out what you’re up to now. To start, tell us a little about yourself.

I almost wanted to be a ‘Super Hero’ as a child, save the world and help people; perhaps as a missionary or Peace Corps worker in Third World countries. Plans for that and college collapsed along with my parents’ divorce. Instead my ‘Marilyn Monroe’ type mother talked my boyfriend and me into eloping in our teens with her and her new boyfriend. Get lemons, make lemonade. We went on to have six children and 10 grandchildren and now three great grandkids and I have become a ‘Soupy Hero,’ according to one small grandson referring to my medicinal chicken soup.

How about your family?

My husband and I (mostly me) raised six children, each a year or two apart. He came from a large family which I loved. Our kids were our life and because I kept journals off and on, it gave me lots of fodder for a writing career. It was in the late 1950s through to the mid-eighties before most of them were grown . . . Except for one, our 14-year-old daughter Noelle, the lively, comical beauty that wove the fabric of our family together, who was killed by a drunk (DWI) driver in 1981.

 How long have you been writing and what type of writing do you normally do?

Like many writers I started with poems and did a lot of creative writing throughout school. With so many kids, I put away most writing until Noelle was killed. As a family of eight we were so shocked and devastated that none of us could speak of her. I turned to writing as a way of expressing my grief. I wrote a short story of the incident which was published by Victimology; an International Journal, along with several poems. That led to slice of life, usually humorous stories about my family, which were published in my daily newspaper. I then became a staff writer and journalist for our biweekly newspaper, writing news items, analysis, interviews and commentary.

Can you give us a brief synopsis of “…And the Whippoorwill Sang”?

Whippoorwill Cover & BUY BUTTONThis lively story opens with eloping teenagers, Micki and Butch, in a bizarre double ceremony with Micki’s mother. The couple share wonderfully comical escapades spanning decades, until tragedy strikes. There has been a terrible accident in the placid valley nestled in the Susquehanna Mountains in the town of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It occurs just blocks away from the family’s 100 year old farmhouse, complete with ghosts and visiting varmints of all varieties. Micki narrates happier days, using their delightful past to confront an uncertain future—as the family copes with fear and apprehension. One of their children is fighting for life in the hospital; in a semi-coma, hovering between this world and the next. The family embarks upon an unbearable journey to the other side of grief and grasps the poignant gift of life as they begin . . .

To weep . . .

   To Laugh . . .

       To Grieve . . .

           To Dance . . .

. . . And the Whippoorwill Sang

What prompted you to write your memoir?

It was five years after the tragedy when I began the first half of my book, a funny, bittersweet family story, celebrating Noelle’s life and keeping my deathbed promise to her as she lay dying. I was mentored by Bonnie Golightly, a Writer’s Digest teacher who had been part of the ‘Truman Capote crowd’ in her younger days. She wrote a famous best-selling novel plus scripts for several films and other novels. Life dealt another blow and I nearly died from two heart attacks leaving me with half a heart, while Bonnie contracted lung cancer which quickly took her life. The book was on hold until 2006 when I was able to break through the PTSD memory blocks of the times right before Noelle’s death.

Do you have a favorite line from the book?

I have two favorite lines from the book, one funny yet an omen of what was to come, and one which ties into the book’s title.

Noelle and her sister Kelly had just spent all their babysitting money on clothing and planned to go for a bike ride. Noelle had put all the clothes that she purchased on at the same time. Kelly was shocked and asked her what in the world she was doing. Noelle replied that she couldn’t make up her mind. Kelly told her she should be saving her them for a special day. “I think every day is special,” Noelle replied.

The other favorite line was written shortly after Noelle’s death:

“The Whippoorwill swooped down the mountains into the trees singing its mournful dirge of summer’s loss, even as I cried mine.’”

Who is your favorite character and why?

My favorite characters were my children and while I could not love one more than the other each is a different type of love. A firstborn child’s holds a special place in a mother’s heart and the last child, the baby of the family also holds a special place. Different personalities among the children also cause different types of bonding, yet the love for each of them is love for all of them. It’s common and normal to idolize a lost family member and I tried hard not to do that in this book.

What was the hardest part about writing your book?

I began the story from the ICU waiting room and flashed back to when I eloped at age 17. I placed short pieces in the ICU in first person, exposing my fears and heartache up until the past merged into the present. These chapters in ICU were the hardest to write along with the ending — both of which I kept as short as possible. Actually the book ends on a good note as something special happens—something sent as a gift from Noelle.

Do you do anything besides write?

Well, I do a fairly good Elvis imitation :). Seriously, I work part time as a law assistant for Kelly, who became the attorney that Noelle had dreams of becoming when she grew up. I helped raise most of my 10 grandkids and I’m still with my husband after 50 years—a herculean feat. For the past three decades I’ve been writing and publishing short fiction, hoping to stretch one into a novel. I do professional book reviews for NYJB (New York Journal of Books) and freelance reviews. My book has won the Nesta Silver Award for Character building, 3rd place on Predator’s and Editors and 1st place in the monthly People’s Choice Awards. Many of my short stories have been published in several book collections and anthologies, including The Speed of Dark which won an International Award for fine writing.

How can our readers get a copy of your book?

My book . . . And the Whippoorwill sang is available at Amazon for Kindle and tablets for $2.99 and in print at a newly reduced rate of $12.25; it is also available for purchase or order from your favorite book store. Signed copies can be purchased directly from me or I can mail a signed bookplate to readers ordering from Amazon or other venues.

What’s next on the writing agenda for Micki Peluso?

My current WIP (Work in Progress) is a collection of humorous slice-of-life, short fiction and non-fiction essays and scattered poems, in a book called Don’t Pluck the Duck, to be released in 2015. My publisher has also accepted a children’s book called The Cat Who Wanted a Dog, also due by the end of this year. Tales@Inspire has accepted four short stories, plus several more by Creature Features and one by Women’s Memoirs. And then there’s that novel beckoning . . . sigh.

Micki, it’s been a delight having you here for an author chat at 4writersandreaders. I would love to get a signed bookplate for my copy of “…And the Whippoorwill Sang”; and, I can’t wait to get my hands on your next book!

  • Readers: Micki and I would love to have you stop by the comment section below for a chat.  I hope you’ll ‘run out’ or ‘click away’ and order you copy of …And the Whippoorwill Sang. You’ll be glad you did.

Happy reading and writing, friends! ~Bette A. Stevens

VISIT MICKI PELUSO:

Written

on 04/22/2015

Aside

And The Whippoorwill Sang by Micki Peluso (On Sale for a Limited Time Only)


I’ll be interviewing author Micki Peluso on my blog soon. AND THE WHIPPOORWILL SANG is an outstanding read that I know readers around the globe will enjoy. ~ Bette A. Stevens http://www.4writersandreaders.com

patgarcia's avatarBook Reviews by Pat Garcia

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Micki Peluso, a writer and dear friend, out of the State of New York, wrote her first book after her daughter met her untimely death, which was caused by a drunken driver.  However, And The Whippoorwill Sang is more than a book detailing the loss surrounding the  suffering of her family and herself as a mother. It is a short chronicle of the golden age when women’s rights were still practically unacknowledged, and Gloria Steinem was slowly becoming a household word.  The book is witty and filled with wisdom; it is sad, and yet filled with joy.

I have read the book,  and I have re-read certain chapters several times because Micki has a way of putting words on paper that make you laugh even though you may want to cry.

And The Whippoorwill Sang is being offered at a reduced price this week. If you haven’t read it, it…

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Written

on 04/06/2015

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October is “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month”


Meet the Author: Erin Ireland and find out why she wrote A Voice in the Night

www.erinirelandwrites.com

A VOICE IN THE NIGHT - HIGH RES

The assaulting truth about abuse!  Erin Ireland lays it out for you… In a book titled: A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life.  

Welcome, Erin Ireland. It’s great to have you at 4writersandreders today. Can you give us a short bio, so our readers can find out why you wrote “A Voice in the Night”?  I’ve read it and highly recommend it to those who are living with abuse and those who want to find out  how they can help in the struggle against domestic violence. 

Erin Ireland writes for those who feel they have no voice. She is a woman who has spent many years observing the abuse of others.  Her experiences have been many in the direction of others who suffer in silence with isolation, controlled obsessions, verbal abuse, Superior attitudes, deceit, jealousy, physical, and sexual assaults, and many more indignities suffered everyday by beautiful people.

Erin Ireland has suffered a great deal of abuse in her own life, and writes from her heart when explaining what she feels is an inappropriate act against another.

Her passion for the subject of abuse runs deep, and reflects in her sometimes overpowering expressions of what she would like to change in life for you. She wishes for all to come to her website, feel welcome, and hopes that all will find some refuge and enlightenment here.

Erin Ireland is a nom de plume, in order to protect the innocent. She will always speak her mind and the truth for the betterment of all those who seek answers and comfort. 

Erin Ireland has written a book Titled, A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life. This is a book to help others bypass the long-suffering that can be eliminated if they can learn to view the traits of an abuser early on.

She is writing for others to see the light. Erin hopes for them be a lamp unto themselves. She wishes for them to find their safe ground to stand on, before they have spent their entire lives wondering: what it is that they have done to deserve such demeaning treatment? Abuse is a conditioning that can be unlearned. Every human being is entitled to an abuse free life.

Synopsis of A Voice in the Night:

This book is a Lamp to find your peace and to know your rights as a human being.This truly is “A Voice in the Night” for all who wish to be happier in their relationships or simply happier without their abusive relationship. Are you not sure whether your mate is actually abusive?  Erin Ireland has laid it out for you. When you finish reading this book you will know the ingredients for a solid relationship and the specifics of when your mate has crossed the abusive line.

A Book for young people to find a safe ground to stand on. It is a message for all ages to take notice of the treatment they allow from others. So many never realize how much abuse they do submit to, thinking they are merely sucking it up for the betterment of the relationship.  

What prompted you to write a book about domestic abuse and violence, Erin?

Writing this book has been an ongoing project for the last two years. After my stretch of homelessness, I wanted to express my thoughts and my experiences with others. I felt that all I had left in this life was my voice. I had experiences that could be shared to help others.

In my desperation to start my life over, I realized that I had become an expert in what not to accept in a relationship. What to look for to remove yourself from danger. I realized in writing a self-help book to free others, that I would be providing a service to those who need help, for those who don’t realize they are abused, and for those who don’t think they deserve better.

Writing this book means I can give to the world a gift of safety. It means I can move on from my nightmare while helping others move on from theirs. I wrote this book because I want to leave the world a message that lives on long after I am gone. Finding safe ground is my hope for all who live in a world of submission, control, emotional distress, physical abuse and all other forms of abuse.

Do you have a favorite line from the book?

Excerpt from Chapter 12

“Realize that you have made the right decision. Allow yourself to cry. You have the right to cry and mourn what you have lost, but also remember what you have gained.”

What was the hardest part about writing A Voice in the Night?

The most difficult parts of writing this book were the times I had to revisit the abusive experiences in order to relate to others what I had been through and what they may have to go through if they refuse to leave the unsafe situation. Also the trials I had to endure while trying to publish my book were monumental.

During the time I had finished the last edit and the time I was to be published, I was struck with yet more disaster. Last November, less than a year ago, new neighbors moved into an apartment over mine and started cooking some kind of a chemical. It smelled like cherries and made me sick.

It seeped down into my apartment and caused my blood pressure to rise to 220/110. The authorities refused to do anything. I went to the hospital by ambulance and stayed for three days, came home and had another heart event three times in eight days. It was back to the hospital again. Finally I found myself homeless once again, and this time much like the last time, everything I owned was destroyed.

The disgusting smell on everything shot my blood pressure up as soon as I was near it. All had to be thrown out. I slept in my car, I rented a room, I stayed in a hotel. In the end I moved into a new apartment with almost nothing, and started my life over again.

I had no computer, my files had been destroyed and I lost the final edit of my book to be published. I went nine months without being online or able to write. Finally my son bought me a new computer. My friends and editor had a copy of my book in the final edit. I immediately got busy and made sure all was in proper form. We prepared for the book launch. My daughter helped me, and at last, A Voice in the Night was born!

How can our readers get a copy of your book?

These are the links below to view the book: A Voice in the Night: Silent Abuse, The Early Warning Signs That Could Save Your Life

The reviews so far have been excellent

To Purchase this Book

Erin Ireland LOGOWhat’s next for Erin Ireland?

I have stated in A Voice in the Night that I am writing another book to follow this one. The next book will be a memoir titled: Silent Screams. This book will be about what a tormented woman went through and how the system did not help her. It will tell the stories of living locked in one room, how she survived gassings and poisonings, living above the ridicule of relatives who didn’t believe her, the people who died around her during this time, and how each day it took its toll for a woman who just lived to stay alive one more day, for three very long excruciating years.

Erin, it’s been a privilege and a pleasure to have you with us today. Readers: find out more about Erin Ireland and her story of overcoming domestic abuse below. She’s also given us links to crucial self-help sites to visit and share with loved ones. I highly recommend A Voice. Erin and I would love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Here is my review on Amazon: “ABUSE often goes undetected by outsiders and can even be ignored by the abused who often lay the blame on themselves rather than the abuser… FIND OUT MORE about how to help stop abuse from an author who’s been there and not only survived, but has thrived. First, you’ll learn to recognize abuse. That’s what Erin Ireland did. Readers will also learn how to help stop abuse and how to get out of an abusive situation.” ~ Bette A. Stevens

Interviews:

How to help a friend who is being abused:

Emotional Abuse Recognized in Seconds (EARS)

Forced Marriage

 

 

 

Written

on 10/14/2014

Aside

Meet the author: Shirley Harris-Slaughter


A warm welcome to Rave Reviews Book Club Member and author Shirley Harris-Slaughter. Shirley’s got a special guest post for us today. Let’s listen in. ~ Bette A. Stevens

I’M A POLITICAL JUNKIE!

Shirley Harris-Slaughter is the author of OUR LADY OF VICTORY, the Saga of an African American Catholic Community

Shirley Harris-Slaughter is the author of OUR LADY OF VICTORY, the Saga of an African American Catholic Community

Hi, I’m Shirley Harris-Slaughter and I’d like to thank you all for having me today! Besides being a published author, here’s something else you probably didn’t know about me (if you know me)… I’m a Political Junkie! I have a love/hate relationship with politics. Another passion is my involvement in my local community. These two things keep me busy most of the time.

Politics – One thing for sure is the fact that I love to be in the know, because ignorance is no longer bliss. It could spell disaster if you are not informed on the issues, especially with what is happening right now.

Case in Point – Voting rights are being tampered with and compromised. I hate to say it, but there are some bad folks out there that are up to these shenanigans. If we don’t pay attention, we might wake up one day to find that we are no longer able to vote. In fact, that is already happening in urban communities in several southern and eastern states. One Party has succeeded in gerrymandering so many districts that your rights to representation is being challenged and compromised in the courts.

Voter laws are being challenged right now by the Department of Justice. Boy, do they have their work cut out for them.

But beware! It’s coming to a neighborhood near you.

The results of our last mid-term elections can already be seen in a dysfunctional Congress made up of these gerrymandered districts, virtually guaranteeing that these do-nothing incumbents will be re-elected. And guess what? Do-nothings affect all of us and our way of life. It doesn’t care if you are white, black, Asian, Hispanic; whether you live in the city, suburbs or rural areas… you will be affected negatively by this congress sooner or later. Look at what is happening to health care in North Carolina. Our crumbling infrastructure is another prime example of a dysfunctional government.

THAT IS NOT DEMOCRACY!

Please listen… You don’t have to be affiliated with Democrats or Republicans or even Independents to know there is cause for alarm when one group feels that the only way they can win, is by cheating and gerrymandering districts. Not only are your legislatures passing these draconian laws to make it harder for you to exercise your right to vote, they are also passing restrictive laws on women’s health choices and denying you the right to choose quality health care that your tax dollars are paying for.

I’m thrilled that the Justice Department has finally gone after the banks – CitiBank in particular; and making them pay back billions of dollars for their part in the economic meltdown that cost people their homes and their jobs across the country. What a sad chapter to the American Dream.

Another passion is my involvement in my local community. I got involved in hometown politics and helped elect a good friend to the Oak Park School Board. That paved the way for me to run for a position on that same school board later. I couldn’t turn down the offer because I wanted to be part of the solution. I wanted my property values to remain stable; and I wanted to play a part in providing a good education for our children who are the future.

I didn’t know much about ADD and all these other disabilities that our children are now being afflicted with. And everywhere I turned, everyone was acting like this was a normal thing. Where was I when this was going on? I was not in the public school system so I guess I missed something—something huge.

So there you have it, my greatest passions, because I love children and I care about my community and my country.

Thanks for listening!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African American Catholic Community

Our Lady of VictoryI wrote about local history while growing up in a Catholic Community. My love of history and tradition propelled me into this forum. While serving on the school board, they tried to take away the music “Pomp and Circumstance” played at every high school graduation and I got visibly upset over it. Were these people for real? I felt like a stranger among strangers.

So, writing this book was no exception to who I am and what I stand for. It was a natural outgrowth of my community activism. Besides, no one else was going to do it. I didn’t understand at the time, that I was the chosen one.

Little did I know the “can of worms” I was about to unleash. But I needn’t have worried…no one was ready to challenge my findings. They just pretended like there was nothing to be concerned about. And so I wasn’t taken seriously, for the most part, with the exception of a few close friends. And then Nonnie Jules crossed my path and I joined Rave Reviews Book Club and excitement for my book and my message, was re-ignited.

I am a proud member of Rave Reviews Book Club—the place for Indie Authors!

 

 

This is an awesome trailer! Please take a look:

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/aF3ZBZFn3AY

Five Star Review of Our Lady of Victory by Nonnie Jules “Seal of Approval”

 

CONNECT HERE…

Tour Lineup Page: http://wp.me/P43s9i-2g

Author Page: http://wp.me/P43s9i-1m

Email: sharrislaughter@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharrislaughter

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/historybuff

 

Purchase Links…
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B00KDO1MSM/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail
Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4751309
Limited Editions: http://rememberourladyofvictory.com/about-the-book/

 

SHIRLEY’S BLOGS…
http://shirleyslaughterblog.wordpress.com/
http://rememberourladyofvictory.com/

 

 

 

Written

on 08/21/2014

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