What If...?

Earlier this week, I gave away a free copy of my latest short story, Amnesie.

Didn't you hear about it? No?! Aren't you my friend on Facebook? You're ont? Oh, that's why! Just become my friend on Facebook and you will hear about future contests & give-aways! ;)

http://www.facebook.com/leharvey77





Anyhoo, my whole week has been very focused on Amnesie and the story behind it. That got me thinking, "what if...?" What if I was in that situation?

As a newly wed, I will tell you that I would do anything and everything to keep my marriage strong and to take care of my wife. But, what if things changed and we ended up like Maryanne and Elfriede?

What if I was Marryanne?

Would I think like she did? I have to say yes. Not that that's a good thing, it's just my human side. If put in her shoes, I could easily relate to her thoughts & emotions.





What if I was Elfie?

Would I have the patience she has? Would I be able to handle the situation with the same strength and grace? I'd love to think so, but there is an uncanny courage to her that I can only aspire to.



What about you? What if you were in that situation? Could you relate to Maryanne's emotions? What about Elfie's resiliency?

Wanna know more? Want to understand their exact situation? Want to see if you can reate to either of them? Then check out, Amnesie!

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/143499

50 Shades of...

I'm back! Been happily married for 19 days now.




Life is getting back to normal, so it's back to work I go!



Today, I want to discuss the latest rage in books, the 50 Shades series.







I will openly admit I have not read any of them, nor do I have a desire to. Thankfully, my co-workers have been keeping me in the loop.



Here is my first gripe with this latest craze. From what I heard, the writer was a "bored, stay-at-home mom." Ok first off, I have never met a stay-at-home mom who was bored, but ok.



Second, if you're bored, it's great that you're doing something productive, but where is the art and even the legitimacy of your work?




I know people who work and struggle for years. Writers who have degrees and experiences, who write because they cannot exist without writing and they don't get this kind of fame.








The writers at Vanilla Heart Publishing are prime examples of such. We have an incredible poet, former journalists, teachers, writers - REAL writers. These people with whom I fortunate to have my books published - people I admire and aspire to become like - have worked so hard to be where they are, and they continue to work diligently.








How is it that someone with no literary passion can usurp some of the best modern writers I have read?



My second gripe comes to me by word of mouth. My co-workers know that I am a grammar nazi and that eloquence, articulation and verbage are important to me. One co-worker has been simply fantastic on telling me just how horrifically repetitive and redundant her writing is (yes, I did that on purpose, folks). You know the writing has to be poor when a non-writer complains about how everyone's expression is the same, there are no changes in adjectives, that she simply repeats herself endlessly in each book.












Again, I can't help but be aggravated. There are true artists out there - people who paint with words. Writers who use creativity and language. They understand that repitition is a bad thing in the literary world. They take their craft very seriously, and their time, dedication and attention to detail shows in their work. You don't find that in 50 Shades.



Yes, there is a place for erotica in literature. However, I don't think these books even crassify as erotica. They definitely do not classify as true literature.






So, if you're looking to download a new e-book or pick up a great new paperback, please help support the real artists of the writing community, don't just follow the latest craze.

Thank you & happy reading! :)