Blog moving

Hello everyone!

This is just to let you know that I have moved my blog to www.alainayewing.com

Hope to see you there!

Windowfarms

Recently I watched a video on windowfarms and was totally blown away with the idea. I have not made one yet, but intend to as soon as I can. This spawned because my family was ready to find a house, get out of the city, and start growing (at least some) of our own food. The problem with is that now, we are stuck in city life another year. After seeing a video on this, I think it may hold the answer!

Here is the link to the open source information on how to grow food in your own apartment or condo window. http://www.windowfarms.org/ You can either buy the kits pre-made, which basically all you are paying for is the cost of materials, or you can view the open source and make one yourself using 2 liter pop bottles. It is quite amazing.

The website offers great information on how growing even a small amount of our own food is the best way to reduce our carbon footprints and help our environment. I do shop at the farmers markets when they are open, but that leaves a good portion of the year that I must shop at the grocery store, shipping all that food and wasting precious fossil fuels. If I grew some of that food, then I would save that need to ship.

For anyone interested, please check out the website. There are people you can message with that will share what they have found works best for growing all year around, or specific types of foods that work better than others. It is a great resource for anyone wanting to make a difference in a simple way. :-)

Happy planting!

The Man on the Corner

For the last two years, I have watched an older man play guitar on the street corner by my house. He is there every day with his stuffed monkeys and a smile on his face. I have heard people say that this man is homeless, begging for money, and adding to the decay of our race. But I happen to know a few things about this person...

Though I do not know his name, I do know where he lives. And it is nicer than my place! He has also never asked for money. I have seen things to make me think he is a retired Vet, but I don't know for certain. The gentleman only wants to play for people. That is all. As people drive by the busy street, he merely waves, flashes a peace sign, and continues playing.

As a family member and I were driving past the other day, the man was out again, in literally dumping rain, still playing his guitar and smiling for us all. My passenger looked at him and said, "Wouldn't it be funny if that man was some sort of Angel or Divine Soul." Truth be known, he probably is. All those people pass him day in and day out, thinking he is begging for their 'hard earned money' when they are refusing to see what is so clearly standing before them.

So many people wish someone or something would come in and change the world, yet there is a man on my block doing just that. He may not be super wealthy, or dress in the latest fashions, but he always has a smile and a tune waiting for you. Isn't that--not following in what society says he 'should' be doing--changing the world?

Just a thought! :-)

The Synopsis

This could just be me, but seriously... I have been working on my synopsis now for months, and it is driving me insane. The problem, really, is that I have no idea how long it should be.

Some websites I have been to say they want it under two pages, which to me, sounds best. I know if I was reading a ton of them a day, I surely would not want to be reading upwards of ten pages. No way... But there are others who want them longer, or don't specify how long they should be.

I have come up with this solution, and please, anyone with input feel free to comment! :-)

The synopsis I plan on sending out mostly is the two pager. This is for the same reason I stated before. It is short, straight forward, and will hopefully give the reader a good idea of the storyline. The longer version I have will be reserved for those who request a longer synopsis. Though it definitely has much more detail than the two page one, it is also over ten pages.

If any of you have experience with the synopsis process, what do you think?

All Apps are NOT Created Equal...

Recently, government has been debating the issue of apps on mobile devices. The issue is that people who use android services can download apps through the android market for free. Sounds great to me, right? And who doesn't love open source programming?

(For all of you who do not know what open source means, basically that means I can go get the code to the android software for free, and from it make my own apps to use with my android device.)

So where's the problem???

Apparently, some people don't understand what that means and think that anything they are downloading from the android market is safe and android approved. That is not the case. You never want to download anything that asks for credit cards, bank accounts, or anything personal like that. People are gaining access to other's bank accounts by coming up with apps to do online banking. Thus, if I download and input my information, whoever created that app now has all they need to wipe out my bank account.

There are safe ways to get apps, that are not as much of a concern. Here are some things that I do to protect my personal information...

1. If you want to use an app for your banking, or to pay bills, you must go to their 'official' website and download the app from there. You can even speak with an operator to see if there have been any security issues with the app.

2. Some apps, like kindle, do ask for a credit card number, but as I said, make sure you download it from the kindle store, not just the android market.

3. Read the comments and warnings under the download section of the market, they really do offer good feedback.

4. Last, make sure you put a password on your actual device. I know it's a pain, but most people I know use their phones or tablets to pay bills, read email, even watch netflix, and all these things store passwords. Once someone can get into your email, they can see where your bank statements are sent and do a password reset. Granted, they would still have a safe guard or two to get past, but it's not that difficult to find maiden names or birthplaces when you already have so much personal info. on someone. If you password or use a swipe code to protect these items, the only way to get into it if stolen is to wipe it clean and install knew software, also wiping out any traces of your personal information.

So people, please, let's be smart about these things. :-) Research 'before' you use it, because the last thing anyone needs is for the government to have another reason to take over control of the Internet and technology! Happy androiding all!

Quantum Physics

This is my totally geekness coming forth, but my mom bought me a book on quantum physics today and I am so dang excited that I already read several sections. What I like most is it takes complex concepts and simplifies them. Love it, love it!

One of my favorite topics is string theory and the possibility of other dimensions. Which is probably why I incorporate that in literally everything I write. It's a great book. It even covers telsa, haarp, the blackest black... Great stuff. If anyone wants to stretch their inner geekness, the book is called, The Physics Book.

Beverly Crusher

So I'm a big Star Trek fan, and somehow I always managed to skip the episode where Beverly Crusher falls in love with an evil ghost. I have to say, this episode is kind of freaky!

I will admit, it is nice to see ghosts as a part of Star Trek, but still. You'd think that far in the future, a person would know better than to get jiggy with a non-physical being. Especially after he murdered her grandmother! But oh well... On to another episode!

Santa

This year my kids got their first picture with santa. Not that I didn't try before, they just didn't want to sit on santa's lap and when I tried, they screamed bloody murder... But not this year! At four and six, they finally got brave and went to see santa!

Funny thing was, my boys are not very patient. When we got there and found out the shortest line time was 1-1/2 hours, I kind of panicked. That's forever when you have restless children that like to pee every half hour! Luckily though, the moment they saw santa, they did not complain once through the entire line! :) I couldn't believe it...

Today, I must say I'm very proud of my little dudes for being so good and patient, but also... beware! -Mom now knows that you 'can' be good when in a long line! And in the future, I will be much wiser about your antics!

Happy holidays everyone!

Take Time to Smell the Flowers

After my critique group last night I have learned a couple things. For one, my writing has shown improvement after a few months of working in the group. Second, I am finally doing more showing than telling, whew hew! Third, and this to me is the most important, I realized that part of why I was doing so much telling is because I was not stopping to smell the flowers.

Honestly, that is the only way I can relate what I was doing. Before, I rushed into the field, took a quick look around, then moved along. Now, I notice the color of the grass, is it green, blue-green, yellow, dead, prickly, soft, short, overgrown, does it smell musty, like large amounts of moss are growing, or is it new growth, very firm? Taking the time to find details in my scenes makes a big difference in my writing.

I also learned how to use the five senses when describing something. What did the character smell, feel, hear, see, or taste. Granted, that last one is a bit more difficult as none of my characters taste trees, grass, houses, etc... But still. Taste has it's uses, just maybe not as often.

So what is the lesson for the day? Stop and smell the flowers! Notice every little detail.

Why Are People Angry With Protesters?

Over the weekend I got into a conversation about the 99% label that has been going around FB and the protesters. My friend was upset with the ones protesting because in her words (roughly), "they are blaming others for their financial problems and if they just invested or saved their money, they could be like the 1% too."

Honestly, I don't see that being the case at all. Granted, I am sure that some people do like to over-spend and rather than take responsibility for it, would rather blame someone else. I get that... But most people I know do not live that way. Most, in fact, live quite humble.

As far as the protesters and the 99% percent go, I have this to say. Remember, these are just my opinions, but I am trying to keep an open mind, so if you want to give me your opinion, I would be happy to hear you out. :-) I keep hearing things about how people are claiming they are not the 99%, but to this day, I have yet to find one of you who it part of the elite. Here are my thoughts...

If you are not the 1% elite, then you ARE the 99%. That does not mean you agree with all of the protests going on, but it does mean you are part of that group.

People are protesting way more than just the international banks on Wall Street. The protests are against some of the bills trying to be passed by our government, like controlling the Internet. Others are protesting for local causes, and are still calling themselves the 99%. Some protests are for health care, and our soldiers returning home to no paid medical coverage... There are reasons longer than I could list in one night on why people are protesting, and the only reason that many of the protesters are using the 99% label is to show that it is the 1% making these laws, and the majority of us want change. This does NOT mean that all these people blame the banks for the state of our nation. We are at fault for the state of our nation by not protesting sooner, before things got so out of control.

As far as those protesting the banks go, I do agree that if we bail out banks, that the citizens should have the same opportunities. If all student loan debt was forgiven, if we didn't have to pay for health care (which I might add costs my family $850.00 a month), then bailing out banks for their misconducts at least seems a bit more fair. But as it stands, the reason so many people are withdrawing money from 'international' banks is because they commit fraud and get away with it. How many people lost everything they invested into their homes because the banks committed real estate fraud and used dishonest practices to get people into crazy balloon payments? It is outrageous what these bankers have gotten away with. If they were held accountable, and all those men and women who got wealthy over the fraud had to pay it back to the citizens and do jail time for their crimes, then I would actually trust our countries banking system.

It is my opinion that the problem is not that most people blow their money, it is fraud on the part of corporations and bank institutions. The workers of Enron that literally lost everything were not blowing their money. They were investing into retirement, saving, and had faith in their company. They lost everything because they trusted our way of doing things. They believed that if they put money into retirement, they'd actually get it back... So as far as the notion that 'if we all invested, and just saved our money, then we could be the 1% too', I don't buy it for one second. If we invest money, and we use a mutual fund through a company that has a great reputation, just to have them steal our money, that is not us being irresponsible, not in the least. If we have a savings account, or retirement, and the company or bank files bankruptcy, that is not us as citizens being irresponsible with the way we manage our money. Point blank, we can not travel from the poorest of poor to the top elite just by saving $50 a month. The 1% are not millionaires, they are not even billionaires, they have trillions. Maybe not in the bank, but in net worth. So no, I do not feel that is possible no matter what we do. Unless of course we come up with a way to steal the shirts off the 1%'s backs, and also everything else they own, then we might make that 1% group. :-)

Bottom line, I am proud of the protesters. Even though some are leaving messes and using it to excuse their own ill judgement, most of the people are out there every day trying to make a difference. They are getting pepper sprayed, hit, arrested, shot at with bean guns, and for what??? Because they are peacefully demonstrating for change? I don't find an ounce of anger with them, even if the protesting is costing the cities for clean up. What I do find I hold in great depths is appreciation and thanks. They are out rain or shine, freezing or heat, in the line of fire to help all of us that are part of the 99%. No matter what their individual causes are. So to all of you who complain about this, I will still hear your opinions, but to those of you who are out there doing all the dirty work to make change happen, THANK YOU! Because there have already been several changes made throughout different states.

To my friend that sparked this blog, I do not mean this as a personal attack on you. :-) I know you are an intelligent and open-minded person. What you said though has mirrored things I have heard elsewhere, and I just wanted to share my thoughts.

Never Park in a NO PARKING Zone! :-)

This is kind of a funny story I heard this morning. Since it did not happen to me, I will not name names. Thankfully, no one ended up getting in trouble. :-)

So, Joe headed to a government building in the city yesterday to work on some locks for the building. Parking was completely full, and Joe didn't know what to do, so he talked to security of the building. They told him to park out front.

Joe's response was, "But the sign says no parking."

Security guy. "That's okay... You can park there, just not random visitors. It is reserved."

Joe looks curiously at the guard, but needs to get his work done and obliges. After several hours of installing locks, Joe heads back out to his non-marked white van in the no parking zone. As he is walking up to the van, two federal labeled vehicles pull up and rush toward him demanding answers.

Joe stops dead in his tracks and looks to the federal agents for understanding, but they do not tell him anything. Instead, they demand to know why he has parked his white van in the no parking zone.

Poor Joe replies, "the head of security told me too..."

The agents do not believe Joe and press him further. They want to know who he is, what he is doing in the building, and demand answers.

Joe repeats the same thing,"the parking lot was full and the security needed the locks done right away. Call inside, they will tell you."

All this time Joe is assuming that the agents out front, who introduced themselves as federal security, are agents that work in the building. He can't understand why they are making such a big deal about it and why they don't just ask their boss since he was the one who told him to park there. But the agents tick away with more questions instead.

Finally, the agents ask Joe for some ID. To which he hands them his business card, still not realizing just how serious the situation is.

The agents eye one another as if Joe is trying to hide something, and proceed to step forward and demand his driver's license.

At this point, Joe is finally catching on that there is more going on than just some building security and hands over his license. He had just been about to crack a joke when that happened about how he really didn't have manure in the back of his van and he wasn't really going to blow the place up... Thank goodness he didn't tell the joke, because that is EXACTLY what the agents thought he was doing.

The federal agents called in Joe's information and found out that yes, he did work for a construction company, no he had no warrants for his arrest, and he was supposed to be working in the building. Then, and only then, did the agents relax. But they warned him that he was going to get a ticket for parking in front of a government building in a no parking zone.

Joe of course does not want a ticket. He was told to park there and doesn't feel it is fair that he get the ticket and have his insurance raised when security told him to do it. But Joe also realizes now that the federal agents are not working for building security, they are with NATIONAL SECURITY. And poor Joe does not want to cause anymore trouble. He accepts his fate and agrees to the ticket.

The agents then question the building security and find out that they did tell him to park there, not realizing it would be a problem since they needed the locks done asap. Finally, the agents realized Joe was not going to harm anyone and was simply doing his job, so they let him go without a ticket. But Joe leaned a serious lesson, NEVER EVER PARK IN A NO PARKING ZONE IN FRONT OF A GOVERNMENT BUILDING! :-)

Opinions Shminions

Over the weekend I went to my monthly writer's critique and since then, I have not been able to stop thinking about the way we let others opinions affect us.

This question goes far into the depths of who we are as a species, because as much as we want to write off what others say, that doesn't mean we always should. If a friend tells me I'm a jerk, what kind of friend would I be to dismiss that?

If, on the other hand, someone makes a comment to me that feels unfair, I probably should dismiss it.

Here are a couple things that I realized pondering all this...

Is what the person said accurate?

Were they making assumptions based on incomplete information?

Was the person speaking from a loving perspective?

Or did the person sharing their opinion literally throw up everything nasty they could think of right on your lap?

The fact is, those around us do often have good and accurate views to share. I know I have grown from things others have told me, even sometimes when they were negative. Afterall, somebody has to teach us how to give the finger... :)

Really though, I think what bothers us the most is when someone has put us down and our fear kicks in. 'Could he/she be right?' That is the hardest of all. But we shouldn't let our fear keep us from facing the truth, whatever that truth is. Without hearing hard things, we never get the chance to grow. Which is something I hope to never stop doing. :)

So for now, I will let my mind rest with the knowledge that for every bad opinion, there is also a good one just waiting to burst forth!

Self-Publishing

Lately I have been toying with the idea of self-publishing. I have a family member who is going that route, and now know miss Katie Cord, who is going that route, and I am just unsure of which way to get my work out.

If I self-publish, I can get my novel series out very soon. Waiting to find a publishing house that wants to put my work out could take a lot longer, but has other benefits. So which is best?

Either way, I have learned from an editor at Tor that new authors mostly promote their own work. At least in the beginning. No matter which way I go, I will be promoting my own novel. So does it really matter if I choose to self-publish, or go to a known publishing house?

I am really battling what to do right now. I would love to have the agent/publisher scenario. Not because I need that per say, but because if I go through others than I am adding to the economy by helping to pay their salary. That is something I feel strongly about.

If, however, it will take several years for me to find an agent and for that agent to find a publisher, then maybe that is not the best route...

Seriously all, I need some input! Please. :-)

My Advice To New Writers...

Since I really didn't know anyone in the industry when I began writing, I pretty much was doing all the typical new writer 'no-no's'. I began my novel with a dream, and though my main character is a prophetic dreamer, to begin the novel that way screams newbie! I also used a reflection to describe an appearance, another newbie mistake... And lets not forget my over 'telling' and under 'showing'.

After meeting with other writers and critiquing each other's work, my writing skills have grown significantly. I am writing like crazy... competing in contests for short stories, I've written most of my second novel in the Ewlishash series, and I also am about 50,000 words into a new series. Going back and looking at the way I first wrote, well... Let's just say the improvement is very noticeable!

For any of you who are new to writing and might want to publish one day, I offer this advice... Join a writing group! Also attend any conventions where you can ask questions to other authors, agents, or publishers. It makes a huge difference. Even if you are just writing for yourself and have no intent to publish, it is still very fun and helpful to get other's feedback.

One thing I kept hearing, and still hear, is concern that someone will give negative feedback. But truly, none of it is negative. Unless you view improving something as bad... Getting critiqued really offers the chance to express yourself more effectively.

So please, to all of you who have expressed concern over the critique process, know that it will only help you improve and everyone, even published authors of many years, get edited...  Plus, you get to feel good about all the successful aspects of your novel!

Tuned In

Lately, I feel like I've literally been tuned in to everything around me. Plants that need watering, the crows patiently awaiting the ends to the bread loaf, people that want me to call them because they aren't comfortable enough to call me... Even at the store, when I sense someone is in a hurry, I have been instinctively backing up and letting them pay first.

The funny thing about that is these things are happening all the time, all around me. This last few weeks though, I am actually listening to that little voice inside telling me to grab the bread 'before' I head outside, and I'm letting others go before me in line. It feels like instinct. I'm not having to think about it. Just doing it.

I have read about what it would be like to live in a society where we are all in harmony with our surroundings, and I wonder if that is what it would be like all the time. Imagine if we were all tuned in... Knew what eachother was dealing with, or needed... We would be so different as a species if we were all plugged into one another!

Just thought I'd share this, because I find it very helpful when I have these moments of plugged-in-ness. Have a great day everyone!

Summer is over...

Finally, summer is over and I have time to blog again. Hurray! :) I never would have thought taking care of kiddos, running errands, and writing like mad would be so time consuming... Ugh! But now I have some free time and will be resuming my blogs. Hope everyone had a great summer!

Also, I am attempting to use my cell for this post, so hope it works.

Writing Event This Weekend!

Sorry I have been not writing much this last few weeks... For the event I am attending this weekend I have had tons to do and read lately, but the day has almost arrived when I get to go! Soon, things will be back to normal and I will resume my blogging. :-)

As far as Thursday goes, I am off to the event! My jitters of getting to see what everyone thought of my submission are both nerve racking and also welcome. This will be the first time that complete strangers get to view my work, and I am greatly looking forward to it!

I will make sure to give feedback on the event when it is over, but I know already I am going to love it. Have a great week everyone!

Raw Food Diets

The other day I watched the most informative documentary called Food Matters. What caught my attention about it was the classic line of 'You are what you eat..." But their twist on that concept was quite different.

First, they showed thirty years of research to suggest that eating a diet of 51% raw foods (mainly fruits, veggies, and nuts) and eating the remaining 49% cooked food, not only assisted in extreme weight loss in patients, but also in combination with super foods and high doses of Vitamin C (given through an IV) resulted in killing cancer cells. Yes, CANCER cells! What is even more amazing is that these people were terminal. The Vitamin C kills only the bad cells, not the good ones like Chemo does.

One can only guess why every Dr. doesn't use this method, but the show even covered that as well. First, very few Doctors have a degree in nutrition. They are instead taught to 'treat the symptom.' Which is done with patented drugs. So something like super high doses of vitamins wouldn't be profitable enough (since it is natural and can not be patented) enough to promote. Not to say all Doctors are pill pushers, because I know many who aren't. Oddly enough, those same MDs also push a healthy diet with lots of fresh and raw fruits and veggies. Interesting...

With all I have learned from the video, and the last three days of research to verify that those Docs and scientists knew what they were talking about, I have decided to start building an arsenal of meals that can be eaten raw. It is going to take me a while since most people cook the majority of their food, but I am determined to at least get most of our meals with that healthy 51/49 ratio. Wish me luck! :-)

I will close with this, since the show kept saying it over and over... We are what we eat! If we consume a pastry from a box, that is loaded with chemicals and additives, then what are we? Red 40, yellow 5, or blue 2? Will we become the result of constant chemical bombardment? With heart disease and cancer so high, it seems like maybe chemicals in food are not helping with all the other things that keep our bodies under attack. Our bodies have the ability to heal themselves, at least most of the time, but we have to use the proper fuel to get the mileage we want! :-)

Reading Material

Since I have my writers event next month, all of us participating now have to read through one anothers short stories or chapters and give feedback. I am finding it so fascinating to see all the other writing styles and topics. Though only some of the people have published works, I am really feeling the individuals voices come through. Whether they are experienced or not.

This also gives me insight when I read about an agent or publisher that is looking for a certain 'voice'. Whether it be a strong female lead, or youth based, it has become much easier to understand what they are requesting now that I am reading so many different works in progress.

All in all, my fellow event writers are blowing me away. So many people have talent, and I am pleasantly surprised with how well they all write. I was expecting to find people who had major storyline issues, or huge character flaws, but I have found nothing more than simple typos. Well done all! And I can't wait to hear what you all think of my chapter!

Dark Novels for Teens - Not the Problem

Recently a woman by the name of Meghan Cox Gurdon wrote an article titled 'Darkness Too Visible'. In the article, she speaks about YA novels and how they have content that is much too dark for teen readers. What disturbed me about it was not the fact that she wants to protect the children, but the fact that she seems to attack the writers as well as publishers. If you haven't read it, you should check it out and see what I mean.

I wanted to speak my opinions on this topic because I feel that sometimes adults lock themselves into the illusion that teens don't see and experience violence, which is completely absurd. By the time I reached middle school, 8th grade to be exact, my school held a class on sexual abuse. The girls and boys were separated, and in the room of only girls and speakers, we were all asked to write down if we had been sexually abused before, keep it anonymous, and turn it in. When the guest speakers read the results, over 60% had been abused sexually.

By the time I reached high school, I knew in my heart that everything I had been taught about the justice system was a lie. A cruel joke, with only the innocent at the butt of it. Sadly, I had friends that were beaten everyday. CPS only got involved if one of the kids was hospitalized and then they always gave the kids back. Other friends were raped or molested by parents, neighbors, step parents, friends, I knew of much drug use, cutting, suicide attempts, drug overdoses resulting in death, and yet in very few cases was anything ever done to help these kids.

This is the truth of our society. If we don't speak about, and ignore these things, then they will never change. Being ignorant of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Writing about these things does not make them happen more. It only makes the problem that already existed, 'known'.

Another issue that I feel many adults overlook is that kids today are much more aware of things that when I was younger.  My 6 yr old is already asking where babies come from. By 3 he wanted to know why we died, got married, lived away from our families, had to go to school, why people hurt one another and why we don't take care of animals and the Earth better. He was 3! :-) So, suffice it to say, kids are by no means ignorant to the ways of the world. We absolutely live in dark times, and the longer that we as humans deny that fact, the longer it will be before we stop it.

As parents, mentors, teachers, aunts and uncles, or whoever you might be to a child, we do have to be careful what we expose them to. No doubt... But that means that we actually have to 'be' parents. Or mentors, or educators. That means that we listen more than we speak, and it means that kids come first over everything else.

Children, no matter the age, need to know they come first in everything. Not when work is over, or the night out playing DND is done. That does not mean we can hit them, cuss at them, or abuse them, and then expect them not to turn to sources like these books later in life. If there is any fault to be placed where these dark novels are concerned, it is with us all as a society.

I am willing to bet that most of the people who are drawn to these books have been through some sort of trauma themselves already. They are merely reaching out and trying to find answers. And though I do understand one point of the article, which spoke about a Dad being concerned that his daughter would begin cutting herself again after seeing the book cover with a cut arm, I can say with some certainty that the image will not be the cause if someone is to go back to cutting. Believe me, I know from experience.

The root of self mutilation has much more to do with being disconnected and emotionally numb, than it does seeing an image of cut marks on an arm. If a picture can take a young woman back to cutting herself, then she was never cured in the first place. So as much as I understand that father's concern, I think he may have missed the boat... If she isn't cured, then you need to get to the root of why she is doing it.

I had a mother email me a few months ago wanting to know how to keep her daughter, who is now about 16, from becoming cynical in life. At first, I was totally shocked that she would come to me. I hardly know her. But then I thought about it and realized that I became cynical of the world when I saw injustice. The more I saw, the more cynical I became. My suggestion to her was to find out something her daughter is passionate about. And I made sure to add, 'this does not include sports, games, hanging out, or things like that...', I told her to really get to the root of how her daughter feels on major topics, and then to get her involved.

If she was bothered by the crisis of global warming, get her involved in awareness campaigns. If she has friends who were beaten and nothing done, help her find her voice so she can stand up for her friends. These things are not rocket science, they only take time. Time that has become so precious for those who must work multiple jobs to stay afloat.

That is why I don't feel we need to handle these things alone. We, as a society, need to step up. Dark YA novels are the least of our worldly concerns at the moment, and being 'opinionated' over whether or not youngsters should be reading this stuff, is not going to do you a lick of good. Because many of these authors have been through the same things as the readers are going through, and finally... Someone is speaking up about it.

Just my thoughts... Sending love and peace to you all. :-)