Mystery Book Tour Day 3 #MysteryNovember The Singing Bowl by Roy Dimond

 

Please welcome Roy Dimond to the mystery book tour with his book The Singing Bowl

 

Where is your hometown? 

Garden Bay, British Columbia, Canada. It’s a small fishing village on the west coast, a lovely little harbor with wonderful people.

How long have you been writing?  

About 12 years. I started decades earlier, but just wasn’t ready. I think writers mature very much like a fine wine… or maybe that should read writers mature only after drinking many a fine wine?

Tell us about the start of The Singing Bowl and what the main character must search for.  

The Singing Bowl begins in Tibet just after the communist Chinese have taken over. The story is set in a remote village called Sakya where the monastery is being disbanded. Each follower is given an artifact from the monastery as well as a quest. The main character is given the most important artifact, a singing bowl, and is told to, “Find a book lost to the world.”

What are the elements of mystery in the book?  

Like all good mysteries, the protagonist, a monk, is sent on a journey of discovery. Over time, he learns that his quest to find a lost book is very much like a Japanese koan. It is more about the journey than it is about finding a solution. In his travels through bookstores and such mystical places as the Khyber Pass, Samarkand, Nag Hammadi, and Machu Picchu he discovers that it is really about the people he meets along the way. The Sufi, The Old Woman of Alexandria, The Librarian, The Raven Haired Woman and many others are just some of the intriguing characters that he learns from as he travels the world.

Where is the first main city that the Monk travels to? Who does he meet there?    

Katmandu in Nepal, where he meets the love of his life, Dorje, a mysterious woman wise beyond her years. As well as Little Brother, a behemoth of a man whose appetite is only surpassed by his kindness. It is here where he realizes Chinese agents, minions of chaos, follow him and mean to stop him from fulfilling his quest.

The monk travels to 3 parts of the world, what are they?  

The Ancient World… where his travels take him from Sakya to Katmandu, to Peshawar, to the Kara-Kum Desert, to Istanbul and many other fascinating places. The Old World… where his quest continues to Vienna, Interlaken, Florence and Berlin just to name a few. Then finally the New World… where he looks for the book lost to the world in such places as Arequipa, Ixtlan, Las Vegas, and Vancouver.

What type of establishments does he search to find the lost book?  

His journey takes him from the most common and quaint bookstores in the world to some of the finest universities ever created. From bookstores owned by the Medici family to ruins shown to him by Carlos Castaneda, where secret tunnels and caves reveal clues to solving his mystery.

How does the monk travel without a passport?

Tell us some of the ways he crosses borders.   In the Ancient World, borders between states are somewhat fluid. Along the Hindu Kush, Pamir Plateau, and Silk Road even today, people cross borders without even realizing they have. In the Old and New World where borders are fixed, he has many who will secretly help him, including other monks disbanded from his old monastery in Sakya. Still more characters come to his aid, people who travel often between Mexico and America, others using old dilapidated bi-planes from another time who can find valleys and old goat trails to follow so that, so called, secure borders are easily circumvented.

Tell us what you are working on at the moment.  

My second book, The Rubicon Effect as well as my third book, Saving Our Pennys co authored with Jeff Leitch are both out in bookstores. I have a children’s illustrated book co authored with award winning writer David Ward called, Emma and the Big Bowl of Nonsense which should be out before Christmas and my new publisher, Untreed Reads is launching my novel, Silence and Circumstance this coming January. It is a novel about the eleven days that Agatha Christie went missing as told from the perspective of her Governess.

Where can readers find out more about you?  

Roy Dimond

Thank you Rosie for this opportunity. Great questions. My books are in all the regular places, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc., as well as many brick and mortar stores. This site below shares many of my interviews, promotional videos, and hopefully some interesting information about me. Again, Rosie, thank you so much for your time…

http://roydimond.tripod.com/

http://greendragonbooks.com/

Find a copy of The Singing Bowl from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

I reviewed this book a while ago here is a link to my review http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-50f

Fantastic offer: This book will be available for e-readers at $1.99 direct from the publishers only 11/3-8/14 (3rd -8th November)

Here’s a link to the publisher’s ebooks on their site:

EPUB: http://greendragonbooks.com/the-singing-bowl-3.html

Kindles: http://greendragonbooks.com/the-singing-bowl-4.html

Good Deeds Challenge – Year 2, Week 17

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year, now I an into my second year.

During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

August 10th – Have been drafting up Romancing September posts, and a book review post. Had a lovely chat to the student who served me at the supermarket till about his new course he’ll soon be starting at University, made time to be interested in what he had to say.

August 11th – I’ve been spending my Amazon vouchers on books! Some for me and others to share with family and friends. I’ve read some great books in e-format which I would like to share with others, so today I bought Saving our Pennys and The Singing Bowl by Roy Dimond in paperback. I’m also looking forward to re-reading them. Both books really impressed me and got me thinking about life and I wanted to share them with others.

Augustt 12th – It’s been a hard day today, I posted my 3* review of a book for an author who took offence, ( 3* stars! I said there were parts I liked! Get a reality check) I have already put up with a rude e-mail and he has added a vile comment on Goodreads to my review. He posted a equally bullying comment on my blog which I removed. My review stays because I will not bow down to an author who behaves this badly. My book review policy clearly states “I’ll never try to degrade an author or their hard work, but we all have our own tastes, so please RESPECT MINE. Should you dislike my review, then we will have to agree to disagree. Any further ranting about it especially on any of my social sites will not help your cause.” Not clear enough for some people it would seem. The kindness challenge has gone out of the window today and the charity box is firmly closed, I will not pay out my money in this  situation, sorry, I will try harder tomorrow.

Good Deeds received ; Thank you everyone for you support at this trying time.

I’m pleased to say it hasn’t put me off reviewing, I have sent of a review for a lovely YA book Spirit Warriors; The Scarring by Della Connor. As you know I do like a book that has a bit of ghosts and spiritual connections, so this book was right up my street. I have also taken on 3 more books for review today.

August 13th – I’ve bought another book today, my Amazon vouchers have nearly all gone! Isn’t it a lovely feeling to just splurge sometimes? Today I bought How I Changed My Life In A Year by Shelley Wilson . Helped author Charles Yallowitz spread news of his book tour for his latest book The Compass Key I’ve signed up for a day and e-mailed a few others to ask if they can help out. Added a new book to the book review team list, this one is a little different and proceeds will go to those living on the streets. Gotta Find a Home: Conversations with Street People by Dennis Cardiff

Good deeds received: An apology from the author who had his temper tantrum of my 3* review.

August 14th – Have nearly finished all 30 drafts for the Romancing September Tour. Downloaded a free book from Author Rae Rivers who will be one of our guests on the tour, a quick prequel to her series, The Keepers: Sienna. Sent my youngest child out on a play date with chocolate cakes to share.

August 15th – A couple of friends birthdays today so we are off to deliver presents and best wishes. Wished another friends son good luck with his driving theory test tomorrow. My oldest is learning to drive too and so are many of her friends, its all the next step in growing up. A bit scary though, sitting in the passenger seat and not being in control of the car while she learns.

August 16th – Started a good tidy up of the house and garden, to help reflect the need to tidy up my life. Started reading Patriot by A.S Bond ready for a book review. Drafted up a couple more posts for later in the month.

 

June Issue of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory

Today the June issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory are available on-line. http://www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the on-line directory and find my page of book reviews on Page 6.

 

Here are the books and authors that I’ve featured.

Tall, Dark and Kilted by Lizzie Lamb,

The Black Hours by Alison Williams,

The 20’s Girl, The Ghost and All That Jazz by June Kearns,

Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch

and Black Rose by Jenna Ryan.

The Elvetham Heath Directory can be found at http://www.ehd.org.uk. Again click on the online directory and turn to page 6.

Here are the books featured in this edition.

The Royal Descendant by John P Ford

The Concealing (Spirit Warriors) by D.E.L. Connor

Please Call Me Derek by Mac Black.

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

and Legacy of Darkness by Jane Godman

Please do e-mail the editor and show your appreciation. Contact alex@fleetlife.org.uk or alex@ehd.org.uk Thanks

Good Deeds Year 2, week 6

Welcome to my second Year of Good Deeds, a challenge I set myself during April 2013. I decided to do at least one Good Deed a day for a whole year.

During my week I’ll also being updating you on My Kindness Challenge which I’m also doing. I read about a new challenge to make the world a better place to live in. “Speak Kind Words, Receive Kind Echoes” see the inspiration on  The Kindness blog . During my learning process I’m donating money to charity for my slip-ups to make me work harder to achieve results. I earn no money from any of my book reviews, so having little to spare should focus my mind.

This week I’ve been doing the following;

May 25th – Finished reading Fallen for Rock by Nicky Wells and sent off my review. Will be starting The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes next. Have agreed to read and review two more books, Fairy and Blood: Lilac by William Crisel and Archer of the Lake by Kelly Michaels. Cricket was cancelled this morning so my chance to lend some plastic cups out as a good deed was scuppered. So it’s all book good deeds today.

May 26th – Continuing with my big book edit of my own book to make it a much better read. I’m procrastinating too much, but when I do sit down and get on with it I enjoy myself mixing with all the characters again. Finished reading and sent off my review of The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes Today I’m reading Derek’s Good Relations by Mac Black. We have the in-laws coming for tea, this will be a big challenge for my kind comments because they love a good moan and have a lot of negative talk. Perhaps I can find a lovely reward for myself if I make it through, there’s chocolate in the cupboard! Hmmm!

May 27th – The baby birds have flown, (we had a camera in a bird-box and watched as a blue-tit laid 7 eggs and raised her young) but sadly nature has been cruel, Magpies have seen the flight and at least one has bitten the dust. I’ve been out to chase them away but they have their own young to feed.

Picked up some litter this evening.

May 28th – Finished reading Derek’s Good Relations by Mac Black. Sent off my review. Picked up some litter whilst out for a walk. The kindness challenge is going well this week, it helps that we haven’t been out for a couple of days.

May 29th – The June issue of Fleet Life has been delivered today. My book reviews are on page 6 this month. The on-line version will be out shortly, meanwhile the following books have been featured; Tall, Dark and Kilted by Lizzie Lamb, The Black Hours by Alison Williams, The 20’s Girl, The Ghost and All That Jazz by June Kearns, Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch and Black Rose by Jenna Ryan.

Bumped in to a friend in the supermarket and practised by Kind words challenge. Rose to the challenge when my brother phoned wanting accounting work started and completed before tomorrow, definitely one needing special care with the kind words.

May 30th – An opportunity to help out a friend in need today, with a broken car and a child in hospital we are able to pick up her son and take him to cricket.

Have just written the book review drafts for the July issues of Fleet Life and Elvetham Heath Directory. Just awaiting the June editions to go on-line.

May 31st – Finished reading Fairy and Blood: Lilac by William Crisel and sent off my review. Went out for afternoon tea with friends and took flowers for my hostess. Tested my kind words challenge again this afternoon. May have to put a £1 in the pot! Am now reading Gypsy by Cynthia Harrison.

Completed a Year of Doing Good Deeds

 

I’ve made it! A whole Year of Doing Good Deeds!

On 16th April 2013 I began reading A Year Of Doing Good by Judith O’Reilly, from the very first few pages I decided to see if I too, could do at least one Good Deed a day. A year sounded an awfully  long time, and I was half way through the 2013 A to Z Challenge, so I kept quiet and challenged myself to make it to the end of April. I would then assess how I had done and how hard it might be to carry on. I made it to the end of the month and decided to write posts about my deeds, that way I was a little more committed to following through with the challenge. Weekends were slow for blog views, so I decided to post a weekly round-up on a Sunday. I was amazed that within a couple of weeks I had people following my deeds and also being inspired to do their own challenge. I’ve made a great friend in Harula at Words that serve, she lives way up in Scotland, but each week we look forward to reading each others posts and we’ve built up a great supportive relationship.

 

Let me ask you a question or two;

What are you doing with your time here on earth?

Why are you here?

Recently I’ve read Saving our Pennys Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch. There’s a little scene in the book during a lesson that I’d like you to think about. You could be lucky enough to have 36500 days of life if you live to be 100. So how many of those have you lived so far? And what have you done with the days that you have has so far that have made you proud? If, like me, you had a little shock as to the number of days that have already gone by, then I urge you to think about what you’ll do with the days that you have left (An unknown number for most of us, I assume) Use your days, be sincere, be genuine, take nothing for granted, treat others well, treat yourself well, BE GREAT.

I couldn’t agree more with the following lines;

Slow down, make choices, have a purpose in life.

Ask not “What are you going to do for me?” But “What can I do for you?” It’s much more rewarding to ask the second question.

It took me 322 days of this 365 day journey to find out why I was doing this. The answer came in Roy and Jeff’s book.

Judith O’Reilly said of her own experiment to do a “Year of Good Deeds”, that it didn’t work. BUT IT DID! It inspired me and others like me, and every single deed she did had a ripple effect in the universe, caring is all it takes, caring and deciding to make a difference.

So what did I achieve in my year?

This year I have reached out and touched so many lives, I have read and reviewed books, promoted authors and writers, provided guest interviews. I’ve picked up litter, baked cakes, sent letters, given flowers. I’ve donated books and clothes to charity and I have given my money to many good causes. I’ve made visits and helped people, I’ve made time for others, I’ve invited people into my home and I’ve provided food, peace and a listening ear.

So what will I do now?

Well……. I’m going to keep on doing it all! And I’ll continue to record my Good deeds because for every person I reach out to, I make a connection and cause a ripple effect.

I need to write down my deeds to keep me going, I am not a saint I am still a child of the Universe and I make mistakes, I stumble and fall, I have my days when I need to off load, I find myself moaning, but if I have learnt to be aware of the words that come out of my mouth, and if I am reminded by my cause, then I can choose to change and keep making a difference. I will be on that rollercoaster of life because I interact with society, I have a family and a job, and I, inevitably, will succumb to the speeding ride of life. But I know where the brake is and I know I can choose to pull that brake and step off the ride, slow down and live in the moment. I have the potential to keep making a difference.

Will I have your support for the rest of my journey? Have you been inspired by this post or by any of my weekly posts during my challenge? Do you think I should carry on? Do you think I’m making a difference to the world?

 

Rosie Recommends – Spring Reading

Here are a selection of my Rosie Recommends books for some Spring reading.

 Ever feel like you aren’t getting everything you want out of life? A man on a bus smiles or a stranger exudes happiness and you wonder, why isn’t that me? A child runs giggling across your path and reminds you what pure joy looks like, causing you to stop and ask… where is your joy? Ever sit in your office or home and feel life is passing you by, or that there is more out there, but you just can’t reach it? Saving Our Pennys, by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch tell the story of a teacher, who facing a crisis, searches for answers to some of life’s most difficult questions. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 Derek travels from child to confused adult, from reporter for the local paper to any job available, doing everything he thinks he should, but doing it his way. Pursuing life and employment leads Derek to fling himself into the sort of sticky situations he won’t want to have to explain to his friends or his family. With determination, gritting his teeth, doing everything for the best, how could anything go wrong? Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 1885. Anne Stanbury – Committed to a lunatic asylum, having been deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for the crime of which she is indicted. But is all as it seems? A chilling mystery fast becoming one of this years MUST READS. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

When the Bishop insists that Martin Winchester take a sabbatical from his parish to restore his depleted energy and regain his spiritual focus, his wife Hannah is left on her own for the first time in years. Her new found freedom gives her an opportunity to reflect on her life. Retreating into the newly-renovated vicarage garden in the Cotswold’s village of Burford, Hannah not only wants to escape the demands of her role as the vicar’s wife, but to reinvent herself.  A heart-warming English Village tale.Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

 

Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else. A delightful YA book easily readable for adults too. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

I was immediately drawn to this book by it’s title. After checking out the book description, it still appealed to me. The idea of a Hitman getting stranded in Iceland, a land that has no army, no guns and a homicide rate of 1 maybe 2 a year struck me as very funny. Our Hitman goes by many names and occupations during the tale, I won’t spoil it for the reader by revealing these. Iceland a land of fresh bleak beauty, freezing temperatures, days of light or dark and very few people. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Let me know if you go ahead and read any of these, and tell me what you thought of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest authors Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch

Today my guests are Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch authors of yesterday’s book “Saving Our Pennys”. If you missed the book review here is a link to it. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4XH

Let’s find out more about them. Firstly Jeff.

1) Where is your home town?

My home town is in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada – ironically only a half-block from where Roy and his wife Lorraine lived before they moved up to the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia.

2) How long have you been writing?

I have been an avid writer for over twenty years, mostly writing articles for local papers.  Saving Our Pennys is my first published work which was co-written with my great friend Roy Dimond.

3) Have you written other books in this genre?

No, but this type of book intrigues me for my future endeavours.  I really enjoy the ‘voice’ we have used in Saving Our Pennys.

4) How did you split the writing roles of these book?

After having the opportunity to work with Roy, we discussed over the course of that time the idea of this book.  It slowly evolved into a great story, but even with Roy’s move up to the Sunshine Coast we were not concerned with the collaborative efforts.  Over the course of a calendar year, like the four seasons of a school year, we wrote the story of Penny.  As each chapter was written and ideas flowed and merged we had essentially a “talking stick” between us.  Despite some initial rejections and letting the book ‘sit’ for a few years, we always knew this story would be told.  But honestly, I have to credit Roy giving the book its real push a few summers ago.  He breathed new life into Saving Our Pennys voice and the story absolutely soared.

5) What or who was the inspiration for this book?

Saving Our Pennys was written in honour of a student that Roy had the great fortune of working with.  As I worked with Roy, and in some of my initial teaching experiences, I noticed we had many similar concerns about those students who were simply disappearing from the school system.  This deeply concerned not only us, but many of our colleagues.  We used Penny as that student that needed to be heard from again.

6) Can you tell the readers about the “Words” that people carry as stones?

Yes, our story demonstrates to the reader that all words have weight.  These words are stones that we either choose to carry, or put down from our life’s backpack to move further down our road.  But the reader will soon realize that some stones are necessary to achieve balance.  But you will have to read Saving Our Pennys to see how this balance is achieved…

7) When did the teacher first step out of the fast lane? What did he do?

I think the best way to answer this is by asking ‘How does one become conscious?’  This is truly realized by the self-analysis of the power of intention.  A life must be seen to matter, to exist and to be important, but too often the fast lane takes us away from the magic of each day.  This particular teacher recognized the pain and made the conscious choice to understand why this pain is crucial to his life.

8) Would you say that too many of us on a roller coaster ride of life which we seem unable to get off?

Absolutely… just watching the faces in traffic, in coffee shops and diners, in schools, at work…  These people exist but so often they don’t realize their potential in their existence.  They have become robotic and live a life of reaction, without realizing that they are the catalysts of their own happiness.

9) How can a person take the first step towards “Living in the moment?”

I think ‘the first step’ is realized from the two earlier questions and the willingness to step out of the fast lane, to step off of the roller coaster of predictable highs and low.

10) A line from the book suggests that if we all live to be 100, we will be given 36 500 precious days. How many precious days of life have you lived and what has been your best moment so far?

I have to be careful how I answer this… I think if one recognizes the preciousness of tragedy in one’s life, and the power of those messages, then every day up until this point of my life I have lived.  Have I attained this?  I don’t believe I have found the magic in all lessons yet, but I believe I am moving in the right direction.  So I suppose my best moment… is right now.

Jeff added, ” a heartfelt thank you Rosie” Aww! You’re welcome.

Hoping that you are now really intrigued by this book and it’s authors let’s move on to Roy’s interview.

1) Where is your home town? 

Garden Bay, British Columbia, Canada. It’s a small village on the West coast where my wife and I live in a small log home overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

2) How long have you been writing?

Over twenty years. I think my English teachers from High School would fall over if they knew that I was a professional writer.

3) Have you written other books in this genre?

No, this is my first work of non-fiction.

My first book is called, The Singing Bowl, a story of a Tibetan monk sent on a quest to find a book that has been lost to the world. I loved writing that story. It took 5 years to complete as the main protagonist travels the world. My second book is called, The Rubicon Effect. I have always wondered how the human species will react the day it is too late to reverse Global Climate Change. I was lucky, as one of the characters is a new Pope born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and he wants to change the church. This was published before the real Pope was elected!

I have two other children’s books under contract and my agent is presently negotiating a deal with another publisher.

4) How did you split the writing roles of these book? 

Jeff and I worked well together. I think we both placed our egos aside and tried to be as honest and raw as we could in the telling of this story. We were both motivated because of all the unhappiness we have seen on our jobs. In co-authoring a book, I think both had to really listen to each other’s ideas and be brave enough to go down unseen roads. Jeff would come up with these great ideas and off the story would run down some avenue I had not even seen. It was fun to release the story a little bit and soon a third entity sort of formed that was not Jeff or I, but the story itself. It was a thoroughly grand experience, as it remains to this day.

5) What or who was the inspiration for this book? 

Well, the main inspiration was a student named Penny. She was a boisterous and happy child who, because of circumstances not of her making, plummeted into a dark and bad place. But with the help of others she worked her way up and back to the life she deserved.

6) Can you tell the readers about the “Words” that people carry as stones?

Great question, Rosie! This is such an important part of the book… words have meaning. That may sound trite, but it is a vital concept to grasp in the telling of this adventure.  Words can hurt worse than a knife and can help more than a stranger passing by and giving you money. They can weigh us down so we are lethargic, or inspire so we believe in ourselves. But Jeff and I wanted people to know that they have a choice which words to hold onto and which to let go. Words are like rocks and we can throw them at each other or share one we think is beautiful. It is just a simple choice.

7) When did the teacher first step out of the fast lane? What did he do?  

To me there is no one moment where he steps out and decides there is another way. It is a process and we can tell if our process is working for us by the things that we hold dear. What we value, what is important to us, these concepts tell us where we are on our road. I think once he realized there was another way, he began his process, and like all those who take, the other road, he found it hard, and entirely worthwhile.

8) Would you say that too many of us on a roller coaster ride of life which we seem unable to get off?

Very much like the inspiration for this book, Penny, we all find ourselves in circumstances not of our making. Because of our culture, we are all on that roller coaster. And I’m not sure at all that life is meant to be lived that way. Like Penny, we find ourselves in a culture not of our making, but one that just appeared, and now we have to deal with it. Some go to the bad, dark place, others just survive, and a few, who have eyes and use them, find another road, a better path.

9) How can a person take the first step towards “Living in the moment?” 

There are many roads to this “moment” but all start by having a need. Acknowledging that need, facing the dread, believing you deserve better. Then having the courage to take a deep breath and then do nothing. To let the moment come to you. To breath slowly and smile. We sometimes believe “the moment” is far away, but it isn’t. It’s right beside you as you read our book or contemplate this interview. The moment waits… but we have to slow ourselves and concentrate before we are one with it.  And we have to do that… everyday.

10) A line from the book suggests that if we all live to be 100, we will be given 36,500 precious days. How many precious days of life have you lived and what has been your best moment so far?

A very, very tough question Rosie. You make me stop and think.  If I can attain but a few precious moments in each day  then I will be a very happy man. My best moment so far, is, as always, this moment right now. Why? Because there is nothing else.

Thank you so much Rosie for your insightful questions. I and very grateful for your time and for you taking your moment and sharing it with me.

http://roydimond.tripod.com/

Find a copy here from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

So there you have it, got your taste buds tingling? Roy describes the book as non-fiction, but don’t be put off it can read like fiction, I loved the book, it inspired me. After I’d finished reading it I went out for a walk in the fresh air and sunlight just to let it all sink in and to live in the moment. It made me think about my Year of Good Deeds challenge, I’m way over 300 days of my 365 and this book made me realise why I was doing it. I have stepped off the roller coaster and am doing something I love and making a difference.

You can also read my reviews of Roy’s other books, The Singing Bowl and The Rubicon Effect here on the blog in the first half of May.

Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond & Jeff Leitch

Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Saving our Pennys should be a must read on many people’s reading list. It’s a book that will teach you about yourself and your life and help you answer a question; “What are you doing with your life here?”

It follows the life of a school teacher as he begins another year of school in the fast lane of life where everyone’s goal seems to be getting to the end of term, submitting all the paperwork and just surviving.There is a wonderful analogy of a steam train going full steam ahead to its ultimate destination, regardless of the individual desires of it’s passengers.

But our teacher wants more, he wants to remember why he began teaching, he wants to be free of the fear and dread that each day brings as it weighs him down in ever more exhaustion. A fellow teacher offers him the chance to make that change, to step off the train and make a conscious choice to live.

Taking baby steps, movement occurs, enlightenment happens. There was a wonderful moment when he opened the eyes of his students, and one I wish to write down here. If you live to be 100 years old you will be given 36 500 days. “Use your days, be sincere, be genuine, take nothing for granted, treat others well, treat yourself well, be great” How many days of your life have you lived? What have you done with your life?
Find a copy here from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Roy and Jeff will be our guests on the blog here tomorrow, come back and fond out more about them and their writing.

Good Deeds Week 9th – 15th March

Welcome to my weekly roundup of my year long challenge to do one Good deed a day for a year. This challenge began back in April 2013 and is still going strong. My inspiration came from reading “A Year of Doing Good” by Judith O’Reilly. Here is what I’ve been up to this week.

March 9th – Making afternoon tea for the in-laws today and catching up with all their news.

March 10th – Had a lovely morning helping out at school. Posted my book review of The Royal Descendant by local author John P Ford  on the blog today http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4Ph and was delighted for him when he told me he’s going to be promoting his book at Costa Coffee in Fleet on Saturday 22nd March 10.00am – 2.00pm.

March 11th – Sent out an invite to a friend to come for a coffee next week. Did a little job for someone else at work this morning, who was busy elsewhere. Invited author Roy Dimond for a virtual coffee after finishing reading his book The Singing Bowl and thoroughly enjoying it, we had a lovely chat about his writing across the Universe. Roy will be a guest here on the blog on March 27th along with his co-author of Saving Our Pennys, Jeff Lietch.

March 12th – Good Deeds received, had a lovely gift in the post, Derek’s Revenge sent to me by the lovely Mac Black. Look out for a review of this book in May. Invited friends over for tea next Wednesday.

March 13th – Found that my neighbours had left their back gate wide open and then gone away for a few days, so I shut it for them making the garden less exposed. This isn’t the first, over the years I’ve shut neighbours garage doors and even a front door when people have rushed off leaving them wide open for days at a time. Finished reading three books today; Key of Valour by Nora Roberts, Me and Billy the Kid by Briana Vedsted and X by Jack Croxall.

March 14th – Tidied up the blogs that I follow in the reader section of WordPress, followed some new bloggers. Started reading Blackwater by Alison Willams. Good Deeds received, a friend has organised a girls night out for us in a couple of weeks time.

March 15th – Sue Koenig author of The Bench, let me know her book was now up on Amazon and Goodreads, I have previously read and reviewed it and have now posted my reviews. Her book is poetry and short stories. Sue is also a fellow A to Z challenger.

Good Deeds Week 23rd February – 1st March

Welcome to my weekly roundup of my year long challenge to do one Good deed a day for a year. This challenge began back in April 2013 and is still going strong. My inspiration came from reading “A Year of Doing Good” by Judith O’Reilly. Here is what I’ve been up to this week.

February 23rd – Finished reading a Flawed Perfection by Cassandra Giovanni today and wrote a review ready to coincide with the book release on March 7th. Happily agreed to read and review another book, Sarah’s Survival Guide by author Cynthia Harrison, I have previously enjoyed reading several of her books.

February 24th – The children are back at school today, so my Good Deed is ticked off with a morning helping out at school. Good Deed received; Mac Black’s book Derek’s In trouble arrived in the post today, can’t wait to get started on it.

February 25th – Have had a great 2 days on the blog giving and receiving Good Deeds. It started on Monday when I posted my review of Red Clay and Roses by S.K.Nicholls http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4Ge and went on to today with her taking part as our guest author. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4Hp I have had so much positive feedback about the review and the interview it has been lovely. On top of that I’ve helped spread the word about the book far and wide and I know it has lead to some readers buying the book. Finished another book today, this one was part of the new HarlequinE box set Shivers books, Legacy of Darkness by Jane Godman. My review and author interview will be posted here on the blog at the end of March.

February 26th – Have just written a book review for Sarah’s Survival Guide, it will appear on the blog later in March, started my next book Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch. Just 5 letters to fill in my A to Z challenge, 2 of which I have authors interested in, but just need their confirmation.

February 27th – Having just finished reading Saving Our Pennys by Roy Dimond and Jeff Leitch. I needed to get out in to the sunshine and spend some time reflecting on the lessons I had learnt from the book. Do you ever read something that really makes to stop and think? So off I went for a walk, I like to leave all technology behind when I go out like this and just be at peace. Picked up litter along my route. Good Deeds received: Had virtual coffee with a blogging friend and she helped me out on a few technical issues.

February 28th – Am reading  Mac Black’s book Derek’s In trouble and having a good chuckle along the way. Left a big tip for my hairdresser today who worked wonders with an unruly mop of hair. Accepted 3 more books for review; Judas Goat – The Kennet Narrow Boat Mystery by Patrick Brigham, and two from Roy Dimond; The singing Bowl and The Rubicon effect.

March 1st – Have been feeling guilty, guilt is bad! I have contacted several authors about taking part in my A to Z challenge, lots of them have been wonderful and sent me back information quickly and efficiently. I had an author I had contacted by Twitter back in January who said yes, then when I sent out more messages they just got re-tweeted instead of read and replied. I’ve since let another author have the slot and the first one RT’s many of my daily tweets, but lost his chance. Today I sent him an apology by tweet. What else can I do?

Finished and reviewed Mac Black’s book Derek’s In trouble and the lovely Mac has offered to send me the third book in the series. There were so many great characters continuing the mayhem in Derek’s life, I’m still chuckling now remembering Granny Wisdom in her wheelie bin and 4 drunken men trying to climb over a high wired fence in the middle of the night. The afternoon was lovely and sunny and I spent it in the garden, a small good deed involved weeding the shared garden pathway.

Filled another letter on my A to Z challenge. Just letters Q and X to find books for, am hoping authors of the letters U and Y will send me the details I need this week. It’s been a good week.