Reblog: Book Review – Beneath the Satin Gloves

I know I said I was taking a blogging vacay, but I just couldn’t resist reblogging this stupendous review from Roy McCarthy over at “Back on the Rock” for my debut novel, Beneath the Satin Gloves.

A big thank you to Roy for his support…two gorgeous reviews for both of my little books. I am very thankful for the shout outs and relieved to know that my crazy words had the ability to entertain.

Be sure to stop by Roy’s blog and show him some love!

Happy (almost) New Year, my beautiful, beautiful friends!

Roy McCarthy's avatarBack On The Rock

There are any number of books, fact and fiction, that have World War 2 as either their subject or backdrop. Few enough are set in the epicentre of the aggressor nation. In her debut novel Britt Skrabanek transports us to war-time Berlin in a fast-moving and intriguing tale.

We don’t arrive there by conventional means either. A modern young American woman suffers from bad dreams, realistic flashbacks reminiscent of shell-shock that do little for her quality of life. One morning she awakes in the bed of a high-ranking Nazi. The year is 1943 and she is a spy behind enemy lines living the life of a night-club singer. Her spymaster Emil is strangely and intimately familiar and, through him, her mission becomes clearer. Alina has a week left to take advantage of her position to collect top secret information and pass it on to a courier.

And the spy Alina…

View original post 241 more words

All Aboard the E-Book Train

I don’t know if it’s my hippie or my old-fashioned tendencies, but I’m always one of the last ones to jump aboard the newest technology train.

Back in high school, it was pagers. Early college years, it was cell phones.

Honestly if it weren’t for my technologically savvy hubby, today I would be carrying the first basic cell phone – boring, cracked, and crusty – or possibly no cell phone at all.

I have an announcement…

kindle

I am now the proud owner of my very first Kindle, a super fancy Kindle Fire to be exact (thanks, mom!).

Sure, there are a few chew marks on the leather case of this gently used gift – no I didn’t get hungry, my mom’s basset hound did – but that just gives it the lovely character of a print book, one that gets tattered and stained.

You might be thinking: “Britt, you’re just now getting a Kindle? Don’t you write e-books?”

Damn skippy, I do! So it is time to get over my stubborn ways, my lifelong infatuation with paper books, and open up to the vast plains of e-books.

More than anything, I am excited to support other indie authors like myself. The first two e-books on my reading list are from two fellow authors I look up to very much…

Dianne Gray

the-everything-theory

and

T.W. Dittmer

the-valley-walker

These two are incredible writers, masters of witty sustenance. I’m looking forward to curling up with each of their books this winter. P.S….Mr. Dittmer’s book is currently FREE via Smashwords until Christmas (just use coupon number RE38Y).

And have no fear, my print book enthusiasts! I will never say farewell to print books as they are unmatched in the realm of nostalgic tangibility.

Adding this handy dandy e-books tool will take my unrequited love for reading that much further, granting access to the innovation of the indie variety, those writing their little hearts out and sharing their brave words.

A lovely blogger pal, Zen Scribbles, recently wrote a great post on the creature comforts of e-readers. Be sure to check out “Come to the dark side. We have an internal light source”.

At the end of the day I see this new route of books as an ideal relationship, marrying the known and the unknown, enticing more of us to read and write.

Despite what some might say, this technological convenience is not destroying what we know and love. It’s adding unapologetic creativity to the reading menu and igniting the urge to once again value the resplendence of a good old story.

P.S. I’m making myself take a little blogging vacay next week for the holidays. So, I will be back with a post in a couple of weeks. I hope you all have tremendously awesome holidays and I’ll see you next year!

A Birthday Perspective

Dang, I have a birthday looming in two days.

Nah, that’s not something I would say.

I am fortunate to celebrate another year of life in two days. There…that’s better.

birthday candle

Why are birthdays seen in a negative light?

Is it because we carry an unfulfilled life on our shoulders? Or perhaps it’s because each year we get that much older, unstoppably aging against our wills.

I’ve gotta say, a smattering of grey hairs and wrinkles sprouted up somewhere around the turn of a notable decade of my life.

I’m not going to lie. I was a little shaken with grey hairs at thirty. Then I realized it’s probably a common development but most women color their hair, making them oblivious to this colorless discovery.

At first I plucked them. And, to avoid further wrinkles, I attempted to not be as animated – forcing a half-smile when delighted and scolding my perky eyebrows when surprised.

But damnit…if I want to smile my ever-loving ass off, I’m gonna!

Of course it can be difficult to age, especially as women. Our society encourages eternal youth and unattainable perfection.

Yet, we all go down the same inevitable road. No matter how many expensive hair colors or night creams we entertain – we all have birthdays, we all age.

birthday

What if we look at birthdays this way…we’re not older than we were a year ago, we simply lived more.

I really like the way that sounds, don’t you?

Ah, the hell with it! I don’t care if I now have to buy two boxes of birthday candles since they usually come in packs of twenty-four.

I will not hide from this birthday or any thereafter. I am honored to be here another year, to enjoy more beauty and love.

I embrace my grey hairs because they represent incredible accomplishments and tribulations.

I embrace my wrinkles because they represent years of laughter and tears.

I embrace my birthday because it is symbolic of the joys of life – and that my dear friends is always a reason to celebrate.

The Clothes on Our Backs

About five years ago I was volunteering for International Rescue Committee back in Dallas. Although I was stationed in fundraising and development, organizing the donations closet was an oddball job I handled as well.

At the time I was working for a certain luxury store, which will remain unnamed, decorating the rich and famous with twinkly treasures that cost more than my rent many, many times over.

So, I was knee deep in the IRC donations closet – sorting and folding, sorting and folding. In walked two of our “clients”, a mother and her teenage daughter, displaced persons from a far away land.

While the husband/father filled out mounds of paperwork with their case officer, the mother and daughter peered curiously at the raggedy goods.

“May we come in?” the mother asked.

They were an exquisite duo – luminescent brown eyes, abundant wavy hair, and kind smiles which were, quite sadly, timid and hesitant.

“Of course,” I said. “You can have anything you want in here.” I waved around, presenting the mess as if it were a shiny boutique.

Their eyes widened, then tears graced each lovely surface.

“Really?” she asked, outwardly skeptical of my offer.

Recognizing her mother’s tone, the daughter reluctantly snatched her wandering finger from a nearby skirt.

I nodded firmly. “Really.”

With feminine glee they rummaged. I helped them coordinate outfits and even accessorize. How many times had I assisted the absurdly fortunate doing just that?

“Where are you from?”

“Iraq,” the mother whispered, glancing fearfully at the lobby. Her eyes darted back over to me, warily scrutinizing my reaction.

I delivered a smile, something the mother clearly wasn’t anticipating, and she continued with her story.

It was a story of loss, fear, and unbelievable courage, one I will never forget. I was speechless as she concluded with an unexpected smile, the kind only a brave refugee can muster.

She said, “We had only the clothes on our backs, but we are alive…and we are together.”

Unable to resist, a solitary tear slipped down my cheek.

“Thank you for your kindness,” she said. And, they left.

Dumbfounded, I stood motionless, limply grasping a worn sweater, moved and confused.

I don’t consider myself a political person in the traditional sense, and if bringing any of this to my blog is offensive or controversial, so be it.

I stand by human rights. I stand so tall and proud…it hurts.

Human Rights Day is coming up on December 10. Rather than living with my back turned this is a time of year I do something worthwhile.

And so can you.

A lot of you, like me, are writers.

Another incredible organization, Amnesty International, will hold their annual “Write for Rights” campaign from December 5-16. This important action does not require any monetary contribution, only a small portion of your time. You pick how many letters to write and which issues you wish to stand up for.

This will be my fourth year writing alongside people from every corner of the world, and however miniscule this gesture may seem, I enthusiastically participate with the hope that some semblance of positivity will emerge from my words.

So many of us have more than enough, more than the clothes on our backs.

Let’s come together to fight the good fight, to cover the darkness with our light, to do something we all do naturally…just write.

Human rights are very awesome…I’ll write with you, Britt!