Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Guest post from Bernadette Bland, author of Flights of Fancy


ABOUT FLIGHTS OF FANCY

Title: Flight of Fancy
Genre: Poetry/Prose/Short Story
Author: Bernadette Bland
Publisher: iUniverse
Pages: 64
Language: English
ISBN - 978-1-45028-453-0

Life is filled with emotional highs and lows. Riding the wave of this experience is part of living, but for poet Bernadette Bland, dreaming was even more important. No matter the attitude, mood, or circumstance, Ms. Bland has always believed in the beauty of life. Never to be deterred from her heart’s desire, she has ridden her own life wave with an eye to her dreams and an eye to the beauty of nature. In her new poetry collection, Flights of Fancy, Ms. Bland shares her imagery with the outside world. She delves into the lavish splendor of nature in “Drifting Grace: God’s Art Show.” She peers behind the protective mask of a weeping clown in “Behind the Mask.” She recalls watching her mother slowly grow old in the poignant “Mama.” In all her words, she reveals her deepest yearnings and fears with selfless honesty. Flights of Fancy is an example of an imagination set free. Ms. Bland fills her poetry with wonder and will leave you longing to step out into the sun. She is not afraid to depict the sometimes traumatic rollercoaster of life; yet she encourages us to move on, move up, and not look back. Within every word, she calls to the reader, challenging each one of us to never stop dreaming!

Purchase your copy:

iuniverse

A Trip to Treasure - Boston, MA

H I recently had an experience of a life time traveling from Schenectady, N.Y.to Boston, MA. to attend and participate in the Annual Convention of the AARP -SO+ Uving. A huge event,the Center is filled with all types of vendors that cater to the Senior Citizens of this country.

As a newly published author, I was invited by iUniverse Publishing to represent them at the convention and to do some signing of my new book to be handed out to the attendees. What an exciting prospect for me. Imagine me! Signing my books for people to actually read. I was excited and terrified at the same time.It was all so new to me. What do I do? How am I supposed to look/dress appropriately for such an occasion?I'd have to meet and greet people, all strangers. How do I act?

As the time got closer,I was provided with some tips and advice; directions to the to the center,and a layout of the floor plan. This trip was planned to be a time for my husband and myself for the day after the book signing. Boston has what is known as the Freedom Trail, 9 originally Freedom Way), a walking tour of the most historic sites within the City of Boston. Many years ago, all these historic site were scattered about with no definite conjuction of the sites and probably no real interest. I have an Uncle (Bill Schofield) who lived and worked  in the city for most of his life. He was very interested in these sites and felt they should have a connection to each one. He planned out a  tour to make this connection and took it to the city's planning/governing boards with his proposal for the walking tour path. After many years of pleading and cajoling,these officials finally agreed and the walkway was built. Soon, tourists by the thousands instead of hundreds were making the tour to connect with some very important history, There are 16 sites incorporated into the 2.5 mile brick marker sidewalk tour Including The Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, the USS Constitution,The Paul Revere House,Bunker Hill Monument and more. Ifelt it to be part of my history too. Uncle,Bill Schofield, a veteran newsman. Honored as 'Father of the Freedom Trail' Schofield was an editor and
daily columnist for 'The Boston Herald'.He was better known for his invention for the Freedom Trail.A Veteran Navy Captain who served in
WWII,he wrote seven novels about the war and Navy Frogmen in particular. As detailed as they were, I couldn't find an interest in them but my husband did being he is a 25 year Navy Veteran himself who served with the Navy Seals.

Unfortunately,I never got to do the trail due to a bad fall which put me out of commission for a few days.I did do the signing though from a wheel chair and was so happy I did. The people I met were charming and shared some very kind words about my book which made the whole trip so very worthwhile,and if I could, I'd do it all again in a nano-second as they say.


ABOUT BERNADETTE BLAND

Bernadette Bland was born in Westerly, Rhode Island. A news reporter and photographer for many years, her poetry has been published by the National Library of Poetry, the Amherst Society, and the Iliad Press, among others. Ms. Bland lives with her husband in the Capital District of upstate New York.

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