Mar 31, 2013

Beyond the Bear

This week marks the book birthday of Beyond the Bear, co-authored by Debra McKinney who is a former Anchorage Daily News colleague of mine. I can say she was a colleague but really - as a news writer, she was way out of my league. I used to read her articles before we moved to Alaska and dream of writing like she does. Seriously. She won the Pulitzer. 'Nuff said.
Beyond the Bear: How I Learned to Live and Love Again after Being Blinded by a Bear
So this book - about Dan Bigley's encounter with a brown bear that ripped half his face off and blinded him - promises a great read at many levels. Here's the blurb:

 A 25-year-old backcountry wanderer, a man happiest exploring wild places with his dog, Dan Bigley woke up one midsummer morning to a day full of promise. Before it was over, after a stellar day of salmon fishing along Alaska’s Kenai and Russian rivers, a grizzly came tearing around a corner in the trail. Dan barely had time for “bear charging” to register before it had him on the ground, altering his life forever.

“Upper nose, eyes, forehead anatomy unrecognizable,” as the medevac report put it.

Until then, one thing after another had fallen into place in Dan’s life. He had a job he loved taking troubled kids on outdoor excursions. He had just bought a cabin high in the Chugach Mountains with a view that went on forever. He was newly in love. After a year of being intrigued by a woman named Amber, they had just spent their first night together. All of this was shattered by the mauling that nearly killed him, that left him blind and disfigured.

Facing paralyzing pain and inconceivable loss, Dan was in no shape to be in a relationship. He and Amber let each other go. Five surgeries later, partway into his long healing journey, they found their way back to each other. The couple’s unforgettable story is one of courage, tenacious will, and the power of love to lead the way out of darkness. Dan Bigley’s triumph over tragedy is a testament to the ability of the human spirit to overcome physical and emotional devastation, to choose not just to live, but to live fully.

Doesn't that sound amazing?? Go here to find out more about Dan. And here to read about Deb.  

Mar 29, 2013

Mar 25, 2013

My So-Called Teenage Life bloghop




For this bloghop - courtesy of Amy Sonnichsen, et al. - I'm sharing an excerpt from my senior year diary. There were a lot of funny entries that year but this one made me proud of my then 18-year old self. I wrote it in April, just after discovering I didn't get the financial aid I needed to go to my #1 college choice. I was bummed and feeling like a loser and a nobody because my grades and athletic ability weren't good enough to get me what I wanted.

 God has  some kind of plan - I'm positive! He's just not going about it real obviously. PATIENCE! And as far as being a nobody: you don't have to shine but your heart can be right and it can shine! When I die, I don't want people to say "she was a great runner or smart, etc." (well, maybe a little) but say "she knew how to brighten my day. She was nice to everyone." Idealistic, I know but that's what counts. Not medals or scholarships or awards. Because your heart is what will be judged. Remember this, Mel. Great sermon, by the way. (applause) Thanks. *bows*

All these years later and I'm still telling myself this same thing...and self-applauding every time. :) Fingers crossed it'll sink in!


Mar 21, 2013

Mar 14, 2013

Mar 7, 2013

Friday funnies- March 8

The Alaska version... - Baby



I wore a T-shirt and jeans the other day outside bc it felt like spring. It was 37 degrees. ALSO: the Iditarod is going on now in Alaska. Check out this site for some great photos:






Odd that my life hasn't changed much since I was an undergrad.





In my case, it's the blank looks.

Photo



Love this: Vermeer, Updated
Vermeer updated.


And...yes. I'm told someday I'll be nostalgic about these times.

Kids in the kitchen...hahaha! I needed this laugh today!


Have a great weekend!

Mar 6, 2013

Carrie Butler's STRENGTH

Carrie Butler's debut novel is out today! Check out the blurb below and send her your congrats!! 

Title: Strength

Series: Mark of Nexus – Book 1

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing   
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)
Release Date: March 07, 2013

Available at: Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble, and Nook. More retailers will be added in the coming weeks, i.e. Sony Reader Store, iBookstore, Kobo, etc. Be sure to keep an eye on Carrie's Pinterest "Retailers" board. She updates it whenever STRENGTH pops up somewhere. :)

 
 
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.