A Writer's Thanksgiving

We have thanksgiving coming up here in the United States on November 23rd. It is all about food, family, and being thankful for all of the abundance in our lives, whatever form that takes (which, for some, will be endless football games!). I have been sitting here thinking about what I am thankful for as a writer.

I have been writing ever since I can remember. For whatever reason, I aways seemed to be secretary of whatever organization I was with. I remember when I was in the sixth grade, and I was secretary for my Camp Fire Girls group. I wrote up the minutes, then I got to walk them down to the local newspaper (I lived in a really small town!). This was a very big thrill for me!

As I became an adult, and moved forward in my career, most of my writing was of a technical nature. (I worked as a Medical Laboratory Technologist.) As my avocation - Tarot and metaphysics - transformed into my vocation, I found myself writing on totally different topics. I took what to me was a huge risk and submitted an idea for a book to Schiffer Publishing Ltd., and it was accepted! I was shocked, and enormously happy! I submitted a second idea for a book, and that was accepted too. I am very thankful to Schiffer, and to my editor, Dinah Roseberry, for making publishing my books a very positive experience! 

I co-wrote a book on joy with my friend Brad Tesch, which turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. I am thankful for the time that I spent wth Brad co-writing that book. I wrote and self-published a book on surviving the holidays - which was a great deal of fun to write, and which made me feel good about being able to offer concrete "helpful hints" to others on how not to go insane during the holidays.

I have done written interviews with some of the most interesting people in the Tarot field. I am thankful that to a person they were gracious, and shared of themselves the things that worked for them, and the background of their work.

I currently have a WIP (work in progress) that entails, in part, flying in and out of smaller airports that cater to private and corporate planes. I am very thankful that I know someone through Facebook that I can contact to make sure that the airports that I researched and chose are actually viable choices. I certainly don't want to look the fool over a choice of airports! If this individual agrees to mentor me on this, they will receive mention as a valuable resource in my book.

There are so many things to be thankful for as a writer! What are some of the things that those of you who are fellow writer's are thankful for?

(c) Bonnie Cehovet November 2017 

 

Where You Can Find My Work

As an author, I am probably not alone in this: people do not seem to be finding my work. So the command decision was made to put up a post that gave my readers the links to where they can find me. Bored? Then move on while I chat away!

My website is Bonnie Cehovet - Author

My Facebook page is Bonnie Cehovet

I have specific blog sites set up on Word Press is where I put anything related to my music interests:

Bonnie Cehovet is where I place non-Tarot reviews.

The World of Flash Fiction is where I place my flash fiction writing. Generally under 100 words, there are a couple of longer pieces.

The World of Tarot is where my Tarot related reviews can be found. 

Books that I have either written or co-written include:

Tarot, Birth Cards and You: Keys To Empowering Yourself

Tarot, Rituals & You: The Power of Tarot Combined With The Power of Ritual

Surviving The Holidays

Seek Joy ... Toss Confetti (Co-Written with Brad Tesh)

The World of Tarot As Seen Through the Eyes of the Interview

 

Now you know where to find me!

(c) April 2017 Bonnie Cehovet

Reproduction is prohibited without written permission from the author.

Plots That Will Not Let Go!

Quite interesting when a plot will not let go! The first time that happened to me, the plot was actually far beyond what I could pull off. It was all about rarefied art, viewing said art in a very special room, having said art stolen, and recovering it. That started with a NaNoWriMo effort years ago - and got bogged down fairly early on. I worked with it, but got nowhere. The process, however, was a learning experience.

I am still convinced that cozy mysteries are where I belong, and that my primary character will be a female. Art still plays a part, although this time it is art in the form of a Tarot deck - a deck that may or may not still exist, and that contains an image that could bring some very important people down.

The backdrop has changed - the NaNoWriMo story was based in LA, of which I know nothing! My current effort has somewhere in CA as a backdrop, but the main action takes place in Las Vegas, where I lived for seventeen years. We have a disappearance, a brother who is not a brother, and a Tarot deck that has a very interesting story to tell!

Here's to this plot growing feet!

(c) 2015 Bonnie Cehovet

Rproduction prohibited without the written permission of the author.

The Process of Writing

This has been quite a month for me. My editor is in the process of editing my second Tarot book, and has asked that I resubmit the graphic that I am using in a larger size and higher resolution. The good thing here is that she did suggest a site for stock photo’s, which I will have to visit tomorrow, and I told her that I would have this to her by Monday. I may also look for images to use with each chapter, although that was never my intention. I am really very happy that my e-books will be done through Smashwords, and that the genre is cozy mystery, so I don’t have to worry about images throughout the book. I can hire someone to do the cover, which to this non-techie, non-artist sounds like a plan!

The other thing that I am working on this month is fine tuning the outline for my first mystery, and finishing the character profiles. I was very pleased that another writer shared on her site a template for doing character profiles that includes all of the things that I had included when I attempted to write this book for NaNoWriMo two years ago. I created a bible then, and will do the same this time.

I am also looking at the locations where my story will unfold. Basically, it will be in a major city. I plan to use the name of that city, but the locations within the city will be, for the most part, places that I have been, with their names changed. I need to make sure if using a created name for a restaurant or bar within a major hotel/casino, while using the real name of the hotel/casino, is the thing to do, or if I need to change the name of the casino too.

As I am writing this book, I am looking at ways to promote it. I am going to have a video trailer made to go on my site, and on You Tube. I will have a Face Book page for it, and will promote it through my Google + business page, personal page, and Twitter page. Beyond that, I am still thinking. Zero plans for a blog marathon (visiting other writers blogs), as to me that is too time intensive.

Then there is the thought – how do I create characters and a storyline that will form the foundation of a series, and not just a stand alone book? More research!

© August 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

A Conversation Overheard: Death/Emperor

I have been trying to think of ways in which I could make the Birth Card pairs come to life. I thought that it might be fun to have a Birth Card pair chatting over coffee or drinks. I was going to work with the gentlest Birth Card pair that I could find, just so the conversation would be, shall we say, a “nice, quiet one” Best laid plans, and all of that. The first two individuals that choose to speak were the ones that were the hardest for me to write about – The Devil and The Lovers. They choose to speak over drinks … fair warning! Today's Birth Card pair are Death and the Emperor. Outspoken individuals - they know their way around life!

Scene: In flight, from Dallas to New York City, on the luxurious new Boeing Jumbo Jet. There are two seats by each window, and a widely spaced row of seats in the middle of the plane, with aisles on either side. While this is not the inaugural flight for this line of planes, they are new enough that the passengers flying them are still very excited, and somewhat in awe. The two men speaking today represent Death and the Emperor. The younger man, resplendent in an Armani suit, complete with Richard James tie and Patek Phillipe watch, represents Death. The older man, in a conservative Knot Standard suit, with a custom tie and Cartier watch, represents the Emperor.

The two men were sitting on the right hand side of the plane, just in front of the wing. They were buckled in, waiting for takeoff. Their bags were stowed in the nearest baggage compartment - there were no overhead baggage compartments on this plane, which was a blessing. Boarding had gone super fast, and they were assured that deplaning would go just as fast. The stewards and stewardesses were courteous – even a bit formal. This was no ordinary plane.

The older man, Edward Caldwell, was seated next to the window. He shut down his laptop, and placed it under his seat. Noting this, his younger companion, Stefan Molinare, did the same. It had been a long day, and it was time to allow life to slow down - at least for the duration of the flight.

The fasten seat belts sign was on, and the head steward began the in-flight spiel about where the exits were, what to do in case of an emergency, how the face masks worked, etc. It was obvious that people were paying close attention, while appearing not to. This was a new plane, and there were new rules. Holding on to the past would get one nowhere on this flight – the plane had been totally redesigned, for both comfort and utility. Nothing was where it was on the old planes.

Finally, they were in the air, and the stewards were going quietly from person to person, offering choices of wine and mixed drinks, along with small appetizers. Both men choose flutes of Crystal, along with miniature crab cakes.
Edward leaned back slightly in his seat, stretching out his legs. “So, Stefan, how do you think we are doing?”

Stefan was quite for a moment, then he spoke. “It looks as if things are going according to plan. I knew this was going to be where my energy would be needed the most, but I had no idea how many people were so far behind where they should be.”

“This is a time of change for the human race, you know. Whenever one era ends, and another begins, our work intensifies. Our mandate is to teach them to detach from the physical world, to let go of their expectations, and then to balance that with accessing their own ability to analyze, make informed decisions, and take informed actions. They are indeed coming into their own power, and those who are meant to take leadership positions must do so now.”

Stefan took a sip of wine before responding. “I would have thought that gifting them with 9/11 would have gotten their attention. That was one of my better moments, or so I thought at the time.”

Edward responded: “Yes, it was one of your better moments. We worked in sync, with me behind the scenes, flooding the area with rescue workers, and quietly getting out the individual stories. The whole thing went rather well – there was a world-wide response that was quite gratifying.”

“But then the Fool had to intervene, with Madoff and the rest of that financial crisis!”

“Stefan, you do know that the Fool was out of time. People were not listening, they were living lives that had zero relation to reality, and it was getting worse fast. Something had to be done. And the Magician eventually stepped in, with the bank mergers and government assistance.”

“Edward, the Magician was and is walking a fine line with the bankers and the government. I don’t blame the Devil for coming up with SOPA and IPA as distractions.”

“I rather think that you advised him on that, Stefan. I can see your fine hand there. The Internet is old enough to have a past, and fresh enough to have a future. Some things already need to be released so that others can take their place. And, there is the added effect of bringing people together, and refocusing their energies.”

“Point taken.”

© January 2012 Bonnie Cehovet

A Conversation Overheard

A Conversation Overheard -

The Devil and The Lovers

I have been trying to think of ways in which I could make the Birth Card pairs come to life. I thought that it might be fun to have a Birth Card pair chatting over coffee or drinks. I was going to work with the gentlest Birth Card pair that I could find, just so the conversation would be, shall we say, a “nice, quiet one” Best laid plans, and all of that. The two individuals that choose to speak were the ones that were the hardest for me to write about – The Devil and The Lovers. They choose to speak over drinks … fair warning!

Scene: Elegant private lounge, with soft jazz playing in the background. Subdued lighting, and service so good that it blends into the woodwork – they are there and gone before you know it, but back at your elbow in a flash if you need something. Two well dressed individuals are seated in leather chairs, with a small table between them. The individual representing the Devil is a dark haired man, dressed in a dark suit, with a cream colored, French cuffed, bespoke shirt, and a conservative tie. He wears a large gold ring on his left hand. Seated opposite him is a stunning blond, with long flowing hair and dark brown eyes. Rings flash on her hands, and she wears pearls in her ears and at her throat. Her dress is from a well known designer, and suits her well.

“Antoine, it is so nice to be able to sit down and chat for a moment. Life can get so hectic!”, Kaitlin said, as she crossed her long legs and took a sip from the snifter in front of her.

“For now, dear Kaitlin, we are in balance. There are no fires to put out, and we can enjoy ourselves.” Antoine sat back, quietly viewing the room and its occupants. The stories these walls could tell! He smiled softly to himself.

Kaitlin's subdued laughter showed that she knew exactly where Antoine was coming from. “I know what you are thinking.” she teased.

“And exactly what might I be thinking?”

“You might be thinking that these elegant walls have some not so elegant stories to tell.”

“Kaitlin, you read me well.”

“It is not by chance that the theme of the lifetimes that we are Gatekeepers for revolves around relationships of all types. How they are handled, and the repercussions from them.”

“LOL I search for structure, while you, dear Kaitlin, simply want to bring opposing qualities into balance. My focus is on the physical/material world, while yours is on the Seeker's internal world,”

“Most people have no clue that we operate together. They run from you, and towards me. Most of the time they do, anyway.”

“I know, but that has a lot to do with the fact that when faced with me, people need to be accountable to and for themselves. If they don't want to do that, if they insist on being mired in the material world, then I need to find new and innovative ways to get them to pay attention. The current technological state of their world does bring these lessons on faster and faster. They have the tools to learn, they just don't use them.”

“Now, you are just a tad bit irritated that the last time you were presenting a major lesson, the individual was smart enough to know that they can call on the lesser energies, if you will. It's all good in the end, Antoine.”

“That individual could have worked through that lesson if they tried. Well, okay, they did try, but they were flexing relatively unused muscles when they brought in the Empress.”

“Well, she handled the whole situation with her usual aplomb. I worked with her a bit, but I let her take the lead. This individual, after all, is one that is meant to lead others. They need to not only be aware of their own strengths and abilities, but they need to be able to use them for the betterment of others”

“With our help, the individuals that we are Gatekeepers for establish solid boundaries, They strengthen the skills and abilities that they came into this lifetime with, and they find their authentic voice. For our part, we have to sometimes call on our darker, hidden skills and abilities to take them where they need to go. Not an easy task, but we learn as they learn.”

“Well said, Antoine, well said. Almost time to go. Paris the next time we meet?”

Antoine smiled. “Yes, Kaitlin, Paris the next time we meet.”

© October 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Loving October!

I dearly love October! I love the colors, the sharpness to the air in the morning, even the need to wear a sweater or jacket. It is a great time to go walking, and it has dried out enough here that I can get a bit more of the autumn cutting back done in the yard. I look forward to getting it finished, so that I have a few months sans yard work, before the cycle starts again.

My Halloween decorations are up, and I am thoroughly enjoying them! This year I have three young kittens (around four months old), sharing my house and porch. They are so much fun to watch, but a bit of a pain when they start up in the house, which they do every night! They are all feral cats - one of them, a Gray Tabby that I named Gray, has wanted to be a pet since he showed up! The Orange Tabby, Pumpkin, is just now letting me pet him. Their pure black brother, Midnight, wants nothing to do with me. Having said that, they are all three convinced that they own the house, and now sleep on my bed at night! When I move, only Gray is going with me. The remaining two will be fine - all of our neighbors feed the feline population, and there are plenty of places to sleep. They are neutered, so they won't be adding to the population!

My sister asked me to go to a conference in Vancouver, BC, with her. It's called the "Millionaire Mind Intensive", and is all about how we view money, and the place it has in our life. I told her that I would go, and I am refally excited about doing so. The only problem is that I have delayed getting either a passport, or an Enhanced Driver's License! So, I took what I thought was a copy of my birth certificate in to the DMV (30 minutes away - the local DMV office does not do EDL's). It wasn't what they required, but they were nice enough to put it in the system and start the process. I went home, and asked my mother if she had my birth certificate. She did, but she had to get it out of her safety deposit box. I took that in Saturday. You guessed it - it was from the hospital, and not the state, so was "A cute piece of paper to put in a baby book.", according to the clerk at the DMV. Sooooo happy I did not have her the day before, or I wouldn't be in the system! Bit the bullet, signed on the the ND licensing site, and ordered a certified copy of my birth certificate - to be delivered post haste! I certainly hope that things fall together so that I can go to Canada!

There was some good news this week, though. I have a book up at Lulu (Tarot In Review). I just got notification that they have converted the e-book version into ePub format, and that they will be submitting it to iBookstore and Barnes and Noble e-Books .

I am pleased to see that Google + is working out so well. Many thanks to those that remember to click on the little + sign! It helps us all to do this.

Stay tuned in the near future for what I hope will be quite an interesting conversation between one of the twelve Birth Card pairs - I haven't decided which one yet! My book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You", offers insight into each of the pairs, and how you can work with them. Check it out!

Wishing you all a fabulous week!

(c) October 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

The Beat Goes On

I am still trying to catch my breath over the release of my new book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You". Life does not happen a vacuum - I still have to work the "9-5", I am still doing reviews of other peoples work, attending incredible webinars of other peoples work, and getting ready to do a basic webinar on my book (with Linda Marson), and a focused webinar on my book (the affirmations aspect) with Mary Nale.

In a drawer in the kitchen I have the laminated copies of my cover that my publisher (Schiffer Publishing) sent me. I need to start making some calls to local bookstores and getting the name of their purchasing agent, so I have a "real name" to address the query letter that will accompany my lovely cover. "To Whom It May Concern" does not seem to get it when I want to gently encourage these people to carry my book in their store.

I am running a contest for the month of September, giving away a signed copy of my book. The contest is a simple one, but I have had no response to date. I am trying to see how I can present this in a better way, rather than taking things too personally. ;-)

To balance things out, I have the honor of reviewing the new deck out from Christine Payne-Towler and Michael Dowers (The Tarot of the Holy light). It is outstanding for so many reasons - its place as a Continental deck, the incredible artwork, the in-depth (but not overwhelming) esoteric symbolism, the beautiful, intense colors ... the list goes on!

Life is good ... may it remain so!

(c) September 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

My Journey As An Author

My book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You" is out. Each step of the way I think I am fine, then when I get there I am nervous! It is incredible to have it in my hands, it is incredible to be able to actually sign copies and send them to friends! It is incredible that my friends are doing reviews of my book - which they do not have to do. I would have sent them the book anyway!

It is very strange to be on the other side of the interview table - answering the questions, rather than asking them. The questions have been very good ones, too! Including the one ab out whether I had another Tarot book in process, which I do. Subject dwelling in the mists, for now. Proposal is out to my editor, I will have to see what she thinks. If it is accepted, I am sure that she knows she won't be seeing the panicked little person that she saw the first time around. I know what questions to ask, this time, and I know a bit about the process.

Interesting things have been happening - did you realize that a package will get to Sweden before it gets to Western Canada? (They were sent on the same day.) I think I also have it down that I have to fill out customs paperwork to send anything out of country. (I grabbed a fistful the last time I was at the post office - it beats filling them out at the post office!)

I have to ask my editor about books from brick and mortar publishers going into e-book format. I am not sure how they handle that. I do suggest that people click the "Do You Want To See This On Kindle" button on Amazon.com - that might help.

Speaking of clicking buttons - many of us are now using Google +1. When you see this on someone's site, blog, or article - please take the time to click on it. Unless you don't like the site, blog, or article - then just be polite and move on.

Focus for this coming week - edit my Power Point for my webinar with Linda Marson. Thank you Linda for setting the files up for me - I would not have had a clue!

(c) September Bonnie Cehovet

The Art of Promoting

What a weekend I had! On Saturday I did my first webinar with Mary Nale - and it went very well! Deep sigh of relief here! Many thanks to the wonderful people that attended this webinar - I appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to be there! I also appreciate the fact that Mary took the time to go over the "room" with me beforehand, so that I could bring up pages and move my little cursor around with some semblance of knowing what I was doing! I think that Mary chose an excellent site to work with, and wish her much success with future webinars. Two of those webinars will be mine - one will focus on Tarot, Birth Cards, and Affirmations, while the other will focus on Tarot, Birth Cards, and Journeying.

On Sunday morning I joined Dax Carlisle, Mark Reed, and Mary Nale on Tarot Today. I am listening to the show in archives as I write this blog, hoping that I don't sound too bad. I want to thank all of the people in the chat room - I appreciate your dropping by to listen! I also appreciate all of the people that will be listening to the show in the archives! The chat about my book was wonderful, I chatted with the people in the room a bit, and had a wonderful chat with Colin, who called in from the UK! Many thanks to Colin for calling in. He is a marvelous individual, and just an incredible artist!

Following Tarot Today I attended a two-hour seminar with Stephanie Arwen Lynch (Tarot By Arwen). The seminar was for writers, and addressed character definition and plot development. If you want to work with Tarot and writing, please check out the services/seminars that Arwen offers. She is an incredible reader, author, and teacher/mentor.

I have a webinar coming up on the 21st of Sepember with Linda Marson of Global Spiritual Studies. I highly recommend working with Linda if you want to do a webinar. Like Mary Nale, Linda works with her presenters to get the Power Point pages set up (note: Mary's pages are not Power Point), and to make sure that the presenter knows how to work witht he pages, and work with the pointer. I will be chatting with Linda this Wednesday night to get a better idea of my next step. I have my pages together, and my graphics for the cards ... and I thought this was "good to go". Not! The first thing that Linda told me when she saw my pages was that I needed to add visuals to retain the interest of my audience. I dragged my feet on that one. However, when I did my webinar with Mary, the same thing came up when I beat people over the head for feedback. So, I am taking the work that Linda did re my pages, and looking for good visuals to go with them. I have to redo the text that I gave Linda into bullet points (Linda did this for me, but I want to change them a bit). I consider myself incredibly lucky that I connected with two very professional ladies that are making my presentations look very good! :)

I have one more thing that I need to do on promotions, and that is to send the laminated book covers that Schiffer Publishing sent me to local bookstores. I have to write a quick promotional letter to go with them, and they will be off!

I am learning the art of promotion slowly but surely. It is very much easier for me to promote other people through my reviews and interviews. Promoting myself ... that is a whole other ballgame!

(c) August 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Promoting, Promoting, Promoting!

Within the next two weeks my new book, "Tarot, Birth Cards, and You: Keys to Empowerment" is due to be available from Schiffer Books. I am in the process of setting up webinars with Linda Marson , and Mary Nale & Company. I have the graphics ready, the handout and outline done, and just need to get the text together. I am really looking forward to working with both of these ladies!

On Sunday, August the 28th, I will be doing an Internet radio show with Dax Carlisle, Mark Reed and Mary Nale. All of the material is ready for this show.

This morning I placed my personal order for my books with Schiffer Books. These are books that I will be signing and sending out to friends that have helped me along the way. I am very happy to be able to do this.

I am continuing with my blog (one Birth Card pair a month) on the Birth Card pairs, and recently started doing a little Animoto video with the basic information on each Birth Card pair. I have nine out of twelve videos completed.

I need to research local book stores to send the lovely book covers that Schiffer sent with my author's copy out to (along with a cover letter, of course!). With any luck, one or more of these contacts may lead to an in-store lecture or book signing (or both!).

My little Cappie self is overjoyed with things to do to get my work out there! I hope that you all enjoy what I have to offer!

(c) August 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Changing Plot Theme for NaNoWriMo

In the process of defining my characters, a bolt of lightening came down and smacked me! The characters that I was defining were based on the plot - not the other way around. Maybe that would work, maybe not. What wasn't going to work was that the plot was for a very involved story that was light years away from a cozy mystery - and this book, my very first NaNoWriMo book, is meant to be the first in a series of cozy mysteries!

Toss that plot, not a problem. I do have several more at the ready, and I went straight to one that I have been developing in my head for some time now. It involves an elite spa, a stunningly unique Tarot deck that was painted in the early 1980's, and a group of people that were in and out of each other's lives during that time.

The deck was unique in that it was drawn by hand, presented at a small gathering of Tarot afficianados, and then disappeared, along with the artist. The figures on the deck were people that were prominent in the Tarot world at that time, and the scenes were taken from the area in which they lived.

Is the deck resurfacing, and, if so, is the artist also resurfacing? Why did he disappear? Why are certain people very nervous at the thought that he may be reappearing?

Off to develop a new cast of characters!

(c) October 2010 Bonnie Cehovet