Writing style: “elegantly uncomplicated”

REVIEWS FOR EVA:

 
In a beautiful review for “Eva” the reviewer stated that my writing was “elegantly uncomplicated.” I was thrilled. That is a high compliment, in my view.
 
I took an oath, to myself, after college creative writing classes. I vowed: Simple. Just say it. Go for Hemingway-esque with passion and suspense. Don’t use two words when one will do. Get out of yourself, Diane and just tell the story.
 
Years later, when I edited the thesis for my homeopathic degree, I realized I had been showing off my Writing, with a big ole’ capital W… So I edited to rub off its intellectual rough edges. To make it easily comprehensible.


DON’T BE CAUGHT WRITING!

And with fiction, I don’t want anyone yanked out of the story because they’ve noticed my writing. I want them lost in it, for them to forget they are reading a book. To me, that is the ultimate goal. I don’t read ( and certainly don’t write) literary fiction. It is too often self-involved. Self aware. It feels as if the author was sunk into her writing experience, forgetting the reading experience. (Perhaps we are looking at the difference between art and performance, but I think that’s another blog!)
 
I am a storyteller, a performer, and a communicator, and that can’t be filled up with obtuse, often unintelligible words or sentences. If someone reads a long sentence and has to go back and read it again to understand the message, in my view the author has failed. I need no one to think I am erudite and intellectual. I want them to be moved by the story.
 
AI hasn’t learned it yet. It is clever, too clever, with every adjective and enthusiastic turn of phrase. And it’s repetitive. Everything I read from AI needs a good editor. When AI gets more astute and evolved, watch out. But I bet it will never move you like a human author can. An author who shares a story with the river of emotion running through her blood. That you can feel when you read her words. There’s nothing like that for me.


What do you think?

The Homeopathic treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/M.E

kindle dropper pic pixabay simple LARGEChronic Fatigue Syndrome:A guide to the homeopathic treatment of CFS/M.E. 

Eloquent Rascals Publishing,
Hillsborough County, NH.

I love that this book continues to help people. I get emails from people regularly about something they found in the book to help them. Warms my heart. CFS is such a horrible syndrome, and my heart aches for those who suffer. I did, myself, for eight long years, but a homeopathic remedy put an end to that!

kindle cover aug 3 back cover text GOOD 300 ppi

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: another sufferer recovers

Do you have CFS? Or know someone who does? I keep reading (ad nauseum) that there is no cure, but I beg to disagree. There is a way to get better.  I was fortunate to be able to help many people in all my years of practicing as a homeopath and nutritionist, and now I find that those reading my book on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are finding their way back to good health as well. Even though I am now retired from practice, this warms my heart more than I can say.

I discovered a great review on Amazon yesterday, from a woman who has been struggling with CFS for many years. She has been  diagnosed with high titers of the Epstein Barr virus. It was especially bad over the last two years. She followed my protocol and six weeks later is feeling remarkably better.  

Her review says it all. So awesome…

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a guide to the homeopathic treatment of CFS/M.E. 

5.0 out of 5 stars If you have chronic fatigue or chronic Epstein-Barr virus, do yourself a favor and read this book.

Not only does Diane Solomon write with clarity but she is also a gifted homeopath. From my decades of experience with homeopathy as a lay homeopath and having consulted many well-trained homeopaths, I have learned that in order to be a good prescriber one needs to be able to understand the unique characteristics of each remedy. Homeopathy is a blend of art and science. Having had chronic Epstein-Barr Virus for many years and having had it raise it’s ugly head more than a year ago causing immense fatigue, fevers, weakness, cascading chills, fainting spells, weight loss, etc. etc. I am finally seeing the light at the end of tunnel. After following Diane’s protocol, I’ve made great strides and am keeping my fingers crossed that after many misdiagnoses and failed attempts by both Western and Eastern healthcare providers, that I now am on the road to good health.

 

I am so grateful she took the time to write the review. And so glad I could help.

Creativity is its Own Reward!  Guest post for Linda’s Book Bag

lindas-book-bag-icon         Diane Solomon’s guest post for Linda’s Book Bag

 

Here’s an excerpt:

Being creative is often a calling. Are you compelled to create, be it art, music, poetry, fiction? Then you must do it. You must do it to fulfill your passion in life.  Without it you may feel dead, unfulfilled, trudging through the three-foot mudslog of life, day by day, without experiencing the joy of your own heart.

But, I hear you ask:“Will someone else like my artistic endeavor?” My answer: Who cares? Seriously. WHO CARES?

A few tips for artists and writers everywhere:

1) Dare to Suck (or Dare to Fail, for those of you appalled by the vulgarity.) As a singer/songwriter, I learned early (after an ego struggle) to trust the creative process and dive deeply into it. You have to dare to be criticized, dare to be silly, dare to be crazy, to be wild. You have to Dare to Suck.

READ The entire guest blog at Linda’s Book Bag

 

Check out our middle-grade fantasy/mystery entitled, The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain.
   Raventsone Homeschooling Book Cover

About Diane Solomon
EloquentRascals.com 

 

Book Links for The Ravenstone

AMAZON:  Kindle or paperback
SMASHWORDS eBook
GOODREADS
TWITTER
NETGALLEY

BARNES AND NOBLE Nook & Paperback

About the book: Imagine a raven appearing out of thin air and guiding you to an exquisitely carved icon that glows with ancient light and pulses with shamanic power.  This is how the adventure begins for Nadia and Aidan Shaw, 13-year-old twins, who live in idyllic Cold Spring, New York. Armed with the power of the Ravenstone and their own special gifts, they embark on a harrowing quest across centuries, at the bidding of a mysterious old shaman. They must depend on their courage, their faith in their friends, and luck… or is it destiny?

If they succeed, what they bring back could change the course of human existence.


REVIEW:

Many thanks to Dii Bylo, a Top 1% Goodreads Reviewer for her 5-Star review

diannes-review-nov-4

NETGALLEY REVIEW INVITE

The Ravenstone

 

Author interview questions

Author Interview Questions

With all the promotion for my new novel, “Eva; a riveting romantic suspense with a supernatural twist,”  I have had a chance to answer some fascinating questions posed to me by book bloggers.

CHECK OUT EVA HERE

Is there any part of the story of Eva to which you relate, from your own life?

Absolutely. My first career was in show business in England. I was a singer, and songwriter, and actress, and had my own variety show on BBC television. Then I enjoyed another 15 years or so of traveling around the world entertaining. With that came a goldfish bowl that you have to experience to understand. It sounds glamorous: the TV appearances, the radio interviews, the press coverage, singing in front of people (I did love that!), the nice clothes, the money… But it comes with the price of a loss of privacy and space. In the first few years, when I was recognized all the time, I’d pop down to the grocery store, where people often felt free to make all kinds of strange comments like, “You’re not as pretty as you are on the television.” Or “You’re fatter than we thought you were.” Seriously.

Eva, the protagonist of the novel, keeps to herself, and tries to keep her magical gift a secret. When inevitably word gets out, she is undated by media and requests from around the world. Her life is no longer her own.  Although I have no magical gift (how I wish!) I think I relate to her loathing of attention from my show business experience.

Do you write to a schedule? Or do you write when you feel like it?

That’s a good question. I know most career authors work a certain amount every day whether the mood strikes them or not.  My writing is not structured in this way. I tend to be an all or nothing person, meaning when I do something I love I do it 125%. When I’m working on a book, whether on my own or with my husband Mark Carey, I tend to get on a roll. It’s hard for me to stop. Laundry doesn’t get done, the weeding doesn’t get done, I forget to eat. And I can write for hours, even in the middle of the night. I’ve never been very disciplined about following a routine; it might be better if I did. That’s what the little voice in my head tells me, in a chastening tone. But we are who we are, and we do things the way they work for us. And I had the time of my life writing Eva.

 

 

Aches and pains? Tips for relief

Displeased curly haired woman bites lips, touches painful shoulder, suffers from injury, wears grey top, isolated on white background. health problems, medical conceptHave you twisted your ankle? Suffering from some overuse injury in muscles? Arthritis in your knee or shoulder? Many of us immediately reach for an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen, or even the prescription drug diclofenac. Or many of us don’t. That’s because it causes us stomach pain. Even for those who it doesn’t seem to bother, ibuprofen taken systemically can cause bleeding or irritation to the stomach lining. So, it’s not a good idea to take it often even if you believe you are fine with it.

Now, most of you know I’m a homeopathic and nutritionist, so you wonder why I’m suggesting a drug! True, I think you should first reach for homeopathic Arnica, 30 C, or a good Arnica cream. But if you really need an extra whammy, try ibuprofen cream. Now I know you can buy this over the counter in the pharmacy, but it’s pretty expensive.

TIP: I simply take an ibuprofen tablet, and crush it up, in any body lotion or body cream I have. Works like a charm. There you have it: topical ibuprofen cream. Cheap and useful.

But don’t forget your homeopathic Arnica!

(A good brand is *Traumeel or Traumed… And I have no connection with the company that makes them.)

 

Research links:

~ Topical Administration of Ibuprofen for Injured Athletes: Considerations, Formulations, and Comparison to Oral Delivery

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5629190/

 

~  Efficacy and safety of 5% ibuprofen cream treatment in knee osteoarthritis. Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14994406/

 

~ Treatment of knee osteoarthritis with a topical non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug. Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the efficacy and safety of a 5% ibuprofen cream.   Rovenský J, Miceková D, Gubzová Z, Fimmers R, Lenhard G, Vögtle-Junkert U, Schreyger F.Drugs Exp Clin Res. 2001;27(5-6):209-21.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14994406/

IMAGE BY <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/displeased-curly-haired-woman-bites-lips-touches-painful-shoulder-suffers-from-injury-wears-grey-top-isolated-white-background-health-problems-medical-concept_12700534.htm#query=shoulder%20pain&position=0&from_view=keyword”>Image by wayhomestudio</a> on Freepik

“Eva” wins the Reviewer’s Favorite Award at Feathered Quill Book Awards!

Feathered Quill Book Awards chooses “Eva!” 

 
I’m so thrilled! The reviewer, Lily Andrews, who reviewed my book for Feathered Quill Book Awards, chose my book of all that she reviewed in 2023 as her favorite. She said, “The author, Diane Solomon, skillfully melds the real world and the imaginary, delivering a tale with all the crystalline incisiveness that modern novels of a similar genre often lack.”
 
Yay!!! 
 
WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com