Type 1 Diabetes

For the next 14 days join me in the fight against Type 1 Diabetes. Check back for information, resources, testimonies, ways to support research and encourage those and their families that live with this disease every day. 

If you have a story or something you want to share, please tweet me @loradouglas112  or #LDT1D or find me on facebook. 

FX Awesomeness!!

So I ordered some special effects makeup and injury effects for a photo shoot for one of my book covers. I am not new to photography (been doing it for 12 years give or take, some professionally) but I am very new to the art of special effects. Granted, I have watched Face Off and I prayed a lot of dress up as a kid. While most little girls choose to be princesses, I preferred Circus performers, Zombies and people with supernatural abilities that had been in terrible accidents. I was also in the Color guard in high school, (for those of you unfamiliar with Color guard check out this link http://www.wgi.org/) one of the valuable skills this taught me was how to apply stage/performance
makeup on a moving yellow dog (very old school bus). 

Anyways, that being said, I reached out and did some research. I found a place called Mostlydead.com. I ordered these injury temporary tattoos and I have to say, my mind was blown. Now only are they super easy to apply, they look hella realistic....yeah I just said hella....that's how much my mind has been converted to shrapnel. 

Here is a photo.(the scrap is the tattoo I am referring too...the wording is real..) I just used a little one on myself and saved the best for my photo shoot. This is strictly the tattoo, no make up or photo editing of any kind involved. 

But yeah, awesome. I am not paid to say this nor do I have any connection to Mostlydead.com or the company that makes the tattoo applications. I am just a random consumer that stumbled upon the website. I am just really excited and wanted to share it with you. If you want to check them out, click one of these links.

 http://www.mostlydead.com/collections/tattoos-and-transfers   http://www.mostlydead.com

Book Review: Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence

Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of ViolenceBook by Karen Armstrong

“In his classic study of religion and violence, Rene Girard argued that the scapegoat ritual defused rivalries among groups within the community. In a similar way, I believe, modern society has made a scapegoat of faith.

In the West the idea that religion is inherently violent is now taken for granted and seems self-evident. As one who speaks on religion, I constantly hear how cruel and aggressive it has been, a view that, eerily, is expressed in the same way almost every time: ‘Religion has been the cause of all the major wars in history.’” Introduction.

Karen Armstrong gives a thought provoking, educational and information packed gem in Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence. This is not a cup of coffee on a rainy day book but rather a guided walk through the history of religion, politics, and the ever changing yet ever constant behavior of humankind. It takes the concept of using religion as a scapegoat for wars and argues that religious faith is not inherently violent.

Being a self-proclaimed history and social science nerd, I fully enjoyed the look into the culture perceptions and history of the Hebrew people, the Byzantine Empire, the Muslim people and the foundations of society that resulted in what we know today.

This book is not a light and happy read. It is challenging and opens doors for introspection and contemplation on multiple issues, but a little brainwork and personal reflection is good for anyone.

Fields of Blood is a great resource and I would like to commend Armstrong on her presentation and her organization of information. Keeping in mind, this is her argument and all arguments have their pros and cons, I recommend this book for anyone willing to trudge through the muck that has gathered around religion and form your own path. No matter your stance on religion, I believe there is something to be gained from what Armstrong presents. I think it is important to know where we have been, and to decide where we stand in the present in order to move forward into the future.

To purchase a copy of your own, visit

http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Blood-Religion-History-Violence/dp/0307957047#

Other reviews of Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence

Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen Armstrong-review

By David Shariatmadari

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/oct/08/fields-of-blood-religion-history-violence-karen-armstrong-review

 ‘Fields of Blood,’ by Karen Armstrong

By JAMES FALLOWS

 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/books/review/fields-of-blood-by-karen-armstrong.html?_r=0

Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen Armstrong, review: 'questionable logic'

By Noel Malcolm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/11104769/Fields-of-Blood-Religion-and-theHistory-of-Violence-by-Karen-Armstrong-review-questionable-logic.html

Karen Armstrong’s New Rule: Religion Isn’t Responsible for Violence

By Patricia Pearson

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/29/karen-armstrong-s-new-rule-religion-isn-t-responsible-for-violence.html

New Year Schnooo Ear

So it is 20 days into 2015 and I have been debating doing a New Years post. I am not that into resolutions, honestly I'm not great at goal setting in general, more of an in-the-moment person. Which can be a good thing but all things have pros and cons.
Ironically, my goal for the past few months has been learning to set goals. So for the first time sense I was like in middle school and just did it because I thought I had to...I am setting some New Years Resolutions.

Please, please hold your applause, sounds of shock and overall amusement to a minimum.
I know some of you (you know who you are) are laughing your asses off right now.
Thanks for that. :)

Drum roll please.....

Lora Douglas' goals for 2015. 

Publish my first novel!!!!! You heard (well read) it right folks. My first novel, Ages from Eternity is set to come out June 2015. Mark your calenders, set your phones, write it on your hand. Part of my soul, the child of my creative juices (gross), the result of sleep deprivation, too much coffee, tears and minor freak outs, support, and failure will be out for the world to see.

So much terror and excitement and for someone that is not really overly emotional, sometimes I think my heart and head will implode. Yay!! Scared shitless! Yay!!! Biting my fingernails!! Yay! Shot of whiskey/vodka...Yay!! So proud. So scared. So excited.
Right brain. Left brain. Business. Fun. Emotions. Logic. Words. Numbers.

Now that those thoughts are out...moving on. So yeah, my first book can be in your hands, on your phone or other electronic devices in June! If reading ain't your thing (thanks for reading this blog by the way) my novel can come to your ears this Fall with the awesome audio book edition.

All this aside, in 2015 I would like read more books this year.  I'm kind of a slow reader when it is for fun so I think 40 books in a year is a good/challenging/realistic goal for me.
I have a couple goals related to my health issues (which are random and at times consume my life).  Here is one of them. With physical therapy, I hope to get my legs to where I can run short distances without pain. Right now, I can do about 2/10 of a mile so a quarter mile seems like a doable goal.
I also what to finish writing book 2 of the Ages from Eternity series and book 1 of a YA series that is floating around in my head.
Later this year, I will going to (leading actually) a humanitarian/mission trip to Thailand. The Thai cultural has fascinated me since I was in the third grade and visiting that country has been a desire of mine since that time. I look forward to this trip to learn more about the community and cultural of the people in northeast, rural area of Thailand. I guess to phrase this as a goal, I am currently learning basic Thai and would like to be able to communicate without the 100% dependence on a translator. I am also training the other team members on cultural competence and how to basically travel/work internationally in an unfamiliar culture.

They may not look like your concept of resolutions but that is what I got. :) What are your goals and resolutions for 2015? Share some in the comments or on twitter #LoraDouglasRez2015

Meet Angela Scott!!!!!

Award Winning Author 

Angela Scott 

answers some questions about writing, life and zombies! 

How do you think, you would do in a real Apocalypse (zombie or not)? 

Absolutely horrible. I'm a whiner and I'm pretty much terrified of everything. So, I would be the worst survivor ever. In fact, other survivors would most likely kill me just to be done with my whiny behind. I actually blogged about this very thing awhile back: http://www.angelascottauthor.com/blog/there-are-4-kinds-of-zombies-apocalypse-survivors-which-one-are-you

What is your favorite part in your book, Anyone?  ?

I would have to say when Cole showed up. It was incredibly hard to write several chapters with only one character, but I had to set up the premise of Tess being alone and how miserable and lonely it was for her. But once Cole came on the scene everything became better. He is one of my favorite characters I have ever written, and I enjoyed all the scenes he was in. 

 

What was the hardest part of Anyone? to write?

 ANYONE? was one of my funnest books to write, but also one of my most difficult. I had an idea part way through the book to change things up when it came to Cole. Was he real? Was he only in Tess's mind? Was he something else all together? Once I made that decision, I knew that writing my ending would be tricky. I wrote a lot of clues into the book, but I also left it open for the reader to make their own decision (and honestly, no answer is wrong--Cole can be who or whatever you want him to be). But by making this decision, it became VERY difficult to write a satisfying ending that would please everyone. I took on that risk, realizing that some readers would be thrilled to have it left open, while others will become pissed I didn't just tell them who or what Cole was. I took a gamble, and I'm hoping more people will enjoy the ending than those who are ticked at me :) So to answer this question: The ending. The ending was the most difficult to write. By far. 

 

What is your writing process? Do you like to be anywhere particular? or write during a certain time of day? 

My writing process is random. I try to grab pieces of time wherever I can grab them (being a wife and mother of three, while working, makes it difficult). I LOVE writing while in my bed! I love my bed and love sitting there with my laptop on my lap, but because I suffer from carpel tunnel, I have had to move my behind to a chair and a desk with proper support. The good thing though, is that my desk sits in front of two large windows that look over the Wasatch Valley. It's beautiful and inspiring. I would say that if I can force myself to get up early, the morning hours work the best for me. My brain is ready to go, but unfortunately, my body usually is not :) 

Do you have any interesting reoccurring dreams? 

While I was in the middle of writing THE ZOMBIE WEST, I tended to have a lot (and I mean a lot) of dreams that had to do with zombies. One of the weirdest, was about a mother who wanted me to take her two children into my "safe house" because she couldn't take care of them. No problem. But when she handed me the baby, it turned out to be a zombie. I was holding this crazy, air-biting, baby by the arms out in front of me, trying to figure out what to do with it. An old man came by with a wheel barrow and said he's take it. Anyway... when I woke up, I knew a zombie baby was going to be written into the series. I had to do it. 

What is the worst thing about being a writer?

 I think the worst thing about being a writer is that moment when you publish your book and send it out into the world. You have to sit back and wait for those first reviews to come rolling in. It's terrifying. The writing, the editing, the camaraderie are all wonderful. The waiting and worrying can be miserable--but it should never stop a writer from writing. It's part of the process. 

Who is your favorite character from anyone of your books? 

My favorite character will always be Boone from DESERT RICE. He changed the lives of Sam and Jacob in the book, and this shy, recluse of a man became a hero to these two kids. 
 

Describe your perfect day.  

My perfect day would be, staying in my pj's, laying in bed and doing absolutely nothing. Maybe watching a movie and drinking hot cocoa. My days are FILLED with running here and there and trying to get so many things done, that a day of doing nothing would be fabulous.

Check out other titles from this awesome author

The Zombie West Series 

      #1 Wanted: Dead or Undead

     #2  Survivor Roundup 

    #3  Dead Plains

Or get all three in this Omnibus Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Zombie-West-Trilogy-Angela-Scott-ebook/dp/B00GO9SXJ6

Angela Scott

 http://www.angelascottauthor.com/

Best decision

It was one year ago today that I made one of the best decisions of my life. I was diagnosed with endometriosis (had it since I was like 10 years old). After numerous failed treatments, I made the decision to have a total hysterectomy (everything but my cervix taken out). 
The entire process was scary and sad (no children) but I wouldn't take it back. Not a day goes by that I regret my decision. I am more alive than I have ever felt. 
I think today will always be the day I got my life back. 

Happy January 15. 

First Interview!!

Hello everyone, 
I am pleased to announce that this Friday there will be a web interview, right here on Wonder and Wanderings, featuring none other than award winning author, 

Angela Scott. 

She is known for her zombie western trilogy and the amazing Desert Flower and Desert Rice. 
Her book Anyone? was just released on December 1, 2014. 

On Friday, January the 16th she will be answering some questions right here! So check back and get to know this awesome author. 

*Anyone? photo taken from Amazon.com

Buy Anyone? here @

http://www.amazon.com/Anyone-Angela-Scott-ebook/dp/B00OC9F5JG

Check out Angela's Website @ http://www.angelascottauthor.com/

Asthma sucks...that is all

For those of you that don’t know, I have asthma. It stems from a traumatic birth where I ingested a lot of blood and got an infection in my lungs. I was also born with Right Middle Lobe syndrome and my trachea was shaped like an L, until I was like 7.

Anyways, it sucks. I am 28 years old, I have to do breathing treatments twice a day (when I am healthy), and even more when the weather is bad (like now) or I get a cold or sinus infection. Today, my doctor was joking (well not really) and said I just need to stay inside for the next two months and maybe one day get a prescription to live by the beach.

I am not a fan of complaining, but I do understand that sometimes people just need to vent. Most days, I am positive. But someday, I get pissed because my reality does not add up to my expectations (realistic or fantastical).

I was sick as a child the majority of the time but some part of my mind knew it was going to be different when I was an adult. I was going to be like the adults on TV or like the adults, I knew in real life even though what I knew of them was derived from short meetings and the lenses of childhood. I saw put together people that were active and happy and worked, took care of a family and played softball three days a week.

Now I understand that my expectations were unrealistic but how often do we KNOW something but it still takes a while to soak in or we just keep saying we know to try to convince ourselves? No matter how much knowledge I have, some days it is hard to accept that my chronic condition followed me into my twenties. I still have to wear the mask when I use my nebulizer because I can’t breathe through the ‘adult’ attachment. I have to check my oxygen level before going outside. In the winter, if I go out in the night air, I have to wear a scarf or a gator. I can’t run outside, or walk fast. I can’t work out cause I can’t breathe. I get loopy and emotional when I don’t get enough oxygen or too many steroids.

I have to take steroids when my two inhalers, oral medication and nebulizer treatments can’t manage my asthma. Steroids jack you up. I gain weight (no matter what I do), I get paranoid and antsy and sometimes I hallucinate. It is awesome…. But I can breathe and my chest doesn’t feel like I am having a heart attack or a hug from a boa constrictor….that is a great thing.

Anyways, life goes on. Some days I get pissy. I get frustrated. I just want to pretend for two minutes that I’m not sick. But life goes on. Being sick does not make me less of a person. It does not make me a bad wife, friend, aunt, sister, teacher. It does not give me reason to look down on myself even if that mean little voice in the back of my mine says differently.

I will never be a marathon runner, a professional swimmer, a singer, a gymnast, or a whole list of other awesome things but that doesn’t mean I’m not awesome.

Do I believe this every day? Hell no.

Self-consciousness gets the best of me more often than I care to admit. Negative thinking is a daily challenge. But deep inside, in my soul, in my grounded mind, I believe every word and I believe it is true for you too.