"Reversal" Released

What else can we say, but,
“It's the official release day”?

It’s really exciting to start the new year off on a high note, regardless of all of the chaos surrounding us in this day and time.

I feel like there isn’t much to be said, so I am going to let the story speak for itself.

Humanity in Retrograde

In this retro-futuristic era, the old look and reproduce as if in the prime of their lives. The babies delivered into this world—sickly, fighting for every second to have a slim chance of survival. To turn this existence on its heels, it requires something … or someone … Special. 

When a healthy baby is discovered by Nurse Celestine, she makes it her mission to protect what she believes is a well-kept secret. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for the observant Nurse Trudy to put the pieces together to utilize for her personal gain as well as orchestrate Nurse Celestine’s ruin. Can Nurse Celestine succeed in combating the determined Nurse Trudy, or will all that is special be exposed and possibly destroyed? Find out in Reversal.

Babies.

Mere infants … fragile, feeble, sickly and flushed of color, lined the nursery of St. Agnes General Hospital NICU Department. This was nothing new, of course. They were all born that way. Those who made it past their first week of birth were among the blessed.

An almost invisible film of mauve and viridian—a sheath that covered their reality—was the translucent haze that weighed upon all things. It was as though the colors had been embedded into the fabric of the world, tinging everything—no matter what its candescence—in those pigments. The darkest of the dark, and the lightest of the light, all seemed ominous and void of vitality.

Dreary. That was the word that best described this place, these people … these babies.

The atmosphere was inauspicious. Everything seemed afflicted with lifelessness. The hospital, antiquated. Though hundreds of years in the future, the setting felt like a 1950’s time warp. The perimeter of the hospital was as inert as its own appearance—scant trees, barren bushes, leaf and debris covered streets.

The perils that distressed St. Agnes General Hospital was the lack of advanced technologies. It was as though the last ten centuries had never transpired. An entire fragment of time had evidently disappeared leaving behind a woefully dull and mechanically limited world which was forced to operate within its mediocre means.

The hallways of St. Agnes General were long, ominous, and cold. The walls were painted in a tainted light green. The doctors wore perfectly pressed white coats which covered their black business suits. Their hair, slick—brushed back into a tight, shiny do. The nurses donned white nursing uniforms with white hats which had red crosses in the center. Skirts at knee length, taupe pantyhose and white nurse shoes. They looked perfect. In complete contrast to their locality.

Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep; first in dots then in dashes. The sound carried a cadence of absolute fear which could give any person goosebumps—that river of icy-hot pimples that ran all over one’s body. Yet the screeching of the monitor’s blaring was far louder than the unhealthy baby that attempted to cry its woes. His voice was as decrepit as his leathery, bony flesh.

Nurse Juliette was an excessively feminine, soft-spoke Asian woman with the tiny frame. Blue-black hair fell to her waist, and Juliette’s spotless face was softly made up.

“Sh, sh, sh. There, there, little one. It’ll all be over soon, I promise. Mommy already knows that you’ll be going to a better place,” whispered Nurse Juliette who was sitting next to his cradle. She gently shook the child’s puny legs. Nurse Juliette’s tone was void of emotion, as though this were an everyday occurrence.

In all actuality, it was.

In complete opposition to the old-looking, ailing child was Nurse Juliette whose stature was strong, young, healthy and … well, perfect. So was the child’s mother and father who both waited for the news of his fate from their hospital room.

And, just as Nurse Juliette swayed the hardly sobbing yet profusely ailing child, the infant took in a sharp lungful and exhaled his last breath.

“Ahh, poor child,” Nurse Juliette concluded, then proceeded to get out of her seat to pick up the phone. “Nurse Celestine? Yes? Good. Please advise the Smithson family that the child has passed.”

“Certainly,” replied the voice on the opposite end. Neither one of the voices even remotely somber.

"Reversal" Day 3

Main Character Connectivity: Albert, Celestine, and Trudy

I’ve never been the type of writer to sit inside a mold of any kind. I’ve always written in a way that blurs genres, lines, and character makeup.

In a typical story the two main characters—Albert and Celestine—would either be related or have some sort of romantic connection, whether it was reciprocated or not.

I, however, believe that in real life that isn’t always the case. In real life, things aren’t just black and white.

Thus, when mimicking real life via its fictional mirror, it’s important to stay true to certain elements. Blurred lines is one of them.

I was asked, “Why aren’t Albert and Celestine an item?”

The answer is, “Who says they aren’t, but also, who says they are?”

I wanted to leave that up for interpretation; I wanted the reader to speculate.

Were they really romantically interested in each other, were they just friends, was it something else? Something more?

No one knows. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Because romance is not the point of the story anyway.

The point of the existence of Celestine and Albert is to tell you the story that truly matters … the story of “Reversal”.

Speaking of blurred lines … let’s talk a little bit about Trudy.

Who is Nurse Trudy and why is she so dead set on getting Celestine busted in the first place?

Why, that’s the big question?

In my mind, when writing “Reversal”, I thought of the iconic Hardboiled novels of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. In those stories, in those days, a villain was a villain just because he/she was. There was no real reason or substance to the person … they just liked being bad.

It beckons the thought of how some people just love drama. They seem to thrive on it.

However, during the writing of the story, as it got deeper, things changed. Trudy was no longer a villain just for the sake of it, she was a person with purpose. She was a person who not only thrived on the drama, but did it because it meant something to her.

Then an image came to mind--one that I might write more about someday in the future in the form of a short story.

The image was that of Trudy and Celestine in Nursing school at the same time. Studying together, socializing together, the works. In time, the quintessential “turning of tides” visits their doorstep. Celestine begins to excel at what she does, whilst Trudy remains the underdog; never to meet the standard that Celestine embodies naturally. Thus, a long and deliberate plan is put into action by Trudy. A plan of redemption. She would prove that Celestine isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks she is.

Years later, they both find themselves in the world of “Reversal”, a world replete with happenstances which call out to Trudy that now is the time for her reprisal.

Celestine is now in a situation where she can only call upon the one person that’s been a mainstay in her life … Albert.

Thus the ties of blurred lines and incomprehensible connections come to life. All because of a single miracle.

A Special miracle.

See y’all tomorrow for the official book release! I can hardly wait to share it with you all.

Y. Correa

"Reversal" Day 2

When the location and setting is also a character

Yup, you heard me right. Today I am going to talk about how the location and setting of “Reversal” is also a character in the story. Or at least, that’s how I see it.

Open your mind and let me take you on a trip into the impossible.

Over one hundred years from now a society exists that is living in a reversed reality.

This is not a dystopian future, but the future thereafter. It’s a time when humanity has rebuilt the devastation that destroyed reality as humanity knew it. But, in this time, everything is old, because old is new.

Picture being so far into the future that people are living in a replica of the past. A 1950s replica to be exact.

Underneath all of the vintage allure of this world, one can still find the rubble of a world that once was. Things that exist in our time; things like flying drones, for example. Even cars like 1950s Chevys exist. How strange is that? Wide cars with benches instead of chairs. In the hospitals, the supplies and procedures are a combination of very old and very new. Imagine syringes that are made of metal and glass, but protocol that is modern. Doctors wear two-piece suits under their coats and nurses all have white uniforms and hats. All this, but science is advanced and miraculous.

Here, in the world of Reversal, things seem ominous. Even the sun doesn’t glow in a way that illuminates nature, but rather scarcely glows at all. It’s cold, dreary and feels isolating. So much so, that there seems to be a perpetual cloud of obscurity that encompasses the entire planet.

In this upside-down world, even evolution is put to question as the forward movement of evolution has been regressed. Now, the universe evolves backwards.

In a romantic way of saying it, I would say that “What once was, is again. and what is now, may no longer be.”

So how does the setting and location play into the whole concept of the story as a character?

Well, because though seemingly mute, it has its own voice.

The echo of the world reverberates throughout the entire plot of the story. It transmutes the dilemmas of the human characters and speaks of a place and time that are tangible. Because it is foreseeable, it is relatable, it is something we know but also something we’ve never seen.

The setting and the location, speak to me. I hear its voice when I read the story. I can only hope that you have that very same experience.

Until next time.

Y. Correa

"Reversal" Day 1

Hiya, everyone!

So here is the deal ... I am going to be as quiet as a church mouse for the next several days as my awesome boss-lady-slash-author-friend hacks my blog site. During the next 4 days, she's going to act like I don't even exist and just talk to her heat's content about her upcoming novel, "Reversal".

Take it away, Y.!

What was the inspiration behind the Reversal concept?

Coincidence or destiny?

That’s the question I ask myself when it comes to the birth of “Reversal”.

To this day, I honestly don’t know which one it was. But after having completed the story, I’ve come to believe that I was meant to write it all along. So, perhaps it was destiny.

I guess, like with all stories, we should start at the beginning ….

One day, as per usual, I was chatting with my good friend and fellow author A. Lopez Jr. , who’d consequently just woken up. As I routinely did, I asked how he was doing, although I already knew that he was groggy and tired.

That’s when he shared with me the fact that he’d had a “sort of bad dream”. He shared that in the dream time was going backwards and people were dying young; he was among those people.

The conversation went a little something like this;

Me: That would make a fantastic story. You should write it down.

A.: Naw, I am working on too many projects as it is. But you’re right, it would make a good story.

Me: Then maybe just jot down the concept this way it could be something that you could come back to later.

A.: No, I don’t think it’s my story to tell. You take it.

Me: Me? No, I couldn’t do that! That would be stealing.

A.: It’s not stealing if I am giving it to you. It’s yours, take it. Write the story.

Immediately my mind flooded with the premise of the story—the ins and outs of how that world could function, the myriad things that could happen. More than that, the richness of the location and time setting.

The conversation continued between A. and me, and we went back and forth for some time about how that story would and could work.

Finally, he says, “See? I knew it was yours.”

I smiled. I was grateful for his confidence in my ability to narrate the richness of the story.

He finished with, “It’s called ‘Reversal’.”

“‘Reversal’ it is!” I responded.

I am not altogether done. This doesn’t end with an immediate “happily ever after”.

You see, although I started to write the story that very day it took me three years to finish. “Reversal” was a rollercoaster ride to get done. I mean, like, for real.

I’d find myself in these moments of mental debate ….

I don’t know if I am doing this story justice.

Dear God, it sucks ass!

What the fuck am I thinking?

Should I delete everything and start over?

Naw, I hate it. I’m dumping it.

Wait, this story is pretty damn good. Let me try to add a little more to it.

I love this story. Bad! Ass!

I totally need to finish this thing, like, right away.

😟 Sheesh, what am I thinking? It sucks! I’m gonna delete it.

But I can’t delete it, A. is counting on me!

Damnit! 😖

Round and round the mental rollercoaster went for several years. Until the beginning of 2020. At the beginning of the year I said to myself, “If I don’t achieve anything else this year, I am at least going to finish ‘Reversal’ ... good, bad or otherwise.”

Enter 2020, slowly but surely I would add a little bit to the story. A line here, when I could. A line there, when I could, and so it went.

Until November 2020.

Enter NaNoWriMo.

Now, for many, many years I was not the biggest advocate of NaNoWriMo. I have several reasons why. Truthfully, I’m still not that big of an advocate of it. But I said to myself, “I think I am going to dedicate some NaNoWriMo time to ‘Reversal’, but I’m gonna do it MY way.”

By “my way” I was referring to it being a “relaxed” challenge. There was a reason for it. I have been working two jobs for several months, so I knew that I couldn’t dedicate all the time in the world to writing during the month of November, but whatever writing I did do it would be on “Reversal”.

So with the plan well in order, I embarked.

I was blessed enough to have written the majority of the story during November 2020, although I did not complete it by the end of the month. However, the vast amount that I did add paved the way for me to complete the story at the end of the first week of December.

I was so proud, but also, admittedly torn.

Did I not do the story justice in the rush to finish it? Did I cut corners and in turn produce a less than favorable story? Honestly, I didn’t know how I felt about it. I was a hop, skip and jump away from deleting it altogether.

In lieu of disposing of the story, I opted to share it forward. Perhaps someone else’s opinion would help settle my angst.

In comes my Ace, author Queen of Spades. 

“Queen,” I said, “here is the deal. I am this close to dumping it. I need you to read it and give me the plain and simple facts. Cold, hard, and all that.”

“Okay,” she responded willingly.

Days later, I was drumming my fingers on a table waiting to hear something back. Like, anything. She was doing the Poker Face like a pro. I couldn’t get an inch or a mile from her. Nothing.

At least, until she was good and ready.

The day she was done reading the story, she was as quiet as a church mouse for the majority of the day. Anxiously, I shook my feet and waited. She was torturing me, I assumed.

Then, at the end of the day, it came.

“Well Y.,” she said, “It’s a super compelling and great story. I loved it.”

I squinted, hardly able to believe it.

“I’m serious. It’s awesome. It was great. As a matter of fact, I can see a second part.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I retorted, chuckling. 

“I had a hard enough time writing this part. I doubt we’ll be having a second part.” 😄

+++

Stay tuned tomorrow when I share the Location and Setting of “Reversal” with you all.

CV5 Book Release!

Greetings everyone!

Before we proceed with the official cover reveal and book release of Concordant Vibrancy 5: Extancy, All Authors Publishing House would like to thank our supporters and all of the outstanding authors who have participated in the Concordant Vibrancy collection. The thoughtfulness and creativity put forth on each theme question will mark Concordant Vibrancy’s place as literature that will transcend time.

For information on all things Concordant Vibrancy, please peruse its website: https://www.concordantvibrancy.com

With a proud and heavy heart, All Authors Publishing House presents the final installment of the Concordant Vibrancy collection, entitled “Extancy”.

Eight exceptional talents intermingle to share their interpretations on the following question: “What intangible elixir is paramount to one’s survival?”

• C. Desert Rose expands on the elixir of Awareness in her essay "Frequencies Towards Illumination".

• Carol Cassada outlines the amount of Strength to tackle the medically unexpected in "Caregiver".

• Beem Weeks explores the swiftness of Adaptation in his story "Five Minutes".

• Da’Kharta Rising elicits dark humor and strange situations as the ingredients for Felicity in "The Unmasking".

• Adonis Mann illuminates the subjectivity of Unity in "Axis … Redefined".

• All Optimism needs is a window of opportunity to flourish, as demonstrated in Synful Desire’s tale, "Rome’s Debris".

• Evolution is an intangible necessity through the many reincarnations showcased in "The Itinerant" by Queen of Spades.

• The synergy of the aforementioned elements from Concordant Vibrancy I - IV are given lives of their own through "Soul Searching" by Y. Correa.

CV5 Day 9

Coming full circle … that was the most predominant feeling I got from the completion of “Concordant Vibrancy 5: Extancy.”

I feel like I have so much to say but I am finding it difficult to express.

The “Concordant Vibrancy” project was, in retrospect, executed with expediency. At the time it was being created things felt eternal, now that we’ve come to the end of the road, the time invested feels minute.

I am certain of one thing, however, the shelflife of this collection will be perpetual. The words encrypted within its pages, historic.

This is something that could not have been done without the participants. It was their skills, their wordsmithing, that led to the footprints made by Concordant Vibrancy.

I will never, ever, forget how much this project meant to me.

Now to answer some questions.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept? Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in? Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

I was prompted to be part of the project because I was one half of the creation therein. I know it’s a short answer. I’m sorry but there isn’t much more I can add. LOL

I participated in all five books. My stories are as follows:

• Unity: Alma’s Unsung Angel
• Vitality: Genomegenics
• Lustrate: Twin Planets
• Inferno: Moxy
• And now, Extancy: Soul Searching

For each installment, I attempted to utilize a theme word that would bring together the concept of the elements. In the very last installment, I wanted to, as I stated at the beginning, “come full circle”.

It was important for me to tie together the fabric of Concordant Vibrancy by showing the world how each element works in tangent. The elements are synergistic; the function together or not at all. Such is the entire collection.

With that said, I truly hope you love the Concordant Vibrancy Collection as much as we do.

Here is a tiny excerpt of my story, “Soul Searching”.

CV5 Day 8

Greetings everyone. My name is Monica, professionally known in the writing community as Queen of Spades.

On Day One of the Concordant Vibrancy book tour, you received an inside look at the think scape that prompted the project.

Today, I am speaking as a contributor to the collection as I answer the following questions.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

For one, it would look a bit strange that the co-creator of  Concordant Vibrancy wouldn’t be a part of the undertaking. Moreover, I was curious as to what my imagination would conjure as answers to each theme question.

Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

I am featured in all of the books. 

Unity: “The Authentic Snap”

Vitality: “Operation Restore”

Lustrate: “Threes”

Inferno: “The Calefaction of Insight”

Extancy: “The Itinerant”

Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

I have always been an advocate for evolution, not just in my professional development, but in my personal development as well. I believe that if one is not open to the process of evolution, then it is impossible to survive the ongoing winds of change.

Share an excerpt from your story.

In addition to the Excerpt poster, I want to share this segment that slightly precedes that language. For me, it speaks volumes because there are probably many who deal with this conundrum:

Additional excerpt from “The Itinerant”

In institutes of learning, all my classes are advanced placement. The color of my skin is a fat fly in a pool of buttermilk. There is no commonality in my classes apart from our collective ability to learn.

When I leave that echelon, exterior forces deem me inferior because of my melanin. The very community that I should be connected to drives me further into isolation, perpetuating correlations between skin tone and patterns of behavior.

Before I sign off, I want to thank all the participants, past and present, who have been a part of Concordant Vibrancy. This collection would not have been possible without you.

To keep up with all of my endeavors, feel free to visit my website, my personal blog - No Labels Unleashed, my Amazon Author Page, or via Twitter @authorqspades.

CV5 Day 7

I know that may be a difficult concept to grasp, considering everything that is occurring in the world today. For the majority, the word “sucks” can apply to the year 2020. Like, seriously, can we get a redo?

But …  there are some things I’d like to stay intact.

I had the opportunity to work with Adonis Mann once again, and just like that, Simmer: Sensual & Spicy was created.

It was all very impromptu, and yes, I am to blame for that one. But one has to strike while the iron’s hot. Otherwise, poof, the idea will be gone.

I am still high off the excitement of that release, which was back in December.

Another caveat that I’d like to keep intact was the opportunity to work with such fantastic minds for the final book in “Concordant Vibrancy”. I was unsure exactly where I was going to start or how I was going to go about it, but I did know that I had to show up and type as if my fingers were on fire.

But before I plunge into why I selected Optimism as the answer to the Extancy question, let me tackle the previous two.

What prompted me to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy collection?

I liked the incorporation of elements and the theme questions. Plus, erotica writers were not excluded from participating. Although I could have submitted all stories with an erotic flair, I really pushed the envelope, even unintentionally wandered into a new genre. It just goes to show that no one knows what to expect from me at any given moment. I like delivering that element of surprise.

Which Concordant Vibrancy books am I part of?

I couldn’t resist being a part of them all. My stories are as follows:

“Lester’s Release” - part of Unity

“Return to Hues” - part of Vitality

“The Satiationship” - part of Lustrate

“Antipode” - part of Inferno and last, but not least

“Rome’s Debris” - part of Extancy

Now, back to Extancy and why Optimism?

When a person is going through a situation that causes pain, there are so many steps to get to a place of healing. A motivating factor must exist for someone to want to heal; otherwise, why do it? If an individual possesses optimism, the neverending light at the end of the tunnel, then it is the rebellion against the darkness. It is the encouragement that although it looks bleak, in time, all will be okay.

As you may know, rebellion and pressing on are two elements that are in my biology, much like my love for nail polish and fashion.

CV5 Day 6

The Concordant Vibrancy Collection holds an exceptionally important space in my heart.

Through this channel, Adonis Mann, the author was born. I will be eternally grateful for the doors it’s opened up for me.

My story of joining the Concordant Vibrancy project is an interesting one.

In 2014 I just recently signed my contract to become an All Authors Publishing House author. I was, as yet, inexperienced in the field and knew very little about anything other than I was now being represented by All Authors and I would have to complete the book I was working on very soon.

One day I received an email asking if I would be interested in participating in the anthology project. I was delighted but there was one big issue … I wasn’t published yet.

Being that I had yet to have a book on the market, how would this impact my participation in the anthology?

I reached out to my publisher and asked, for I was uncertain if I’d been invited erroneously. 

Following was our conversation, paraphrased of course.

“Dear Jazz and Monica,” I said, “are you certain that I can be a part of the anthology? I’m not yet published.”

“Yes,” responded Monica, “you’re part of the house.”

“But I am not yet published ….”

“Then you’ll be published for the first time in the anthology,” responded Jazz.

Oh, how the pressure mounted at that very moment. It was overwhelming and surreal. I could scarcely believe that my very first publication would be through these means. But there it was … about to come to pass.

And in short order, it did.

My very first participation with anything All Authors at all was “... and we” the short story which was included in “Concordant Vibrancy 1: Unity”. After that, I was included in all of the installments with stories entitled, “Barbershop”, “Luster Lingers”, “Express-Oh” and now “Axis … Redefined”.

It’s been a great pleasure having been part of the fray and my heart breaks as witnessing the end of the road. However, I do know that it was a stupendous ride while it lasted.

Now, please enjoy a short excerpt of “Axis … Redefined”.

CV5 Day 5

What’s happening everyone? The Slightly Antisocial Socialite, also known as Da’Kharta Rising, here to talk about all things associated with Concordant Vibrancy.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

No lie. At first, it was all about the exposure.

When I made my writing debut, I didn’t have too much under my belt, apart from a couple of free independent short stories: “Vocal Remedy” and “Simi’s Komma” (which later became extended into S.K.A.R.). Also, I was one-third of “The Collective”, so there were those three stories.

As time went on, I became more invested in the theme questions and really traveled the extra mile to put my “best pen forward”, especially in “Inferno” and the newest one “Extancy”.

Other than that, nada.

Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

Originally, I was only featured in Books 1, 3, 4, and this latest one. Yet, when All Authors reemerged with guns blazing, one of the projects they wanted to update was the previous releases of Concordant Vibrancy. At that point, I became part of Book 2’s relaunch, delving into new territory, writing an essay.

Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

I know … I know! It seems strange that someone whose main genres have to deal with drama and horror would land on “Felicity” as the answer to CV5’s theme question.

This time around, I wanted to show the readers a different side of me. One who has a sense of humor, albeit dark and sarcastic.

In “The Unmasking”, one may pick up parallels as it relates to the pandemic, but I put on my love for movie butter popcorn that all is fictional. Also, “The Unmasking” was written many months before any scientific advancements were reached.

I could have gone with a few excerpts which I found funny, but some of those would not be PG Book Tour friendly. Therefore, my publisher has selected one a bit more fitting with the cadence of the tour.

Okay … I think I’ve said all that has been required.

Now, for the supplemental aka “Braggadocios Bits”:

About the Author

Although Da'Kharta Rising prides herself as the Slightly Anti-Social Socialite, or SASS, there is nothing non-engaging about the biology of what she writes. Her philosophy is somewhat of a throwback: systematically creating an air of mystery, intrigue and drama designed to keep the reader not only hooked but using one's imagination to follow a rich plot from beginning to end. 

In short, Da'Kharta Rising embodies the Incandescence of a Cryptic Enigma.

Her body of work is composed of independently released works Vocal Remedy, S.K.A.R., Boundless Limits (Transcendent Choice, Book 1), and Apocawhat?. 

Her stories “Unrest” "Omitted", and "The Kutters" appear in the Continuous Drips anthology. In addition, she has stories featured in the Divergent Ink collection: "Inside Me" and "Masato's Zion", respectively.

Future projects include participation in the next Divergent Ink books (“Cynosure” and “Synergism”) as well as the When Karma Speaks series.

For more information about Da’Kharta Rising, check out her website, Amazon Author Page, or Twitter @dakhartarising.

CV5 Day 4

(1) What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

The thing that prompted me to participate in the Concordant Vibrancy concept was an invitation to do so. That’s the sort of proposal one just doesn’t turn down. To be asked to contribute to such a wonderful project is a high honor. Having my name and my work published alongside this group of skilled writers is an incredibly humbling experience. There’s also a challenge involved: Here’s a theme, now write a short story that encompasses this theme and brings it to life. Challenge accepted!

(2) Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

I have been blessed to be part of four of the five anthologies. These include CV 2: Vitality, CV 3: Lustrate, CV 4: Inferno, and this latest edition, CV 5: Extancy. Each volume poses a theme and a question for the author to ponder while crafting a story around that theme.

(3) Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

I chose the attribute of adaptation to answer the theme question—What intangible elixir is paramount to one’s survival?—because those who learn to adapt will be those who survive. And survival doesn’t always equal success or a happy ending. Life isn’t outlined for us. It doesn’t fit into the pages of a well-crafted novel. Humans are often presented with unforeseen events that change our world, ruin our plans, and re-write the roadmap we’ve plotted for ourselves. These various themes postured in each of the Concordant Vibrancy editions speak to the human soul and to the human struggle for life. To adapt is to survive.

About the Author

Beem Weeks is an author, editor, blogger, podcast host, and audio/video producer. He has written many short stories, essays, poems, and the historical fiction/coming of age novel entitled Jazz Baby. Beem has also released Slivers of Life: A Collection of Short Stories and Strange Hwy: Short Stories, as well as the novella The Thing About Kevin. He is a lifelong native of Michigan, USA. Beem is currently working on two novels and several short stories.

Social Media

Twitter

Website

Amazon Author Page

CV5 Day 3

Today, author Carol Cassada graces our blog with her feedback on her participation in the Concordant Vibrancy Collection.

(1) What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

(2) Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

(3) Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

1. This is the third time I’ve participated in the Concordant Vibrancy series. I’ve known Y. Correa, Queen of Spades, and the All Authors family for a while.

When they invited me to be part of volume 3 of the anthology, I jumped at the chance. I loved the first two volumes, and to me the concept of Concordant Vibrancy was unique.

Participating in the anthology challenged my mind. I delved into my philosophical side as I contemplated the theme’s question. Then I had to create a story centered around my answer. 

It was a fun experience, and Concordant Vibrancy helped break me out of my writing comfort zone. I was able to see what else I could create instead of my usual genre.

 

2. I’ve been featured in Lustrate, Inferno, and now the last volume Extancy.

It’s been a pleasure to work alongside this wonderful group of authors who I admire. I’m sad to see the Concordant Vibrancy series come to an end, but I hope I’ll be able to continue working with All Authors in the future.

 

3. I choose strength as my answer to the theme’s question, and when I say strength I mean emotional strength.

My CV5 story is inspired by my own life. Alzheimer’s runs in my family. My paternal grandmother had it, and my aunt was her caretaker. It was heartbreaking watching my grandmother’s mind slipping, and although my aunt never showed it, I knew it was tough on her.

Now, several years later, I’m in the same situation.

My mother was diagnosed with dementia about two years ago. At first, I didn’t want to believe it, but after confirmation from the doctor, I had to face the sad truth. I also stepped up and became my mother’s caretaker.

Being a caretaker isn’t easy. Aside from the physical stress, it can also exhaust you mentally. Seeing the person you love have their memories and their personality taken away is difficult. I’ve had moments where I broke down, wondering why my mother has to go through this, and worrying about the future.

As I explain to everyone, there are good days and bad days. Although there are challenging times, I manage to pull myself together to be the best daughter and caretaker I can be.

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CV5 Day 2

I know you're there!

😁

I’m just kidding! Hello, everyone. C. Desert Rose here; just stopping by to say hello and share the 411 on my “Concordant Vibrancy” adventure throughout the year.

Going into this blog tour I was asked these questions.

What prompted you to be a part of the Concordant Vibrancy concept?

Which Concordant Vibrancy books are you featured in?

Why did you choose a certain attribute as your answer to CV5's theme question?

Honestly, where do I begin?

How can one fully encompass and quantify the value of the above questions without potentially leaving something out? It seems difficult but I will do my best.

I’m going to try to answer all of these questions at once, albeit, potentially not in order.

I, gratefully, have been in all of the Concordant Vibrancy books. In Unity, I wrote a story called “Her A to Z”. In Vitality, I wrote an essay called “An Ocean of  Questions”. For Lustrate I wrote a comedy called “The Boo Thang Convention” and in Inferno, I pitched in with “Calliope's Inferno”.

Now, for Extancy, I’ve brought another essay. This one is called “Frequencies Towards Illumination”.

Each one of these stories means a great deal to me in their independent ways.

I came to join the Concordant Vibrancy project when my publisher, All Authors Publishing House, asked if I would like to be a part of it. We were being offered a compensation of sorts for being a House author. I was thrilled when I was first invited, but also rather nervous. Mostly because I knew that I would be joining a collection of phenomenal writers and I wasn’t sure that I could compare to their talent.

My very first entry, “Her A to Z” was written with great trepidation as I fully expected it to be rejected. But, to my great surprise,  it wasn’t. All these years later, here I am, having participated in the entire collection.

Solely speaking on “Extancy”, at first I chose “Self-Love” as my theme question word. But upon further scrutiny and feedback from the publishers, we settled upon “Awareness” which seemed to be a better-suited interpretation.

Why “Awareness”? Well, in the simplest of terms, because awareness is true life … but I won’t get too much into that because then you won’t read my essay. LOL

Thanks for having me!

Following is an excerpt poster. Enjoy!