Dear Friend Event ~ Guest Post & #GIVEAWAY!

Hello, Friends! I'm so happy to be part of the Meryton Press Dear Friend Event! Especially since Meryton Press has always been one of my go-to publishers. I'm always sure of finding a good read from one of their fabulous authors! 

Speaking of which, it's my great honor to have Lory Lilian visiting today, chatting about one of her favorite activities! 

Dearest friends, 

I am thrilled to be part of this Meryton Press event and to “talk” to you about one of my favorite activities: reading.

I can hardly remember when I began to love reading, but for as long I do remember, I remember myself reading. (I must have been around five years old.)

The first full-length novel I read when I was about eight years old was called “In the Country of Unlearned Lessons” published in 1965 and written by the Russian author Lia Geraskina. Of course, it was translated into Romanian. It is sort of “Alice in Wonderland,” except it is not about a girl, but about a young boy who hated school and refused to do his homework, so he ended up in “Unlearned Lessons Land.” LOL! I will never forget the ending: the boy was in danger of being condemned and executed, and he was given a paper with the words:  “Execution Adjourn Forgiveness” and he had to put the comma in the right place in order to be free! Spooky!
   
You must keep in mind that I lived in Romania during the leadership of Ceausescu, and there were years and years when we had only two hours of TV programs each day. Yes, no kidding: only 2 hours daily, of which 90 percent were news about Ceausescu and 10 percent cartoons plus some TV shows (Romanian, of course). Hard to believe, right? Now that I think of it, I cannot believe that people could live like that for so many years.

So, aside from my natural inclination toward reading, that was surely a powerful inducement to read: to discover new things, new people, new places. I read and loved too many books to remember. I read basically everything I could find! Many of my favorites were also mentioned in Jan Hahn’s earlier post, much to my delight. But I know I was in love with Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” and “Shirley.” Not so much “Wuthering Heights”—too dark for me. I was an angst wimp even back then—LOL. Another of my loved ones was “Corazon Salvaje” by Caridad Bravo Adams (a book that in 1993 became a fabulous, fabulous Mexican telenovela.

I also loved a Romanian novel “At Medeleni.” Taking place at the beginning of 1900’s about a fabulous woman character Olguta, it followed her from the age of ten until she got cancer and committed suicide at twenty-three, refusing to wait for death.

When I started the eighth grade, I had long finished reading all the books we were about to study in high school. It was like a fever, much to my parents’ despair; they used to force me to sleep before midnight, and I would hide under the blankets, reading by flashlight. 

I love paper books. I love to feel the paper in my hand, to follow the words, to turn the pages with eagerness. I love having my favorite book on the nightstand to enjoy a few pages before I fall asleep. Not a big fan of e-books, I am very sorry to admit. 

An important turning point in my life was at the age of thirteen when I first discovered “Pride and Prejudice.” It was WOW. I mean—wow! I fell in love with Elizabeth and Darcy and their story instantly, and since then I have read the book almost a hundred times. There were so many times of distress when I could not sleep and “Pride and Prejudice” stood by me, near my bed, opening its pages for me whenever I needed, drawing me into a fabulous story with new meanings again and again. 

Then, in 2004, my reading passion met a new challenge—one that changed my life. It was about online JAFF. That was another “wow.” For months, I read everything I could find (hundreds of stories). I slept three to four hours a night while working twelve hours a day in a multinational company. Tough life, right? 


But indeed, my life has changed since then because I am now honored to have written a few books that are read by others and to have met some fabulous friends from all over the world who are sharing my passion. What more could I hope for?

Aww...yes, to hold and smell a paper book is the best! I love to look at them all on my shelves. If only they didn't take up so much room because I've run out of space! I tried switching to an e-book, but they just get lost on there. Although, e-books are handy for traveling! So, I'm with you there, Lory, hard copies are the best! 

Oh, my! "...to put a comma in the right place in order to be free" - I think I would have been executed! Ah! 

It sounds like you've been a book lover all your life, Lory! Very unlike me. I wanted to love reading, but I was very bad at it. I was too slow, and my mind would wander. It was a struggle for me. Also, I had no phonic skills. Couldn't sound out a word to save my life (what'd I tell you - executed!). As a result, I didn't read much at all. In my twenties, I decided to take a reading class at the community college, and that's when I learned to read faster and comprehend more. But it wasn't until I saw the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie, read the book, and then found JAFF, that I truly fell in love with reading. I couldn't get enough of my favorite couple, Elizabeth and Darcy.


One of my early favorites was, in fact, one of Lory's books, Rainy Days. I have read it many times! Unfortunately, I don't seem to have time to reread my favorites anymore because there are so many new books out there it's hard to keep up! Or that may be a good thing depending on how you look at it! ;)   

Now I read a variety of genres, besides romance, I'm in love with dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and YA stories. 

Thank you, Lory, for stopping by today and sharing your love for reading! 



Dear Friend Event

“Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming, when she found herself so affectionately received.” – Jane Austen

Jane Austen describes a fine friendship between Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Collins. One friend welcomes another with ‘the liveliest pleasure,” and the other is pleased to share in that. We at Meryton Press know from your words that you, our fans, receive our books with pleasure and affection. It makes our authors warm inside to know that.

In the month of April, we want to show our appreciation to you, our most steadfast supporters, our dear friends. Good friends give each other gifts. You have given us the gift of your affectionate reception, and we want to reciprocate by giving some of you gifts in return. 

As much as we’d like to, we can’t give everyone a gift, but at each hosted blog post during this event on the schedule listed below, an opportunity will be given to enter to win a surprise gift. Each person who comments can enter a Rafflecopter drawing to win. Although a person can enter multiple times (once on each blog post and tweet daily on each blog post), they can win only once. One winner will be chosen at each blog. Five gifts total will be awarded.

Dear Friend Blog Schedule:

More Agreeably Engaged–April 1; ends at 11:59 PM April 6th; winner announced April 7th

Austenesque Reviews–April 8; ends at 11:59 PM April 13th; winner announced April 14th

So little time…–April 15; ends at 11:59 PM April 20th; winner announced April 21st 

Diary of an Eccentric–April 22; ends at 11:59 PM April 27th; winner announced April 28th 
Just Jane 1813–April 29; ends at 11:59 PM May 4th; winner announced my May 5th  

* * * GIVEAWAY * * *

It's giveaway time! Meryton Press is giving away a surprise gift! Woot! I love surprises!

• Giveaway is open to US residents only.  
• Eligible entries will comment on Dear Friend Event blog posts, tweet about the event and use the Rafflecopter to enter. 
• Winners will provide a valid U.S. shipping address for gift delivery upon request.
•  Further details for entering to win a gift are posted at http://merytonpress.com/dear-friend-event/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Many thanks to Meryton Press for putting together this wonderful event and to Janet @ More Agreeably Engaged for organizing it! 

So, how about you? Will you share your love of reading with us?