I think we are all guilty and all victims of stereotyping. Whether by appearance or other traits, such as race, religion to the mode of speech, residence, or country of origin. I know I am guilty of it.
I have the kind of complexion that people identify as Greek, Middle Eastern, Italian, and Latin American. I am originally from Mexico. Because of my height or sometimes because of my personality, people say, “Wow, you are so tall, I thought all Mexicans were short.” or “Wow, you are so outgoing; I thought Latin women were submissive.” Yes, I have heard that more than you can imagine.
I do not mind, especially at airports notorious for profiling, in the U.K., for example, after the Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988. The explosion, caused by a terrorist bombing. It resulted in the deaths of all 259 passengers on board the Boeing 747 and 11 people on the ground.
When I get profiled, I thank the person trying to do their job for protecting us; I do not take it personally. I do not think I look like an evil person, but what is the appearance of “an evil person”?
In 1939, at the Brink of WWII, my grandfather Cesar Agustin Castillo, a biochemical engineer for Standard Oil of New Jersey, died with four other men on board a British Airways, LTD plane in Denmark. Hitler invaded Poland just two weeks later and set off what we now know as WWII.
Amongst the Dead was a German corporate lawyer, he had a glass eye, and amongst his belongings were his medals from WWI. Because of the brutal warfare and use of Bayonets, it was not unusual for WWI veterans to be missing an eye. During WWII, hollowed-out glass eyes were often used to transport microfilm, espionage. So understandably, Herr Beuß (Beuss) profiled as a potential, “evil guy” as Europe in August 1939 described in a letter written by Grandfather the previous night, and received by his father after his death, stated. “Europe smells of dynamite and is surely at the brink of war.” (I paraphrase as he wrote in Spanish.)
So, Herr Beuß was investigated thoroughly. But my grandfather, with a New York City address and a Mexican passport with no record as the veteran for any army, went unnoticed. To the point that he was referred to as Señor Castello or Casteilo as some of the few replacements for his actual name Castillo.
My grandfather was born in Mexico. At the age of 10, he was taken to Germany to receive a proper education in 1908. He remained there until the summer of 1914 when WWI broke out in Europe. His father, Victor Manuel Castillo, was in international diplomatic circles, a lawyer, and amongst his clients had Baron Von Krupp. You know the Krupp that in 1933 received the first order for 135 Panzer I tanks. During World War II, the Krupp made tanks, artillery, naval guns, armor plate, munitions, and other armaments for the German military.
My grandfather also attended as an undergrad Texas A&M University which until the early 1960s was a Military school and post-grad at Columbia University in NYC.
In 1939, he was stereotyped and deemed not a person of interest. In the 1990s and early 2000s, as I researched and received help from numerous brilliant people; who were well versed in the 1930s, I heard more than once the question. “Did your grandfather speak as many languages as you?” to which I honestly answered, “More, he was fluent in five languages, especially German.” After a pause, the same response; “You realize that you are most likely researching a spy?”
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Death of a Sculptor in Hue, Shape and Color
by M.C.V. Egan
Genre: Suburban Women’s Fiction
Color-coded love stories and revealing female anatomies lead to the murder of world-renowned sculptor, Bruce Jones.
In life, the artist loved women, almost as much as women loved him. Adored for his art and colorful personality, Bruce is mourned by the world at large. The tale is launched with the multifaceted perspectives of four ex-wives, the current wife, and his new love interest and their children.
Mary, Bruce’s wealthy first love, is always in perfect pink; the color of love. Mother of Clair the famous actress and Aaron the corporate lawyer.
Leslie The Second’s color is yellow for her sunny nature as much as for her fears and insecurities. Her only son Bobby is vulnerable and lost. Mourning his father’s death, he finds himself.
Petra The Third, is outstanding in orange, representing not only her native Holland but also her love of the fruit. Cherished her freedom and had no children of her own.
Toni The Fourth is a vibrant passionate Italian red and part of the eventual glue that creates and solidifies this dysfunctional Jones family. Her teenage daughters Tina and Isa are as different as night and day.
Brooke The Fifth a gold-digger. Green, her color, reflects the color of money and envy. Her young son’s Kyle and Caleb are too young to understand why their world has been turned upside-down.
Mara, as blue as the ocean was the last woman to steal Bruce’s heart. Mother to newborn Baby Peter is the unexpected gift and surprise.
Bruce Jones’ eight children speak out, too. They are as distinctive as the women he loved, their mothers.
Loose ends are tied up by the insights of Sylvia, Aaron’s wife and a trusted keeper of secrets; Scott, the private investigator and family friend; Nona, the quintessential grandmother everyone loves but to whom few are truly related; and Detective Jim Miller who will not rest until he discovers Bruce Jones’ murderer.
A word, a single word defines a moment for Anne. She needs to find a new one when her spouse, Frank, leaves her at the age of forty-seven, coming out of the closet literally in a closet.
She finds herself back in her hometown of Skvallerby, Connecticut among her high school friends which she had left in her past.
An inheritance from a frenemy leaves her with the means to meddle and spy on the lives of mutual acquaintances.
In an attempt to run from her reality Anne becomes engrossed in a game of fun and flirtation with her friend and fellow sufferer Connie.
Their fun games turn into a deadly reality. It is no longer a game. Life, death and not even a defining word can stop the reality of manipulation.
On August 15th, 1939, an English passenger plane from British Airways Ltd. crashed in Danish waters between the towns of Nykøbing Falster and Vordingborg. There were five casualties reported and one survivor. Just two weeks before, Hitler invaded Poland. With the world at the brink of war, the manner in which this incident was investigated left much open to doubt. The jurisdiction battle between the two towns and the newly formed Danish secret police created an atmosphere of intrigue and distrust. The Bridge of Deaths is a love story and a mystery. Fictional characters travel through the world of past life regressions and information acquired from psychics as well as archives and historical sources to solve “one of those mysteries that never get solved.” Based on true events and real people, The Bridge of Deaths is the culmination of 18 years of sifting through conventional and unconventional sources in Denmark, England, Mexico and the United States. The story finds a way to help the reader feel that s/he is also sifting through data and forming their own conclusions. Cross The Bridge of Deaths into 1939, and dive into cold Danish waters to uncover the secrets of the G-AESY.
M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan. Catalina is originally from Mexico City, Mexico. Catalina has lived in various countries and is fluent in four languages; Spanish, English, French and Swedish.
Her first book The Bridge of Deaths revolves around her maternal grandfather’s death in 1939. A true-life pre-WWII event. It has over 200 footnotes with the resources of her extensive search through Archival materials as well as the use of psychometry and past life regressions. It is more fact than fiction.
The revised edition of The Bridge of Deaths; A love Story and a Mystery focuses on the story-line as opposed to fact, but all footnotes and facts are available through the website for any curious minds. http://www.thebridgeofdeaths.com
Defined by Others taps into the dark quirky side found even in the best of people. With the 2012 American elections as a backdrop and the fearless reassurance that the world might end on December 12, 2012, as predicted by the Mayan Calendar.
Death of a Sculptor; in Hue, Shape, and Color is a novella written in sixteen different voices. It is a murder mystery. She is currently working on a sequel; Bruce (title subject to change).
M.C.V. Egan lives and works in South Florida. She loves cooking and crafting. She is married and has a son. Aside from writing Astrology is one of her passions and careers she pursues.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter
Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click the image to learn more or sign up.
Optional Monthly Question: Quote: “Although I have written a short story collection, the form found me and not the other way around. Don’t write short stories, novels or poems. Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to be.”
Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn’t planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?
I’m skipping the IWSG question this month to focus on personal updates and a very exciting book release and blog hop. (Yes, I know this is a hop within a hop.) I’ve been a big fan of Chrys Fey for some time now, originally falling in love with her Disaster Crimes Series. I really enjoyed her first book of Sparks and have looked forward to this publication for quite a while. I feel it’s the kind of book that speaks to so many, no matter their creative outlet. So, let’s get to it.
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Keep Writing with Fey Blog Hop: Share your story about writer’s block, depression, and/or burnout and how you overcame it or what you are currently doing to heal.
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I began to show the first real signs of burn out back in 2015. At that time, I was blogging literally every day of the week and working to complete my third novel, after publishing a collection of short stories. I somehow managed to release my third novel in 2016 with a pretty decent online launch event and then… well- nothing. I began to slowly pull away from my self-imposed blogging regiment to focus on developing my skill as a writer. That’s when I had the realization that my writing had dramatically improved to the point where I no longer felt comfortable with my previous works being “out there” for the world to see and judge.
At that time, I simply stopped promoting my work and focused on skill-building and occasional blogging, continuing to reduce my number of daily, then weekly, and eventually monthly posts. There was a period of almost a year where I didn’t write and just barely “phoned in” my blogs. By 2018, I’d unpublished my first two novels and chose to focus on publishing children’s books and honing my skills, all the while hating myself for not being better and being more successful as a writer. I realized that I needed to do a complete rewrite of my original novel series, even if I never republished it, simply because the story means so much to me. Yet, as of today, I only have highly detailed outlines and sporadic completed chapters for three books in a series that may never see the light of day again.
Two years ago, I quit one day-job and started another, which was a tremendous help to me in getting through a very long bout of depression. At that point, I’d been in a job that I literally cried on the way to every day for 10 years. And after 5 years, writing stopped being the great escape it had once been. In the past, being able to write had helped me to cope with how much I feared and loathed going to my job, but it soon began to add to the pressure I felt. I didn’t feel safe at work and not being able to create at home left me feeling painfully inadequate. Freeing myself from that horrible day-job was only one part of my healing process. Prayer, family, and reading for pleasure took care of the rest. Even the IWSG and WEP helped play a part in getting me through the worst. Now, I have a job I enjoy and feel much safer in, but unfortunately, it requires a greater time commitment than my previous job and I now struggle to find the time to work on long-term writing projects.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to complete another novel, but at least I am able to write again- short fiction, poetry (if you can believe that), children’s books, and the occasional blog. I’m not where I want to be, but I’m way better off than I was. I still struggle to fight the depression that tells me I’m a failure for not writing or completing a novel, but I have resolved to do what I can do and find success in the little things.
If you’re dealing with depression or burn out, I encourage you to read this book and or reach out to a support system or community, where you feel safe, to help you get through it.
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Catch the sparks you need to conquer writer’s block, depression, and burnout!
When Chrys Fey shared her story about depression and burnout, it struck a chord with other writers. That put into perspective for her how desperate writers are to hear they aren’t alone. Many creative types experience these challenges, battling to recover. Let Keep Writing with Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer’s Block, Depression, and Burnout guide you through:
∙ Writer’s block
∙ Depression
∙ Writer’s burnout
∙ What a writer doesn’t need to succeed
∙ Finding creativity boosts
With these sparks, you can begin your journey of rediscovering your creativity and get back to what you love – writing.
Click the linky list to follow the Keep Writing with Fey blog hop or scroll down to continue with the IWSG monthly hop.
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Now, on to the personal updates.
I feel like I said a lot in my blog hop contribution so I’ll skip the personal updates this month. If you’d like to see reviews for what I read in the month of July, please visit theLit Carnivale blog. The video below is my monthly wrap-up.
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Think you might check out Chrys’s book?
I’d love for you to share your response to the IWSG monthly question if you’re up for it.
It may take some time, but I promise, will stop by your blog.
Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #38).
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords #blacklivesmatter
Greetings readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors and welcome to The ToiBox of Words. I’m your host Toi Thomas, author of Legend of the Boy, In the Window, and Other Short Stories, and today I have a treat to share. A while back, I had the pleasure to interview a wonderful author named, Phoebe Darqueling. A good time was truly had by all, and here’s how it went down.
Be sure to stick around at the end to learn how you can get a FREE copy of The Steampunk Handbook.
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Toi:Hi there,Phoebe! Good to have you here at the ToiBox Blog. I’m very excited to learn more about you and your work.
Phoebe: Glad to be here, Toi. I’m ready to share.
Toi:So tell me, who isPhoebe Darqueling?
Phoebe: I’m a globe-trotting vagabond who currently hangs my hat in Freiburg, Germany. I write curriculum for a creativity competition for kids. I work with authors and academics as an editor. I love Steampunk and write/blog my obsession on SteampunkJournal.org and give talks at conventions. I was part of a collaborative novel called Army of Brass and I’ve published some short stories. My first solo novel, Riftmaker, came out 2/14 from Our Write Side, followed by No Rest for the Wicked 3/28 from Black Rose Writing. And yes, releasing 2 novels in 6 weeks is it’s own brand of insanity…
Toi: Well before we dive into your special message today, let’s get to know you, the person inside the author.
IMDB
Toi:What makes you geek out?
Phoebe: I’m a HUGE fan of space operas and futuristic settings. The Expanse, Altered Carbon, Star Trek (except for Discovery, not a big fan of that one…), Star Wars, Firefly, Dark Matter… I love them all. I am sure I will get around to writing my own someday.
Toi:What was your favorite book or story, pre-teen years?
Phoebe: A Wrinkle in Time and The Giver both had a big impact on me as a kid. My mom also read Jurassic Park to me and my brothers on a road trip. Much of it went over my head, but I think that helped spark my interest in science and science fiction.
Toi: Now that we know a little more about you, the person, let’s learn about you, the author, and dive into your special message.
Amazon
Toi:So whacha got for me today?
Phoebe: Riftmaker is the story of a boy and his dog, only their roles get reverse because they travel through a rift in space and time that spits them out in different bodies. The world on “the other side” never discovered fossil fuels, so they land in a steam and clockwork powered city. They are separated, and Buddy the dog, now in a human body, has to find his boy. There’s lots of strange creatures that only exist in that world, but just like in our world, people are the real monsters…
Toi Thomas:So who’s starring in this 2-dimensional script read ofRiftmaker?
Phoebe: Buddy’s mind is expanding throughout the story as he becomes more human, but his unique point of view can sometimes lead to accidental wisdom, and the change gave him quasi-magical powers. He meets Adelaide the first night, then accidentally throws her life into chaos when he reveals a secret she’s kept her whole life. The secret effects her best friend Jeremy the most, and as with many an angsty teen, he doesn’t handle the situation very well. Unlike the rest of the cast, Olivia has lived a privileged and sheltered life, but she yearns for independence and adventure.
Toi:What’s so special about this story that’s going to reel in the readers?
Phoebe: There are lots of books about shapeshifters, but it’s always humans to become something else. Riftmaker offers a different twist on this trope by having an animal who becomes human. It’s also urban fantasy that doesn’t have the usual suspects involved. So anyone looking for a fresh take on fantasy in an urban setting will be in for a treat.
Toi:Past, present, future, is there a rhyme or reason to your writing?
Phoebe: Riftmaker poured out of my brain completely organically. I only knew about Buddy and Adelaide when I started, then the world was populated by the people they met and who they needed in their lives to tell their stories. In my more recent series, Mistress of None, I am using real history as my backdrop, so I am a lot more detail oriented. The world of 1871 USA is all accurate in No Rest for the Wicked and my WIP, which is Book 2 in that series. On the other hand, ghosts are real, so it’s got supernatural elements, but I use historically accurate “science” (AKA crackpottery) to explain it.
Terry Pratchett Amazon
Toi Thomas:What author(s) has most influenced your writing? Why or how?
Phoebe: I’d say when it comes to using a fantasy scenario to address social issues, Terry Pratchett definitely influenced me for Riftmaker. In No Rest for the Wicked, I think all of the Joss Whedon shows I’ve watched played a role because there’s comedy folded into the drama. Now, I can’t imagine writing something that doesn’t have some banter in there.
Toi: Now this is where the questions get a little kooky; are you ready?
IMDB
Phoebe: Cool beans.
Toi:If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Phoebe: That’s a tough one, but I think I’d have to say The Fifth Element. I already rewatch it regularly, so it’s not much of a stretch to imagine only watching it forever. It’s a great story by a great cast, and the soundtrack and cinematography are both fantastic.
Toi:When the soundtrack of your life is playing in your head, what songs express your glee and what songs bring out your rage?
Phoebe: I sing to myself pretty regularly, so in a way, I do have a soundtrack. I did a lot of musical theater in my teens and early 20s, so I sing show tunes and songs that I used to audition. In terms of music I listen to, most doesn’t have words. I LOVE Lindsey Stirling, Beats Antique, & Caravan Palace, which all mix old and new styles and world music.
Toi Thomas:What’s the most fun experience you’ve ever had, to date?
Phoebe: It’s a little cliché, but I think I’d have to say my wedding. We had days of events leading up the ceremony, like my husband’s family came out to our lake cabin to mingle with my family, and we a dance lesson for the wedding party on my parent’s driveway with hors d’oeuvres and wine. Everyone got along so well and we laughed together so much, that I was completely relaxed and able to have a wonderful time at the reception. There were so many memorable moments that week, it’s impossible to choose just one.
Toi: Last question of the day; here we go.
Toi:Not that you can see into the future, but in your opinion, what does the future hold?
Phoebe: I’m in a strange position that makes actually planning things nearly impossible. Chances are good that I’ll be in Germany for a while, but it all depends on my husband’s job prospects. As an academic, he has to go wherever the jobs happen to be at the time he’s looking, so I have to be pretty flexible. Which is why being a writer is so perfect!
Toi:Thank you so much, Phoebe, for spending time with me today.
Phoebe: Thanks for having me, Toi. It was fun. Before you go, be sure to get a FREE copy of The Steampunk Handbook by signing up for my author newsletter.
Okay readers, bloggers, geeks, and authors, that’s all for today. Be sure to follow this blog to see who will be visiting next time. For more fromPhoebe Darqueling, check out these great links:
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