Originally posted at Would you like a free review for your book?
Thoughts on life by Athena Brady
A while ago, in another post, I said I was going to do some book reviewing. I have read some really great books lately and I thought to myself, I need to tell other people about them. Sometimes we all get so caught up with all our own busy lives, we forget to be of service to others. Whether you are religious, spiritual or an atheist it doesn’t matter; we should always try to think of other people along the way. Why, simply put, because it is the right thing to do. Sharing our journey in life makes our own journey, so much better.
When we do something good for another person, it makes us feel good too. We feel we have contributed something useful. We have touched someone’s life in a positive way. We have made a difference and sometimes, what is minor to ourselves is major to the person, on the receiving end.
I enjoy to giving to others and have to stop myself sometimes because in the past, I have given too much. There needs to be, as with all things in life, a balance. We need to respect and love others but also to take care of our own needs too. The latter one, being the one I personally, struggled with the most.
Additionally, we need to give with the right spirit in our hearts. We should give with no thought of return. A great way to practise this is to give anonymously. I have in the past put on envelope through a friend’s door. Afterwards, it gave me so much pleasure, to see the delight on her face;
When my friend told me how touched she was that someone had cared enough about her to do this. She laughed as she said; she couldn’t give it back even if she wanted to because she didn’t know where it came from. This is the true spirit of giving, to give unconditionally. However, it will also give us an idea of how attached to the reward we are. If we are itching to tell the person it was us, we are addicted to the payoff, the gratitude.
As a writer who is evolving and still developing her craft; I know what we put into our work; and I realise what it means when someone recognises and supports us on our journey. It can lift our hearts to the greatest heights when we touch somebody’s soul with the words we have written.
In an effort to balance my writing life out I have begun to review how I am doing. I do make an effort by re-tweeting people’s books and reading as many posts as I can. However, l wanted to do more. So I have decided that I will at least once a month, review a book. At the rate I read it will probably be more but I don’t want to over commit myself and let people down. As I have to concentrate on my own work too (remember love yourself, as much as you love others)
If anyone out there would like a free review, please contact me at athenabrady1@gmail.com it may take a while but I will get around it. I will give an honest review and if find I do not enjoy your book, please do not take it personally. It may just be it is not for me and lots of other people will love it. I can promise you, if it is not for me. I will not write a review and will contact you to let you know; and I will respect your privacy and not discuss it with anyone else. I will do this as I understand how crushing it can be to receive a negative review. However, I need the people who receive good reviews to know they are truthful and that I am not just people pleasing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post, from your busy day. Now, come on you authors out there, send me your books, so I can get to work.
Take care,
Athena
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