Thank you for reading this blog entry! This is the thirteenth post on the Forever Friends blog tour. If you are following the tour, you will find this post a little different to the previous twelve blog posts. If this is your first visit, welcome to the tour. Today’s post is a slight diversion from the rest of the tour because Dianne is the only blog host on the tour who is not a contributor to the anthology, Forever Friends. Dianne has asked some questions that are different from the previous questions asked by contributors to the book. 

Before I answer Dianne’s questions, I would like to give Dianne’s regular blog readers a chance to learn more about the anthology. The first review of Forever Friends was written by Linda Waterson for Apex Reviews:

“Love is only temporary…but friends are forever.” Kelly Wheeler

This quote, which opens the moving new anthology Forever Friends, is a perfect summation of the contents to which readers will be treated inside. Edited by Shelagh Watkins, administrator of PublishedAuthors.org, Forever Friends offers a poignant, profound – and oftentimes amusing – look into the various layers of friendship, as well as those who explore them. Featuring poems, short stories, and commentary from authors all over the globe, the anthology serves as a stark reminder that, though we may differ in our cultural approaches to relationships, the emotions with which we experience them are quite universal.

Compiled in various sections, ranging from “Family Friends” to “Lost Friends” to “False Friends” to “Spiritual Friends,” the literary offerings contained therein just as equally travel the full spectrum of friendship, covering all imaginable ground in-between. There is reminiscing over childhood heroes, protectors of the four-legged ilk, and gracious musings over friends who were – quite literally – lifesavers. There are also poems that wish for the spreading of global goodwill, as well as verses rendered in homage to friends that are gone, but not forgotten. For added contextual flavor, preceding each section is an insightful blurb helping to foster within the reader a greater understanding of what that particular facet of friendship is really all about. Consider, for example, this literary jewel that precedes the “False Friends” section:

“False friends are like our shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us the instant we cross into the shade.” Christian Nestell Bovee

Among its numerous virtues, perhaps the most salient aspect of Forever Friends is its ability to communicate universal truths about life, love, and the frailties of the human heart in such a realistic way that the reader does not have to have experienced the specific episodes recounted within its pages; the passion and inspired delivery of each contributing author provides the reader with the benefit of a vicarious ride through the depths of their seasoned souls. Such an ability does not come easily, and it speaks volumes of Editor Shelagh Watkins’ innate sense of discernment to have selected such an eclectic mix of talented authors with the skill to pull it off.

An engaging and appealing read, Forever Friends will surely move the hearts and minds of readers of all ages, guaranteeing that you’ll see the world around you – and even yourself – in a different light by the turning of the final page.
Official Apex Reviews Rating:

The review motivated me to write the posts for the blog tour with the added reassurance that I was right to say what a wonderful book this is and that anyone who bought the book would not be disappointed!

Now to Dianne’s questions!

What kind of writing do you do?

My first novel, The Power of Persuasion, is a work of literary fiction. I wrote the novel ten years ago but it remained unpublished until this year. I set up Mandinam Press in January to publish the novel, which is currently on the list for Wales Book of the Year. Mandinam Press also published the anthology, Forever Friends in October this year. I write poems and short stories, some of which have been published in anthologies and my first children’s book, Mr. Planemaker’s Flying Machine, was published in 2005. The novel is currently being considered for serialization by local radio but it is in the early stages of development.

What are your favorite genre to read?

I am very fond of classical literature, Jane Austen in particular but I read quite a range of books. I prefer fiction to non-fiction but I enjoy the occasional biography and books about science, space and discovery. One of my neighbours in Scotland asked me on numerous occasions to read books, which she had received as gifts or recommendations, before she did. She said that she knew I would read the books to the very end … and I always did!

If you could recommend one book to take on a desert island, what would it be?
It would have to be Forever Friends!

When you not writing or reading, what do you like to do?

I like computing, I have a diploma in Information Technology from the University of Glasgow. I enjoy using the computer to design things as well as using it as a writing tool. I like to paint and draw but I don’t seem to find much time these days for either … and then there’s the garden! Did I mention golf? Oh, I don’t have time to play golf these days … 

I would like to thank Dianne for inviting me to her blog and giving me the opportunity to talk about Forever Friends, which is available now from all major online stores,

including amazon.com: Forever Friends

and barnesandnoble.com: Forever Friends

Thanks again for reading this and best wishes for the holiday season!

Shelagh Watkins

Please follow the tour to learn more about the book.

Blog Tour

December 1 Chelle Cordero
December 2 Zada Connaway
December 3 Mary Muhammad
December 4 Helen Wisocki
December 5 Pam Robertson
December 6 Dick Stodghill
December 7 Philip Spires
December 8 Milena Gomez
December 9 L. Sue Durkin
December 10 A. Ahad
December 11 Malcolm R. Campbell
December 12 Lynn C. Johnston
December 13 Dianne Sagan
December 14 Donald James Parker
December 15 Karina Kantas
December 16 Grace Bridges
December 17 Tiziana Rinaldi Castro
December 18 Yvonne Oots
December 19 Dana Rettig