Category Archives: Events and Media

Story Monsters Ink Review

“Great reads for growing minds” in the subtitle of this thick, high-quality magazine, “Story Monsters Ink”. I was so pleased to see the end result of an ad I placed there. They created the ad for me and I think it turned out great!

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Below is the review they gave me. It’s always such a treat to see that people have enjoyed the book and have something original to say about it.

Story Monsters Ink Review

April 2016

Beautiful creatures from a parallel universe watch over the humans in a small seaside town. A breathtaking new world-so perfect, so enchanting that we want to believe-unfolds as we witness the journey of new friends, who lead us toward our own personal triumphs. They have harnessed the power to bend time and grant wishes. “Elixir will do just fine,” Marsuveus said with conviction. “He doesn’t know it yet but he has tremendous power behind him. He is fulfilling his destiny.” At that moment, the storm hit full force, and the animals and Crysnix cowered for cover. The hurricane whipped and tore at Galvin Cove and shredded the young trees of Castle Forest. It seemed it was only a matter of time before the Dark Prince Onyx would win. The king flew above them all on the back of Marsuveus and shouted to the expectant faces below. “Take heart! Remember our strategy! Fight the fear! Fight the fear!” All it takes is the will to believe.

“Gifts of the Crysnix” is a wonderfully entertaining and original story that will have for young readers an immense appeal to their imagination and sense of wonder. Very highly recommended for school and community library fantasy collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “Gifts of the Crysnix” is also available in a paperback edition (9781504339650, $16.99) and in a Kindle format ($4.99).

I really appreciate the line, “Very highly recommended for school and community library fantasy collections…”

The people at FiveStar Publications, who produce the magazine, were really nice to work with and I was surprised at the quality of the magazine when a complimentary copy arrived at my door. Cristy Bertini, the Editor-In-Chief was just a phone call or email away and she came across in a very friendly way. So nice to be dealing with people one-on-one and not feeling intimidated.

Thanks again to all the folks at “Story Monsters Ink”!!

A Creative Writing Challenge!

I’m taking time off writing to write about writing … Yeah, that’s been my focus these days!

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Working til past midnight these past few days, I have had the house to myself (as my husband is away) and I have lived on oatmeal and blueberries and crackers and hummus. I finally got out of the house this morning and treated myself to sushi for lunch. California crunch rolls! Awesome!!

I am having a ball working on a power point presentation for my upcoming gig at the every WOMAN Conference in Whistler in a couple of weeks. Click here to see more. Here is some info on my workshop from the conference website:

Chart Your Best Life! {Navigating new territory to reach your full potential} | Lisa Shore | Author, The Gift of Crysnix | Calgary + Phoenix

Using themes from my book, Gifts of the Crysnix, we will explore how quantum physics can make wishes come true. Through the powers of letting go and positive intention, we will break new ground in the search for creating our best lives. Adventure awaits as we travel to a place where true manifestation begins. Oh, and did I mention space travel? That too.

I  have been researching fun stuff like the effects of quantum physics on the power of intent, how the brain works and scientific backup of electromagnetic impulses and positivity.

It will be a great way to take the messages from my book and share them with women who are looking to change their lives for the better! The whole 3-day conference is super-charged with hikes, skiing, water sports, biking, and inside workouts of every kind imaginable, as well as wonderful dinners and spa options.

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Here is a picture I found in “Resonance”, a fabulous book I read to hone my presentation skills. It sums up the gist of my presentation. Powerful words from an exceptional lady.

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some screen shots from my presentation.

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My points are emphasized through the ancient musings of Marcus Aurelius, the profound wisdom of the Eastern concept of Ikigai and beautiful imagery from the web to bring my message home.

 

 

 

 

 

I include excerpts from The Harvard Business Review and cite the experiments of Drs. Joe Dispenza and Masaru Emoto to demonstrate the power of our mind.

One such experiment involves targeting thoughts to two different containers of rice in water. In Tokyo, 2,000 people directed loving thoughts and hateful thoughts to the two different containers that were in California!

The rice with loving intention sent to it was white and fluffy while the sad, hated rice became black and rotten. This experiment has been recreated on YouTube several times and the same result happens.

I decided to put the trial to the test myself so here are my rice containers. They’ll hopefully be showing some results by the time I get to Whistler!

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I’ll have to get back to you on whether this worked or not!

Check out the every WOMAN conference details. everywoman.ca You may want to attend! If I don’t see you there I’ll be sure to let you know how the conference went. 🙂

Bye for now – I have to get back to work!

 

 

 

The Crysnix made a visit to Webber Academy!

Heading out the door, early Monday morning last week, I drove alongside school buses, kids with loaded backpacks and moms holding hands of little ones while walking through the green light traffic. I was headed to school too and loved the early morning anticipation.

I was going to Webber Academy, one of Calgary’s leading private schools. Lucky me! I knew I was in for a treat.

Nerves started to set in as I thought about the presentation I was about to give to 154 eager-eyed middle-grade students. Would the timing work? Would the message work? Would the projector work? Would my voice work?

Then I thought of the opportunity to look into the faces of the people I wrote Gifts of the Crysnix for and connect with each of them! My nerves disappeared as my excitement grew. As I pulled into the parking lot I couldn’t wait to get started.

The library is a huge, beautiful space with soaring windows and lofty heights, comfortable sitting areas and thousands of books! Smiling faces of greeting staff welcomed me as we set up.

The students were wonderful. I saw three groups and each was attentive, polite and really fun to discuss the book with. Their questions were bright and one stumped me when I was asked which character was most like myself! Had never thought about that angle before – but after some consideration, I realized that all the characters had a bit of me in them.

I handed out bookmarks with a wish candle attached to them. Homework that night included lighting the candle at the dinner table and have all the family members make a wish to blow into the universe!

I hope all the wishes come true. Maybe a Crysnix was watching?

 

Owl’s Nest Books “A Taste of Local Authors”

There is something special about being surrounded by authors and book lovers. We are a different breed. We all know how much time we spend alone, either in front of the computer working or in a comfortable chair reading, and when we come together there is an appreciation for camaraderie. Owl’s Nest book store was the perfect venue for an intimate evening of nine readings. Each was outstanding and entertaining. A glimpse into different worlds through the voice of the author who dreamed them up.

We had wine and nibbles (check out the purple sparkly cupcakes and “C” cookies, courtesy of you-know-who)

 

and were entertained by live music by Ted and Paul Holmes between “sets”. I had a couple of friends join me and we waited (nervously) for my name to be called. Finally, I was the finale! I wanted to read to music as a lot of my book was written to music as a screenplay in its first incarnation. I had found the perfect music from the WALL-E soundtrack. It is dreamy and beautiful and was the perfect background for my Prologue. Below is the You Tube clip from the movie, Wall-E where the music comes from.

I had tech difficulties with adding the video of me reading to the music. Maybe I’ll figure out how to upload it and will post it another time. In the mean time, if you have the book, read the prologue to this music and feel the magic. 🙂

Thanks to Randy McCharles for bringing us all together at Owl’s Nest Books for a great night!

 

Story Wraps Review

Many thanks to Marilyn from Story Wraps, for the lovely review. She took the time to find delightful pictures of fairies to add to a well-written insight. You can see the whole review here.

In her debut book Shore has created an enchanting tale of beautiful fairy creatures that live high in the treetops in the forest.  Their world is perfect, their community loving and giving.  They possess the power to bend time and grant wishes of the humans around them who are at a tipping point in their life.  She touches on the power of forgiveness, the beauty of grace and turning fear into strong determination and empowerment.  
It is a story that offers transformation and hope.  It is a story that is emotionally charged and offers heroes that will inspire you.  It is a wonderful book of positive life-lessons that will help you greatly on life’s journey.    
It was a thrill for me to first read this as I thought, “Someone GETS IT!” When you try to create a story with so many twists and turns, so many characters and so many messages to share, it is with great relief that I have evidence that the story works.
Marilyn also delves into my background and the source of the Crysnix. Not many people know that the idea of the  Crysnix began with Pitter and Patter, who went out in the rain and danced on the roofs of their nearby neighbours. Someday, I will have to share that story too.
Thanks again, Marilyn!

Hi from Signal Hill Indigo!

Hi Folks!

Check out the video on the link below for an introduction to my latest blog entry. 🙂

Hi from Signal Hill Indigo
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Recently, I had the immense pleasure of walking into my local big bookstore, Calgary’s Signal Hill Indigo, and seeing my book on the shelf there. Imagine how thrilled I was!

The staff at Indigo were incredibly welcoming. Stacey Kondla was a pleasure to work with and through the day, different members of the staff came up to me and introduced themselves to make me feel like a part of the gang.

My table was set up next to the Starbucks so, you can imagine how good the traffic was! I had my best day of sales ever and absolutely loved meeting so many people who were interested in my book.

 

 

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The day was magical as I soaked up the buzz of a big, beautiful book store and soaked in the aroma of coffee. The traffic was constant and I finally sat down for a quick bite at 2:30 across from my set up. It was pretty cool to look over at it and think to myself, “Hey, that’s MY stuff!”

My colouring page was a hit too. It’s always nice to give out a free gift. I also brought along my guest book which gave me the lovely opportunity to meet a lady from out of town who invited me to her town when I drive to Winnipeg this summer! I will take her up on her offer and look forward to meeting the people of Medicine Hat, AB!

 

 

As ever, the day was one to remember. I love talking about the messages in Gifts of the Crysnix. I get so excited to see the faces of the people I’m talking to light up with the desire to learn how to create their best lives.

 

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We truly have tremendous power over our destinies. Let the Crysnix  show you how.

 

Press Releases -“Gifts” are flying out to the world!

Wow! I just googled myself and there were 4+ pages about me! Crazy! I guess my publicists are doing a good job. I was kind of tickled to see, not only my books offered to countries all over the globe, but also the press releases starting to swarm like butterflies out to the world.

Have a look at a couple:

Broadway News

prweb release

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Butterflies are very cool and they exemplify the reward of setting your sights on a goal and the merits of tenacity to get there. I am writing a book about their journey through life that takes them great distances. I hope that my books will travel as far and more.

The life lessons offered in Gifts of the Crysnix are for every age and every culture. They take us on a ride where we see the metamorphosis from being self-centered to self-giving, from being shallow to magnanimous, from feeling insecure to feelings of tremendous self-worth. I may not know how to speak all the languages that my book is now offered in, but the message is universal.

Gifts of the Crysnix coverAs my novel is read, I hope people will come to understand that as we mature, everyone struggles with the same issues. It doesn’t matter where we are, what country or culture. I wrote the story to be set in a small seaside town that could be in any country in the world.

Let us all remember to believe in ourselves, to wish for the right things and live our best lives. Let us remember the lessons of compassion and selflessness, and how it feels good to live by a moral code of ethics. And let us know the strength that comes from humility and the power of forgiveness.

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It is the message I wish for humanity.

 

For more information about the magic of the Monarch Butterfly watch:

Flight of the Butterflies trailer

Signal Hill Indigo, Here I Come!

For years and years, I worked in my solitary state as an author, dreaming of the chance to walk into a store and see my book on the shelf. It is a lonely process but we authors keep doing it because we hold a secret and long to share it with the world.

223374_209211492442476_6200014_nOn February 20th, I will finally walk into my local Indigo store and see my book there on a shelf in its rightful place. Imagine my emotions!

The process of actually publishing a book isn’t easy and now, once it is a tangible thing, I am faced with the promotion of it. Long gone are the days when an author was “picked up” by a publisher and all the promotion was done by them. Thankfully, my background in advertising makes it a fun challenge. I am not selling myself, but a product I believe in. The whole reason why I wrote the book was to share life lessons to anyone who wants a hand in believing in themselves. How can I not love promoting it?

These days, I love to surround myself with people who are gifted. We have a common bond of the secrets we hold inside and champion each other when we share them. There is a certain vulnerability to exposing yourself to the world. For someone who has always been sensitive to judgment, this is a huge undertaking for me. Embracing situations that take you out of your comfort zone only make you grow. Well, I have grown a lot these days.

IMG_1642       I picked up this  beautiful bracelet today. It was made by a friend who is very talented. I placed it on my book and just took this picture. I guess it embodies much of what has been on my mind recently.

The possibilities that have grown from the publication of “Gifts of the Crysnix” are amazing. I could not have imagined how much fun it would be to promote this beautiful, uplifting story. I will be presenting at a women’s conference, participating in other launches and visiting several fantastic schools – all of which you will hear about in later posts.

Very soon, though, I will have the honour of walking into my favourite local Indigo store and selling my books there. It is an incredible possibility that begun, years ago, with my imagination.

Please join me on Saturday, February 20th 11 am -4 pm at Indigo Signal Hill, Calgary.

https://www.facebook.com/events/225069617831522/

Help me celebrate finally getting out from behind my computer and joining the real world again! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vicki O Art Sip ‘n’ Shop

A few weeks before Christmas is the perfect time to gather with friends at a dear friend’s home, grab a glass of wine, a nibble or two and … wander around and shop for gifts … What? All under one roof? Yes, it really happened and it was beautiful!

Vicki1Vicki is a talented artist and it is always spectacular when she gathers many of her pieces together for a sale. It is almost too much to take in at once! Multi media cacti, flowers, forests, happy dancing boots and flying hearts pour out endearing messages to create a collage of emotions.

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Along with the many original works of art that range in all sizes, there were teeny, tiny round rocks that have been painted with love and adorable tree ornaments (or bottle ornaments – great hostess gift!) that are miniature paintings adorned with a little bell or metal heart. Vicki also shares her images on phone cases, tote bags and lovely greeting cards.

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Joining us was Charis Lyons, from Blue Shark Diva Designs, a jewelry artist with a depth to her talent as well. An array of beautiful hand-wrought metal bracelets and earrings, touched with crystals, pearls, semi-precious stones and lotus seeds were a fantastic addition to the gifts that were on display.

 

I was so fortunate to be asked to sell my books there. It was a successful night for me in sales, but what excited me the most was that my friends were going to read my book. It’s hard to promote to your friends and I was overwhelmed at their enthusiasm.

Thank you, Vicki, for inviting me and many thanks to my friends who supported me.

Please visit Vicki and Charis at their websites below.

Cheers to all. xoxoxo

vickiOart.com and www.bluesharkdiva.com

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The Calgary Book Launch

 

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This week I had my first Calgary launch party at Self Connection Books. The store has a private event room and the facilities to webcast so I was able to connect with my readers in person and through the web. It was so cool to know I was reading to people across the United States and Canada.

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Of course, I made too much food but I had to provide a feast! I printed out excerpts from a couple of feasts from the book and displayed them on the tables along with the food.

 

 

And who could forget the purple frosted sparkly cupcakes and the shortbread cookies with the fancy purple “C” from the cover? Ok, I get a little crazy when there is a chance to decorate with icing as my friends and family can attest …

 

The day was really fun and, as always, it is such a treat for me to share bits and pieces from the book. For my reading, I chose the scene where Princess Amethyst is interpreting the Laws of Light in her Volare Solus ceremony.

As I began, Princess Amethyst took the podium and cleared her throat… I smiled to myself and read on.

The reading began on page 180 and included the first five Laws:

‘know thyself’

‘be a vessel of harmony’

‘live in a state of gratitude’

‘leave the world in a better state’

‘never forget our purpose’

During the Volare Solus, which is a coming of age ceremony, the young adult Crysnix demonstrates his or her maturity by not only reciting all the Laws, but offering a personal interpretation of them.

How would you explain them apply them to your life?

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Thanks so much to everyone who joined us in person and through the webcast. I really appreciate your ongoing support.