Just Wow! As I watch the world crumble...

The world has gone crazy.

As in crazy-Crazy. With a capital C.

An inmate on death row fights his impending lethal injection (at taxpayer expense) because the medically approved drugs have not been used before and it might cause him undue anguish and worry and maybe at the moment of death, a little bit of pain.

Excuse me for a minute while I process this. A man who brutally raped and murdered a pregnant woman is constitutionally protected and DESERVES the right to die peacefully?!?!?

What about his victim? Shouldn't we consider her last hours, last minutes, last seconds--hell, her last breath--when she pleaded and fought for her life and the life of her unborn child? Did she get to die peacefully with no pain and no worry? Where is her constitutional right?

Or let's consider this: two teens who laced a young lady's drink, gang raped her, photographed her nude body and then shared the pics around school to classmates got a slap on the wrist--one a thirty day sentence and the other a whopping 45 days. A third is yet to be sentenced.

Lest this sounds about right to you, I would like to add the final detail to this tragedy: the young gal committed suicide eight days later because of the mental anguish she was going through after being drugged, raped and put on public display. I can't imagine that her death by hanging was worry free and painless.

Sadly, I see no true justice in these stories, only a gross misunderstanding of when rights are forcibly taken and when they should be based on one's own actions.

In my mind, those who rape or murder in cold blood have forfeited their rights to a peaceful, worry free existence--or death. After all, they have forcibly taken the life of another--cruelly ripping from murder victims every last right they were entitled to along with their last, gasping breaths. Likewise, rape is neither painless nor peaceful. Certainly, living as a victim isn't worry free. In fact, it condemns survivors to live every future moment tainted by the memories, suffering, fear and pain of their assaults. The course of a survivor's life--and every relationship in it--has been irrevocably changed. Their lives are no longer their own.

Now, whether I believe in capital punishment or not isn't the issue. The issue--my issue--is the way we seem to spend more time, money, effort and compassion on a criminal's rights than on the rights, dignity, pain, suffering and endless hell that the victim's are plunged into--if they survive at all.

In this respect, I fail to see why the scope of cruel and unusual punishment entitles prisoners/convicts to not suffer any pain or worry when the reason they are behind bars is for the pain and suffering they have caused others.

I am infinitely saddened when I see the death penalty carried out by a victim of sexual assault upon herself, while her perpetrators walk free. Free to live, love and assault again.

Furthermore, My heart breaks for the pregnant mother who fought for her life during a brutal assault that culminated in not one, but two, deaths. True her murderer was finally euthanized, but to much public and judicial outcry. Even in his death, taxpayer money will be spent to sue our own government for carrying out a sentence that was legally handed down, all because it took longer for him to die than for past inmates--he passed away after twenty-five minutes--and he "appeared to gasp" for air during his lethal injection.

Two simple questions...how many times did his victim gasp for air as she was being stabbed and beaten and how long did her torture last?

Compounding the issue of a death row inmate's constitutional guarantee to die peacefully is the fact that it is illegal for the general population to die peacefully. I used to work in the health field and was repeatedly told by cancer patients that their treatments were more painful than the disease. I know first hand that death does not whisk you away poetically on a single, quiet exhalation.

New Mexico is under the magnifying glass for allowing a doctor to prescribe medication that will end a terminal patient's life when that sane, terminal patient has deemed that living is simply too painful to continue. NM is only one of five states that protects a terminal patient's right to die peacefully--in a very limited fashion.

So, the message we are sending is that the only people who deserve to die with as much dignity and comfort as is possible in death are those who have destroyed another person's life.

The world is a Crazy place, my friends.

As a writer, I'm not sure which is worse: our reality or the sickening realities found in many dystopian novels today. What do you think?

Words and Winners

Let's talk numbers.

The other day, the choir director at our school asked how many words my novel was. Whispering Minds is a little light with 67,000 words, as many YA novels fall between 65k-85k.

He asked because he writes weekly columns for several regional publications and is tossing around the idea of getting into short stories on his way (maybe) to writing a novel.

I write on both ends of the spectrum, and can tell you that both short stories (500 words and up) and novels are equally intimidating.

That said, I have another short story accepted for an anthology on Regret. Such a yummy theme in all its hindsightedness. I'm willing to bet that if we knew the lasting consequences of our actions, we wouldn't do half the stupid stuff that fills our days.

And one of those things filling my days is accumulating words. I am crazily writing my 2013 NaNoWriMo project and failing miserably thanks to my MC's sex/nationality change. Ugh. Yet I push on toward reaching that goal of 50,000 words in thirty days.

Which is why you haven't seen me.

Which is why you may not have realized that my Goodreads Giveaway ended. It did. And now ten new winners will receive 67,000 of my words that I carefully constructed in 2009 for NaNoWriMo.

Congrats to all the winners of all the prize packages for my Whispering Minds giveaways. May your November be filled with wonderful words that take you on amazing journeys.

And if you're looking for a few words of your own, I recommend that you read the novel Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. I've read it three times this year. Twice in the last week. Partially because I'm helping a speech student cut a few hundred words from it for competition, but mostly because I love it. As an FYI, this amazing novel has four and a half stars.

There, did you see all the numbers I threw at you? Now it's your turn.

What is your NUMBER ONE fave novel of a) all time or b) this year? I'm looking for a few good prose pieces for my speechies.

Until Next Time,

ATO

That Moment When Your Main Character Switches Nationalities--and Gender

So, ten thousand words into my next novel and my main character up and decides to have a sex change. No, not in the novel. She's not a transvestite. She just decided the story would best be told by a male. A Japanese American male.

Two reasons:

1. There are not nearly enough Japanese main characters in contemporary novels. Certainly, the Japanese characters I've seen are usually the side kicks, if you will. They don't typically have main roles and they usually get portrayed as over-the-top, stereotypical, science-geek, martial artsnerds. But guess what? There are hot Asian males out there with rippling pectorals and not a pocket protector in sight. Enough said.

Yeah, that was one and two. Hot guy of an otherwise, underrepresented descent.

All this means is that I now have a whole slew of research to do before continuing my novel. Enough said.

But, before I go, I do want to say one thing. As a young child, I grew up the minority. In my neighborhoods, European Americans (because I hate the term white as it describes nothing beyond my blonde hair and blue eyes and doesn't differentiate between my fellow EA's with black hair and brown eyes and olive skin) were not prevalent. Instead, I played with kids from vast and varied backgrounds and loved the diversity. 

I guess that's why I want to make sure my novels are not white-washed.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Cultural information that I could use when writing?

And the Winners Are...

I would like to thank all the participants of my Whispering Minds 10 Day YA Giveaway. I appreciate the support you've provided me, as well as the continued support of the written word in general.

Without readers, there would be no use for us writers!

Anyway, I'm pleased to announce the winners of my giveaway. I have contacted each winner via email and will be mailing out your prizes as soon as I receive your info. For those who didn't win during this giveaway, remember you can still enter to receive a free copy of Whispering Minds on Goodreads. And/or, stay tuned for future contests--I have one planned each month into April. So without further ado:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Whispering Minds

by A.T. O'Connor

Giveaway ends November 15, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Whispering Minds YA Giveaway Wraps Up

Last chance to win one of Ten Giveaway Packages including 7 books and much more.

The hours are counting down on these great novels:

Splintered, The Collector, Crewel, The Fall, Want to Go Private?, Not a Drop to Drink and Whispering Minds.

 

Enter Below To Win one of the following:

1. One copy of Want to Go Private? and a sample of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea.
2. A WTGP? technology pack with a sample of chai tea and a USB drive with a cut chapter from Whispering minds. If you win this, you will be one of only two readers to find out what happened to Gemini’s missing night.
3. A copy of Not a Drop to Drink and a sample of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea.
4. A Drop to Drink Pack with a large sampling of tea and a personalized travel mug from Tervis to put it in.
5. One copy of The Collector and a scrumptious tea sample.
6. One copy of Crewel and a tea sample from Granny to tempt your taste buds.
7. A Crewel Weaver Pack that includes a copy of The Fall, a Native made dream catcher and tea.
8. One copy of Splintered and a sampling of Granny’s chai tea.
9. Your own personal therapy in a box: Group Therapy coffee, a stress ball and some of Granny’s pumpkin chai tea.
10. The Whispering Minds Prize Pack with a USB drive (and Gemini’s missing chapter) , all three kinds of Granny’s Homemade Chai Tea (vanilla, spiced and pumpkin), a Tervis travel mug to drink it in, an iphone 4 case, sticky notes to help you remember things(because Gemi often does not) and a physical copy of Whispering Minds.

Thanks for supporting the written word!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Little Therapy: Free

What do Adelice, Dante, Lynn, Gemi, Abby and Alyssa have in common?

You might say they're under a little bit of stress.

Besides their starring roles in YA novels, these six characters all face seriously difficult situations. One, falls down a rabbit hole where she's met with passionately crazy characters, not all of whom wish the best for our little MC. Another only wishes her plunge into the cyber hole is so benign. Deadly demons, cyber predators and compromised value systems are only some of the terrors these fascinating characters must stand up to and defeat.

And while you may not have to fight for your life on a daily basis, you still feel the pinch, which is why I am offering up Day Nine's prize.

A care package filled with your very own therapy.

• my absolute favorite coffee in the whole world--Group Therapy--made by La Crema Coffee Company,
• a stress ball,
• and some swag.

Aaand, my picture won't download, so you'll have to take my word for it. Therapy in a box actually does exist.

So do great giveaways.

There's only one day left to enter the Whispering Minds 10 Day YA Giveaway. Only one day left to win great novels by great writers and great swag--okay, I'm biased--by me. Only one day until Whispering Minds is unleashed on the world.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Newest Giveaway: Splintered by A.G.Howard

Day Eight Prizes

This book is all kinds of amazing. From the beautiful cover to the characters within, A.G. Howard's retelling of Alice in Wonderland is much more enjoyable than the original. (Forgive me English and Lit teachers across the globe. As well as avid AAIW fanatics.)

Here's a recap of my review from nearly a year ago:

I fell into the rabbit hole last week, and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I didn't love the original Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though I can't give any specific reasons why. I can't pinpoint them myself.

On the other hand, Ms. Howard's contemporary spin on Alice's adventures left me breathless.

For starters, look at this fantabulous cover. The details are exquisite.

An electric blue moth you will come to love and hate and love again. (FYI, Morpheus is one side of a love triangle that will have your panties in a knot as you waffle between the moth man and the delectable human, Jeb.)

 

The rest of the insects--yeah, that's right, peek closely and you'll see them hiding everywhere. They are very important, my reader friends. Important, intriguing and only a little creepy. Okay, one is a lot creepy, but even she didn't make my spine tingle like the twisted White Rabbit did. 

 

Then there's Alyssa, herself. A stunning beauty filled with mysticism, spunk and charm. She's delicate on the outside--almost pixie like--while courage radiates from within.

 

Lewis Carroll's Wonderland goes dark, dangerous and utterly delightful in Splintered.

 

And it (or other prize packages) just might be yours if you enter into the drawing below.

 

Up for grabs:

1. one copy of Want to Go Private? and a sample of chai tea;
2. the WTGP? technology pack with a USB drive (including a cut chapter from Whispering Minds) and chai tea;
3. one copy of Not a Drop to Drink and a sample of chai tea;
4. the Drop to Drink pack with a travel mug and mega chai sample;
5. one copy of The Collector and a sample of chai tea;
6. one copy of Crewel and a sample of chai tea;
7. the crewel weaver pack with a dream catcher, a copy of The Fall and chai tea;
8. one copy of Splintered, special swag from author A.G.Howard and a sample of chai tea;
9. tune in on Halloween to find out what Splintered inspired gift you can win;
10. tune in on Friday, November 1st, for the ultimate swag pack announcement.

 

So many great stories, so much fun and delicious swag. So easy to enter for a chance to win them all.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway