Month: June 2013

READERS ROCK-new magazine.

/ Lori / 1 Comment

Readers Rock is the new magazine for READERS and Authors alike.  This is Tammie Gibbs first digital magazine.  This month there is an interview with Actor/Author Peter Arpesella.  Their are book excerpts and tips on what reviewers look for.

JUNE_july_MAGAZINE_2013

http://www.joomag.com/magazine/reader-s-rock-volume-1-issue-1-june-july-2013/0449353001371943152

It’s truly for those who LOVE TO READ.  Tammie is a friend of mine, she has a virtual book fair every week-end starting on Friday nights.  Authors post excerpts from their books, and are on hand to answer readers questions.  So please join us on Friday through Sundays https://www.facebook.com/groups/169126186575183/203217993166002/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

I hope you all enjoy this book and send Tammie some feedback on her magazine *tell her where you heard about it:)  tammiegibbs@yahoo.com

Thanks all, and if anyone wants to review my book within 30days I will furnish them with an autographed copy.  Salut

Living….APPRECIATE IT!

/ Lori / 5 Comments

Yesterday a celebrity James Gandofini died.  A lot of people remember him from the “Sopranos”.  I never watched that show, but liked the man nonetheless, he was so young when he died 51!! If we think about it most who read this blog are around that age.  Why is it when someone dies close to our age, we start to take a hard look at life and how short it is, and then go on to make resolutions to be a better person and get things done or go places we always wanted to, but then the next day comes and we forget it.  Back to the same old rat race, and living like we are immortal.

We need to appreciate life more, if we have to write that on a post it note and put it on our refrigerators then so be it.  We have such a short time here on earth and most of us have people around us that life is worth living for, so why don’t we embrace it.   It’s because we don’t want to think about the unacceptable….Death.  People become uncomfortable making funeral arrangements or filling out living wills, but these are things that must be done in order to make those that we love have an easier time once were gone.  Dying is a part of life, and trust me I’m scared to hell of it.  Most people think I’m not because of what I’ve been through but trust me I am.  But another thing I’m guilty of is not appreciating life and those around me the way I should.  I have the best man I could have ever hoped for, he sold his business to stay home and take care of me 24/7 when I was going through my seizures, the quick cycling of my bipolar and the horrific flashbacks of my PTSD.  He doesn’t smoke, drink, do drugs or hit women, I doubt very much he has a speeding ticket.  He is 180 degrees opposite of what I ever would have chosen in my life prior to 2005.  If he hadn’t been so persistent I probably wouldn’t be with him right now.  But I am and am so happy that he is my “babycakes”.  Another person who has learned to live and embrace life is Micki Peluso, the author of “And The Whippoorwill Sang” her daughter was killed by a drink driver, but Micki went on to cherish life and share what she had learned from the whole incident.  Her book is a true inspirational dedication to her daughter, yet the book shows life too, they were a close family and she shared their ups and downs in this book and it was humorous at times, sad at times, even made you angry, but this book shares with people the point that you don’t have to “die” when someone you loves does.

Another fellow author passed last year and she was a kindhearted woman who wrote childrens books, Sandra McLeod Humphrey https://www.facebook.com/sandra.m.Humphrey

I remember after hearing she died and promising myself that I would appreciate life more, then the next day I was back to myself again.   I’m not saying the internet is a reason to get up in the morning but it sure does make us aware that we actually have friends online we can talk to if we are feeling down.  I’m bringing this up because you can share your thoughts and hopes and desires with those friends you meet online and sometimes they truly listen:):)  There is a big suicide rate right now and I just want those out there who have people close to them or they themselves are considering it, to talk to someone right away!!  I have just met this WONDERFUL GROUP of writers in a group that post book excerpts every Friday to introduce our books to people, as well as meet the readers of those books.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/169126186575183/

I belong to another group of writers that are so kind and I have become part of their circle and am glad to be, http://thewriteroomblog.thedeepening.com/

All of you are welcome to join us at these blogs too.  The point I’m trying to make and it’s not promoting these people but giving them credit to make my life seem a little more “worthy” and important.  I’m on disability and can’t work, yet I’m so bored at home that I go out of my mind.  Then today I was thinking “I should feel VERY FORTUNATE, how many people can decide to get out of bed, watch “LETS MAKE A DEAL” then the “PRICE IS RIGHT” go back to sleep until 12:30 watch YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, then BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, then decide to get out of bed and play with my cats, and then finally turn the internet on to interact with people who REALLY want to interact with me.

I’m not a very social person in real life, even talking on the phone is a phobia for me.  I think it goes back to when my mom took that call I made from that prisoner camp and she thought I was lying to her or high when I told her she had to contact the Swiss Embassy and get me out of there.  Ever since then talking on the phone is very stressful for me.  And friends..ha, I’ve tried a couple times, but I’m a rapid cycler bipolar, and that and friends don’t mix well.  Too many funny stories to relate in this post.  But anyway the point I’m trying to make is we all have choices in life and we need to realize more often that life might be fleeting and we could be dead tomorrow.  So always kiss your significant other and/or children good night.  ALWAYS tell those that you love that you love them everyday, or even when they leave the house.  My rule is you can’t say I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH!

Put a post it note on your fridge and write “APPRECIATE LIFE’ on it.  Write another note underneath it that says “KISS AND TELL PEOPLE I LOVE THEM: pets included.

There I’m done rambling, but I hope this helps someone in realizing they need to take life seriously and really ENJOY IT and those around you before it’s too late.

God Bless to all, and I hope I haven’t offended anyone:)

Lori

To LIVE or EXIST?

/ Lori

Today is one of those “BAD” days, where you have to force yourself out of bed, and look outside and say I’m lucky to be alive and with someone who loves me.  There was nothing special that happened to make me so apathetic or sad, just another day in the life of a bipolar, addict, PTSD survivor and sexual abuse survivor.  I think having one of these is bad enough and GOD I can empathize with your moods, but I think the reigning disorder that makes me feel like I do today is called BIPOLAR.

Now I’m not sure if adding all of the above with the bipolar does anymore to me or less, but I know my bipolar has changed since I was younger.  When I was younger and went on manic episodes I was creative, proud, confident and got things accomplished *just in a lot shorter time period:).  But now all I get is “she’s manic again”.  No one lets me express me or let me bask in the moment of confidence and wanting to accomplish the world, instead it’s a BAD THING to be manic.  I’m sure there are bad episodes of being manic, but I’m sure there are GOOD PRODUCTIVE ONES too.  The medication that were on doesn’t really help either.  It helps those around us (because were apathetic and don’t make their lives anymore confusing) but for us it is like the loss of “LIFE”.  I don’t mind being stable and I’m pretty sure I don’t get out of control like I used to, but I still enjoy my manic days, and no one can understand that.  I’m writing this to get YOUR INPUT on how you view your bipolar.

Now on to substance abuse.  I speak now at a rehab facility, and one thing I say (WHICH IS MY BELIEF) if you don’t have anyone to get clean for then your not going to get clean.  I know they preach about doing it for “YOURSELF” but I still say unless you have a motivating factor that bugs your conscience about not wanting to do drugs anymore than I don’t think you’d get clean.  If I were alone and had no one that loved me, I would have never went to rehab, I probably would have done MORE DRUGS!   When you finally find a reason to live albeit health recovery or someone you meet then you have a DESIRE to quit and seek out that new life with the person you love.  Now don’t get me wrong and think I mean you have to have a “LOVER” or B/F or G/F, I mean anyone that cares about you and wants you clean to the point that you finally get tired of seeing that person hurt.  It could be a child, a spouse or mother or BFF, hell it could be your pet.

Now on to the cravings, I’m on this drug called SUBOXONE, and I’m taking 4 8mg/2mg tabs a day, this is NOT what people normally take.  They usually are weaned off this drug before leaving the clinic.  But since I’ve been severely injured in IRAN, and suffer from so many pain issues they decided to keep me on this dose, so I wouldn’t go back to pain pills.  Virtually I gave up one addiction for another, since these pills are narcotics.  They are also supposed to help you not crave ANYTHING you have abused in your past.   BS, every time I see a movie where someone is doing coke, I get such an urge it isn’t funny.  The only difference now is I DON’T GIVE IN TO MY CRAVINGS, although sometimes I do try to do a logic summation of IF I did give in, how would this not hurt me.

Now onto PTSD, where no one understands how noises, smells, or certain situations can leave you feeling nervous or even worse make you feel like your going to die in that moment, because you feel like you’ve been there before.  Well you have been there before they are called flashbacks, and anything can trigger them, a loud noise a TV show like Law  & Order SVU (rapes), a certain smell, (these happen to me a lot) but it’s really like your back to that moment in time which was your HELL ON EARTH.  People don’t get it or they think were faking it for attention, I just want to make people aware that these things are VERY REAL, and the best thing to deal with them is a loving supportive friend or pet.

In a synopsis I just wanted to point out how I feel during these and because of these events and WELCOME YOUR INPUT on how you deal with life under the circumstances of one of these disorders.  Your INPUT will not only help me it could help others realize different ways to deal with them.  PLEASE COMMENT!!!

Also I feel better now that I’ve written this and vented a little. And remember we have TWO CHOICES IN LIFE, to LIVE it or just EXIST in it, you decide, God Bless.

Chapter One of “Lori’s Song” & Info on Book Fair!

/ Lori / 4 Comments

 

 

You can now read the foreword and Chapter One free on Amazon of my book, “Lori’s Song”.  My true story of being held captive in Iran during 911.

http://www.amazon.com/Loris-Song-story-American-captive/dp/1432738291/ref=tmm_pap_title_0/178-1706669-7918157#reader_B002JM0F1Q

BOOK EXCERPT/BLURB:

Though she endured a childhood of physical and sexual abuse, nothing would ever equal what happened to her in Iran the weeks following 9/11.

Lori, an American married to an Iranian, had been working and living as an ordinary member of Iranian society for almost 4 years when she had heard rumors that the U.S. was going to be attacked. That was on September 9, 2001. She tried and failed to call home and give warning.

The news that all those rumors were horribly true came on September 11th 2001. That was when her husband suddenly announced that they had to go back to the States in case there were repercussions.

On September 12, 2001, Lori and her husband were at the Shiraz bus terminal intending to catch a bus to Istanbul and from there to Heathrow and home to the U.S.A. They were totally unprepared for the convoy of troop carriers that suddenly drove up and the armed men who came pouring out to take the hapless couple prisoner.

There was no explanation offered. The men took Lori’s husband one direction and she another, pushing them blindfolded into the back of the troop carriers with other prisoners, mostly Iranian.

Who the armed men were was anybody’s guess but they took their prisoners to POW camp in unfamiliar territory and there, Lori was held, tortured, raped, and starved with them for over a month. Her husband was not to be seen again.

Lori was rescued with one of her fellow inmates by the girl’s family and, after riding a llama for 1-2 days over mountainous terrain; she arrived at the Iran Immigration center. By then, she weighed in at only 70 pounds, was still suffering from the many injuries she’d received at the hands of her torturers, and wanted badly to get home to her family in the USA. Even then, she had to fight Iranian Islamic bureaucracy to have permission to go, as the husband was unavailable to grant it. In any Islamic country, unknown to many western women, the husband or guardian’s permission is always required for a woman to travel anywhere.

Lori had been married to Mohammad for 9 years and thought she could trust him but, since their arrival in Iran in 1998, his personality and behavior had changed so radically as to make this most recent nightmare highly suspicious.

The events told here are true. It was no coincidence that this American citizen had been placed into a concentration camp. In fact, it raises many questions and should be a caution to many!

There is also a virtual book fair this Friday & Saturday.  You can view new books and learn about authors or even join if your an author. Visit the blog:

http://samplesaturday.blogspot.com/

View the site:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169126186575183/

If you have any questions email Tammie Gibbs tammiegibbs@yahoo.com

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!!