I warned everyone that Celeste would be a bit of a rougher read than most of the novels in the series, "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch." For those of my dear friends and families that have a weak stomach for how harsh the world can be you may want to skip this novel.
On the other hand, there IS purpose for the strong stuff in this novel. It has a value, and if you can read it keeping in mind that there WILL be some forms of redemption I feel that I did some of my best writing in this book. Celeste Benoit is a remarkable woman who has faced the harshest situations that life can wrap you in, and come off conqueror. If you are brave with the first part of the book there will some fun, and uplifting things in the rest of the book that will reward your effort.
It was while writing this book, (the book that was a total surprise and almost seemed to write itself), that I learned how prevalent sexual slavery is in our world today. It's at the highest point in history! After learning that I felt that this book was meant to educate people about an ugly condition. It's horrifying for me to realize that sexual slavery is practiced far more today than it was in the 19th century! In addition there are evil people who are paid to troll the small towns in America looking for small children in vulnerable positions to snatch. One woman in this situation was an adult with the mind of a child. They target our most vulnerable. We CAN shine a light in the darkness of this evil. We CAN protect our own precious children (never ever leave them unprotected by an adult, not even in your front yard).
Thanks to all those who read and enjoy my work. Vivian Varlowe
Monday, July 23, 2012
Writing Sample
CELESTE-CHAPTER ONE
His hair was mane, tousled, and tangled. He had a scraggly beard that masked his features. The dim lamplight shone in the curled length of his hair, trapped, and unable to escape. He looked more like a fierce animal than a human.
A sigh escaped Celeste as he stood in her doorway. She was so very weary. Her soul felt as though it had drained from her. She was just dry brittle bone. Nothing soft was left. Even he softness of her sigh vanished into the musky darkness.
Silver trails of tears slid silently down his cheeks. The sight of the tears contrasted against the rough quality of the man. Celeste was shocked, as nothing else had shocked her in three years as a soiled dove.
"My wife, well she died last month. She died because she gave my son life. I will never love again. I don't have a heart, or love, they died with Sarah. I don't want sex either. I'm cursed. My first wife, Ardis, died giving birth to my first son. Two women have born my child. Both of them died giving my son's life. I will never again plant my seed in another woman..."
His hair was mane, tousled, and tangled. He had a scraggly beard that masked his features. The dim lamplight shone in the curled length of his hair, trapped, and unable to escape. He looked more like a fierce animal than a human.
A sigh escaped Celeste as he stood in her doorway. She was so very weary. Her soul felt as though it had drained from her. She was just dry brittle bone. Nothing soft was left. Even he softness of her sigh vanished into the musky darkness.
Silver trails of tears slid silently down his cheeks. The sight of the tears contrasted against the rough quality of the man. Celeste was shocked, as nothing else had shocked her in three years as a soiled dove.
"My wife, well she died last month. She died because she gave my son life. I will never love again. I don't have a heart, or love, they died with Sarah. I don't want sex either. I'm cursed. My first wife, Ardis, died giving birth to my first son. Two women have born my child. Both of them died giving my son's life. I will never again plant my seed in another woman..."
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Please consider and discuss!
I would LOVE my blogs to be more than just me spouting my thoughts and beliefs. I would like my blogs to inspire discussion. It would be wise to rein in emotions while discussing opposing viewpoints on things. Civil communication is always the wisest. Communication can be a powerful medium to inspire change.
Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch, is a novel about a woman who is trapped into sexual slavery at the age of 14. It went against the first rule of writing, "Write what you know," for me to write this novel. It felt almost as though someone were writing through me. I don't believe in "channeling," in the traditional spiritualistic sense of the word but I definitely wrote way out of my comfort zone.
A week after I started writing this book I watched a documentary. It was about sexual slavery NOW. I was appalled to find out that sexual slavery is at an all time high in our world today. This is not just an enslaver of female children, and teens, this is an enslaver of males as well.
The discussion that I would like to have right now is about ideas of ways to either prevent one soul from being trapped in sexual slaveries darkly evil depths, or in ways to lift one person, or even better more from this hellish mess. Two goals are needed, prevention is the best choice, but rescue is also ever so important.
There is one method that I would suggest. In America we hear lots about serial rapists, and murderers who seek out small children that are vulnerable. My girls heard about "Stranger danger" many times when they were children.
I am appalled as I go about my daily life and see small children alone, without a hint of an adult anywhere close. I always wonder, are the parents unaware of the danger, do they just not care, or are they thinking "That can't happen to us, or this is a very safe place." To my mind any of those ideas show a very tragic ignorance.
There are now people paid to stroll the streets, and byways of our country looking for prey. It doesn't take more than a quick minute to grab a small child, toss them into a waiting vehicle and drive away into a mystery.
Even when I was still a young woman a precious child was snatched away in this manner in a teeny, tiny, "safe" town near to where I grew up. A few years later a sixteen year old woman was snatched. Later it was discovered that Ted Bundy had lived in the area during that time. Neither of these young ones was ever discovered.
NEVER let your children play alone without an adult or a child twelve years of age or older. Predators target children who are unsupervised.
Networking can be a tool of power in preventing these crimes, or solving them. Please watch over your children. Our future depends on it!
Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch, is a novel about a woman who is trapped into sexual slavery at the age of 14. It went against the first rule of writing, "Write what you know," for me to write this novel. It felt almost as though someone were writing through me. I don't believe in "channeling," in the traditional spiritualistic sense of the word but I definitely wrote way out of my comfort zone.
A week after I started writing this book I watched a documentary. It was about sexual slavery NOW. I was appalled to find out that sexual slavery is at an all time high in our world today. This is not just an enslaver of female children, and teens, this is an enslaver of males as well.
The discussion that I would like to have right now is about ideas of ways to either prevent one soul from being trapped in sexual slaveries darkly evil depths, or in ways to lift one person, or even better more from this hellish mess. Two goals are needed, prevention is the best choice, but rescue is also ever so important.
There is one method that I would suggest. In America we hear lots about serial rapists, and murderers who seek out small children that are vulnerable. My girls heard about "Stranger danger" many times when they were children.
I am appalled as I go about my daily life and see small children alone, without a hint of an adult anywhere close. I always wonder, are the parents unaware of the danger, do they just not care, or are they thinking "That can't happen to us, or this is a very safe place." To my mind any of those ideas show a very tragic ignorance.
There are now people paid to stroll the streets, and byways of our country looking for prey. It doesn't take more than a quick minute to grab a small child, toss them into a waiting vehicle and drive away into a mystery.
Even when I was still a young woman a precious child was snatched away in this manner in a teeny, tiny, "safe" town near to where I grew up. A few years later a sixteen year old woman was snatched. Later it was discovered that Ted Bundy had lived in the area during that time. Neither of these young ones was ever discovered.
NEVER let your children play alone without an adult or a child twelve years of age or older. Predators target children who are unsupervised.
Networking can be a tool of power in preventing these crimes, or solving them. Please watch over your children. Our future depends on it!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Business Cards
It's a very little piece of paper. It has textual writing upon it. Yet this tiny little emblem represents me, my writing, and my series. I was so excited to get the business card made!
I forgot one tiny little detail. Where can you purchase my books? Ooopsies. So, I will soon be ordering a new set of cards.
I've been taking a mini rest from my writing. I had surgery. It wasn't major, and I'm healing but it's hard to focus for any length of time.
I plan on starting my "parties" in the first part of August. I'm very excited and hope that I will have friends who will be willing to "hostess" or "host" a party. I promise we will have fun!
Thanks for each and everyone of my friends that have inspired me, encouraged me, and challenged me to reach my goal of publishing a series of novels!
I forgot one tiny little detail. Where can you purchase my books? Ooopsies. So, I will soon be ordering a new set of cards.
I've been taking a mini rest from my writing. I had surgery. It wasn't major, and I'm healing but it's hard to focus for any length of time.
I plan on starting my "parties" in the first part of August. I'm very excited and hope that I will have friends who will be willing to "hostess" or "host" a party. I promise we will have fun!
Thanks for each and everyone of my friends that have inspired me, encouraged me, and challenged me to reach my goal of publishing a series of novels!
Friday, July 6, 2012
CELEBRATE, PARTY TIME!
So as an independent author I also am in charge of all my own marketing. I have prayed, and thought about any ways to gain interest in my books. As much as I LOVE to write I am actually writing this series to earn money. GRIN
I was a Mary Kay "Consultant" twice. I LOVED teaching the skincare and makeup classes. I was pretty good if I DO SAY SO MYSELF! The only problem was that I felt guilty asking people to pay money for the products that I was promoting. SOOOOOO, I would GIVE them the products. That meant that I WAS PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING! lol
I thought about it and decided that having "Drifting Anchor" parties would be a lot of fun, and hopefully would generate some book sales. I hope to be able to start this next summer, 2014.
This is the way that I see it working. I will come in costume, (something from the 1800's), my hair really doesn't look like something a woman in the 1800's would wear so I will probably get a wig. The people that attend are also encouraged to wear a costume from the 1800's.
If I hostess the party I get to choose which type of party we will have. We can have a 1. Quilting Bee
2. Knitting party 3. Crocheting party 4. Sewing party 5. Herbs, and or essential oils 6. Music from the 1800's. If YOU hostess then you get to decide the party type.
Whatever type of party we have we will also eat food from the 1800's, and every once in a while randomly I will call out, time for a gift! Each person that attends the party will be given a ticket. I will have one half of the ticket with a number on it. I will draw out a number, and the lucky winner will be given a present. They can choose from several wrapped items.
I will also read from one of my books, AND we will sing songs from the 1800's. I'm so excited to get this ball rolling.
The hostess of a party will receive a thank you present. If they have a quilting bee they get to keep the quilt, or there will be other options for the hostess as a thank you gift.
If anybody wishes to sign up for a party with dates starting in the summer of 2014 let me know. You can email me at lovethatcj@gmail.com Looking forward to summer!
In addition, I am writing three more books next year. Two more books from my series "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," and one called Haunted Love. Haunted Love came from a dream that I had one night. It will be a tense page turner with mystery, romance, a ghost, espionage, and adorable children. It's got a little of a lot.
So, roll out this old year, and the three new novels I will publish this year or very close to the New Year and roll on new novels, and book parties!
I was a Mary Kay "Consultant" twice. I LOVED teaching the skincare and makeup classes. I was pretty good if I DO SAY SO MYSELF! The only problem was that I felt guilty asking people to pay money for the products that I was promoting. SOOOOOO, I would GIVE them the products. That meant that I WAS PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF TEACHING! lol
I thought about it and decided that having "Drifting Anchor" parties would be a lot of fun, and hopefully would generate some book sales. I hope to be able to start this next summer, 2014.
This is the way that I see it working. I will come in costume, (something from the 1800's), my hair really doesn't look like something a woman in the 1800's would wear so I will probably get a wig. The people that attend are also encouraged to wear a costume from the 1800's.
If I hostess the party I get to choose which type of party we will have. We can have a 1. Quilting Bee
2. Knitting party 3. Crocheting party 4. Sewing party 5. Herbs, and or essential oils 6. Music from the 1800's. If YOU hostess then you get to decide the party type.
Whatever type of party we have we will also eat food from the 1800's, and every once in a while randomly I will call out, time for a gift! Each person that attends the party will be given a ticket. I will have one half of the ticket with a number on it. I will draw out a number, and the lucky winner will be given a present. They can choose from several wrapped items.
I will also read from one of my books, AND we will sing songs from the 1800's. I'm so excited to get this ball rolling.
The hostess of a party will receive a thank you present. If they have a quilting bee they get to keep the quilt, or there will be other options for the hostess as a thank you gift.
If anybody wishes to sign up for a party with dates starting in the summer of 2014 let me know. You can email me at lovethatcj@gmail.com Looking forward to summer!
In addition, I am writing three more books next year. Two more books from my series "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," and one called Haunted Love. Haunted Love came from a dream that I had one night. It will be a tense page turner with mystery, romance, a ghost, espionage, and adorable children. It's got a little of a lot.
So, roll out this old year, and the three new novels I will publish this year or very close to the New Year and roll on new novels, and book parties!
Celeste-Tragedy and Joy
I have begun to go through the process of finishing the rough draft copy of my third book in the series "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch." It's title is "Celeste, Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch."
One of the first rules of writing is "Write what you know." I DIDN'T know about sexual slavery....I didn't WANT to know about this subject. Yet as I began to define Celeste's character, and personality that is what she became....a fourteen year old girl trapped into the soul crushing business of prostitution.
A week after I had begun to write the story of Celeste I tripped across a documentary about sexual slavery today. I was stunned when the documentary said that sexual slavery is at an ALL TIME HIGH in our world. There are more sexual slaves in our world than at any other time in history!!!
Then I began to feel as though there was a purpose in writing Celeste in that hideous situation. I warn everyone that this novel is NOT for the faint of heart. I am not graphic in describing the experience for Celeste. Yet she has a story to tell that goes beyond the 1800's. Sadly enough this hideous practice continues NOW in the 21st century.
There ARE things that we can do to help the children, and teens that are trapped in this grisly world. In my case I WILL speak out about it. I will shout from the rooftops, PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN! I have seen so many children 5 and younger by themselves at playgrounds. Where are the parents? Sexual predators actually troll places where children play looking for their next victim. Ie!
Keep your children in your sight at all times. NEVER let them outside to roam about alone. This is especially true if you travel! On excursions my husband and I used to put our two daughters in the middle of us. He was in front, I was in back, and the girls in the middle where we could see them at all times.
Teach your children the dangers of chat rooms, and meeting a VIRTUAL friend in real time alone. It is SO EASY for sexual predators to pretend that they are something other than themselves. A cute young boy for example looking for a girlfriend.
I watched another program about a young girl who went to meet a friend from a "chat room." He turned out to be a 40 year old male that trapped her into sexual slavery. She was in this horrible condition for years before she managed to escape.
This is NOT just about girls. Boys are also trapped in this web of evil. Train your children how to defend themselves. Teach them about the dangers in this world. There ARE people that still can be trusted. Another program I watched an officer spoke about if a child gets lost in a busy place. He said, "Tell them to look for a woman. 85% of the violent crimes perpetrated in this country are MALE."
I wish to end on a positive note. If we can prevent just ONE child or teen from getting into this situation it is wonderful. If we can rescue even one child or teen from this web of intrigue and wickedness also wonderful! Imagine if we could set ALL of these people free! Let's keep learning, and protecting our precious children. They are our future!
One of the first rules of writing is "Write what you know." I DIDN'T know about sexual slavery....I didn't WANT to know about this subject. Yet as I began to define Celeste's character, and personality that is what she became....a fourteen year old girl trapped into the soul crushing business of prostitution.
A week after I had begun to write the story of Celeste I tripped across a documentary about sexual slavery today. I was stunned when the documentary said that sexual slavery is at an ALL TIME HIGH in our world. There are more sexual slaves in our world than at any other time in history!!!
Then I began to feel as though there was a purpose in writing Celeste in that hideous situation. I warn everyone that this novel is NOT for the faint of heart. I am not graphic in describing the experience for Celeste. Yet she has a story to tell that goes beyond the 1800's. Sadly enough this hideous practice continues NOW in the 21st century.
There ARE things that we can do to help the children, and teens that are trapped in this grisly world. In my case I WILL speak out about it. I will shout from the rooftops, PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN! I have seen so many children 5 and younger by themselves at playgrounds. Where are the parents? Sexual predators actually troll places where children play looking for their next victim. Ie!
Keep your children in your sight at all times. NEVER let them outside to roam about alone. This is especially true if you travel! On excursions my husband and I used to put our two daughters in the middle of us. He was in front, I was in back, and the girls in the middle where we could see them at all times.
Teach your children the dangers of chat rooms, and meeting a VIRTUAL friend in real time alone. It is SO EASY for sexual predators to pretend that they are something other than themselves. A cute young boy for example looking for a girlfriend.
I watched another program about a young girl who went to meet a friend from a "chat room." He turned out to be a 40 year old male that trapped her into sexual slavery. She was in this horrible condition for years before she managed to escape.
This is NOT just about girls. Boys are also trapped in this web of evil. Train your children how to defend themselves. Teach them about the dangers in this world. There ARE people that still can be trusted. Another program I watched an officer spoke about if a child gets lost in a busy place. He said, "Tell them to look for a woman. 85% of the violent crimes perpetrated in this country are MALE."
I wish to end on a positive note. If we can prevent just ONE child or teen from getting into this situation it is wonderful. If we can rescue even one child or teen from this web of intrigue and wickedness also wonderful! Imagine if we could set ALL of these people free! Let's keep learning, and protecting our precious children. They are our future!
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