Thursday, June 9, 2016

A writer's journal: Turning to Mahatma Gandhi for Advice

Live as if you were to die tomorrow; learn as if you were to live forever.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.



When the challenges of life seem overwhelming, I turn to gratitude--and look for advice from those who are wiser than I. Writing is my respite. By expressing my experience through words, I find solace and sanctuary.


The hardest aspect life: impermanence. Things are constantly changing, and we must adjust or lose our balance.


The best thing to remember when life gets you down: Things will change, and we will regain our balance.




Flying Home


Sunday, December 7, 2014

Win a $500 Amazon Shopping Spree!

I've Joined the Kindle Book Review

 for a BIG Holiday Giveaway!

December 8 - 22



Give the Gift of Time Travel

my historical romantic suspense novels:





Paperbook
ebook
Audible

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Recap: Bouchercon 2014

Murder on the Beach, Bouchercon 2014


Bouchercon, the huge Mystery Writers' Conference took place in Long Beach, CA this year, and I had a blast catching up with people I hadn't seen in a while, like publisher/writer Tory Hartmann of Sand Hill Review Press, bestselling author, Barry Eisler (soooo handsome and a really nice guy), and my writing bud, Blake Crouch (who has just signed huge deals with Random House and Sony). I volunteered to be the timekeeper for a panel that included Blake and author/producer Lee Goldberg (currently writing with Janet Evanovich). Here's a pic:

Panel with Blake and Lee


I also got to meet up with fellow authors that I only knew from online, including authors, Helen Smith , M Louisa Locke, and M Ruth Myers (who received the Shamus award this year for best Indie Sleuth--she stood onstage with Sue Grafton). Really great meeting those ladies!

M Louisa Locke, M Ruth Myers, Suzanne Tyrpak
Bouchercon is a terrific event for writers, fans, and others in the industry. Next year it will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina ... I'd love to see you there!

By the way, one of next year's event coordinators is author/radio host, Stacey Cochran ... another great online friend I got to meet in person!

Friday, August 1, 2014

Ancient History News--Nero's coin

Roman Coin from 64-65 AD Found ...

stumbling on this



A golden aureus, the equivalent of what a Roman soldier would be paid for a year of service, lying in the dirt as if it had been dropped yesterday. The coin was found by a volunteer archaeologist at a site in northern England called Vindolanda, once the location of a Roman fort. The face on the coin is the emperor Nero--known to have terrorized Rome, and in particular, early Christians. 

Vindolanda

Read more about the story at Discovery News.

Nero is plays a major role in my historical suspense novel, Vestal Virgin.

Monday, June 16, 2014

The winner of Aphrodite is ...

Sarah Miles! My winner from the 
Summer Splash Blog Hop



Sarah has won a beautiful statue of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, also known as Venus. The drawing was random, but there were some wonderful comments ... unfortunately, the comment area was having problems, so most people wrote to me. Thank you, lovely ladies, for sharing your thoughts with me. I'm sure Aphrodite is sending love to all of you.



Here are some of the comments. I won't include names, because some are quite personal:

So, I wouldn't say that I *deserve* it, but maybe it would send some love my way.  I have health issues, which started up while I was dating my ex.  I loved him, figured we'd be together for a long time.  A few months after I started getting significantly worse, he ended the relationship.  Never gave me a reason, and from what I hear he's told others, he's made up one for them (as I know it's not true).  My assumption is that it's just difficult dating someone who is ill, but he doesn't want to say that and sound like a bad person.  I'm hesitant to look into dating now that I'm free, as I don't want to get attached to someone that's just going to get fed up with me.  Could use a little help from the lovely Venus/Aphrodite in finding someone that can look past how these chronic issues have handicapped me.  I'm not just a sick person, and I hate being boiled down into that one little bucket.  Plus, who doesn't love being in love?  It's missed.

I'm sorry I had to email you my comment, but I couldn't get it to post. I believe I should win the statue of the goddess because each of us should have a piece of beauty in the room to brighten their lives and remind them of their youth. Aphrodite/Venus is the perfect goddess to remind me of happier/healthier times in my life as I struggle toward regaining some modicum of health. She could stand watch and encourage me to regain control, while reminding me to laugh and enjoy the sun. Her beauty can stand sentinel over my struggles and remind me of the beauty I will miss if I don't go outside and enjoy the pool in the the summer, the breeze in my face, the ground beneath my feet. All the beauty of the earth is there, if only I remember to see it. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, can reignite the flame within my heart. 

Thank you for the chance to win Aphrodite  "The Goddess of Erotic Love":  In my wiccan class we are studying different Goddesses and this would be great to have for my Altar that I have created towards her for more Erotic love in my life.
 I bet you didn't expect that one. lol


Once again, I so appreciate all of you who entered the contest. It was a lot of fun, and I plan to participate again next year. 

Suzanne

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Summer Splash Blog Hop
June 13-16, 2014

hop around and win terrific prizes
from participating authors



in celebration of Venus and Aphrodite, the ancient 
Roman and Greek
goddess of love who causes so much heartache in my suspense novels 

I'm giving away statue of the 

Aphrodite (ancient Greece) aka Venus (ancient Rome)

to win the goddess of erotic love
(and secure eternal bliss)


please post a comment, or send an email, telling me why you deserve her (if you have a problem with posting a comment please send me an email--I need your email address anyway)
 Suzanne dot Tyrpak @gmail.com 

Get Extra Chances:
Become a Blog Buddy = 1 entry
Like My FaceBook Page = 1 entry
Follow Me On Twitter @SuzanneTyrpak = 1 entry


Grand Prizes:
Kindle Paperwhite
$50 Amazon Gift Certificate


   1) Register
          2) Hop Around
3) Share



Just .99 cents during the Blog Hop:



Vestal Virgin (suspense in ancient Rome): US Amazon