an adventure novel that combines alternate historical fiction & speculative sci-fi to explore ancient Egypt and the mysterious Great Sphinx of Giza
- written by Rai Aren & Tavius E.
Secret of the Sands is a little bit like mixing INDIANA JONES + THE MUMMY + NATIONAL TREASURE
Our ancient Egypt book has elements of all of those in it, in its feel, its story, its epic stakes. Even further, there are large thematic similarities, but also some very specific similarities to our story (go ahead, pick them out & tell us what you spotted!)
To buy the book, here's the link to our Amazon.com page:
SECRET OF THE SANDS is an Indiana Jones type of adventure novel where the reader is treated to two adventures-in-one as it weaves back and forth between a royal family with a potentially deadly secret in ancient Egypt and the adventures of a couple of modern-day archaeologists on a mission to uncover an amazing artifact that could change the world!
SECRET OF THE SANDS would make an INCREDIBLE summer BLOCKBUSTER on the big screen - it has adventure, action, humor, romance, ancient mysteries, deadly battles, and SPECTACULAR special effects possibilities!!! IMAX 3D!!
AND - it's suitable for ages 12 to 112!! :)
Some of the great feedback for the mystery novel Secret of the Sands:
"Kept me burning the midnight oil and turning pages!"
"A fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue."
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger"
"This is a WOW of a book!"
"Master Storytellers"
"A Thrill Ride"
"Exceptional Read!"
"Innovative, concise, and enthralling"
"An entertaining page-turner for young and old"
"A mesmerizing story"
"An excitingly vivid, page-turning adventure!"
"One heck of a ride!"
"I want more!"
Secret of the Sands ancient Egypt book has made numerous appearances as an Amazon.com BESTSELLER in multiple categories, including "Books, Religion & Spirituality, Fiction", "Ancient Civilizations", "Action & Adventure" and "Historical Fiction"!! As debut novelists, we are thrilled about these accomplishments!! Our readers mean the world to us!!
"A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion."
-McNally Robinson
"Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction."
-- Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy
For 12,000 years a dark and deadly secret has been hidden deep below the Great Sphinx of Giza. In present day Egypt, a frightening, yet awe-inspiring story unravels as archaeologists race against time to decipher an ancient truth...
To buy the book, here's the link to our Amazon.com page:
Still more fantastic 5-STAR reviews for the adventure novel Secret of the Sands!!
5 stars: Can you spell B-L-O-C-K-B-U-S-T-E-R?
By Norma Beishir -author, Chasing the Wind (St.Louis, MO)
This book has "Summer Blockbuster" written all over it. Mr. Bruckheimer, are you paying attention?
Amittedly, it has all the elements I love--action, suspense, the metaphysical world, Egypt, archaeology.... Yes, it brings to mind my hero, Indiana Jones. This book is as close to Indy's equal as any novel or film will ever get.
The pacing is flawless, the characters well-defined, the history thoroughly researched. The authors have done their homework, and I can't wait for the seuqel.
A note to the reviewer who criticized the authors' grammar, etc.--bear in mind that this is not meant to be a textbook. It's entertainment. The best novelists learn the rules of good English, then break at least half of those rules. The objective is to tell an exciting story, not give an English lesson.
I would enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone who wants a real page-turner!
5-stars: "An Egyptian "What If?"
Check out our great review in the April-09 edition of the Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror ezine!:
Because I love books about Egypt, I saw a link and purchased this book on a whim. Boy, was I surprised! Secret of the Sands is well written with some nice historical references and abviously, a lot of planning and research. It's not often that you find new authors that make you want to find their next work, but this one did. The story is fast paced with nice links to past events in a format moving from past to future very seamlessly. I'mlooking forward to the next in the series and would encourage you to pick this book up. It's an enjoyable read that leaves you wanting more.
Reviewed by: Erikka Adams, aka "The Bookbinder" of TeensReadToo.com
Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories - one told in the present, the other told from the past - telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization. The dialogue is believable and the plot is a page-turner.
5 out of 5 stars: A wonderful, exciting story!
By Lila L. Pinord "Bookster"
When Mitch and Alex, two young archaeologists working at a dig near the statue of the Sphinx in Egypt, they accidentally uncover artifacts that could not have possibly existed - not back then and not even now! Along with their faithful assistants, Jack and Bob, who exist solely on diet coke and coffee, they begin the long arduous task of solving the mystery of what lays hidden in the sands. We get to go back in time to around 10,000 BC and meet the royal family led by King Traeus and his beautiful Queen Axiana.
Much intrigue winds its way through the past into the present, giving us insight into the origins of the artifacts. Can we solve the mystery of the sphinx? If we can't, it's still one heck of a ride! Highly recommended by this reader!
5 out of 5 stars: This is a WOW of a book!!
By "ellen in altanta" - Note, Ellen is a Top 1000 reviewer on Amazon.com and a former reviewer for a publishing company, so this is indeed high praise!
There are a few books I picked up and could not let go - Secret of the Sands is one of them!
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have written a book that takes place in ancient ancient Egypt and present day Egypt near the Sphinx. A pair of young archaeology students, a young man and woman - Mitch and Alex are on a dig and mysteriously discover a mysterious box, and with the help of two friends they open the box that is so old, it predates anything else known - the glyphs are in a different form, the metal not known in the current world. The ancient era story details how this box and the information came to be and the backstory of the characters that will play through this amazing trilogy. As I was reading Sands, I kept thinking of the pace is much like Raiders of the Lost Ark, because it is that good and that well paced. The co-writing team of Rai Aren and Tavius E. have come up with movie material and what a movie it will make!
For those of us who are lovers of the ancient worlds, Egypt, present and past, archaeology, the metaphysical, and mystical happenings, this is a great choice for you.
Note: Ellen also posted a great review of Secret of the Sands on the website: www.authorsden.com
5.5 out of 5 stars!!
By Faye V. (Louisiana, USA)
"I love this book! Secret of the Sands starts with a bang and hits the ground running. Very Indiana Jones.
I'm an avid Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Mystery reader and I've read many books with dual authors. Although most are good, it's usually apparent that sections were split up and who wrote which part. It's rare to find authors that work so well together they seem like a single voice. That is this book. Secret of the Sands is very well-written and seems as if it was penned by a single author. Everything flows together well and I couldn't tell who wrote which part. If I had not know there were two authors I wouldn't have known from reading.
The story was exciting and held interest throughout the entire book. The characters were fun and entertaining. I love Jack and Bob! They were my favorites.
This book is dangerous - I stayed up until 2am to finish it! And now I want to know when the next one will come out. I can't wait!"
5 out of 5 stars: Loved every minute of it!
By Marauder (Louisiana, USA), Deputy Headmistress of the Official Potterholics Annonymous
The description that initially comes to mind is Indiana Jones, with a bit of Stargate, Mummy, and 5th Element, yet remaining completely unique.
Secret of the Sands is an excitingly vivid, page-turning adventure infused with history, humor, and excitement. Rai Aren and Tavius E. have created a spectacular story with characters that I just love or simply love to hate. Like National Treasure, there is just enough historical and scientific fact mixed in to make the fictional story plausible and fun. And what a wonderful way to spotlight archaeological theories that have lost the public eye.
I kept wanting to read and, by half-way through, I didn't want to put it down. Secret of the Sands was a thrill ride until the very end and I loved every minute of it!
5 out of 5 stars: Exceptional Read!
By S. K. Shirley "Cleo" (Williamsville, NY USA)
I recently finished this book, which I literally devoured,and was never so sorry to be finished with anything in a very long time. In all honesty, I'm not easily pleased when it comes to my favorite subject, ancient Egypt, and it takes a lot to grab and hold my attention. This book most assuredly did just that. The authors were able to seemlessly transition between ancient times and present day, never losing the momentum of the story. I particularly enjoyed the way they incorporated the possible premise that the Sphinx, not to mention the Egyptian civilization, is older than is commonly believed by the present day archeological community. I share that belief actually. I recommend this book strongly to anyone looking for a great read and I simply can't wait for the next installment. The day it's released will be the day I have it in my possession.
Our super-awesome Harry Potter friends chose Secret of the Sands as recommended reading in their "Books are Magykal" Book Club (with the top honors of "Outstanding")!!
Check out The Official Potterholics Annonymous page! This is high praise coming from die hard fans of the wonderfully magical Harry Potter series, a series that we couldn't imagine living without. (If anyone finds a portkey to Hogwarts, please let Rai know!!) Thank-you so very much, we are greatly honored!
This book is hard to put down. It's a fun adventure, rich with historical detail and vivid imagery. The characters and events are very realistic. The story blends past and present Egypt so well that the transitions are seamless to the reader. Theories posed on ancient Egyptian mysteries are very plausible - this book is as good a read as The Da Vinci Code. I can't wait for the sequel and hope there will, one day, be a movie!
www.realbookreview.com
Book Reviews - The Good and The Bad - as they say, "We truly "tell it" like it is" - by Tommy Taylor, author of The Second Virgin Birth
Cool thing is these are audio book reviews, take a couple of minutes & have a listen :)
Tommy also did an audio author interview with Tavius & I. Check it out, hear the scribes *speak*!
Check it out – there’s lots of interesting & helpful info there including a “featured author” section for new writers (keep checking back for our future feature!) Our review is posted below...
"Secret of The Sands" by Rai Aren and Tavius E., Postby Mary
"This novel is innovative, concise and enthralling. Fluctuating between present day and ancient Egypt, the pace never decelerates. The reader is treated to plausible theories regarding many riddles of this mysterious civilization. This time-honored culture is so clearly portrayed with characters which are so skillfully brought to life that one can easily imagine they are actually present as events are unfolding. The story comes to a clear conclusion yet leaves the reader desperately hoping there will be a sequel…. or a trilogy…. or even better yet, a whole series of these phenomenal books!"
** Even more great 5-star reviews can been seen on Amazon.com!!
We hope to meet other writers, readers, publishers, agents, movie peeps who want to work with us to bring the mystery novel Secret of the Sands to the big screen (just imagine the Great Sphinx coming to life in IMAX!!), creative folks of various & assorted kinds, kind people, cool people, people whose energies are vibrating on a higher frequency (you'll know who you are!)
P.S. This is a "PG-rated" MySpace page folks, so friends & comments will be added/accepted accordingly, thank-you! :)
Influences
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (books & movies), Peter Jackson, David Eddings, J.K. Rowling, all of the Harry Potter books & movies, George Lucas, Star Wars, Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark & all the Indiana Jones movies, The Mummy, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, James Rollins, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Matthew Reilly, Star Trek, The Matrix, ancient Egyptian history, creative people, kind people, anyone who doggedly pursues their dreams.....
Sounds Like
A little more about...
Who can read it?!: SECRET OF THE SANDS is an adventure novel that is suitable for kids & adults, anyone ages 12 & up. It's got the fun, silly, light-hearted aspects of movies like The Mummy and Indiana Jones series, paired with deep, underlying meaning & messages...
Our intent in writing this mystery novel was to make it accessible to a wide audience, in the same way our favorite stories & movies are. If your kids liked Harry Potter - then they can certainly read our story. We hope you enjoy the story as much as we enjoyed writing it & we would love to hear back from you on it!
We hear many comments from readers & reviewers that they love the concept, style of the book, with its intertwining timelines. Matthew Reilly's novel, Temple, is another example of an adventure novel with a double storyline...
Here's our very cool poster - doesn't it make you just go crazy wanting to know what the Secret is...?!?
The sequel, Destiny of the Sands, is well underway. It's a dark, fast-paced thriller that will have you turning pages so fast they may catch on fire!
Destiny of the Sands is a story of pain, redemption, and the rocky, twisting, and sometimes treacherous path that life can lead us down, where finding our way back to the light is by no means certain...
Cover & tagline for upcoming Secret of the Sands sequel, Destiny of the Sands:
Some secrets cannot remain hidden, and some cannot be forgiven…
A JOURNEY BEGUN...
Must now be completed. A reckoning is upon those whose fates are inextricably linked to the mysterious sands of Ancient Egypt.
THE SECRET ONCE BURIED...
Is now hunted by those powerful and corruptible enough to chart a new, terrifying, and ultimately deadly course in human history…
SORROW AND FEAR...
Cannot stand in the way of those who will defend the ways of peace and defy those who are determined to take everything from them…
AN ANCIENT PROPHECY...
Will finally reveal itself, and the startling truths which it holds. The guardians must now trust in those who by destiny were chosen to tell the sacred truth…or destroy all traces of it forever…
Rai & Tavius dream of the day where we will be checking out the movie trailer for our ancient Egypt book Secret of the Sands & attending our own red carpet premieres...we can't wait!!
Secret of the Sands on HotPluto.com! Check out our video ad/movie pitch for the adventure novel Secret of the Sands! Hollywood Blockbuster here we come!
Storycasting.com is a very cool website that allows you to cast actors in roles based on the characters in books. Rai has cast her votes for many of the main roles in this mystery novel:
Princess Zazmaria: Megan Fox
Zhek Draxen: Billy Zane
Lord Draxen: Terence Stamp
Assan: Arnold Vosloo
Odai: Sendhil Ramamurthy
Queen Axiana: Aishwarya Rai
King Traeus: Oded Fehr
Prince Alaj: Rodrigo Santoro
Mitch: James McAvoy
Alex: Rachel McAdams
Jack: DJ Qualls
Bob: Kevin Smith
Professor Dustimaine: Alan Rickman
Khadesh: Eric Avari
Senarra: Christian Serratos
Jace: Ali Suliman
Commander Koronius: Ashraf Barhom
Go ahead & cast your own votes & tell Hollywood who you think would be a perfect fit for the characters from our ancient Egypt book!
Rai's Misc. Fun, Colorful Stuff, akin to SoS in heart & spirit...Cool things that Rai likes & wants to sharel! :)
Like any good Egyptian (in heart, spirit and/or past-life) I had to include this little piece of wisdom... ;)
P.S. my four kitties can pretty much attest that they are treated as such, in the manner their species has become accustomed, lol!
Hopefully the following is not the case in your house, or for anyone you know ;)
If it is, fix it - read together as a family, it's fun!
Reading is good for you!
A funny toon on behalf of our animal friends :)
Rockstar (& fellow Canadian) + compassionate, kind human being = HUGE admiration from Rai!!! JD Fortune - you ROCK!! ...in more ways than one... ;) Being kind is mega-cool!!!
Know that the same spark of life that is within you, is within all of our animal friends, the desire to live is the same within all of us... - Rai Aren
To all you heroes out there, in uniform and not, who help those in need, whoever they may be, wherever they may be, Rai salutes you!!
Finally, just because Rai is feeling a little cheeky, here's a little greeting to leave off with...be good!! >;)
In the shadow of the Great Sphinx of Giza, two young archaeologists unearth extremely unusual artifacts dating over 12,000 years old. Not only could this change everything we thought we knew about Ancient Egypt, but the exhilarating find is wrong - very wrong. The artifacts shouldn’t be there…they shouldn’t even exist at all. The greatest discovery in human history may also turn out to be the deadliest…
Rai's biggest dream is to have a movie version of the ancient Egypt book Secret of the Sands!! I am working hard to make that dream a reality!
It would make an excellent summer blockbuster filled with action, adventure, humor, romance, captivatingly dangerous ancient mysteries, battle scenes & spectacular special effects!
In the meantime, for a taste of what's to come, here's our first video trailer, created by Rai Aren with help from her friend Tommy Taylor, author of The Second Virgin Birth:
Visit www.secretofthesands.com to learn more about the mystery novel that opens a window into the past, bringing this previously unknown and startling civilization to life.www.secretofthesands.com
Secret of the Sands is featured in Cold Coffee Magazine!!
We are deeply honored to be the featured authors in the June 2009 edition of Cold Coffee Magazine, and to also have our ancient Egypt book Secret of the Sands be the featured novel. This issue of the magazine has an Egyptian design inside and out. Check out our author interview inside, as well as many other interesting features:
SECRET OF THE SANDS mystery novel is going to published as an audio book in late 2009! We are over-the-moon about this exciting new stage in our story's journey! Our producer/publisher, TREASURE HOUSE PUBLISHING, has created a Twitter page to chronicle the book's progress:
The PROLOGUE has already been created, check out our music player to have a listen - it sounds amazing!
The audio book is slated for publication in late 2009. If you are a library, bookstore, or audiobook lover, we hope you will add SECRET OF THE SANDS to your collection!
RAI AREN and TAVIUS E. have been friends since college. Their common interests in ancient Egypt and archaeology have led them to pursue their passion in storytelling. Secret of the Sands is their debut novel.
The novel has been a repeated Amazon.com BESTSELLER in in numerous categories, including "Ancient Civilizations", "Action & Adventure", "Historical Fiction", and "Books, Religion & Spirituality"
5-stars - "A Mesmerizing Story"
by Susan McLeod, author of Soul and Shadow
Have you ever wondered how old the Sphinx really is? Have you been intrigued by the mysteries swirling like the desert sands around this awesome ancient monument? Rai Aren and Tavius E. have written a mesmerizing story in which two young archaeologists discover an artifact that could provide all of the answers. But they are not the only ones who are interested in this relic, for it holds a power unlike anything seen on Earth before...
Secret of the Sands takes us back 12,000 years to the origins of the artifact and the people who created it. Their story is interwoven with the lives of the archaeologists studying it in the present. Both sets of characters are so well-drawn that I could swear I heard them breathing!
This novel is packed with adventure and suspense, and the style is fast-paced and filled with vivid description.When I got to the end I thought "oh no!" I wanted more, more, more! But I'll have to wait for Destiny of the Sands to get it. Rai and Tavius, please hurry up with that sequel!
5-stars - "Look out Spielberg"
Lance Oren, author of Chances R & Huracán, www.lanceoren.com
I have finished reading Secret of the Sands and I am very impressed. In all honesty, it is not often that I pick up other writers novels, unless it is very eye appealing, or has a catchy promo. Secret of the Sands has both and was extremely well written, with a writer's eye to finite details. Unlike some novels, the exciting pages and characters within captures the reader's attention right away. I must admit, you had captured my interest and fueled my imagination, which kept me burning the midnight oil and turning pages. It was extremely hard to put down, while the plot had me desiring more pages to turn.
I like to consider myself as a good storyteller, but you realize I said, good. Then, there are great storytellers. It is my belief that Rai Aren & Tavius E. fit as Master Storytellers and Great Authors. I look forward to Destiny of the Sands and resume my fascination with the characters, Alex, Mitch, Bob & Jack.
5-stars - "Tell all your friends about this Secret"
Michael Balkind, author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball
Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.
Rai Aren and Tavius E. have masterfully intertwined a story about a modern day archeological dig in Egypt with a story that took place at the same exact location in ancient times.
Enjoy digging through the pages as you meet archeologists, Mitch and Alex as they unearth an extremely powerful artifact. Then fall back into ancient times and learn how and why King Traeus hid this same strange artifact 12,000 years ago.
In these two completely different stories, it is fascinating to see the differences, yet, even more so, the similarities of how true power effected people in ancient times as it does today.
While power, deception, and lies run concurrent in both stories. So do honor and integrity.
Not having much interest in ancient Egypt, I was somewhat skeptical at the beginning of this tale, but I was quickly won over by the wonderful characterization and scenes. I also really enjoyed the transitions between modern and ancient stories. Secret of the Sands is an enjoyable, fun to read novel that has me looking forward to the authors' sequel, Destiny of the Sands.
Very nicely done, Ms. Aren and Mr. E.
5 out of 5 stars: Amazing Novel
By Ann B. Keller (Cleveland, OH USA)
In Secret of the Sands, talented authors Rai Aren and Tavius E. weave the threads of the past and present into an intricate literary tapestry surrounding the great sphinx of Egypt. From the moment I turned the first page, I was caught up in their tale, gasping for breath as the secret trap door slammed closed, cutting off my air, shouting for joy at Mitch and Alex's archaeological discoveries, chuckling at their friends' Jack and Bob's antics, and frowning at Zazmaria's greed and treachery.
The mark of a truly good story is one that transcends the ages. Although the writers may base some of their novel in the past, a good yarn echoes into the present and future, as well. Secret of the Sands cherishes love, family and honor, condemns evil and treachery and presents us with a tantalizing theory of what lies beneath the great sphinx. Is the power behind the sphinx not of this world? If so, how can man possibly hope to control it?
I want more. Thankfully, the sequel, Destiny of the Sands is apparently already under way and this reader shall be one of the first in line to continue reading this marvelous saga of Egypt.
5 out of 5 stars: Secret Of The Sands has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it!
By Gary V. Tenuta "Author of The Ezekiel Code", www.ezekielcode.com
Fans of what might be called the "Indiana Jones" genre of fiction will be thrilled with Secret Of The Sands. Like a race horse on steroids it blasts out of the gate in the opening prologue and doesn't stop running until it reaches the finish line.
This remarkably well conceived and well executed first-time novel by Rai Aren and her co-author, Tavius E. is loaded with adventure, prophecy, mystery, secrets, deception, epic-scale battles, romance, good guys, bad guys, liers, cheaters, scoundrels, and, of course, heroes.
The action in the story alternates back-and-forth between ancient Egypt and modern-day Egypt. The trasitions between timelines are virtually seamless and, rather than interrupting the flow of the story this plot device actually enhances the flow of the story. The two modern-day archaeologists, Alexandria (Alex, for short) and Mitch, are working on a dig near the Great Sphinx when Alexandria stumbles (literally) onto a mystery that will change their lives, and possibly the future of the world, forever. The reader follows along with Alex and Mitch as they try to unravel the clues to this mystery, the origin of which goes 10,000 years back into the pre-history of Egypt, a complete society unknown to the pages of history, a Royal Family, and a King with a dream and a secret that could unleash a power of unimaginable consequences. Throughout the book the authors skillfully break from the modern-day action, transport the reader back into the ancient past, and totally immerse the reader into the multifaceted and intriguing back story of that mysterious royal family and the events that ultimately created the mystery that Alex and Mitch are desperately trying to unravel in the present.
Secret Of The Sands is a thrill-ride, complete with humorous interludes, that ends with a set-up for a sequel and this reviewer is chomping at the bit, waiting for that sequel to be released.
Disney/Pixar, Spielberg, Lucas please take note. This book has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it.
Courtesy of our publisher, Bristlecone Pine Press, the adventure novel Secret of the Sands is also available as an eBook!
www.bcpinepress.com
Love the book? Please go to Amazon.com & post your own review for Secret of the Sands!
Just click on the link & scroll down the page to the review section:
Create your own review for Secret of the Sands
Support your local independent bookstores!
As independents ourselves, we know how important it is to support indie efforts. If your local bookstore doesn't already carry the adventure novel Secret of the Sands, here's our ISBN for ordering: 1419675524
The Fellowship of Authors and Supporters for charity. "Our mission at SFA, to get books where they are needed. Authors and supporters standing together to make a difference, our humble shadows speaking volumes."
"As an author, one of the main reasons I write is to entertain people, to make them happy, and give them a world they love being in and escaping to. Beyond this dream, knowing that a book can help a fellow human being along the path to literacy is an incredibly beautiful, meaningful and deeply rewarding gift. I am very, very proud and truly honored to be a member of Shadow Forest Authors." –Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
How cool is this?! Here's a screen shot from the Shadow Forest Authors website, showing a picture of my co-author & I, next to PATRICK STEWART & SEAN ASTIN!!!!! I am HUGE, GINORMOUS fan of both Star Trek & the Lord of the Rings - those are amongst my favorite shows of all-time!!! And I am a HUGE fan of both of these amazing actors!!
SFA Beneficiaries: The Anthony Robbins foundation, Got Books, Book Aid International and World Public Library have agreed to be SFA beneficiaries and support our venture to get books where they are needed.
Here's some inspiring things I wanted to share with all of our friends out there working hard to make their dreams a reality. Stay true to yourself & stay the course...
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
—Mark Twain
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people that have come alive."
—Harold Thurman Whitman
As a creative person, you likely struggle with the practicality of your art, writing, music etc, life can often put all kinds of obstacles in front of the pursuit of your passions. It reminds you continuously to 'be practical', and while balance is good, tending to life's responsibilities is good, don't ever, ever let go of your dreams. Keep them alive, keep them burning bright, tend the fires of responsibility, but also of creativity.
If you keep your dreams alive, they will in turn keep you alive...
In fact, strap your dreams on like a parachute & leap from the plane from time to time, yelling out to the world:
Having a down day because people poo-poo your dreams?? Feeling like the poor penguin in this funny video?!
Well, here are more wise words to keep handy. They are best followed with this face coupled with the appropriate sound effects: >:p
An alternative way of dealing with naysayers & dream poo-pooers is to kick them into the pit of doom!!, ala our friends from Sparta... ;)
Take that would-be dream-squashers!! >:)
"Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it."
—Chinese proverb
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
—Mark Twain
And finally, when in doubt, remember...
Have a lovely day!
Tavius E. on the left, Rai Aren on the right
Who Rai would like to meet:
Anyone who falls into this category:
...YOU!!
And finally... the future director & cast of the future MOVIE VERSION of the adventure novel SECRET OF THE SANDS!!!!! :)
Mystery Sci-fi author Rai Aren's Friend Space (Top 40)
Can you help to have world leaders view 2 VEGGIE video messages in Copenhagen?
Winning films will screen in selected cinemas in the United Kingdom AND three finalists will also be chosen to screen at the Copenhagen Climate Conference.
Win one of two autographed copies of THE EZEKIEL CODE, an amazon.com"Best Seller" in two categories! One of the decades most provocative new novels! A unique twist on the "2012" phenomenon! "2012 is coming...Or is it?"
Register Now to win. No fees. No sales job. No gimmicks. Just a random drawing at the end of this month (November, 2009).
Thanks Rai, I wouldn't run you over !! Trust me !! ;0) Still recovering from a wild night last night !! Hope you watched out for the little trick or treaters !! I know I sure did !! ;0) {oo)==v==(oo}
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Online Now!
