Update! How is the Book Publishing Going?

Hello everyone!

I have wonderful and exciting news to tell you all. If you have been following me for a while then you know that I have been working on a novel. In my last post I gave you all a sneak peak at the cover for the book. Tonite I am happy to tell you all that my book is published and on sale! Hurray! I am so excited. You can buy it here at amazon. In about a month you will be to go buy it in your local book stores.

So, about this book of mine. What kind of book is it? It’s a young adult fantasy book that introduces some philosophic ideas without them realizing it.  This basically means that it is a young adult fantasy book that can be enjoyed by adults as well.

As for the interesting names in the book, that will be explained on the website when it is all up and running; at the moment it only has the about the author part up and I will like the website below. I tried to give the characters names that fit with not only their ethnic background, but also with the story and had some meaning behind them.  For example, the main character’s name is usually not used as a name. Koowu is the word for strength in Arabic. While she is not physically strong, she has strength in other areas.

Will there be another book? Yes! Of course! It is already in the works. Fractured Bottles is the first in the “Bottles from Ozymandias” series. The second book does not have a name as of yet, but when it does have one you all will know.

You can also like the series on Facebook. Just click the like button down below!

Check it out! Have a read! Enjoy! It would mean a lot to me.

Love you all! Stay lovely and charming!

 

 

Sneak Preview!

Hallo Schöne Leser!

In my last post on my recipe blog I mentioned that I was in the process of finalizing the cover art for my novel that is coming out. Well, I have good news for you all! Since you all are such wonderful and amazing readers I figured that I would let you all have a little sneak peak at it.

 

Tada! There it is. I think it turned out well. Hopefully there will be a site up for it soon. The facebook page is in the works and I shall let you all know when it’s up and going. I will keep you all posted on how it is going. For now I will leave you all with this lovely description that is going to be up on the online stores for the book.

Enjoy!

Koowu has never been to school and her first experience is Ozymandias Boarding School. Much to the Djinn’s dismay she is to be roommates with a Rakshasi named Rajani who is her exact opposite, loud and hyper. Being they anti-social creature that she is does not lend itself well to making friends. However, she manages to become friends with not only her hyperactive roommate but also the Nephilim (Leopold), a Mujina (Kouti), and two Greek deities (Artemis and Apollon). Just in time too. Several important artifacts from the school have been stolen and the misfit group takes it upon themselves to try and figure out where they have gone. Will the group find the missing artifacts or will they end up disappearing as well?

Rubies! July's Beautiful Red Birthstone!

Hello everyone!

So, it’s July. Lots of things happen in July so I am making my post as early as I can. The 4^th of July is tomorrow, my tribe has our encampment later this month, I have lots of family members with birthdays this month, and for those of you who do not know, my birthday is in July. That means that my birthstone is the Ruby. Today I will be talking about Rubies. So, since I have a lot of stuff to get done in a short amount of time, let’s get this going!

The Ruby is a red stone and is one of four precious gems that are considered birthstones. The other’s being Diamond, Sapphire, and Emerald. The name for this stone comes from the Latin term ruber which means red. It, like Sapphire, is a form of corundum.  The red colour that it has come from the chromium being found in the stone when it is forming. Rubies are usually mined in Asia and the finest rubies have historically been found in Burma, or Myanmar as it is known now.  So, if you have heard of Burmese Rubies, that is where they come from.

So, why are pink forms of corundum called Pink Sapphires and not Pink Rubies? I have often wondered this myself. The truth is, in the a lot of other countries throughout the world pink corundum is classified as a Ruby and not a Sapphire. In the United States corundum must be a certain shade of red before it can be called a Ruby. All other are considered Sapphires. Speaking of colours in Rubies, the most desirable colour of this stone is called a pigeon’s blood ruby. They are very expensive and usually only can be found in the area around Burma. Most Rubies will have what is called a secondary hue. This means that some Rubies will have a slight purpleish shade to them or an orange shade to them. Most of the time it is not notice able, but it can have an effect on the price of a stone. An interesting thing to note is that Rubies look better when set in yellow gold. The reason for this is that the yellow of the gold will neutralize the blue tones in the stone and make the Ruby look more red than it would if you were to set it in another colour of gold.

Now we come to the part that is important to know. Why is it that some people when they go to the Middle East can buy Rubies really cheap and then come home to find out they are worth next to nothing? The answer is simple. A great number of these Rubies are called Glass Filled Rubies or Lead Filled Rubies. Whichever term is used it means the same thing. What happens is that when a Ruby comes out of the ground it will, like all gemstones, have inclusions and these inclusions are filled. The substance to fill these inclusions and make them look more transparent and desirable is Lead Glass. Many times people will not know that there is Lead Glass in the stone. Many times the only way to tell if the Ruby has been filled is to take it to a jeweller who will run a test on it. While they may look pretty, when it comes to setting filled stones is that many times they will crack when they are being set because if any heat is applied to the piece the Lead Glass will react to the heat and cause the stone to break. Sad, but true. Most people do not know that what they are getting is not so great stone. However, if you buy your stones at your local jeweler they will be able to tell you if the Ruby you are buying from them is filled or not. Most jewellers will NOT sell Lead Glass or treated Rubies. They are not valuable and if they break it falls back to the jeweller and they should pay to replace the stone.

If you come across a Ruby that you have your doubts about, ask the person that you are buying it from if they are willing to have a jeweller take a look at it before you purchase it. If they say they do not want a jeweller to examine it, I would not purchase it. The reason being is that if they know their stones are genuine and not Lead Glass filled they will have no reason to be offended if you are simply wanting to double check. If they know their stones are NOT genuine they will usually act defensive about it and will not even want to do business with you. People that are proud of their products will want you to be as happy with the product as they are and will do whatever it takes to make you happy. So, if in doubt ask. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Especially when it comes to expensive gemstones.

Well, I hope that you all found this informative and interesting! If you have any questions for me about Rubies feel free to ask! Also, if you are wondering what the alternate genuine birthstone is for July it is the Carnelian stone. It comes in colours ranging from orange to dark reddish-brown. It may also be called Sard, or Red Onyx.

Have a wonderful and safe Independence Day to all of my American readers and a big Thank You to all of our troops that are stationed around the world! My father was in the military, as well as numerous cousins and other relations of mine, and I know how hard you all work to keep us back here at home safe. We appreciate all that you have done and continue to do for us!