Hello Armchair Book Expo America (BEA) Participants!
All this week, my blog will feature a series of writings on books, book related topics, and a special review of My Paris Story, a new book about expats in Paris, which, for reasons that will become obvious, is of particular interest to me at the moment.
By way of introduction, I will reply here to questions set forth by Armchair BEA for all of their blogging participants:
Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? Where in the world are you blogging from?
My name is Dielle, and as my website relates, I am an author, vocalist, dreamsmith, and muse. I am the author of two books, The Unknown Mother: A Magical Walk with the Goddess of Sound and Your True Voice: Tools to Embrace a Fully Expressed Life. I also have several CD’s available as an improvisational vocalist having worked with ShapeshifterDNA and most recently, The Pure Heart Ensemble (nominated for Best New Artist by Zone Reporter Music Awards). As a dreamsmith, I recognize (or strive to at any rate) that I am dreaming all the time. With that awareness, I can more readily wake up within the dream and alter its course, or at the very least, remember that it is all just a dream and that I have the choice to be happy in it. As a muse, I inspire myself and others toward a fully expressed creativity. I open myself to every artistic arena…writing, singing, dance, painting, acting, teaching, healing, living…
I’ve been blogging for many years, though not as a “professional”. I just love to write and process life through writing. As a result, I’ve had many blogs over the years including International Daze and Wild Adventures of a Modern Day Hermit.
As of May 5th, I am living in and blogging from Southwestern France. And if anyone had told me over a year ago that I would be, I would have thought them delusional!
Describe your blog in just one sentence. Then, list your social details — Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. — so we can connect more online.
This blog (at DielleCiesco.com) is a platform for all kinds of expression…from what I think about performance to how I discovered the voice of my inner guidance over a 35 day period to this exploration of books, writing, and the BEA.
What genre do you read the most?
I love to read visionary and inspirational fiction (Coelho, Bach, that sort of book) and mind/body/spirit titles. When I have time, I indulge in novels. I especially love young adult, but I don’t have as much time for that anymore. For several years, I had a job that allowed me to sit and read while I got paid. Those were the days!
What’s your favorite book so far this year?
I am an editor for John Hunt Publishing, and this year, I had the privilege of editing an amazing book by Chris Thomson called Full Spectrum Intelligence. It’s not out yet, but it is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Once it is up on Amazon, I plan on giving it a 5 star review…something I rarely give.
Spread the love by naming your favorite blogs/bloggers (doesn’t necessarily have to be book blogs/bloggers).
An up and coming book related blog that I enjoy is from O-Books, an imprint of John Hunt Publishing. Yeah, I’m little biased as they are my publisher and my sometimes employer, but they also happen to publish books on topics I love. But I also love astrology blogs (MysticMamma) (New Paradigm Astrology), foodie blogs (Food Renegade) (101 Cookbooks), and expat blogs (Expat Women) (Chez LouLou).
Share your favorite book or reading related quote.
There are so many brilliant quotes out there. Choosing a favorite could only ever be the “favorite of the moment”. And in this moment, I’m digging a quote from Plato: “Harmony sinks deep into the recesses of the soul and takes its strongest hold there, bringing grace also to the body & mind as well. Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, and life to everything. It is the essence of order…”