Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows: Listening To That Inner Voice

Please join me in welcoming author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows as she tours blogdom with her middle grade fantasy novel, ALEXANDER DRAKE’S EXTRAORDINARY PURSUIT.

While on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!, Elizabeth stopped by today to talk about her book published by Wild Child Publishing and why she can’t get any sleep.

SHHH!! Be Quiet, will ya…?  I’m trying to get some sleep! 

Your inner voice is a call to purpose… 

You’re snuggled up in your bed, blanket pulled over your shoulders, eyes shut tight - and here it comes... The voice. Darn it! Now the wheels in your head are spinning. Inspiring ideas and possibilities seem to be racing from your heart to your brain. Could I really do the things this voice is telling me? Will it ever just be quiet so I can get a little shut eye? Sheesh! 

Every night when my surroundings are finally silent the voice is at its loudest. In my younger years it had me envisioning myself as an adventurer, archaeologist, Extraordinaire. My dreams would begin with the theme song to Indiana Jones. With my crazy Rod Stewart hair poking out of a dusty brown fedora, I navigated my way through ancient ruins in a foreign land. 

On some nights I played the role of a wise wizard soaring over a mystical forest on a beautiful giant bird. When the Indiana Jones dreams intermingled with the wizard dreams, things would get weird. 

It wasn't just at bedtime; it was any time of the day as long as I was quiet enough to listen. The voice got me in to trouble in class more than a few times; especially if I sat near a large window. My poor teachers; it must have been frustrating  - constantly catching me with face in hand and a whimsical gaze fixed on the clouds in the sky. 

The voice I am referring to is my inner voice. We all have one. It is the reason I am a writer. I grew up feeling sort of lost; like a leaf blowing aimlessly in the wind. The archeology thing did not pan out because the wizards always got in the way. After years of adventures playing in my mind like a movie, it was time to listen to my heart and finally start writing them down. 

What is your inner voice telling you? I know it sounds silly. I’m not referring to the chatter – “I should have done this”, “why did so and so say that”, “what should I eat for breakfast tomorrow?” you get the idea.  I am talking about the strongest voice that has a feeling of joy attached to it - like it is coming from your heart. Instead of trying to silence your inner voice, make extra effort to listen. It will lead you to your purpose. 

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined!
~ Henry David Thoreau ~ 

Elizabeth, thanks so much for guest blogging today. Listening to that inner voice is definitely important. It can lead to some most interesting things. Wishing you much success with your writing.

Now let me give you a bit of background on Elizabeth. Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave her a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat. 

Over the years she learned that the insecurities she carried around were a waste of time. Elizabeth still prefers a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into her writing providing a sense of joy and true purpose. 

For more on Elizabeth and her writing, visit her website at www.azraspithbooks.com

 

Here’s a brief synopsis of ALEXANDER DRAKE’S EXTRAORDINARY PURSUIT: Alexander Drake is not a typical “story book” hero. He’s awkward, insecure and introverted. His struggle to make friends has made him a bit of a loner. He is terribly fearful of not living up to his conservative father’s expectations of him, and always puts forth every effort to make him proud. At the same time, Alexander is a curious and wildly imaginative boy, who constantly craves adventure.

Up to this point, Alexander led a very sheltered life. He was raised solely by his father, a reserved distinguished gentleman with a rarely exposed soft side. His mother died when he was baby, and he has no memory of her. Many secrets of his family’s extraordinary past were intentionally kept from him; which has sparked his curious nature even more.

Alexander wants nothing more than to know where he came from; more specifically, his mother. The opportunity finally presents itself during a stay at his grandmother’s cottage deep in the forest. His father’s childhood bedroom contained some interesting clues and a special key that set Alexander on a journey that would change his life forever.

Azra’s Pith is a child’s imagination brought to life. Enchanted spells roam the forest where Julien, a peaceful Empyrean wizard lives. A deep river flows through the realm containing run off from the snowy mountains looming in the distance.

That is where an element of unspeakable evil dwells unsettled – a sorcerer named Imperius. It is feared by all who inhabit the realm. Alexander is oblivious of his own significance in Azra’s Pith. He is a threat to Imperius’s powers and its plans to control the realm, and therefore must be destroyed.

Alexander was being hunted by dark spells and vicious creatures every step of the way, but he was determined to complete his journey. His destination held the answers he longed for; and a surprise that was beyond his wildest dreams. 

Do you listen to that inner voice? As a writer has it lead you to an intriguing story? As a reader, does it help guide you in what you read? Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.