Thursday, October 15, 2015

To See Once More Through Innocent Eyes

This coming Sunday will mark the hardest day of the entire year for myself and my family. On that day five years ago, our lives were forever changed when the youngest member of our family passed away.
 
I've spoken before about Cameron, but never really talked about who he was. To most people, he's nothing more than a name that until now, you've never heard. But Cami was, in the most honest way I can say, my greatest teacher.
 
Like most people, I took things for granted. Mostly the little things, like how on a clear night you can just gaze up at the stars and truly appreciate the beauty of them. Or the simple sight of seeing a butterfly flutter past on a warm afternoon.
 
In grade school and junior high, I loved to read and discovered I had a natural talent and a love for writing. But I didn't realize then I had been given that gift for a reason. As I grew older, it was set aside and forgotten, left unused and gathering dust.
 
There's the old saying that goes 'when one door closes, another opens.' Sometimes I guess the door that closes has to slam in your face and break your heart before that other door opens. It certainly did for me.
 
I heard more than a few people during Cami's wake attempt to offer me comfort by saying 'he's in a better place' and 'God needed another angel.' I understand people tried to help by saying those things, but in all honesty, those words only made the grief deepen and for a time, turn to hate. What better place? What better place could there possibly be for a three year old boy than with his mother who he loved and adored more than anything in the world?
 
I know Cami loved us all, that was the type of person he was, but he and his mother had a special bond that was stronger than anything imaginable, and it was severed, suddenly and unexpectedly. There was no better place for him than right beside her, watching Thomas the Tank Engine or snuggling up with her on the couch. And the other one, that 'God needed another angel' saying... that only makes God sound selfish, putting his needs above anyone else.
 
So I grieved. I was angry. Yes, I even hated. And when I'd suffered through every emotion possible... that other door opened. It was opened by a three year old boy who through his loss, not only opened my eyes to what was truly important in life, he reminded me that I'd been given a gift, one that I was meant to use. A gift that could not just entertain others, but one that I could use to pass on lessons that needed to be taught. Lessons that it took losing a piece of my heart for me to learn myself.
 
That is what the Exiled trilogy is about. Underneath the simple covers, past the strong language and the few steamy scenes (it is a paranormal romance trilogy, after all), there's a deeper meaning. Lessons within the story. Lessons that took loss for me to find, but was meant to pass on.
 
The trilogy wasn't truly done until I had overhauled it several months ago. Perhaps it's just coincidence, or fate, or maybe it was something more - because this year Oct 18th happens to fall on a Sunday. I don't know what to call it. The trilogy has angels within it, after all, among other things. But it's not just a story. It wasn't written just to entertain, but to teach. To pass on lessons. It was written for a purpose.
 
People still tell me from time to time that Cami is an angel in Heaven now. If that's the case, then Heaven is right here, because I see him every day in the way our family dog, Jaena, greets my wife at the door, and how she clings to her just like Cami did. I see him in Jaena at night too, when she snuggles up to my wife just like Cami used to. I see him every time a butterfly flutters by, because it makes me think of a part in the first book of the trilogy where humans are compared to butterflies - that the energy within us that most people like to think of as their soul is wrapped around by our bodies like a shell, and when we die, that energy becomes something more beautiful, like a butterfly emerging from its own cocoon. I see Cami in every small act of kindness one person gives to another.
 
And I see him in what I do. This isn't just a hobby for me, like some people think. What made Cami my greatest teacher was his innocence, his unconditional love toward others - because his light hadn't been darkened by the greed, the lies, the negativity that the media constantly reports on, and the selfishness that blankets our world today. He radiated outwards, not inwards. And as long as I'm writing, as long as I refuse to give up this job that focuses out to others like he did, Cami is alive in me, too.
 
 
In honor of my teacher, who through his loss showed me what is truly important in life, this Sunday on Oct. 18th, I'm running a promotion and marking all three books in the trilogy down from their regular $2.99 price to $0.99 each. Life is about what we can do for others, and I want to do this for all of you.
 
The books are The Exiled, The Exiled: Continuation, and The Exiled: Infinity. Below are the links for the first book, and the other two can be gotten to from there.
 
US -  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L9NO5U8 (In Memory of Cami Promo begins at 12am PST)
UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L9NO5U8 (In Memory of Cami Promo begins at 12am GMT)
 
 
"To learn what's truly important in life, all one needs to do is look in the eyes of a small child - one who still looks upon the world with innocent eyes - who has not learned about lies, hatred, and selfishness, but knows only the emotion of love. It is they who are the real teachers. They are the ones we should strive to learn from, and be more like. If we could learn to see once more through innocent eyes, imagine how beautiful our world would become."
 
                                                                                            --- Scott A. Borgman

  

Friday, October 2, 2015

A Deeper Meaning

One of the things that every author hopes for is that readers enjoy the stories they write. This is no different for me. I love following along with the characters in Tal'Avern, writing down their experiences, their struggles - both physical and emotional, and I hope that readers not only enjoy the story as it continues throughout the books, but that they really come to love the characters.

But while the Chronicles are written purely to entertain, the Exiled trilogy rides on a different track. Besides being in a different genre (18+ Paranormal Romance rather than YA Epic Fantasy), the trilogy was written for a purpose... not just to entertain, but with a far deeper, more real meaning within the pages of the story throughout all three books.

So while I certainly hope that the Chronicles entertain, it's been my hope from the moment I started writing the Exiled trilogy 3 years ago that along with an interesting story, the deeper meaning within those books would be seen and felt. That was the purpose, and the reason they were written.

Recently, I received two reviews from the first book in the trilogy, which is simply titled The Exiled, which I wanted to share - not to brag about the 5 star rating they both gave the book, but because both readers sought to relay what the book was about. That may seem like an easy task, but it's far more difficult to write a review when you're trying not to give away any spoilers.






***** Reeling and left in awe
 on September 27, 2015
 
I almost cried when this book was over and then I remembered it was only book one in a trilogy. I am looking forward to the next two books. The cover first caught my eyes with the black background and piercing green eyes, which are a representation within the story. Then the words: Hunted by one side. Sworn to be protected by the other. Truly, I was looking forward to the battle ahead just at the mention of those words.

The beginning of this story was very gripping. It made me catch my breath and wonder what was going to happen next. And with a twist I wasn’t expecting, it kept my attention and I didn’t want to stop reading. Curse us for the need to eat, sleep and work that prevented me from reading this book all the way through in one setting.

The rest of the story followed with action turning pages. You have characters that you loved and loved to hate others. I struggle to find the words to describe this book without giving away spoilers. There is an emotional depth to this story that touched me and left me having “wow” moments.

I highly recommend this book and will leave you with a quote from it:

“Nothing else matters except the one thing that is before you, the one goal that you’re reaching for. When you doubt in yourself, you create the one barrier that is impossible to overcome. The only thing that can stop you from reaching your goals is yourself David.”

(If there is only one book that you read this year, make it this one. Yes, it is THAT good.)
 
 
***** This book is beautifully crafted, brilliantly written
 on October 2, 2015
 
I finished The Exiled by Scott Borgman this morning and I have been thinking of what I wanted to say. There are literally pages where I underlined every word, so many, that flipping through them is a sea of orange.

This book is beautifully crafted, brilliantly written, and contains so much thought that I can hardly find words  to express my feelings properly. The eternal struggle between good and evil is portrayed with more understanding than you would expect from an author Mr. Borgman's age. His hope for humanity shines throughout the story and I found myself crying at the end, which rarely happens. I remember my son asking me when he was only five years old, "Mama, if Satan asked God to forgive him, would he?" The only other comment I will make is to say read this book for yourself to experience the journey into the soul of man. It is worth every minute of your time, if not more.

Outstanding, Mr. Borgman. The Exiled is one of my top books read in quite a while, and I am excited because there are two more books in this trilogy that I look forward to reading.

If I could give it a higher rating, I would, but I do give it the highest that I can. 5 stars.
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you'd like to check out The Exiled, here are the links for both the US and UK:
 
 
 
 
Thank you for your support, everyone. I truly appreciate it.