One of the most satisfying aspects of blogging is accompanying (and hopefully supporting) fellow bloggers as they discover, pursue, and, eventually, achieve their dreams.
As writer, architect, traveller, and dreamer, Virginia Duran, explains in this video clip, achieving dreams requires persistence, strength, skill, creativity, and a great team of supporters. To her list I would add courage.
Virginia has courage as well as all it takes to be an achiever of dreams. I was thrilled to see her latest post announcing the publication of her London Architectour Guide , which has been described as an “exquisite travel book for anyone passionate about architecture”.
Other blogging friends with oodles of courage and talent, namely Cynthia Reyes and Marisa Alvarsson, have delighted me and many others recently with their latest achievements.
Much admired and loved blogger, Cynthia, and her lovely daughter, Lauren Reyes-Grange, have just written and published the second book in the Myrtle the Purple Turtle series. As Cynthia recalls in this guest post bringing Myrtle’s Game to us, the readers, was no easy task, and getting it off the harvest table into our hands became a full-on family affair. They had to adopt Myrtle-like persistence and determination to achieve their dreams. In ‘Myrtle’s Game’, ” Myrtle and her friends are turned away when they try to join in a game with others. The friends walk away, feeling hurt, but that’s just the start of the story.” With persistence, patience, and practice, Myrtle and her friends prove that even a slow turtle can play the game as well as anyone else. And, more than that, Myrtle shows us that the best team is the one which is inclusive and allows you to believe in yourself.
Marisa, who has been a dear blogging friend almost from the beginning of my blogging days in 2012, began her social media life unwilling, like so many of us, to even mention her real name. We knew her only as Miss Marzipan, mother to a toddler, and confined to bed rest with a difficult pregnancy. Today, thanks to Marisa’s creativity and courage, and the support of her loving family, she has given herself permission to embrace the dream of being the author of a fabulous cook book ‘Naturally Sweet Vegan Treats“. She is also a wonderful, kind (almost magical 🙂 ) presence on Instagram, with 146K followers.
Another achiever and blogger, whom I have come to know in recent months is A Voice from Iran, Laleh Chini. Like Cynthia she lives in Canada, and, like Cynthia, Laleh and her daughter Abnoos Mosleh-Shirazi worked together as co-authors to produce ‘ Climbing over Grit’. “The story follows the journey of Najma as she is forced into a marriage at the age of eleven and faces the challenges of motherhood with an abusive husband, all while the eight-year war with Iraq is taking place.” The story is a tribute to Laleh’s mother. And a tribute to Laleh’s determination to write stories important to her and her family, and which, she believes, are important for the rest of the world to know.
Now, if, like me, you have places to go and things to do, and if, unlike me, you have your own dreams to pursue, you may not have time to buy or read the books I mention here, but I would urge you to take a closer look at, at least, one of these strong, creative women and their achievements.
I celebrate them all. And I thank them for letting me be a small part of their dream journeys.
Special note: the photos in this post are not mine. They belong to the authors and illustrators of the books featured.
ps I may not be on WordPress very much for a few months, but I will do my best to check your posts whenever I can.
This is very inspiring.. Thanks for sharing.. I agree it’s the support that we get which encorages us to do more..
Ayesha, lovely to see you here. Thank you for coming by to read and comment. 🙂 🙂
What an amazing way to celebrate creativity Gallivanta. Loved all of your examples and your post.
Thank you, Tina. I am so glad to know such creative people.
I was caught by the title character of one book you mentioned: Myrtle the Purple Turtle. I thought I was the only person to think up the name! I used it when talking to my son when he was still a little boy. For the life of me, I can’t remember what stories I used to tell him. But it’s very nice to know, somewhere she lives on!
Indeed she does! Does your son remember the stories you told about your purple Myrtle? Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment.
I will be lucky if my son remembers 1/1 billionth of what I told him while he grew up. He rarely remembers anything I’ve said seconds after I’ve told him something. But that may be the teenage years talking. I don’t know.
🙂 🙂 Sounds like teenage years to me. 😀
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You are awesome.
You, too! 🙂
🙏❤️
Guess I missed this post, Ann. There are many there whom I am unfamiliar with aside from their comments on posts by some of the bloggers I follow. I have pretty much limited myself to nature photography blogs with some delightful exceptions…such as yours. 🙂
I checked out Marisa’s cookbook as I am diabetic and there may be some good recipes in there that I am allowed to have…it’s okay because I cheat anyway. I always read the customer reviews and had to laugh at this one…
“I never buy a book without looking at look inside pages and see a sample of story or recipes. This book sample had a pancake and a waffle recipe. I do not eat pancakes or waffles so therefore I did not buy this book.” 🙂
Teehee. That was an honest review but a bit short-sighted. Was it difficult to manage your diabetes when you were so ill recently? I am missing a lot of posts at the moment because I am on a blogcation. I just check in now and then.
Hi, Ann. Bit of a delay with my response. I hope that you are enjoying your blogcation. 🙂 I appreciate that you are still seeing my posts and liking them.
No, it was pretty easy during the illness as I was entirely dependent on Mary Beth for food and she is always watching my food choices like a hawk all the time anyway. Now that I am out and about again my choices are a bit suspect, but I am improving my behavior. The last doctor visit informed me that if I don’t clean up my diet I’ll have to add another med for life…no insulin yet. Thanks for asking. Looking forward to your return to the blogosphere. 😉
Well, here’s to Mary Beth’s hawk-like attention and other efforts to improve your diet. 🙂
🙂
What lovely reviews and glimpses into special books and the equally-special people who created them. It’s always good to peer a bit beyond the line of south america’s equator and find out what others are doing.
Sometimes it’s not good, however, and I am so sorry about the recent headlines that spotlight the horrid killings in your country. It must be difficult to find steady ground – emotionally- when it seems the entire world has gone a bit mad. or a lot mad.
Suffice to know that I think of you often, and that I am so sorry for another wound for your city of christchurch.
Thank you so much, Z. I am, like so many others, still reeling from what happened on Friday 15th March. Our PM and our citizens have brought kindness and compassion to overwhelm the darkness. And loving support from others, such as yourself, is wonderful to hear. We will not be broken by evil.
I’ve been thinking of you, Amanda, and grieving, not only for the loss of lives, but for what seemed, at least to me, of the simpler, kinder world of New Zealand. I’m sorry for all your citizens are going through, and I couldn’t help but think, too, “not another trauma for Christchurch”. My heart goes out to you. xo
Thank you so much, Alys. We must recover from this tragedy with kindness and love. There is no other way. I know that your heart and love are with us
❤️
I just read a news story about the shooting. I have no words except I just don’t understand what the world we live in has become. I fear for humankind.
There has always been a certain degree of racism in New Zealand but, on the whole, we like to get along. Yet, if this degree of hatred is lurking in our peaceful society then I also worry about our fate. I am grieving for those who lost loved ones today. I am grieving for our city and our country. These people had a right to be safe and we failed them.
My thoughts are with you today and everyone in New Zealand, and indeed for all of us.
Thank you, Tish. Yet another piece of our innocence gone. I am so sad and so angry.
I do understand. It’s going through my mind that the ‘innocence’ is what might have made Christchurch a target for this terrorist. It is a grievous state of affairs when decency and civility make us more vulnerable to the viciously cowardly.
Our Prime Minister expressed the same thoughts.
So looking forward to hunting these books out and expanding my horizon of stories. Thank you for celebrating these women’s achievements and being part of their support system!
We live in rich reading times. I was watching a dcocumentary on the Bronte sisters. The narrator mentioned that the sisters had to get their brother to borrow library books for them. Women were not allowed to borrow books from the library. A sobering thought.
Indeed. Though there’s still much work to be done I’m always mindful and grateful to the women of the past in all parts of the world whose courage and tenacity allows us so many of our rights and freedoms today.
Nodding vigorously in agreement . 🙂 🙂
Thank you for bringing these wonderful authors to our attention. I do know Cynthia, but not the others, and their books look wonderful.
Thank you for your kind support and lovely comment.
Thank you Gallivanta for your post. I follow Cynthia but not the others that you have mentioned and they sound like women I need to learn about.
Our blogging community is bursting with talent. It’s hard to follow everyone we would like to but there is great satisfaction in knowing that we are surrounded by creativity and courage.
You’ve taken thought and time to share what others are doing. It’s nice to have your perspective. I do know Virginia’s work and I agree with your thoughts; she is an energetic and talented woman.
Thank you, Sally. As a creative person yourself, you will have a great understanding of the energy required to bring a project to fulfillment.
A beautiful, informative and generous post, Gallivanta. My grandies will certainly attest to the excellence of little Myrtle. Now they will soon enjoy the second book too 🙂
Love the generous spirit here. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Kate. You are great mentor on creativity.
What a wonderful post to celebrate the success of blogging and overcoming odds.
Thank you kindly 3rdofthe3rd. I like the origin of your name!
Thank you, my grandma said when I was born my number would be 3. Then I figured this out.
Thank you for sharing the positive thoughts!
And thank you for enjoying them. 🙂
You’re welcome, and thank you for the service!
They are all great and I know about them one way or another. Thanks for sharing therm!
I am glad you know these wonderful people.
This is a very lovely, sweet and positive post. Thank you Gallivanta, and wherever the next few months are taking you, best!
Thank you, Resa. I love the way you also support other bloggers with your own creativity and flair.
Such a generous post, Mandy! I have Cynthia’s four books but the other two authors and their books are new to me. I will certainly look out for them.
Have a fun blogging break this autumn and enjoy some family time. xxxx
Thank you, Clare. My nephew will be getting married this autumn, so the family is looking forward to that. 🙂
Congratulations to him and to you all! 🙂
🙂 🙂 thank you. He’s the youngest grandchild (of my parents) but the first grandchild to be getting married. An important family milestone.
Yes, indeed! 🙂 🙂
This inspiration is exactly what I needed today as I try to figure out ‘what is next’. As I near the conclusion of my current dream (only 14 degrees left for a full circle!) I am finding myself feeling like I’ll never achieve my next.
Watching Virginia’s video, I am reminded that I have checked all the boxes of what it takes to be a ‘good dreamer’ and should stop worrying. A reminder that I am pretty gosh darned good at creating the life I want and that my ‘next act’ will be as successful as my previous one.
Thank you for getting me over my niggling insecurities. It takes a lot of support to achieve a dream so I will come back to this post often for reassurance as I continue to reinvent myself yet again.
Sounds like you have a busy time ahead of you I’m Feb, Mar and again in May. Looking forward to seeing you back here again to provide even more inspiration when you have all your hard work behind you!
My goodness yes, you are pretty gosh darned good at creating the life you want. I am curious to see what happens next; no pressure though. I will be patient. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Each of these offerings look like wonderful examples of courage, creativity, and grit. It’s especially encouraging to me to see two Canadians in the group.
Blessings on your blogging break ~ Wendy Mac
Thank you, Wendy. It was wonderful to read your lovely post about Myrtle. Canadians! I think I secretly want to be one. 🙂 Actually, somewhere in Canada I have relatives ( 4th or 5th cousins???) because two of my great grandmother’s brothers settled in Canada. They were from Scotland.
Most of Canada is buried in snow right now. It would be fun to live in perpetual spring and summer by moving to New Zealand for the winter and returning here in the spring. 🙂
It would be fun, and some people are fortunate to be able to do that. 🙂
But then you would miss the joy of showing snow to your grandson. 🙂
True. 🙂 Plus, winter makes me appreciate spring all the more.
🙂 🙂
I admire all these women too, and it is so wonderful to read about them in your post. Their courage and creativity needs to be celebrated and you do that wonderfully here. Thank you Mandy. The blogging community is amazing and each and everyone has a unique gift to give to the world. You too! ♥
Yes, Ute, I agree, we all have our gifts, and I am so glad we are generous with them. 🙂
This is a nice article. The world needs women of grit, courage, and creativity. I only know Cynthia, but she inspires me as it sounds all these women would inspire me and do inspire you.
Thank you for your kind comment. It’s lovely to be in the company of such creative people, and Cynthia, as you know, is one of the best. I also love the way she encourages, supports and mentors others.
You’re most welcome. I’m glad to know Cynthia and appreciate that more women are being empowered.
🙂 🙂 🙂
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Thank you so much for the kindness and mention! You have consistently been one of the loveliest, most generous people on wp and I am forever grateful to have connected with you so early on in both of our blogging lives! When I feel cynical about online life and social media, there are some connections that I focus on to bring me back to a positive mindset. The connection to you is one of them. Thank you for being here and thank you for the generosity ❤ Love and best from Sweden
I have lost track of the years but I am amazed to think we have been connected since before your sweet cupcake was born. What changes have taken place since then, but there has been one constant; your love for your family and the priority you give to them. I so love your achievements but more than that I love seeing your commitment and love to your family. Hugs and love. Kia Kaha (Keep Strong)
Many thanks to all these creative and talented individuals. Thank you, Gallivanta!
Enjoy your time away, Gallivanta. We will be here when you return. 🙂
Thank you, Lavinia. I hope all the changes at your place are going well.
All the changes are like herding cats, but I was doing that anyway…. 🙂
LOL. Best wishes. 🙂
Hope all is going well with you, Gallivanta. Life is still at a fast pace here.
Thanks for asking, Lavinia. After my lovely holiday in Fiji I managed to go down with some sort of upper respiratory infection. I am starting to come right after finally resorting to antibiotics.
Glad you are feeling better, Gallivanta!
What a thoughtful post. The blogging world is full of such creativity and life.
It is indeed. It is a lovely antidote to the negativity found in so many other areas of life.
It’s great to see people achieve their dreams, especially when you’ve been able to accompany them a little way on the journey.
Yes, it is satisfying and inspiring. And there are so many different dreams which bloggers pursue. I am in awe.
I hope that all goes well during your blogcation. I’ll miss you, and look forward to your return.
Thank you, Sheryl. The time will whizz by. It always does. 😦
You will be missed but I, more than many understand the need for time away. I already have 2 copies of Myrtle even though I have no little ones to give them to. I donate them. It resonated in many ways. Thank you for the introduction to the other authors. I love to buy books from bloggers. Enjoy your time away.
Thank you for your kind comment. 🙂 I don’t have any little ones nearby to give Myrtle to either. At the moment I am just holding on to my copies because I enjoy looking at them. At some stage I may donate them but, then again, if there are going to be more Myrtle books I would like to collect the series. 😀
Sounds like a good plan to me. I’m sure there will be more Myrtle books.
We will keep our fingers crossed. 🙂
What a wonderful showcase of brilliant talent and, yes, courage. It’s easy to forget, when one sees a finished creation, how much blood, sweat and tears have been shed behind the scenes. It reminds me of Hemingway’s famous quote – “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” 😂
I join your celebration of courage, creativity and grit. Ah, that is what makes life truly meaningful. I will miss you on your sabbatical – and I’ll be here when you come back. Hugs and love coming your way.
I won’t go too far! And I will pop in when I have time. Hugs to you, too.
Lauren and I are very happy to be included here among these fabulous individuals and especially by you, someone whom we admire and respect. We are all in good company with you, young lady! Thank you for being such a remarkable person.
Cynthia, i feel so privileged to have all 4 of your books in my home. Good company, indeed. 🙂
Glad to read, via the comments, that it’s going to be an enjoyable type of business, Ann. 🙂 🙂 Thanks for the celebrations. So much is possible if you believe, and persevere.
Thanks, Jo. I am looking forward to the next few months. Fingers crossed everything will go smoothly and more or less as planned.
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed 😄🌷🌻💕 xx
🙂 🙂 🙂
It’s inspiring to see such success. These women are exceptional!
I admire them immensely. 🙂 But in our blogging community I think we are surrounded by exceptional women. 🙂 And some exceptional men, too.
nice post – and I have already ordered Myrtle the Turtle for my great-grandies
Oh, that’s wonderful news, Maureen. Blush, blush, I don’t have any grandies or great-grandies but I still have the Myrtle Books……. I am a kid at heart, I think. Maybe I could read the stories to Jack. Does Bert like being read to?
haven’t actually tried xx
🙂 😉 🙂
Most interesting post dear Gallivanta, thank you for the wonderful introductions! I wish you a happy three months away being busy and look forward to seeing you on the other side ❤
Thanks, Pauline. I am looking forward to my brother’s visit, and perhaps a few outings into the countryside. Sadly, we won’t get as far as Dunedin. I love your city. 🙂
What a shame, that would be a nice meetup!!
🙂 🙂 🙂
Our blogging community rocks, including you! Thank you Mandy for your kindness.
Thanks, Cindy. And where would we be without you and your lovely photos? 😀
You are a sweetheart dear, appreciate your kindness.<3<3<3
I appreciate your dedication and determination! My kind regards to your family, especially your co-author. 🙂
Kind regards dear.<3<3<3
Hi. I tip my hat to all who write books. It is a lot of work. And deserves recognition, which is what you’ve given.
Bye till next time!
Neil Scheinin
Thank you, Neil, for the tip of your hat. It will be appreciated. Recognition is important but I wish there were a way, as a society, to offer indie authors more financial recognition. Basic Income or writers grants? They work so hard for so little, most of the time.
I’m happy for you, that you found an inspiring online community, and an international one at that. I would have commented an hour ago but I’ve spent the time perusing the blogs and books you highlighted here.
Unfortunately, I have no wildflower books to offer but I think you may like some of the vegan sweet treat recipes. Speaking of wildflowers/nature/ conservation, I have just referenced The Magic Garden on a Facebook post. I am sure I have mentioned the author to you ( or maybe Linda) before, Gene Stratton Porter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Stratton-Porter . You may know her books and the films based on her books.
Yes, I did look at some of those vegan recipes. It may have been Linda you mentioned Gene Stratton Porter to. A search for “Stratton” in my blog’s comments just now came up empty, although you could have mentioned her in a reply to a comment I left on your blog. Wikipedia reports that “Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages… and at their peak in the 1910s attracted an estimated 50 million readers.” I suspect few people have heard of her today. Yesterday’s fame can be today’s oblivion. I’ll see if I can find any of her nature photographs.
Some of her views would not be popular or appropriate today but her conservation legacy seems to have survived.
Yes, the Wikipedia article mentioned an anti-Asian bias a century ago. In contrast to that, after we visited Colorado Springs in 2017 I became aware of Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–85), who took up the cause of the American Indians and whose novel Ramona became a best seller: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramona
I will keep Ramona in my mind. I am sure I would like it.
I believe you would. I read the novel last year.
You’re always so generous to other bloggers, my friend! This is such a nice post and all the work sounds excellent and compelling. If you aren’t around WP much, I’ll miss you very much and look forward to your return. I hope all is well.
Aww, that’s kind of you to say so. I won’t disappear completely but I know I am going to be quite busy in February and March, and then again in May. There won’t be much of the type of quiet time I need to concentrate fully on blogs. All is well, though, and I have just had a lovely visit to family in Cairns.
I’m glad to hear you had a good visit with your family. Being fully present for them is what’s most important!
It is, although I am guilty of drifting off into other realms (digital ones) when I am with family. 😦
All productive women, but you forgot one – YOU!!
Hear, hear!
Thank you, thank you. 🙂 🙂 A kind compliment.
GP, that is so kind of you. I feel as though my productivity is at an all time low but now you have made me smile. Thank you.
You can’t say that, I enjoy everyone of your posts!
🙂 🙂 🙂
I was pleased to see your post this morning! Just last night, I’d gone to your blog to make sure I hadn’t missed any posts. I enjoyed reading your celebration of women’s courage, creativity, and grit.
Thanks for checking, Liz. I was away in Cairns for a couple of weeks. I may have mentioned our small family reunion for the first anniversary of my father’s death. There was little time to write or read blogs, though I did manage to keep up a daily photo on Instagram. Your book should take its place here, too. 🙂 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1949180514/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1543795640&sr=1-2&keywords=Telling+Sonny
Thank you so much, Ann! That means a lot.
I hope that one day I will get to read more of your book. The extract on Amazon is tantalizing.
I hope so, too!
I wasn’t expecting this at all. Thanks for including me in a list of such talented women and your wonderful words, this post made my day. Waking up to this earlier was such a sweet morning treat 🙂
Lots of love from London to you!
Just a thank you from me for making my day yesterday. 🙂 I am so happy this project of yours has come to fruition. So much hard work and dedication involved.
ooops…a closer look!
Lovely post, Mandy! Thank you for sharing about these hard working women – I might take
I am always so impressed by the creativity and excellence in our blogging community. It makes me realize how much each person contributes to making our world a better place. My world for example would be a lot poorer without your beautiful photos. 🙂
your comment did touch my heart, as we met via our blogs… ❤ 1000 MERCI for these beautiful, impressive and generous words, Miss G! 🙂 ❤
Thank you, Lady M. What a fortunate meeting!
I agree about everyones creativity! And we all contribute – there is something for everyone! I always wait for your reflections and flowers and Jack…and …Wishing you a lovely weekend!
A lovely weekend to you, too. I try to add a little loveliness to the world when I can. 🙂 Poor Jack is beginning to feel his age. He spends so much time sleeping these days, and his walks are mostly little rambles. He is in good spirits though.
How old is Jack? Totti is also sleeping more, but no problem for him to walk 10 kilometers and more. He will turn 11 this spring.
Jack will be 12 in April. He started to slow down towards the end of last year. May be he will pick up again. We all have our ups and downs as we get older. 🙂
We do…😊I think heat and/or cold does it as well.
So much creativity here. What a lot to celebrate.
Indeed, Tish. I know you will appreciate how much effort goes into writing and producing a book. I look on from the outside in awe and amazement.
Yes, determination, courage, imagination – it’s a lot to summon up.
And a lot more to sustain. 🙂 I doubt I could ever do what you do. I have trouble just dreaming up and executing ( sometimes by burning and over cooking) the meals for the day. 😀
I do my fair share of burning 🙂
Teehee!