Afarin Rava: Three Years

Monday, September 30, 2024

Three Years

When I first created this blog, on October 1, 2021, I did it to celebrate both my pen name — Afarin Rava — and my first memoir, Languages & Life Lessons.

Since then, I've posted daily on this blog for three years. This morning, I went through all my previous posts — a combination of reviews of my books, quotes from my books, photos (of me in different countries, my books, my furry companions), tips for writers, fascinating words and their etymologies, quotes from various writers, and anecdotes.

I just want to take a moment and thank everyone who reads my blog posts. A few readers comment about what I've posted here on social media, so I know who they are and appreciate them. Most readers, however, remain anonymous. All I can say is that I'm grateful for the number of views I get. It gives me great pleasure... and motivates me.

Dearest Devised Darling

Dearest Devised Darling: Anthology is a dedication to the brave heroes and enchanting heroines who have touched our hearts and taught us valuable lessons through their struggles and adventures — and to the authors who created these cherished characters. The contributors to this anthology, who wrote letters to their favorite fictional figures, are — in alphabetical order : Jay Armstrong, Wendy Bayne, S. S. Bazinet, Gail Boenning, Jane Cornwell, Holly Dobbie, Humzah Farrukh, Umiemah Farrukh, Marni Graff, H. C. Helfand, Ewan Lawrie, Trish MacEnulty, J. G. MacLeod, Sallie Moffitt, Natasha Morningstarr, Chris Palmore, Afarin Rava, Diane Riley, Nina Romano, Carolyn Ruffles, Edward Selender, Denis Shaughnessy, Wendy E. Slater, Paul Spalding-Mulcock, Diana Stevan, Vicky Whedbee, Gerry Wilson, Wanda L. Worley, and George Yuhasz.

Dear Twelve-Year-Old Me

Over thirty writers hoping to make a positive change in the world have contributed their valuable life experiences and advice to children and adolescents. This book is a collection of priceless life lessons shared by random people, each of whom wished they could reach out to their twelve-year-old self and whisper their precious lessons in a way that their younger self would hear, believe, and learn. Many thanks to B.H. Arias, P.D. Austin, Jerome Berglund, Mike Bowerbank, Rocío del Mar, Holly Dobbie, Hannah Downey, Glenna Gill, Ilya Gutlin, Claude Inkwell, Althea Hogsett, Karen Hoffman, Margaret Lindsay Holton, Roberta Beach Jacobson, Heather Lynn, IA McCleery, Kelly Miller, Sallie Moffitt, Danielle Moody, Natasha Morningstarr, Chris Palmore, Diane Riley, Nina Romano, Gloria Worley Ruberry, Edward Selender, Claire Sheehy, Leif E. Slusher, Paul Spalding-Mulcock, Vicky Whedbee, Peter B. Williams, Charles Dan Worley, and Wanda L. Worley, whose contributions brought this book to life.