Book Birthday

Over the past few weeks I have spoken to hundreds of people about the journey I undertook to become an author as well as my two books. So, I don’t want this post to simply be about me repeating all of those speeches, yet, I want you guys to really learn something about me today. That’s why I’ve decided to show you guys this picture:

http://booksdirect.tumblr.com/post/79238656893/readers-are-often-fans-of-authors-but-i-myself-am-a-fan


It sounds cool but I bet you’re wondering why I inserted this image instead of a photograph of a rhino or One Direction or something like that. Well, I think that this quote sums up one of the most important things I’ve realized ever since I began writing; without a reader your book will just be a pile of words. And that is what Janae Mitchell is talking about when she says that she’s a fan of readers. So, I want you guys to know that I’m a fan of you and I know that without you all I wouldn’t have sold a single copy of my book. I think you deserve a round of applause.


So dearest readers, thank you for reading! And if you haven’t yet read my book I hope you’ll consider it:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Kirsten.%20A.%20Everett

Dreams

This week I've spent numerous hours speaking to people and telling them about my journey to reaching my dream. At first when I realized how hectic this week was going to be I was really nervous. In fact, by the time I reached Monday I was already dreading the three talks, partly because I had a cold so my voice was weird, and partly because I didn't know what I was going to say.

But as the week flew by I tried not to worry about the words, then I eventually realized that I couldn't put it off any longer. I HAD to start planning my speech. So, one evening whilst sitting in my room I let my mind wonder about my journey. I remembered all of the hard work I had put into writing my stories when I was eight years old. I remembered the long afternoons I had spent in front of the computer as I typed my books up one letter at a time.

As I sat there lost in thought I realized just how much I had matured over the years. At first my ideas were about fairies or princesses and my plots were only a few sentences long, but after a while my characters became more interesting and I came up with a few twists and turns for my plot.

My books now contained lessons that would teach my readers more about themselves as well as more about the world. I now used stronger words, and my grammar was much better. Another thing that had changed over time was my writing voice/tone, I was no longer the shy little girl that used to hide behind her mom when she was scared, I had matured into a teenager who was willing to stand up for what she believed in.

So as my eyelids started drooping and my mom told me it was time for bed I smiled, pleased I had come up with a few ideas for what I was going to tell everyone. After all, the best way to inspire someone to chase their dream is by telling them that it's possible because you've achieved yours :)

And I have, thanks to everyone who helped me along the way.

Rhino SA at Yebo Gogga Wits Exhibition

"Everyone is inspired by different things. For some people it is the sun that kisses the morning sky with rays that shine light into all of our lives. For others it is an adventure that they didn’t expect but neither of those things inspired me to write my two books.

In order for you to understand I’m going to take you back in time to December 2012 where a younger version of me was sitting on a game vehicle surrounded by my family. It was half past five in the morning and my eyelids kept drooping as I tried to scan the surrounding area for some animals. I looked and looked but the only thing I managed to spot was a wild dog’s ear which actually turned out to be a rock.

So, being a thirteen year old girl I eventually gave up searching and closed my eyes. My sister whispered a joke and my aunt laughed but I barely heard them. I was snuggled inside my fluffy jacket slowly drifting into dreamland.

But then the game vehicle shuddered to a halt. I opened my eyes and saw two of the most beautiful animals in the world. A rhino mother and her calf posed in front of us completely oblivious to the fact that their species was quickly going extinct. To be honest with you, it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. And more than that I couldn’t help but wonder why these animals deserved to live such short lives. It wasn’t their fault that horns grew from their heads. I racked my brain for an answer but I couldn’t find one. That was when I realized there wasn’t one. These animals didn’t deserve to die and I was determined to make sure that the world knew that. In that moment whilst I watched the rhinos in their natural habitat I decided that I was going to find a way to help save this species and a few seconds later I came up with three words which blossomed into two books.

You see, it was because of those two rhinos that I was inspired to write my books and it was because of them that I started blogging for Nikela. They were the ones who lead me to Rhino SA, an organisation that believes in the same thing that I do, that by educating the youth we can save this species and prevent other animals from landing up in the same situation. 

Me at the Rhino SA stand (I hope you enjoyed reading my speech )

So, let me just introduce myself I’m Kirsten A. Everett, a South African teenager who believes the youth of this country have the power to make a difference through spreading the word about the truth of the rhino horn, and thus I believe there is hope for the rhino species."

Among the organizations that were at this exhibition Rhino SA focused on educating the school children and other people, about rhinos, rhino midden, poisoning rhino horns as well as the current situation where poachers are targeting rhinos.

I learnt a lot as I listened to the speeches that Rhino SA gave. For instance, I didn't know that the rhino horns have to be redye every four to six years in order to make sure that the poachers know that the horns are poisoned. Hopefully the poison and the dye will save these rhinos from being brutally murdered.

There were many people who presented speeches for Rhino SA including Irene, Jolandie (an Askari Game Ranger), Godfrey and Bernard (two members of the Vlakfontein Community Programme) as well as myself. We all encouraged our listeners to do what they could to help save the species.

Girl Power!!

Over the years men have realized that they truly aren’t better than women and that’s why in most societies women are now seen as equal to men. They are able to vote (which they never used to be able to) and are now allowed to work in roles that were originally only for males. So, after years of proving ourselves to everyone us girls will still continue to be the best we can be. And here are some women who truly are/were amazing.

Margaret Thatcher

She was the first woman Prime Minister in Europe and she was also the longest serving British Prime Minister since 1827. Margaret served in this role for three terms and narrowly escaped death when a bomb was planted at the Conservative party conference in Brighton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/margaret_thatcher

Florence Nightingale
Some think that Florence is the founder of modern nursing. She took thirty-eight women to the warfront where they cleaned up the conditions the soldiers were living in and thus it is suspected that she saved many lives.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/nightingale/p/nightingale.htm

Amelia Earhart
This adventurous woman set many records by being the first women to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger and by being the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic. She set many speed records as well. She was determined to fly around the world but she never landed in her final destination.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/earhartamelia/p/amelia_earhart.htm

Helen Keller
When she was young Helen lost both her sight and her hearing but a few years later (with the help of Anne Sullivan) she learnt the alphabet and Braille. Helen went to a school for deaf children and even graduated from college. After that she spent the rest of her life improving education for the deaf, blind and mute as well as working for women’s rights.

http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/kellerhelen/p/helen_keller.htm

Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa (her real name is Agnes) lost her father when she was young. Her family depended on their religion to get through their problems. When she was only 12 years old she heard a call from God for her to become a nun; so at the age of 17 she applied to an order of Irish nuns that did projects in India. It took her two years to become a Loreto nun and after that she received a call to help poor people by living amongst them. She began by teaching children and offering some medical help to their families when they needed it. Soon more nuns joined her and then the Pope granted her petition to form an order of nuns called the Missionaries of Charity.

http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/a/motherteresa.htm

Joan of Arc
This young Frenchwomen heard voices from divine sources when she was little and later went to the king and asked him for soldiers so she can help fight the English. Eventually he gave her what she wanted and she went into battle and the French finally defeated the English. She fought in some battles after that day she was wounded in one and then taken captive before being sold to the English. Joan was brave and refused to deny the voices she had heard so was burned at the stake. Years later she was canonized as a saint.

Marie Curie
As a young girl Marie had to deal with horrible things such as the loss of her sister and her mother to diseases. Though her family was struggling financially and she went through a stage when she felt too tired to do anything, she studied as hard as she could and later discovered two elements that she named “Radium” and “Polonium”. Marie also discovered radioactivity.

http://www.aip.org/history/curie/brief/


Marry Mother of Jesus
Many of us know the Nativity Story and we also know that it wouldn’t have been possible if Mary hadn’t loved God so on this special day I think it’s important to remember this lady as well. Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ in a stable in Bethlehem. From that moment on she supported her son and helped him throughout his life until he died on the cross many years later.

All of Our Mothers
All the ladies I have mentioned were amazing people and there are many, many more that I could’ve mentioned but I didn’t have the time to research every single one of them. So, this Mother’s Day I want to tell all of the mothers out there that we truly are grateful to have you and we wouldn’t be where we were without them. So THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU - AND HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

www.bocatc.org

PS: If you want to read about 100 great women (including most of these) go to:

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/lists/tp/top_100_women.htm

Fears

Every single person on this planet is afraid of something. Even the people who pretend that they aren't, somewhere deep inside there is a small part of them that's terrified of something. So, like every other person there are things that I'm scared of.

My first fear is of change. That's one of the reasons why I've lived in the same neighborhood for over five years, stayed at the same school for high school and it also explains why I like to go to the same shopping centers and the same restaurants that I've always gone too. But, even though my fear of change makes me indecisive at times I'm slowly learning to overcome it. One step at a time.

And that step came in the form of getting my ears pierced. You see, at first my parents had said that I could only get them done after I turned 12 so I waited. Then, after I turned 12 they asked me when I wanted to get them pierced and I told them that I would rather wait another year. And then another. And then another. Almost four years later a few months before I turned 16 I finally decided to get them pierced. So, it took me all that time to decide that I wanted to have them done, partly because I knew that it was impossible to undo the piercing. Even if I decided to let the holes close up then there'd still be marks where they used to be. But in the end I overcame my fear of change and had them done to prove it.

Another fear that I've started to get over is of spiders. I still remember the one morning when I was on my way to the kitchen when I saw a HUGE rain spider hanging above the doorframe. I stifled a scream and took a few steps back before deciding that I would wait until my dad released the spider into the garden before I would eat breakfast. Thankfully he caught it and soon freed it into a bush, and now a few years later I'm able to walk past a spider and not even flinch. (The key is to pretend that it's not there).

So, if you're ever in a situation where your chest is tightening and your adrenaline races through your veins; just take a deep breath in and know that God is watching over you and you can truly do anything you set your mind too.