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Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Little Girl Praying on the Hill:Heartfelt Review by Kitty Muse and Me


The Little Girl Praying on the Hill



Available in print and as ebook on AMAZON and B&N 

Originally published in Kitty Muse and Me




She spent a lot of time alone, or so it seemed to the people in the village below.  Every day, she would take the sheep up to the top of the hill, where she would spend hours. In her mind, though, she was not alone.  She spent hours with her friends–the princess in her glorious cloud castle, and the mercurial companion, the wind, who sometimes teased, sometimes tormented her. 

 Life was good– –until her daydream was interrupted by a furious someone who angrily reminded her about forgotten chores. Back to the sad reality–a life in the mud, surrounded by poverty and hopelessness.  There was little room for sadness; when her younger sister died, her own dress was taken for the burial.  The little girl mourned only for the dress that had been taken away from her.  There were no tears for the sister. In a world where despair reigns supreme, a child’s mind turns to prayer.  But when the help isn’t immediate, faith must carry her through the difficulties of an “unfair” life.  



 I have read several of Ms. D’Agostino’s books, and this has to be, by far, my favorite.  None of the whimsy and cuteness of her previous books are in this offering.  However, her light-handed way of writing turns what could be a dark and depressing time in her  childhood into something magical.  The little girl, obviously the author, has a gift for daydreaming; which naturally led her, as an adult, to her gifted ability to tell a tale like this.  The reader can’t help but be absorbed into the story.  With prose such as:

 “My wind was a mysterious friend. He was a most virtuous player. I loved watching him play with the green grass that grew near the forest. He played his music with a gentle whisper, taking my breath away. When he hit a higher note and touched his invisible strings with his tender stroke, the green grass strained like arrows, making the most wonderful sound that rang in my ears the entire day.”, how can one not be captivated?  Such descriptions!  No wonder Ms. D’Agostino is an award-winner. Nice work, Olga






Book Trailer 









 Courtesy of   Kitty Muse and Me


About  Kathy Ree

Author of paranormal / horror novel "Be Not Afraid" Currently prepping prequel ("Unholy Trinity") and sequel ("Resurgence: The Rise of Judas") for publishing. The first is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powells - hardback, softcover, and e-book.





Be Not Afraid 

Contact Information: FACEBOOK

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Little Girl Praying on the Hill by Olga D'Agostino

NEW RELEASE: AVAILABLE ON AMAZON 


Readers' Favorite International Gold Award-winning short story for adult readers


I know there are thousands of wonderful writers waiting for their chance to be heard, who are a million times better than I am.  One part of me would not dare compete with their skills and talent, but the other part does not want this story to disappear. For years, it has flowed through my veins and tortured my mind. Therefore, here I am, an author who still struggles with English and sweats over every sentence. An author who feels helpless and frightened without her worn-out computer, missing most of the letters on its old keyboard. An author who made her editor rewire his brain to better understand her thinking.

A few years ago I left my comfort zone, and with two fingers on my daughter’s old computer I wrote my first story, “TheLittle Girl Praying on the Hill.” I may not know how to write perfectly in English, but my soul does. I believe stories like this could help growing generations better understand the purpose of life and the nature of the human spirit, and help them value what they have. It may change their views about the underprivileged and the forgotten.



The Little Girl Praying on the Hillis a bittersweet story based on the emotional childhood memories of a young girl trying to understand God’s will. The beauty of nature around her animates her and paints the perfect combination of colors, but life in her rundown village, sinking in mud after each rainfall, is a strong contrast. She exists between two worlds: her beautiful imagination and the harsh realities of life. The picture of majestic nature does not fit with the picture that God created for the people he loves.  Why did he not paint the village in the same vibrant colors as he did the nature around her and complete his art? Why did he place her on the wrong side of the world? Her emotions rise to unreachable heights and sink to devastating lows.

The heights are the happy moments of her life, filled with imaginary friends and sparkles of happiness, but the depths contain haunting memories, full of sadness and hate, crushed dreams and disappointments. Her daily existence forces the little girl to find escape in an imaginary world where she feels free and happy. Hiding in her imaginary kingdom, the girl clings to nature, which helps her to cope with the misery in which she was born. Growing up in a poor village of the post–World War II era in a country where half the men drink themselves to death by the age of forty, the confused child questions God. Why did he divide this world so unevenly?  Why did he drop her in the wrong place? The gripping beauty of his creation mesmerizes her young mind, but only for a moment before her memories of specific events make her doubt God’s intentions. Standing on top of the hill, surrounded by magnificent nature, the little girl tries to recognize his wisdom. She’s determined to understand the purpose for her existence.




"The Little Girl Praying on the Hill"  has many emotional ties to my early childhood. It is based on memories of my life in the Soviet Union in the early 1960’s. I write about what I know best—life.
Available on AMAZON 





"The Little Girl Praying on the Hill " - book trailer