Sunday, December 2, 2012

Tour Kick Off - Meet and Greet - Cairo: Mother of the World by Herbert L. Smith


Travel Narrative
Date Published: 2008

Cairo: The Mother Of The World explores the heart of a city that most tourists never see – an affectionate, humorous close-up of the aggregation that is Cairo, as well as an adventure among the streets, tombs, houses, and monuments that are the city yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Many have said that Cairo doesn’t change, but it does; sometimes very slowly, with a foot in the past and the other stepping toward the future.  At another time, it may explode with a sudden transformation that boggles the mind, as in the revolution of 2011-2012. Among all the confusion and noise and sand, it is still the same Cairo that many expatriates have come to love.
For anyone who has longed to visit Cairo, but has not had opportunity or felt a tour was risky at this time, this little book provides an intimate glimpse into the city that is largely unchanged, even after the revolution, and is moving forward, bit by bit, into a better tomorrow.
Love it with us as we walk among the people of Cairo and share the joy and tumult of the life that only the true Cairene is capable of appreciating in the midst of the gigantic jumble we call home.  It will be an unexpected treat.



LINKS TO BUY
It has been my good fortune to live and work in schools and universities around the world. I
started teaching in the California State University system more than thirty years ago, after a time
working in secondary schools, went on to Egypt and the Middle East, and finally to Argentina. It
has been a fascinating series of events, from one adventure to another, and I loved nearly every
minute of it. (A few of the minutes were not quite so lovable for various reasons.)

Life as an expat lecturer and instructor led me into some unique and sometimes difficult
situations, but my appraisal of the whole was one of amazement that I was able to get to so
many wonderful places and enjoy the life of the people there. I taught English courses to
students who had already developed skills in the language and was always happy to tell them
about life in the U.S., as well as my appreciation of the life I led in their home countries. I would
gladly do it all again with only slight changes here and there.

A sustaining hobby throughout my life is music. I am a pianist, organist and composer with
many years of experience in church music. I found that wherever I went in the world, with the
exception of Argentina, I was almost immediately working with a church, playing the services
(usually on Fridays in the Middle East) regularly. Music is one of my fondest dreams as well as
a ‘forever’ joy.

I now live in Oregon with my wife of fifty years, Glenda, and we love the beauties that surround
us here. I will never tire of reliving the past, of course, either in writing or actually traveling, and
any time I have an opportunity to return to Cairo or Doha or La Rioja, I am excited to go again.



Reading Addiction Blog Tours MEET and GREET


#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?
            I am retired now – not wanting a real career – just want to write the things I have in my head and send them out to readers.  Nothing else is really important, but if I should have a smashing success, I wouldn’t complain.


#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?      
            Editing.  I edit and re-edit and do it again – sometimes ten or more times for each chapter of section I write.  It’s time consuming, but I always find something to change that I think improves the flow of the story.  Insatiable editing!

#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?
            My editor, Lucy, is great. She reads and marks everything – after I’ve gone through the process of re-editing as described above.  And, of course, she still finds s few things – words repeated too closely together, incorrect punctuation, etc. - that aren’t quite right.  Everybody needs a good editor.

#4 – What is next for your writing?
            I’m working on a book about the Egyptian revolution.  It’s a novel, but is based in the history of the event, with accurate details.  I know the places (Giza, Tahrir Square, the Nile bridges, Alexandria and Suez) well, and have always kept an eye on the revolution.  The story has to stop at a certain point, obviously, although the revolution is ongoing.


#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? 
If so, what are you currently reading?
            Yes – I read all the time, whenever I have a little time, I go into the current book and get absorbed.  I usually read in short time increments – a half hour or fifteen minutes several times a day, because there is always something else calling me.  I get through a book in two or three weeks, or little more.  Currently, I’m reading Vanilla Beans and Brodo by Isabella Dusi, and finished Basilica - R. A. Scotti -  recently.  Both are great!

This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?  - - - I’m something of a dinosaur. (Old and stuffed.)

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?   Vanilla

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?  Mash!

#4 – Comedy or Drama?  Both

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?  -Neither

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?   Reality

#7 – Call or Text?  Call

#8 – Public School or Home School?  Public

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate?    Coffee

#10 – eBook or Paperback?  In-my-hand books, although ebooks are good for lots of people, I know.



Virtual Book Tour December 2 - December 15

December 2 - My Devotional Thoughts - Review
December 4 - Jennifer McConnel - Guest Post/PROMO
December 5 - Reviewing Shelf - Review/Guest Post
December 6 - My Cozie Corner - Review
December 7 - Books For Me - review
December 8 - Crazy For Books - Review
December 9 - Books, Books, The Magical Fruit - Guest Post/PROMO
December 10 - Brooke Blogs - Review
December 11 - Andi's Book Reviews - Guest Post/PROMO
December 12 - Kaisy Daisy's Blog - PROMO
December 13 - Geo Librarian - Review/Interview
December 15 - Books are Cool - Review/Interview

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