Peeking Between the Pages

...escape into the pages of a good book

Guest Post & Giveaway with Tomi Akinyanmi, Author of A Worthy Legacy

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Please join me today in welcoming Tomi to Peeking Between the Pages. She is the author of the beautiful and inspirational book A Worthy Legacy which I reviewed here. This book would be a welcome addition to anyone’s book shelves or a wonderful gift to give to someone. Let’s sit back and relax, have a coffee, and share with Tomi her thoughts on Family…

Family! There is so much for which we can be grateful to our family immediate and extended. Our parents who nurture us and help us learn the difference between right and wrong, our brothers and sisters through whom we learn the values of sharing and the joy it brings, the insufferable aunt who teaches us tolerance, the envious cousins who help us understand that relation by blood does not translate to friendship; and also that friendship isn’t a right but something that is earned. We must not forget the Grandparents who teach us the meaning of unconditional love as well as the nephews and nieces from whom we learn patience.

If we are to be honest with ourselves, for every individual, there is one person or more in the immediate or extended family who you have wished at one point or the other were not related to you for whatever reason. Sometimes it is because they rub you off the wrong way and sometimes because you consider yourself better than them at other times it may be because they are such an embarrassment. Yet, there is no controversy about it that while we can choose or pick who we are friends with, we cannot choose who we are related to. However like the saying “you can’t live with them, you can’t live without them”, the reality of life is that the very reason for you to hate a particular person in your family are the same ones for which you need them in your family.

A family in itself, is a microcosm of the world in which we live, the family prepares us for life. Not merely through our parents providing formal education or buying the food we eat or the clothes we wear. But every individual, every circumstance, every challenge, every joy, every sorrow and every relationship we encounter and share as members of a family, help prepare us for the challenges of life. Perhaps this is why we really cannot choose who we are related to much as we cannot really choose who we end up in class with and who we work with or work for. It is through the myriad family relationships and the complexities they present, that we learn how to live with others in the world, learn how to accept people of a different religion, learn how to respect other peoples values even if we do not share the same, learn how to respect other peoples opinion while not agreeing with them, and learn how to treat the world in which we live with care. We also learn to appreciate life and all it brings our way.

If we take a moment to reflect, we find that while we might not readily appreciate relatives near and far, we do owe a lot to them when it comes to who we have become. Even to the ones we love the least, if we truly would look back we realize just how much we have learned from them. And so to every member of our family young and old, we owe a lot even if we do not realize it and especially if it doesn’t look like it. Thus family relationships are not only to be revered; they ought to be treasured for it is from them that we derive our essence. The very thing that makes us who we are.

Among other things, “A Worthy legacy” describes family relationships in an African village and how a young girl’s relationship with her grandfather impacted her life. In “A Worthy legacy” we see how the love of his family compelled a dying old man on to transfer the lessons he had learned from life and his wealth of wisdom as the only legacy he had to bequeath to the family he leaves behind.

About the Author…

Tomi Akinyanmi discovered her enthusiasm for writing at an early age and has been writing for over twenty years. Though poetry is her first love, Tomi was inspired by personal experiences to create A Worthy Legacy as her first book. Her works include Voices in the Wind, winner of the inaugural Voices Anthology Contest sponsored by The Voices Anthology Network. Some of her poems have also appeared in Free Focus, Northern Stars and Soul Fountain as well as online on poetry websites.

Check out the book trailer…

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Tomi has very graciously offered up a copy of A Worthy Legacy to one lucky reader. Here’s what you need to do to enter:

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries blog/tweet this giveaway.

The giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) as Tomi will be sending the book herself. I will draw for the winner on Friday, July 31, 2009. Good luck everyone!

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Comments

  1. Hey Dar, Please enter me, and I will blog about it next Tues.

    forevereading at gmail dot com

  2. First, I just have to say that I am soooo incredibly envious Dar, of this opportunity you've had to read and review this book, AND interact with the author. I loved your review yesterday, and the guest post today was amazing. I found myself laughing at the author's comments about the family members that rub you the wrong way. I've got a couple of those! At the same time, it really brings to mind the special relationship I had with my grandmothers growing up, and now that they are both gone, I treasure every word they uttered to me.

    I think I signed up for your giveaway, but if not, please enter me. I must have it! I'm at:

    rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com

  3. I will definitely read this book, it sounds fabulous. I just wish everyone saw family life in the way Tomi does. My side of the family are a bit like that, but my husbands is so dysfunctional. Perhaps this is book everyone should read.

  5. What a nice (and true) reflection on the meaning of family. The reviews of this book have reminded me that I'm blessed to have a wonderful family. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

  6. I really enjoyed reading this guest post and the author's thoughts on family. It is nice to read a different perspective from your own from time to time and it definitely makes me want to read Tomi's book now.

    lillyswistek@gmail.com

  10. This sounds like a wonderful and inspiring book that makes you stop and think about how important family is. I was blessed with a close relationship with my grandmother and Tomi's words remind me that she made such a difference in my life.

    I've blogged about this giveaway in my sidebar.

  11. This sounds like a such a good book. Family is everything to me. We drive each other crazy but we love each other like crazy, too. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway. I've posted it in my sidebar.

    –Anna
    diaryofaneccentric at hotmail dot com
    Diary of an Eccentric

  12. Just me… you know the drill… no need to enter me. I've got this posted at Win a Book; thanks for the mail!

  14. Please enter me; it sounds WONDERFUL! Thanks so much!

    lesleymfan(at)gmail(dot)com

  15. Wow, beautiful thoughts. So true too!
    Thank You Tomi Akinyanmi!
    Thank You Dar for the giveaway too! 🙂

    Don't enter me 🙂

  19. Hello, What a heartwarming and inspirational sounding book!
    It sounds so delightful to read.
    Please enter my name in your drawing.
    Many thanks, Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

  24. I would just love to win. This book looks to be so touching.
    Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
    hurdler4eva(at)gmail(dot)com

  27. I would love to win & read this. Family means everything to me. The sad thing, I don't get to see them very often. I'm in the midwest, and everyone else is pretty much on the east coast.

    Please enter me.

    Thanks

    sharon54220@gmail.com

  29. Dar, thanks for hosting Ms Tomi Akinyanmi! And hello to Ms Akinyanmi!

    I'm blessed with a great family and I treasure each and everyone of them. I don't know where I'd be without them.

  32. Please include me in your giveaway.

    Canadian Contests, Freebies, Coupons, Deals, Games and Chat – join us at CoolCanucks.ca

    bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

  34. Great essay on the meaning of family.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com

  36. I am not eligible for the prize, but I did want to stop by and comment that it isn't often that I see someone with the name Tomi (which is the abbreviation of my son's name!)

  37. A WORTHY LEGACY sounds like a wonderful read! Please enter me to win a copy.

    hawkes(at)citlink.net

  38. Thanks for the post Dar and for hosting the giveaway. Hi Everyone, Thanks so much for the wonderful comments.

  39. Hello Alice.
    Marg. That's wonderful. Tomi is also an abbreviation for me since my full name which is quite long. Always nice to meet a new namesake.

  49. What a wonderful interview. Please enter me for this one.

    Dutchlvr1(at)aol(dot)com

  52. Would love to read this book. Please enter me in the draw.

    kkhaas AT bellsouth DOT net

  53. I have been reading reviews about this book and would like to read it. It seems like a very thoughtful way to look at family relatives.

    rrdjasper(ataol(dot)com

  56. The book looks wonderful! Please DO enter my name in your draw. Thanks.
    wandanamgreb (at) gmail (dot) com

  57. This sounds like a really good read! I would love to be entered to win this one! Thanks for the great giveaway!

  59. This book looks so good and is definitely one I will have to check out! (email in profile)