Dance like the
butterfly you are. You have been released. Free of the binding chrysalis, you are no longer captive. Even the sluggish old caterpillar memories are flitting
away.
Maybe you’re a bumblebee with a
field of flowers spread in front of you like carpet from the hills to the sea.
All you have to do is select a petal for landing. The bee has to make these decisions
alone. It can’t blame anyone if there isn’t enough pollen or the hive is too
far away. They study the colors, scents and watch for intruders. They take
important things into consideration before making a choice. The opportunities
are endless. Where will you go?
Pour
Wite-out over the bad parts of your life story. From today forward, you can
start a fresh new chapter brimming with hope. In fact, imagine filling a
printer with blank sheets of white paper. Add some color to your story and watch the pages
swirl with energy, displaying a happier you.
Clocks, timers and alarms are great
for getting us somewhere else. Focus on where you are now.
When it comes to reading, I enjoy a little variety. After all, isn't it the spice of life?
Though I've never been to Spain, I understand they eat dinner with small, tantalizing appetizer-type plates called tapas. A little plate of olives, another of cheese and a plate of cold-cuts or fish, alongside a basket of bread, a plate of marinated peppers, capers and sun-dried tomatoes, with a serving of chilled Sangria. In other words, a little something for everyone. Yummy.
That's what I love about The Diamond Valley Writer's Guild. No, I'm not talking about their cooking, although that might be good too. I'm talking about the amazing variety of creative books they write. Books available not just to members, but to the general public through Amazon! Yes, you too can share in the feast of their labor by clicking under the book covers below. Taste this, my friends--these are my first selections--from this talented group. Hope my little reviews will have you salivating and asking these authors to hurry up and write some more! Buen Gusto!
Kameleona is a well-written
and sensitive book about island life on Molokai. You will feel and smell the
flowers and taste the fresh Ono. The author will pull you into a forest reserve
for a hunting trip or back to an idyllic beach on the other side of the island.
On Sunday’s you’ll go to church, because that’s what the residents of
Kaunakakai do. They bury the old and baptize the new. Most of all they love
each other and they also love living in paradise. Hawaiian culture, quilting, wood carving, fishing and family
lore are infused into what amounts to an exciting story. Beginning with Jack
Metzger, throwing a man off a cliff; not just any man, but the new Pastor of
the Good News Church. There are shady characters like Joe Obregon, Frank
Soriano and tough as nails Charlene Harper whose lives intersect with excellent
characters such as Malia, Leilani and Keanu. There’s also George Kapule the
Chief of Police. George is no slouch when it comes to solving crimes and
keeping the peace. He listens to the war stories carried in on tropical breezes
and follows every lead. He’s also friends with Paul Kanga, the Pastor at the
Good News Church. But wait a minute, the Pastor? Is it a mystery or a story of
redemption? Read Kameleona to find all the answers. It’s truly an enjoyable and
sensational story in a magnificent setting.
There’s a bit of dialogue
that sums up this novel: “When does a person ever get old enough to have
everything figured out? “ “Never, I hope.” Karen wiped her eyes. Because then where’s
the magic?” Lynne Spreen’s book will take you on a magical journey from
South Florida, into Georgia up to North Dakota and even to Spain. Her main
character Karen Grace is searching for balance. In other words, Karen wants to
be successful at her new business but she wants love too. Plus she has new
rules. Can it happen? Hard to say-- Frieda might say that “Life is to be
lived.” Good advice, especially for someone young like the other character
Jessie, who happens to be tangled into domestic abuse with her boyfriend Lenny. Spreen is one of the coolest writers I’ve seen for a long
time. She has characters that use I Pods, develop Apps and take Segway tours.
Instead of pouring a Chardonnay or glass of white wine, she merely writes, “a
crisp cold white.” Though romantic and filled with juicy love scenes, the
writing is hip and memorable. It’s today’s feelings not some old-fashioned
panting, slowly working around a bunch of petticoats and a bustier. His eyes
weren’t just blue but “blue like some alpine lake.” Will Karen Grace find the balance she’s looking for, or is
she “probably a cranky old woman with Chihuahuas”? Read Key Largo Blues and
find out that Frieda was right all along.
If you enjoy books that grab
your heart and take you on a journey, you’ll enjoy The Turnaround by Karen
Robertson. Armchair travel, as in reading a good book, is one of my favorite
ways to go, and this excellent story doesn’t disappoint. The colorful
characters like Leroy and Pete made me smile while others, such as Jerry and
Madeline made me mad. The well written descriptions of sights, sounds and even
the odors, made me feel that I too was there, suffering along with the main
character Grace, who seems to have fallen into a destructive whirlpool during a
bus trip to Vegas. The exciting plot builds tension, testing Grace up to the
very last page. Meanwhile Phil--Grace’s husband--has to make some choices—some
big enough to change his life forever. Will he pay the ransom or has it already
been paid? Climb aboard the The Turnaround bus and find out!
As a lifetime student of
human behavior, I’m always interested in stories that discuss relationships.
Why do people choose to be friends or partners? This Young Adult novel explores
the relationships between artistic best friends Amanda and Kristin and how they
interact with the male characters Brandon, Matt and Charlie. The Butterfly I
See is like a thesis on teenage development. The author covers social
networking, body language, psychology, role-playing, facing harsh realities and
letting go. Woven into an entertaining story, the author describes abstract
art, symmetry, jealousy and intuitive thinking all while making excellent
points about the creative process. And in a genius move, Suzanne Saunders makes
the reader want answers, resolutions and closure, only making us realize, we
might need to grow up.
Last night, I sat down to
read a few poems from a book called The Water Jar and while it wasn’t at all
what I expected, I have to admit, I couldn’t put it down. The first story
reminded me of one of the Letters written by Paul, in the New Testament. The
scholarly, well-researched writing mimics the tone and voice of characters that
once lived in ancient Jerusalem and Bethany. Eleazar is a young man who carries
water in a large jug. He grows up to be a monk, but first there are important
lessons to learn from Yeshua the Nazarene. All the stories seem to have a faith-based connection weaving
through the words, as well as a good deal of research. In Brave New World, the
author delves into technology, touching on important issues related to the
future of war. My favorite story, called Knights before Christmas, brings
together two pilots, during WWI; one British, and the other German. While shot
and hanging in a precarious situation, they both communicate and reflect on the
meaning of Christmas. I especially loved the quote from his grandmother that
Leftenant Brian Goode recalled, about snow covering evil at Christmas, to keep
Christ from being offended. I don’t want to ruin the plot by giving more away,
but it’s an enjoyable read. Interspersed with these incredible tales are a few poems. My
favorite one is titled, Elsinore Oak, and as my eyes moved down the page, I
could almost imagine those vaqueros, driving the cattle through the stifling
hot valley. A place that today...could use a hefty Water Jar.
Many years before Columbus
sailed towards the New World, the Incan’s built the city of Machu Picchu. After
one hundred years, the inhabitants disappeared, leaving mysterious ruins
behind. While all of this is intriguing to the main character, Jerry, it also
makes for a breathtaking setting for this novel, which consists of a
fascinating journey. Imagine traveling vicariously to temples hidden deep
within humid jungles to see sacred shrines used for ancient rituals. But wait,
this is a romantic comedy sprinkled with travel warnings, tips and even advice
about how to handle high elevations, hangovers and motion sickness. It’s a
travel book with several threads, connected by real love. For many reasons, but especially because she loves him,
Jerry’s wife gives him a ticket for a cruise to Peru. Meanwhile, his wife’s
friend, Rhonda marries Karl the avocado farmer and they unknowingly buy tickets
for the same cruise. (Though an enjoyable stand alone novel, it should be
noted, that this talented author has another book, a sort of prequel to this
one titled: Wrath of Rhonda, which paves a tropical forest path to this read. ) Follow the frustrating pratfalls and one-liners associated
with Jerry’s friend Max. Marvel at the author’s clever characterizations of
George, Brenda and Inga. George is Karl’s attorney. Brenda is a private
investigator from Temecula. (Oh dear, maybe I’ve said too much.) The character
development is so thorough that you’ll think you know these people; or at least
you’ve seen them in the vegetable section of the supermarket, hemming and
hawing above green bananas. The tour guides Buck and Fletch are unique to each
other and even the pet parrot, Basil has a distinct personality. The language
is colorful and the locations are teetering on a cliff exciting. Read Road to
Machu Picchu and if the leaf-cutter ants, scorpions and snakes don’t get you,
you might die laughing.
Guess you can tell I enjoyed reading, rather devouring these, and I hope you will too.
WILDOMAR--We woke up early today, from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake, and are dog-tired. Daddy woke up five minutes before the shaking began. Go figure,
maybe he has ESP. We were up like lightening and glad to go outside. Like most of our species, we enjoy routine,
not some bizarre bed movements before five o’clock in the morning. It was dark
and cool outside. In fact, mommy rock and rolled back inside to get her coat
during an aftershock.
Later, someone said that even National geographic
photographers who have camped out for days, tracking certain types of wildlife,
have rarely witnessed such serene moments as the two of us cuties napping by an
open window. Mom didn’t even use a tranquilizer gun or any sedatives.
Sadly, we’re missing out on fabulous barking opportunities.
The little girl with the toy car, the man with the fluffy white dog and that
blonde lady with the Pitbull. Sheesh, if only. Yawn. And that mailman with the
noisy truck can come inside and dance a fandango for all we care. Bring on
Fed-Ex and UPS, we promise to be nice. Today.
Yup, today’s a great day for resting. No chewing our toys or
licking toes. No sniffing in the trash or running around like a race horse at a
Nordstrom Half-Yearly sale. Can you imagine our tireless parents took us for a
two-mile walk? After that, they left us in charge of home-land security but we
had to catch up on our ZZZs. Yes, that
sounds shameless, but they do have a backup alarm system, and it’s not like
we’re ever going to be fired.
That’s all I have. How about you Fiona? Fiona?
Wake up!
This is a follow-up story to a post I wrote in January about
the Sterile Eye drops or bottle of tears I saw on a walk with my pooch. Click here if you want to see the original post: Amazing Grace Post From January
Last week, while out and about with the same dog, on
a different street, I bent down with the plastic bag to pick up Pinky’s
business. Next to her doody, was a small bottle buried in the soil. I pulled up
the cap and saw it was an old, empty bottle of Clear Eyes by Visine for
redness, irritation and burning eyes. Strange, that this neighborhood has all
these eye issues, I thought. Or perhaps, it’s still part of a message from
beyond. The first bottle made me think I need to see clearer and the second
makes me think I need to focus.
Part Three:
But then today, I found this:
Broken eye glasses. Both sides were in the gutter about two feet apart.
What do you think? 1. See clearer 2. Focus. 3. Read the fine print. Am I being told to wash my eyes out and
take another look at something? I’d say three times and the message should be clear. Or is it?
That's us on our daily walk.You can see Pinky's paw. Both sides of the glasses can be seen in this picture. Strange huh?
