Letters from Scanlon Creek

The Orphans of the Creek – Excerpt Two

raincloudbook — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:32:43 +0000

Hey all! I thought I’d give you another sneak peek at my upcoming novel, The Orphans of the Creek. It’s a fairly early draft but you’ll get the idea.

If you haven’t read the previously posted prologue, you can do that here. Then come back and read on…

Chapter 1

If you were to ask me what I remember most about the Town Pump, Scanlon Creek’s biggest dance club, it would be the lights. Every Friday night over the past nine years I’ve watched those lights move over the darkened room from the safety of my DJ booth, sweeping over the multitudes in neon hues. They wash over gyrating humanity like an ominous rainbow; snarling beams of colours, dancing with ever-watchful spotlights rolling through the smoky darkness in an orgy of spectral elegance. The strobes suddenly burst like exploding stars in the midst of their death throes, driving the swirling human mass below into frenzy of movement. Sometimes the lights move with the beat of the music; other times they spin to their own inner rhythm. Either way, they never stop moving until the final song is played and the last chance for love rings its final note. In the meantime, the panting mass seem to breathe in time to the lights that swing overhead, hiding and revealing their sins and desires, their very inhibitions exposed for a few precious hours on their faces.

The lights brush across the heads of bodies also constantly on the move, moving to the ebb on the dance floor, moving to the bar for drinks, moving here, moving there, an endless stream flowing in every direction. They reveal bored young men in tight T-shirts that show every last sinew of every last muscle, knocking shoulders with other men as if invited to battle. These circuses of bravado appear like stop-motion animation under the violently flashing strobes until a swarm of black-shirts swoop in like hunting locusts and rush the offenders through the ocean of sweaty bodies and out of sight. The young women cheer from the sidelines wearing revealing tube tops or denim vests and shorts that give the impression they were poured into what little clothes they wore as other gladiators explore their nubile features. The excitement of battle is then quickly forgotten.

For the last two Fridays one sweeping spotlight caused me concern. It was an odd colour for a club, crimson red like Silas Green’s eyes, and sometimes it shone directly on me, causing me to wince at its dull fury enveloped me. My whole world changed under the glare of this single light, replacing reality with a nightmarish vision that I found almost beautiful in its primal glory. People aren’t singing or talking or dancing with joyous glee, they’re screaming in terror as unimaginable horrors play out in their minds like a scene from a spectral Hell. Young girls are covered in blood, oozing buckets of it from the canyon-like gouges in their head. The glasses that once held their liberating elixirs have exploded in their hands, hands that now shoved the broken pieces of glass into their eyes, bringing a shower of eye fluid to mix with the blood now cascading down their once pretty face, creating a pool of ever-expanding blood on the metal dance floor. I watch as the men cut themselves through their shirts, torturing their bodies, stabbing at their genitals, maiming themselves in front of my eyes. Their once-precious bodies now populate a den of inhumanity; screaming, soulless beings without hope, damning themselves for sins that lay buried within their hearts.

And deep inside I want to be with them. Deep inside I know I should be. Deserve to be. But instead I stand on my stage alone, without parentage, with no company or direction, watching the spectacle in the entirety of what to me is raw beauty.

Then suddenly it’s gone. The red light snuffs itself out and all returns to normal. I’m Whiteboy once again, working the tables and rockin’ the mike, all the while scouring the crowd for the next young thing to shag behind the rows of coats in the checkroom or pray to me in the booth while I’m beat-mixing. There’s nothing like having a nineteen year old trying to prove her mettle as a big girl on the club scene – until the crimson light winks at me again. It really gives me the needles.

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The Orphans of the Creek: Sleep Late this Sunday

raincloudbook — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:54:11 +0000

The Orphans of the Creek is an assault on those who judge others based on differing values. The lead character, a small-town DJ named Whiteboy, suffers a devastating emotional trauma and begins to see the world in a whole new light. He then embarks on a destructive path towards redemption, destroying all that made him what he was in an effort to be reborn.
In writing a scene for Orphans, I recalled an episode in my own life that proved a turning point in my view of organized religion, and thought I would share it with you.
I was about age 10, at Sunday school in Newmarket at the insistence of the pastor that lived a few houses down the street. The teacher told us this story about three men standing before St. Peter. St. Peter said to the first man, “You’ve lived a life of sin and never worshipped the Lord. You’re Hellbound.” He said to the second man, “You’ve lived a life of great virtue, were true and honest and worshipped the Lord. However, one time when you were 11 years old your mother asked if you had brushed your teeth before bed. You lied and said you did. You’re Hellbound.” He turned to the third man and said, “You’ve led a life in complete worship of the Lord. You may enter the gates of Heaven.”
The lesson being, do what the church tells you and you’ll go to Heaven. Nothing short of that will permit you entry.
But there was another lesson there: if you come just a little short of the Church’s exacting standards you’re going to Hell. Even one lie over a long, virtuous life will sit you beside Joseph Stalin and Pol Pot.
In short, if you’re going to sin once, you may as well sin often. If there is a God, how silly man is that he thinks he can possibly understand His true meaning.
Sin well, my friends. And sleep late this Sunday.

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Introducing…Shireen Jeejeebhoy

raincloudbook — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:53:30 +0000

Heroes in medicine are too often unsung and when praises are meted out they usually go to medical practitioners. But what about the brave souls that allowed these practitioners to treat them with untested new methods? Judy Taylor was one such hero that will be remembered in Lifeliner: The Judy Taylor Story, a passionate biography by Shireen Jeejeebhoy. Shireen found the time between her writing and photography to tell us about her book in this edition of Introducing.

'Lifeliner: The Judy Taylor Story'

1. Tell us about your book, Lifeliner: The Judy Taylor Story.

In a nutshell, it’s about a woman who did not eat for 20 years. It all began with terrible stomach pains that didn’t go away; soon Judy Taylor was in the ER; and within a week, she had no bowels left. She faced death from starvation, yet 10 months later she went home healthy, thanks to a radical new method of artificial feeding developed by a young doctor at Toronto General Hospital. That doctor was my father Dr. Khursheed Jeejeebhoy.

Judy wanted life; she eagerly embraced this new technology and all its attendant surgeries and experiments so that she could live and doctors could learn what complete nutrition is when given intravenously. She became a partner with Dr. Khursheed Jeejeebhoy in learning how to use it at home on her own and in encouraging those who followed in her footsteps. And even though she could not eat one morsel of food — for eating could mean death — she relished cooking for her family, baking for neighbours, and participating in community pot lucks. She saw this technology as a second chance at life, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it.

Because of Judy, this feeding method, now known as Total Parenteral Nutrition or TPN, is used by thousands and thousands of people around the world who cannot digest food for reasons ranging from bowel trouble to cancer to AIDS to cystic fibrosis to trauma.

2. I believe Judy Taylor should be considered a hero in medicinal research. What made you want to document her courageous story?

At her memorial a mutual friend and I got talking about Judy about how someone should tell her story. A light bulb went off in my head, and I quickly started work on it. Although I wrote it in the first person me, I primarily tell this medical pioneering story from her point of view because with TPN, the patient is so integral to its success, and because Judy inspired people everywhere she went. She gave them courage and hope for a vital life on TPN; she made me feel good any time I was around her; and I wanted to replicate that in Lifeliner.

3. Do you find her struggles an inspiration for the personal challenges you have faced in your own life?

I wanted to write about the whole of Judy’s experience, not just the public face she put on. I wanted people to see that she was angry, and that was normal, that she was in pain, yet she persevered. I felt that for a person to be truly inspirational they needed to be seen as human not as a superhuman figure. In portraying her that way and in looking for those kinds of observations about Judy in the interviews, I found it helped me see some of my own reactions to my challenges as normal and made my own situation a little less intolerable. But the most important thing Judy did for me was to give me a goal to strive for. A goal is crucial in helping any person through an adverse situation. The goal of writing her story, one I’d committed to her family to doing, kept me going through many years of struggles.

4. Who would you recommend read your book?Anyone who enjoys an inspirational story! It’s not a long book, and it has short chapters. So it’s ideally suited for people who like a fast-moving yet engaging story. Of course, those familiar with TPN are drawn to it: patients or those who know people on TPN find it fascinating and moving; professionals value learning about the patient’s point of view through Judy’s eyes; and they also enjoy learning about the genesis of TPN. Lastly, people who’ve never suffered a health problem find it absorbing, especially seeing how Judy’s spirit shone through it all and her resilience.

5. Tell us about the self-publishing experience. Would you self-publish again?

I went with iUniverse. The initial person I spoke to and the associate I was assigned were very helpful. I wasn’t too impressed with the initial editor’s review, but I did know my book, like any book, needed editing. Although I didn’t need structural editing, having worked on that already with a professional, I did need more than just copy editing. I could have gone with a local editor, but at the time I felt it would be easier and more likely for me to achieve Editor’s Choice if I was to use their editors. I did find it odd that I was not given the names of the editors so it felt like I was reading and replying to the void; but the editors definitely helped me create a better book, despite some differences of opinions. They eventually saw some things my way, and I saw some things their way. As a former freelance editor, I know that’s the case with any good editing job.

I became eligible to have a professional cover developed for my book. Overall the experience was good on that; the person involved friendly, and my input was taken seriously. But I still don’t know if I like the cover. Some people love it; other people don’t. But if I had a chance to redo it, the only thing I would change for sure is the subtitle and perhaps the sepia tone.

The books looked great when they arrived, and that’s when iUniverse helps you get started with marketing. Traditional publishers start marketing books months before they’re published, but it was difficult to do that with iUniverse, plus I was not in a position to be able to market Lifeliner myself. Not knowing how to find a publicist here, I went with iUniverse’s publicist. Unfortunately, I started with them at the same time as AuthorHouse took over. Associates were losing jobs, and iUniverse was moving. The person they hired was friendly, but in the end they and iUniverse did not do everything they said they would, and I was too involved in the last parts of a lawsuit to have the time and energy to chase them on it.

I don’t know if I’d self-publish again, partly because my next book is fiction and that’s even harder to market on one’s own than non-fiction, for me anyway. Because AuthorHouse merged and took over iUniverse, I’m not sure I’d use them again. I didn’t like the changes that happened after that merger. I would relook at the field and then make a decision. However, no matter whether you self-publish or traditionally publish, you as the author are expected to do most of the marketing work. I think whichever route I’d go, the two changes I’d make is to take the time to find a good publicist and an agent to sell movie rights.

6. How are you going about promoting Lifeliner?

The lawsuit really hampered my publicity efforts in those critical early months because it drained me and because I had to be very careful what I wrote online. I was not allowed to write on health care or anything to do with health or with personal issues, yet my book was a medical miracle story about a woman I knew. Still, I started big with a book launch to which I invited everyone I’d interviewed as well as everyone I knew. Many, many people around the world knew Judy and had been eager to talk to me about her. And so I was hoping that word of mouth would help sell the book. (Unfortunately, many expressed their enthusiasm for Lifeliner by lending their copies to neighbours and friends instead of suggesting they buy it.) I gave out bookmarks like candy, including to local libraries. Through the medical grapevine, I informed doctors involved in Total Parenteral Nutrition about it, and I had a few bulk orders in the US, Switzerland, and Malaysia as a result. The publicist wrote media and followed up, and she marketed the book to reviewers. I received several 4- and 5-star reviews as a result, which were posted on Amazon. As a reader, I rely on Amazon reviews a lot to determine my book buying choices, and so this was a good thing. The Oley Foundation in the US, that Judy was heavily involved with, publicized my book in their newsletter. And I informed associations I belong to and my alma mater about it, and they published the announcement in their magazines. I joined several author websites as well as Facebook, and once the lawsuit was over, Twitter. Because of my microblogging on Twitter, people have become interested in me, check out my website, and maybe even buy a book. I sent press releases out online and over the wire, including Canada. Yet the one place my book has received virtually no publicity is Canada.

I had a book video made, and a few months ago I created a Judy’s-story-in-brief video. I think videos are great for promoting books to people who like visuals and have short attention spans. Lastly, anyone who subscribes to my website will receive the first three chapters free. I am now considering podcasting it and have to figure out how to do that.

7. What do you do when you’re not writing?I enjoy photography. I have two digital cameras, a point and shoot and a DSLR (a Nikon D80). I mostly use the Nikon D80, but occasionally the point and shoot is just what is called for. I also have a large cache of negatives from the 1980s and 1990s that I’m currently scanning in. Depending on my mood, I leave the photos as is or sometimes I texturize them and play with various effects using Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 software. I find it relaxing, and my photos have given me an entree to the social world of Flickr, a great place with great people. I am also seeking help from and becoming involved in the brain injury community and hope to start blogging on that, on top of the blogging I do about politics and local issues.

8. What advice can you give other writers in this evolving publishing industry?Be confident in your story and how you want to tell it, yet remain open to editor’s suggestions. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try new and different ways of promoting your book, but whatever you do ensure you have a website that you keep up to date. A blog and Twitter are not only great ways to communicate with your readers, but they also provide a way to practice your writing plus Twitter now has a large writer community that provides encouragement in helping you achieve your goals.

9. I understand that you’re currently writing a novel. Can you tell us anything about that without spoiling the surprise?

I’d be happy to! A woman is about to get married and is a promising songwriter when an evil being invades her. The book is about her fight to expel it, and in the process she faces her own assumptions and demons. My novel will have fantastical elements but is firmly rooted in the life of the here and now.

10. Where can people get a copy of Lifeliner?

In Toronto, the trade paperback version is available at the World’s Biggest Bookstore and Book City. It is also available by request at any bricks and mortar bookstore in your community. Online, it’s available through Amazon, Chapters Indigo, and many other online bookstores as a hardcover and paperback. It’s also available in ebook format through select online retailers and through iUniverse. A list of links can be found on my website at http://jeejeebhoy.ca/lifeliner/order-lifeliner-here/.

Thanks to Shireen for sharing Judy’s story with us. May we all find inspiration through her struggle.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/voteRaincloud to vote and qualify for your chance at a personalized copy of Raincloud!*

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*The fine print: Odds of winning will depend on how many entries are recieved. Entrants can enter as often as they wish. The winning name will be drawn by random selection and contacted via the email address they provided when voting. The winner’s name will appear in this space September 30th, 2009 or when their prize is confirmed, whichever is sooner.

Massaging the Soul

raincloudbook — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:59:03 +0000

Hi everyone.

I just wanted to remind you all that I’m still around. As the summer closed out I had my head into various projects, which included working through the mire of my new novel The Orphans of The Creek as well as picking up guitar again for the first time in a while.

Most of you probably don’t know that before I became an author I was an aspiring musician. My 1997 album Roadfood didn’t really go anywhere and I hung it up a few years after, opting to go to college and seek more gainful employment. But I never really got the bug out of my system and have lately returned home (or at least began an extended visit) to my musical roots. It seemed the break did me some good; I’m enjoying it more than ever!

I just passed though my local HMV and checked out the new ‘Beatles: Rock Band’ game. It looks like fun and I love the music but I passed on it. I think that the time people spend on ‘Rock Band’ games would be better served learning an actual instrument. For although ‘Rock Band’ fulfills whatever starry aspirations its fan base has, nothing massages the soul like expressing yourself through playing live.

And that’s because music comes from the soul. Not a computer chip.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/voteRaincloud to vote and qualify for your chance at a personalized copy of Raincloud!*

Don’t miss the next installment of “Introducing…” Get a Free Subscription to this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

*The fine print: Odds of winning will depend on how many entries are received. Entrants can enter as often as they wish. The winning name will be drawn by random selection and contacted via the email address they provided when voting. The winner’s name will appear in this space September 30th, 2009 or when their prize is confirmed, whichever is sooner.

Introducing…Malcolm K. Watts

raincloudbook — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:31:18 +0000

Are we all connected? Do the little things we do affect the nature of man as a whole? As insignificant as we may seem, all of us share in a collective spirit not only with those that live today, but also all who have lived before and have yet to come.

Through Jared Clarkson’s life-changing experiences in Reflections from Shadow, a fiction novel by Aurora author Malcom K. Watts, we learn that the choices we make in our inner universe affect the grater universe as a whole. Malcolm discusses his book and the world of self-publishing in our fifth installment of Introducing.

Malcolm K. Watts, author of 'Reflections from Shadow'

1) Tell us about your book, Reflections from Shadow?

This book is a complex one that can be read as entertainment, or as an exploration of the nature of reality and good and evil. In particular it addresses the question, posed by some Quantum scientists and others such as Seth (in the Jane Roberts books) who suggest that linear time is in many ways a human construct and that in fact everything is happening at one time. Further, it addresses the question about mankind’s collective responsibility for evil, and good, when it is carried out by some of us. The book can be read as a 60’s coming of age story with light and poignant moments that will resonate with people who grew up in small town Ontario in an era before children lost the freedom to range much more freely in their environment, as a psychological study, or a character study.

2) The character of Jared Clarkson is a dark, complicated young man growing up in a socially evolutionary time when self-realization was a cornerstone of the contemporary culture. Did his long journey to achieve this mean anything to you on a personal level?

As all characters in novels at some level must since they arise from the authors mind, Jared’s experience incorporates some of my own struggles around self-image, identity, relationship to God and religion. Having said this, when people ask me if I am Jared I deny this. Jared is an amalgam of imagination, my experience, and is created, as all fictional characters must, to meet the needs of story, plot, and theme.

3) What message are you hoping readers will learn from Jared’s story?

'Reflections from Shadow' by Malcolm K. Watts

I hope people will learn that we are all connected and are jointly responsible at some level for the good things, and the evil things, that happen in the world. I don’t mean this in a strictly cause-effect sense. Rather, when we see evil in the world, we must all seek to understand the conditions that give rise to such behaviour and events, and our own actions or inactions that maintain or contribute to such things. As was said in the 1960’s there is no such thing as an innocent bystander – if you are a bystander, you are not innocent. We must all look at conditions that give rise to such things as Nazism, radical Islam, and recognize that when certain conditions are not addressed, and when good people do nothing to correct human suffering, evil feeds off such conditions. Simply wringing our hands and blaming Somali pirates, or Taliban, or whoever or thinking that all we need to do is kill those people to solve the problem is much too simplistic and absolves each of us from our responsibility to help fix the mess our world is in.

4) What do you find are the biggest challenges facing first-time Canadian authors these days?

Getting publicity is frustrating. I was annoyed one day to turn on Rogers cable TV and see Carolyn Weaver on her book show interviewing Margaret Atwood. I emailed her and suggested that community TV should be focusing on people who need some exposure for their work, not people like Margaret who, while certainly a fine writer, is well off and well-publicized. Carolyn responded and respectfully disagreed with my position. Unfortunately, Canadian authors, particularly self-published ones, seem to have the mark of Cain insofar as the traditional media is concerned. I sent out review packages, including copies, to several major media outlets but no reviews were done. When I followed up with the Toronto Star I was told “ We have a policy of not reviewing self-published books – period.” There are several reader reviews of Reflections from Shadow posted on my website, www.authorsden.com/malcolmwatts as well as my poetry, short stories, reviews I have written and commentary.

5) How was the self-publishing experience?

Self-publishing was eye-opening. It has pluses and minuses. I made some mistakes but overall I am proud of Reflections from Shadow, and consider it a readable and literary story that stands the test of time and provide me a certain legacy even if I never publish another novel. I would have done the cover differently to reflect the darker nature of the book. My concept with the cover and title was Jungian with the idea of the wounded inner child inside all of us.

6) What kind of promotional activities have you been doing to market your novel?

I have used the Internet extensively. Although my website has nearly 300,00 hits, I have sold very few books on-line. I only sell books by talking to readers one to one or in groups. Without mass media exposure, reviews etc, my book is like a boat in the water with no motor to drive it and I am rather tired of rowing. When I sell out my last few books, I will not re-order it. It will be available on-line from Trafford.com forever and I suppose that is a good thing although they have only sold a handful of books. The promise of Kindle has not resulted in sales for me. Again, without reviews and traditional media exposure the self-published author is like a voice in the wilderness.

7) I have a copy of Aurora Storyalis and enjoyed it very much. What inspired this multi-author project?

Aurora Storyalis II was the dream of the Aurora Writers Group. I was managing editor, and provided the cover photo ( I am also a creative photographer). The project is our second anthology and provides an opportunity for people to showcase their work, our group, and provide a venue for publishing not otherwise available to some of our members. I am pleased you enjoyed the book.

8) What can you tell us about your upcoming book, Out from the Dream: Memoir of a Social Worker?

My upcoming memoir is a personal/professional memoir that documents my own story growing up as a foster child in the Children’s Aid, and how I came to be interested and educated in the field of Social Work. It describes my thirty year career in the field as a psychotherapist with children, families, adolescents, adults and groups. I provide case studies and talk about the process of personal change and how social workers help people. I hope the book will be both of general reader interest, as well as being of interest to those considering a career in the great field of Social Work. I hope to publish this book through traditional publishing.

9) Where can readers get a copy of Reflections from Shadow?

People can contact me at mwatts.writer@yahoo.comto obtain a copy of Reflections from Shadow. I charge $23.00 including shipping – no tax. Alternatively, readers can order from Amazon.com or Trafford.com either in soft-cover or Kindle version but it will cost them close to $30.00 with taxes, shipping etc. This high price point is another down side that deters readership. The Kindle version is available from Amazon for under $10.00

Too few of us experience the epiphanies allowed to Jared Clarkson, but we all have the power to re-examine our roles in the universal collective. I thank Malcolm for speaking to us about his novel and for his frank comments on self-publishing. He can be reached through his website at www.authorsden.com/malcolmwatts.

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Introducing…Esther Gombor

raincloudbook — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:08:46 +0000

Hope. Happiness. Fulfillment. These are simple things to strive for yet they can be a struggle to attain. Toronto writer Esther Gombor teaches her clients to use ancient divinations to bring clarity to their lives and recognize the powers that show the path to contentment. She took the time talk to us about her book Fortune Telling with Gypsy Cards in the fourth installment of the “Introducing…” blog series.

Esther Gombor, author of Fortune Telling with Gypsy Cards

1) Tell us why you wrote Fortune Telling with Gypsy Cards.

Fortune Telling with Gypsy Cards was born to bring hope and clarity to those who desperately need answers. At times, it is difficult to see clearly what forces are swirling around us, and we long to know whether the path we have chosen will bring us happiness in the end. The book teaches us the ways to use the ancient divinatory tool of the Gypsy cards. As the cards always want the best for us, following their message will always lead us exactly to where we will be the happiest and most fulfilled. This book is the in-depth guide to our own bliss and wisdom.

2) What can one hope to achieve from reading your book and learning to use the Gypsy cards?

The book will bring the readers into the mystical world of card reading and divination. They will learn how the cards work and more importantly, what works and what does not work in divination. They will become the educated ones whose expectations of a card reading experience will be firmly rooted in knowing what is possible, and more importantly, what their responsibilities are as clients to make sure that the desired outcome indeed manifest. Naturally, they will also know how to read the cards and will know what and how to word their messages either to themselves or to others who need help.

3) Was there one particular moment in your life when you realized that Gypsy cards were a viable way of reading the future and connect to the invisible?

Yes, in fact, there was. Years ago, I was walking on the streets of Hungary and I saw a poster that advertised a seminar about psychic powers and their application in our daily life. As I had been always attracted to understanding mystical dimensions, I attended the lecture. Here, the lecturer spoke about magical theories, the role of fortune telling cards and other divinatory tools. The systemized presentation of these wonderful things was fascinating to me, and it inspired me to organize all that I had already known about the Gypsy cards.

Suddenly, I had a tool in my hands that went beyond ordinary perception. And since shortly after this a traumatic thing happened in my life that left me with no earthly understanding of the events that surrounded me, it became a powerful tool to connect to the invisible for insight, encouragement and comfort.

I befriended several card readers, and together we managed to penetrate invisible spheres for answers. All that was revealed to us materialized in the end in perfect form and timing.

Now I understand that that period of my time was a turning point in my life: the lecture opened to me a new world that I would equip me to cope with the obstacles that lay ahead. It propelled me to acquire new skills that would help me forecast events with precision and remove myself from the hardships of the physical until I got to my goal.

I see the Divine sequence in all this and have proudly integrated it into my life. This Divine intervention has put me on a completely new path in my life; a path that is truly mine and where I feel the happiest and the most fulfilled.

Since then, through the lives of my clients, I get confirmation every day that the Gypsy cards, when one truly listens to their messages, are indeed a viable way of reading the future and connect to the invisible.

4) You live in Toronto. Do you find that people in modern cities should be especially guided by the cards?

I find that people in big cities even more so should be in touch with their intuitive powers and trust their feelings. In big cities, this is bit of a work as life is fast-paced, emotions and business do not mix, and we are often encouraged to use reason as opposed to intuition. Hence our connection to our intuition and psychic powers are in constant process of erosion. The cards are an excellent tool to reawaken that lost force in all of us: our intuition and connection to our Higher Self. It is an invaluable divinatory tool that puts us all in contact with the most vulnerable and sincere core of ourselves. And knowing what energies the future brings and our role in the process does not hurt either.

5) Does one have to be concerned about possible conflicts with their faith when practicing card reading?

Absolutely not. Although my readings and interpretations are from a Christian angle, what is important to understand is that the cards are a universal tool to communicate with Divine powers. And those Divine powers can be of any faith.

Having said this, there is one thing to keep in mind though: all illustrated fortune telling cards are based on archetypal messages, which are ingrained behavioural patterns relevant to a particular culture. Therefore, it is not so much the faith that one has that matters but rather the cultural background that one was born into. The Gypsy cards have typically 19^th century western culture illustrations. Relating to these illustrations and the archetypal behaviour or sentiment they represent is not so much a matter of religious faith as of cultural background.

6) Tell us about the courses you offer in Gypsy card reading.

The courses are very popular. I teach courses for beginner, intermediate and advanced students. In the courses we learn the basics of symbolic thinking and discipline our brain to respect the confines of the layouts.

The courses are short and to the point. I want my students to practice the art of card reading as soon as possible. We do not linger for years but just right into it in order to awaken our clairvoyant powers at the same time. Strengthening our intuitive powers while learning about the cards is the best way to becoming a good card reader.

Some people say that with the courses I give away unique secrets and increase the competition around me. I say that no two people can read the cards the same way. The courses certainly give a strong foundation, but they don’t give personality. Some clients are attracted to one style, others are attracted to another style. There is room for everyone.

7) What’s next for Esther Gombor? Another book perhaps?

I am currently working on two books at the same time. One is a continuation of the first book. It offers more in-depth analysis of the cards and their role in our lives. It offers numerous sample readings, explores various layers of the cards and also talks about our connection to higher powers. The other is an artistic yet practical approach to the cards. This will be a unique surprise to all card readers around the world.

8) Do you have any parting words of hope for our readers?

Hope dies last, as they say. If the cards indicate that something good will happen, follow their advice and trust it. If they indicate that something negative is on its way, trust their message, follow their advice and avoid the darkness.

Always live in harmony with the energies around you. Don’t outdo them. You may win but at great sacrifices.

Is this a hopeful message? Perhaps not what you have expected, but on the long run, it can save you a lot of trouble. And that is as good as any hope.

The path to hope is before us. Sometimes we just need a roadmap. Thanks to Esther for speaking to us. She can be reached at http://www.gypsyfair.com/.

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Introducing…Liz Worth

raincloudbook — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 02:29:10 +0000

Liz Worth, Author of "Eleven: Eleven"

Toronto writer Liz Worth shows the world what most people hide with Louis Vuitton and papery smiles. She’s the author of the chapbook Eleven: Eleven and the upcoming tome Treat Me Like Dirt: An Oral History of Punk in Toronto and Beyond. She took the time talk to us about these and other projects in the third installment of the “Introducing…” blog series.

Eleven: Eleven

1) Tell us about your novel Eleven: Eleven.

I’ve always kept journals on and off throughout my life, writing in them more often during some periods than others. A couple of years ago I started looking through all the journals I’d kept between the ages of 13 and 20, because I was trying to decide if there was a point in holding on to them or not.

I definitely don’t look back on my teenage years as a happy time – I created, and consequently ran into, a lot of problems. Emotionally I was unstable, vulnerable. I always thought my memory of those years was pretty clear, but when I started reading these journals I was amazed by how much I’d actually forgotten, or chosen to ignore – it turned out to be an even darker time than I remembered.

A lot of what was documented was very painful, even embarrassing to some extent, but a lot of it was also very surreal. My friends and I had some strange days. Some of us were dabbling in the occult, so some of that got documented. I was also writing about dreams and nightmares I was having, so my journals captured a wide range of scenarios and images.

I wanted to turn these writings into something and began pulling out certain parts that really struck me hard. Fortunately I found myself between jobs in the spring of 2008 and that’s when Eleven: Eleven really came together. I didn’t have a plan or a plot, only that I wanted to combine poetry and fiction for a retelling of some of my earliest journal entries and went off from there.

The story turned into a massive collage of journal entries, some re-worked, some left as-is, fused with surreal poetics. I wouldn’t say it’s entirely autobiographical but there are things in there that did happen. A lot of people have asked if the character Maxine is based on a real person. She isn’t; with her I was aiming to personify suicide. But other characters were inspired by kids I used to know and hang out with when I was a teenager.

2) I watched you perform the surreal piece “Fox + Deer” as part of your performance duo, Packanimal. What inspired such a dreamy yet dramatic work?

Like a lot of my writing, “Fox + Deer” started off as a dream I had. In it a fox was chasing a deer through a red forest, but it was all very fragmented, the way dreams are. The same summer I had that dream I kept seeing a deer in a valley near my old place, and I felt very connected to that deer and the one in my dream, so I wrote it all down and it’s evolved into “Fox + Deer.”

3) Do you get your best ideas while awake, dreaming, or somewhere in between?

Ideas come to me at any time. While I do draw a lot of inspiration from dreams I also have ideas come to me out of nowhere throughout the day. I don’t force anything; I find my best ideas come when I’m just living my life, doing the smallest things like walking down the street or waiting to meet up with a friend. I also find I get my best ideas when I haven’t overextended my schedule – downtime is a very important part of the creative process. If my mind is too focused on multitasking there isn’t much time for it to play around.

4) Besides live readings, what other things are you doing to promote Eleven: Eleven and your poetry?

In terms of promoting Eleven: Eleven, I did send out a press release and some promo copies to independent and alternative media outlets. I think it’s really important to promote yourself, especially as a writer. A lot of people are happy just to get published, but you can’t stop there. Your work needs proof of existing beyond just being put on a page, and you need to promote yourself to make that happen.

Musicians do it all the time – pick up a copy of Exclaim! and you’ll see just how much ink is being given to music. Writers should aspire to have the same kind of drive for publicity, and push for the same kind of support from the media. It’s especially important to get yourself out there because writing is not a social process. You have to hide away for a couple years to get a manuscript completed, so you need to remind people that you’re around. Writers also have to work a little harder at it because reading takes a lot more effort for an audience than listening to rock n’ roll, but literature is just as important, and subversive, as music and should be promoted just as much.

Social media, small press fairs, and talking to strangers are also good ways to get the word out.

5) Have you ever been tempted to jump in a van and tour coast-to-coast with Packanimal, hitting every small town along the way?

Getting Packanimal out of Toronto is definitely something that I am working towards. I don’t know how well the project would go over in small town Canada, though. I don’t think we have enough blue collar appeal, so I don’t know if there would be enough exposure if we went too far out into the wild.

I always say go big or go home, and if we were going to go as big as to actually tour I would want to hit Europe. If you fail here, you’re failing in a haze of plaid shirts and Labatt Blue. I can go and hang out in my parents’ backyard on a Friday night if I want to do that. But if you fail in Europe, well, you’re in Europe so who cares?

6) You also work as a freelance journalist, appearing in the Toronto Star and Eye Weekly among other publications. What are your favourite topics to write about?

A lot of articles I write come from things that are going on in my life or in the lives of people around me. Some of my favourite articles to work on have been about finding a balance between a working life and a creative life; my generation’s fixation on personal fame; the impact of the internet on youth movements; and the ongoing cooptation of subcultures.

7) Can you describe one experience that affected you on a personal level so deeply that you had to express your feelings in a poem?

All of my writing is influenced by my reality, to varying degrees depending on the piece and the source of inspiration. A lot of incidents blend together, often leading into each other – I can’t separate them out because everything is connected, even if it was never meant to be.

Like when I was nine years old I sat in the backseat of a car while my grandmother threatened to kill herself by jumping out of the passenger door. We were driving along a country road and I remember seeing the gravel shoulder fly by as she held the door open. Another family member was at the wheel. They were having an argument. I don’t remember what it was about. The driver didn’t even bother slowing down the car. My grandmother eventually calmed down and we all got back home fine, but I’ve always wondered why we didn’t just pull over in the first place. Why did the car keep going? What had pushed my grandmother so far? That incident, and that question, are really distinct childhood memories for me and ones that I feel sum up a lot of experiences I’ve had internally and externally. That would be an example of an event that I feel ties to many more that have been influences in my writing.

Past drinking problems and insomnia have also driven a lot of my recent writings over the last year and a half. Dealing with them together left me feeling paranoid and run down and all kinds of shit was going through my head.

My poems don’t always tell of one incident, but often speak to a broader emotion, state of being, or combination of events.

8) What scares Liz Worth?

Boredom and routine.

9) What made you want to document the Toronto punk scene in your upcoming book Treat Me Like Dirt?

Sometime around 1999 I was at Canzine or some other indie press fair and saw this novel called 1978 by late Toronto writer Daniel Jones. The cover design attracted me first but I wasn’t totally sold on the synopsis. It was a punk rock novel set in Toronto, and dropped band names like Teenage Head and the Forgotten Rebels on the back. I knew of those bands but hadn’t actually listened to them yet.

Anyway, I kept seeing this book around at other book fairs and in bookstores. I couldn’t avoid it. And every time I saw it I would look at it, flip through it, and ultimately decide against buying it. This went on for a good six months until one day I was hanging out one afternoon, underemployed with not much to do, and I decided I needed something to read. I ended up down at Pages buying a copy of 1978.

Even though it’s fiction, 1978 made a lot of references to actual Toronto punk venues and local first wave punk bands like the Viletones and Diodes. The timing was great because a lot of these bands had had their recordings issued on CD in the ‘90s, so the music was easy to get.

I was very interested in the fact that Toronto had had a punk movement of its own and when I started listening to these bands I liked them right away. But even though their music was out on CD they were still very obscure. I couldn’t find out much about their history, not in print or online. A lot of these bands had only released small-run 7-inch singles and many of them had short careers, so they didn’t leave much behind. Even the bands that did get more of their music out on vinyl, like the Diodes and Teenage Head, still offered challenges when it came to learning much about their history.

I was always on the lookout for a book about Toronto punk history to come out, but it never happened. In 2006 I graduated from college and had been working as a freelance journalist for a few years already, and with school off my list of responsibilities I suddenly found my schedule was a lot more flexible. I had the time to take on a new project.

As a fan of these bands I wanted find out what happened with punk here in Toronto. I was tired of waiting for someone to put that story together and figured if no one else was going to do it then I would, so I did, and it became Treat Me Like Dirt.

10) Thanks for baring yourself to us. Any parting words?

Life’s too short to read bad books, so don’t do it.

Sage advice. Thanks to Liz for sharing her story with us. She can be reached at www.lizworth.com.

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Enter to Win a Personalized Copy of ‘Raincloud’

raincloudbook — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:33:39 +0000

Here’s the scoop: You can win a personalized copy of my novel delivered right to your door by clicking here. All you need to do is “vote” for Raincloud to qualify to win!

When voting, you’ll just need to rate the title, cover, and synopsis and leave a brief comment. It only takes a few seconds! And if you’ve already voted for Raincloud at the site, don’t fret, you’ve already been entered to win!

Why am I voting? Raincloud is currently competing for a spot on the Barnes & Noble Top 20 Bestsellers list. The more votes Raincloud gets, the better the chances of getting on the list. And you can win your very own signed copy, delivered right to your door!

Voting closes September 25th, 2009, but since you’re already here don’t delay. Visit www.tinyurl.com/voteRaincloud to vote and qualify for your chance at a personalized copy of Raincloud!*

Don’t miss the next installment of “Introducing…” featuring Toronto artist Liz Worth. Get a Free Subscription to this blog by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right.

Introducing…Tami McCandlish

raincloudbook — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:03:34 +0000

Welcome to the second installment of my “Introducing…” blog series, featuring indie authors, their craft, their struggles and achievements and, of course, their adventures in Social Media. This week we talk to Tami McCandlish, author of the autobiographical novel, Flying Grounded.

Tami McCandlish, author of 'Flying Grounded'

Tami McCandlish holds a B.A. in English and journalism from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Since the publication of her book, Tami has spoken to thousands of girls and has been featured on radio and television shows and in print media (including NBC4 Columbus, WOUB Athens, 90.9 fm Lancaster, 88.9 fm Lancaster and The Lancaster Eagle Gazette). McCandlish was born and raised in Fairfield County, Ohio and now serves as the Founder and President of The Triumph Organization, a Central Ohio based non-profit that is dedicated to dealing with female bullying through awareness, education, and tools that promote healthy communication and competition among girls and women.

1) What is Relational Aggression?

Relational aggression is also known as girl bullying. It is a form of emotional and psychological bullying that occurs when people (specifically girls and women) use their social relationships to hurt a targeted individual. Aggressors do this through tactics like alliance building, rumor-spreading, gossip, backstabbing, betrayal, silent treatments, name-calling, eye-rolling and dirty looks, lies and half-truths, manipulation, and many other indirect behaviors.

Flying Grounded

2) Flying Grounded touches on your real-life experience as a victim of this. Why did you choose to document such a painful episode in your life?

It was not easy reliving those memories every day as I sat in front of my computer, writing. There were times when I thought, “Should I really be telling everyone this?” But when I analyzed the honesty and consequences of my statements, I believed every component of my story was put in place not only to free myself from pain but to establish a voice for others who are or have been in similar situations.

My goal is to educate people and help change their perception about bullying. Many people view bullying as physical aggression, used primarily by boys. However, oftentimes social exclusion, silent treatments, rumors, and betrayal can hurt just as badly, if not more, than a punch in the nose. In documenting my experience, I hope to encourage others to expand their definition of aggression and to stop thinking of this behavior as simply jealous junior high school girls who will grow out of their meanness once they get to high school. I want girls to know they do not have to be defined by this (whether it is as a victim, aggressor, reactive-aggressor, bystander, or a mix of roles), that there are outlets to channel their emotions, and that there are ways to productively and effectively communicate and compete within their friendships and relationships without having to drag down another girl.

3) Did you have a specific audience in mind when writing Flying Grounded? When I was writing Flying Grounded I primarily had my hometown audience in mind. I knew my story might help girls in many places, but specifically, I wanted to positively impact the girls and people with whom I had had such unhealthy experiences with. However, changing the thought process of those in a rural, small-town has been very challenging.

Overall, my audience has responded positively. Although I find major resistance from schools when it comes to implementing educational programs, and although most of my main characters are still unwilling to open their hearts and participate in discussion about relational aggression and faith, I believe I have given my audience much to contemplate and act on in their own time.

4) How was the self-publishing experience?

In 2004, when I decided to write my book during my senior year of college, I asked my professors for guidance. They all cringed at the mention of supported self-publishing presses, and told me, “Go for the big, reputable publishers.” Tapping into the mainstream, New York publishing industry is easier said than done, though. I spent a year e-mailing and mailing query letters to agents and editors, and while I received many nice, encouraging rejection letters, no one seemed to be taking on new projects at that time. Because I felt an intense urgency to present my story to the public, I started exploring the option of supported self-publishing. My research led me to iUniverse, which seemed to be the best fit for me.

I know that some authors who publish traditionally don’t have much say-so in choosing their title, cover art, or marketing plan. Some don’t even get to see the last edit of their book. I couldn’t deal with that, and thankfully I didn’t have to.

I would definitely use supported self-publishing again, but next time I won’t make as much of an investment in the package. There were a few things that I eventually decided I shouldn’t have to pay for (like qualifying for literary awards).

5) What kind of promotional activities have you been doing to promote your book?

To promote my book, I use social networking (primarily Facebook and MySpace), and I do speaking engagements and run programs through my non-profit, The Triumph Organization, which is dedicated to dealing with girl bullying. Through Triumph, I have spoken to thousands of students and adults in Ohio in schools and communities. I have also been featured on local radio, television, and in print news.

6) Describe your ideal writing environment.

My ideal writing environment would take place on a warm summer evening into the late night (that’s when I’m most productive) with a gentle breeze floating through the open windows. I’m alone and at peace. Inspirational Christian rock or smooth jazz is softly playing in the background, but it’s quiet enough to allow imagery to jump alive. I have a relaxed desk environment with no papers, books or pens invading my space, or I am reclined in bed, propped up on a mound of pillows with a pillow-desk for my laptop. Oh, and a glass of iced tea is nearby.

7) Do you have another life, as in a career, other activities, etc.

In addition to writing, I work as a personal fitness trainer for my husband’s company, Elite Performance Enhancement Programs LLC. We conduct one-on-one and group fitness training as well as athletic performance training. I love exercising and enjoy being outdoors, traveling, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, reading, and spending time with my close-knit family.

8) What can we expect next from Tami McCandlish?

As soon as Flying Grounded was published, people asked me if I had started working on my second book yet. “Whew,” I thought. “Give me some time people!” It took me two-and-a-half years to complete the first one. I hear the first book is most difficult, so I’m happy to have that completed. I would like to publish again in the next three years. My mind is swirling with many ideas, but I know I would like to continue to write about relational aggression. Currently, I’m leaning toward with the topic of girl bullying on a collegiate level. So if anyone knows of young women who are willing to share their stories please send them my way!

9) Where can readers get a copy of Flying Grounded?

Flying Grounded can be purchased online at the following retailers: iUniverse, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

Thanks to Tami for sharing her story with us. Please visit her website and join the fight against Female Relational Aggression.

Richard S. Todd is the author of the critically-praised Raincloud: A Novel and holds talks on the self-publishing experience. He spends his time blogging and working on his next novel, The Orphans of the Creek.
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Rate Raincloud’s Cover and Synopsis!

raincloudbook — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:00:37 +0000

Hi everyone.

I would like to invite you to rate and comment on my novel Raincloud’s cover design and synopsis! Just go to www.tinyurl.com/voteRaincloud and click on the “Vote” button. It only takes a minute and your vote will really help me in the long run. Thanks a lot!

My next installment of “Introducing…” will be coming out soon, featuring Tami McCandlish, author of the autobiographical novel Flying Grounded. Don’t miss it.

Literally Yours,