A clear blue sky and warm inviting weather reigned supreme as prolific indie author Jacqueline ‘Jacquie’ H. Faber recently read three of her picture books to a group of children and adults at Sausalito Books By The Bay.
And what better way is there to begin than with the tale of SuperGoldfish when the view out the bookstore window is stocked with yachts, sailboats, and dinghies moored in a tranquil harbour.
Once SuperGoldfish discovers his super power (no spoiler here 🙂 you’ll Continue reading
In 2012 my husband and son had the great honor and pleasure of meeting with and filming zen master, global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh in conversation with Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk and old friend. They spoke about their common work for peace, the powers of love and gratefulness, freedom and the search for happiness, among other things. The young monks of Plum Village added their personal stories and the effect practicing mindfulness has had on their lives.
May Thich Nhat Hanh’s memory and teachings continue to inspire us
all the days of our lives.
The following quotes are a few of my favorites. Please feel free to share yours too…
When you begin to see that your enemy is suffering, that is the beginning of insight. Continue reading
Sanskrit translation:
May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
As it often happens when I choose a random animal subject from my photo library, it offers a message that strikes home. In this case Ram represents boldness, new beginnings, Continue reading
WARNING: This is not my usual punny Halloween vignette. Why? You’ll see…
Pale webs of blue veins, barely visible beneath their translucent skin, resemble a roadmap. Dead end alleys lead to narrow lanes, spill into broad streets, and widen into main thoroughfares.
The thoroughfare, in Ivy’s case at least, pulses with life. But just barely.
The interlacing design mirrors the fine, bone china tableware her father had shipped home from Denmark while on a business trip when she was nine. He said the pattern, Blue Fluted Royal Copenhagen, reminded him of her, his most precious child.
“How so?” she asked, wrapping her Continue reading
When you were a kid, did anyone ever stare up at the sky and refer to a crescent moon as God’s toenail clipping?
Or suggest to you the moon is made of green cheese?
I could understand swiss cheese. Maybe.
But roqufort?
No.
On evenings when the moon was full, did anyone ever point out the pocked face of a man and comment on how he was watching you?
Creeeeeepy!
Right?
Besides the peeping-tom heebie-jeebie effect, what Continue reading
…we are all that is, was, and ever shall be
gas, liquid, solid
bustling atoms bond,
breeding beings of
breath, blood, bone
a convergence of matter = a mass
of varied shapes, colors, sizes
furred, feathered, scaled,
petaled, prickly,
slick
we inhale
O2, CO2, H2O depending on our species
we exhale
vapour-trails stream from every bark, roar, tweet, yawn Continue reading
Last summer, teacher, mentor, and writer Greg Pattridge reviewed a newly released adventure story by the then 12-year-old Amy Zhao on his middle grade book based blog Always In The Middle.
In Greg’s words: “When I do dip into fantasy and magical realism, I hope for a unique plot with engaging characters, wildly imagined worlds, and a few crazy
creatures thrown in to spice things up. I got all three with THE LEGENDS OF PINENA-INVASION OF THE ALIENS.”
Intrigued further by Greg’s complete review and the fact that this was Amy’s latest book (yes…you read that right. Between the ages of 8 and 12 she had authored 4 adventure novels. Not to mention, also illustrating their covers) I immediately purchased the book. Honestly, it was Continue reading
Every writer has their own modus operandi when they begin a new project. Since my artistic abilities are rather lacking, I like to create a vision board. I browse magazines, scavenge for items in nature, snap photos, rifle through old family albums, and clip words of inspiration to pin to a wall in MY SPACE.
The somewhat odd collection reflects the setting, the mood, and circumstances that influence my cast of characters. A glance at the wall motivates me during the dry spells or keeps me going when I’m on a roll.
I am not a plotter, not yet anyway, so I need all the help I can get. Although Continue reading
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Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner 