The Cat’s
Meow
for Writers &
Readers Magazine®™
Not Your Typical
Electronic Magazine –
No links to “Read
more…”!
© OCTOBER – DECEMBER
2011
Issue 62, Vol.
11, ISSN #: 2237-65
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Hello my dear readers! Whoa has life been one crazy roller-coaster ride these past couple of years! But now life is returning to normal and I’m back to my regular routine since my husband returned to work this past June. I guess I should say: “as routine and normal as life can be when your spouse is still walking with a cane after having lung and ankle surgery…” Although my hubby is healing nicely, he does have slight nerve damage in his ankle and foot. Nothing the orthopedic surgeon can do about that, unless my husband wants to go through ankle surgery again (which he doesn’t!) so he’ll live with the nerve damage. The only thing that is abnormal and definitely not routine is that all of my documentation offline disappeared due to a hacker or hackers placing malicious viruses, spy ware and such on my computer after I had unknowingly clicked on a link that was on a facebook page. And because I had been way too busy nursing my husband back to good health, backing up my work was the last thing on my mind. Me bad! Luckily I am able to work with the documentation I had backed up before my hubby went in for his surgeries. Unluckily, I lost the entire August-October 2011 magazine that I had been working on; I had completed the issue and was just about to upload it to my site but failed to back it up (I made sure to back this one up!). However, after having my soulful cry I am prepared to soldier on. Hence this magazine issue. My work offline was of no value to those hackers so the jokes on them. Now all I ask is that my writers – new and established – re-submit their work and book cover photos if you do not see them in this issue. This way I can place them in the next issue. Thank you. Reminder: The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers now has its very own Fan Page on facebook! So if you like this magazine, “Like” its fan page too http://www.facebook.com/catsmeowfor
I’m also happy to introduce a
friend’s free monthly newsletter to you …
“Splash of
Inspiration”
Published By
Janet Perez Eckles, Author and Inspirational Speaker
JANET’S DAILY
NEWSLETTER BRINGS YOU FAITH & LOVE WITH A LATIN FLAIR!
To subscribe to Janet Perez Eckles’
newsletter just send a blank email to: jeckles@cfl.rr.com
Write “Subscribe” in your subject
line and mention that Rosanne Catalano, publisher of The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers
Magazine, referred you. Janet will
immediately send you her latest issue right in your inbox. Enjoy her inspiring
newsletter!
* * * * *
*
My writing
contributors have other news to share with you…
FROM CAROL
ROACH,
AUTHOR,
PUBLISHER AND FREELANCE WRITER:
Rosanne, please tell your readers
about my three wonderful columns at examiner.com :
First
column
Women's
Issues
- covers all issues relating to women's lives, from the fight for
women's
rights which started over 100 years ago in
Alberta, Canada, to all the great women's achievements in the USA, the
feminist
movement, women's legal, health, family
issues and more, later on I will incorporate eastern women's issues as well.
http://www.examiner.com/x-47386-Montreal-Womens-Issues-Examiner
Second
column
Health - covers all aspects of health from
disease and conditions to most recent medical studies, to warning against
certain drugs and pharmaceutical drug recalls.
http://www.examiner.com/x-38644-Montreal-Health-Examiner
Third
column
Mental
health - covers everything pertaining to
psychology, psychiatry, self
improvement, theories about behavior and why we
do the things we do and a lot more.
http://www.examiner.com/x-33888-Montreal-Mental-Health-Examiner
The articles are all well researched
and, as you know, my field is psychology – I have a Masters in counselling
psychology. The articles are also great for Storytime Tapestry members who do not want to
wait for when the story is finally published in Storytime Tapestry, sometimes
several months later.
* * * * *
*
FROM JOSEPH
J. MAZZELLA,
AUTHOR AND
WRITER:
Dear
Friends,
I have good news. The Hardcover
edition of my book ‘Walking the Path of
Love’ is now available in addition to the Paperback edition at both Amazon and now Barnes &
Noble online sites. Thanks again to all of you who have
purchased a copy. You have helped make this writer's dream come true!
Wishing you every joy, Joe.
* * * * *
*
FROM ROGER
DEAN KISER,
AUTHOR AND
CHILD ADVOCATE:
Author Roger Dean Kiser’s Child Advocate Office website is
http://thewhitehouseboys.com/AmericanOrphan/americanorphan/index.html
* * * * *
*
FROM
VICTORIA GROSSACK AND ALICE UNDERWOOD,
OWNERS OF
TAPESTRY OF BRONZE.COM:
The Tapestry of Bronze
website wants to tell you about the “Odes to Olympians”, a poetry
contest featuring Artemis (Diana).
There is a $50 prize for those 18 and older and
another for those under 18. The contest may be entered until November 30,
2011 and it costs nothing. To learn more
about the contest, go here: http://www.tapestryofbronze.com/OdeForm.html
Please share this with your
colleagues and students! Thanks.
-- Victoria Grossack and Alice
Underwood; Tapestry of Bronze.com
Owners
* * * * *
*
Go to Filbert Publishing today to pick up your copy
of Beth Ann Erickson’s helpful ebook, “101 No Cost or Low Cost Techniques to Turbo
Charge Your Freelance Income”! She offers a ton of excellent advice on
how to earn more than pennies for your freelance
writing.
Also check out the “Helpful Links for
You” page on this site for other interesting, fun websites, and literary
journals and magazines!
Now please welcome my many writing
contributors; some new, some established who have written short stories, poems,
essays and helpful informative articles for you. If you like what they have
written, do let them know by email or by visiting their websites. [Authors’
email addresses or websites are listed in the “About the Author” bios.] My
contributors love hearing from you.
See you all in the New Year …. Until
then, I’ll be writing more in my next book which, as you know, is my
1st fiction novel, and I’ll be celebrating the Thanksgiving,
Christmas and New Year’s holidays with family and friends. Have a wonderful
holiday season!
Copyright ©
October-December 2011 Rosanne Catalano.
Cat’s Rule, Dogs
Drool
BIRTHDAY
& ANNIVERSARY WISHES CORNER!
Happy
Birthday
To:
Jim V.
Catalano
Birthday: September
11
Steven
Umland
Birthday: September
20
Helen
Dowd
Birthday: September 29
Joseph J.
Mazzella
Birthday: September
29
Dorby
Saffrin
Birthday: September
30
Sandra L. Hoynacki
Birthday: October 5
Dawn
Schoene
Birthday:
October 7
John
Umland
Birthday: October 17
Patience AubreyAnna
Spargo
Birthday:
October 20
Connie
Kaso
Birthday: November 6
Jean
Macedonio
Birthday: November 17
Shirley
Shar
Birthday: December
10
Vinny C.
Catalano
Birthday: December
11
Rosalee
Wilson
Birthday: December
20
Rose
Petrozza
Birthday: December 21
David
Fox
Birthday: December 23
May all your
Birthday wishes come true!
Happy
Anniversary
To:
Heidi and DeLinn
Spargo
Anniversary: October
17
Rosalee and W. David
Wilson
Anniversary: November 19
To see your birthday and / or
anniversary wishes here,
email
Rosanne with your name (first & last, or just first name)
birth-day (year is optional)
and date of anniversary (again, year
is optional).
COFFEE
HOUSE 4 READERS CORNER!
Bringing You Stories,
Poems, Haikus, Essays, and Flash Fiction
For Your
Jogging to the Beat
of
By
Ronald Estrada
I was going baa (“crazy” in Thai), having sat in my
condo for two days watching local coverage of the government finally storming
the Red Shirts encampment. Have you ever listened to important news in a foreign
language, without English subtitles, for hours on end—seeing gruesome,
action-packed pictures but not understanding what was being said? Maddening
after awhile, believe me. Occasionally when my Thai girlfriend, who was “glued”
to the television, left the room, I would switch to CNN and BBC for some news in
English, but usually this coverage was not as current or
accurate.
The good news was that the Thai
government was finally removing this thorn from its side, but what followed was
not predicted—urban guerilla warfare. After the successful assault on the Red
Shirts encampment by the Thai army, frustrated protesters and terrorists fled
and turned to burning buildings and disrupting traffic all over
Bangkok.
I just had to get out of my condo.
There was no way around this. For the last two days, no jogging for me and the
fitness center had been closed. I had gone from jogging daily to none for two
whole days. Desperation was setting in. So I told my girlfriend that I was going
jogging, and she said: “you baa.” And then she tells me, besides
being dangerous, that in just two hours there would be a curfew for all of
I first ran about 2-km to my favorite
place—a beautiful park with a 2-km track around a large lake. Such a beautiful
and peaceful park to rock & roll, it is truly paradise for a runner. What I
did not realize was that this park was much closer to the Red Shirts camp. In
fact, I was not thinking, for all I wanted to do was RUN. As I entered the park,
I was surprised to see soldiers, maybe 200, camped and resting next to the lake.
But did that stop me? No way, for I was determined to run my usual 6 kilometers.
Ironically, as I passed the soldiers
something was not right. They were giving me the weirdest stare, maybe as if to
say: you baa! Just a few minutes down the track and I
understood more, much more, for suddenly I could hear sporadic gunfire and
blasts not far away. I could tell now that the soldiers were on edge. Now I felt
like ducking as I was jogging and began to experience fear for the first time.
Memories started flashing through my
mind of the good old days in the Marine Corps running with my M-16. I was no
longer missing my girlfriend, but I sure was missing that M-16 slung on my back!
I suddenly felt the need for a weapon. And without my weapon, I felt naked,
exposed, and vulnerable. One quick lap at the park and back towards my condo I
flew—never looking back. As I was
returning to what I thought was safer territory, I heard my girlfriend’s
admonition again: you baa!
On my return route, I found myself
running hard and hugging the tall buildings, a natural instinct to avoid gunfire
and stray bullets. I was no longer
enjoying the run, for my thoughts had turned to survival and to getting back
home. As I rounded a corner, next to the elevated Sky train, I saw smoke and
fire. Now what? Someone had set up a burning street blockade of tires and bamboo
in downtown
With gun fire and blasts no longer
being heard and fire and brimstone behind me, I started to feel safe again.
Should I return home or finish my run? Hell yes, I had survived so far, and luck
was with me. I did not have an M-16, but I could sure run like the wind, and for
some unexplained reason, I was running GREAT. Wow, what a high! Baa or not, I just had to push the
envelope and run more.
At this point, for safety concerns, I
picked a block near my condo to lap a few times. As I was running, a red pickup
truck with red flashing lights approached. What is this, I thought? Amazingly, it
turned out to be a Thai fire truck with three firemen fully dressed in fire
outfits standing in the back. These men looked tired with black soot on their
faces and a fire hose at their feet, leaving them no room to move. As I saw this
truck, I prayed that my condo was not on fire, for it did not make me feel very
safe. And then I realized how lucky I was, even while jogging in these uncertain
times. I was doing what I love: jogging, and I was doing it where I love:
It was eerie running because these
usually busy streets were nearly deserted. Usually at 6:45 p.m. they are packed
with cars, motorbikes, and pedestrians. The few people on the sidewalks now were
just standing still. Some were looking down the street towards where I had just
come from, as the smoke billowed from the burning tires. Others were looking
into the sky at the numerous helicopters circling. It was an uneasy calm,
something that I had never experienced in this city of ten million. Most shops
were closed by now, even many restaurants and massage parlors. I began to wonder
if they knew more than me, since the local news here is ONLY in
The Thais have an interesting
attitude towards joggers. I have seen it many times and heard it as well. They
say: “you are strong.” In
Baa or not, strong or not, eerie as it
was, I ran like I had not run in a very long time, not since my days of running
at Marine Corps Recruit Depot,
AUTHOR’S
NOTE:
On May 19, the Thai government
reclaimed its streets from the Red Shirts protesters. An overnight curfew was
immediately placed in effect and was subsequently lifted on May 29. Since then,
life has returned to normal in
Copyright © 2010 Ronald Estrada
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
RONALD ESTRADA is a retired-American professor, CPA,
and entrepreneur now residing in
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Closer to
Home
By
Joseph J.
Mazzella
Author of “Walking the Path of
Love”
It was near the end of summer in my
16th year. I was riding gloomily in the back seat of a large van
heading down an endless interstate. I was at the end of a two week road trip
with several other teenagers to visit a seminary college in
I glanced out my window and suddenly
my heart leapt up. There in the distance I could see them: the beautiful
mountains of my home. After days and days on the dry, brown plains I finally saw
the green hills that I grew up around again. As we got closer and closer to
those glorious
Looking back on that memory makes me
wonder what it will be like when I finally return to my true home. Even for the
longest life this world is just a temporary residence. It is a place that we
learn, love, and grow in but it isn’t really home. Our true home lies beyond
this world and its love, light, joy, and beauty are beyond my words to describe.
Our true home is Heaven, it is where our family awaits us, and it is where our
spirits all long to be.
Until I reach that blessed place,
though, I will do my best to enjoy each day of life’s journey here. I will do my
best to use every moment to get a little closer to home. I will do my best to
travel through life with a loving heart, a joyous smile, and a giving spirit. I
will do my best to keep God in my soul until the day when my soul returns to
God.
Copyright © 2011 Joseph J. Mazzella
____________________________________________________
o
A Few More George
Bailey’s
By
Joseph J.
Mazzella
Author of “Walking the Path of
Love”
o
o
Sometimes blessings come wrapped in strange packages. I got one today
when a fiber optic cable somewhere got cut accidentally. This caused my cable to
be out for most of the day and sent me to my dusty old collection of DVD’s to
find something to watch as I cleaned up the house. The one I found myself
pulling out was the old Christmas classic, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. At first it
seemed strange watching this movie in the middle of spring but after a while I
found myself putting the chores aside and sitting down to enjoy it once again.
The powerful story of George Bailey, a common man who spent his
life helping others touched my heart. George’s kindness and character helped me
to see again just what it means to live a good life in this world. Mr. Potter’s
meanness and greed on the other hand reflected all that is wrong with our
society today. I found myself aching with George as he saw how terrible the
world would be without him. I found myself praying along with him as he asked
God to please let him live again. I found myself laughing and cheering too as
the movie came to its beautiful ending. I even found myself singing along in its
last minutes as George was surrounded by his family and friends in a room
overflowing with love and joy.
This blessing of a movie made me think that this world could use
a few more George Bailey’s and a lot less Mr. Potter’s in it. This world needs
to see again that people are more important than profits; that kindness is more
valuable than cash; that friends and family mean more than stocks and bonds, and
that goodness and love are the greatest riches of all.
I wish all of you a wonderful life. May you live a life that
makes God smile; May your days overflow with kindness; May your heart be full of
love; May your actions always help others, and may you get the chance to help an
angel earn their wings.
Copyright © 2011 Joseph J. Mazzella
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
JOSEPH J.
MAZZELLA is an author and writer who was
born, raised and still lives in the mountains of
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
October’s
Child
By Sandra
L. Hoynacki
Author of “Purple Latches”,
“Whispers From the Ledge”
and “On
Call”
She walked across the stage, her head
held high
He observed from the shadows as she walked by
her green eyes
flickering as candles in the rain
``````````
He'd found her drifting inside her
own clime
A dim silhouette within a gallery of time,
scribbling ink
black words across lavender pages
``````````
She was a rainy day child, twined in
disarray
having paper plate dinners, sipping café au lait
He spoke of
himself as Darth Vader's seventh son
``````````
A sea of gowns and top hats took
their places
wearing pious smiles on roadmap faces
How she wished he
could see her now
``````````
Bemused, he observed the smile on her
face
as he watched her travel from an icy place
to remove her covering
of midnight
Enfant d'octobre.
Copyright © August
11, 2011 Sandra L. Hoynacki
____________________________________________________
Toffee Colored
Leaves
By Sandra Lee
Hoynacki
Author of “Purple Latches”,
“Whispers From the Ledge”
and “On
Call”
Fall
paints the world in toffee-colored leaves
A pumpkin's candled grin will always please
Lazy river cruises
tinged in frames of ease
Add tapestries of color for an esthetic
weave
A gentle
splattering of amber, knitting changes for all
Scarecrows in pilgrim hats share scenes of fall
Where haystacks are
hiding behind the garden wall
Fiddle playing farmers at a Country Music Hall
Somewhere
in the distance, before closing of day
The smell of burning leaves, aromatic bouquet
Marshmallows
roasting, a bale of fresh hay
A cruise along the river paints a fall get-a-way
While
sipping hot cider, hot chocolate or hot tea
Or cruising on a river boat where images are free
There's nothing
quite like it, just peek and you'll see
The paintings of God, abounding land and sea
Le caramel a coloré des
feuilles.
Copyright
© 2011 Sandra L. Hoynacki
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
A resident of
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As the Seasons
Swiftly Change
By Cynthia
Groopman
It was last spring when
the joy of the majesty of renewal
evoked my heart to dance and sing
I looked up and opened my
eyes,
there was a big
surprise
Quickly spring changed into the
summer season
Oh, what a beautiful
reason
Birds flew by
The sun was smiling high in the vast
clear blue sky
Grass so green,
created a picturesque summer
scene
I looked up and what did I
see,
Autumn leaves falling from the
trees
Their colors were so radiantly
bright
What a pleasure in God's
sight
As the seasons change so
quickly,
So did the cycles of
life
People grew older each and every
year
Children were
born;
their futures were
promising like the little acorn.
Painful moments replaced the youthful
cheer
Loved ones so cherished and so dear
passed on
to the spiritual land of
eternity
Ah, as the seasons change so
quickly,
I sigh
I shed a tear and also
cry.
Why are the seasons and life in
a state of transition?
Can't they have a permanent
position?
I cannot question, as you can
see,
For the Lord God dwells so high
eternally.
Copyright © 2011
Cynthia L. Groopman
__________________________________________________
Jay’s
Laughter
By Cynthia
Groopman
Jay had a laugh so cute as a
child
He would giggle and his eyes of blue
would sparkle
His smile was so warm like the
summer's day sun
Oh his laugh was indeed a joy to
listen to and full of love and fun.
As he grew
Jay's laugh was enriching and smiling
like his dancing eyes of blue
There were times when Jay's laughter
would cause a sad heart to sing,
or the bells of merry thoughts to
rejoice and ring
As an adult
especially in the past few
years,
Jay's laughter was few and far
between
I really did not understand his
emotionally changing scheme
The last day I had the joy of having
him in my life, which was nine week's ago,
Jay's laughter was full of the
sunshine's golden glow
Now I can hear his laughter in my
mind's ear;
filling a heart that still grieves
with reassuring cheer.
Reply
Copyright © 2011
Cynthia L. Groopman
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
CYNTHIA L.
GROOPMAN is a poet and writer who became a
Senior Writer at “Storytime Tapestry Ezine”, an internet-based daily ezine,
shortly after submitting her work to the publisher (Carol Roach) on December 31,
2006. When not writing, Cynthia volunteers her time at a Senior Center in
Queens, New York, and recently won an honorary Police Precinct Civilian
Observation Patrol (114th Civ-OP) Presidential Award. She received
this Award in March 2007 at the
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Absent
Sunshine:
Winter, you are
cold
By Sharon
Siegel
Crisp, frigid
air
Hands meet
pockets
Chills sent down my
spine
Winter, you are
cold
Puddles on the
sidewalk
Ready to freeze
over
I see palm trees
ahead
But I feel
winter
Gusts of
winds
Whirling through the
air
Leaves
fluttering
Through the heavy
breeze
Iciness in my
veins
Under grey, gloomy
skies
Numbness takes
over
Winter, you are
cold
Put me back
inside
Place me by the
fire
These palm trees are not
inviting
Winter, you are
cold.
Copyright © August
2011
____________________________________________________
By Sharon
Siegel
The
radiator
Hums in the
bedroom
Sunlight has
not
Graced the
yard
Time passes and we
wait
Green
grass
Through the panes of
time
Bright rays have
not
Delivered themselves
upon
The untouched
land
Rusty
Sundial
Cold in the
ground
No shine, No
shadows
Rendered
useless
When time stands
still
This dusty
room
Lonely
inside
Clock on the
wall
Ticking and
waiting
For what is
missing.
Copyright © August
2011
____________________________________________________
Inside the
Cellar
By Sharon
Siegel
It is cold inside the
cellar
It is safe inside the
cellar
Peaceful, comfortable,
alone
It is cramped inside the
cellar
It is dark inside the
cellar
Protected, sheltered,
alone
It is still inside the
cellar
It is fine inside the
cellar
No need to see beyond the cellar
door.
Copyright © August
2011
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
SHARON
SIEGEL is a
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
All I’ve Ever
Wanted
By Bobbi
Sinha-Morey
when my heart has softened
overnight
and dark thoughts have been erased
so that I now see a new page of my
skin.
The secret is in forgetting
what
has been lost and dusting off
antique
promises that have come to an
end
I dream the impossible,
Wrapped in the coolness of
April
as pleasure floats in and I'm
reminded of the will to survive
the deliberate choice to
breathe
the freshness of life
in
Love is inescapable and it's all
I've
ever wanted as the day peacefully
passes by
stirring me gently
within.
Copyright © 2010
Bobbi Sinha-Morey
____________________________________________________
A Time for
Healing
By Bobbi
Sinha-Morey
In the rhythm of daylight emptiness
spills into my
soul now that you're gone I feel it
echo deep inside
You left me with loneliness, a vessel
in my breast
I could spend my life trying to fill,
for you were a part of me
and now I am single. My body and mind
slowly find the time to heal
Paper shadows that once clung to my
home walk away on their own
and the wind has grown
sweeter
I love the way stars arc into
darkness, and I love the melting of wings.
If you were here we could listen to a
night bird gaily sing
and, as I bind myself to this world,
I find that knowing you
was a
blessing.
Copyright © 2010
Bobbi Sinha-Morey
____________________________________________________
Without
You
By Bobbi
Sinha-Morey
Alone in my bed I fastened
myself to the sound of rain
thrumming against my window like
impatient finger-
tips, waiting for you to return;
hoping the last words
I heard from you were for
real
A silent prayer remains on my lips.
There is nothing quieter
than the pale winter light and the
unbroken faith I had in
your innocence. I wish you would come
back to
stay, wish I could borrow the sun to
lead you right here
I'm unused to the hours spent without
you, yet I still
have the letter you gave me after
you'd left. You said I
was the only one in your life. I long
to be held once
again close to your
chest.
Copyright © 2011
Bobbi Sinha-Morey
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
BOBBI SINHA-MOREY is a reviewer
for the online magazine “Specusphere”
and has done well over one hundred
reviews. In addition, she is a published poet. Her poetry has appeared in a
variety of places such as “The Houston
Literary Review”, “Gloom Cupboard”, “Touch: The Journal Of Healing, Recovering
The Self”, “Amulet”, “Poet's Haven”, “Pirene's Fountain”, “Einstein's Pocket
Watch”, “Poetic Monthly Magazine”, “Oak Bend Review”,
and “Bellowing Ark”, among others. Plus her
latest book of poetry, “Petals Of
Starlight”,
is available at www.writewordsinc.com, as well as her other
books of poetry. Bobbi is also a member of the
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Devine
Intervention
By Conrad
S. Cardinal
Our future uncertain, no answers in
view
What can we say, what can we do?
Our wants are ignored; they
say they know best
They’ve pushed to the limit, we find no
rest
Truth, evasive as a shadow in
the night
It’s impossible to tell wrong from right
Political posturing does more
harm than good
Easy to see their not doing all they
could
We hope and pray for Divine
intercession
The cure for our ills is Devine
intervention.
Copyright © 2011
Conrad S. Cardinal
____________________________________________________
Yes, God Will
Forgive You
By Conrad
S. Cardinal
There are those folks that believe
they’ve done some things that God couldn’t possibly forgive them for. There
are also those that seem to think it doesn’t matter what they do because God
forgives all of the mistakes we make. These two thoughts are certainly at
either end of the spectrum. Perhaps we’ve drifted so far from the path that
many no longer understand what the scripture is teaching
us.
II Corinthians 5:17 says:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold all things are become new.” Also Hebrews 8:12 says: “For I
will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their iniquities will I remember
no more.” I believe these two scriptures give the answer to both
thoughts.
There is a prerequisite to
our receiving forgiveness. Jesus made a sacrifice, in our behalf, which
made it possible for us to attain forgiveness. This isn’t something we can
earn, Jesus has become our advocate and through Him we are granted God’s
grace. Though it can’t be earned, we must be willing to do our
part. We must accept the advocacy of Jesus, we must be willing to admit and
confess our transgressions and we must begin living the kind of life that will
be pleasing to God. I believe this confession should be made to God in
prayer. This also means not doing the unacceptable things we’ve done in the
past.
For most of us these
requirements will not be easy to accomplish, however, because Jesus realized
this we have been given all the help we need if we will accept it. The Holy
Spirit has been placed within our reach if we open our hearts and our minds to
His influence. To me this means that we have been given the power to make
incredible changes in our lives. Once again, though this can’t be earned,
we must do our part. We must do all of the above and we must stay in
contact with God through prayer. Along with prayer, reading scripture and
praying for enlightenment will help to focus us on the good things. It’s
amazing how, through these steps, love, compassion, forgiveness and the like
begin to blossom in our lives. You may ask, do you expect me to be
perfect? None of us has the ability to achieve perfection; however I
believe our willingness to make these changes and our heartfelt commitment
carries us a long way. What needs to be understood is that God loves us and
wants us to succeed.
Another fact that we must
understand is that God cannot look upon sin. So if we wish to stand in His
presence and receive forgiveness and salvation we must become sinless. Can
I explain all the workings of this process, no, but I believe that as we
progress through this life, doing all we can, Jesus makes things come out
right.
I like to use this analogy to explain
things. Jesus not only talked the talk, He also walked the walk. So, we
too, must talk the talk and walk the walk.
Copyright © 2011
Conrad S. Cardinal
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
CONRAD SETH CARDINAL
is a retired-Licensed Preacher and Associate Pastor, a poet, and a writer who
was born in Brooklyn , New
York in the USA Las Vegas , Nevada in the USA
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Night of a
Vampire
( A dramatic reading
)
By Arthur
C. Ford, Sr.
Nightfall,
Nocturnally obsessed-
Condemned with the pictorial
movement of a
saber-tooth
Garment, weaved by a widowed spider
presiding in the most ancient of
corners
flaring in the air
microns from the epidermis
never touching the body-
a hollow
body.
Perpetually smiling-
Inexperienced in
mourning
Noncarnivorous, nonvoracious,
but sustaining a nettle
suctioning
appetite.
Defying sound
with a wicked, silent
prowl
A gelid touch prerequisites
drainage.
Returning,
to a cussed, caved coffin
wrapped in gossamers,
or to the deepest alleys
of downtown's
abyss,
then Daybreak.
Copyright © 2009
Arthur C. Ford, Sr.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
ARTHUR C. FORD, SR. was born and
raised in New Orleans,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rose
Enchantments
By Deborah
Anne Shepard
Author of “The Pages of
Time”
Slumbering dance of Rose Enchantments
Breathtaking view of thine
soul
With divine sprits we call to each other in sleep
Roses filled each
pillar, awaiting each memorable kiss to keep
Slumbering concerto, cellos kiss
Willed spirits open voyage
to take
Each beautiful embrace tender
All for the soul auras to
remember
Slumbering tunes, each violin strings embark
The Aston seas
fill glide in heavens lock
Marvels in symbols love
Watching each tender
glance, softly gliding from above.
Copyright © 2010
Deborah Anne Shepard
____________________________________________________
Orbs
By Deborah
Anne Shepard
Author of “The Pages of
Time”
Almost
hidden laced gems
Everlasting wings in silvery hem
Lost with all hearts
desires, ascend memoirist
Laced strings, Azure hypnotic rose, billowy clouds
dreams
Everlasting astral sights , with carefree
delightfulness
Another blessing when I seek your eyes
Our innovation ,
chanting incarnation
I feel the wings lilacs whispers
With heavens choir ,
our souls age, kiss me
Angels guide the roses of attire
Age old
desires
Kindness wonderer’s gifts of the heart
with my espied wings. I
soar to heights unknown even to me
Iridescent rings softly surround each orbs
light.
Copyright © 2010
Deborah Anne Shepard
____________________________________________________
Gypsy
Love
By Deborah
Anne Shepard
Author of “The Pages of
Time”
I
caught glimpse of my lover last night, playing to em from the magical black
moon, He came to me in my dreams
I felt his tender kiss upon my neck, and
never will forget that magical night in his arms
High above all sanity and
storms of affirmed love
I called to him, he came
He who carried my
soul…our music repertoire begins
Gypsy love, you came in to me haunting dreams last night
My
softest green eyes to tease my soul
You take me dancing one candle my the
other
We lay near breathes of Celtic moon, haunting
soft essence vanilla
heather near by
The salty air instep hidden gems
The blackened magical
night, borrowed heighten love
Soft embrace as you held me close lithe folds
your masculine arms
I felt us in another land
You
tenderly gazed in my eyes, I felt no lies
Lied in the heavens rolled through
each sunset You carried me whilst dancing hand to cheek to the tango of lovers
musical concertos; Alone as the edge of the moon lifted we moved slowly to it
It bowed and scooped us in hits swirling crystal lights
Forever I could
feel his heart trio to mine
Allis quite, The night is aglow
Illuminate was
ours
Timeless a glow’s
Soft
sprinkling across the sands of time we drifted in each others arms
Lanterns
of the skies were the pathway as other dancers joined us
Light shining as we
did one each petal of the flowering plumes
The moons seemed to envelope with
desires
All precious I could feel his tender kiss, and smiles
Gleaming
the moon parted and set each lover in canopy across the silvery stars, where we
lay to bask in each others arms, loving reaching, clasped in time to find true
love.
Copyright © 2010
Deborah Anne Shepard
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
DEBORAH ANNE SHEPARD is an author, a poet and a
teacher who lives in Carmel, California, USA, with her husband who was in the
military for 25 years and their son. Deborah says: “My background is French,
English and Native American Cherokee.” She attended elementary school in
"My
poems tell the story of dreams. We have the beauty of traveling into them to
give us belief, hope and life…With our dreams we can soar to our goals in
life…awakening our heart to feel with each stance a glimmer of beauty of the
heart…" ~~Deborah Anne Shepard.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A Frog Trying to
Figure the Sky
By A.J.
Huffman
I long to distinguish
myself
from the sea of me’s
Treading water to keep
up,
I count my fingers and
toes
Hoping to find something
that will tag me
special
Something that will let me
shine
inside this wave of faceless
nothings
But there is nothing
I am perfectly average
Nothing extra
I am not a witch
My head is still intact
I close my
eyes
Sit back in dead man’s
float
Tomorrow is always
coming
Maybe I’ll be different
in its light.
Copyright © 2011 A.J. Huffman.
____________________________________________________
Death’s Twin
Stars
By A.J.
Huffman
This mirror has two
faces
One side wears yours
One side wears
mine
Like a coin
We flip in the night
Landing head over tail
Tail over head
Doesn’t
matter
As long as it remains
A dream
neither of us cares to
win.
Copyright © 2011 A.J. Huffman.
____________________________________________________
Making a
Scene
By A.J.
Huffman
She stood at the top
of the stairs
Arms spread
like a butterfly
suspended
in a web
But the look in her eyes
was different;
Lighter
than the stars
Falling
behind her
hair
In the wind
her feet
gladly traded
for the ledge.
Copyright © 2011
A.J. Huffman
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
A.J. HUFFMAN is a poet and freelance
writer living in Daytona Beach,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HELPFUL
NONFICTION ARTICLES
Where articles with
helpful information & tips of all kinds can be
found!
Suicide Prevention
Week
By Carol
Roach
Author of “Picking Up the
Pieces: One Woman’s Journey”
and “Angels Watching Over
Me”
According to the most recent
statistics on suicide rates in
In 2008, 1103 individuals ended
their lives by suicide in the
It is much easier
for people in
This week is
Dr. Brian Mishara who is a psychology
professor at the University of Quebec at Montreal and co-founder of the suicide
prevention association, Suicide-Action Montreal, states that there are many
reasons that could explain the drop in the suicide rate including overall higher
employment rates and better access to support and suicide awareness
programs.
Other experts are saying that the
suicide prevention campaigns have had a large impact on the drop in suicide
rate. Twenty years ago there were only a handful of suicide prevention centers
in
The suicide teen
rate has dropped by 12 percent each year in the last 10 years. However, men between the ages of 20
and 40 are the in the highest at risk group in the province. Sadly to say
primary cause of death among men of this age group is
suicide.
The spokesperson for
the National prevention week, Nicholas Canuel, maintains the reason the rate
among men is so high as compared to woman is because women tend to talk about
their problems whereas men leave it all bottled up inside. They do not seek out
help. They are caught up in a culture where they must maintain a macho
image.
The good news is that even the
suicide rate for this high risk group is on the decline by about 4 percent per
year.
The
1-866-APPELLE
(277-3553).
Sources:
Suicide Prevention Week Marks 20
Years
Continue reading on
Examiner.com Suicide prevention week - Montreal Mental Health |
Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/mental-health-in-montreal/suicide-prevention-week#ixzz1aZLThwtU
Copyright © February 2010 Carol
Roach.
____________________________________________________
Happy Birthday Anne
Frank
By Carol
Roach
Author of “Picking Up the
Pieces: One Woman’s Journey”
and “Angels Watching Over
Me”
One of the most important figures of
the Nazi era was a young girl by the name of Anne Frank. She was a just an
ordinary teenager and had hopes and dreams like any other teenager of her day and
future generations to come. The only trouble was that she was Jewish during the
Nazi era and that fate meant death. Death to young innocent girls and boys and
Jewish people; six million of them who were herded off to concentrations camps,
imprisoned, starved, worked to death, and experimented on in the most vilest of
ways. Then burned in the furnaces, and discarded like garbage. Human lives, not
worth a thing to their nazi oppressors.
What did Anne Frank do that warranted
such hatred? What did any of the Jewish people do that was so bad, what did any
of the 40 million combined people of all races that were exterminated during
those horrible times do?
They did not belong to the master
race, the dream that monster by the name of Adolf Hitler dreamed up. Maybe he
should have exterminated himself for his was a dark haired Austrian by birth. He
too did not qualify for his dream of the Aryan super
race.
History does repeat itself, the shoah
(Holocaust) was not the only atrocity to humankind, it still goes on in various
countries today. World dictators commit atrocities and genocide and the world
looks on hardly blinking an eye. Human nature is such that if it is not
happening to you then it is not important. So what it is happening to Africans
or Serbians, or Albanians, Cambodians and so on? The list is way too long to
include every country that has witnessed such crimes against
humanity.
In the grand scheme of things human
life is worthless.
I was a young girl myself when I read
the diary of Anne Frank, oh how I could identify with her and even though I was
a Christian teenager and she was a Jewish one, we were both innocent young girls
who had done nothing wrong. We were innocent young girls who had hopes and
dreams for the life ahead of us. I had a chance to make my life; Anne Frank was
never given that opportunity.
My life was completely changed once I
read that book. Incidentally it was required reading for our
The diary of Anne Frank made me
realize that the war was not about the good guys getting rid of the bad guys as
was my previous notion. War was ugly and innocent people got hurt. It was from
those early roots that I began to formulate my own ideas about war and it was
from those beginnings that I knew in my heart that there are no victors in war.
History runs in cycles, the victors of one era are the losers of the next. Great
empires rise and they all fall. War is about power and greed and a ruthless
disregard for humanity. However, the victors are the leaders of the country who
divvy up the spoils. War rarely has much betterment for the common
people.
Note: Before you write to me to
disagree yes, I know some wars are necessary and some people do benefit from the
wars but I am talking in general here.
For example this particular war,
World War II, benefited the World from German Occupation. But did it really
benefit the German people? Did it really benefit Hitler? He died in a bunker and
said to have committed suicide as the allies approached and took over
Annelies Marie Frank was born on June
12, 1929 in Frankford Am Main, Weimar,
The family was not even ultra
religious and still these atrocities happened to them. Otto Frank was a German
officer during World War I, however, anti-Semitism reared its ugly head during
World War II. The Franks' were liberal Jews and Anne had friends that were
Jewish and Christian. Otto associated with Jews and the rest of the community
alike before the Holocaust. They were basically an average
family.
Later during her two year stay in
hiding a dentist friend of the father, by the name of Fritz Pfeffer and the Van
Pels family joined them. At first Anne did not like the young Peter but then had
a brief romance with him. He gave her her first kiss and as circumstances would
have it, he was the only boy to do that.
The romance ended and Anne formed a
close relationship with the helpers (employees trusted with the information
about their whereabouts) who would come to bring them food and news of what was
happening in the outside world. Anne enjoyed their
visits.
Anne wrote about her relationships with her family members. At the
beginning she was jealous of her older sister but as Anne matured the sisters
got closer. Anne had the best relationship with her father and not a very good
relationship with her mother.
On August 4, 1944, the family was
uprooted, the Germans caught them and the informant was never made known. The
family was sent to the detention center and interrogated all night. Since they
were in hiding they were considered criminals. They were transferred to a
holding camp and then on to the punishment barracks to do hard labour. They were
then transferred to
Anne had just turned 15 so she was
spared the gas chamber, where younger children were immediately murdered. Anne
was stripped naked and disinfected, her head was shaved and she was given the
infamous tattoo.
The surviving women and young girls
were used as slave labour during the day hauling heavy rocks. Anne got sick and
she and her sister developed scabies and were sent to the dark rat infested
infirmary.
By October 28 the two were sent to
The father, Otto Frank was the only
survivor of the family and he was fortunate enough to find her diary, her legacy
to the world, which he published in 1947. The Diary of a Young Girl as it was
called has sold millions worldwide. Anne Frank was named one of the 20th
century's Heroes and Icons by Time Magazine in their 100
Most Important People of The Century.
June 12, 2009 is the anniversary of
her birth. She would have been 80 years old if she had been allowed to live a
normal life. Many celebrations are going on in
Sources:
http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?PID=900&LID=2
http://www.annefrank.org/content.asp?pid=2&lid=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank
Copyright © June 2009 Carol
Roach.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
CAROL ROACH, M.Ed., B.A., a native of Montreal, Quebec,
holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Masters in Education in counseling
psychology from
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Insanity of the
Insanity Defense
By Sam
Vaknin
Author of “Malignant
Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited”
and “After the Rain - How
the West Lost the East”
Aron Levy, who kidnapped, murdered
and dismembered 8-year old Leiby Kletzky in
The insanity defense in criminal
trials is nothing new. The Babylonian Talmud had this to say 1800 years ago:
“It is an ill thing to knock against
a deaf-mute, an imbecile, or a minor. He that wounds them is culpable, but if
they wound him they are not culpable."
But even the Talmudic rabbis –
renowned for their intellectual acuity – would have been stymied by the modern
version of the insanity defense.
To start with, no one seems to be
able to define “insanity” unequivocally. Insanity in legalese is not the same as
the colloquial expression (“he is nuts”) and is equally distinct from the way
psychiatrists use the term (which they rarely do.)
Indeed, when it comes to the
antiquated insanity defense, the legal profession is completely at odds with
modern psychiatry.
The legal system applies three tests
to determine whether an accused should be held not responsible for his criminal
actions:
1.
Can s/he tell right from wrong? Does
s/he lack substantial capacity to “know and appreciate” the criminality or
wrongfulness of her/his (mis)conduct (aka “diminished
capacity”)?
2.
Did s/he intend to act the way s/he
did ("mens rea")?
3.
Could s/he not control her/his
behavior ("irresistible impulse")?
But, mental health scholars regard
these “tests” as subjective, biased, and ludicrous. A "guilty but insane"
verdict is a contradiction in terms, they insist. What matters is whether the
defendant’s perception or understanding of reality (his “reality test”) is
impaired and not only when he had committed the criminal
act.
This rigorous criterion applies only
to psychotics, such as Jared Lee Loughner, the
Moreover: the "perception and
understanding of reality" can co-exist even with the severest forms of mental
illness. Even when a criminal is clinically mentally-ill, as long as s/he
maintains a perfect reality test, s/he should be held criminally responsible
(Jeffrey Dahmer, who was denied the insanity defense, comes to
mind).
Consider the cases of the
Breivik, for instance, is not
delusional or otherwise psychotic. And, yet, his lawyer is seriously considering
to use the insanity defense and, under the current, irredeemably flawed legal
definition of insanity, may well get away with it!
This is not to say that a defendant’s
mental state at the time he had committed the crime is irrelevant: he may have
held mistaken (even delusional) beliefs or may have misread the situation, may
have been misinformed, may have been under the influence of mind-altering drugs,
may have lacked criminal intent, may have been unable to tell right from wrong,
or to control his or her urges.
As the scholar Christopher Slobogin
argues convincingly in his Virginia Law Review essay titled “An End to
Insanity”: mental illness should play a part in and inform the traditional
defenses already available in a criminal trial – but, shaky as it is, it should
not stand on its own. Indeed, it can’t.
(An edited version was originally
published in the
Copyright ©
August 2011 Sam Vaknin.
____________________________________________________
Narcissists and
Hotel Maids:
The Strauss-Kahn
Affair and Beyond
By Sam
Vaknin
Author of “Malignant
Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited”
and “After the Rain - How
the West Lost the East”
Dominique Strauss-Kahn,
the scandal-ridden former head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is
entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. But, if he did try
to rape the hotel maid in New-York in May 2011, his behavior would conform to
the type of misconduct common among
malignant narcissists.
Narcissists in positions of authority
and celebrity narcissists exhibit a confluence of three pernicious phenomena:
pathological charm (i.e., the illusion of being irresistible), the delusion of
omnipotence, and the intractable conviction in their immunity to the
consequences of their actions and, more particularly,
misdeeds.
PATHOLOGICAL CHARM
The narcissist is confident that
people find him irresistible. His unfailing charm is part of his self-imputed
omnipotence. This inane conviction is what makes the narcissist a "pathological charmer". The
somatic narcissist and the histrionic flaunt their sex appeal, virility or
femininity, sexual prowess, musculature, physique, training, or athletic
achievements.
The cerebral narcissist seeks to
enchant and entrance his audience with intellectual pyrotechnics. Many
narcissists brag about their wealth, health, possessions, collections, spouses,
children, personal history, family tree – in short: anything that garners them
attention and renders them alluring.
Both types of narcissists firmly
believe that being unique, they are entitled to special treatment by others.
They deploy their "charm offensives" to manipulate their nearest and dearest (or
even complete strangers) and use them as instruments of gratification. Exerting
personal magnetism and charisma become ways of asserting control and obviating
other people's personal boundaries.
The pathological charmer feels
superior to the person he captivates and fascinates; To him charming someone
means having power over her, controlling her, or even subjugating her. It is all
a mind game intertwined with a power play. The person to be thus enthralled is
an object, a mere prop, and of dehumanized utility.
In some cases, pathological charm
involves more than a grain of sadism. It provokes in the narcissist sexual
arousal by inflicting the "pain" of subjugation on the beguiled who "cannot
help" but be enchanted. Conversely, the pathological charmer engages in
infantile magical thinking. He uses charm to help maintain object constancy and
fend off abandonment – in other words, to ensure that the person he "bewitched"
won't disappear on him.
Pathological charmers react with rage
and aggression when their intended targets prove to be impervious and resistant
to their lure. This kind of narcissistic injury – being spurned and rebuffed –
makes them feel threatened, rejected, and denuded. Being ignored amounts to a
challenge to their uniqueness, entitlement, control, and superiority.
Narcissists wither without constant Narcissistic Supply. When their charm fails
to elicit it – they feel annulled, non-existent, and
"dead".
Expectedly, they go to great lengths
to secure said supply. It is only when their efforts are frustrated that the
mask of civility and congeniality drops and reveals the true face of the
narcissist – a predator on the prowl.
OMNIPOTENCE
The narcissist believes in his
omnipotence. "Believe" in this context is a weak word. He knows. It is a
cellular certainty, almost biological; it flows in his blood and permeates every
niche of his being. The narcissist "knows" that he can do anything he chooses to
do and excel in it. What the narcissist does, what he excels at, what he
achieves, depends only on his volition. To his mind, there is no other
determinant.
Hence his rage when confronted with
disagreement or opposition – not only because of the audacity of his, evidently
inferior, adversaries. But because it threatens his world view, it endangers his
feeling of omnipotence. The narcissist is often fatuously daring, adventurous,
experimentative and curious precisely due to this hidden assumption of "can-do".
He is genuinely surprised and devastated when he fails, when the "universe" does
not arrange itself, magically, to accommodate his unbounded fantasies, when it
(and people in it) does not comply with his whims and
wishes.
He often denies away such
discrepancies, deletes them from his memory. As a result, he remembers his life
as a patchy quilt of unrelated events and people.
IMMUNITY
Narcissists, like children, have magical thinking. They feel omnipotent. They
feel that there is nothing they couldn't do or achieve had they only really
wanted to and applied themselves to it.
They feel omniscient – they rarely
admit to ignorance in any field. They believe that they are in possession of all
relevant and useful knowledge. They are haughtily convinced that introspection
is a more important and more efficient (not to mention easier to accomplish)
method of edification than the systematic study of outside sources of
information in accordance with strict (read: tedious)
curricula.
To some extent, they believe that
they are omnipresent because they are either famous or about to become famous.
Deeply immersed in their delusions of grandeur, they are firmly convinced that
their acts have – or will have – a great influence on mankind, on their firm, on
their country, on others. Having learned to manipulate their human environment,
they believe that they will always "get away with it".
Narcissistic immunity is the
narcissist's (erroneous) feeling that he is immune to the consequences of his
actions. That he will never be effected by the outcomes of his own decisions,
opinions, beliefs, deeds and misdeeds, acts, inaction, or by being a member of
certain groups. That he is above reproach and punishment (though not above being
feared and notorious). That, magically, he is protected and will miraculously be
saved at the last moment.
What are the sources of this
fantastic appraisal of situations and chains of
events?
The first and foremost source is, of
course, the False Self. It is constructed as a childish response to abuse and
trauma. It is possessed of everything that the child wishes he had in order to
retaliate: power, wisdom, magic – all of them unlimited and instantaneously
available.
The False Self, this Superman, is
indifferent to abuse and punishment. It shields the vulnerable True Self from
the harsh realities experienced by the child. This artificial, maladaptive
separation between a vulnerable (but not punishable) True Self and a punishable
(but invulnerable) False Self is an effective mechanism. It isolates the child
from an unjust, capricious, emotionally dangerous world. But, at the same time,
it fosters a false sense of "nothing can happen to me, because I am not there, I
cannot be punished because I am immune".
The second source is the sense of
entitlement possessed by every narcissist. In his grandiose delusions, the
narcissist is sui generis (unique), a gift to humanity, a precious, fragile,
object. Moreover, the narcissist is convinced both that this uniqueness is
immediately discernible and that it gives him special
rights.
The narcissist feels that he is
sheltered by some cosmological law pertaining to "endangered species". He is
convinced that his future contribution to humanity should (and does) exempt him
from the mundane: daily chores, boring jobs, recurrent tasks, personal exertion,
orderly investment of resources and efforts, or even aging and
death.
The narcissist is entitled to
"special treatment": high living standards, constant and immediate catering to
his ever shifting needs, the avoidance of the mundane and the routine, an
absolution of his sins, fast track privileges (to higher education, or in his
encounters with the bureaucracy). Punishment is for ordinary people (where no
great loss to humanity is involved). Narcissists feel that they are above the
law.
The third source has to do with the
narcissist's ability to manipulate his (human) environment. Narcissists develop
their manipulative skills to the level of an art form because that is the only
way they could have survived their poisoned and dangerous childhood. Yet, they
use this "gift" long after its "expiry date".
Narcissists are possessed of
inordinate abilities to charm, to convince, to seduce and to persuade. They are
gifted orators. In many cases, they are intellectually endowed. They put all
this to the limited use of obtaining Narcissistic Supply with startling
results.
They become pillars of society and
members of the upper class. They mostly do get exempted many times by virtue of
their standing in society, their charisma, or their ability to find willing
scapegoats. Having "got away with it" so many times – they develop a theory of
personal immunity, which rests on some kind of societal and even cosmic "order
of things". Some people are just above punishment, the "special ones", the
"endowed or gifted ones". This is the "narcissistic
hierarchy".
But there is a fourth, simpler,
explanation:
The narcissist just does not know
what he is doing. Divorced from his True Self, unable to empathise (to understand what it is
like to be someone else), unwilling to act empathically (to constrain his
actions in accordance with the feelings and needs of others) – the narcissist is
in a constant dreamlike state.
He experiences his life like a movie, autonomously unfolding, guided
by a sublime (even divine) director. The narcissist is a mere spectator, mildly
interested, greatly entertained at times. He does not feel that he owns his
actions. He, therefore, emotionally, cannot understand why he should be punished
and when he is, he feels grossly wronged.
To be a narcissist is to be convinced
of a great, inevitable personal destiny. The narcissist is preoccupied with
ideal love, the construction of brilliant, revolutionary scientific theories,
the composition or authoring or painting of the greatest work of art ever, the
founding of a new school of thought, the attainment of fabulous wealth, the
reshaping of the fate of a nation, becoming immortalised and so
on.
The narcissist never sets realistic
goals to himself. He is forever floating amidst fantasies of uniqueness, record
breaking, or breathtaking achievements. His speech is verbose and florid and
reflects this grandiosity. So convinced is the narcissist that he is destined to
great things, that he refuses to acknowledge setbacks, failures and
punishments.
He regards them as temporary, as
someone else's errors, as part of the future mythology of his rise to power,
brilliance, wealth, ideal love, etc. To accept punishment is to divert scarce
energy and resources from the all-important task of fulfilling his mission in
life.
That the narcissist is destined to
greatness is a divine certainty: a higher order or power has pre-ordained him to
achieve something lasting, of substance, of import in this world, in this life.
How could mere mortals interfere with the cosmic, the divine, scheme of things?
Therefore, punishment is impossible and will not happen is the narcissist's
conclusion.
The narcissist is pathologically
envious of people and projects his aggression unto them. He is always
vigilant, ready to fend off an imminent attack. When inevitable punishment does
come, the narcissist is shocked and irritated by the nuisance. Being punished
also proves to him and validates what he suspected all along: that he is being
persecuted.
Strong forces are poised against him.
People are envious of his achievements, angry at him, out to get him. He
constitutes a threat to the accepted order. When required to account for his
(mis)deeds, the narcissist is always disdainful and bitter. He feels like
Gulliver, a giant, chained to the ground by teeming dwarves while his soul soars
to a future, in which people recognise his greatness and applaud
it.
ACQUIRED SITUATIONAL
NARCISSISM
The Narcissistic Personality Disorder
(NPD) is a systemic, all-pervasive condition, very much like pregnancy: either
you have it or you don't. Once you have it, you have it day and night; it is an
inseparable part of the personality, a recurrent set of behavior
patterns.
Recent research (1996) by Roningstam
and others, however, shows that there is a condition which might be called
"Transient or Temporary or Short Term Narcissism" as opposed to the full-fledged
version. Even prior to their discovery, "Reactive Narcissistic Regression" was
well known: people regress to a transient narcissistic phase in response to a
major life crisis which threatens their mental
composure.
Reactive or transient narcissism may
also be triggered by medical or organic conditions. Brain injuries, for
instance, have been known to induce narcissistic and antisocial traits and
behaviors.
But can narcissism be acquired or
learned? Can it be provoked by certain, well-defined,
situations?
Robert B. Millman, professor of
psychiatry at
The "victims" - billionaire tycoons,
movie stars, renowned authors, politicians, and other authority figures -
develop grandiose fantasies, lose their erstwhile ability to empathize, react
with rage to slights, both real and imagined and, in general, act like textbook
narcissists.
But is the occurrence of Acquired
Situational Narcissism (ASN) inevitable and universal - or are only certain
people prone to it?
It is likely that ASN is merely an
amplification of earlier narcissistic conduct, traits, style, and tendencies.
Celebrities with ASN already had a narcissistic personality and have acquired it
long before it "erupted". Being famous, powerful, or rich only "legitimized" and
conferred immunity from social sanction on the unbridled manifestation of a
pre-existing disorder. Indeed, narcissists tend to gravitate to professions and
settings which guarantee fame, celebrity, power, and
wealth.
As Millman correctly notes, the
celebrity's life is abnormal. The adulation is often justified and plentiful,
the feedback biased and filtered, the criticism muted and belated, social
control either lacking or excessive and vitriolic. Such vicissitudinal existence
is not conducive to mental health even in the most balanced
person.
The confluence of a person's
narcissistic predisposition and his pathological life circumstances gives rise
to ASN. Acquired Situational Narcissism borrows elements from both the classic
Narcissistic Personality Disorder - ingrained and all-pervasive - and from
Transient or Reactive Narcissism.
Celebrities are, therefore, unlikely
to "heal" once their fame or wealth or might are gone. Instead, their basic
narcissism merely changes form. It continues unabated, as insidious as ever -
but modified by life's ups and downs.
In a way, all narcissistic
disturbances are acquired. Patients acquire their pathological narcissism from
abusive or overbearing parents, from peers, and from role models. Narcissism is
a defense mechanism designed to fend off hurt and danger brought on by
circumstances - such as celebrity - beyond the person's
control.
Social expectations play a role as
well. Celebrities try to conform to the stereotype of a creative but spoiled,
self-centered, monomaniacal, and emotive individual. A tacit trade takes place.
We offer the famous and the powerful all the Narcissistic Supply they crave -
and they, in turn, act the consummate, fascinating albeit repulsive,
narcissists.
Copyright © 2011 Sam
Vaknin.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
SAM VAKNIN ( http://samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of
“Malignant Self-Love: Narcissism Revisited” and “After the Rain - How the West
Lost the East”, as well as many other books and ebooks about topics in
psychology, relationships, philosophy, economics, and international affairs. He
is the Editor-in-Chief of “Global Politician” and served as a columnist for
“Central Europe Review”, “PopMatters”, “eBookWeb”, and “Bellaonline”, and as a
United Press International (UPI) Senior Business Correspondent. He was the
editor of Mental Health and Central
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Halloween Decorating
Safety Tips
By Janice L. Scissors
We
feel like little kids when we decorate the front yard for Halloween. But there
are real dangers lurking around all those cobwebs and flying bats. It's
important to be aware of Halloween decorating safety tips that can help you
reduce those dangers.
If you
plan on having trick-or-treaters come through your yard to the front door you
need to look at everything from a small child's point of few. When they run up
to the door on Halloween night will they see the electrical cord from the
talking skeleton lying by the sidewalk? Will they notice the real candle burning
in the pumpkin that is sitting right next to the door? Will they make sure their
vampire cape or princess robe doesn't come close to it or will they only think
about getting the candy into their bag?
If you
have electrical decorations make sure the cords are secure and not where anyone
can trip over them. Children don't always use the sidewalks so don't leave those
cords lying anywhere in the path of those little feet.
Use
the battery operated candles in any pumpkins or other decorations that are on
the pathway to your door or on the porch near the door. Real candles should only
be used where children won't be coming near them and you can keep an eye on the
decoration/pumpkin with the candle. It's up to you to think about the dangers
before you light those candles.
If you
use colored lights in your front yard you need to make sure they are bright
enough for good visibility on the path to your door. Be sure all your
decorations are set away from the main walking path. You don't want any child to
be tripping over them.
Those
cobwebs and bats flying out of nowhere as the children come up to your porch may
seem like fun to you but they can be very frightening to some children. They may
run away screaming. That's where you need to make sure there are not obstacles
in their path. It's best to keep most if not all your decorations in areas of
the yard that children would not cut through.
If you
are having a party inside your home Halloween decorating needs to follow similar
tips. Fire is the number one safety issue with home decorations. Candles are
used a lot and without proper precautions fires can
occur.
Many
decorations are made of dried flowers, cornstalks, crepe paper, and flammable
fabrics. These kinds of materials need to be kept away from any candles or other
open flames such as fireplaces. They also need to be kept away from other heat
sources such as electric light bulbs, heaters, the top of TVs, computers, or
other electronic equipment that becomes hot to the touch. This also includes
outdoor lights.
When
setting up your Halloween decorations inside ask yourself these
questions:
1.
Will these candles, when lit, be in a place where someone might bump into
them?
2. Are
the wires for the talking skeleton safely taped down or behind
furniture?
3. Can
that cobweb draping the steps cause someone to trip and
fall?
4. Are
all exits (doors and/or windows) clear of decorations so they can be used in
case of fire?
Use
these simple Halloween decorating safety tips to help make the difference
between a happy Halloween and a disastrous one.
Copyright ©
2011 Janice Scissors.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
JANICE
SCISSORS writes about home organization and de-cluttering. She has a website and
a blog filled with tips to cut the clutter out of your home and how to keep it
that way. There are also tips to help you stay organized every month of the
year. Start your de-cluttering and organizing journey with a free ebook filled
with tips when you sign up for Janice’s free monthly newsletter at: http://cutclutterwithscissors.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Organizing for
Christmas:
12 Questions to Ask
Yourself
By
Krisann M. Blair
a.k.a. The Christmas Coach
On
December 26 each year do you sit down and ask yourself "what just happened?" Did
you get to the day after Christmas feeling let down, missing Christ in the
season, in debt, stressed out, or just feeling the whole experience was less
than you wanted? Many of us do, but there is a solution, and as the Christmas
Coach I am here to help.
The
first step is for you to take a few minutes to think about what makes Christmas
special for your family. Secondly, think about what takes away the Christmas
spirit during the holiday season. Once you have this priceless information, you
can work towards composing a Christmas holiday season you will look back on with
fond memories instead of wishing it had never happened. Now, let's get
started!
No
matter what time of the year it is, let's stop and take time to think about the
Christmas season! Many times we do not think about Christmas we just "do it"
which can lead to disappointments and many "I wish I had done this or done that"
after the season. To help you decide what is important to you about Christmas,
answer the following questions, being as open and honest as possible. Your
answers will help you begin to be organized for Christmas, one step at a time.
Be truthful with yourself - there are no right or wrong
answers.
Question 1: Do you enjoy the Christmas season?
Christmas should be
an enjoyable time of the year, but for many it is not, or it could be more
enjoyable. Depending on how much you already enjoy Christmas, you may just need
some tweaks to make it more enjoyable. As the Christmas Coach, I want to help
you on your journey to a Christmas filled with more joy - one step at a time. In
one Christmas, things will not magically improve in every aspect, but if you
take baby steps each Christmas, each year you will find you have less stress and
more joy.
Question 2: Do you feel your Christmas is out of control, spending more
time looking for items than with your family?
You could reap great rewards
by creating a Christmas Organizing Notebook to help compose your Christmas,
resulting in having a more JOYful holiday season! By putting together a
Christmas Organizing Notebook you will create a central location for ALL your
Christmas related information, at your fingertips.
Question 3: Do you find that you do not have enough time for the things
you enjoy during the Christmas season?
Creating a Christmas Calendar is a
way to balance your time and recording all the season's activities is an
essential aspect of a less stressful Christmas. A calendar helps you to easily
see where your time is already being spent, and how much time you have for new
activities.
Question 4: Do you overspend during Christmas?
Creating a Christmas
budget will help you to plan your spending for Christmas. All the areas of your
Christmas spending from gifts, to a live wreath for the front door, to new
clothes for the Christmas family portrait, plus lots more need to be included
when making a Christmas budget. Make sure you are prepared for ALL the expenses
of the Christmas season, because it's the little things that add
up!
Question 5: Do you ask your family to help with preparations for the
Christmas seasons?
One of the biggest things to remember is this is not just
your Christmas holiday. The celebration of Christmas also belongs to others in
your family and it is important to include them in your overall plans and also
ask them for help executing your plans.
Question 6: Do you buy gifts throughout the year, only to lose them when
it comes time to wrap the gifts?
One easy way to tackle the "Lost Gift"
problem is to identify and use one location to put ALL your Christmas gifts, as
you buy them throughout the year. Many of us are proud for finding just the
perfect gift for someone long before Christmas, only to be stressed out and
sometimes having to buy another gift, simply because we cannot find the original
gift! By tackling this problem, with a central gift location, you will be able
to reduce stress as well as the cost of gifts that would need to be
replaced.
Question 7: Do you plan to send Christmas cards?
If you did not send
cards this past year (but wanted to) or the cards you did send did not go as
planned, developing a system for sending out cards will greatly help. When
making a Christmas card list, mark beside each person the priority of a card for
them. For example, in my house if you get a gift from our family, you are a low
priority on the Christmas card list, but those we do not send gifts to, are a
high priority, as are family and friends who live far away. By grouping
recipients by priority and working each group one at a time, you will be more
likely to get your cards signed, sealed and delivered!
Question 8: Do you purchase gifts with a purpose?
Gift buying should
not be about how much you spend or about purchasing a gift just for the sake of
having a gift. Early in the year begin taking notes in your Christmas notebook
about each person you will be buying gifts for this holiday season. Then when
you hear them talk about a like (or dislike) write it down! This strategy will
help you narrow gift ideas and to help you select gifts that will let the
recipient know you were thinking of them - like a plate of their favorite
cookies, a magazine subscription or a fun stocking filled with their favorite
snacks.
Question 9: Do you celebrate Christmas as just one day?
By
celebrating the entire Christmas season - from the first Sunday of Advent(there
are 4 Sundays of the Advent season - the four Sundays before Christmas Day)
until Epiphany (January 6th) - you can truly embrace the entire holiday season,
before, during and after Christmas day. Take time to write down how you can
expand your Christmas celebrations throughout the ENTIRE holiday season, not
just one day in your Christmas notebook.
Question 10: Does the word "entertaining" scare you?
If you shy away
from entertaining at Christmas because it seems like an overwhelming task,
consider having informal gatherings. Get-togethers such as decorating parties,
cookie exchanges, movie nights, game night, etc. can be the alternative to
formal entertaining.
Question 11: Do you know when your favorite activity will take place
this year?
Many organizations that conduct Christmas related activities know
well in advance the actual dates for the upcoming year. Go ahead and give them a
call now to find out the date, and put it on your calendar so you do not plan
other activities on that date.
Question 12: Does your family eat out more than you plan during the
month of December?
Eating out can take a "big bite" out of your budget,
especially when it wasn't "in" the budget. Many times we eat out just because we
are too tired, and it seems like the simple solution for dinner. During the
months leading up to the Christmas season, begin making double meals when you
cook, putting one in the freezer for those hectic December days when you are too
tired to cook.
Not
only will you save money by not eating out, most cases it will take less time to
fix your meal from the freezer than to go out to eat.
Copyright © 2011 Krisann Blair.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
KRISANN BLAIR, a.k.a. THE CHRISTMAS COACH,, is a speaker, author of
“Composing Christmas” and the founder of http://www.ChristmasOrganizing.com She has been helping people organize for
Christmas for over 10 years and believes that no matter how big or small your
Christmas celebration, you should always start with a plan to help you have a
less stressful Christmas holiday.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OFF THE
PRESS!
Take a look at the
BEST in Contemporary Literature
Then order your very
own copy thru the
Amazon.com link on
this site’s Home page!
Absolutely
the Last Resort
Where
Are You?
and
NEW! But! I’ve Always Loved
You
(Fiction
Novels)
By
ROSE ANNA SCHOENE
Seaburn Media
Group
is pleased to bring
you
But! I’ve Always
Loved You
Author
Rose Anna Schoene’s third novel
Rose
Anna Schoene
is
a
native New Yorker who made her writing debut with Absolutely the Last
Resort,
a charming and nostalgic family-oriented book, which fictionalizes many of the
author’s personal experiences owning a resort in the Catskill Mountains of New
York for over 30 years. This book reflects just one aspect of the author’s life
and creative talents, and introduces us to her artistic and comedic
nature.
She
has a writing style that is both entertaining and uplifting which reflects Rose
Anna’s
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second novel, Where Are
You?,
which offers a serious, dramatic and paranormal-love storyline, and her third
novel, But! I’ve Always Loved
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Rose Anna’s second book, is about Dr. Joy Evans and Dr. Dean Judson, who collide
in the corridors of
But!
I’ve Always Loved You,
Rose Anna’s third book, is about stunning Jessie who is raped at twelve and
bears a son who is then taken from her. As she grows up she is repulsed by men
until she meets devastatingly handsome Andre, who offers her a forbidden love
amidst magical, romantic
All
three (3) of Rose Anna’s books are available to purchase on Amazon.com,
Barnes
& Noble.com,
Seaburn
Media Group.com or
on her author website: http://www.AuthorRoseAnnaSchoene.com
Ordering Info for
Rose Anna Schoene’s books:
Absolutely the Last
Resort by Rose Anna Schoene
Publisher: Seaburn Media
Group
Publication Date: 2003
ISBN #: 159232-060-0; 144
pages
Price: $14.95
Where Are
You? by Rose Anna
Schoene
Publisher: Seaburn Media
Group
Publication Date: 2006
ISBN #: 159232-009-0; 124
pages
Price: $14.95
But! I’ve Always
Loved You by Rose Anna
Schoene
Publisher: Seaburn Media
Group
Publication Date: 2010
ISBN #: 159232-253-0; 169
pages
Price: $14.95
Visit Rose Anna’s
author website at: http://www.AuthorRoseAnnaSchoene.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On
Call
(A
Fiction Medical Thriller)
By
SANDRA L. HOYNACKI
Although Sandra Hoynacki has only
been writing for the last several years, she has already won several contests
for her poems, has had one of her short stories chosen to be performed at The
Pensacola Little Theater after Hurricane Ivan, was once invited to read at a
Poet’s Convention in Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of The Institute of
Children’s Literature.
Sandra Hoynacki is a poet, a
novelist, and an author but if you ask her what title she prefers Sandra herself
will say: “Writer”. That sums it up perfectly, and what a writer she
is!
Ordering Info for
Sandra Hoynacki’s 1st fiction novel:
On Call by Sandra
Hoynacki
Publication Date: September
2009
Can be purchased through Sandra’s
author web site: www.SandraHoynacki.com
* * * * * * * * * *
* *
ALSO
BY SANDRA HOYNACKI!
Purple
Latches
(A
Book of Poetry)
and
Whispers
From The Ledge
(A
Book of Poetry & Short Stories)
Reader Review of
Purple Latches:
****** “I'm familiar with the exemplary
life author Sandra Hoynacki leads; her book Purple Latches includes some of the most
beautiful poetry your eyes shall ever read and witness. The words of imagery and
artwork shall instill within you an uplifted spirit like none I've ever read in
my fifty-eight years on earth. Each poem opens ones physical senses and starts a
movie in the minds eyes where you can leave at the end with the most dynamic
thoughts ever perceived in ones written words of truth and mystery. I strongly
recommend this book to anyone in need of a life changing experience or for the
benefit of a walk down memory lane. It is an honor and privilege to know the
Author Sandra Hoynacki, and the sacrifices she makes toward humanity on a daily
basis. Thanks for this opportunity to review her
book.”
Drawn from real-life experiences and
creative visions, these collections of poems and short stories by Sandra Hoynacki
will inspire, surprise and entertain
the most discerning reader.
Ordering Info for
Sandra Hoynacki’s books, Purple Latches and Whispers From The
Ledge:
Purple Latches by
Sandra Hoynacki
Publisher: Lulu Press
Publication Date: June
2007
ISBN #:
978-1-4303-2293-1
Price: [Print-edition] $19.50; [ebook] $12.00
158 pages, and can be purchased at:
Sandra
Hoynacki.com, Lulu Press, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, or wherever books are
sold.
Whispers From The
Ledge by Sandra Hoynacki
Publisher: Lulu Press
Publication Date: December
2008
ISBN #:
978-0-557-02904-4
Price: [Print-edition]: $15.17; Not Available in
Ebook.
148 pages, and can be purchased at:
Sandra
Hoynacki.com, Lulu Press, Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, or wherever books are
sold.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NEW! One Priceless Treasure
(A
Fiction Novel)
By
ROSALEE
About “One Priceless Treasure by
Rosalee Wilson”:
Brad Thompson moves from his home in
Florida to Boston,
venture. Brad doesn’t know the extent to how his
life is going to change until he meets Connie, the love of his life. She is
every
man’s dream girl and he feels special
that he becomes her choice. But due to unseen circumstances, his dreams begin to
crumble
and
he doesn't know if he can put them back together again. What drives him away is
a misunderstanding but how will he get
her
back, and will he? After years of pain and agony, they reunite once again.
If
only he had taken the phone call that
night, their lives could have been happy and years of loneliness could have been
avoided.
“One Priceless Treasure” is a sweet
romance that everyone who has ever been in love can relate to;
remembering
that awesome feeling of your first
crush! Laughter and tears, this
book is a must-read and will definitely touch your
heart.
Hurry!
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of
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( ordering info is
below… )
Ordering Info for
Rosalee Wilson’s book, One Priceless Treasure:
One Priceless Treasure by Rosalee Wilson
Publisher: Lulu Press
Publication Date: 2011
ISBN
#: 978-1-257-86522-2
Price:
$5.99 ebook
download; $22.50 for
print edition.
ALSO
BY ROSALEE
A
Mushy Mouse Tale
(A
Children’s Book)
By
ROSALEE
This is your
chance to meet Mushy, the most lovable mouse you will ever
meet!
Mushy Mouse is a mouse looking for
love and a family to call his own. He struggles with self confidence and the
idea of someone loving a fat mouse like him. But Mushy and an Indian mouse named
Feathertail form a bond that will last a lifetime. With excitement and
adventure, “A Mushy Mouse Tale” by Rosalee Wilson will touch your heart forever.
A must read! Mrs. Wilson is an avid writer with an
imagination that ignites a spark in children everywhere. She is available for
speaking engagements and
interviews.
Hurry! Go to
www.lulu.com and order your copy of “A Mushy Mouse Tale
by Rosalee Wilson” today!
Elijah
the Penguin
(A
Children’s Inspirational Book)
By
ROSALEE
Ordering Info for
Rosalee Wilson’s book, Elijah the Penguin:
Contact: Lacresha Hayes
Living Waters Publishing
Company
Phone: (870)
739-4100
Fax: (870)
739-4108
lacresha.hayes@livingwaterspc.com
17 Gannet
Street
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A
Different Kind of Love
Family
Secrets Lies and Alibis
Bruised
Love
Skeletons
Beyond the Closed Door
and
now…
NEW! Gossip Line
(Fiction
Novels)
By
NANETTE M. BUCHANAN
Nanette M.
Buchanan’s new book, Gossip Line, is
now available - - Get Your Copy Today!
About ‘Gossip Line by Nanette
M. Buchanan’: 
A new
beginning is what Melinda Wells was seeking when she left her home in
Melinda’s rise in journalism took a back seat to her growing
interest in talk radio. When her southern charms secured an opportunity to host
her own show in her boyfriend’s hometown of
Her new lifestyle became more than what
Melinda expected. After climbing the ladder of what the industry labeled as well
deserved success it all was falling apart. Gossip Line, the radio talk show that
named her as the number one host on the
However, revealing the caller’s identity could be fatal to more
than the show.
Let
www.IPenDesigns.net know about your readings of the other novels by
Author Nanette M.
Buchanan….. ‘Family Secrets Lies
& Alibis’,
The Sequel... ‘A Different Kind of
Love’
‘Bruised
Love’
‘Skeletons Beyond the Closed Door’…
About
‘Skeletons Beyond The Closed Door by Nanette M. Buchanan’:
Brian
and Sage Drakeford were living their life as a loving couple and devoted parents
until Sage caught her husband cheating. Seven years after their divorce, Sage
Sage
is caught between ruining Brian’s relationships with family, business and
friends, and moving on with a new love, and forgetting the past. Sage’s decision
and Brian’s choices will change their lives forever.
And now… ‘Gossip Line’
All Are Available To Order on
“I Pen
Designs.net”… Also send in your thoughts and
comments on what you’ve read! Send your comments to Nanette M. Buchanan at ipendesigns@gmail.com
--------------------------------
Visit Nanette at: www.ipendesigns.net or www.myspace.com/ipendesigns
Also stay in contact with the author
by checking out her “WHAT'S HAPPENING” page at: http://www.ipendesigns.net/
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Angels
Watching Over Me
(A Fiction
Novel)
and
Picking Up
the Pieces: One Woman’s Journey
(A
Nonfiction Book)
By CAROL
ROACH
Storytime
Tapestry Ezine’s Founder & Publisher
(Storytime_Tapestry-owner@yahoogroups.com)
Attention everyone! A Canadian
publisher and writer released her second book, Angels Watching Over
Me!
Carol
Roach, a graduate of both Concordia
University with a bachelor’s in psychology, and a graduate of McGill University
with a master’s degree in counselling psychology, knows people as much as she
knows the struggles of the poor and disenchanted.
She is truly the champion of the
underdog. Carol’s signature writing is about poverty and the ability to rise
above it. She strives to give women and men a voice through the written word.
Her writing is poignant and inspirational. Ms. Roach also publishes a daily
online ezine, Storytime Tapestry,
where she encourages everyone to “let
their true heart sing” through the words they
write.
Her new book Angels Watching Over Me is rich with
character while it underlines the issues of survival in one of
What a prominent Amazon.com
Reviewer wrote about Carol Roach’s book, Angels Watching Over
Me:
Angels Watching Over
Me
By Carol
Roach
****** “In this wonderful work by gifted
author and publisher Carol
Roach we meet a very special girl named
Carissa. Carissa’s life has been anything but easy. She had known the scorn of
poverty; the battle of rejection, the sorrow of death. However, Carissa has a
quality that hinges almost on the supernatural; her faith and assurance in a God
who is more than enough. We are taken through the life of Carissa from her youth
in a small rural community and her family to her final victory as a woman who
never comprised despite the hardships such decisions would bring. Her life stood
as a testimony. This is a deep heartfelt read; one that shows the strength and
courage of the human spirit despite at times cruel circumstances and unfair
situations. The author definitely draws you into the very heart of Carissa
merging you with the fight and strength that she possesses during her entire
life. Her unselfish love is the main attribute that shone out to me and one that
I think author Carol Roach did an exceptional job at
portraying.
If you want to read a story of the heart, this one is for you. A
compelling story of a woman, a time and a future where one can actually say,
‘everything turned out all right.’ It might have happened much later than we as
the reader may have wanted, but perhaps that is exactly how life for most of us
plays out. Well done Ms. Roach!”
--Shirley Johnson,
Senior Reviewer for
* * * * * * * * * *
* *
Ordering Info to
purchase Carol Roach’s book, Angels Watching Over Me:
Angels Watching Over
Me by Carol
Roach
Publisher: Janelle McCarthy
(Lulu Press)
Publication Date: March
2007
ISBN #:
978-1-4303-2003-6
244 pages, and can be purchased at
Lulu Press, Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com. Or you can order it at your local
bookstore.
Price: [Paperback print]
$16.10; [Download] $5.00
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My Naked
Mind: An Intimate Collection of Poetry
(A Book of
Soulful Poetry)
By TRISHA
MARTIN
Trisha
Martin is a published author, poet,
entrepreneur and blogger. Her book publications include My Naked Mind: An Intimate Collection of
Poetry [April 2005] and Fed Up
Woman which is due out sometime in 2011.
You can visit Trisha over at: Trisha's World
Readers
Reviews:
***** “The words contained within the
pages of author, poet and entrepreneur Trisha
Martin’s book are filled with compelling,
deep, emotional and inspirational poems that readers should be able to identify
with. Each poem is written with clarity as the author pours her heart and soul
into her writing. If you're a poetry lover who likes reading personal works of
others, this book of poetry is a must-read!”
**** “I have never read poetry so vividly
written, taking me on a continuous journey from emotion to
emotion!”
Ordering Info for
Trisha Martin’s book:
My Naked Mind: An
Intimate Collection of Poetry by Trisha Martin
Publisher: Publish
America
Publication date: April
2005
ISBN #:
1413744540
84 pages; Price: $14.95
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pink
Poodle Pie
(Other
Tales of How Women Get Even)
A
Book of Short Stories
By
BARBARA DEMING
THE PUPPIES HAVE
BEEN BORN!
“Pink Poodle Pie
(Other Tales of How Women Get Even) by Barbara Deming has been released. All those stories
are just "yapping" to be read by all of you. This is what my editor calls
"mid-life chick-lit." I say it is a blueprint of how we gals can get even
with those cheatin' males in our lives, or dream of what we wished had happened
to such guys in our past.
If you've ever been
cheated on, dumped, or mentally/physically violated by a yahoo in any way, this
is a must read for you. You will grin, gasp--maybe even give an "atta girl" yell
at the antics of these strong women.
Yours Truly, Barbara
Deming, offers nineteen women, many like us, who write their own ending to the
stories of an important time in their lives.
You can find "Pink
Poodle Pie" at iUniverse.com, Amazon.com, B&N.com, Books-in-a-Million.com, or receive an autographed copy of
the soft-cover edition by sending your check for $16 (includes media postage-mailing) to:
Barbara Deming, 1175 La Moree Rd. #68, San Marcos, CA 92078. I welcome
questions, discussion, comments at mailto:demingwrites@att.net
Happy
*****
Barbara (Barb)
Deming is an Author, Instructor, Speaker,
and owner of the workshop: "I Can Write. Can You?" which promotes writing for
fun, mental health, and publication for both children and adults.
--"Pink
Poodle Pie (Other Tales of How Women Get Even)" has been released! Buy it at Amazon.com, iUniverse.com, autographed copy from
the author
--"The Quilt Maker" and "Growing up Barefoot in the South" can be
purchased at Amazon.com. Autographed copy from author.--
--Check out: http://barbswritetree.blogspot.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE GIFT
OF GABE PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES:
THE
LENNON CODE?
Few people have heard of the novel The Gift of Gabe by Brian Joseph. Six
years ago even fewer people had heard of it. In these days of big budget mass
marketing, books that are published by small publishers often have difficulty
finding an audience. Without an advertising budget, word of this book has been
spreading. Early readers fascinated by the book's inclusive spirituality, told
others. An internet forum for people who study Gnosticism picked up on the book
six summers ago, making it their topic of discussion for two
months.
Some Beatles fans became interested
after the reviewer for the online music magazine Ear Candy recommended it saying, "I was also fascinated by the
interpretations of Beatles lyrics in the book, especially after having read
about every book imaginable on Beatles song analysis." Shortly after the review in Ear Candy, information about the book
showed up on “What Goes On”, a website dedicated to Beatles news. Canadian
readers with an interest in the paranormal picked up on the book after the
author was interviewed on The X Zone Radio Show. There has been buzz about the
book by Beatles fans in places as far apart as Israel, The Netherlands, Ireland,
Finland, and Russia, places far removed from the book's northern New England
setting.
The book is the story of meeting an
eccentric old man who discusses his spiritual philosophy including the belief
that people who have had certain experiences can communicate these experiences
to each other in a symbolic language that is not readily understandable to most
people. What most readers find fascinating is that many familiar songs are
interwoven throughout the story and looked at in a way that is unique and
thought provoking. A reviewer for Bookpleasures said, "Actually, it is primarily
through Gabe's radical interpretations of the mentioned songs that one tends to
become convinced of his perspective's veracity." Many of the songs are so
familiar to people that the author was able to do this without directly quoting
the lyrics. A reviewer for Mystic Living Today wrote, "There are many wonderful
songs, book references, and passages throughout that are beautifully brought to
life under the author's direct and interesting first person
style."
While many readers seem to be
focusing on the Beatles songs referenced in the book, songs by Jimi Hendrix and
others are also referenced by the main character to help illustrate spiritual
concepts. The volume of examples given and the interconnections between songs
and artists have led many to conclude that there is truth in what the main
character says. One of Gabe's claims is that during certain creative states some
people can 'channel' the Universal Mind and be unaware that they are doing so.
Gabe cites Plato and many others to support this concept. Purported examples are
given including songs by Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison. Gabe believes that
this experience is what some of the Sufi call shathiyat and what Joseph Campbell
called transcendent poetry. What may be most controversial is Gabe's claim that
this archetypical poetic experience is 'the speaking in tongues' of the early
Christians. It is probably this concept that has appealed to readers who
identify themselves as being 'new age'. Word of the book has shown up on
websites like The Holistic Bulletin.
The reviewer for Mystic Living Today
said, "I would recommend this book to anyone who likes an enlightened and
spiritual read…" One of the things that differentiates’ The Gift of Gabe from
other books in the visionary fiction genre is that it incorporates factual
information and events in a way that is similar to historical fiction. Some
readers have had a scholarly interest in the book seeing it as a modern myth
that incorporates the philosophy of Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, G.I. Gurdjieff,
and others. While some are predicting that the book will become a
countercultural classic, the book is clearly not for everyone. A reviewer for
Round Table Reviews wrote, "The Gift of Gabe is well written, but the subject
matter was too over the top for me."
The same reviewer still recommended the book for some saying, "Those with
a strong interest in The Beatles and philosophy will be thrilled with Brian
Joseph's novel."
To order your copy of Brian
Joseph’s book, visit the official website for
The Gift of
Gabe at: http://www.giftofgabe.com/
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mirrored
Images
(A
Book of Short Stories & Poems)
By
ROSANNE CATALANO
The
Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers’ Founder &
Publisher
(www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com)
Founder, Publisher and
Author Rosanne
Catalano is pleased to introduce
her book Mirrored Images
which is a quick read at only 71
pages! It is a book containing Rosanne’s collection of short stories, story
articles and two poems (some fiction, some fact!) written by her for your
reading enjoyment and for those who love guessing
games.
“Mirrored
Images” by Rosanne
Catalano begins with a poem about, and
dedication to, her late father and still-living-mother and goes into a short
story about an experience with bullying in the eighth grade of school to being
saved by a guardian angel when the story character was in her mid-30’s. An
interesting read in which you, the reader, may want to guess which of her
stories are fact or fiction…
Readers Reviews of
Mirrored
Images:
****** I
purchased a copy of Rosanne Catalano’s book, Mirrored Images, and this short
collection of short stories (you will have to try real hard to decide which are
fact or fiction), articles and poetry, both touched my heart and made me smile.
Rosanne’s book Mirrored Images is
truly a great read!
It
touched me because of the love shown for her parents, God, and her husband. It
touched me because I was the kid with glasses who was bullied and picked on and
I could feel Rosanne's pain when it happened to her. It touched me because I
have lost my parents and her tribute to her father, and mother, brought back all
of the good times and love I had with/for my own parents. It touched me because Rosanne, as I feel
so many of us are but never put it into words so eloquently, is a survivor. I
believe we all have guardian angels and Mirrored Images proves it to all who
will listen. No one but angels could have saved her from bullies in junior high
school, have looked over her until she found the perfect mate, and still guide
her to this day in her writing craft. These are stories we should not only want
to read, enjoy reading, but they are stories we all need to hear. I get a
glimpse of the love and courage that Rosanne shows, and shares, in her
magazine--and our most welcome online correspondence.
She is
writing a continuation of Mirrored
Images titled Escape and
Redemption. I can't wait to read that! But first, my readers, you must read
Mirrored Images. --Barbara Deming.
*****I read your book Mirrored Images and I love it!!! You had
somewhat of a hard life in some areas and a good one in others. You had a lot of
heartache, with the loss of friends early in your life, and the ridicule and
horrendous behaviors of other kids when you were in junior high school. Though
it sounds like you had a most wonderful Dad and Grandmother too; your
grandmother reminded me so much of my Grandmother who passed away last year! I
enjoyed very much reading all of your different short stories and the poems you
included. I really loved reading about your little cheese episode in ‘Christmas With Grandma,’ and your
little sneaky trek to the store thinking you could hurriedly fix what you had
EATEN…LOL!!!! I LOVED IT--------- And I can still see you so clearly
eating all of the cheese!!!! CONGRATULATIONS all the way around!! I will get
your next book soon...I like your book’s title by the way, and your picture on
the back cover; you look sooo relaxed. --Sandra
Hoynacki.
****Your book, Mirrored Images, was a delightful
read! I LOVED IT!!!! IF the abuse at school and all was about you, you have
become a beautiful person and woman. I'm so glad you have a wonderful
spouse and your life is filled with love now. --Carol Dee
Meeks.
Rosanne Catalano’s next book,
Escape and
Redemption, will be a continuation of
Mirrored
Images as her first fiction
novel.
Escape and
Redemption by Rosanne Catalano
Coming
Soon!
Mirrored
Images by Rosanne
Catalano is available to purchase for
$8.75 in a downloadable ebook,
$17.51 for the print edition! Be sure to
pick up your copy of “Mirrored
Images” today at Lulu Press and / or at
Rosanne’s website: www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com
Ordering Info for
Rosanne Catalano’s book, Mirrored Images:
Mirrored Images by
Rosanne Catalano
Publisher: Jane W. (Lulu Press)
Publication Date: January
2007
ISBN #:
978-1-257-40573-2
Price: [Print-edition] $17.51; [ebook] $8.75
71 pages, and can be purchased at
Lulu Press or at www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LETTERS TO THE
PUBLISHER:
If you have a question, would like to
make a suggestion on something you would like to see in this magazine, or just
want to tell me about an article, poem or story you have read here, send an
email to The
Publisher’s Box™ and let me know your thoughts, questions, news or
anything else you want to talk with me about. I will be sure to respond in a
timely manner.
TO SUBMIT YOUR
WRITING:
Please do send me your short stories,
poetry, flash fiction, essays, haikus, story articles (nonfiction stories)
and/or helpful articles, but follow the Submission Guidelines I set forth. To
read my Submission Guidelines click on this link, then click back here and send your
submission(s) to “Submissions”. Remember, submissions must be
sent within the body of your email! Do not send submissions as an attachment.
And please do provide a resource box and / or author bio along with your work. I
read every single submission and will respond within four months. Thank you and
keep on writing!
HOW SOME ARE
SUPPORTING THE CAT’S MEOW FOR WRITERS & READERS:
In each magazine issue (and within
this website), there are links to businesses such as Amazon.com, First
Writer.com, Filbert Publishing, How-To
Corp, The Literary Site, Free
Rice.com, and many others. When purchasing products through
these links it helps to support The Cat’s
Meow for Writers & Readers and keep your subscription free! So the
next time you are thinking about buying a good book by one of my many authors or
others; computers or other amazing products, you'll get a good deal and help
keep your subscription free by coming here first!
Owner /
Founder / Publisher & Author:
ROSANNE CATALANO,
(aka RC Kayla)
Email: editor@thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com
Website: http://www.thecatsmeowforwritersreaders.com
* * * * * *
The Cat’s Meow for
Writers & Readers is dedicated to:
Rachel
Renée
Carman P.
Catalano
Anna
Pollicino-Catalano
Harold C.
Welch
Pauline
Mullé-Infranco
Joseph
Infranco
Copyright ©
2004-2011 Rosanne Catalano, aka RC
Kayla. All rights reserved.