Really Great Book: Prayer of the Dragon
Every so often, but not often enough, I come across a book that is satisfying on all levels and so appreciate that a great writer has managed to produce a work of art that teaches me a lot. I want to recommend Eliot Pattison to anyone who has yet to read his work. His latest book, “Prayer of the Dragon” is everything I would ever want in a story. He combines anthropology, sociology, and theology into one spell-binding book that teaches you more than you could learn in several college courses of the same level.
Eliot reportedly lives in Pennsylvania and is a lawyer and world traveler, but best of all is that he won the coveted “Edgar Award” for best mystery for a book I am definitely going to read now.
I am going to quote from Author’s Note rather than the book because I would not know where to start there. Here is what he says:
The notion that two peoples separated by more than ten thousand miles and easily as many years could share common roots may at first seem but a romantic fancy, but the evidence has given pause to more than a few experts.
Where Would I Be Without My Dreams? No Where!
Hey Ruth,
Thank you and the Dream Weaver for the interpretation of my dream this last Saturday morning of us going to Paris and finding two dignitaries who were actively supporting your book, Angel of the Maya.
I followed up with the interpretation indicating that I write a character which I named Spirit, for me to play near the end of the theater play I wrote titled "I Know What You Want.” The play is based on a vision given me after seeing actor, Don Marshall, perform over a year ago. I just now called Don Marshall and told him about my dream and the character I added. I read my part and when I was done, Don said it was absolutely fantastic! He loved how my new character adds to the play and lets the audience know how I feel about life when things are going bad.
Sacred Grief
A timely new book shows you what to do in the face of suffering…
Our friend here on The Blog, Lynne, invites you to tune into her conversation with Leslee Tessmann, author of Sacred Grief.
We all experience grief- loss of a loved one, a cross-country move, death of a dream, or any of the small losses that we encounter daily. We also wonder what to do to support our friends who are in the midst of grief when words can seem so inadequate.
Time to Celebrate a New Web Site!
Free the balloons and scream good wishes! Millicent just got the word that her web site for her book is up and running. This is your invitation to visit it now and spread the word about her book "The Next Step".
Click here: http://www.thenextstepbook.com/
Celebrating the Wee People of the World
Upon responding to the most delightful pictures of Jan's grandkids dressed for St. Patrick's day and a reporting of her daughter's activities trying to catch a leprachaun, Jan sent this to share:
Hi Ruth,
We have been doing the wee-people coming to our house and messing up the place for years. The kids love it and want to catch one so badly. Especially Stephanie, who is 9. When I went to Ireland, she wanted me to ask someone who would know IF they reallly exist. I did and told her what the very educated man told me. They are real to only the ones who believe that they are real. She is so taken by the wee people. She looked and looked, Lisa said. Wants to catch one very much. I told Steph that the little dickens took all my green crayons and tied them all together. We keep up with the silly stuff and now the older ones are wanting to be in on it... They want to mess up and not get corrected for it. Smart and fun. We do have fun with it. And it is yet, another way for me to keep their being Irish alive. Glad you liked it and the photo.... Peace, Jan
I find your family practice so very endearing and wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this family fun with me. I will be passing it along to many others. ruth
BTW: Are you aware of the beliefs of the SmokieMountain Cherokees regarding wee people? If not, let me recommend a book that a friend of mine created and illustrated entitled “The Secrets and Mysteries of the Cherokee Littl People” Lynn King Lossiah is a bona fide Cherokee grandmother and award winning artist. She wrote this book in 1998 and the ISBN is 0-935741-22-4. I think you will love it as much as I do.
A Book CAN Work Miracles!
Dear Ruth I must share this!
I bought your workbook (It’s About Time! Work for a NEW You) a few years ago. At the time it was very hard for me to go through it. It seemed difficult and that I just was not getting it.
That was then, this is now...
I ran across that workbook several times recently and kept thinking I should go through it again, but remembering my struggle the first time, I never followed through. Well, you posted yesterday on your blog about the workbook and I pulled it out this morning and completed the first lesson.
OH, MY GOODNESS! I breezed right through and my energy kept soaring. I am beaming, literally started dancing, after completing my lesson! I can't stop smiling!!
I again was guided to pick up Angel of The Maya and another profound passage caught me that I would love to share with you.
The Workbook "It's About Time!" Revisited
God moves through our lives like the wind. We cannot see anything, but we know it can sweep us away and take everything we ever created with it. We know it has the power to instill awe in the most fearsome of beings and it generates power when we need it…but we usually take it for granted.
Life is much more interesting to me than it was even last week. Amazing how my eyes have been opened wider and I did nothing, and speaking of powerful movements that are driving us to higher work, I am surprised and amazed to receive the following mail today from one who is doing amazing things every day....yet takes out time to remember what got her started on her path. Hold that thought and follow the dots to the next line….
I Just Got a Huge Surprise!
Wowwweee! Was i ever surprised to turn to Amazon.com to see if the release of Angel of The Maya in hardback was on line there or not. What i found while wandering around that page was this:
I can't thank you enough for doing this! What a wonderful friend to me and my work! You will be blessed and feel the promise you felt when you wrote those words. I guarantee it! :)
What's on Your Reading List?
Got the following in Lynne's latest newsletter, and want to share it with all of you who are NOT enjoying mid-80s weather as i am now. Good advice to all writers, but also to everyone who interacts with others for a living or wants to teach or speak publicly now or in the future. Read!
It's a snowy Sunday here in Missouri. In fact, it is an ideal day to curl up with a good book.
Did you know that reading is one the best ways to improve your writing skills?
To be an successful author, it is crucial that you feed your brain with great writing. Read a variety of things- self - help books, business best-sellers, books in your area of expertise, and fiction. In fact, mysteries and novels can teach you many writing techniques that will make your writing more fun to read.
I have a date with my recliner chair near the fireplace as soon as I finish this newsletter. A good book awaits!
What's on your reading list today?
Lynne
E-Book Review - The Parent's Path
This Blog is our place to share what is going on everywhere and most especially…in your backyard. Today it is with great respect and honor that I introduce all of you to a new e-book written and produced by one of our very old friends from The E, Rose Ann. Check it out!
Here’s the link: http://www.lulu.com/sourceforcoaching
"The Next Step" is in Print!
What excitement reigns in our world today!!! Millicent's book "The Next Step" is now available through her Publishers: www.dorrancebooks.com and should be on Amazon.com soon.
Perhaps Millicent will share with us here her views of the process she used to write this exciting book? If so, we will post here for all to read.
I am excited because it is the first book written so far that follows a dream i interpreted. Millicent followed the wisdom given in her dream and the rest is history! Here is a snippet she sent in today to share here:
"I love that the very first page of the introduction talks about the dream of Arthur Ford and your interpretation, which is included in full."
