Today I’m reblogging a segment from Sally Cronin’s Health Magazine at her Smorgasbord Invitation. Sally is a certified nutritionist among MANY other talents, and in this article she goes through the instruction of sharing the awareness about where it’s best to purchase natural supplements, the importance of understanding what you are taking, and caveats and conflictions with possible other medications.
Smorgasbord Health Column – Supplements – Absorbing the nutrients, avoiding the additives by Sally Cronin
I frequently get asked about taking supplements and when and how to take. In this post I am looking at the use of supplements, the ingredients you should avoid and which ones are more easily absorbed by the body.
My research into absorption of supplements goes back to my days of running my diet advisory clinic and health food shop twenty-two years ago here in Ireland. I noticed that herbal remedies in tincture form appeared to work more effectively than their tablet format, and as a consequence I usually suggested that customers and clients use the tincture or liquid form whenever it was available, and if not move to capsules. The capsules were easy to break apart and mix with water, rather than have to crush tablets which was recommended if hard to swallow or digest.
Roll forward a few years when I was taking care of my mother who was on several medications (all tablets) to keep age related problems under control. She was 92 and had developed early stages of congestive heart failure. She had a pacemaker but she was now largely inactive, getting picky about eating and reluctant to drink fluids (except for banana milkshakes and black coffee). Her digestive system was unable to absorb her medications in tablet form and after changing to liquid or capsule forms showed a marked improvement in a number of physical symptoms. This was confirmed when diuretic pills she was taking stopped working and she needed an intravenous diuretic to clear the build up of fluid.
Methods of improving the absorption of pills and tablets has improved in recent years but there are also new ways to take your supplements that increase that process significantly.
I have taken supplements in one form or another when needed since my 20s, so for 47 years. However, I moved any supplements I take when possible, to oral sprays via the inside of my cheek or under my tongue for quick absorption into the bloodstream. I was taking a cross section of separate nutrients but now find that a multi-vitamin spray, with additional Vitamin D in the winter months sufficient. I also use an oral spray for Turmeric which seems to have been effective against my usual joint pain in the wet Irish winters and is hopefully maintaining my immune system. I cannot say definitively that they work, only that I find they do so for me.
Why do we need to take supplements?
I would love to be able to tell you, that eating a healthy and varied diet provides you with all the essential vitamins you need, but I would be misleading you.
Good nutrition does begin with food, but today there is no guarantee that the food you are consuming, contains the same level of nutrients that it did 50 years ago or even 20 years ago. In some areas of the world, the soil we grow the food in is becoming depleted, and this results in less nutritious food.
For the younger generation with a very active lifestyle combined with heavy work schedules or parenthood, taking a booster dose of nutrients is probably necessary.
Also, as we age, we absorb food differently as I mentioned earlier, and this can impact the amount of nutrition we are obtaining. Once you become less active, you are likely to reduce your food intake, further restricting your ability to consume enough to provide all the nutrients you need.
Once you are in your mid-60s both men and women lose their hormonal protective elements. We need to maintain our organ health, including our brains and also bone density to prevent age related physical and mental decline. This requires maintaining a balance of healthy fats, moderate intake of whole grains and plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, and this can become hard to achieve.
Welcome to my Sunday Book Review. Today I’m reviewing Book 3 in Frank Prem’s Love Poetry Trilogy – Rescue and Redemption. This book was inspired by T.S. Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, where once again, Prem takes us on a journey of words and emotions by taking lines from the poem and incorporating into his own poetry.
Blurb:
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells . . .
from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Drawing on the phrasing of T.S. Eliot’s amazing early 20th century poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (above) Frank Prem has produced a collection of companionable and introspective love poetry written, as always, in the unique style that allows every reader to relate.
Prem’s interpretations breathe new life into contemporary exploration of themes of love in poetry, and utilise Eliot’s original phrases to inspire a contemplation of the self in the context of landscape and the wider world:
I am seeking you
within the hubbub
and the burly
trying to gauge
location
by the strength
and timbre
of your voice
rising
and falling
even as you rise
and fall
from rescue and redemption
rescue and redemption is the third of the three collections that together comprise A Love Poetry Trilogy, with each revisiting outstanding work by stellar poets of the past to produce vibrant new collections. The first collection, walk away silver heart, draws on Amy Lowell’s deeply personal Madonna of the Evening Flowers, while the second, a kiss for the worthy, derives from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass.
This is a new kind of poetry that tells stories, draws pictures and elicits emotional responses from readers. Just as the best poetry should.
My 5 Star Review:
Once again Prem has managed to create a beautiful collaboration of poetry by taking from the Prufrock poem by T.S. Eliot and converting lines into Prem’s newly adapated poetry in his 3rd book to this beautiful trilogy – Rescue and Redemption.
Prem evokes both the beauty and sometimes pain of love reflected from the original poem, and brings us into his own interpretations converted from the original, expressing deep thought and meaning, love, loss, elation and more. I would state the author’s poetry style as minimalistic in words, but deep on contemplation, using the epigraph at the beginning, serving the role for the Requiem.
A few of my favorites were: You and Me (at three O’clock), and Novel Advice ( my darlings) which will resonate with most writers:
“There will be
time to murder
and create
always kill
your darlings
sage advice
for one and all
you need
to kill your darlings
but . . .
all in time
you can take it
slow
first
build them up
with
all your heart
make them ring clearly
sound
and true
make them
loveable
likeable
and hateful
both
essential
critical
unimaginable
make of them
the pumping heart
that reveals the story
with each beat
take your time
write
what you want
and then . . .
commit a little mayhem
don’t hesitate
to dramatize
let chaos rule
throughout
the world
always
the way you guide
and no need to explain
your why
to anyone
why did you
kill
our darlings
why not keep them
were they not
good
we all feel
so
vulnerable
with our darlings
gone
and wonder
we wonder
what will happen
to us
in the chapter
that you write
next”
If you enjoy variations on different poetry styles and words that stir and move you, you will enjoy this entire trilogy!
Welcome to my Q & A. Today I’m happy to be featuring my friend and Fey Sister, Adele Marie Park and her new release, Sea Dragons, Book II in her Wisp series, a dark, magical fantasy with murder and magic!
About Adele:
Adele Marie Park was born in the north-east of Scotland, and at the age of six months, she moved to live with family on the Orcadian island of Rousay. Her childhood was surrounded by the tales and legends of old, and these became the themes and beliefs she’s carried with her through life as they now emerge and live within the pages of her books.
Adele’s first published book is Wisp. A tale of murder, passion and intrigue set in the mythical world of Edra. Wisp II Sea Dragons is now available on Amazon. She has won awards for her short stories and many have been published in successful anthologies.
Her writing crosses genres between fantasy and horror but is always character driven. Transforming the pictures and characters in her head as if by magic onto the pages of her books. Her belief in magic, faeries and the paranormal has never wavered.
Blurb:
The malevolent and ruthless mage, Dante Asano is defeated but victory came at a horrific price.
Before Wisp and his companions could intervene, Dante possessed Pendra Thorn’s body. In order to stop Dante without killing Pendra, a magic sleep spell was cast.
A glass coffin warded with powerful spells encased her body while her mind fled to a favourite memory; unfortunately, Dante is also trapped with her.
The magical coffin will only keep her alive, and Dante contained for a short time.
A desperate plan to undertake a treacherous journey across an unknown sea means Wisp and his companions must disband. Some journey with Wisp to find an ancient spell to release Pendra and banish Dante’s spirit.
Those left behind must guard Pendra in a city under threat.
An ancient evil casts a shadow over Edra causing burgeoning unrest and setting the inhabitants against one another.
Wisp’s journey must be successful not only for Pendra’s sake but also for Edra itself.
“Sea Dragons” begins with Wisp, a Marsh Faerie Law Enforcer, as he waits inside the office of the new Senior, Nether Green, an elf with considerable law enforcement experience to show for a planned meeting.
He reminisces about the events of the last six months, and recalls the death of his Senior officer Bartholomew at the hands of Dante Asano, and how Lady Pendra Thorne’s childhood home was now her mausoleum, where she lays sealed inside a glass coffin warded with spells. Wisp, Finn, and Arutha watch over the princess in the glass coffin day and night.
After an hour there is a knock at the door. Wisp learns there’s been a murder, and the new Senior is the victim! Even stranger, the new Senior is found hanging from a rope, made to look like a suicide.
After a visit to the scene of the murder, Wisp quickly picks up on a few prominent details and comes to the assumption that the new Senior was indeed murdered. Now, Wisp must solve the murder of another dead elf!
Meanwhile, at home, Finn discovers Pendra convulsing within her glass coffin. Finn summons his mother to help him deal with this new situation.
Inside the glass coffin, Pendra’s mind retreats into a favorite memory of childhood comfort, where she tries to maintain her sanity; unfortunately, the evil Dante is also trapped inside her body. In this state of flux within her mind, Pendra learns the horrible truth of the ancient evil that controls Dante Asano and his plan to rule Edra.
The magical coffin will only keep Pendra alive, and Dante contained for a brief time. To save her, Wisp and Finn and his family have to remove the evil Dante without harming Pendra.
When it’s decided that there might be a spell which will separate Dante from Pendra, Wisp and the others set off for Samoyer, a land across the Great Sea. The only problem is, Finn’s father, Slait, has a price on his head if he returns to his homeland. Yet, without this spell, Pendra will die and Edra could cease to exist.
Park has woven an atmospheric dark fantasy filled with suspense, murder, and magic! Through thoughtful detail, we’re introduced to a world filled with dragons, elves, goblins, faeries, and many other creatures where the laws of magic govern the land.
Park’s portrayal of the evil Farloaeth, the ancient harbinger of doom, reminded me of the Norse’s “Wild Hunt,” which added sensory details to the story in unexpected ways. She filled the book with plenty of twists and turns, which kept me reading long into the night.
The end was a total surprise, which stops on a bit of a cliffhanger. My mouth literally dropped open when I read the last pages. I never saw it coming.
I’ve been a fan of this author’s novels, since I stumbled upon some of her short- stories in several anthologies published within the writing community. Read “Wisp” and then delve into “Sea Dragons” as the books are not standalone novels. If you love fantasy, you will love these characters.
Seriously, I can’t wait to find out what happens in the third book. With Park’s creativity, the sky is the limit!
Let’s get to know more about Adele and about how her childhood has aided in leading her to fantasy writing!
What hobbies do you enjoy when not writing?
My second love is painting, watercolour. I can paint from an image, but I prefer to work with the subject directly. Especially when painting the flowers in the garden or a beach scene. I also adore drawing, pencil, or ink, but I haven’t used ink for a long time and having said it here, I want to buy some and give it a go. I read as if it’s the last book on earth, devouring and living each book that I read. Crocheting is something I love to do in the winter when the weather gets cold. Blankets, hats, scarfs, and little dolls. The garden is another love of mine and I enjoy sitting out as I weed, plant, or play with the dog. I have always loved cooking and have a few favourite dishes that turn out well each time. Vegetable lasagne, my macaroni and my veggie stew and dumplings. I do wish I could bake, my aunt Adeline, who brought me up, was a fantastic baker. Walking along the beach, I am definitely a beach girl. Searching for sea glass and looking in rock pools.
D.G. – Sounds like never a dull moment for you Adele with all your crafting and hobbies, besides writing, lol
What are your writing goals for this year?
An e-book which is to be published by Black Wolf Publishing. It’s just at the finishing stage to be sent back to them. Finish writing the third instalment in the Wisp series then get it edited before finally publishing with amazon. I have two other books in the pipeline, and I hope to get the time to finish them as well. Ideas pop into my head all the time and through dreams as well. Once these projects are finished, I hope to work on a companion book for Wisp which will have maps of Edra, the country in which Wisp is based and character drawings which I want to do. It will give the readers the chance to see Edra and the characters and pick up knowledge of the different races on Edra, their magical skills and where they live. It’s going to be a huge project but I’m looking forward to it. I don’t know if I can publish it through amazon as I want a specific look, an antique finish as if you’ve just found the book in a dusty attic.
D.G. – Wow, that sounds fabulous Adele. And I wish you luck with these abundant amount of exciting projects.
What is the worst part of publishing and why?
For me it is the editing. The first, second and third self-edit can drive me bonkers as I tend to want to re-write a lot which takes time. Then it is off to the editors who depending on their lifestyle can have other jobs before their editing. The wait is torture, so I usually begin writing something else to take my mind off it. When the first edits come back to me it can take a long time to read through and make the corrections. It’s just so frustrating because I’m a “yes let’s get this done” type of person but I temper my enthusiasm as I want to produce the best possible work I can and that involves other people as well as me. A novel is not a solo project and I am so incredibly grateful to my editors who go above and beyond the call of duty at times. By the time, the novel is ready to publish it can sometimes be nerve racking to finally put it out there as it has been so long in the evolving process.
D.G. – I’m with you on all you said, lol. The first return from the editor holds us writers in great anticipation, and then the gruel of revising again from edits. Isn’t writing fun?
If you weren’t a writer what else do you think you would do?
I wanted to be an art teacher, preferably for younger children as it can be so much fun to explore colours and types of using paints and crayons with them. The other thing I would like to do is to be completely off grid. This would mean building our own house, I love cob houses, solar and wind power to provide electricity and warmth in winter. Growing my own veg and herbs and I have always wanted a goat. Yes, a goat. It would provide milk for making cheese which is something I don’t think I can live without. Cheese and my love for it means that I stay vegetarian and not vegan, although there are good vegan cheeses around these days. No television, no internet, and a happy peaceful life. Ideally this vision would happen on the coast beside a favourite beach. Now, if I make enough money writing, ahem, that just might happen.
D.G. – That sounds heavenly, be right over, lol!
Where do you think your passion for storytelling originated from?
I grew up on the small island of Rousay which is part of the Orkney Isles. I was lucky that the old traditions and stories were still prevalent at the time I was a child. My aunt Adeline and Uncle Tommy raised me, and they had all the time in the world for me and my questions, even though Tommy had the farm to run and Adeline was the district nurse. My uncle Willie lived just up the road from our house, and I would wander up to his to hear stories about Trows, (trolls), witches, faeries, mermaids and selkies. I would also have my tea up at his house a few times a week. Usually a boiled egg, toast, and a wee glass of stout. Another great influence was Willie o Hammerfield. In Orkney you are usually known by the name of your house rather than your surname. Willie lived with his wife Mabel at the edge of a cliff which sheared downward to the wild sea. He told me tales about selkies, grey seals who change into humans on land, leaving their skins and dancing in the moonlight. He also told me about the Finn Folk who lived in these islands many years ago and fought a great war with a race he called the wizards. Finn Folk are still talked about now and a few have said they encountered them. Dark of hair and dark of eye, the Finn Folk tell a glorious tale.
D.G. – What a fascinating childhood that sounds. It’s no surprise the environment you grew up in has enhanced your creativity and talent for fantasy writing!
Well, it’s been an interesting week. After 2 weeks ago’s fiasco with my burning through two laptops in one week and working on an old desktop clunker, I was elated to receive my new laptop a week earlier than promised! Woohoo! I’m on it now and what a wonderful feeling to be able to open a new page in lightning speed, rather than having to steam while waiting and wasting precious minutes for each new tab to open.
I’m so grateful for my new laptop, but it’s far from easy sailing yet. As we all know, setting up a new computer is like setting up the interior of our homes once we’ve newly moved in, and of course, it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t create my own problems.
I made the HUGE mistake of loading my Dropbox onto the new machine before downloading my old computer’s files on with my backup disk. After downloading everything, there were 1000s of photos and files RE-downloaded into Dropbox where my storage space is very sacred. Let me tell you how NOT Fun it’s been spending my entire weekend doing delete, delete, delete as I went through every single file – worse than cleaning, even vacuuming!
Because the duplicate files weren’t enough in Dropbox, I found them in my documents, photos, even download files, taking up valuable storage space. OYE! What a mess! From the crash to setup, it’s been a royal nightmare. But it’s done now and I feel great having that same feeling I get when I get a new car, because, of course for us writers, having a functioning computer is like having wheels!
One caveat that didn’t thrill me about my new laptop, Microsoft has a great habit of taking over our computers. They also have a steep price tag for all their Surface laptops. I was royally pissed to discover that this NOT cheap machine has zero places of extra storage – no Micro SD card slot! It also is chinzty with minimal USB ports.
Now that I spent the weekend deleting, my mission is to find a way to get my stored files off my old SD card that was in my broken laptop. Sadly, the old laptop has caught the black screen of death pandemic so I can’t transfer to anywhere! My only option at the moment is to take out the SD card in my tablet and slide the one from my old laptop into there and see what I can do from there. Any other ideas would be much appreciated in comments.
On the upside of things, while searching for my Word doc folders, I came across the file for another book I’d planned to write 2 years ago, but because it’s humorous, and I wasn’t into writing a humorous book with it not being the best of times, I abandoned it and wrote another book, the one I’m now back to revisions in. I didn’t realize I’d written half a book already, lol. I started reading some of the stories, and I was cracking up at myself (is that a bad thing?), lol, which inspired me to start writing for that book again while in revisions for my upcoming one. I did that before – wrote 2 books simultaneously – Words We Carry and MenoWhat? -A Memoir. I don’t know about some of you writers, but I find it difficult to write in humor if I’m not feeling the love.
Thanks for following me on my Schleprock ride through technology.
Today I’m sharing Sally Cronin’s New Series at Smorgasbord Invitation, starting in September at the Smorgasbord Cafe. Submit your stories about a Life-Changing Moment to Sally’s series to be featured. Find out what’s entailed below:
Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore – Author Spotlight – Life Changing Moments
Welcome to the new series of the Cafe and Bookstore Author spotlight which begins in September.
In this new series I am inviting authors in the Cafe to share what they consider to be a defining moment in their lives that resulted in a major positive change.
Here are a few examples, and I am sure you will have plenty to add:
Meeting a stranger with surprising consequences
Accepting an invitation that took you out of your comfort zone
Being fired from a job or resigning without another job lined up that turned out to be an opportunity.
Taking a wrong turn on a journey and discovering something about yourself.
Being in the wrong place at the right time when an opportunity presented itself.
Overcoming a challenging situation such as a failed relationship and finding happiness.
Taking part in a charity challenge such as a parachute jump and how it conquered a fear.
Accidentally walking through the wrong door and finding an uplifting experience
Moving to a new country and feeling immediately at home.
You can choose to stick to the facts or can write a fiction story that has ‘A Life Changing Moment’ as its theme.
Here is an example of how your post will look.
Here is something I wrote about how a number of factors came into play following my disastrous first marriage. It was a decision that took me hundreds of miles away from home, to meet someone who would change my views on love and romance, and subsequently my life all in the space of six weeks.
The Rocky Road to True Romance
Have you ever wondered why the classic fairy stories that involve a beautiful farmer’s daughter, scullery maid or even a princess, who are swept off their feet by a handsome and rich stranger on a white horse; end with the words ‘And they lived happily ever after’.
Because most were written by men at a time when a woman was a chattel who cooked, cleaned and bore children. The men however went about their business as usual; of course living happily ever after.
That may sound a bit cynical, but I can remember as a child being fed the propaganda. Most commonly via bedtime stories and the ‘Happy Ever After’ films that we were allowed to watch in our teen years. Disney had the whole thing down to a fine art.
By the time I was sixteen, I was convinced that at some point, a rich and handsome stranger was going to gallop into my life and sweep me off into a fairy tale future in a palace with a new generation of princes and princesses, and a life of love and contentment. . . continue reading
How to participate.
Approximately 1000 words about a Life Changing Moment that ended positively
Welcome to the Sunday Movie Review. I’d recently read a fantastic review for the book, The Hate U Give, by an author friend and had added the book to my TBR, but as it turned out, I found the movie on HBO and was compelled to watch it. The book was published in 2017 and with the escalating systemic racism in the US, the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality protests that have ballooned even louder since then make this book a compelling read.
Below, I’ve shared the book and blurb, but for those interested in watching and don’t subscribe to HBO, this movie is also available on Amazon Prime.
Blurb:
8 starred reviews ∙ Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best ∙ William C. Morris Award Winner ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ Printz Honor Book ∙ Coretta Scott King Honor Book ∙ #1 New York Times Bestseller!
“Absolutely riveting!” —Jason Reynolds
“Stunning.” —John Green
“This story is necessary. This story is important.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“A marvel of verisimilitude.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A powerful, in-your-face novel.” —Horn Book (starred review)
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
My 5 Star Review:
With almost 7000 reviews and a full 5-star rating, it isn’t difficult to think how powerful this story is. With the current climate in the US and racial inequality, the story of the wrongful murder of Khalil takes us into the world of what it’s like to be a black person living in these volatile times. I will note, I’ve read several reviews about this story before writing my review and was stunned to actually see some 1 star reviews, which tells me a lot about how racism is alive and well.
This story is a powerful telling by the central teenage character – Starr Carter. The movie begins with Starr and her two younger brothers sitting at the kitchen table with their parents and her father giving a lecture to his young children, educating them on how to behave in society – mainly, when faced with police in possible confrontations. Father demonstrates as he tells his children – if you are stopped by police, always remember to show your hands, as he presses his own hands firmly on the table for demonstration.
Starr grows up in a poor black neighborhood, and through the movie as she narrates, informs us that where she lives everyone is poor, offering no opportunity for work, explaining why so many turn to drug-dealing and crime, for many the only way to survive. Starr struggles with where she fits in society as her parents sent her to a better off preppy high school rather than the hometown high school where Starr tells us there’s nothing in those high schools for advancement other than a life leading to crime and getting pregnant.
Starr struggles with her black identity in a mostly white school and with a white boyfriend. At first she’s embarrassed to let her boyfriend Chris know where she lives, but as the movie progresses, that all changes once Khalil, Starr’s best friend from childhood, is murdered by a policeman right in front of her. Chris must first face acceptance by Starr’s dad, Maverick, and as Chris proves himself worthy of Maverick’s daughter, we can’t help but love his character.
Starr struggles with her blackness and her white world. At school she’s always leery of others the way they judge her as she struggles with fitting in and questioning if her best white girlfriend is really a racist. At the same time, when Starr goes home from school, she’s back in a world where her own roots are strong, creating confusion and uncertainty about where she fits in. Until one day when one of her black friends invites her to a party and her longtime old friend Khalil, who she hasn’t seen in years walks in and they are catching up with each other when a brawl breaks out and shots are fired. Khalil grabs Starr and they flee through the commotion to Khalil’s car and he drives Starr home. As they reminisce about their childhoods and Khalil declares his love for Starr, the sirens approach and Khalil is pulled over on a dark empty street for failing to signal when changing lanes. The instilled instruction that Starr’s father drilled into her as a kid kicks in as Starr immediately places her hands on the dashboard and urges Khalil to do the same. But Khalil is pissed off when the officer asks him to step out of the car and when told to stand there while the officer checks out his I.D. While standing there, Khalil ducks his head inside his car window to listen to what Starr is telling him to do to comply and not ask for trouble, and when he stands back up as the cop approaches the car, it’s pitch dark out and Khalil’s resistance to the situation has the cop shooting Khalil as Starr witnesses the whole event.
Starr is at first hesitant to speak about the crime as she’s traumatized by the witnessing of her best friend’s murder and the tragedy of how black people are treated by society. But she is finally determined to speak out about police brutality and goes live on air to tell the public everything that transpired leading to Khalil’s murder. She goes on to explain how black people don’t stand a fighting chance and why so many are forced to lead a life of crime just to survive. And King, the local druglord was not happy about her talking about that on air, decides to take revenge on Starr’s family for doing so.
I’m not going to let spoilers out what happens after, but suffice it to say, this is a powerful story with so many societal problems and struggles the black population endures, for some on a daily basis. The humanity in this story is astounding, and each character in this story have compelling personalities. Aptly titled – The Hate U Give, as Starr explains stands for THUG – Thuglife. My personal opinion, is this book and/or movie should be required reading/watching in all junior high level classes.There is much to discuss from this movie. Some low-rating reviewers defend the police, stating that they risk their lives when they don’t know if a pullover has a weapon. But humanity has to ask, how does one take a fifty-fifty gamble that there is or isn’t a weapon, so let’s just kill them just in case, dismissing the cost of a human life? I shed many tears throughout this movie so would highly recommend a box of Kleenex by your side when reading or watching.
I’m happy to be having Jacqui Murray back to my blog with her hot new release, Book 3 in her Crossroads Trilogy series, Against All Odds. Jacqui has a magnificent blog tour currently going on in blogtown, and I’m happy to be part of it here in this edition of Q & A.
About Jacqui:
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice, a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, Book 2 in the Dawn of Humanity trilogy, Winter 2021.
Blurb:
A million years of evolution made Xhosa tough but was it enough? She and her People finally reach their destination—a glorious land of tall grasses, few predators, and an abundance that seems limitless, but an enemy greater than any they have met so far threatens to end their dreams. If Xhosa can’t stop this one, she and her People must again flee.
The Crossroads trilogy is set 850,000 years ago, a time in prehistory when man populated most of Eurasia. He was a violent species, fully capable of addressing the many hardships that threatened his survival except for one: future man, a smarter version of himself, one destined to obliterate all those who came before.
From prehistoric fiction author Jacqui Murray comes the unforgettable saga of a courageous woman who questions assumptions, searches for truth, and does what she must despite daunting opposition. Read the final chapter of the People’s long search for freedom, safety, and a new home.
A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!
Comment from another book in the trilogy…
I feel as if I am on a adventure into the extreme past. I have read both books and have been
entertained. I suggest these books to anyone who enjoys traveling into the past –Amazon reader
I flew through this read. The pace moves quickly, occasionally veering into the story of another group, one who split from Xhosa’s People. Xhosa commands the primary point of view, but it does switch to other group members on occasion. I highly recommend “The Quest for Home” to readers of prehistoric fiction, speculative fiction, and adventures. –Amazon reader
Jacqui has created a fabulous trailer!
Time to dig deeper and learn more about Jacqui and her writing
Where do your book ideas grow from?
The original idea for each book comes from something I read or saw, or a conversation I hear that intrigues me. My mind—well, I should say my subconscious because this step is not something I control–starts to churn through the events, looking for connections or sequences or logic. If it finds pieces that don’t fit, the whole thing bubbles up into my consciousness where I can pull threads, see where they take me. That usually requires research which continues until I’ve fleshed out a book.
But that’s not the end. At this point, the characters take over, guiding me through the tidbits that have been spinning around in my head, add their personality, and suddenly, I have a novel that needs a ton of editing!
D.G. – Well you must have an amazing muse to fill your head with such nuggets.
How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite of your books and if so, why?
If you include fiction and non-fiction, I’ve written over a hundred. My first book was Building a Midshipman, the story of my daughter’s acceptance into the U.S. Naval Academy (a prestigious science-oriented school whose basic course load includes classes like—wait for it—Thermodynamics). My daughter never thought she could be accepted so when she was, I wanted to share her story with other young women who might lack the confidence to apply. After that, I wrote about fifty books on technology in education. Then, I got the fiction bug and switched to thrillers (To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days) and then prehistoric fiction in a series called Man vs. Nature. This is a collection of trilogies that define seminal points in man’s evolution and is probably where I’ll put my efforts for the foreseeable future.
D.G. – Wow! I wasn’t aware you’d written so many books. Something to be admired for sure! Amazing how versatile your writing is.
What prompted you to write in your chosen genre?
I used to read a lot about early man but no one could explain how they survived the hostile environment into which they were born, ruled by savage animals who considered man nothing more than prey. Compared to these alpha predators, early humans had modest physical attributes–stubby nails, thin skin that couldn’t withstand the sharp claws of the dominant animals, and tiny teeth that couldn’t bite through an enemy’s hide. We had no fur to protect us, wore no clothing (mostly), and had only primitive weapons. But still we survived. How? To unravel this mystery, I read vociferously, researched endlessly, and then created characters who I put into the situations history said should have killed them. To my surprise, they thrived.
The ‘how’ of it makes these stories as exciting as any thriller, as baffling as any mystery, and as compelling as any character-driven novel. I’m more excited about this genre today than I was thirty years ago when I started my quest.
D.G. – I can only imagine how much research it took to create this smashing series!
What upcoming projects are you working on?
I’d love to share this! I’ve completed the Crossroads trilogy, the second in the Man vs. Nature Universe and dealing with man’s longest living species, Homo erectus. Next, I’ll finish the last two books of First Man’s trilogy, Dawn of Humanity, featuring the earliest man, Homo habilis. In the future, I’ll write a trilogy about the species who established man as the alpha in the animal kingdom and then, the humans who survived a time not so long ago when man almost became extinct. I’m pretty excited about these stories and have begun the process of drafting them. Each book takes me about a year to write which means what I’ve touched on here will take about eight years to complete. I hope my energy lasts that long!
D.G. – Wow, amazing how you can project your projects for the next 8 years! I never know what my next book will be until the last one gets published, lol.
Jacqui shares an excerpt with us: Chapter 1
The foothills of the Pyrenees
They came out of the mountains, hair frozen in sparkling strands, hands and feet wrapped in shredded pelts, ribs etched against their skin under ragged hides white with snow, faces haggard with fatigue. Blood crusted scrapes and gashes, many recent, others almost healed, reminders of the violent struggles endured on their journey.
Though their steps flagged, not one of these upright creatures exhibited a hint of defeat. All males and a few females carried at least one spear, some two, many with warclubs strapped to their backs. Despite the anxiety and fear of entering this foreign land, hope energized them today, that their migration might be at an end.
All of them—Xhosa and her tribe, Pan-do and his, Wind, Zvi, and Seeker—had been chased from their homes by enemies. In their flight, they found each other. It took time to work through their differences but now they traveled side by side, respected ideas not theirs, and called themselves the People.
Their charismatic Leaders—Xhosa, Wind, and Pan-do—were known as reliable friends to those who earned their trust and dangerous enemies to those who opposed them. Two wolves—Spirit and Black Wolf—journeyed with them. Though the People lacked the animals’ sharp claws, dense fur, and piercing teeth, each considered the other “pack” and would defend them to death.
The exhausted group straggled down the gently sloping flank, feet shuffling carefully over the slippery scree. The ground changed from talus to stunted tufts of grass, sparse and brown which made walking easier. Optimism shone from their faces even as their tired eyes flicked side to side in search of unexpected movement, ears strained for out-of-place noises, and noses sniffed.
Rather than continue across the meadow, Xhosa led the People into the shade of the edging forest.
“Do you smell it, Wind?” Anticipation filled her gestures.
She and Wind, pairmates as well as Co-Leaders, stood quietly, absorbing their surroundings. Light filtered lazily through the canopy, the shadowed ground dappled with patches of warmth. She sniffed in the essence of wet earth and rotting leaves, the mustiness of moss, and something else much more enticing.
“It’s there.” She pointed and strode forward, lengthening her stride.
An icy gust whipped down the hillside through the shadows and raised bumps on her arms but she ignored it. The forest gave way to open sky and searing heat. It was too hot for her thin pelt but she didn’t stop to remove it. Green stalks swayed as far as she could see, edged on one side by more mountains and the other by some sort of leaves and branches. Sunlight glinted off the rippled surface of a distant river as it curled over the terrain.
“Dung!” The scent overpowered every other odor.
Wind huffed to her side. “It’s been a long time since we smelled dung that wasn’t frozen.”
“We did it, Wind.” Her eyes glistened with relief.
For most of a Moon, dread gnawed at her courage and left her wondering if following the guidance of Seeker—a boy barely a man—was a mistake. But Seeker assured her in his ebullient way that once out of the hills, their new homebase would welcome them. Xhosa wanted to believe him because she wasn’t sure what else to do. Nor did she know what to do if it didn’t work.
Siri, Pan-do, Ngili, the wolves Spirit and Black Wolf, and the rest of the People gathered around Xhosa and Wind, eyes locked on what lay in front of them.
Pan-do whispered, “We made it.” His eyes were moist, mouth open.
Ngili, the People’s Lead Hunter, motioned, hands close to his body. “With all this grass, Gazelle or Mammoth must be nearby.”
Dust, the Lead Scout, trotted up, coming from a tall cliff far ahead on their forward path. “I think there are caves there.”
The People hadn’t slept in a cave since leaving Viper and the Mountain Dwellers. It would be a treat if true.
Xhosa looked behind. Shadows already stretched as far from the bottom of the rocky slopes as sunlight to the top. Daylight would soon end.
“We don’t have much time. Let’s rest and then see if those are caves.”
Ngili, the People’s Lead Hunter, motioned, fingers spaced out, palms up, “I’ll go with Dust to check.” He added a swift spread-fingered swipe with first one hand and then the other, followed by a quick bob of his head and a puff.
Xhosa brushed both hands down her sides. Go.
The People spoke with a complex combination of hand motions, facial expressions, body movements, and sounds augmented with chirrups, snaps, hisses, and whistles. By the time Ngili finished talking, Xhosa knew how many would join him, where they would go, and how long they’d be away. The People’s communication was sophisticated but quiet, a precaution especially in unfamiliar areas. Unusual sounds—voices, for example—stood out. All animals made noises but few as varied as the People’s. Why alert Others who lived here to their presence? Xhosa would do that in her own time, in her own way.
Dust, Ngili, and two scouts soon receded into the landscape, the only evidence of their passage a slight disturbance in the slender waving stalks. Despite the dung scents, the abundant plant food, and the glisten of a faraway river, Xhosa crossed her arms over her chest and paced.
Something is wrong.
She searched the forests and the rippling field that had swallowed up Dust and Ngili . Xhosa possessed the ability to see great distances in sufficient detail to find trails, footprints, movement, or the glitter of sun off eyes.
She saw none of those and that made her more uncomfortable.
With this wealth of food and water, Others should be here.
Wind motioned, palms flattened against his chest, “The mountains we crossed touched Sun. They’re cold and barren. Few can do what we did to get here, Xhosa. We are safe.”
Xhosa could hear in his voice, see in his gestures, that despite his bravado, Wind too felt uneasy about what they didn’t see and hear.
But she grinned. “I don’t know how I survived without someone being able to read my thoughts.”
She trotted over to a stream that fed into the river she had noticed. She stretched out on her belly, flat on the soft grass at the water’s edge, and took a long, satisfying drink of the sweet liquid. Thirst quenched, she collected handfuls of the tender shoots of new plants growing along the shore, ate what she wanted and tossed the rest into a communal food pile that would be shared with all the People. It was already filling up with fat fish speared from the slow-moving pools beside the river, tasty reeds and cattails, and even a handful of eggs plucked from nests not hidden well enough along the shore and in the roots of trees. The wolves snapped birds from the air and swallowed them almost whole, coughing up feathers.
Xhosa leaned back on her hands, sniffing the unique fragrance of each groupmember. Zvi was sweaty from wrestling with Spirit. Siri smelled sourly of hunger but she wouldn’t eat until Honey’s bleeding foot was wrapped in mulch and leaves. The females with new babies exuded the pleasant aroma of milk. Some scents jumbled together making them impossible to identify. When Xhosa became Leader of the People, before it merged with Pan-do’s and Hawk’s, the People had been small enough that she could recognize everyone by their odor. Now, she kept track of her tribe while Pan-do did the same with his. Wind helped everyone.
Done eating, the People sprawled on the warm ground, soaking up Sun’s remaining rays, chatting contentedly with gestures and the occasional sigh. Water dripped from their thawing bodies, soaking into the thirsty ground, as the remaining ice and snow on their pelts and in their hair melted away.
Xhosa and Wind sat apart from the others, on a log long ago softened by rot. She uprooted handfuls of grass and wiped the sweat from Wind’s body, as he did hers. The soft scratch felt good and the earthy fragrance reminded her of times long gone. When he finished, she harvested chunks of green moss from the log’s decaying bark and stuffed them into her neck sack. All the People wore one of these around their necks. Even the wolves did when they were migrating.
Finished, she leaned against Wind and closed her eyes. In a group of Others, her pairmate stood out. A Big Head, the People’s traditional enemy, the ones who drove Xhosa and her tribe from their long-established home, Wind had earned Xhosa’s trust by saving her life more than once and then, as a member of her People, sharing Big Head spear tricks and warrior skills with her Leads. Before long, each of them individually told her that thanks to Wind they could now defeat an attack which they couldn’t have done in the past. Whatever distrust her People harbored toward him faded away.
“Xhosa!” Dust panted up to her. “I found a cave. And we found trace of a herd. Ngili is tracking it.”
By the time Sun settled into its night nest, the People were ensconced in the cave Dust found. They had to squeeze together to fit but all were thrilled to sleep without waking to frozen toes and numb fingers. Stone and Zvi—the burliest of the People—lugged rocks in and Siri built a fire that quickly warmed the interior. The subadults gathered kindling to feed it and arranged who would be responsible throughout the night for keeping it lit.
Usually, the wolves slept scattered among the People but with Black Wolf close to delivering her pups, she dug out an opening in the back and claimed it as her den. Then she settled to her belly, one leg forward, the other bent back, eyebrows twitching.
Xhosa strode toward the nest she would share with Wind but stopped at the sight of Seeker, weight on his bottom, legs crossed in front of his body in the uncomfortable position he preferred. His pairmate Lyta curled next to him with their best friend, Zvi.
Xhosa approached Seeker. “You are not outside.”
Every night as long as Xhosa could remember, the enigmatic male lay on his back, gaze fixed steadily on the star-dotted sky, spouting what to Xhosa sounded like gibberish to whoever listened. Intermittently, he leapt to his feet and spun dizzying circles or bounced from one foot to the other, huffing and chirping. Lyta and Zvi would either join him or watch. He once explained to Xhosa that this was how he studied the changes in the night sky—the appearance and disappearance of particular stars or their movement in relation to each other—so he could guide the People accurately. This nightly process was how they had moved from the distant start of Endless Pond to this cave where Endless Pond seemed to end.
He didn’t respond to her statement, didn’t even acknowledge her. That worried Xhosa. She hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that danger lurked around them, somewhere. Seeker’s anxious look didn’t help.
She squatted at his side and added a question to her declaration. “The stars aren’t talking to you?”
To the side, Lyta wriggled, not comfortable in the seated position Seeker preferred but determined to try because Seeker liked it so much. Zvi crouched on the balls of her feet, the more traditional pose. She’d tried to sit on her bottom, legs crossed in front, but kept falling backward. Besides, it took her too long to rise from that position which meant if Lyta needed help, she couldn’t respond quickly. Squatting, for her, made more sense. Seeker didn’t care. He expected all to do what worked for them. Both his best friend and his future pairmate were long accustomed to his eccentricities.
Finally, Seeker offered Xhosa only a confused frown.
That’s not a “Yes they are,” and that raised the hair on her neck. Before she could ask more, Ngili scrambled through the thistle barrier the youngsters had placed around the cave’s mouth to prevent the entrance of intruders and hurried toward Xhosa.
He motioned, “I lost the herd’s trace in the dark. I’ll try again tomorrow,” and then raced toward where the hunters had gathered. They were all tired. Some would mate before sleeping but not Ngili. He hadn’t given up hope that his pairmate, Hecate, would come back.
After a final glance at Seeker, Xhosa joined Wind in their nest. She squatted behind him and teased the dirt and debris from his long head hair, occasionally focusing on a difficult tangle until her fingers could move easily through his hair. When she finished, he did the same for her.
As he groomed, he said, “I’ll join Ngili tomorrow. If there are herds, we will find them.”
“Pan-do and I will continue with the People.”
They said nothing more, both enjoying the calming feel of nails scratching on their skin and the intimacy of someone they trusted implicitly. Done, both fell asleep.
The first rays of daylight filtered into the cave. Black Wolf was already outside, padding back and forth restlessly, huffing uncomfortably. Wind left with Ngili and a handful of scouts, knowing Xhosa would leave a trail to wherever they settled when Sun’s light ran out. Though Spirit usually went with the hunters, today he stayed with Black Wolf.
Xhosa and Pan-do led. Dust copied their pace and direction but a distance away. With Ngili and Wind searching for meat, Xhosa focused on finding a cave large enough for the People. They strode onward, gaze sweeping the landscape, everyone grazing on berries, roots, and worms as they walked. Sporadically, Xhosa heard a faraway squawk or glimpsed a covey of birds as they exploded into flight, fleeing an unknown threat. It was the direction Ngili and Wind had gone, and told her how far they’d gotten.
The People rested by a waterhole. They searched its shoreline for prints but found none. Wherever the herds lived, they didn’t drink here so the People moved on, through copses of young saplings and around a bed of haphazardly-strewn boulders. The air tasted of flowers, warm earth, and the mild tang of salt, but the dung they found was hard and old.
Xhosa touched Pan-do’s hand and both stopped, eyes forward. “Do you smell that? It reminds me of Endless Pond.”
He pointed to his strong side and the direction they were walking. “From there and there. How can it be on two sides?”
Xhosa tingled. One of her People—Rainbow—had abandoned them long ago, taking many males and females with him. Others she and her People ran into while migrating here told her Rainbow traveled the same route she did but along the opposite shore of Endless Pond. For him, as for her, this was as far as he could go without folding back on himself.
If they got this far. If any survived.
She pushed aside those thoughts. Before searching for whatever remnants remained of Rainbow’s group, the People must find a homebase. All they suffered to get here—the interminable walking, the loss of Hawk, the death of groupmembers, Nightshade’s treachery—was for naught if they didn’t establish a home.
Spirit bumped her leg. Black Wolf panted at her mate’s side, her belly almost touching the ground.
Xhosa motioned, “Your mate’s pups won’t wait much longer. We will find a den for her.”
Spirit took off, his movements graceful and fluid with Black Wolf lumbering after him.
Not much later, Pan-do squinted ahead. “I think Spirit found a cave.”
Xhosa leaned forward, narrowing her gaze, and finally saw where Spirit stopped. He sat on his haunches at the base of a cliff, facing her, nose twitching, tail swishing the dirt behind him.
It took the rest of the day to cross over the craggy scrubland, up and down the deep ravines, and around the occasional spot of slippery ice. The cave proved too small for the People but not for Black Wolf’s needs. With much scuffling and panting, she created a nest for her pups and disappeared into the cool dark hole. The People settled outside, under an overhang that would protect them from rain and predators, and far enough away to not bother the new mother. As soon as Ngili and Wind arrived, shaking their heads that they hadn’t found a herd, they left again to search for signs of a trail left by former inhabitants of this cave.
Xhosa’s chest squeezed and her stomach knotted. Spirit padded up to her side, hackles puffed, nostrils flaring. He agreed. Something about this area made her tingle but for now, until Black Wolf finished, they must stay.
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Thank you for sharing this insightful and exciting chapter with us Jacqui. It was a pleasure having you and your lovely book over here today. Wishing you tons of success with the whole series.
I’ve been trying to clean up some of my posts from my contributions at Sisters of the Fey, which is now closed and I’ve moved over my prior posts and currently organizing them on my Header Menu, and somehow found I didn’t have this posted on my page. Also, of course, by moving into my drafts, it wouldn’t get seen if I didn’t hit the publish button. So if some of you remember this post when I originally posted it at the Fey, please enjoy again. For those who haven’t previously read it. It’s worthwhile learning how to work with our angels to dispel negative energies that attract to us.
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WE ARE ALL CONNECTED THROUGH VIBRATIONAL ENERGY, AND WE REFER TO ‘CONNECTED’ BY WAY OF ETHERIC OR PSYCHIC ENERGY CORDS. BUT WHAT ARE THESE INVISIBLE CORDS, AND HOW CAN WE ELIMINATE THEM TO HELP RELEASE AN ENERGY CONNECTION WE PREFER NOT TO KEEP WITHIN US?
We must practice the art of cutting these cords, and to help with the releasing of these cords, we look to Archangels Michael and Raphael. The energy cords we’re most linked with are people in our close circles, and almost always, family. These same cords also connect us to profound events in our lives that remain in the back of our sub-conscience – some good, some bad. And it’s those unhealthy attachments we want to eliminate.
All the negativity we carry because of unhealthy chords that bind us should be cleared from within every once in awhile, just as we clean ourselves and our homes. If you find yourself continuously carrying bad feelings, reliving unpleasant events of unfavorable conditions or energies from someone close to you taking up too much residence in your head leaving you feeling unsettled within, it’s probably time to begin cutting cords.
There are various methods we can use to cut the cords that weigh us down, but the first step is to relax, do some deep breathing, and meditate for a few minutes to bring on the calm. Then we are ready to call on Archangel Michael to assist us by closing our eyes and concentrating and asking Archangel Michael, to please remove the cords that bind me.
It’s also important to recognize where you’re energy is draining you to specify the cords you want severed. Again, you can ask Archangel Michael to help open up your awareness and to help find the draining cords. Then follow the cord(s) in your mind’s eye beginning from the top of our head, leading to the heart, and feel by visualizing, Michael’s power of white light entering through the top of our heads. Keep the visual of white light around you to stay grounded. Whether by laser of light or by visualizing Michael holding a handheld vacuum penetrating through your head right down to your feet, visualize the cutting and evacuation of these cords as the ‘cleaning’ passes through each chakra. When you feel the cords have been released, ask for Archangel Raphael (the healer) to seal the open wound from the cord removal by replacing with thoughts of joy and love in your heart. By severing these cords, it makes room for peace and clarity.
Our angels are always with us but they will never impose themselves in our lives unless invited to. This is known as free will. We need only ask for their assistance and keep an open heart when summoning.
Below is an example of what you can say. Don’t get all caught up on wondering if you’ve used the right words – speak from the heart. You may use any variation of calling your angels you feel most comfortable with. Just remember to close off the wound after the cord cutting. Below is a good example of what to recite either silently or out loud:
Archangel Michael, please pull on the roots of the cords connecting me to (name or situation) by using your light and sword. Release the roots and cord to divine light. Now envision a shower of divine light all around you and the person you’ve just cut the cord from to send off the negative energy. Then you can ask Raphael to seal the wound, which should leave you feeling more centered, balanced and lighter within.
Tips:
You can always call on your angels to ask for help.
Keep track of your feelings before and after cutting cords.
You can always hold or surround yourself with your favorite grounding stone while doing this.
Smudging yourself and/or surroundings after a cord cutting session helps to remove the negativity after the cord removal.
I found this helpful video to give you an idea how to perform the cord cutting.
* Just a note to let you know, even though our Fey blog is closed, our (new name) 5 Spiritual Sisters page is alive and well on Facebook.
Have any of you here ever tried working with your angels?
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