Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Review - The Rhythm of the Spirit


Sushrut A Badhe has done a marvelous job in this collection of 34 poems about the spiritual and emotional side of life. The poems, while applicable to people of any religious bend, are steeped in the Hindu tradition. However, this reviewer saw the influences of Tao, Christianity, and other religions.

Badhe touches the soul with his poetry, as one would expect from the title. He delves into pain, loss, happiness, and love. These are poems to read when you are sad, and then again when you are happy, to help bring meaning in each time. Emotion and the spirit that pervades our little world are intimately intertwined and Sushrut helps tease them apart just enough for the reader to see them, experience them, and know of the continuity that binds them and us together.

Namaste.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

What Scares You?

Two days to Halloween seems an appropriate time to join this hop.

What scares me?

Dying alone. Contracting some vile disease or having some horrible accident and dying with no one near. That scares me. Not much else.

Funny thing, too, since I really enjoy solitude and meditation and quiet. Just don't want everything to end that way.

What about you? Zombie-pocalypse? Ebola? Your mother-in-law?

Join the hop and let us know!

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Review - Dark Seed


A disillusioned journalist (Nick Barnes) and the grieving daughter of a murdered scientist (Morgan Elles) uncover an immoral and destructive global plot for complete control of all humanity by the largest developer of genetically engineered seed and its parent pharmaceutical conglomerate.

The couple quickly find themselves fighting for their lives. And yours.
Grab hold for a wild ride with this exciting, high concept thriller. You will never think of GMOs the same way ever again!

Recommended! 

Author Bio

Lawrence Verigin’s goal is to entertain readers while delving into socially relevant subjects that need more attention brought to them. Since 1999 Lawrence has spent a considerable amount of time and effort learning the writing craft.

In his spare time Lawrence enjoys cooking good food, rich red wine, travel, running, reading and numerous rounds of golf.

Lawrence and his wife, Diana, live in beautiful North Vancouver, Canada.

(we received a free copy in exchange for an honest review)

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Perspective from an 8-Year-Old

I made a little girl cry the other day. I didn't do it on purpose, in fact I was surprised to look up and see the tears streaming down her face. She was playing soccer; I was the referee. She was in a scrum, as young children frequently are when they are learning the game, actively kicking at the ball. I hear the crack of cleat on shin guard and the girl opposite "Angela" went down. I called a foul and set the ball for the girl who went down. I look up and there is Angela, crying. I held up play and asked her what was wrong. In her bravest voice she stammered out, "I d-d-didn't do a-a-anything wr-wr-wrong!" I didn't go into any details, just knelt down to look her in the eye and asked her if she sometimes made mistakes. She nodded through the tears. I said, "Sometimes referees make mistakes too. It's ok. Take some deep breaths." And she did. In a few seconds she was ready to play and I restarted the game.

The whole incident has made me ponder perspective. I am sure there was a foul and sure that stopping play was the right call. But Angela clearly was also sure she did not commit the foul. She was simply doing her best and had a clear idea of right and wrong. Maybe we all can take a step back when we feel injustice and look at it from the other perspective and admit that everyone else, just like me and you, sometimes makes honest mistakes.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Can You Catch My Flow? - Review


Lidy Wilks writes fresh and multi-leveled poetry. The first poem in her small chapbook, Arrival of the Monarch, starts things off with the veiled analogy of the eponymous butterfly and the poet's own life, as well as a general analogy: fresh and multiple levels.

This short book has many to like: Incense, Follow the Leader, These Boys of Mine are my three favorites. Probably because I've lived the analogies and love her handling of the every day as something unique and exciting.

Highly recommended. Check out the trailer at https://www.facebook.com/CanYouCatchMyFlow.


Monday, October 6, 2014

OMG OMG OMG!


I realize I have not been very consistent recently. For anyone who checks the blog, I apologize.

I am about six weeks into a massive project to reduce my 43,000 book on-line sales inventory of physical, paper, pre-owned books to somewhere in the 3-6,000 range. Or maybe zero.

For the last 11 years I have been selling books. Nothing fancy, not collectible or old or worth hundreds of dollars. Regular books for people who like to read. Books that are no longer in print, because the publication status doesn't change the contents. Books of all genres. It was a dream of mine since I was very young and found that I could live vicariously in the books and travel to places fantastic and mundane by simply opening them up.

Yes, I have a Kindle and yes, it is very convenient. But there is something about the weight and the physical process of flipping a page that I can't shake; I like to read and hold paper books. But it has become clear I am in the decided minority.

When I started a paperback would routinely fetch $5 and the shipping was only $2.13. Now I have a hard time selling that same paperback for $3.50 and the shipping is $2.69. The websites on which I sell are more expensive to use and the shipping materials more expensive, etc.

So I am getting out. I can't afford to do it because I like it. I don't have the time to do it for a few pennies a sale. Maybe I'll keep a few and keep a toe in, like a hobby, but I'll give up my storage space and stop donating to charities. We'll see when the first 80% are gone.

There will be a few "last hurrahs". I do a church fair in November. 6,000 will go there. I'm having sales on the sites where I sell; maybe a few more will sell. I'll hand over another thousand to Head Start. Then there will be just the few I want to keep; my best inanimate friends.