JANUARY ASTROFLASH BY FLASH SILVERMOON
Ah, another year passes and a new one unfolds right before our very eyes! We may all be a bit groggy from a Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse in Cancer from the night before and or too much New Year's cheer.
Some of us may have made resolutions that may become a distant memory by mid month but if you wait to make your resolutions til mid month, you just might keep them.
I must admit that it will be hard to feel too much forward motion at the beginning of the month because Mercury, Mars, and Saturn are all retrograde. This means that the energy of these planets must wander inward before manifesting anything outwardly hence many situations can feel as if they are stuck in the mud or at least in slow mo.
The trick is to not waste too much energy pushing the river just because we have a New Year.. Winter time is always a time of contraction, of sorting out your life and options so no rush. Allow your options to be viewed like a tasty smorgasbord and if possible sample but don't get too attached to anything just yet.
If you have been in a funk or feeling kind of grumpy for the past month or so you are not alone. It's not even seasonal depression but a rather funky square aspect between Saturn and Pluto and a sluggish Mars that is causing all the fuss. These energies can make us even more conscious of our security needs which can cause fear for some. Of course if you become too involved with the madness of the fear mongers that pollute the air waves this energy will be heightened.
This is a wonderful time for self-examination as many issues that can remain hidden during easier times, are ripe for exploration now as Pluto demands that we dig deep into our core to become even more authentic and Saturn can give us the fortitude to do so. In this way, one can truly plumb the fertile darkness that may reveal hidden gifts if we are willing to take the time and effort to "get dirty".
On the lighter side of things, the Sun and Venus will be conjoined in Capricorn on Jan 8 with Mercury and Pluto occupying the same sign as well. Not exactly light because Saturn rules Capricorn. We can complain about the heaviness of the time or we can make heavy lemonade which can allow us to create sturdy structures that will in the long run give us a true and reliable security, this is Saturn's gift for those who are patient and not afraid to break a sweat.
Jan 13 will mark the beginning of Saturn's retro motion so we will get a chance to double check all of our decisions. Lots of changes mid month and managing to keep our balance will be interesting.
As if this wasn't enough intensity, the Annular Solar Eclipse in Capricorn occurs on Jan. 15 as Mercury comes out of retrograde.
Fortunately, sweet Venus is snuggling up to the Sun and Moon that are already quite cozy with each other making this a good time for romance.
The good news, is that all the energies that have been held back will flood forward and that can also be the bad news because if there has been a lot of frustration, which is likely on some fronts, angry words may also fly out of the box as well.
No doubt the whole Health Care Reform is being stymied by these regressive energies as well as fear mongering that has been hovering about the issue for a long time. With Saturn in the egalitarian sign of Libra, there is a strong need to make things FAIR and to some extent that can be most subjective and hence time consuming.
I must say, that I could think of several issues right off the top of my head that could be passed to institute a more egalitarian way of life like Marriage and the rights that offers for everyone who wants to be married, end DOMA, and Don't Ask Don't Tell and Equal Rights and Pay for everyone. What a fascinating experience that would be.
On Jan. 17 Jupiter will enter Pisces and finally separate all the way from its long time buddies Neptune and Chiron who will remain Siamese twins for this month as well.
Neptune periodically offers a rosy glow over these challenging times and it is crucial to balance these times of intensity with joy, pleasure, and light heartedness. Find the places and activities that help you to lighten up. In this way, you can find enjoyable and creative solutions for some of the tougher choices and changes we are encountering.
We will be defining what is truly important and ideally moving in that direction.
What are you made of and how do you want to move forward into this New Year, THE CHOICE IS YOURS, choose to use all of your options.
The New Year is a great time to gift yourself or others with a look at the road map for your future,YOUR ASTROLOGICAL CHART. Learn about the best timing for projects, love and much much more Call Flash Silvermoon 352 4752432
ARIES - What the hell! Mars moving backwards all month? I am just not having it. I need to move and action is my primary way of being in the world. I don't want to think too much about what i am doing that spoils my spontaneity which is like the air that I breathe. I want to speak to the management about this problem and.. I refuse to be tardy for the party.
TAURUS - Retro Mars, Saturn, no biggie with me. Slow and steady wins the race that's my way and a slower pace for me feels just right. Anything that is of value is worth waiting for and taking one's time that way you know what you are getting into or out of for that matter. And...sometimes slow can be absolutely delicious if you catch my drift.
GEMINI - Difficult times call for creative solutions and I have a dozen that I have been nurturing for the past week or so. The more challenges, the more I journal, blog and communicate. It helps me to stretch out my thoughts and look at all the options before me so that I do the right thing. I must admit, I do change my mind a bit but maybe the changes won;t come as fast for now.
CANCER - Everyone is so damned focused on their careers and making money. I have known all my life how to make something from nothing, how to stretch a meal or a budget. There's nothing more important than sitting around the table with friends and family and sharing a home cooked dinner or at least a good piping hot drink and pie. If you want to really feel at home and nurtured, c'mon over.
LEO - What a burn! Mars is in my sign all month but it doesn't want to go anywhere. I will have to really get very creative with all my energy and I know I can always do something. I just hope that somebody notices me because half of the reason that I create is to express myself but it can feel sort of empty if nobody sees me.
VIRGO - Leo, is there no end to your need for ego gratification?
Sometimes you have to do things that other people need to really make a difference.I still feel like I have a lot to accomplish and I look forward to the opportunities that the New Year offers. I know that I will be doing my part to push the envelope towards a more humane world.
LIBRA - I like the way you are thinking Virgo. My problem is that I have a hard time deciding which cause to throw my energy into so I wind up all over the place. I wouldn't want anyone to think that I was disinterested in their issues because one person's struggle is every one's struggle. One thing I do know is that equality needs to go all the way around.
SCORPIO -I like to really focus on one thing, one person, the deeper the better. How can you ever really know someone if you spill your energy everywhere. I am not always willing but true intimacy is my goal if I have to be honest. I am surprised that I am telling you all my secrets here but sometimes one must reveal to attract the one who can actually connect with enough depth to make it interesting.
SAGITTARIUS - "Don't ask me nothin' about nothin', 'cause I just might tell ya the truth." Uh huh with the tension lately my nerves are stretched to the limit so excuse me if I do not sugar coat but I really want to get to the bottom of things and then move along. I am tired of making excuses for everybody and leaving my needs unmet.I'm taking names.
CAPRICORN - I have to say that I am feeling right at home with all the Capricorn planets floating around me. I like to keep busy and have something to show for it at the end of the day . I am also willing to work long and hard to meet my responsibilities which are many but then I have the satisfaction to know it was done RIGHT! People respect me and they should because I respect myself and take pride in my accomplishments and that matters to me.
AQUARIUS - I am still feeling pulled by Jupiter, Neptune and Chiron which makes it hard to take a solid position on anything but Jupiter will be moving into Pisces so the overwhelm factor will not be so strong for a change. I do feel like I have gotten a better handle on parts of my personality that have literally been under construction these months. I like who is showing up these days.
PISCES - Oh Jupiter, you big old planet, I am so ready for your grand wisdom and style. It will be quite the contrast to having Saturn and its contracted ways dogging my every step so bring it, I AM READY! Haven't had nearly enough laughs and giggles and you are nothing if not humorous. Even if I have some tough lessons still , if I can have some humor to make the medicine go down that really works for me.
HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL
BLESSINGS FLASH SILVERMOON
In case you haven’t noticed, this is not your Mama’s Astrological report. I deliberately let the signs talk right to you, giving them a voice that really tells it like it is!
I have endeavored to make it more gender neutral to speak to all sexual preferences and identities.
If you know your Rising sign, your personal reading will be more accurate if you read the passage for that sign as well as your Sun sign.
For deeper questions and readings of an Astrological or Psychic nature, feel free to call 352 4752432 for an apt.or contact me through my website www.Flashsilvermoon.com
ENJOY MY BLOG FLASHES OF INSIGHT
http://flashsilvermoon.com/insight/
WHAT THE ANIMALS TELL ME w/Flash Silvermoon -Nationally known Animal Communicator and Psychic
every Wed 8:30-9PM EST www.Internetvoicesradio.com call ins encouraged 1507 7264217 plus 100363# new phone number
Next session of Moonhaven Mystery School for Women Mon. Jan. 4 - Jan. 25, 4 consecutive Mon evenings 7-9:30 PM only $60 for the 4 sessions. Intermediate Level Psychic Development and Empowerment,Women's Magic and Ritual, Stone healing, Past Life Regression and much much more @ Moonhaven in Melrose call for directions and to reserve your space 352 4752432
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Saturday, December 19, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
HallMark Virus
DO NOT OPEN ANY CHRISTMAS CARDS FROM ECARDS@HALLMARK.COM!!!!
There is an e-card virus making the rounds and it is being disguised as a Hallmark greeting card.
The phony e-card will come to your inbox as an email from ecards@hallmark.com It says you have received a Hallmark greeting card from a friend, to view it click the attachment, which is named postcard.zip or sometimes postcard.exe.
Hallmark doesn't have any e-cards that they make you download. If you do click on the link in the bogus e-mail, you will launch a variant of the Zapchast Trojan virus. Zapchast installs an Internet Relay (IRC) chat client and causes the infected computer to connect to an IRC channel. Attackers then use that connection to remotely command your machine.
If you receive an authentic e-card from Hallmark, there will be a confirmation number on the e-card. You can then go to the Hallmark website and type in that information. You are NOT required to download anything! You will view your card ON the Hallmark website.
There is an e-card virus making the rounds and it is being disguised as a Hallmark greeting card.
The phony e-card will come to your inbox as an email from ecards@hallmark.com It says you have received a Hallmark greeting card from a friend, to view it click the attachment, which is named postcard.zip or sometimes postcard.exe.
Hallmark doesn't have any e-cards that they make you download. If you do click on the link in the bogus e-mail, you will launch a variant of the Zapchast Trojan virus. Zapchast installs an Internet Relay (IRC) chat client and causes the infected computer to connect to an IRC channel. Attackers then use that connection to remotely command your machine.
If you receive an authentic e-card from Hallmark, there will be a confirmation number on the e-card. You can then go to the Hallmark website and type in that information. You are NOT required to download anything! You will view your card ON the Hallmark website.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
PIVTR 2010 Clean-Up
G' Morning All
I wanted to drop you all a line to officially make the announcement that there will be a whole new look to PIVR VERY soon.
This Sunday, I am setting aside some time to do a MAJOR cleanup to the site.
If you look at the home page you will see where we have a new setup for Streaming of everyone’s shows. The links at
the top of the page are the new and improved system that we have been working on over the past month or so, and these links (which may/ will take a change in shape) will be on every page within the site.
Check out the difference of the 2 links and I will explain the links:
The LISTEN LIVE link will be used for your LIVE shows. Listeners can simply click that button to listen live.
The ON DEMAND link is where they will now be able to listen to pre-recorded shows.
Normally we record your show, post the MP3 on your archives page, in the VIP section and on the mobile phone site (This hasn’t been released to the public yet). Well this will be changing very quickly. We will be posting the recorded shows to the on demand so this will eliminate the MP3’s from all archives pages. Now your archives pages can be used exclusively for your personal information as well as open a larger door for you to advertise your up and coming shows!!!! The VIP section of the website will also be eliminated (sorta) and turned into a RSS Feeds page where the pre-recorded shows will still be available for download/ purchase. There will be numerous options for purchasing the shows
1: Purchase an Individual show
2: Purchase a weeks worth of shows
3: Or purchase the entire month’s worth of shows.
Once a purchase has been made (week or month) listeners will automatically be updated with any new shows that are posted for that time period within the feed.
Now what does all of this mean to you and your loyal listeners?
MUCH easier navigation of the website,
Less maintenance and upkeep of the server, by consolidating everything,
To keep costs down for the daily maintenance,
To move forward with the latest technology available
Banner Advertising is at our fingertips with the new players (we are still working on a price list as well as incentives for advertising)
The ON DEMAND player will carry ONE month’s worth of shows on it and be continually updated (add something new, delete something old) and the RSS FEEDS page will still carry a min of 3 months worth of archived shows. The shows within the RSS feeds that we have built currently start at the beginning of November 2009 and will move forward from that date. Shows prior to Nov can still be made available as always by contacting Lillian with date and host name.
Website cleanup:
I will be clearing out a LOT of links that are wasting space and making things hard for people to navigate and find what they are after. A simple example is the 3 Military links. This will be consolidated into one link and then branch off from the central Military page, thus eliminating 2 links from the current menu. Tom can you send me some new poems to post, and Everett, can you send me some updated military info. These pages have not been updated in forever and need some immediate help.
NEEDED INFO:
Our blog… send in your info weekly to Brittany (upcoming schedule, book signings, what’s new etc) so that she can add this info to the site. Bubblewrap92@yahoo.com Please remember to CC Lillian and myself. Creating a mail list from your current e-mail with all 3 of us in it will make things quick and simple to contact us all in one shot J
EVERY host page: I need your upcoming schedule no later that Saturday of every week if you want me to keep your page updated. Right now there is only ONE host that does this weekly, and one that does it monthly. If we keep your pages updated with your next schedule show, then YOU open the door to MORE listeners!!!!! If you have no bio or explanation of what your show is about on your current archives page, I will need that sent in also. If we aren’t going to keep these pages updated on a regular basis, then we will consider eliminating all of the unused pages, and open up more server space for the next venture that is coming LIVE VIDEO STREAMS
2010 is coming fast, and we are planning on WOW’ing EVERYBODY, so lets all put a little effort into this and start this year with a GIANT BANG!
As always questions, comments, and/or ideas are ALWAYS welcome!!! If you have any, please fwd to myself and Lillian. I will be starting this venture Sunday morn around 4:30am CST so try to have the ideas in before then so that everything and everyones opinion can be considered with all of the changes!
Steve
Basement_troll1@mchsi.com
DuctTape4E1@yahoo.com
lillian.cauldwell@gmail.com
I wanted to drop you all a line to officially make the announcement that there will be a whole new look to PIVR VERY soon.
This Sunday, I am setting aside some time to do a MAJOR cleanup to the site.
If you look at the home page you will see where we have a new setup for Streaming of everyone’s shows. The links at
the top of the page are the new and improved system that we have been working on over the past month or so, and these links (which may/ will take a change in shape) will be on every page within the site.
Check out the difference of the 2 links and I will explain the links:
The LISTEN LIVE link will be used for your LIVE shows. Listeners can simply click that button to listen live.
The ON DEMAND link is where they will now be able to listen to pre-recorded shows.
Normally we record your show, post the MP3 on your archives page, in the VIP section and on the mobile phone site (This hasn’t been released to the public yet). Well this will be changing very quickly. We will be posting the recorded shows to the on demand so this will eliminate the MP3’s from all archives pages. Now your archives pages can be used exclusively for your personal information as well as open a larger door for you to advertise your up and coming shows!!!! The VIP section of the website will also be eliminated (sorta) and turned into a RSS Feeds page where the pre-recorded shows will still be available for download/ purchase. There will be numerous options for purchasing the shows
1: Purchase an Individual show
2: Purchase a weeks worth of shows
3: Or purchase the entire month’s worth of shows.
Once a purchase has been made (week or month) listeners will automatically be updated with any new shows that are posted for that time period within the feed.
Now what does all of this mean to you and your loyal listeners?
MUCH easier navigation of the website,
Less maintenance and upkeep of the server, by consolidating everything,
To keep costs down for the daily maintenance,
To move forward with the latest technology available
Banner Advertising is at our fingertips with the new players (we are still working on a price list as well as incentives for advertising)
The ON DEMAND player will carry ONE month’s worth of shows on it and be continually updated (add something new, delete something old) and the RSS FEEDS page will still carry a min of 3 months worth of archived shows. The shows within the RSS feeds that we have built currently start at the beginning of November 2009 and will move forward from that date. Shows prior to Nov can still be made available as always by contacting Lillian with date and host name.
Website cleanup:
I will be clearing out a LOT of links that are wasting space and making things hard for people to navigate and find what they are after. A simple example is the 3 Military links. This will be consolidated into one link and then branch off from the central Military page, thus eliminating 2 links from the current menu. Tom can you send me some new poems to post, and Everett, can you send me some updated military info. These pages have not been updated in forever and need some immediate help.
NEEDED INFO:
Our blog… send in your info weekly to Brittany (upcoming schedule, book signings, what’s new etc) so that she can add this info to the site. Bubblewrap92@yahoo.com Please remember to CC Lillian and myself. Creating a mail list from your current e-mail with all 3 of us in it will make things quick and simple to contact us all in one shot J
EVERY host page: I need your upcoming schedule no later that Saturday of every week if you want me to keep your page updated. Right now there is only ONE host that does this weekly, and one that does it monthly. If we keep your pages updated with your next schedule show, then YOU open the door to MORE listeners!!!!! If you have no bio or explanation of what your show is about on your current archives page, I will need that sent in also. If we aren’t going to keep these pages updated on a regular basis, then we will consider eliminating all of the unused pages, and open up more server space for the next venture that is coming LIVE VIDEO STREAMS
2010 is coming fast, and we are planning on WOW’ing EVERYBODY, so lets all put a little effort into this and start this year with a GIANT BANG!
As always questions, comments, and/or ideas are ALWAYS welcome!!! If you have any, please fwd to myself and Lillian. I will be starting this venture Sunday morn around 4:30am CST so try to have the ideas in before then so that everything and everyones opinion can be considered with all of the changes!
Steve
Basement_troll1@mchsi.com
DuctTape4E1@yahoo.com
lillian.cauldwell@gmail.com
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Science Fiction Romance Authors
Crazy Tuesday with host Rowena Cherry and guests: Heather Massey, Doug Knipe, Lisa Paitz-Spindler and Ella Drake discussed science fiction romance.
Please go and listen to the podcast at http://internetvoicesradio.com/crazytuesday.
Please go and listen to the podcast at http://internetvoicesradio.com/crazytuesday.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
CRAZY TUESDAY elected for EPPIE Nomination
Ann Arbor, November 24th 2009
PIVTR's 'CRAZY TUESDAY' show is nominated for the prestigious EPIC "Friend of e-Publishing" Award.
Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC) President, Brenna Lyons says:
"Rowena (Cherry) has been an anti-piracy advocate for many years. She's former indie/e and currently working in NY, with e-books there. Unlike some people who make the leap, Rowena is fiercely protective of all facets of the industry, including indie. She oversees 9 blogs, several of which address anti-piracy and e-publishing issues. She's also been instrumental in starting and maintaining several anti-piracy groups, including Charlee Boyett-Compo's AuthorsAgainstE-BookTheft Yahoogroup, and supports still more. She's used her radio show to do shows on things like anti-piracy, copyright, and authors helping authors, which not only helps the industry but EPIC, as well. Rowena has wonderful contacts in the industry and is often sought for quotes and interviews, which she refers to EPIC in often. She's one of our biggest supporters, and she's certainly doing her all to support the industry. Most recently, she was quoted at the FCC hearings on net neutrality, on the subject of protecting our copyrights in a digital society. Overall, I think we could do MUCH worse for a nominee.
Brenna"
http://www.brennalyons.com http://www.myspace.com/brennalyons
EPIC members are voting now for one of three nominees. The nominees are Crazy Tuesday, hosted by Rowena Cherry, ARe (Lori and Barb) and Baen Webscriptions (Arnold Bailey). Awards will be announced in March 2010 at the EPIC annual convention EPICon.
PIVTR's 'CRAZY TUESDAY' show is nominated for the prestigious EPIC "Friend of e-Publishing" Award.
Electronically Published Internet Connection (EPIC) President, Brenna Lyons says:
"Rowena (Cherry) has been an anti-piracy advocate for many years. She's former indie/e and currently working in NY, with e-books there. Unlike some people who make the leap, Rowena is fiercely protective of all facets of the industry, including indie. She oversees 9 blogs, several of which address anti-piracy and e-publishing issues. She's also been instrumental in starting and maintaining several anti-piracy groups, including Charlee Boyett-Compo's AuthorsAgainstE-BookTheft Yahoogroup, and supports still more. She's used her radio show to do shows on things like anti-piracy, copyright, and authors helping authors, which not only helps the industry but EPIC, as well. Rowena has wonderful contacts in the industry and is often sought for quotes and interviews, which she refers to EPIC in often. She's one of our biggest supporters, and she's certainly doing her all to support the industry. Most recently, she was quoted at the FCC hearings on net neutrality, on the subject of protecting our copyrights in a digital society. Overall, I think we could do MUCH worse for a nominee.
Brenna"
http://www.brennalyons.com http://www.myspace.com/brennalyons
EPIC members are voting now for one of three nominees. The nominees are Crazy Tuesday, hosted by Rowena Cherry, ARe (Lori and Barb) and Baen Webscriptions (Arnold Bailey). Awards will be announced in March 2010 at the EPIC annual convention EPICon.
Interview with the author of "The Anna Mae Mysteries"
Lillian Cauldwell talks legend, race, critical thinking in new tween series
In “The Golden Treasure” (Star Publish), the first book of local author Lillian Cauldwell’s “The Anna-Mae Mysteries” series for tweens, heroine Anna-Mae Botts accomplishes something that’s eluded almost 145 years of effort by adults: finding the lost gold of the Confederate Treasury, supposedly buried in northern Georgia during Jefferson Davis’ flight from Richmond after the South’s surrender. Anna-Mae doesn’t do it alone, of course — she’s got the help of her eight-year-old brother Malcolm, her best friend Raul Garcia, three remarkably supportive grandparents and…a giant disembodied black fist, accompanied by a host of other supernatural phenomena.
Told from the perspective of two black kids and a Hispanic one growing up in rural Georgia, the book neither shies away from the obvious facts about race — like that all the members of a junior high clique are often the same color — nor invests them with the sort of futile hand-wringing sometimes engaged in by adults who see race primarily as a “problem” to be “solved.” Mostly, though, it’s an adventure story, pure and simple, focused on a bright girl who finds it hard to fit in sometimes, has a little brother who’s equal parts extremely useful and a pain in the rear, and occasionally finds her best friend kinda cute in a way that makes her insides a bit “gooey.” AnnArbor.com chatted with Cauldwell about it recently.
Q: Tell me how this book came to be.
A: I wanted to write a book for multicultural kids. I wanted them to know that girls could have adventures as well as boys can and that girls can think and solve problems — and yet (as tweens) they’re also in what I call “purgatory“. They’re not toddlers, they’re not holding their parents’ hands, but they don’t want mid-teens giving them trouble. They don’t know who they are, where they’re going, what people are doing, but here they are in junior high — they’re in the big leagues. And depending on how your junior high is set up, you may even be sharing space with the big kids, so…at any one time, there’s always a group that’s a little superior. I know how they’re feeling, and I wanted to get that across.
And I wanted to get across that life isn’t fair — but before you can do anything, you have to find out who you are, learn how to deal with what’s bugging you, and learn to get along. You can’t just disappear; you’re going have to deal with whatever problem comes along, and you usually have to do it by yourself. So to me, being that age meant that you were in the middle of nowhereland. I remember what it was like, and I remember what it was like watching my kid go through it, too. He was gifted, very smart, and his sophistication was up there with grown-ups…but his maturity was on the floor. (Laughs.)
Q: There’s lots of crazy supernatural stuff going on here! Are you a believer in the supernatural in general?
A: A lot of it was research. I’ve had one or two experiences that I don’t share much because people who haven’t been there don’t understand. My husband is an organic chemist, so there’s no way he’s going to believe that there’s anything else besides us out there. A ghost could walk through him and he wouldn’t believe it. But I’ve had those experiences, and I’ve known other people who’ve had those experiences, especially around this age. At this age…you’re more open to other things that may happen.
Q: What drew you to the mystery of Jefferson Davis’ lost gold?
A: I wanted them to find the lost treasure. I did not want my kids on a mystery where they found dead bodies or got shot; there’s plenty of that in the world and other folks can do a better job of writing it. So I wanted a mystery, and I started researching Davis, and the more I read, the more intrigued I became, because the gold he lost was not all Southern gold. He took out a loan from the French bank with interest, whether or not he won the war. Now, you’re not taught that in history class. And I found out which bankers he borrowed it from, and I discovered that it makes a difference whether you read the Northern or Southern account of the story. (Davis) ran out when the (Confederate) Cabinet fell, and he had a trick for storing the gold so that no one would find out, and he was trying to get it to Savannah to take the gold back to France. So I found the route he took for his great escape and added some of my own touches. ...
Everyone has their own theory about how the gold was carried, where it was buried, why it was buried, so I tried to give enough of the story without digressing too much from the adventure.
Q: I like how you’re very explicit about the systematic way the kids go about putting their clues together. Are you hoping to sneak some critical thinking skills into your readers’ enjoyment?
A: Oh, absolutely. Actually, the book is a plot. (Laughs.) I wanted to show that there are certain things you need to do to take this to its logical conclusion. When I went to school, you had to show all of your work on a problem, so that even though I never got the right answer, my teacher could give me credit for thinking. … I wanted these kids to actually sit down and think about what had taken place, who was involved, and how they got there. One of the things my husband taught me is that if you can’t find something where you think you put it, you can go and retrace your steps and you might find it. And it seemed like a girl would know this instinctively.
Q: Isn’t it interesting that you said your husband taught you, but a girl would know it instinctively?
A: (Laughs.) Well, maybe other girls. My mother knew it, anyway! I do think a big difference is that it seems like girls will go out and find the information they need and store it away for another time. I think that boys do have adventures, but I think girls maybe have better ones because they pay better attention to the details. They use them later because they want to make their lives better, while a guy seems more likely to say he can tough it out the way it is.
Q: You say toward the end of the book that the South is “still fighting the war between the states.” What do you mean by that?
A: A lot of places still have rigid class structures, still have strict rules about who can sit together. … I wanted to get across to kids that no matter where they lived in the United States, there was still superstition and prejudice and (basically) no democracy. There are still racial tensions in this country, and you ignore it at your peril. I had a friend who was a student out west and he decided to drive home to Ohio with a friend, and they stopped in this little town to get gas and a snack and just got this feeling like they better conduct their business and get out of there as fast as possible. On the other hand, I had a friend who was an adult and she and her friend stopped in Tennessee and it was the same thing — they knew they were not welcome and the local law was trying to figure out a way to throw them in jail.
And a kid in this situation acts differently than a grown-up, but they can feel it. They may not be able to say, “Oh, they don’t like me because I’m black,” but they know they’re not welcome. So Anna-Mae, she’s a black child in a white rural school district that’s located in Georgia, so there’s two strikes against her there. And on top of that, she talks to ghosts, so that’s three strikes!
Q: You have some interesting classifications that involve race — you provide names for two classes of white kids, and there’s a suggestion that black Anna-Mae is being treated less well by the authorities than her white antagonist. What conversation about race are you hoping to start?
A: I’m hoping to start (a conversation that says to) girls, and black girls especially, that there’s more to life than being a mother, than following a gang mentality, that they do not need to choose sports or become or a singer or an actress to get ahead. That there are other opportunities. ... And that girls don't need to dumb themselves down. My attitude is more of, “You are fine the way you are, it’s the rest of the world that’s out of whack, and don’t get down to their level. Force them to come up to yours.” There’s no reason for the girls of today to have that kind of attitude or that type (of worldview).
Q: Are you saying that there are no pressures on girls today?
A: No, there are plenty of pressures — you don’t have to look any further than Saturday morning TV! There’s a great deal of conformity and a great deal of pressure to do what’s acceptable. But why is it always the old maid (that we’re supposed to be scared of)? The wicked stepmother? I never hear anything about the wicked stepfather! I guess as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten a little more conservative — don’t tell my hippie friends that, but I guess you just do — but it hasn’t gotten any easier to be a girl since I grew up in the ’50s.
And you know that junior high is when you learn how to kiss! I would be foolish if I didn’t recognize that at 12, you start noticing that boys and girls are a little different, and you maybe go a little past kissing. In my second book, Anna-Mae goes overseas and meets a 13-year-old boy, and Raul knows immediately that he’s dangerous, but he doesn’t know if he should shoot the guy or befriend him. And that’s how it goes at that age.
Q: I like that your son (cartoonist Ben Caldwell) drew the cover and also that you reference his “Dare Detectives” in the story. Does Anna-Mae ever have a walk-on in his work?
A: Not yet. But he’s very interested. He’s the one who suggested that when I set up the book, I storyboard it. So that was how I did it. He told me that kids want to be entertained, they want to be able to see what’s going on, because today’s world is so visual.
Q: What do you have planned next?
A: (Book Two in the series is) “The Holy Relic,” based against the Solomon and Sheba legend. The whole book is written as one big clue, so you have to figure out what I’m talking about, why Anna-Mae is where she’s at and how she’s going to get out of it. She encounters other people and other types of problems and ultimately realizes that as bad as the United States can be, it’s a lot better than overseas. Which a lot of kids don’t understand — we’re way ahead of the game. We’re not bombed continually, there aren’t troops in the streets. We do not have foreign soldiers living in our homes, our water supply is still working, and we live a pretty comfortable life. I think it’s important for kids to realize that any country can only offer as much as their citizens give back to it — it’s a two-way street. (Laughs.) I don’t say that right out, of course.
After that is “The Tablet of Stone,” which takes place in South America, and the fourth book is “My Mother’s Keeper,” which comes back to the United States. So I’m willing to take (the characters) all the way up until they become adults and have careers as investigators, but I wanted to keep away from murder and mayhem. And there are so many other types of mysteries to be solved! Sometimes they’re right underneath you, and they have just as much power.
You can get "The Anna-Mae Mysteries: The Golden Treasure" at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Star Publish, LLC, or you can contact email Lillian Cauldwell for a signed copy. Cauldwell is also the founder of Passionate Internet Voices Radio.
Leah DuMouchel is a free-lance writer who covers books for AnnArbor.com.
In “The Golden Treasure” (Star Publish), the first book of local author Lillian Cauldwell’s “The Anna-Mae Mysteries” series for tweens, heroine Anna-Mae Botts accomplishes something that’s eluded almost 145 years of effort by adults: finding the lost gold of the Confederate Treasury, supposedly buried in northern Georgia during Jefferson Davis’ flight from Richmond after the South’s surrender. Anna-Mae doesn’t do it alone, of course — she’s got the help of her eight-year-old brother Malcolm, her best friend Raul Garcia, three remarkably supportive grandparents and…a giant disembodied black fist, accompanied by a host of other supernatural phenomena.
Told from the perspective of two black kids and a Hispanic one growing up in rural Georgia, the book neither shies away from the obvious facts about race — like that all the members of a junior high clique are often the same color — nor invests them with the sort of futile hand-wringing sometimes engaged in by adults who see race primarily as a “problem” to be “solved.” Mostly, though, it’s an adventure story, pure and simple, focused on a bright girl who finds it hard to fit in sometimes, has a little brother who’s equal parts extremely useful and a pain in the rear, and occasionally finds her best friend kinda cute in a way that makes her insides a bit “gooey.” AnnArbor.com chatted with Cauldwell about it recently.
Q: Tell me how this book came to be.
A: I wanted to write a book for multicultural kids. I wanted them to know that girls could have adventures as well as boys can and that girls can think and solve problems — and yet (as tweens) they’re also in what I call “purgatory“. They’re not toddlers, they’re not holding their parents’ hands, but they don’t want mid-teens giving them trouble. They don’t know who they are, where they’re going, what people are doing, but here they are in junior high — they’re in the big leagues. And depending on how your junior high is set up, you may even be sharing space with the big kids, so…at any one time, there’s always a group that’s a little superior. I know how they’re feeling, and I wanted to get that across.
And I wanted to get across that life isn’t fair — but before you can do anything, you have to find out who you are, learn how to deal with what’s bugging you, and learn to get along. You can’t just disappear; you’re going have to deal with whatever problem comes along, and you usually have to do it by yourself. So to me, being that age meant that you were in the middle of nowhereland. I remember what it was like, and I remember what it was like watching my kid go through it, too. He was gifted, very smart, and his sophistication was up there with grown-ups…but his maturity was on the floor. (Laughs.)
Q: There’s lots of crazy supernatural stuff going on here! Are you a believer in the supernatural in general?
A: A lot of it was research. I’ve had one or two experiences that I don’t share much because people who haven’t been there don’t understand. My husband is an organic chemist, so there’s no way he’s going to believe that there’s anything else besides us out there. A ghost could walk through him and he wouldn’t believe it. But I’ve had those experiences, and I’ve known other people who’ve had those experiences, especially around this age. At this age…you’re more open to other things that may happen.
Q: What drew you to the mystery of Jefferson Davis’ lost gold?
A: I wanted them to find the lost treasure. I did not want my kids on a mystery where they found dead bodies or got shot; there’s plenty of that in the world and other folks can do a better job of writing it. So I wanted a mystery, and I started researching Davis, and the more I read, the more intrigued I became, because the gold he lost was not all Southern gold. He took out a loan from the French bank with interest, whether or not he won the war. Now, you’re not taught that in history class. And I found out which bankers he borrowed it from, and I discovered that it makes a difference whether you read the Northern or Southern account of the story. (Davis) ran out when the (Confederate) Cabinet fell, and he had a trick for storing the gold so that no one would find out, and he was trying to get it to Savannah to take the gold back to France. So I found the route he took for his great escape and added some of my own touches. ...
Everyone has their own theory about how the gold was carried, where it was buried, why it was buried, so I tried to give enough of the story without digressing too much from the adventure.
Q: I like how you’re very explicit about the systematic way the kids go about putting their clues together. Are you hoping to sneak some critical thinking skills into your readers’ enjoyment?
A: Oh, absolutely. Actually, the book is a plot. (Laughs.) I wanted to show that there are certain things you need to do to take this to its logical conclusion. When I went to school, you had to show all of your work on a problem, so that even though I never got the right answer, my teacher could give me credit for thinking. … I wanted these kids to actually sit down and think about what had taken place, who was involved, and how they got there. One of the things my husband taught me is that if you can’t find something where you think you put it, you can go and retrace your steps and you might find it. And it seemed like a girl would know this instinctively.
Q: Isn’t it interesting that you said your husband taught you, but a girl would know it instinctively?
A: (Laughs.) Well, maybe other girls. My mother knew it, anyway! I do think a big difference is that it seems like girls will go out and find the information they need and store it away for another time. I think that boys do have adventures, but I think girls maybe have better ones because they pay better attention to the details. They use them later because they want to make their lives better, while a guy seems more likely to say he can tough it out the way it is.
Q: You say toward the end of the book that the South is “still fighting the war between the states.” What do you mean by that?
A: A lot of places still have rigid class structures, still have strict rules about who can sit together. … I wanted to get across to kids that no matter where they lived in the United States, there was still superstition and prejudice and (basically) no democracy. There are still racial tensions in this country, and you ignore it at your peril. I had a friend who was a student out west and he decided to drive home to Ohio with a friend, and they stopped in this little town to get gas and a snack and just got this feeling like they better conduct their business and get out of there as fast as possible. On the other hand, I had a friend who was an adult and she and her friend stopped in Tennessee and it was the same thing — they knew they were not welcome and the local law was trying to figure out a way to throw them in jail.
And a kid in this situation acts differently than a grown-up, but they can feel it. They may not be able to say, “Oh, they don’t like me because I’m black,” but they know they’re not welcome. So Anna-Mae, she’s a black child in a white rural school district that’s located in Georgia, so there’s two strikes against her there. And on top of that, she talks to ghosts, so that’s three strikes!
Q: You have some interesting classifications that involve race — you provide names for two classes of white kids, and there’s a suggestion that black Anna-Mae is being treated less well by the authorities than her white antagonist. What conversation about race are you hoping to start?
A: I’m hoping to start (a conversation that says to) girls, and black girls especially, that there’s more to life than being a mother, than following a gang mentality, that they do not need to choose sports or become or a singer or an actress to get ahead. That there are other opportunities. ... And that girls don't need to dumb themselves down. My attitude is more of, “You are fine the way you are, it’s the rest of the world that’s out of whack, and don’t get down to their level. Force them to come up to yours.” There’s no reason for the girls of today to have that kind of attitude or that type (of worldview).
Q: Are you saying that there are no pressures on girls today?
A: No, there are plenty of pressures — you don’t have to look any further than Saturday morning TV! There’s a great deal of conformity and a great deal of pressure to do what’s acceptable. But why is it always the old maid (that we’re supposed to be scared of)? The wicked stepmother? I never hear anything about the wicked stepfather! I guess as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten a little more conservative — don’t tell my hippie friends that, but I guess you just do — but it hasn’t gotten any easier to be a girl since I grew up in the ’50s.
And you know that junior high is when you learn how to kiss! I would be foolish if I didn’t recognize that at 12, you start noticing that boys and girls are a little different, and you maybe go a little past kissing. In my second book, Anna-Mae goes overseas and meets a 13-year-old boy, and Raul knows immediately that he’s dangerous, but he doesn’t know if he should shoot the guy or befriend him. And that’s how it goes at that age.
Q: I like that your son (cartoonist Ben Caldwell) drew the cover and also that you reference his “Dare Detectives” in the story. Does Anna-Mae ever have a walk-on in his work?
A: Not yet. But he’s very interested. He’s the one who suggested that when I set up the book, I storyboard it. So that was how I did it. He told me that kids want to be entertained, they want to be able to see what’s going on, because today’s world is so visual.
Q: What do you have planned next?
A: (Book Two in the series is) “The Holy Relic,” based against the Solomon and Sheba legend. The whole book is written as one big clue, so you have to figure out what I’m talking about, why Anna-Mae is where she’s at and how she’s going to get out of it. She encounters other people and other types of problems and ultimately realizes that as bad as the United States can be, it’s a lot better than overseas. Which a lot of kids don’t understand — we’re way ahead of the game. We’re not bombed continually, there aren’t troops in the streets. We do not have foreign soldiers living in our homes, our water supply is still working, and we live a pretty comfortable life. I think it’s important for kids to realize that any country can only offer as much as their citizens give back to it — it’s a two-way street. (Laughs.) I don’t say that right out, of course.
After that is “The Tablet of Stone,” which takes place in South America, and the fourth book is “My Mother’s Keeper,” which comes back to the United States. So I’m willing to take (the characters) all the way up until they become adults and have careers as investigators, but I wanted to keep away from murder and mayhem. And there are so many other types of mysteries to be solved! Sometimes they’re right underneath you, and they have just as much power.
You can get "The Anna-Mae Mysteries: The Golden Treasure" at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Star Publish, LLC, or you can contact email Lillian Cauldwell for a signed copy. Cauldwell is also the founder of Passionate Internet Voices Radio.
Leah DuMouchel is a free-lance writer who covers books for AnnArbor.com.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Reviewers for Self and Independent Published Books
Frequently, I see authors asking where they can get their books reviewed especially if they've self-published or P.O.D. their books. Here's a small list of a few individuals who might help you out.
1. Fore Word Magazine - dedicated to Independently-published books. The magazine appears 6 times a year and is known as a supporter of independent published books. Fore Word Magazine DOES NOT review books published by publicly traded companies.
Contact Info: Teresa Scollon, Book Review Editor, ForeWord Magazine, 129 1/2 East Front Streeet, Traverse City, MI 49684; Check their site for details http://www.forewordmagazine.com; teresa@forewordmagazine.com
2. January Magazine, online-only Canadian review magazine attracts 35,000 visitors a day. Reviews the very best self-published books. DOES NOT review Christine or computer books. Contact Info: Linda L. Richards, Editor, January Magazine, linda@januarymagazine.com; http://www.januarymagazine.com.
3. The Rap Sheet targets crime fiction. Contact Info: J. Kingston Pierce, Editor, The Rap Sheet, jpwrites@wordcuts.com
4. Shelf Awareness, contact Marily Dahl marilyn@shelfawareness.com
5. The Book Report Network, http://www.bookreporter.com, DOES NOT review how-to, self help, relgion and medical/health books. Complete guidelines are availabe at http://www.bookreporter.com/book-submission.asp.
6. BookBrowse, bookbrowse.com DOES NOT review romance, sci-fi, relgious fiction and business books. Go to website and click on submissions for additional information.
1. Fore Word Magazine - dedicated to Independently-published books. The magazine appears 6 times a year and is known as a supporter of independent published books. Fore Word Magazine DOES NOT review books published by publicly traded companies.
Contact Info: Teresa Scollon, Book Review Editor, ForeWord Magazine, 129 1/2 East Front Streeet, Traverse City, MI 49684; Check their site for details http://www.forewordmagazine.com; teresa@forewordmagazine.com
2. January Magazine, online-only Canadian review magazine attracts 35,000 visitors a day. Reviews the very best self-published books. DOES NOT review Christine or computer books. Contact Info: Linda L. Richards, Editor, January Magazine, linda@januarymagazine.com; http://www.januarymagazine.com.
3. The Rap Sheet targets crime fiction. Contact Info: J. Kingston Pierce, Editor, The Rap Sheet, jpwrites@wordcuts.com
4. Shelf Awareness, contact Marily Dahl marilyn@shelfawareness.com
5. The Book Report Network, http://www.bookreporter.com, DOES NOT review how-to, self help, relgion and medical/health books. Complete guidelines are availabe at http://www.bookreporter.com/book-submission.asp.
6. BookBrowse, bookbrowse.com DOES NOT review romance, sci-fi, relgious fiction and business books. Go to website and click on submissions for additional information.
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