Monday, June 8, 2009

Blog a Reunion

Sometimes you are just along for the ride, and other times you are the ride. On Saturday, I chauffeured three members of my family, three women all over eighty-five to breakfast. It had been five years since they had seen each other, the three together. One is my mother, her sister who is ninety-four and the third their sister-in-law. The conversation began with a laundry list of ailments and present infirmities but quickly switched to nostalgia. They talked about when they were young and how each met their husbands and what it was like to be a young girl in the 20’s and 30’s of the twentieth century.

As I sat among them I realized what a moment I was sharing, I knew that the possibility of another reunion might not occur in their lifetime. Another reason to be in the moment, to savor the minutes together and say I love you, I love your face and your laugh, I love how you eyes dance when you smile and how time has not changed your spirit.

Blog what you feel, see, and hear.

On Friday this week, June 12th, please stop for my review of Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully by Julianne Moore. I will have her tour site up and lots of info regarding this charming story. Ms. Moore is an award-winning actress, tireless children’s advocate and U.S. Ambassador for Save the Children. Her focus is literacy and early childhood education.

Have the best day everyday…

Linda

For those who know my story it has been a long but interesting journey to becoming a published author. I began many years ago with the dream of being a journalist but through life circumstance I traveled a different career path. A few days ago I was awarded second place for the Best Fiction of 2009 by the Connecticut Press Club, an organization comprised of journalists, and writers. The dream does come true for a debut author, one has to believe and have faith.

The guest speaker at the awards event was Wally Lamb. He received the Mark Twain Award from the Press Club. Mr. Lamb spoke of the writing process from his beginnings and how there were times when he couldn't find a word for the page. He often turned to his faith for guidance and found inspiration in his own spirituality. Good advice for all of us. The photo is of me, Wally Lamb and Judith Marks-White author of Seducing Harry and Bachelor Degree.

My thanks to the judges of the Connecticut Press Club for their recognition of Belly of the Whale.

This is a Good Day - have the best day every day.

Linda

Good Day Aries Moon

The Tribeca Film Festival opens today in New York City with the Moon in Aries on a Good Day. This community film festival was born out of the tragedy of 9/11. In the passionate spirit from which is was created the New York Times has given this year's festival a rave review. It is amazing how out of anger and aggression we can plant the seeds of inspiration and rebirth. Kudos to those behind the scenes and to all who support and love the arts. America is beautiful.

Have the best day everyday.

Linda

Friday, April 10, 2009

Songs are souvenirs…so said Dan Fogelberg in a radio interview back in 1997. Through the efforts of people like Fred Migliore, Jean Fogelberg and FM Odyssey Radio the fans of Dan Fogelberg can hear him speak about his passion for music in the CD: Dan Fogelberg – A Retrospective Interview. This is a collection of thirteen Fogelberg songs which allows listeners to go past his lyrics into his wonderful insights about life, writing music and performing as an artist.

In the tunes “Don’t Lose Heart” and “Part of the Plan” we are encouraged by the beauty of Dan’s lyrics to always remain hopeful and that all of us are living out our parts on the stage of life. Dan Fogelberg: A Retrospective Interview invites fans to be guests of an unusually intimate conversation and to hear in Dan’s own voice the inner workings of his inspirations. It was chilling to realize that the essence of the music remained but that the personal meanings had changed since his death, much in the way Dan unknowingly explained in the interview.

“Same Old Lang Syne” is one of my favorite Fogelberg tunes. We are privy to how the lyrics unfolded, how they were spun out of a real encounter that was greatly romanticized by the artist. And the final song about Dan's father, a tribute to his family and to “The Leader of the Band” touches our reality with the simple truth that the living legacy is gone; and because of this odd twist of fate we are grateful to be left with his musical genius.

There is a message from Dan Fogelberg on the inside of the CD cover. He encourages every man to get PSA and DRE tests every year. To hear the words "you have cancer" is never easy, but to hear these words about a loved one is even more difficult. Early detection and medical intervention can make the difference. I know because I am blessed to love a wonderful man who is a prostate cancer survivor. Please remember that your purchase of this 2 CD Collector’s Edition will aid in the research for prostate cancer, and for anyone who reads this post and makes a special comment you can win a lost segment edition of a one-of-a-kind CD with forty-five additional minutes of Dan’s interview with Fred Migliore. So post here today or come back in a few days…I would love to hear from you.

Have the best day everyday.
Linda

Happy Belated Birthday to Belly of the Whale, one year ago my novel and I were launched into the debut book universe. We are still on an amazing journey. Our path has been and continues to be filled with new faces and opportunities.

For those who keep up with my good days the moon is full in Libra. It fills Wednesday and Thursday. Libra has a penchant for two’s, use this time to work in a partnership. The changing face of the full moon’s reflection will go off stage from just before 10pm on Thursday. She will return about 5:30am Friday shrouded in her mask of Scorpio. This is a most fitting day for this energy giving it is Holy Week and Passover. Scorpio forces us to go deep within our selves. We are covered until Sunday. There are only Good Days ahead.

Please check in on Friday for my review of the Dan Fogelberg CD: A Retrospective Interview. Dan died of prostate cancer at the age of 56 in December of 2007. His personal message to all men is written inside the CD cover.

Have the best day every day. Linda

Some things happen outside of time, like running into old friends, or familiar scents, voices, landscapes and lost letters. These moments propel you to places or memories from a time long ago when you were younger, when life was simpler, and when time was not walking with you, shoulder-to-shoulder. All of these places, all past connections are woven so permanently inside the fabric of our being that at any second with the correct chemistry one or more can awake.

Such a moment occurred recently when I was invited to participate in a book club discussion for my novel, Belly of the Whale. The invitation had come many months before from an acquaintance now living in the Cape Ann area, the location of my book. We shared families through marriage, in-laws, cousins and the like but we were not related. Four decades had passed and here I was at her door being welcomed as an author, treated like a celebrity. She was candid with her remarks before the group arrived. I had to read the book first she said before I could recommend it to the club and I loved it.

Soon her home was filled with the hum of female voices. I was deluged with handshakes and introductions. I looked out among the faces and saw women like myself holding copies of Belly of the Whale. Questions began and I answered. How did the story begin, what was the seed? I knew the responses because I’d made them before, but this was different, that night I was a bridge away from Gloucester, from Ten Nettles Cove and Whales Market. One woman after another exclaimed that they looked for the Market and wondered what street it was on and how thoughts of the story remained with them long after the last page.

When would the sequel be released? Was there a sequel? What was I working on now? When would my next book be published? The walls of inertia that had formed around me in the last few months began to crumble. Every writer requires retreat, time to ruminate and I had mine. The alarm was going off in my head. A room full of wonderful women speaking with honesty and passion was my elixir.

On April 10^th I will dedicate my blogging to the education and awareness of prostate cancer. In December 2007 Dan Folgelberg died of this disease. He was barely past fifty years old. We all know his music- Same Old Lang Syne and Leader of the Band to name two. I will participate in the promotion of a double CD package called Dan Fogelberg-A Retrospective Interview. The CD’s feature thirteen of Dan’s great songs coupled with Fred Migliore of FM Odyssey Radio and his interview celebrating Dan Fogelberg’s twenty-five years of music in 1997. Three dollars from the sale of this package goes to PCF in Dan’s name to help find a cure.

Please remember to the fight-fight.

Blog what you hear, feel, think and see. Linda

I am being sold on eBay. Well not me exactly, my book, Belly of the Whale is up on eBay. Google alerts keeps me informed of some of the most obscure happenings that pop up regarding my novel. This latest, in regard to eBay, made me chuckle. I felt like a throw away, a used me but more to the point a used book. I wondered if there was a battle in the final minutes, a joust of sorts to win my novel. If this doesn't make me feel strangely important I am not sure what can top it, that spot on Oprah perhaps or maybe a nod from the New York Times. Hmmmm...

For those keeping track, the moon is in Aquarius allowing Monday and Tuesday to be Good Days. This moon with all its quirks often brings surprises or some type of technical snafu. The unusual is the best route or mode of choice. Do not use traditional tactics. As the year winds down, this moon will take us into Wednesday, New Years Eve. Appropriately enough we get an afternoon to ponder. This has been a roller coaster ride of a year. Wednesday afternoon asks us to stay quiet, to lay back, to wait. The moon will be off the screen from about 1:30pm until 7:30pm. If you decide to celebrate keep in mind that a Pisces Moon is watery and should not be mixed with alcohol. There is a tendency to dismiss reality with this moon and drown in the buzz or the high of substances that fly us to the moon. Be mindful of those folk who will over indulge this year. Go out and celebrate but don't leave pieces of yourself floating around. New Years Day will be a Good Day, a good day to begin using kindness as the starting point. Pisces Moon takes care of everyone else first and self last. She can be a bit of a martyr but she means well. Remember, in the end, only kindness matters.

Thanks for blogging with me in 2008...have the best day everyday.


Linda

The case of the lost blog. Where the blazes does the last blog you just spent thirty minutes of your precious time writing go when you bleeping press the wrong key? What happens when you can hear the computer chewing your words, chomping sentences and licking its lips? Argh!!! No amount of back arrow clicking can recover the lost blog. It was breakfast for a hungry cyberspace monster; and so you have no choice but to begin again...start over...argh!!!

The possibility exists that what was written previously was dribble anyway, and no one cared a lick about what was said. Amen.

The truth is I've been remiss in my Good Days and No Days and for those unable to get out-of-bed because of my failure to advise - I apologize.

Once the Scorpio Moon went off into the deep bowels of the Cosmos she left behind about six hours of what-the-heck-is-happening-to-me-garbage. This was precisely between 12:30am-6:15am on Wednesday morning. Whatever occured during that time frame seemed important and serious, however, the Scorpio Moon is known for its bathroom humor and dirty tricks, so no worries,believe it or not, she was just kidding.

The Sagittarius Moon took over, thank you very much, and continues until 6:30pm, Friday evening. There is sure to be some over spending, over eating, over doing and over joying with this jolly moon. Hope your Christmas was all of that and more. The Capricorn New Moon joins us for the weekend beginning 7pm Friday night. New Moons are excellent for starting over.

So there, that's the answer...I had to begin again with this blog and this one makes so much more sense than the last one. But hey, if you are lost in cyberspace and find any MIA blogs please let me know...

Have the best darn day everyday.

Linda

Saturday, December 20, 2008

I look out my window and the world is transformed. Everywhere, as far as my eyes can see, is white. The heaviness of an intense storm still hangs in the air. Almost like the boxer who has returned to his corner for a pep talk and water. The snow will come again and again. The reasons why you love and hate the North East of the United States is clear. You talk about leaving, about packing up and going South, but you don't. The serenity of moments like this morning are too precious to miss. They will stay with you until you start to shovel and then you will remember why you should have left last year.

The Winter Solstice is upon us. The longest day of the year when the sun is farthest from the Equator in the north causing the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The effect is that the sun "stands still" in its apparent northward motion. This celestial event occurs with the sun in Capricorn, the beginning of winter, the Winter Solstice and after this time the days begin to grow longer again. Take note that the sign of Capricorn is very potent in the coming years. Talk of conservation directly relates to the sign of conserving. Capricorn seeks to be wise and at times frugal. This control gives Capricorn the ability to invest with wisdom, go-green and lead a comfortable existence. Although budget conscious, this sign likes the good things of this world and is the true material girl (boy).

Saturday, the 20th, the moon is in Libra bestowing on us a very Good Day. Libra asks us to work in tandem with others, to compromise, and to be diplomatic. If you find your self on the fence, or stuck in the middle, please make peace with your situation and you will find the solution. Libra remains until about noon on Sunday when she vacates for the remainder of the afternoon, returning in the sign of Scorpio after 6:30pm. Perhaps last minute stuff would best not be accomplished during that warp of time. Purchases may need to be returned or will not be used as intended. Better to have Santa leave a note in his or her stocking or hang a heart on the tree with beautiful words of love. Remember that Scorpio takes no prisoners. You can not get away with anything. The Scorpio Moon discloses the most secret of information. Keep yourself squeaky clean!!!

Have the best day everyday.

Linda