Laying low with a new enemy - Sciatica, by J.C. Kavanagh

WINNER, Best Young Adult Book 2016
P&E Readers' Poll

Well, a delightful spring season has finally arrived here in Ontario. We jumped from snow and ice in early May, to a summer-like spring this past week. Yay! I've been busy with yard work and raking and trimming, etc. etc. My property has a variety of areas: grassy, treed, trails and woods. It requires many hours of maintenance but I've always loved the outdoors and my partner feels the same way.

But all of this physical work comes with a price.

In my case, it's the price of back pain.

It began during the first two weeks of May, I spent most afternoons raking and then transporting via wheelbarrow, the leaves and debris that accumulate over the winter months. Yeah, I felt good! Until my next-to-last wheelbarrow load. I bent over to pick up the pile of leaves and somehow twisted the wrong way. And that was all it took. Sigh.

So for the last few days, I've been walking just like the alien guy in District 9. Have you seen that movie? It's a sci-fi about space ships from a dying planet that find their way to earth, only to hover above cities until humans 're-locate' them to a type of refugee camp. There, the creatures love to eat cat food (only a writer would think of that hehehe). The gait of these creatures is identical to mine: a combination of stiff leg and waddle.

Cutting down the bamboo stalks

Inserting nasty killer vine into the wood chipper

Snow boulder Queen: the snow/ice storm in mid-April 2018

I want to be 39 again. My mind tells my body that every day. So, I'm thinking that pain is your body's way of snickering at your mind. "Who's 39?" my body asks. And then laughs and laughs and laughs.

The sequel to The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends will be published this summer. Stay tuned!

For now, I'm on the hunt for some elegant, yet tasty, Fancy Feast.

J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb
BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers' Poll
A novel for teens, young adults and adults young at heart
Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh
www.Amazon.com/author/jckavanagh
Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)  

Karl Marx

Karl Marx and Jenny von Westphalen

Karl Marx’s two hundredth birth anniversary was celebrated on May 5^th of this year.  His philosophy, as expressed in the Communist Manifesto and other writings, is revered by some and reviled by others. The purpose of this article is not to discuss Marxism, but to bring to light some odd facts about this influential thinker.

1)      Ironically, Marx didn’t like Russians. A lot of his antipathy came from his fellow Germans who, at that time, regarded Russians as barbarians. He also considered Russia, under control of the Tsar at that time, to be the biggest enemy of communism and thought his revolutionary ideas best-fitted for England, France and Germany.

2)      He named all his daughters “Jenny” in honor of his wife Jenny von Westphalen. It appears that he loved his wife dearly, but there is evidence that he had an affair with their housekeeper, Helene Dumuth.

3)      One of his maternal uncles founded the Phillips Company (later Phillips Electronics) and became an extremely wealthy man. Loans from his family were crucial for Marx’s financial solvency

4)      He had to use pseudonyms to rent houses or flats in order to escape surveillance from authorities. He remained quite poor for most of his life.

5)      He worked as a reporter for an American newspaper, the New York Daily Tribune, founded by Horace Greeley in 1841. It provided a source of regular income while he lived in London.

6)      Marx suffered from terrible health. He drank copiously, smoked excessively and slept poorly. This aggravated an existing liver problem and caused him much pain.

7)      He suffered from “carbuncles,” or painful boils on the skin, brought about by his poor liver, bad diet and habits, and was blamed for his sarcastic and insulting nature, which he displayed even to his closest friends. The abscesses were so bad that he could neither sit nor work in an upright position.

8)      He died a stateless person. Though Prussian (German) by birth, he was exiled because of his radical activities. He also lived in France and Belgium, both of which ordered him to leave. He finally settled in London, where he wrote most of his famous works.

9)      Only between nine and eleven persons attended his funeral, including his two surviving daughters and their husbands. His tomb is located in the East Highgate Cemetery, London.

10)  In honor of Marx’s bicentennial, the Government of China gifted a 4.5 meter (15 foot) statue of the man to Germany. It was installed in Trier, the small Westphalian town where Marx was born, on the fifth of May, 2018.

Mohan Ashtakala is the author of The Yoga Zapper, published by Books We Love.

www.yogazapper.com

www.bookswelove.com

Sometimes it's bluebells...by Sheila Claydon

I lead a very busy life, the same as most of you no doubt. Given the choice I would opt for a 36 hour day. That way I would stand a better chance of fitting everything in. Of course I'm perfectly well aware that busy, busy, busy is not the best way to live; a philosophy the poet William Henry Davies (1871-1940) explained far better than I can in his famous poem Leisure:

What is this life if, full of care, 

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait 'til her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

William Davies took this to extreme by living the life of a hobo and tramp both in the US and the UK for a significant part of his life, and he never did settle into paid employment. Eventually, however, through sheer doggedness and determination, he began to earn a living through his writing, and eventually became one of the most popular poets of his time. In later life he became friends with many of the literary figures of the day and also socialised with famous artists and members of the higher echelons of society. The sculptor Jacob Epstein crafted a model of Davies' head and Augustus John painted his portrait. 

Since his death many of his works have been given a musical setting and songs have been written using the words from his poems. Not bad for a hobo who not only lost a leg as a result of trying to jump a freight train at Renfrew, Ontario, but who left school at age 14 under a cloud for being a member of a small gang who stole handbags. 

There is so much more to his life, and so many poems and stories all of which can be found on the Internet, but the best is him reading his own poem, Leisure.  I have always had an aversion to listening to poets read their own works because so many of them adopt a style that is either drearily monotonous or delivered with too much emphasis on rhythm, both of which distract this particular listener from the actual words. Actors, on the other hand, will often paint a picture with their voices and, by doing so, manage to convey the true meaning of the poem. This is a generalisation of course and I would have to listen to a great many more poets before I could prove my point. William Henry Davies is, however, the exception that proves the rule. Just watch the virtual film that uses his real voice as he recites his poem Leisure at https://youtu.be/a49DdXTrEjQ and it is immediately clear that he means every word. 

So much for William Henry Davies, but what about the rest of us? Very few people can lead his sort of life, or would even want to, but what we can take from it is the need to stand and stare from time to time. I have help with this in the form of a small dog who tells me, without fail, every day, that she needs a walk, and because I am lucky enough to be surrounded by fields and woodland, we both find the time to stand and stare, even when it's raining or blowing a gale. I don't always want to go but I'm always so pleased I did by the time I return home again. Even the bare skeletons of trees in winter have a beauty that is worth watching, but it's not always bare trees. Sometimes it's bluebells.

Who could fail to feel uplifted on a walk like this, one that helped to inspire my book Mending Jodie's Heart. Set in my local countryside it eventually became the When Paths Meet trilogy, a family saga with three different romances at its heart. Without taking the time to stand and stare I might never have thought of it.

Details of all my books can be found at http://bwlpublishing.ca/authors/claydon-sheila-romance/ and at 

Sheila Claydon on facebook

When Words Collide

For more information about Susan Calder's books, or to purchase visit her Books We Love Author Page.  

Three months from today I'll be hanging out at When Words Collide Festival for Readers and Writers -- the best deal in town for Calgary readers and writers. Where else can you get three full days and evenings of writing-related programming for $55 (less if you register in advance or qualify as a senior or student). Many writers from outside of Calgary find the trek worth making every year. I and others have been there since the festival began in 2011, seven years ago.

What has struck me the most about WWC is the energy. The multi-genre festival was inspired by science fiction and fantasy writers and readers, who know how to have fun at conventions. They aren't shy about dressing up in costumes.

Astro Hal at 2013 WWC

I also like the sense of democracy. Anyone registered can volunteer to sit on a panel or propose a panel or presentation topic. The first year I did a workshop on dialogue and was surprised by the numbers of people streaming in. Festival attendees choose from up to 10 activities each hour, including panels, presentations, blue pencil cafes, pitch sessions and book socials. Evenings feature parties and readings.

Here's an example of one panel offered this year. It is bound to draw a crowd, with these famous authors discussing this popular topic:

Historical Themed, Multi-Authored Book Collections with panelists Nancy M. Bell, Joan Donaldson-Yarmey, Victoria Chatham, Jude Pittman, and moderator Mahrie G Reid. Panel description: These collections are popular, especially in romance & fantasy. BWL Publishing Inc. (Books We Love) enlisted authors to deliver a collection called Canadian Historical Brides, 12 novels designed to celebrate Canada 150. (10 provinces and the territories) Several of the authors, including the publisher, Jude Pittman, will present a panel on the challenges and processes of planning, writing and publishing such a collection.

Nancy & Jude at 2017 WWC

Once again BWL will have a table in the Merchants Corner, with its authors' books for sale. The Merchants Corner is open to the public during the festival and is located in the Atrium building of the festival hotel, the Delta Calgary South.

Other free events open to the public are:

1. Festival Guest readings. This year's festival special guests will be reading at the Fish Creek Public Library on Thursday Aug 9 from 7-9 pm. They will also be reading at the Delta Calgary South Hotel on Friday Aug 10 from 1-3 pm in the Bonavista Ballroom (Tower Building).

2. Mass Autograph Session. The festival guests and 80+ attending authors will be signing books on Saturday Aug 11 from 8-10 pm in the Fireside Room (Atrium Building).

The mass autograph session follows the banquet, which always adopts a theme. Last year I participated in the autograph session dressed in my roaring twenties banquet costume. 

Ever since the banquet started encouraging costumes, it has sold out well ahead of the festival.

Whether it's planned or serendipity, When Words Collide has managed to find a sweet spot that combines lightness with serious learning, book promotion and networking for readers and writers. 

2013 WWC:  Jamis Paulson describes how small press publishers are born 

     

Prince Albert and the great diamond debacle by Karla Stover

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE FROM YOUR FAVORITE RETAILER

 

The entire diamond business rests on two supports—vanity and greed.

                                                              1997, anonymous

In 1850, James Andrew Broun-Ramsay. Earl of Dalhousie and India’s governor-general had the Koh-i-Noor diamond “sewn and double-sewn into a belt secured around his waist, one fastened of the best to a chain around my neck,” and left Lahore for Bombay where the gem would start its journey to England. “My stars! What a relief to get rid of it,” he wrote a friend.

Though it may be older, in 1304 the diamond is known to have belonged to Allaudin Khiliji, the Emperor of Dehli. Five years later, records written in Hindu reveal a curse was place on it—to wit: “He who owns this diamond will own the world but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity.” The gem was returned to its place of origin, Samarkand, in 1339.
Curse or not, the diamond was gifted by the Sultan Ibrahim Lodi to Babur Muhammad, founder and first Emperor of the Mughal dynasty. One of Babur’s descendants, protected the diamond and passed it on to his heirs.

Sadly, the dynasty was weakening and in 1739, the Persian general Nadir Shah went to India intending to conquer the throne. The reigning sultan lost a decisive battle and surrendered to Nadir. It was Nadir who first called the diamond Koh-i-noor, meaning Mountain of Light. After his assassination in 1747, he lost the “Light,” and Generals, Ahmad Shah Durrani became the next owner. In 1813, his descendants, Shah Shuja Durrani took the stone back to India and gave it to Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of Punjab and founder of the Sikh Empire.

Enter Great Britain whose forces defeated those of the Punjab and confiscated their properties. The Koh-i-noor was transferred to the treasury of the British East India Company in Lahore. The diamond was shipped to Britain on a ship where a story goes that cholera broke out and the keeper of the diamond lost it for some days before his servant returned it. On July 3, 1850, the diamond was handed to Queen Victoria. Shortly after, and in keeping with the curse, a man named Robert Pate struck her in the head while she was riding in her carriage.

In 1850, while the queen was giving birth to Prince Arthur, getting a diamond, and getting hit, her husband Prince Albert was working on the Great Exhibition, the first-ever international exhibition of manufactured products. People wanted to see the famed diamond, so it was put on display. A near riot ensued when crowds mobbed the building in which it was housed. For their efforts, the people were met with disappointment. Indian diamond cutters polished to preserve size not for maximum brilliance, and the Koh-i-Noor just didn’t sparkle.

Prince Albert undertook the task of making the stone more attractive to the western eye. He called in experts to examine the diamond and eventually chose a Dutch firm. In 1843, Queen Victoria made the House of Garrard the court’s Crown Jewelers. First, a small steam engine was assembled there, the cutters arrived from Holland, and the Duke of Wellington rode up on a white charger to watch. The engine driving the grinding wheel was fired up. The protective wrap made of lead was removed to reveal the first bit of the stone that was to be ground off. The price put the gem on the diamond Scaife grinding machine and the first angle was made.

All in all, it took 38 days for the Koh-i-Noor to “reduce the diamond from 186 carats to 108.03. Prince Albert was dismayed at the loss of weight, and rumors of the curse were repeated. In the end, Queen Victoria only wore the diamond occasionally. Her will stipulated that only a female queen should wear the Koh-i-noor, or if the head of state was a man, his wife would have to carry the diamond. After her death, the Koh-i-noor became part of the Crown Jewels.

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