A few select authors can bring such experiences to life for those who focus on the everyday humdrum facets of existence. Naomi Clark is one of them.

Afterlife is an intriguing first novel from the 26-year old Brit. It provides a tasty treat for those who love monsters and the paranormal.

Clark’s heroine, Yasmin Stoker, is a bit like an otherworldly Stephanie Plum or Kinsey Millhone. Yasmin is a 600-year old wraith with the ability to turn into mist and feed upon souls. She is sexy and sassy as she fights, kills, and doles out one-liners. She frequently gets herself in over her head,  yet manages to stay alive with a bit of luck.

Despite her inhuman nature Yasmin has very human longings for physical affection, friendship, and love (such as she can experience). Her attraction to the human, Alex, and the vampire, Durante, is executed with sensuality, humor, and realistic emotion.

Clark draws the reader into the action from the first line of the story and quickly establishes a sense of history and experience for Yasmin. So it is intriguing when she finds herself up against a type of being she’d not encountered before.

Out after a feeding, Yasmin witnesses a young girl lure a man by pretending to be lost. She is stunned as she watches the child drag the helpless man down into the underworld. As she investigates this, Yasmin is soon enmeshed in the deaths of several teenage girls, including one that went missing from Shoregrave.

Complicating matters is a private investigator called Ethan who is getting uncomfortably close to pulling back the veil from Shoregrave’s paranormal beings as he looks into the killings.

By the time the mystery is solved, Yasmin will end up questioning her very essence and genesis. She will be forced to re-evaluate her perception of her mortal enemies – vampires – and partner with one.

Throughout the book, the imagery of Yasmin’s paranormal abilities is particularly intriguing and well done. She certainly is a fresh version of a wraith. Clark’s creatures may have some standard names, but she makes them her own creations. Vampires don’t quite get birthed in the traditional sense and she’s created her own lifecycle for them.

The city of Shoregrave is an enjoyable setting. The place is a very active haunt for ghosts and all manner of supernatural beings. Clark’s love for ghost stories comes across throughout the novel. She employs a device of often starting a chapter with a piece of Shoregrave’s ghostly history. This further draws the reader into the world she’s woven.

Though the novel isn’t perfect, it does succeed in being very entertaining. These characters were enjoyable to spend time with. Clark has a pleasing and engaging rhythm to her writing. Her use of language is very organic. Her imagery is often unique and immersive. This book holds promise of even better work to come from Clark.

In the end Afterlife is a breezy, light read that would be a perfect beach book for those who love the paranormal or just want a good supernatural story to cuddle up with at night.

In a single moment 13 people across European cities martyr themselves. The only clue accompanying the burnings are cryptic messages in the form of a prophesy by Michel de Nostredame and an excerpt from the third secret of Fatima. The world is promised 40 days and nights of terror that will shatter faith. This is the powerful opening of Steve Savile’s thriller Silver.

Sir Charles Wyndham’s team of brilliant warriors and technicians, codenamed Ogmios, puzzle together the truth through a journey that takes them to London, Berlin, and the Vatican itself. Behind the bloodshed they discover a plot to kill the Pope.

As they fight to prevent this, the team must take on a fanatical group called the Disciples of Judas, which has risen in the Middle East. The Disciples want the true story of Judas proclaimed to the world. They believe Judas was in a highly volatile relationship with Mary and Jesus that twined love and betrayal. We see Judas mourn the man he could have been, the life he may have had, if he’d not loved so well the man destined to die on the cross.

Love, power, fear, treachery are woven together for the faithful in this novel. Jesus spread a message of religion based on love without fear. He took them out of the temples and back to the earth. But there have always been those who would use religion to control others and spread dread.

Savile expertly composes a tale of how terrorism has changed and now strikes where average citizens expect to feel safe. For the terrorists understand that fear can break even strong people. Fear can take a person to the point where death is a mercy. These terrorists understand that there is power in tragedy on a mass scale. How do even the best of mankind fight against the misdirection, subterfuge and bloodshed of war — when even the most beautiful things are cloaking betrayal in their finery? The members of the Ogmios must find a way.

Since this is a European religious thriller, it is easy to compare it to The DaVinci Code. But that seriously negates the originality and intelligence of Savile’s work. His work demands to to be read on its own terms. This is his first action thriller steeped in history and religion, and he has created a novel worthy of being considered among the best.

Savile weaves complex action throughout Silver involving many characters and time periods. His imagery is vivid, specific, and original. Berlin, Rome, and London come alive on the page. We feel the terror of the public, cook under the sun’s heat, and see the grimy buildings. His characters are 3-dimensional, flawed, and entertaining to follow. As with all of us, their imperfections and uniqueness make them stronger. He is able to reveal many character traits through very organic, realistic dialogue and the way the characters experience their surroundings.

Silver deserves to be on everyone’s must read list. Savile has written an entertaining, intelligent, enthralling work that leaves readers longing for the next book in Ogmios series titled Gold.

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Silver is available for purchase on Amazon as a hardback and for Kindle.

This is the writing of a woman who loves the horror genre. You can tell it flows in her blood. The tale “Raven’s Revenge” is a loving homage to Edgar Allan Poe and his tales of ghosts demanding justice for their untimely demise.

You can feel echoes of Stephen King’s tales of childhood adventures that turn grizzly in “Initiation Day.” “Perishables” questions the lengths one goes to in order to survive like King’s “Survivor Type” did.

“Damp Wind and Leaves” is a gorgeous love letter to Halloween and the iconic movies of old like Dracula, The Wolfman, and The Mummy.

These occasional echoes of the past are delightful spice for those who also love horror and can indulge in the allusions. But beyond that Grech fills her writing with specific imagery that transports the reader. Her worlds are sensuously full and encompassing. You can smell the damp autumn air in “Damp Wind and Leaves” and feel the snowy winter cold with its blinding whiteness in the title tale “Blanket of White.”

For those who wonder if a woman can push the boundaries and disturb, Grech answers with a definitive, “Yes.” There are true sociopaths in her tales. There are bloody dispatches. Grech not only horrifies on a physical level, there is emotional horror as well. Parental love twists into dark obsession or neglect. Lovers’ obsessions give new meaning to consuming hunger. Sibling rivalry reaches frightening levels. She brings life to what she calls “the aftermath of people’s grief.”

Grech is able to engage her readers emotionally. She moves their hearts with sorrow, makes them cry for justice, and raises a laugh of devilish delight when a bad guy gets what is coming to them. She reminds us that we have all have taken journeys into darkness and tasted despair, obsession, rage. Her characters are crafted with such depth and reality that no matter what twisted action they might take part in, we buy in and believe it.

Each story in the collection is unique, and it is a pleasure to see what world we will be thrown into next. There is enough diversity of subject matter and tone here to delight nearly everyone.

Blanket of White deserves to be read not only by lovers of horror, but by everyone who just craves good writing. Don’t let the twisted nature of the stories turn you away. As Grech’s character Nicholas says to his victim when she shrinks away from his blade, “Come, come, don’t be shy. It only hurts the first time.”

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Blanket of White is available for purchase at Amazon.com, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com, Books on Board, CoolerBooks, Damnation Books, and Diesel eBooks.

Dark Justice

The novel blends together two stories about a murderous sphere called the Eater of Hearts. One tale is an origin story set 200 years ago. It tells of a runaway slave named Tobias whose quest for vengeance leads to the creation of the Eater of Hearts. The Eater of Hearts reaches into the spirits of its victims and shows them their greatest fear before granting them a grizzly physical death. We experience his journey, his sacrifices, and the reason behind his desire to punish the slave owner, Master Richards.

This is melded with a modern story of an EMT named Galen Morris who becomes an accidental present day target of the Eater of Hearts. He, like Tobias, must run for his life. But he is aided by a friend and coworker, Audra Winters, as he searches for answers.

We are taken back and forth in time between the creation story of the Eater of Hearts and Galen’s search to figure out what the object is and why it is after him. This keeps the reader learning information nearly in parallel with Galen’s revelations. Light does a skillful job of realistically laying out how Galen and Audra respond to the threat.

Galen and Audra turn to Professor John Paxton for help and answers. This encounter brings out themes of addiction and the promise within us all that too often waits to manifest another day. Paxton is like many who tell themselves that greatness is just around the corner and then fail to take the first step toward it.

The book has its faults and strengths as is expected with a first novel. The prose and structure could have been aided by a good editor. Further research into African religious practices and other magical religious traditions could have added a more authentic feel to the origin story. The lack of specificity of the faith, the magical practice made the leap of belief required to buy into the Eater of Hearts creation difficult. He may have burdened himself by taking a realistic tack with the novel instead of straight fantasy.

However, the premise is engaging and the primary characters are very likeable despite some patches of roughly composed dialogue. The reader does care about the struggle of Tobias, Galen, and their loved ones. One understands why Tobias is driven to seek revenge. Galen’s emotional journey reminds the reader that in connecting with others and demonstrating vulnerability, we find strength.

The characters must ultimately face the consequences of being paralyzed by their fears and solitary natures. They find the key to success in facing the Eaters of Heart (and life in general) is partnering with and caring for others.

Though Light might not have demonstrated the most polished ear for prose, he does succeed in engaging the reader at the most important level – the heart.

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Connect Donnie Light on Twitter and Facebook. Find out more information about Donnie Light and order Dark Justice at his website.

For those who doubt that a woman can dwell in the darkest recesses of the psyche, compose twisted tales, and generally scare and disturb her readers — you’ve met your match.  Amy Grech is a prolific author in the horror genre. She’s sold over 100 stories. Her second book, Blanket of White,  was recently published by Damnation Books. It’s a collection of short stories that are as chilling as the snowy landscape of the title tale.

The 37 year-old grew on up Long Island in the quaint little town of Northport and now makes her home in Park Slope Brooklyn. She was drawn to writing at an early age and pursued her passion academically.  She graduated from Ithaca College with a major in English and minor in creative writing. There she made the most of courses such as The Literature of Horror, Popular Fiction, Writing Science Fiction, Fiction Writing I and II, and Writing Children’s Literature.

The hard study and longtime passion for language are clear in her writing. Her stories are woven with deft grace. The imagery is vivid. Her characters are emotionally complex and realistic. Enjoy learning more about this talented writer as Amy Grech graciously opens about her craft. Then go seek out her work. She is indeed the real deal.

Writing

Please share a little about your collection Blanket of White and its inspiration.

Blanket of White is a collection of 14 short stories, mainly horror, though there are a few sci-fi/horror hybrids as well. The title story is quiet horror story, as are “Perishables,” “Rampart,” “Prevention,” Raven’s Revenge,” and “Damp Wind and Leaves.” Two sci-fi/horror hybrids are “Perishables” and “EV 2000.” The more extreme stories would be “Cone and Gone,” “Cold Comfort,” “Initiation Day,” “Crosshairs,” “Russian Roulette,” and “Apple of My Eye.”

The title story actually evolved ten years ago, when I saw a real life story on the news about a little girl who had a terminal illness and the compassionate way her father chose to end her suffering. The little girl in my story, Suzy is very remarkable despite her illness. “Blanket of White” has a profound affect on readers who are also parents.

When did you realize you had to write?

An Aunt introduced me to Stephen King’s novels when I was 12. I started with Cujo and have been hooked ever since! When I realized there weren’t a lot of female horror authors, I knew that was my calling!

One question I face a lot of is “Why Horror?” You showcase a lot of dark issues in your writing. What does focusing on those offer you as a storyteller?

Focusing on Horror enables me to work out my fears on paper and get paid for it. The dark side of humanity offers limitless story material. I have a notebook full of ideas, based on people I’ve seen on the street or subway and various overhead conversations.

Why is a female perspective important to add to the world of horror, and has anyone tried to steer you away from writing it?

Women tend to be more emotional than men, so being a woman allows me to covey my characters’ emotions, no matter how good or bad. My parents weren’t exactly pleased with my choice of horror. To appease them, I wrote and sold several children’s stories, but that’s not where my heart was. My mother reads my work, but my father flat out refuses to; maybe one day he’ll come around…

Please share a little about your writing process. Do you do a lot of research? Are there any writing exercises you use to flesh out characters and their back story? Do you outline?

I’ll use the Internet for research if I need to look up certain locations or medical information; doing so really enhances the story. Most of the time, I’ll learn something new in the process, so I’d say research is fun! Sometimes I’ll dream up a really great title, like “Perishables” and I’ll write a story based on that. Other times, I’ll start with the protagonist or antagonist and the story unravels from there. Whenever I’m stumped, I use stream of consciousness to get inside my characters’ heads. I despise outlines!

What are the top moments in your writing career so far?

Definitely meeting Harlan Ellison at the annual HWA Meeting in New York in 1996 and having him say, “I know you!” Other highlights include being invited to I-Con a convention held on Long Island and speaking on panels and doing readings; selling over 100 short stories to various anthologies and genre magazines.

What is your advice for aspiring writers trying to get their work noticed?

Write every day and carry a little notebook with you—there’s no telling when inspiration will strike. Join a writers’ organization like the Horror Writers Association. I’ve been an Active HWA member for over 15 years; I’ve made a lot of quality contacts as a result.

What is your favorite indulgence after completion of a story or novel?

I’ll treat myself to an expensive Sushi dinner, once my story has found a home!

Media

You spend a lot of time on social media such as Twitter. What has this meant for your writing?

Using LiveJournal, Twitter, and message boards, like Shocklines means I can promote my writing for free quickly and easily. I love Twitter! When someone with 1,000+ followers re-tweets a post about an interview or a review for Blanket of White and then their followers re-tweet it, word spreads at breakneck speed, and that has been a tremendous help with regards to sales.

What are some of your favorite experiences you’ve had interacting with your readers?

I love it will readers approach me at conventions and gush about a particular story I’ve written—it’s the best feeling!

Personal

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was six, I wanted to be a Good Humor Woman—the woman driving a Good Humor Truck on my block fueled this fantasy. By the age of 12, I wanted to be a doctor. At 16 I knew I wanted to be a writer!

Who were your childhood heroes?

Mighty Mouse won the coveted spot of favorite superhero! I remember being glued to the TV, intrigued by a muscular flying mouse, who sang, “Here I come to save the day!” as he swooped down to save a damsel in distress or thwart evil-doers!

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Passionate.

If you could try any profession, other than your own, what would you like to try?

I wouldn’t mind being an ER Doctor—they’re constantly riding on an adrenaline rush and they get to see tons of blood every day. They constantly need to think outside the box—their patients’ lives depend on it.

If you could live in any other time, when would that be?

Definitely the 1960s! I’m down with free love. Let’s start a revolution…

Connect, Enjoy, Buy!

You can connect with Amy Grech on Twitter. Her sites include a LiveJournal account and Amy Grech’s Official Web Fright.

Blanket of White is available for purchase at Amazon.com, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble.com, Books on Board, CoolerBooks, Damnation Books, and Diesel eBooks.

The heart of the city beats in the 39-year-old New York City native. His poetry is rich with emotion, imagery, and a call for social change. He shines a light on violence, depression, alcohol use, and other dark issues in a way that inspires and feeds the soul.

He has just started to break out of his shell and share his inspiring work with the world at large. Though his writing has only appeared on his blog, and he began posting in April, it is filled with poetry worthy of a read.

Ray has delved into writing short stories and essays in the past, but he has truly discovered his voice in poetry. His use of rhythm and word play is indicative of his song writer’s ear.

You can see the influence of his heroes John Lennon and Bob Dylan as he comments on the devastation of the weakening economy in “Down on the Street” and calls for equal rights in “Love Protest.” He composes with a heart that despairs knowing how much potential we hold, and how we as a society often fail to live up to it.

Ray’s writing reflects the complicated man underneath. The soul who has known too many nights at bars, loved fiercely and lost it, and finds joy in his four daughters. His words crack open his world for us – like in his poem “Sometimes” where he writes:

“sometimes, I’m the key
sometimes, I’m the lock
sometimes, I’m the door that if
the magic word’s right, I open up.”

Luckily, it turns out sometimes the magic word is a simple “Please.” He graciously agreed to share his thoughts on writing and life in general. He wanted to rock the world as a kid. Now, through his poetry, he does. Enjoy his reflections, and please seek out his work.

Writing

When did you realize you needed to write?
When I was 13 years old. I started writing stories and became passionate with classic novels and poetry.
By the time I was 16 years old, I was writing poetry and writing song lyrics.

Your poetry often goes beyond the usual poetic staple of love and has a message of societal critique, even political commentary. Can you talk about why this is a focus?
Folk music is a big influence in my work. Love Protest was about the fight for gay marriage rights and that took me some time to finish. I would love to write more societal/politically driven poetry, but I don’t feel qualified to do so.

You also tackle dark issues like depression, drinking, drugs, violence. What does this focus on the dark offer you/your writing?
I write mostly about what I know about. I’ve gone through bouts of depression and drinking and violence…thankfully, I’ve stayed away from drugs and the violence has been limited to hurting myself rather than hurting others.

It offers me the opportunity to unload. Some of my pieces have been written while drinking my 12th beer and my 5th shot of Jack Daniel’s of the night. I don’t know if you could tell which ones, but often times I’ve awoken from a stupor to find a piece of rolled up paper in my pocket with a poem written on it.

What is your spiritual path (if any) and how does it affect your writing?
I don’t really have one. I struggle between peace and being a Hellraiser, really. I guess whichever route I take that gives me the best writing results is the path. I’m not sure if I’ve settled on one or the other.

What are the top moments in your writing career so far?
When I got off my butt and put my stuff out there for all to read. Before that, it was all tucked away in file cabinets in my garage and in a folder on my desktop.

I’m also happy that my readers are commenting on what they’re reading.
I’m getting the readers to think. This is huge for me.

What is your writing process?
It varies. Sometimes, inspiration hits me and I jot it down wherever I am on my blackberry.

Sometimes, I’m at work and I jot it down in a tiny memo book or my marble notebook.

If I’m home and it happens, I type it immediately on my computer. Sometimes, it just clicks right away I begin writing it on Blogspot and immediately post it.

How has your writing style changed over the years?
It’s become more full of imagery. I also used to hold back a bit, but now I feel like I have nothing to lose so my work is more honest.

What is your advice for aspiring writers trying to get their work noticed?
Social sites like Twitter and Facebook have helped me connect with other writers and have given me the inspiration to post my poetry for all to see.

I found that as I connect with others on Twitter and Facebook, I have gotten more readers and my blog has gotten more views. I have posted on other poetry websites too and have gotten positive results from them, but I don’t do it that often.

What writers do you admire?
I love all the Beat Poets. I love Rimbaud and Dylan Thomas as well. I’m also a big Hemingway guy. I read a lot of biographies these days and I haven’t read a recent work of fiction in quite some time.

What poem or novel do you wish you’d written?
I never wish that I had written anyone else’s work. I read poems or novels and maybe wish that my mind worked the same way as the writer, but I don’t lament about it. Once it is written, it’s out there and it’s not mine beyond my emotion reaction to the piece.

Media

You spend a lot of time on social media such as Twitter and Facebook. What has this meant for your writing?
It has made me more adventurous in what I write. My work has an audience that has grown and grown. I’m blown away that people are reading my poetry and enjoying them. I’ve had some great feedback that helps me see my poetry in a different light.

What are some of your favorite experiences you’ve had interacting with your readers?
Some of my readers have written to me and have told me that they are moved by some of my poetry. Some have said that they have experienced the same things that I have written about.

One person has told me that I have become an inspiration to him with regards to his poetry. All of this blows my mind! I am just happy that the poetry is out there and is being read.

What is something about you that people might not expect if they just know you from online tweets and Facebook updates and got to meet you in person?
I am extremely shy. I’m the guy that sits in the corner at parties just looking around at the others having fun. It’s just me. It takes me awhile to loosen up.

Personal

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A baseball player/movie director/author/poet.
I wanted to rock the world. I still do, to some extent.

Who were your childhood heroes?
When I was a kid, I loved Superman, John Lennon and Bob Dylan. Now that I’m older, I’ve learned that Dylan and Lennon were influential to my works and that Superman didn’t exist. My real hero in retrospect was my mom, who died at a very young age and gave up her dreams and aspirations so that I could succeed.

What one word would you use to describe yourself?

Troubled.

I have never felt comfortable in this time. I have always felt as if I belonged in the past somewhere. It is the source of my binge drinking, my depression, and some of my dark poetry

How would you like to be remembered?
Inspirational. I can die broke and only be read by a handful of people, but if I inspired the handful, then I’ve done what I set out to accomplish.

If you could change one thing about your past what would that be?
The years I spent drunk at a bar. I got my best work out of it and met interesting people and made new friends, but I also lost my girlfriend of 19 years in the process.

If you could try any profession, other than your own, what would you like to try?
I would love to own my own club or bar.
There is something about that lifestyle that intrigues me.

If you could live in any other time, when would that be?
I would have loved to live in the 30s or 40s.
I would have been a maverick though, a definite pain in the ass.

What question do you not get asked in interviews, that you wish people would ask? And what is your answer?
What took me so long to get out there with my poetry?

The answer would be that this is the right time. My work is honest. I’m not afraid to open myself up like I was when I was younger and I’m not crushed when someone doesn’t like the stuff. It happens.

When I was younger, the goal was to satisfy EVERYONE. That’s impossible. Now the goal is to get my feelings out and hope I get an emotion out of the readers.

Connect with Ray here:

Blog: http://onativia.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rayonativia
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RayOnativia

We are blessed, given divinity, but we are the ones who must find the strength within to move past the obstacles of our humanity. In us are fears of being accepted if we showed our true face, scars of past hurts, the illusion that everyday concerns of work, money are somehow more deserving of our time than Spirit. There can be so much shadow that we forget we are light.

Each one of us has pain that leads us to cry “Never again” when we consider emotional nakedness and vulnerability before another person. I was reminded last night by a wise friend of mine that part of the purpose of my spiritual work is to heal those fears and hurts enough that I can be open with others, that I can be strong enough to handle whatever joys and sorrows come from connecting with another person.

And this want of healing is not a self desire. It is born of an inner knowledge that our stories are connected and shared. The energy I wish to offer up to the world is not the fear and self-hate that sometimes clouds my heart. What I want to offer is a reminder to each and every being that they have a special place in this world; that they are talented, creative beyond their wildest dreams; that they can make this world a more loving, beautiful place if they can just remember the truth of who they are.

Yes, your very presence helps heal the world. YOU MATTER. Some are artists that use canvas to reflect our world and remind us of the magic that lurks beneath the mundane drudgery of life. Some are doctors who heal on a physical and psychic level. Some sacrifice sleep and play to volunteer at homeless shelters, suicide hot lines, etc. so they can be there for someone in need.  Some of us just take the time to hug a friend or offer a smile to a stranger. From the smallest to the largest gesture, you can help heal yourself and the world.

So I am challenging myself and you. I challenge us to step beyond our safe boundaries and take a risk. I challenge us to act from a place of love instead of fear and understand that within our greatest vulnerability, our greatest strength is found. I challenge us to stop pretending that we are small, our lives meaningless.

I am awed at the work that lays before me, but it is too important to be stopped by fear. May the healing begin.

Dearest one, seek not the light, but wholeness on your journey. The light is beautiful and dazzling, but there is power, peace, wisdom to be found in the darkness.

You can grow, learn, and do all you can to be the best you, but until you face your darkness and accept it — you will never truly have all of the gifts available to you.

You tend to hide from things you consider dark. But they cry out, demanding to be acknowledged. If you do not face them on your own terms, they will come up at unexpected times and be expressed in unconscious ways.

The dark is not “evil” or “bad” to the mystic. Rather the darkness is the unknown. The darkness is that which you don’t want to see within yourself.

It’s not out of punishment that I would demand you face the darkness. I ask you to face the shadows so that you can heal; so you can grow; so you can find wholeness.

For just as in nature, day follows the night, there are cycles of darkness and light within you. You cannot block this flow. You cannot deny it.

Following the dark spiral takes you within. You can hear the voice of your higher self. You can tap into once hidden knowledge and power.  And in the balance of light and dark, you find your true self.

The days are growing colder. The night lengthens and stretches. The fiery action of summer is quieting. This is a special time of year. It is a time of harvest, and we reap the rewards of our hard work in all facets of our life. Nature reminds us once again of the cycle of death, birth, and life as the leaves fall and the grass browns.

And like all creatures of nature, we begin to turn inward this time of year.

Each fall I seem called to focus on my spiritual journey with greater intensity. This year I am taking an initiation called Dark Moon Mysteries. The above writing was inspired by the work I am doing currently as part of this journey. I will be looking at pain, acknowledging anger, dealing with fears that I usually have attempted to suppress. I hope to find the lessons in these things and find a greater strength through integrating these energies into my spirit.

This is the perfect time for the work of death and rebirth. There are parts of my inner story that need to be rewritten, habits that need to die, and new abilities to give life too.

We all have light and dark within us. Our strength and true self can only be realized when we learn to use all of these energies and find balance. The shadow within us does not go away when we try to not look at it. Instead it can rear its head, demanding our attention in destructive ways. But if we acknowledge the shadow, we can use the energy instead of being at its mercy.

An example of darkness in my life is my tendency to be a loner, to be solitary. Now I can use this energy in a positive manner — it can mean I am self-sufficient. I don’t stay long in relationships that aren’t good for me, because I don’t have a need to “be with somebody.”  I value myself enough to take the time to take care of my needs.

If I was not truly conscious of this shadow it could manifest in ways that aren’t necessarily for highest good of myself or others. I could resist calling upon friends and family when I need them. I could lose out on potential growth from new friendships. I could miss out on a chance to help others because of being holed up in my own fears and selfishness.

Think about the things that you might not like about yourself.  Make a list. Name your darkness. Seeing the truth within, naming it, gives you power over it. Then you make the choice of how to use it.

With a little effort you can usually see how to use their essential energy in a positive manner. It takes time to break patterns and learn new ones. You must be very aware of your thoughts, catch yourself if you find yourself unexpectedly acting from a place of shadow. Then make a choice for different thought, action, etc. Be patient with yourself. Change takes time.

Facing the darkness can bring up emotions like hurt, anger, resentment, self-hate. Don’t shrink away from these. You are being given a chance to release them. Write, paint, dance, drum — find a way express your feeling and let them go. You will find healing.

Much love and many blessings on your journey.

It’s October!!!

I love fall. The earth is utterly beautiful this time of year! The air is crisp. The colors are gorgeous.  And oh yeah — Halloween is coming!!!! 31 days of horror films, awesome decorations, haunted houses, and yummy candy are ahead of us.

On the spiritual side, Samhain is a favorite holiday. I love the connection to the other realms this time of year and the honoring of ancestors. It is a time to reap what we have sewn over the year and give thanks for the abundance around us. I definitely connect with this darker time of year, when we turn our focus to inner work and learning.

Kristin Chenoweth on Glee

Okay…confession time. I am utterly in love with the show Glee. I was a behind the scenes drama geek back in high school, and I’ve never lost my love of watching people come to life on a stage. I wish I could attend musicals and plays constantly. Glee features some incredibly talented singers and actors. It won me over immediately with its comedy, heart, depth, and amazing musical performances. If you haven’t viewed it yet, catch up immediately! 

This week they featured the incredible Broadway actress Kristin Chenoweth. Her voice is angelic and powerful. She blew me away with her performances. I had the biggest chill from her duet with Matthew Morrison of the Heart classic “Alone”. When she hit the chorus I was floored with amazement at the purity of her voice. You can hear the single of the song by clicking here.  Download the show and the single off of iTunes ASAP!

Yes, Kristin is my newest actress crush. Such a sweet presence, tiny (only 4′11″!!!), and a voice that rocks the house. Wow. *sigh*

Dear Agony

One of my favorite groups Breaking Benjamin dropped their latest CD this week entitled Dear Agony. There are occassions when the only appropriate  reaction to something is: WOW.

I love this album. If you liked their other albums, you will definitely love this one as well. Ben’s writing on Dear Agony is incredibly moving and powerful. High recommend.

Incredible Movie Trailers

I am constantly on the Apple Quicktime site looking for the next movie to get excited for. Yep, I love movies! A good trailer can make my day and get me giddy with anticipation. I stumbled across a couple of great ones this morning.

For my fellow horror fans, check out the trailer for The Crazies by clicking here. It looks like a truly exciting, original, horrifying show. Sign me up!

For fans of epics, the trailer of Red Cliff from John Woo can be viewed by clicking here. If it is done by John Woo, I am there. No questions asked. I love the look of his movies, and the performances he gets out of his actors always thrill me. This looks like it might actually put his other movies to shame. Even the visuals of the trailer are absolutely gorgeous.

My Angels

My friends Tammy, Resa, Paul, and Jeremy were incredible to me this week and really lit up my days. I really can’t express my gratitude for them enough.

Their kind comments on my writing, their sharing of it through podcasts, tweets and Facebook, and their general support  were  just awesome. I am so grateful for all they have done for me. I am very lucky to have the inspiration, laughter, and friendship they provide me.

If you’ve been reading and following me at all, you know Jeremy has a new book called Cursed coming out this month. Pre-Orders are highly recommended. It’s an incredible novel. I hope you will check it out as well as his previous works and short stories. He truly is one of the wisest, kindest, and talented human beings I’ve ever encountered.

Paul, too, deserves much fandom and love. He is a fabulous writer and podcaster. If you love horror aren’t following Shadow Publications on iTunes, you really should correct that!  He recently launched his latest novella Tattoo, and it is awesome. His shows include wonderful writing and performances. Check out his work here. He is utterly inspiring, talented, and a heck of a lot of fun.

Thank you my friends! I wish you love and much success on all of your ventures.

How about you?

What are some of your favorite things from this week? What made you smile, laugh, feel inspired? I’d love to hear back from you in a comment.

Until next time, Blessed Be my friends!

It is so apparent how connected we all are. No one’s joy or suffering is theirs alone. They resonate and have an impact. So how do we return to joy when thrown by an unexpected change in health, in employment, in our relationships? When the suffering of others is resonating in the collective unconscious, how do we stay hopeful? Here are a few suggestions.

Start with expanding your understanding

One of the beautiful things about humans is our ability to create stories. We really understand and view the world through the stories we tell about it.  One trick to dealing with an inner story that causes pain is to retell the story.

If we believe something to be true, we search for evidence that will support that belief. It is like a filter on our eyes that only allow us to see that which supports our belief. It doesn’t matter how painful that belief may be, our ego does not want to be wrong.

But we can take off that filter. Begin by looking at the facts of the situation. Detach from the emotional reaction enough to see the experience with a “just the facts”, fully-honest clarity.

You may start off with a story of “My friend was an hour late. She obviously doesn’t value me or my time,” and realize the real story was, “My friend is such a loving, caring person that she helped her mother who needed her this morning. This made my friend a little late, but we had a great talk and laughed a lot.” 

Tell the stories of your life with an intention to find the good, see the lessons, see how it bettered you and/or someone else.  Sit down, take a pen, and retell the story of your life!

Surround yourself with Angels

I fully believe that there are people who are basically angels in our lives.

These friends and family members hold a vision of us based on unconditional love. They accept us. They support us. They keep faith in us when ours falters. They push us past our fear, show us we can succeed.

When you are having a hard time, fall upon the support of these angels. They will remind you of the truth of who you are. They will remind you that you are not alone in handling a problem. They will put it in perspective and help reduce the drama. And they’ll give you hugs when you need them!

Don’t hide when you hurt! Embrace the support of those who love you!

Remember to live beyond yourself

I believe it is important to be of service to others and to try to add joy to the life of other people and creatures on the planet. We are so blessed and nothing reminds us of that fact better than standing up for and aiding someone in need.

Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Work with an AIDS program. Become part of a program like Amnesty International or the Human Rights Coalition. Raise your voice for those who can’t stand up for themselves. If there is a cause that is important to your heart, become active! Be a part of creating change! It is awesome how small our problems seem when we are doing our part to help others.

And don’t forget how much doing little things to bring joy to the day of another can matter! Write letters of appreciation. Give someone a hug. Surprise someone with flowers. Compliment someone. Helping others find joy is a sure way to find it ourselves.

Attend to your health

Everyone knows that physical activity is a great stress reducer and produces chemicals that make us feel good.

So get outside, talk a walk or a run, and enjoy the beautiful Earth. Put in the yoga DVD and realign your energy and tone up! Sweating a little helps release all of that negativity. It gets you back into your body and focused on the now.

Eating well also makes a huge difference in how we feel. Try to keep things as healthy and balanced as budget and time will allow you.

Honor yourself by taking care of your body!

Allow yourself to get Goofy

Laughter truly is healing to the soul. Sometimes I just have to put on a silly song and sing at the top of my lungs and dance around my apartment. Or I’ll put a comedy DVD into my player and just lose myself in it for an hour or two.   I do whatever it takes to laugh again.

Embrace your inner child and play! Give yourself permission to not care about how you look and just be a goofball!  Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that  you shouldn’t play anymore. In fact, making time for joy is utterly vital to remind us of what we are working hard for.

I hope some of these resonate with you and will be useful for you. I’d love to hear from you what you do to find hope and happiness during hard times. Please share with me by leaving a comment.

Blessed be!