Category: Books I’ve Read

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The truth of who we are…

Finding the truth of who we are

We are indeed fortunate to have access to people who can guide, lead, show the way to the truth of who we are. Whether directly, in person, at retreats, via social media, or through books – there are so many ways that can lead us to the truth of who we truly are. Vibrant energetic beings, in a world that is shimmering with hope as more and more people find their way to their true self.

Insights gained from spiritual teachers significantly changed my life. I traveled to Canada to take part in a retreat offered by Eckhart Tolle. This changed the way I approach life. I wrote about here.

I took part in local workshops with a healer in our own community. Books that lead me to deeper understandings are one of the most valuable ways I learn.

And the learning continues. It is never static.

A peak into The Younger Self Letters

Reading this anthology showed me there’s so much to learn from our younger selves. Most of the time it’s a challenging path, but it is rewarded with insights into who we truly are, sprinkled with increasing joy and loads of love for the person we have become and the person we can become.

…an anthology of inspiring stories

When you start reading an anthology, there’s no golden rule about the order in which to read the stories. With that in mind I turn the pages of The Younger Self Letters to Anandi Sano’s story and read her story addressed to Little One. Why did her story capture my interest?

My mind flicks back in time to when I first heard Anandi use the name, Little One. In her imaginary children’s story, The Gentle Dragon, she gently transports the listener to a place of calm and peace, and finally to sleep. Its magic always quietens my very active granddaughter as she relates the story she now knows by heart, and when done, asks for the recording to complete its magic and lull her to sleep. But I’ve sidetracked. Back to the letters.

Younger child and grown adult_Anandi Sano

Anandi Sano and her younger self, Little One. Image credit: Anandi Sano and here

…the letters

Although I heard Anandi’s story at retreats and workshops, reading about how she advised her younger self to manage her adult life added deeply moving insights. So often we think we can do better. We wish for a different path in life, a life free of trauma and of health issues. Anandi’s story is utterly inspirational – she draws upon her intense spiritual awakening and path to healing self through peiec energy medicine, and how she continues to rise to the challenge of sharing with the world what she has learned so others can benefit from her experiences and divine transmission of energy.

Some responses to Anandi’s unique story –

I just finished reading your chapter … and the energy that emanates from it is something next level! The soft gentle embrace from the words has created so many shifts for me that I feel like I have had a beautiful healing. … So much resonates. Thank you for sharing this with the world. It brings me so much joy to know that these words bring love, hope, joy and healing. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book, too. (Tiana)

Finished reading your chapter, cried, did my layers, released life moments. Thank you. Can’t wait to read the rest of it. (Elaine)

Anandi’s unique voice joins other authors as they share their stories.

After I read two further stories by Michelle Kulp and Adriana Monique Alvarez, co-authors behind the anthology, I knew I was in for some deeply inspiring letters about how they, too, turned adversity into success in their lives.

A quick insight from one reader:

I’ve started reading other chapters from my paperback…so good!!! Best advice! (Elaine)

Why not read it?

Within hours of being released the anthology hit best-seller lists! A few dollars for the kindle version is well worth the investment. And there’s a paperback version filled with 30 letters. Here’s a link to buy it, if it strikes a note within you.

Above, Anandi Sano and some of her peiec students celebrating the success of The Younger Self Letters. And looking forward to her own anthology, Beautiful You which was published later in 2021.

Beautiful You

Another book, well worth reading. It highlights personal journeys in healing energetically. “Beautiful You will leave you committed to never again diminish your light or limit the capacity of who you are. It shows us that we can have the ability to reclaim our voice, redefine our story, heal deeply, create the life we desire and step into a place of deep stillness and inner peace through the power of energy healing” quoted from Amazon where it is available.

If you would like to learn more about peiec energy medicine, you can check it out here.

My personal journey

More on my journey into inner healing may follow in future posts, if I am brave! I’ve written snippets here, here and here.

It’s a very intense and personal journey. I am certain, many, many people can and do attest to deep challenges when sharing their own story. I am gradually learning the value of sharing some of my story. Primarily I do so, as it may help someone, just one person, ‘out there’.

Sharing my journey resonates

I am encouraged, recently, through an in-depth discussion with a wonderful peiec energy healer whose energetic work in healing and insights blow me away. It is always a joy to journey through this life with others who ‘get it’ and with whom we can openly share, heart to heart, soul to soul.

Heart to heart sharing

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A Book That Changed How I View the World

Some people can name the book that changed their way of thinking, the way they look at their world, without batting an eyelid.  The answer springs quickly to mind and rolls off their tongue without hesitation.   They sound erudite and sophisticated, having discovered some truth that resonates with them from between the pages of a well-thumbed edition.  We’ve all had that experience, right?  Haven’t we?

Cheated

I felt a little cheated when I couldn’t think of one.  There must be one book that stood out from the rest?   Sure, there have been plenty of books that I have fallen in love with and re-read many times, but I couldn’t honestly say that one had changed my outlook.  Was there nothing that had given me a new perspective?  Then it struck me, and I may well surprise you: the book I thought of was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar – Special Edition 2019

A family favourite

Published in 1969, I encountered the book when I was teaching and fell in love with its simplicity, it’s deeper meaning (one can read into it an entire spiritual journey) and the beautiful images. I bought the book in every size it was printed in – small to large, and much later, as the 50 year special edition. I enjoyed sharing the story with my two girls as bed time reading. They too, fell in love with the story.

Fall from grace

Not all libraries or educational bodies have treated the little caterpillar favorably. Despite its claim to fame, in 2023 it was actually banned from a school district near Toronto, Canada, (along with any book published before 2008). Along with many other classics, it was removed because it was not “inclusive” and “equitable”. Jacobs quips: ‘apparently no one identifies as caterpillar.’

Caterpillars and libraries go together!

Love affair

It’s been a lifelong love affair with this little caterpillar, bringing joy to three generations of readers: those in my household and those in the homes of my two daughters. I passed my books on. For two grandsons, one now in his mid twenties and the other now 5 years old, it became their snugly bedtime companion.

My youngest grandson loves to predict the text and impatiently reads ahead of me. He brushes me aside in his eagerness to track the caterpillar’s journey through the holes in the pages.

I absolutely love reading him that story as all the magic comes flooding back.  That little creature, (the caterpillar I mean), still brings a smile to my face and will always have a special place in my heart. 

Children enjoying literature is important to me. They learn to appreciate the written word, to relate to images, and to make sense of the world.

Introducing books early. Another book my granddaughter enjoyed.

Teacher, Teacher what do you read?

Discovering the beauty of his style, I sought out other Eric Carle stories. In my days as a pre-primary school teacher, I wrote programs around the stories and enjoyed sharing books such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This was actually a collaborative publication with Bill Martin Jnr, and was published in 1967, two years before The Very Hungry Caterpillar published in 1967. One other book, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? was another favourite of mine. In truth, I considered many of his books were suited to reading and exploring in the classroom. This is confirmed in the awards he won for his service to literature. Read more about Eric Carle here.

Sewing “Caterpillow” Cousins

For a while I took to making Caterpillar pillows. Popular as they were, I chose to keep them to limit their production. The time taken to create the very hungry caterpillar’s cousins, was considerable.

caterpillar pillow

Books that changed you

Quite simply, and in more ways than one, The Very Hungry Caterpillar has helped shaped the way I view some books. Simplicity, beautiful imagery and a happy ending are some of the keys. Most of all, I enjoy indulging in real life fairy tales and this one is a ‘happily ever after.’

Rediscovering “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” with my youngest grandson reminds me of the importance of reading to and with children. There is no substitute for the pleasure it brings in shared moments. I know that literature and overflowing bookcases are an irreplaceable part of my life. Do they play a part in yours?

Please leave a comment below or by clicking on the link here and scrolling to the end of the post.

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Songwoman

Songwoman by Ilka Tampke raises the question of connectedness to Mother Earth. In her extensive exploration of the meaning of an individual’s and a people’s ties to their land, I recall distinctive experiences of my own.

First, however, I would hasten to add, that a sense of ‘belonging to place’ is often and usually espoused in reference to indigenous peoples and less frequently in reference to non-indigenous communities or peoples. It is nevertheless, an experience I own.

Songwoman provoked recollection of three distinct occasions; each highlighted what I’ve always known within self. I believe this sense of knowing, of visceral connection and connectedness flows in and through all living things.

Ilke Tampke reads a passage from Songwoman

It is first remembered

… as the all-consuming, intensely powerful sense of wholeness, of being at one with the earth, the sky, the crops, the trees, the dry stream bed, the expanses of granite rock – the whole of the natural world around me. Tangible energy, call it spirit or source (or whatever one wants) infused and melded all.

Grief gave voice to this experience. At the time of my father’s passing, I walked on the land he’d farmed, the land on which I’d spent most of my childhood. I didn’t ‘look for’ him or this experience. It presented itself to me as I crossed a dry creek bed and walked the dirt track between two halves of a paddock sown with wheat. The blue sky domed over the whole, and I was swallowed in it, like Ailia, I imagine, within her serpent.

My father’s earthly presence had gone, yet his spirit was there, infused in all. Not to diminish what I experienced, I wonder, as I write this, if the land had belonged to generations of the same family, would it, could it, have been any more powerful. Like the Albion tribes, like indigenous communities claim.

My second claim …

to knowing a connectedness with ‘place’ is that which I know wherever I have ‘put down roots’. As our mere acre in Perth’s foothills blooms, as my feet walk on native and cultivated grass, as I spend time with family on the land that my home stand on, I feel a sense of ‘place’. It is shallower than my connection with the land of my childhood, yet it is equally tangible.

And a thirdly, feeling connectedness …

… where I’ve lived in cities surrounded by stone pavements, cement walkways, brick-walled buildings, these do not give rise in me to a sense of place that is mine. It is there, on a different level, like Ailia, perhaps, in Rome. For me, a city is a place of disconnection – noise, lack of touching raw earth with my feet, my hands, my senses. There’s a different smell – like London on a sticky, humid day, fetid with human sweat and endeavour. Perhaps those who’ve grown within such communities know a different way of being connected to place. It eluded me, except for brief moments – touching earth in a potted plant, or finding blades of grass with bare feet walking through a park.

I’ve no doubt that the sense of connectedness to inner self that is trendily promoted in retreats into the bush, forest escapes, and so on, is all to do with this sense of being connected within self from one’s core to that which we are essentially part of. It is about belonging to the unseen world.

Dressing the part

KSP Dinner with author, Ilk Tampke

I enjoyed an evening at the local writing space, Katherine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre, in Glen Forrest, Perth. It was a few years ago that we dressed the part, to gain a sense of the period in which the novel is set.


I enjoyed Ailia’s journey as she grew into Songwoman. I enjoyed learning more about early Britain, during the time of the Roman invasions. It is my heritage. I hear the story whisper. My Place. It is in my bones. It is my song, too.

Is that too bold a thing to state? I think not. Tampke has created a persona which, in the absence of oral tradition, gives history a voice, and so perpetuates connectedness, that sense of belonging, in written form. She gives a fresh voice to our song and reminds us of who we are.

Another book I have responded to can be read here.

Please leave a comment below or by clicking on the link and scrolling to the end of the post.

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5 Tips from Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’

Why I checked out writing tips from a horror story writer

Writing tips spill from Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing! It is one of the best books I’ve ever read on how to go about creative writing. His raw honesty is compelling.

As an aside, years ago my daughter, aged 15 at the time, crawled into my bed between my husband and myself. It was uncomfortable and I got little sleep that night. In the morning her admission was having read a Stephen King novel that scared her!

I’ve not read a single novel of his as stories in that genre play on my mind. Much to my horror, my younger daughter grew up liking mean stories. In her father’s vein, she was quite at home with Dracula stories from mid primary. (By the way, I know that’s not one of King’s characters!) Even so, one of King’s stories proved too scary for her, so my genetic influence holds some sway! She is twenty plus years older now and reads all the horror stories and watches all the horror movies I can’t go near!

Writing tips apply to most genres

Back to King’s memoir. On Writing is nothing like his other books. And, of course, his advice is brilliant! Every review I come across on this book raves. Check out Goodreads.

If I quote all the bits that helped me I’d be over the top. I’ll choose a few standouts that hit the mark for me.

1. Use ‘said’

First of all, attribute dialogue by using ‘said’ rather than adverbs or adverbial phrases.Trust that you convey how the person says something without adding ‘ly’ words that modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. Try writing dialogue with an adverb then replace it with ‘said.’ Context will define how the person is speaking. I’ll not deign to give an example. If that’s what you need, please refer to his book!

2. Paragraphs are ‘maps of intent’

King’s extensive explanation of how a paragraph is created and its value in story writing is jam-packed with information. I’ve not come across a detailed analysis of how a paragraph works in creative writing before. With a background in formal writing I find the line,‘… you’ll find a paragraph forming on its own’ most helpful. I now allow creative flow to take over and disobey stringent expectations of topic sentences and supporting detail. It also depends on what I am writing, of course, as that only applies to fiction. As an aside, I’ve noted a huge shift in how copy is presented. Check out some upbeat blogs and note how font sizes vary and sentence structure and paragraphs are fashioned in ways I am only quasi-comfortable with. Added to this array of differences we are now competing with AI. Another rabbit hole I am exploring intermittently.

3. Avoid the passive voice

King claims the passive voice is for someone who is timid about their writing. I look for timidity and slash the words. Learn from good and bad writing out there and develop one’s own style, he says. As I learn the art of writing, I admit to imitating a style I’ve enjoyed to see if it might add to my own in some measure. One of my current works in progress seeks to emulate one of my newest author discoveries. She would be tickled that I’ve taken her style on board. Thing is, it’s not easy, it’s possibly not me, so I’m looking at a huge rewrite! That’s fine by me. Early days in a new manuscript mean lots of daring try-outs.

4. Read, read and read some more

Without reading one cannot learn. It is breath to the page as air is to lungs. Find any and every excuse to read: in bed, queues, travelling with audio books, waiting for kids, doctors’ surgeries – you name it – read! I’ve no issue with this tip, however, the one place I refuse to read is the loo! Comics and cartoon books in the paper rack in that tiny room belong to my partner for the time they were permitted in that space!

5. Forget plot!

What a challenging statement! King claims that stories make themselves in much the same way as our lives happen. While I find this helpful as it frees one to go down rabbit holes of creativity, I sense the need for structure in a created story. King doesn’t deny this, in fact states there’s a sequential narrative in story. In response to this gemstone of advice, it feels quite freeing. Structuring contemporary fiction can be tricky. Story arcs and structure trickle from the pages as characters move forward in their search for resolution to their quest. Although I know I will need to re-order and most likely re-write sections, the essential story moves itself forward. I can only hope it works for the reader.

King’s Toolbox

Of course, there are many more than five wonderful points in King’s The Toolbox and On Writing sections of his memoir. I’ll leave it to you to find out what he says about dialogue, description, theme, research, finding an agent, getting published – this list is not all-inclusive.

I’m about to re-read the ‘how to’ section which is wedged between his fascinating CV and shocking Postscript. It’s that good. Of course, I’ll not become a better writer by osmosis. I simply want his tips at my fingertips.

Finally, two quotes on writing tips to finish with:

‘…when the reader hears strong echoes of his or her own life and beliefs he or she is apt to become more invested in the story.’

and

‘…the job of fiction is to find the truth inside the story’s web of lies…’

(Acknowledgement: All quotes from Stephen King, On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft, Simon & Schuster, NY, 2000.)

For a few quotes that add to and support my own, check out Crafty House’s Review here.

Please leave a comment below or by clicking here and scrolling to the end of the post.

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The Promise by Rob Redenbach: Book Review and Interview

The Promise by Rob Redenbach

Recently I felt honoured to receive a signed copy of The Promise by Rob Redenbach. With my interest piqued in a discussion with the author just prior to publication, I promptly found an hour or so to read the novella from cover to cover.

I found the story deeply moving. While some of my life experiences are the result of the legacy of war, I am far removed from the immediacy of harsh realities on the battlefield. The mental, emotional and physical legacy is difficult to capture in words, but after reading the compelling descriptive passages I came away with a heightened awareness and intensely realistic insights.

The great many nuances in the story captivated my interest. The interconnection of the parts that make up the whole of The Promise weaves a profoundly insightful and compelling narrative that commands a place in the hands of readers of all ages post primary.

In his responses below, we gain insights into Redenbach’s journey in writing the story about the promise made by an unknown soldier to his dying mate.

What is the inspiration behind your book? 

I have a good friend who is a Legacy Club President. He told me about the legend of a soldier in the trenches of the Western Front saying to his dying mate, “I’ll look after the missus and kids.” This became known as The Promise – and more than a century later it lives on in the work of organisations such as Legacy, RSL, Soldier On, Mates4Mates, the Bravery Trust and Cor Infinitus. What’s fascinating about the original promise is we don’t know anything about the soldier who said those words. So, I thought I’d fill some gaps and create a backstory that explores the limits of courage and the legacy of sacrifice. 

Why is it important for the message of your book to be heard today?

Soldiers aren’t sports people playing a game or athletes swimming in a chlorinated pool. In most cases, soldiers are ordinary people doing extraordinary (yet necessary) things that many people would not only prefer to avoid, they’d prefer not to think about. If a community/society is to better appreciate the different facets of itself, it’s important to understand the sacrifices made by elements of that community/society.

Why did you choose to write the story as a novella?

About half way through the writing journey, I realised I was more focused on building the word count than telling a story in my natural style. At that point, I re-read two novellas* I’ve always liked and then did some serious editing of my draft. In the process the story became clearer, more concise and altogether more powerful. The fact that the end result happened to be a novella was more a healthy consequence of conscious editing rather than an initial literary goal. 

Do you have a demographic for your book, or do you want your book to resonate with everyone?

Ultimately, I think readers determine what demographic a book is suited to. That said, I’d be satisfied if young readers in high school, through to anyone who has served in the profession of arms or anyone who wants to better appreciate what it’s like to serve in the profession of arms, valued reading the story. 

In what ways do your own life experiences inform the narrative? 

A reasonable amount. For example, the scene presented as a dream where the main character’s new born daughter starts to convulse describes what happened to my own daughter shortly after she was born. Other experiences such as providing armed protection to aid-workers in the Middle East also informed some of my understandings of what it’s like to operate in a war zone.

What part did research play in constructing the story?

Research was 80% of the work. When I wrote about “pale red brandy that smacked of methylated spirits” I described it in that way because that was how one of the soldiers in the trenches described the grog they used to put in their canteens. Similarly, when I described a German soldier recording 149 insect species in his leather-bound journal, that’s because I read the diary of a German soldier who recorded 149 insect species in his leather-bound journal. 

In constructing your book, did you work with anyone to solidify your thoughts and ideas?

Yes, and no. In chatting with friends and veterans I’d sometimes introduce a thought or a topic related to the story but I’d do it in a conversational way rather than say “I’m thinking of putting this in my book”. I found this approach more natural and spontaneous. Afterwards I’d replay the conversation in my mind, reflect on how it unfolded and then when I next sat down to write, the memory of that conversation would influence my thoughts and my writing.   

Is there another book you might recommend to read in tandem?

All Quiet on The Western Front would add a worthwhile layer of understanding. So too would Storm of Steel. Both books are written from the German perspective. 

(*The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway.)

I extend my thanks to Rob, for his responses and insights.

For further information about ROB REDENBACH visit www.redenbach.com

“The Promise is such an important story. Beautifully written, it brings history to life.”  Melissa Doyle AM – author of 15 Seconds of Brave

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