Paula's Book Talk

Starting Up Again?

I've been away from this blog for a looong time, but I'm thinking of starting it up again.  I have read hundreds (literally) of terrific books in these past two years(!), and I am itching to share again.

I'll have a new post on Monday.  Thanks to anyone who still is reading this blog.

The Forgery of Venus

Last month I had the good fortune to spend a full day alone in the National Gallery in London. It houses a very fine collection of Renaissance paintings, including some of my favorites. But I was most interested in seeing Velasquez' The Toilet of Venus, known as the Rokeby Venus, because I had just read Michael Gruber's superbly satisfying novel, The Forgery of Venus.

The story concerns one Chaz Wilmot, an artist whose talent for painting as the Old Masters did is largely scorned in the 21st century. He makes his living as a commercial painter and his life is a wreck.

Two things propel him into a kaleidoscope of shifting perspectives that threaten his sanity while dangling a promise of redemption as well as riches.

Wilmot is offered a commission to restore--in fact, forge--a ruined Tiepolo on the ceiling in the palatial home of an Italian gangster. And, he agrees to participate in trials of a hallucinogenic drug that might hold the key to human creativity.

What unfolds is a remarkable tale of intrigue, deception, suspense, and insights into the nature of reality, time, art and imagination. 

It's a whirling dizzy Tilt-O-Wheel of a novel that captivates and challenges, a great read to be sure.

NOTE: I am once again considering ending this blog. Or not. If I continue, it's going to have a complete make-over because it's time. Expect even more intermittant posts for a while.

Favorite Reads of Summer 2009: Part Two

The Tenth Gift: A Novel  by Jane Johnson 

Of course I'd heard of the pirates of the Barbary Coast, and I knew that they captured many European ships, but I had no idea of the extent of their raiding. It turns out that between 1530 and 1780 as many as 1.4 million men and women (and even some children) from Italy, Spain, Portugal, England, and Ireland were captured by Muslim raiders and sold into slavery.

To make this even clearer, in the three years from 1677 to 1680 approximately 8,700 British men and women were snatched and sold by the pirates.

Seems there's always more history than what we learn in school.

The Tenth Gift begins when Julia Lovat receives a 17th century book of sewing patterns from her married lover as a parting gift when he ends the affair. She's intrigued by the slim volume as her own art is embroidery.

But she becomes even more fascinated when she notices that the book was used as a journal  by Cat Treganna who scribbled the story of her abduction by pirates. Cat and the whole congregation at her Cornwall church were taken one Sunday in 1625 and sold into slavery in Morocco.

The novel weaves Julia's story and her obsession to discover what happened to Cat, and Cat's own story in an exciting and colorful tale full of twists and turns. Although a bit awkward at times--as when Julia dreams of events that happened to Cat--this is an interesting and engaging story that brings to life a little known bit of history.

A Couple of Quick Picks

Fifty Is Not a Four-Letter Word by Linda Kelsey--Rather annoying woman who "has it all" loses it completely as her 50th birthday approaches. Her teenage son is having an affair with a single mother, she is replaced by a younger, hipper editor at her glamorous magazine job, and her husband leaves her. After a period of wallowing, she flees to Paris, and eventually comes to grip with the fact that being female and 50 is not the end. This novel is better than it sounds due to the very clever, witty, and humorous writing, authenticity, and descriptions of Paris.

The Reincarnationist and The Memorist by M.J. Rose---Characters suffer from flashbacks from what seem to be fascinating and also horrifying previous lives. Secret societies. Suspense. Danger. Intrigue. These novels are fun to read and much much better than The DaVinci Code. Rose grounds everything in real possibility and has done extensive research into ancient and modern ideas about reincarnation. Fun to read and food for thought and speculation.

Jacqueline Wales on The Fearless Factor

Jacqueline Wales shared a bit about why she wrote The Fearless Factor with me recently, and agreed to let me publish her inspiring story. She wrote:


At the age of 54, having spent a great deal of my life figuring out how to combat the lack of self-worth, fear of chaos, and general negativity that had run my life, I finally realized I had overcome some enormous challenges, and I had something to offer that would bring great meaning and purpose to my life, and perhaps to the lives of others.  I would help others understand how fear controls and dictates the outcome of your life, and I would show through example how it is possible to create your best life now.I had never been in business, nor did I have any business background to pull from, but what I had was an overriding desire to teach people what I had learned.  
 
In my first book When The Crow Sings, written over a twelve-year period and published in 2007, I looked at the intimate history of three generations of women in my family who had children born outside of marriage who were either abandoned physically or emotionally, and the effect it had on the mother and the children as it spilled over from generation to generation until one woman had the courage to give her child up for adoption.  I was that woman.  My first child was placed for adoption after I had tried unsuccessfully to raise her for the first three months.  It was clear I was not capable.  I would only repeat the same patterns of self-loathing that had been handed down to me.
 
Three years later, I was married to the first man who said he loved me, and I had another child that I would eventually abandon to his father when he was three.   I obviously had a lot of growing up to do, but more importantly, I had to cleanse the demons from my soul. Having been raised by an alcoholic father who physically abused me and told me repeatedly I would never amount to anything, I took him at his word and did everything I could to prove him right.  I had my own fights with drugs and alcohol and it would take me 5 years in AA to figure out that it was my thinking NOT my drinking that was the problem.  
 
Thirty years later, I have written five books, recorded a CD of songs I wrote, sung in front of thousands of people, taken a black belt in karate and a red belt in Tae Kwon Do, and traveled the globe. And at age 57, I am also creating a world-class business that will impact the lives of women all over the world.  I am so far from where I grew up in Leith, Scotland that I am on another planet, and I figure if I can do, so can anyone else.
 
This is why I wrote The Fearless Factor.  It is a hard look at what is fear, how does it function in our lives and what can we do to get beyond it.  This is the journey I took to become the strong, competent woman I am today. It is a book that will help you make that journey too.

Learn more and watch a great video at The Fearless Factor. 

Getting Beyond Your Fears: The Fearless Factor

Sometimes I get tired of all the self-help books out there advising me to "just go for it" in one way or another.  After a while they collectively start sounding like a lot of blah, blah blah that I've heard before.

But occasionally I read a book that really makes a difference, that actually helps me.

  Jacqueline Wales' The Fearless Factor is an unusually powerful and useful book.

Although some of the information is familiar, of course, it's not the same old stuff mainly because the author infuses it with her own story. The authentic sharing of her own experiences (and that of other real women), her own terrors, struggles, and insights into how she broke through and and is creating the life of her dreams of is very powerful stuff.

The first sections of the book examine the nature of fear and our responses to it. Jacqueline gently, but firmly, guides the reader to a place where excuses and blame hold no sway. Then, she offers a wealth of concrete suggestions for slowly but surely learning to live with confidence and integrity while moving toward the life you truly desire.

I particularly enjoyed the quotes that are sprinkled throughout the book, a mix of the familiar and the new. And I also found the Fearless Meditations useful: for example, "I breathe in trust. I breathe out expansion of self."I also liked the Tales From the Trail pages at the end of each chapter.

Here real women talk about their experiences and struggles with the issues raised in the chapter. But most of all, I loved the straight talk and practical advice this book offers.

Reading The Fearless Factor has another bonus. You will learn a great deal about Jacqueline Wales,  whose early life story is rather harrowing. You will learn how she pulled herself up from a very deep abyss and quite courageously fought past a slew of obstacles to emerge as the confident, successful woman she is now in her fifties.

I hope you will read this book, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and insights as you learn to live fearlessly.

NOTE: It is not currently available at Amazon, but you can find information about purchasing it and special offers at The Fearless Factor.

Favorite Reads of Summer 2009: Part One

Yes, I have a bookcase full  of truly great books for you, but first, I want to apologize for my erratic posts of late.

I've barely had time to breathe this summer-- began a 2nd business, husband laid off and underfoot, both my kids starting college in the fall, extra chauffeur duties driving my daughter to her performances in Richard III all over the Puget Sound, taking care of my aged mother.... and that's just for starters. I guess you could say that my time has not been my own.

However, even though I haven't been writing many reviews, I have read tons of marvelous books this summer, and I wanted to tell you about one of the best today,The Wandering Heart  by Mary Malloy.

I'll admit it. I picked this one up because the melodramatic painting of a woman and a Crusader on the cover--The Meeting on the Turret Stairs by Frederic William Burton caught my eye.

I wasn't expecting much, but when I flipped through the pages, I happily discovered that the cover is deceiving,and there's much more here than meets the eye. This is not a typical frothy historical romance.

I'll also confess that when I read the About the Author blurb, I was a little dismayed.

Mary Malloy is a professor of Maritime History and has written four books non-fiction studies in that field.

When the novel began with a main character, Elizabeth Manning, a professor of Maritime History who specializes in the voyages of Captain James Cook, well, I thought this was not going to be my cup of tea.

Boy, was I wrong. The Wandering Heart  is one of the best novels I've read this year. Although it takes a little while for the story to take off, once it does, it's gripping.

Professor Manning is invited to England by the aristocratic Hatton family to study and document the journal their ancestor Francis Hatton kept while on a voyage with Captain Cook.

When she arrives at the Hatton estate, Elizabeth finds not only the never-published journal (the sort of thing to make an academic's heart skip a beat), but also his cabinet of curiosities. It's packed with artifacts from Francis' life of travels, and full of mysteries, too.

As Elizabeth Manning immerses herself in the papers and treasures, she uncovers the family's fascinating and tragic history that goes back to the time of the Crusades. It begins with a misplaced heart whose story reverberates in poetry and painting-- and obsession-- throughout the lives of generations of Hatton women.

Then there's Francis' story of dark deeds and guilt that unfolds as Elizabeth pieces together the puzzling clues to this family's history. Add to that Elizabeth's own story and her odd connection to the Hattons and you get one complex suspenseful novel that is nearly impossible to put down.

Malloy adroitly weaves an unusual and unpredictable tale that combines past and present, romance and mystery, the Old and New Worlds, curses, fate, and intrigue.  And she does it all with careful attention to historical detail and great writing. There's food for thought, too, in Malloy's exploration of the depths of the human heart.

If you love a good story with ideas that linger, you'll find great pleasure in The Wandering Heart The Wandering Heart.

I was surprised and thrilled to learn that it's the first of a planned trilogy. Surprised because it stands completely on its own and lacks that annoying coyness of most first installments. I'll be watching for the next book.

Thoughts on Living the Dream from Cynthia Clampitt

In pursuing my dreams, I’ve discovered that goals often turn out to be doors, rather than destinations, leading to other goals and to rewards undreamed of at the outset.

  Both Australia and writing have given me more than I expected. In Australia, I discovered a remarkable and fascinating land of friendly people and stunning contrasts. I had, to a certain extent, expected that, but I did not foresee the effects the trip would have on me, from discovering what I truly need to completely changing what I expected from life.

I also learned that I was braver and stronger than I’d imagined.

As for writing, I love words, ideas, a well-turned phrase, but it has turned out that my love of sharing has been rewarded even more than my love of writing. I have been overjoyed to hear from readers who felt that reading my book was like traveling with a friend, that they discovered things they never knew, that they became more open to the world and began looking at things, and even, in some cases, that they felt empowered, that it helped them decide to pursue something they loved, rather than settling for what was expected.

When I’m asked what advice I’d give to someone who wanted to pursue a dream career, I think people are surprised that my approach is so lacking in drama.

• Create a business plan.
  
• Calculate how much money you’ll need and how long it will reasonably take to begin seeing results.
  
• Figure in things like whether you have kids who are about to go into college, and adjust your timeline as needed.
  
• Become rampantly frugal
  
• Find ways to keep yourself motivated and on track.
  

For me, that included having an envelope on my vanity marked “Australia.” Every time I didn’t buy something unnecessary, such as a latte or album, I put the money in there.

I created an “escape tape” of songs, such as “I’m Already Gone” and “Living in the Land Down Under,” and played it all the time. And I prepared, honing my writing skills, reading about Australia, practicing my photography. Do whatever it takes to keep moving forward. And expect it to take a while. 

Freelance writing has its ups and downs, but even in down times, I’m pleased I made the choice I did. When things are good, I’m more than content—I’m having a wonderful time. In my corporate days, I almost never took vacations, and now I consider travel a necessity.

I’ve traveled on six continents, often having adventures that would have been unthinkable before Australia. I write about the things I love, primarily history, food (mostly culinary history), and travel. I am doing everything now that I once thought I’d have to save for retirement—so no need to retire! 

I’d love to write a sequel to Waltzing Australia (I’ve been back to Australia three more times, and have many more adventures to share), but only time will tell if I’ll get to do that. However, even if that doesn’t happen, I’m pleased to have been able to share that first grand adventure. I hope readers come away with a sense of knowing Australia, but more importantly, with a sense that dreams can come true, if one pays the price.

A Dream Come True: Cynthia Clampitt's Waltzing Australia

Cynthia Clampitt had a dream and she wasn't living it. Instead she was slogging away at a corporate job while spending her free time devouring everything she could find on Australia, books, movies, and maps. Then one day this life-long writer decided to chuck it all. Soon she quit her job, sold her possessions, and bought a plane ticket. She was off to live her dream of exploring the continent down under.

Ms Clampitt spent six months in the cities, small towns, and wild places of Australia.  Her journey covered some 20,000 miles. And, happily for us, she recorded it all in the journal that became her wonderful book, Waltzing Australia.

Readers are invited to take the trip along with her. We see what she sees, meet the people she encounters, and by the end feel like we've not only gained a new understanding of the beauty of this nation continent, but also that we've gotten to know a new friend. We share in her frustrations and epiphanies as she pushes herself physically and emotionally on her wonderfully interesting and often grueling trip.

I particularly loved the passages about the flora and fauna of Australia.Whether she's wandering a city's botanical garden or trekking through the outback, Clampitt always notices the plants, birds, and other creatures she comes across. And, she must have spent a good deal of time finding out their names and habits, because she meticulously records it all in her book.

For example, here's she talking about Morton National Park in New South Wales:

 A narrow, winding  bush track led us into the dense eucalypt forest that crowns the cliffs around the tree-filled canyon. As we hiked between the gum and banksia trees, we saw fringed lilies, mountainn irises, bottlebrushes, pink mountian devils, and trigger plants. Birds filtted and perched everywhere. There were rosellas, wrens, finches, silver eyes, currawongs, and more.

Although there are no photos or illustrations in the book, readers can go to her website: WaltzingAustralia.com to see stunning photos of her trip (and to read more about Australia and her further travel adventures). You'll be glad you did.

Really. Here are a few samples:
                                 

Waltzing Australia weaves the story of one woman's journey to her true self with a treasure trove of the history, legends, and lore of  Australia. Clampitt never misses an opportunity to learn more about her beloved country. Whether she's talking to an Aboriginal woman, tasting "rugged" wines, learning about the pearl industry, or sharing the meaning Aussie expressions like"billy" or "mozzie,"   she is engaged and engaging. Her enthusiasm and delight turn subjects that others might find dull --like a visit to an old telegraph station or a disused jail--into a fascinating tidbits about a relatively unknown land.

If you have any interest at all in Australia you will love this book. And, if you are sitting on a dream watching the years go by, Cynthia Clampitt's Waltzing Australia just might inspire you to go for it too.

MJ Ryan Talks about AdaptAbility

I hope you enjoy this interview with author MJ Ryan. It gives you a glimpse into her excellent book AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn't Ask For and some great tips and suggestions.

Paula: What’s the best thing we can do to survive in these uncertain times?

MJ: Developing the ability to anticipate and respond quickly to change is the crucial skill we all need, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a job seeker, a corporate executive or a stay at home parent. Another name for it is AdaptAbility. The process has four parts-accepting the change, expanding your thinking, getting to action and reflecting after on how you did so you can do it again when needed. Folks who are great at adapting go through the cycle more quickly and avoid a lot of drama and/or stuckness: Oh, things are different, ok, here’s what I’m going to do. This may sound simple but it’s not necessarily easy because of the way our brains are structured.

Paula: Really, in what way?

MJ: We have two parts of our brain involved in responding to change. The first is our neocortex, the thinking part. It likes habit so it wants to keep doing what it’s always done and sees the world the way it has in the past. So it isn’t necessarily happy to have to adapt and may not even perceive the situation accurately. That’s because, when a change hits, your neocortex take in the facts and create a story to explain what’s happened. It can’t help but do this. What story you tell yourself has everything to do with whether you cope well or poorly with what’s happening. The other part of the brain that’s involved is the amygdala, which we share with all mammals and reptiles. It scans for pain/pleasure, safety/danger. When it perceives danger or pain, it triggers the fight, flight or freeze response, which interferes with our ability to think well about our situation and has us running in fear or stuck in denial (freeze) or railing about our situation (fight). That’s why I say change is not the enemy, fear is.

Paula: So, what’s the first thing we should do when change rocks our boats to deal with these realities about our brain?

MJ: Apply the 3Fs

F1: Get the Facts: What actually is changing? Gather as much information as you can without exaggerating or minimizing the situation, as if you were a newspaper reporter. This will help your neocortex stay out of horror stories with bad endings that do nothing but scare you and most likely will never come to pass. Stories that are dangerous always include one or more of three Ps:

Permanent (it will be like this forever)

Pervasive (this has ruined everything)

Personal (I’m the only person going through this terrible thing, it’s all my fault).

When we tell ourselves such stories, we easily fall into despair and find it harder to create a positive future. Instead, turn those Ps on their head with a story that says:

Impermanent (This is temporary)

Limited (The rest of my life is still good)

Impersonal (This is happening to lots of other people and doesn’t have anything to do with me as a person)

F2: Tend Your Feelings: Unless you are someone who is excited by change, most likely this event has triggered the fear response. It does no good to tell yourself not to be scared, because the amygdala doesn’t listen to reason. Remember it’s only as smart as a lizard. Try slow deep breaths, and relax your muscles as much as possible. This will counteract the fear response.

F3: Reach Out to Other Folks: This is no time to isolate. Run, don’t walk, to help. There are three kinds of support other people can give, say social psychologists-tangible support, like money, food, shelter; advice and help with problem solving; and empathetic listening. Think about which you need most right now and who might be able to offer it. If you need something that you can’t get from family or friends, try a counselor, therapist, minister, support group.

Paula: What’s one question people rarely ask themselves in times of change that they should?

MJ: What have I done in the past to survive difficulty and how could I apply that to this? We each have a treasure chest between our two ears of precious resources gained through experience as well as qualities of heart, mind and spirit. The more deeply we connect to those, the more we will be able to use all of our inner resources. If this is the very first time you’re experiencing a challenge, remember you have created success in the past-you went to school, had a job, and created a family. How did you do that and how can you use those qualities again?

Paula: What are your other tips for getting through?

MJ: Here are my top 5. My website mj-ryan.com lists 20 which you can download.

Focus on the solution, not the problem. Because society rewards analytic thinking, we believe that identifying the cause is the answer: Why is this happening. That’s a starting point, but don’t spend too much time there. What are you going to do about where you are?

Because feeling in control is so crucial to resilience and economic challenges can leave us feeling very out of control, try asking yourself this question during the day: What am I free to choose right now?

Seek out really good advice–this is no time to be a lone ranger!

Celebrate success along the way, no matter how small: a new connection, a possible lead, a small savings. Give yourself credit for moving forward in a difficult situation. At the end of the day, look at what you’ve done and celebrate whatever accomplishment you can. Celebration creates positive energy and forward momentum.

If you find yourself worrying all the time, set aside a 15 minute worry time, say 5pm every day. Then when your mind starts worrying at other times, tell yourself it’s not worry time and distract yourself-read a report, write an email, something that occupies your mind.

Thank you, MJ, these are useful ideas that I know I can use right now--and lots of food for thought, too.

I'd love to hear from my readers: Which if these ideas are you likely to try? Why? How do YOU handle change?

How to Survive the Change You Didn't Ask For

Boy, you couldn't ask for a more timely book than M.J. Ryan's AdaptAbility: How to Survive Change You Didn't Ask For.  Who isn't facing changes these days? 

There's more than enough change happening in my world: husband unexpectedly laid off, two kids starting college in the fall, I'm launching a 2nd business, and working on new strategies for Time of Your Life Tours.

I am pretty good at change, in fact, I thrive on it, and fit  Ms Ryan's definition of a "Change Master"--one who knows the steps for dealing with change and can go through them quickly. But you know what? I found loads of useful information in AdaptAbility. I bet you will too.

After some introductory remarks about the permanence of change, you'll find the potent section, "Seven Truths About Change."  Understanding these truths like "It's Not Personal" and "Change Isn't the Enemy, Fear Is" sets the stage for taking action. It's worth reading the Seven Truths carefully, doing the exercises, and taking time to reflect before moving on.

The remaining chapters, and the bulk of the book, focus on concrete practical steps you can take to adapt to and thrive on change. Specifically, you will learn to accept the change, expand your options, take action, and strengthen your adaptability.

The book is peppered with anecdotes and individual true stories that keep it lively and interesting. You'll also find inspiring quotes (and not the same old ones, either), charts and questionnaires, and plenty of food for thought, err, make that, action.

Seriously, if you are going to buy one self-help book this year, I highly recommend AdaptAbility. It's a handbook for life in the 21st century. Click on one of the links to get it on sale at Amazon today.

Next: an Interview with author M.J. Ryan. Don't miss it!