HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED...??

Have you ever wondered if there is life after death? If so...is it possible for us to penetrate that veil separating the land of the living from the world of the dead? And...what about reincarnation? Is this possible...or simply a figment of our imaginations?

As I pondered these intriguing possibilities and did my research, my latest novel, THE SISTERS, began to materialize. My fictional characters took on a life of their own - sometimes leading me into places I'd never before dared to venture.

I'm pleased to announce that my agent recently placed my paranormal/psychological suspense novel with World Castle Publishing. It is now out there on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and available at many bookstores throughout the country.

THE SISTERS is the story of Bella and Jimmy, long-lost soulmates who rediscover each other in a chance encounter that forever changes their lives. Jimmy, however, is already engaged to marry Bella's sister, Veronica.

Heartbroken, they continue along their destined paths in this lifetime - journeys that flow from historic Galveston Island on the Gulf of Mexico to the frozen depths of Lake Superior in Duluth, Minnesota. Along the way, they are confronted with experiences that simply defy explanation.

The sisters, torn apart by their secret love for the same man, spend years feuding. It is only upon Jimmy's death that they discover secrets buried within a past life they once shared. Secrets that may help them to unravel this bizarre love triangle that has haunted them for so long.

Can they find a way to heal, to forgive, and to break free from the karma that has haunted them for an eternity?

"Janet Kay is a gifted storyteller who enthralls her readers with her brilliant imagination and alluring plots. You won't be able to put this book down!" Stacie Theis, Beach Bound Book Reviewer

I hope you will consider checking this out. For more information, see my website - www.novelsbyjanetkay.com.

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay

CELEBRATING NATIONAL INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE DAY!

Saturday, April 28, is a special day in the world of books for book lovers everywhere. National Indie Bookstore Day is celebrated at bookstores throughout the country. Many offer book signings, talks by local authors, refreshments, prizes and lots of fun activities.

It's a great way to call attention to local bookstores. A great day to find some bargains and support your local businesses.

"They are not just stores," according to the IndieBookstoreDay website, "They are community centers run by passionate readers. Lively performance spaces - and quiet places where aimless perusal is a day well spent. In a world of tweets and digital downloads, bookstores are not a dying anachronism. They are living breathing organisms that continue to grow and expand."

One of the things I love about the indie bookstores up here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin is the fact that each is unique. Many are located in historic buildings with a story of their own to tell. Each has a unique character. It's a place where everyone knows your name and what kinds of books you love. A place to curl up in a comfortable chair and read your latest acquisition on a cold winter day while listening to soft music in the background. A place to belong.

Some of my local favorites include The Apostle Islands Booksellers in Bayfield, WI, just a hop, skip and a jump from Lake Superior. You can hear the waves lapping - or crashing- against the shoreline as you browse their wonderful selection of books. On Saturday, they are featuring several local celebrity authors, along with refreshments. The winter scene above is a photo of this historic bookstore.

Then there is Hole-In-The-Wall Books and Records, a new store in another historic building on Main Street in Hayward, Wisconsin. It's a perfect place to stop and browse while strolling along Hayward's Main Street with its unique shops and wonderful restaurants. (Pictured in second photo above.)

Redbery Books in the quaint community of Cable, Wisconsin is another favorite. An excellent eatery and coffee shop is located on the premises - the perfect place for a coffee break and time to read a good book. They are offering author readings, refreshments and prizes.

Northwind Book & Fiber in Spooner, WI (pictured in last photo above) boasts an impressive variety of books, including many by local authors. Many readers also enjoy book signings, the yarn shop and classes in various crafts. On Saturday, there will be activities for the kids along with drawings for prizes and refreshments.

Just across the bridge in Duluth, Minnesota there are several very interesting indie bookstores.Zenith Bookstore on Central Ave carries an excellent assortment of new and used books and holds numerous author events and other activities. And Fitgers Bookstore is located in the historic Fitgers Brewery on the shores of Lake Superior. It is a delightful place to shop for books and visit with local authors giving presentations and holding book signings. Why not take a tour of the old brewery at the same time and indulge in lunch at one of their fine restaurants?

Whatever your plans are for this coming Saturday, April 28, I hope it will include a stop at your favorite local independent bookstore!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay

http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

IMAGINE THAT...

Photo by Jacquelin LaVonne

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world and all there ever will be to know and understand.

Albert Einstein

Have you ever spent a leisurely afternoon gazing up at fluffy clouds drifting through a sunny sky, changing into various shapes, sometimes into eerie dark formations? What did you see? Perhaps we each see something a little different as our imaginations soar - images based upon who we are, what we believe, and our experiences in life.

I personally love the image above of "angel clouds" captured by my dear friend, Jacquelin LaVonne, over Lake Kakagi in Ontario on a fishing trip with her late husband shortly before he died. The other image, of vivid clouds floating over an old barn, evokes a sense of nostalgia for days gone by. Imagine what life was like in those days...

Children frequently have the gift of imagination, something that we, as adults, tend to forget about as we grow older and busier with the demands of life. Children engage in pretend play, fantasy games, and some even have imaginary friends. It saddens me to think that many of us tend to outgrow imagination - one of life's greatest treasures, I think.

What is imagination exactly? Wikipedia defines it as "the ability to form new images and sensations in the mind that are not perceived through senses such as sight or hearing." I believe that it frequently involves superimposing the spiritual/intuitive realm upon the "real" world as we know it. But...what is real and what is not??

Why is imagination important? Because it opens up endless possibilities for the future. Because it allows us to go above and beyond the physical world as we know it. To learn. To explore. To create. Sometimes to escape from the problems in our lives as we imagine a brighter future - the first step to creating that future.

As a writer - and a reader - imagination is one of the things that I value most. I love authors like William Kent Krueger who have the ability to blend fact and fantasy into amazing stories that draw the reader into imaginary worlds. His recent release, Windigo Island, revolves around the theme "In every human being, there are two wolves constantly fighting. One is fear and the other is love." These words of wisdom come from Henry Meloux, the ancient Ojibwe Mide in this novel. Imagination at its' best!

As for me, I continually strive to develop my imagination, to get out of the way of my rational mind and let it flow. One of the greatest compliments I've received was in a book review by Stacie Theis of Beachbound Books. She wrote, "Janet Kay is a gifted storyteller who enthralls her readers with her brilliant imagination and alluring plot. Amelia 1868 is a story you won't be able to put down!" Thank you, Stacie!

Let's all step back to the days of our childhood and let our imaginations soar once more!

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

Once Upon A Time...

Ireland, The Emerald Isle

We felt as if we were stepping into a fairy tale world - a mystical world steeped in folklore and ancient traditions - as we explored this fascinating country last month. Ireland had always been a priority on my "bucket list." Now Sherry and I were turning dreams into reality.

Once we learned to drive on the "wrong" side of the road and successfully navigate all the round-a-bouts in the cities, we began to relax and enjoy the incredible beauty that surrounded us. Lush green rolling pastures dotted with sheep and newborn baby lambs. Steep cliffs plunging down to the sea. Eerie fog, mist, howling winds and wild waves. Majestic medieval castles and ancient monastery ruins. Remnants of old stone houses and castles that had seen better days.

Ireland is a land steeped in history, a country proud of its heritage. We saw old druid settlements dating back several thousand years. Ancient burial mound sites 5,800 years old - older than Stonehenge or the Egyptian pyramids. We walked through "fairy rings" of old stone, listening to tales of the fairies and leprechauns that once lived here, they say. Standing quietly at these ancient sites, you can almost feel the spirits of the past - spirits that seem to linger in the gnarled old trees that have assumed distorted shapes over the centuries.

After exploring the nooks and crannies along the tiny winding roads, we enjoyed retiring to one of the old Irish pubs. We were happy to sit by the fire in these old stone buildings, some with thatched roofs, as we chatted with the friendly locals who were happy to share tales about Irish legends and their lives. The Irish people seem to have a magical quality about them - happiness, contentment, a more leisurely pace of life. They welcome strangers, going out of their way to help, even to walk us around town to show us special places.

Ireland is like a little slice of heaven for writers like me. It is saturated with inspiration just waiting to be released onto the page. No wonder so many prolific writers lived and worked in Ireland. James Joyce, William Butler Yeates, J.R. Tolkein, Bram Stoker to name a few.

We learned that J.R. Tolkein derived inspiration for his work through his many visits to The Burren, a surreal barren stone landscape that reminds one of the moon. Bram Stoker wrote his 1897 novel, Dracula, while living in Dublin. We toured Dracula's castle in Dublin, just across the street from his boyhood home. This is where he gained inspiration for his famous novel.

It is obvious why writers, artists and many others are drawn to this country. One cannot leave without having seriously expanded his or her concept of time. Irish history seems to go back forever, providing deep roots that have sustained the Irish people through many difficult periods of time.

Hiking along the top of the famous Cliffs of Moher, gazing down at the churning sea, I was struck with the magnitude of the universe, of time that had no beginning and no end. It made me realize how tiny our lives really are in the big picture of life. How insignificant our little problems are. I think the Irish people understand this far better than many of us in this world.

As I leave the fairy tale world of Ireland behind me, I take with me lessons that will help me view life in a slightly different way. Ideas to integrate into my novels. And a bit of that Irish magic from the land of the leprechauns! I leave you with an Irish prayer:

May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you, and May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

FACES FROM THE PAST

"The leaves of memory seemed to make a mournful rustling in the dark." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

After my mother died in 2008, we searched her house for the family history book she was writing. Her last mission on earth, she told us. Her legacy to her family. We eagerly anticipated the family stories she would have written - stories that would hopefully fill in some of the gaps in our family history and solve a few mysteries.

We searched every nook and cranny, over and over again. All we found was a blank journal. Not a word had been written! We were stunned. She had been, after all, the last remaining family member of her generation.There was nobody else to ask questions of. Memories would be lost forever. Some family secrets had apparently gone to the grave with her.

Thankfully, she had at least compiled hundreds of old photos, labeling names and dates on the back. Some of these people were virtual strangers to me. And she'd left a notebook of genealogical data as well as a file of her favorite quotes, poems and words of wisdom that she wanted shared with her family.

It was a start - and a prompt from beyond the grave - for me to take over the task of writing our family history. I was, after all, the writer in our family. "Do it now!" her spirit whispered urgently in my ear.

I began my lengthy journey into the past, and what a trip it was! It included genealogical research with the help of Ancestry.com, interviewing family members, pouring over records in historical libraries, and several incredible journeys to Sweden and the Czech Republic, homes of my ancestors. I hired professional genealogists through http://www.genealogists.com to locate specific villages where my ancestors lived hundreds of years ago - even their homes (or remnants thereof) and their churches.

I also did extensive research to develop the historical context. What was life like in those days? Why did my ancestors make the decisions they did - particularly leaving their homelands for America? What was their culture like, their traditions, and their values? My goal was to bring these people to life.

It was a long journey full of challenges, surprises and rewards. I sometimes laughed - sometimes cried - as I learned valuable lessons about these faces from the past. Old photos that were once relatively meaningless came to life. I now feel like I know these people. This process has actually helped me to understand myself and my own family better.

My family history is complete and being published - my legacy to my children and grandchildren. No, it's not my mother's story or those of my children, although I've included a great deal of their information. It is my truth, based on my recollections and all that I've learned through my research. Truth is, after all, subjective, based upon one's personal experiences and the lens through which we each view our world.

I encourage you all to think about researching and writing your family history - before it's too late to ask questions of your elders. As my mother told me, "Do it now!"

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

A DIFFERENT VIEW OF DEATH

"Let life be as beautiful as summer flowers
and death as beautiful as autumn leaves."
Rabindranth Tagore

The first anniversary of the death of a loved one can be a difficult time for anyone. Memories swell, crashing over you like angry waves or gentle ripples, sometimes a little of each. How do you cope with a day like this?

Yesterday was the first anniversary of the death of Len, my best friend and partner for 35 years. I felt I needed to do something special to acknowledge the day, aside from putting a new autumn floral arrangement on his gravestone. I decided to get into my car and go for a ride to see the beautiful fall leaves, something we often did together. As my car meandered its way along winding country roads, his favorite Willie Nelson songs magically popped up on my radio.

After making a few stops to try to capture the beauty of the season with my camera, I found myself at the casino where Len and I had often enjoyed the buffet lunch and playing the slot machines. We typically lost about $25 each before we called it a day and began a leisurely drive back home. In fact, I frequently took him to the casino to celebrate his birthday. Now I was going alone - to mourn his death.

As I pondered the stark contrast between celebrating a birth and mourning a death, it suddenly struck me that birth and death are actually the same thing - if you look at it from a different angle, within a broader perspective. Len's death on earth was actually his birth in heaven. Perhaps I should be celebrating his first birthday on the other side of life instead of mourning the first anniversary of his death on earth...

It had been time for him to shed his deteriorating earthly body, his time to "go home" again. But his spirit lives on in many mysterious ways. That includes within our memories and in the hearts and souls of those he left behind.

Wiping back a few lingering tears, I looked up at the startling beauty of autumn leaves swirling overhead. And I whispered "Happy Birthday, Len."


Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

ODE TO THE OLEANDER

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature." Gerard De Nerval

The enchanting island of Galveston, Texas is once again blooming with the mysterious Nerium Oleanders. Vibrant shades of yellow, red, white, pink and salmon consume these flowering evergreen shrubs that cover the island. In fact, Galveston is known to have the most extensive collection of oleanders in the world.

One of the things that fascinates me the most about the Oleander is the contradiction between its enticing beauty - and the fact that the plant is in fact poisonous. It contains a toxin that can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities. Fumes from burning the branches of the oleander can also be hazardous.

According to Greek mythology, oleanders represent romance and charm. There once was a beautiful Greek maiden who was loved by a man named Leander. He swam across the sea every night to see his beloved. One night, however, he braved a tempest to see her and drowned as the wild waves slammed his body against the sharp rocky cliffs.

The next day, his distraught lover found his body on the shore. "Oh Leander," she cried out, her voice echoing across the sea. In his hand, he clutched a flower, one he had intended to give to her. She gently pried the flower from his cold hand and saved it as a symbol of their everlasting love. That flower magically grew and spread throughout the world - evolving into today's beautiful oleanders.

A charming tale indeed - one that I plan to use in my next historical fantasy novel which will be set in Galveston. My mind is already spinning with ways I may integrate the lovely but deadly oleander into this novel. Lovely...but...deadly. Surely there is a story there?

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Best Always,

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

GONE FISHING...

Len, my best friend and partner for 35 years, has "gone fishing" on the other side of life. While my family and I deeply mourn his passing, we know he's in a better place and free of pain. He took his last breath while holding my hand.

He left this world exactly the way he wanted. His "celebration of life" included a canoe, fishing gear, and his "Old Farts Club" coffee mug. Polka music was played instead of traditional hymns. He wanted us to celebrate his life.

When a loved one crosses over to the side of life, I think we all want to know that he or she has arrived safely. We all hope for signs from beyond this limited earthly existence. For reassurance that life does continue beyond death.

Len has not disappointed us! As military taps were played at his gravesite, three eagles swooped over his grave. Three eagles have always been symbolic in our family, representing three deceased family members who sometimes choose to manifest themselves in this way. They were there for Len.

Arriving back home after the funeral, my family and I were stunned to see the most incredible double rainbow we've ever seen arching over the lake. It was brilliant in color, reflected perfectly in the still waters. Thanks, Len!

This was only the beginning! Since then, he manages to nudge our minds, reminding us of things we need to do, where certain things are located. And yes, his sense of humor even lives on as he plays little jokes on us all.

I'd like to leave you all with a poem I wrote and read at his celebration of life:


I AM NOT GONE

I am not gone
for I live on
in another time
and place.

When you think of me,
I will be there...
as seagulls soar o'er
waters of the dancing sky,
when a gentle breeze caresses your face,
in the magic of moonlight
shimmering softly
on the lakes I loved.

I will be there...

Look up at the moon
and tell me good night.
Tell me about your day,
For this I know...

I am not gone,
I'm just away
until we meet
again
someday.

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

SHE WHO LAUGHS LASTS...

Life has been difficult, to say the least, during the past year of my life. This has been my time to face love and loss - to cherish the tender and unforgettable moments while struggling with the fact that my dearest friend on this earth may not be here with me much longer. Cancer has a way of destroying dreams and crippling the creative process.

I've managed to occasionally visit my St. Croix Writers Group in Solon Springs, Wisconsin. Here I find inspiration and support that helps to keep me going.

Let me tell you about our group's leader, a character whom you writers out there may very well want to write into your next novel!

Jo Stewart is 85 years young, a talented writer with a heart of gold, and...a crazy sense of humor!In 2006, she decided to start a "laughing group" on the Main Street of the little village of Solon Springs, Wisconsin.

She had been inspired by visitors who told her of laughing groups sprouting up across the world, dedicated to enhancing wellness through laughing.

Actually, it all began in Mumbia, India in the early 1990s when Dr. Madan Kataria became interested in the growing body of scientific evidence showing that laughter is beneficial for physical and mental health. He soon began prescribing "laughter" to his patients. In March of 1995, he launched his first Laughter Club in a public park in his neighborhood. The initial five charter members soon grew to fifty or more.

Since March of 2006, Jo can be found every Thursday morning at precisely 10 o'clock on the Main Street of Solon Springs across from the National Bank of Commerce. Here, with or without other participants, shadowed by the growing pines and beneath the "Laughing Group" sign, she begins to laugh, sometimes to roar. She laughs whether it rains, shines, or snows. It doesn't matter.

She may laugh alone or be joined by up to twenty participants. They all wave to people passing by, who sometimes cannot resist joining them. Once the local Red Hat Society came out to laugh with them. Another time, a couple from Hawaii heard about Jo's laughing group on national television and made a point to visit and laugh with them.

"We're a destination point," Jo boasts with a gleam in her aging eyes as she begins to roar once more, waving at cars passing by.

"It's a good thing," she tells me, "a good thing for the public to relate to." It fascinates her that artificial laughter soon progresses to real laughter, to actually feeling better.

Yes, Jo, laughter truly may be the best medicine! After laughing with Jo and her group today, I feel recharged and ready to face whatever I may need to face.

Thank you, Jo, for sharing your wisdom with us all!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

INSPIRATION

Lake Kakagi, Nestor Falls, Ontario, Canada

"Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of the gods." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever wondered where inspiration comes from? I'm sure it's different for each of us...as for me, my sources are water and solitude.

As a writer, I sometimes struggle to tap into my creative process. For example, my readers have long requested a sequel to my debut novel, WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY. While some of them even offered excellent suggestions to integrate into this sequel, I was still stumped. It simply was not coming together in my head. Pieces were missing.

Until last week. I was on a Canadian fishing trip with my good friend, Len. As we trolled the waters of this scenic wilderness lake, I couldn't resist snapping photo after photo of the islands, the sunlight dancing across the waves, the clouds lazily drifting overhead.

Lulled by the lapping of the waves and the warmth of the sun, I became still. Totally still. I was one with the lake. It wasn't long before I began to tap into that universal creative process that is out there somewhere. Bits and pieces of my long-awaited story began to float into my mind. The plot and its many twists were finally coming together - sometimes in surprising ways that I had not anticipated.

Who would have thought that the notorious Chicago gangster, Bugs Moran, would insert himself into the middle of this novel? Yes, he was once there at Kettle Falls where this series is set. I can't tell you what his role will be...that will evolve as I write, but he will be there.

Sometimes we need to calm our busy minds and escape into the heart of nature, I think, to find inspiration in life. It doesn't matter if you're a writer, artist, truck driver, waitress, or CEO.

How do you find inspiration in your life?

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
Author of WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY and AMELIA 1868
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

NEW BEGINNINGS

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only plant but also believe." Anatole France, Nobel Prize winner

This is the season of endings - the end of carefree high school days, of old friendships perhaps. As I watched my oldest grandson march down the aisle and accept his high school diploma, a voice from the past whispered in my ear. "The end of an era..." the familiar words of my deceased stepfather crept into my mind. I smiled through my tears.

I can't help remembering the first time I held each of my grandbabies in my arms, wondering what they would be when they grew up someday. Where has the time gone? I now have two grandchildren who have crossed that threshold between childhood and early adulthood. I'm proud to say that Derek has won a 5-year full-tuition scholarship in his chosen field of Computer Engineering. Madelaine has been awarded a full scholarship to study ballet at the prestiegious Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Russia.

They may be leaving parts of their childhood behind, but they will cherish the memories and remain close to their families and friends. They are embarking upon exciting new beginnings - following their dreams and confidently moving out into the world that waits for them. The sky is the limit as long as they confidently pursue their dreams and work hard to turn them into reality.

Congratulations to Madelaine, Derek, and graduates throughout the world. May your journeys through life be filled with success, happiness and good health. And to the parents of these young people (including my children)- congratulations on all you have done to instill the values and confidence that will help these young people succeed in life.

Hats off to the graduates of 2013!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

HAUNTED BY WATERS...

Split Rock Lighthouse, Lake Superior

"I am haunted by waters..." Norman MacLean

I am also haunted by waters... Like Norman, I feel compelled to spend time sitting by the lake or ocean gazing into its mysterious depths. Water soothes my soul and refreshes me. It helps me to connect with something far greater than myself. It unleashes my creativity. I suspect that many other writers feel the same way.

Lake Superior is one of my favorite places to hike or sit by the lake as waves crash around me. In doing so, I discovered one of our great Lake Superior poets - Bill DeRoche. I'd like to share one of his poems with you today:

LAKE SUPERIOR (My Lake of Life) by Bill DeRoche

My lake of life
That gives the blue
To the heaven's eye

The emerald green
That spreads ever outward
To give life its dreams

Its white caps that move
Ever onward
And tell me I cannot
Stand still

The icy blue stare
That beckons me to look
Even deeper in life

Its thunderous roar that
Lends itself
To the applause for life

My lake of life
Ever giving and
Never asking

The place of refuge
In the time of
My turmoil

Its shimmering sun's
Reflection
To help us dance
For joy

The day of calm
That gives life its rest
To renew one's quest
For life

May lake of life
Ever giving and
Never asking

The shroud covered days
That renew the
Mysteries of life

Its gloomy mournful days
That gives time to remember
Those who have gone

Storm tossed anger days
To teach us to clear
The anger from our souls

Moonbeams upon the water
That calms the spirit
And brings forth love

Ever giving and
Never asking
My lake of life

I think Bill has captured the many moods of the great Lake Superior. For more information about his work and his book, check out his website at http://billderoche.com.

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

PLACES AND FACES - PART II

Kettle Falls Hotel, Voyageur National Park

Place and settings are very important to me in my novels. Before I even begin to write, I simply must find a unique place that fits my story, characters and plot. Before I began WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY, I did an extensive Internet search to find a wilderness setting with a huge lake, lots of islands, and a colorful local history that included an American Indian component.

I stumbled upon the Kettle Falls Hotel nestled in the woods on Rainy Lake in Voyageur's National Park along the Minnesota/Ontario international border. I fell in love with the place before I even made my first visit! This historic hotel was constructed in 1913 by timber cruiser Ed Rose and allegedly financed by Madame Nellie Bly.

In 1918, Robert Williams bought the hotel for $1,000 and four barrels of whiskey! It was operated by the Williams family for a number of generations until it was purchased and renovated by the National Park Service in 1987. I was fortunate enough to locate an historical boat tour guide by the name of Mike Williams who happened to be Robert's grandson! Mike told me many fascinating stories about Kettle Falls and Rainy Lake as we boated around the area. He made local history come alive for me and became a valuable resource as well as a good friend. Thank you, Mike!!

Arriving at Kettle Falls is like stepping into another world, back into the days when voyageurs paddled and portaged through the region with their canoes loaded with furs; when local natives speared huge sturgeon at the foot of the roaring falls that separates the United States from Canada; when lumberjacks,gold prospectors, commercial fishermen and ladies of the night frequented the old hotel.

Today, Kettle Falls is a tourist destination for families and fishermen. It's a hidden jewel in the midst of the forest surrounded by the lake. A place to enjoy the serenity, peace and beauty. To restore one's soul. It is a place that I simply must return to at least once every summer. The hospitality and food is also excellent!

Stay tuned for more information on places and faces embedded in the novels I write...and as always, please stay in touch and let me know what you think.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

A TRIBUTE TO THE POET LAUREATE OF SOLON SPRINGS, WISCONSIN

Photo by Anna Martineau Merrit, Misty Pine Photography

She's 94 years young and lives on a rustic farm in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Still driving her trusty car to and from her many club meetings - including the St. Croix Writers of Solon Springs - Kay Karras usually sports a pink baseball cap over her short gray hair. While she walks a little slower these days, time has not been able to diminish the twinkle in her eyes, her mischievious chuckle, or her ability to recite by heart the humurous lyrics she's written over the years. She has a way of keeping us all in stitches.

The product of a one-room country school, this amazing woman somehow developed an extraordinary gift for writing poetry that stirs the heart and soul. She is the official Poet Laureate of Solon Springs, Wisconsin and was recently honored at a reading sposored by Rural Arts Voice North.

Some of Kay's poems have been assembled in a book entitled " BITS OF BIRCH." I'd like to share one with you today in her honor:

GHOST WRITERS IN THE SKY by Kay Karras

Across the river flowage
on the rippling waves they came;
Reflections in the blue sky -
I do not know their names.

The lapping waters brought them
to my feet upon the shore
in sands of time their message wrote
of years gone by and more.

They signed their names in eddies -
in tracks upon the sand,
I followed in their foot prints
along the moonlit strand.

I read the stories written
in Sanskrit by the snails
of prehistoric ventures
besides the deep worn trails.

The hieroglyphics chiseled
in walls of weathered stone
spoke softly of the long ago
in ancient undertone.

I came upon a river
running backward into time
To my memory it brought
an old familiar rhyme.

The voices sounded, oh so clear,
I cannot tell you why.
They hovered all around me -
ghost writers in the sky.

Here's to Kay, an inspiration to our St. Croix Writers, writers and readers everywhere!

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

PLACES AND FACES - Part I

MALLARD ISLAND, RAINY LAKE, MINNESOTA

"Let us be silent that we may hear the whispers of the gods." Ralph Waldo Emerson

I consider myself to be a place writer of destination novels. Place is very important to me...in fact, if often becomes a character in itself. Before I write a novel, I must find a special place to set that novel...a place that speaks to my heart, a perfect place for my characters to live.

Once I find that place, I spend time there absorbing its essence. Visiting with and learning from the locals. Researching the history and culture of the area. Exploring and taking pictures. I need to experience and to feel what my characters' lives are like in this location.

It's very rewarding to me when my readers also fall in love with these places, when they decide to take a trip to see the places where my novels are set.

So...I've decided to do a series of posts about some of the intriguing places I write about.

Today I'm thinking of Rainy Lake along the Minnesota/Ontario international border. This is where my novel, WATERS OF THE DANCING SKY, is set. It's a huge wilderness lake filled with islands. One of these special islands is Mallard Island, owned and operated by the Ernest Oberholtzer Foundation.

I've had the opportunity to spend many hours on The Mallard - sitting on the rock in this picture. Taking sunrise photos. Thinking and plotting my next novel. This is a place to reflect, to dream, to renew oneself. To connect with the spirit of the lake and of the Native Americans who once paddled their birchbark canoes through these waters. To hike along the path picking blueberries and marveling at the wild flowers and lichens sprouting through crevices in this rocky island.

At night the loons call out as moonlight dances across rippling waters. Sometimes the storms roll in across the narrows. The wind howls and rattles the old windowpanes as the rustic old houses seem to sway in the night. Spirits of the past slip into my dreams - infusing ideas that will surface in my future novels.

I spend time rocking in Ober's favorite chair on the wrap-around deck overlooking the great lake. Thinking about his life on this island so many years ago. Immersing myself in his old books,photographs, and documentation of his canoe trips into the heart of the wilderness. If it hadn't been for Ernest Oberholtzer and his environmentalist friends, there would be no Mallard Island, no Voyageurs National Park.

For more information about this man and his island, check out http://www.eober.org.

And stay tuned for more highlights on Rainy Lake and other exciting places in my novels.

Best Always,

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

VALENTINE'S GIVEAWAY CELEBRATION

February is a good month to celebrate with our loved ones, to let them know how much they mean to us. It can also be a time to reach out to others - an acquaintance or a perfect stranger - with a random act of kindness. Sometimes a smile can do wonders for someone who may be hurting inside. Delivering a hot meal to a struggling family, shoveling snow or running errands for an elderly neighbor are examples of acts of kindness that others appreciate. I'm sure you can all come up with ideas that I'm hoping you will share with us all on this blog.


Perhaps this is also a good time to do something nice for ourselves, to take a break from the busyness of our lives. How about curling up with a good book on a cold winter's night? Or, if you happen to live in a warmer and gentler climate, you may want to do your reading on the beach as you bask in the sunshine and listen to waves crashing around you... oh well, we can always dream, right?


How about treating yourself by buying a new book - or anything else you desire - IF you are the lucky winner of the $50 Amazon.com gift certificate that I'm giving away this month in honor of Valentine's Day? This is my way of celebrating the excellent reviews my new novel, AMELIA 1868, is generating. My way of thanking my readers for their wonderful support.


To enter my contest, follow these easy steps by February 28, 2013:


1. Share this on your own Facebook page.


2. Go to my website, http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com. Click on the Contest tab, complete and submit your entry to win this $50 certificate and a number of other exciting prizes.


While you're there, please click on my blog, Janet Kay's Journey, and sign up to follow me. Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours.


Stay tuned and please stay in touch.


Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

A Winter's Night

As I gaze out my window upon this scene of snow-laden solitude, I cannot help but reflect upon the New Year and the endless possibilities it offers us all. To tap into those possibilities, it sometimes helps to retreat into the solitude that this season offers. It's a time to hibernate, perhaps. To reflect upon the meaning of life. To create your own "bucket list" of dreams you hope to fulfill yet in this lifetime.

In the spirit of this season of solitude, I'd like to share with you all a poem I've written:

A Winter's Night

Be still, my soul,
and sleep deep...
beneath shivering sheets of ice
silencing the synergy of the sea.

Be still...
snuggled softly in
snowy blankets of white
swirling slowly into obscurity.

Be still and sleep deep...
cradled gently in the shimmering light
of a silver moon
casting shadows
upon a long winter's night.

Be still...
until reflections
of love, of hope, of eternity
give birth once more
to springtimes of new beginnings,
new hopes, new dreams.

Be still... till then we meet.

Happy New Year to you all!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

My new paranormal historical novel is out!

Yes, I know that I seem to have disappeared from the face of this earth...and I apologize for that. In a sense, I have transcended life as we know it...

You see, I've been buried writing my latest novel, AMELIA 1868. In the process, I've expanded my horizons into the paranormal world. I invite you to share this suspense-filled journey with me through the pages of this novel. Read on for more information:

Rose, a free-spirited young woman, leaves her fiancee at the altar of their country church in Walnut, Iowa. Driven by forces beyond her control, she flees to the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana, where she feels oddly at home...

Drawn to an old cemetery in the mountains, she discovers a crumbling weathered tombstone and begins to sob uncontrollably. Only two words are etched upon the stone - AMELIA 1868. Obsessed with uncovering the identity of this long-forgotten woman, Rose finds herself transported back and forth in time between the life of a hurdy-gurdy dance hall girl struggling to survive in the 1860s and her own sheltered life in 2011.

Her strange and intriguing journey becomes more complicated when a love interest materializes and throws her off balance. Her life becomes a bizarre dance twisting and turning between the past and the present. Can she find a way to move into the future?

Excellent reviews of this novel are already coming in!

Please check out my new website, http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com for more information, a photo gallery, and a new contest that you may want to enter soon.

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay

http://www.novelsbyjanetkay.com

Living the Dream...

Are you living the dream, your own personal dream? Or has life gotten so busy that you've forgotten how to dream? Do you even remember those special dreams you once had for your life?

I recently read an article in the Galveston, Texas daily newspaper by Dr. Victor S. Sierpina, Professor of Integrative Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch. The title - "Living the dream - the secret to true health, vitality."

According to Dr. Sierpina, "Finding and living our unique dream is what brings true health, energy, vitality and creativity to our lives no matter our age." He goes on to note that he is astounded by the many creative artists he's met over the years who live to ripe old ages. They are productive, creative, expressing their soul nature.

"To thrive, not just survive," Sierpina writes, "requires having purpose and meaning in life as Viktor Frankl taught in his classic book, Man's Search for Meaning."

His words were both a wake-up call and confirmation that perhaps I was finally doing something right! I was following my lifelong dream, one that I'd put on hold for far too long. My dream is and always has been, to become an author. Now I am one! My debut novel, "Waters of the Dancing Sky," is doing well, and I'm hard at work on "Amelia 1868" with several other novels coming to life in the recesses of my creative mind.

We don't live forever. Maybe it's time for us all to rediscover or create new dreams. Dreams allow us to express our creativity in unique ways. And creativity, I think, seems to hold the key to happiness and perhaps - longevity.

With your dreams firmly implanted in your mind, it's time to start living those dreams. You may need to take one baby step at a time, due to other commitments. But you can do it! And your life will be richer in many ways.

As for me, I'm "living the dream" and plan to do so for many years to come!

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

"Beauty Lies in the Eye of the Beholder"

Was it Plato or Shakespeare who left us these words of wisdom? Some even say this quote is a variation of a Proverb. Regardless, it's one of my favorite quotes, and I think it applies to many situations in life.

In my case, I got up this morning on beautiful Galveston Island hoping for a sunny day on the beach. Instead the wind howled, the sun refused to appear, and the radio informed me that the current temperature was 36 degrees! So much for my beautiful day, I thought. Maybe I'd just bury myself under the covers and catch up on my sleep.

After a few minutes I quit feeling sorry for myself. After all, folks at home in Wisconsin were shoveling snow. Other parts of the country and the world were struggling with extreme weather. Who was I to complain?

So I decided to quit being a wimp and head out on my daily 3.5 mile hike along the beach. It was difficult at first to head into the wind. Head down, I forced myself to move along. It would be easier heading back home.

As I hiked along, something strange happened. The ugliness of the day began to slip away. The pounding surf thundered and splashed, white froth dancing on the crest of the waves. Dark cloud formations interacted with soft billowy clouds, creating an assortment of animals and objects in the sky. The sun even tried to peak out now and then, casting striking reflections on the world below. Crazy pelicans plopped into the surf as seagulls clustered on the shore. Great photo opportunities!

More importantly, there seems to be something about days like this that bring out one's creativity. You draw inward as you tense up against the wind and cold, going deeper inside to places you've perhaps never been. In my case, I found myself thinking about the novel I'm currently writing - Amelia 1868. Some of the parts I'd been struggling with started to come together.

I began to see the beauty in the ugly parts of life, in the trials and tribulations that we all experience at times.

I'd like to share another example of beauty lying in the eye of the beholder. With Valentine's Day coming up, I'm thinking of a couple I recently saw walking along the seawall. They had to be well into their 70's, perhaps 80. He used a cane. They were wrinkled and gray-haired as older people tend to be and somewhat overweight. Not exactly "beautiful" in the sense that the world unfortunately defines beauty.

But they held hands as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. So much in love after all these years. Yes, they'd been married 50 years. He obviously found his wife to be the most beautiful woman in the world. To me, this is true beauty. And I do plan to use this couple in a future novel!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch.

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com