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

BLOGGER'S BLOCK

"Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow as well." Mark Twain

OK, so it's been a long time...a really long time...since I've posted on my blog. I've been trying to come up with a good excuse. Like, I have been working on another novel, THE SISTERS, which will be released April 30th by World Castle Publishing. And I have, of course, needed to do lots of traveling to some exciting places where I may (or may not) decide to set a future novel. Location and historical research takes lots of time, right?

I tell myself that although I may not be blogging...or even writing...I AM THINKING about the novels and blog posts I will write someday. Maybe tomorrow...maybe next week. Great ideas are (hopefully) bubbling up and incubating in my mind as I walk through the woods or beside the ocean.

As I scold myself for ignoring my blog, I rationalize. With the millions of blogs out there everyday, who has time to read them? Mine will certainly get lost in the endless sea of bloggers competing for attention. Why bother? Certainly I have other things to do - things like polishing my silverware or cleaning the toilet!

Yes, I was obviously suffering with a severe case of "Blogger's Block!"

Then one day I ran into an old writer friend of mine. "What happened to your blog?" he asked me, " I always used to enjoy reading it."

That made me think. Maybe it is time to get back to blogging about my writer's journey and travels through life. Maybe it is time to post some of the photos and historical information about Galveston Island, the place where I set my new novel, The Sisters.

I'm back! And I look forward to hearing from you.

Please stay tuned and 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

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

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

THE MAGIC OF FANTASY

What do you see when you look at this tree? Try to look beyond the obvious...beyond identifying the type of tree, a cloudy day, etc. Daydream. Turn your imagination loose. Clear your mind and tap into the feelings that this image evokes in your heart and soul.

I see and feel a ghostly tree hiding chilling secrets from the past. What about those crumbling tombstones? Who lies beneath - and how did they die? I sense spirits lurking in the shadows...do you? Wait...is that an elf playing in the twisted, gnarled roots of this ancient tree?

As a writer, I frequently start with an image like this before spinning off into a bit of fantasy.

While fantasy and mythic stories have always been a part of our culture, there has been an explosion of interest in various genres of fantasy. Think J.K. Rowlings' Harry Potter series, J.R.R. Tolkien's work, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Why are so many people today reading and writing fantasy?

As Philip Martin (author of A Guide to Fantasy Literature)writes:"Fantasy is about journeying to strange worlds - but it is ultimately about arriving, in a state of surprise and grace, at a place inside ourselves where we see our own world again with the wonder and the belief of a child."

Yes, fantasy allows us to escape to places where all things are possible. I will never forget my little grandaughter Madelaine's fantasy of being The Little Mermaid. She played the role, sang the songs, perched on a rock beside the pool in a dramatic mermaid pose. However, she got so absorbed in her fantasy that she dove into the pool...she couldn't swim yet! We immediately rescued our little mermaid from her fantasy.

Fantasy allows writers and readers to create and live in make-believe worlds of our own. Here, we ideally learn lessons about good and evil, right and wrong, before returning to the real world.

Fantasy includes a number of interesting categories including fairy tales, adventure, high fantasy, dark fantasy, supernatural/paranormal, and magical realism.

As a writer, I'm not even going to try creating an elaborate world of dungeons and dragons. My preference is "magical realism" which combines magical elements with the real world. The magical or supernatural elements I like to introduce into the ordinary world include paranormal spirits from the past.

I want my readers to come away with a sense of hope and reconnection with the childish dreams that many of us have locked away in the dusty closets of our minds.

I write because there are readers and reviewers like Beverly Pechin of Reader Views. After reading my novel, Waters of the Dancing Sky, she wrote: "This novel will keep you intrigued, inspired, and hopeful. The way the author intertwines reality with fantasy simply leaves one to wonder if there aren't such beautiful possibilities out there for all of us."

Love to hear your thoughts about fantasy!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

People Watching...

I recently returned from a 2,500 mile cross-country road trip stretching from Wisconsin to Montana and back again - with stops in Virginia City and Seeley Lake, Montana; and Walnut, Iowa. These locations have become special places for me since my next novel (tentatively titled "AMELIA 1868") will be set in these locations - and frankly,because I've fallen in love with these historic towns of the past! Unique little towns that have somehow found a way to expand upon their historic roots and move into a promising future...

While I, of course, had an agenda - and endless lists of questions that I needed to have answered, I found much more than the answers that I originally sought. While I found fascinating historical information in local libraries and through conversations with local geneologists and historians, and while I discovered perfect places for my characters to have lived and died... I also took time to simply sit back and watch people.

I watched and I listened carefully - on the street or over a cup of coffee at Aunt B's Kitchen in Walnut, Iowa; The Stage Station in Seeley Lake, Montana; or The Outlaw Cafe in Virginia City, Montana. In the process, I discovered a number of fascinating characters, some of whom will most likely end up in my novel.

Let me introduce you to several of the most unforgettable characters I met on this journey. Some are already coming to life in the first draft of my manuscript. Some have actually changed the plot line. Others are still trying to capture my attention...

First, there's Diamondback Dave (the man in this photo.) A vision spiraling forward in time from the 1860's gold mining era in Virginia City, MT, this gentleman still does gold prospecting and placer mining in Montana. Accompanied by his faithful burro, Dusty, he escapes into the mountains every chance he gets along with his pick, shovel and gold pan...the way they did it 100 or more years ago. Dave is also an actor and costumed interpreter portraying life in the Old West. Check out his website at http://www.diamondbackdave.net.

I'll never forget little Sarah, the whimsical, friendly ghost-child who occasionally haunts Virginia City's Outlaw Cafe and Antique Shop. She loves to play with the vintage toys - frequently turning on the musical rocking horse clock...even when staff have purposefully removed the batteries to prevent Sarah's escapades...

While catching up on email and enjoying a mocha latte at The Stage Station in the picteurespue mountain town of Seeley Lake, Montana, I met a friendly elderly gentleman, a recent widower who stopped in with a batch of chocolate chip cookies he'd just made. This was his way of conntecting with others after the death of his beloved wife. He made his way through the town, stopping at local businesses to pass out his delicious cookies and visit with his neighbors.

Moving on to Iowa, I found new friends who live in a lovely Victorian home in the antique town of Walnut. Dorine owns and operates a quilting business in the heart of the historic Walnut district. I was wrapped immediately into the comforting blanket of a community that still thrives on old-fashioned values of friendliness and neighbors helping neighbors... even during the recent flooding that has devastated so many of the local farmers.

And there was more, much more ... like the chilling discovery of a gravestone in the Walnut, Iowa Cemetery that linked clearly to one in the Virginia City, Montana cemetery. It's all about "AMELIA!"

Suddenly, all the pieces of my novel were coming together...

People watching...yes, this is the answer to many of the questions that we, as writers, struggle with. People watching... this is where you will find answers to questions that you have not yet thought about...

Please stay tuned and stay in touch.

Always,

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Getting Away From It All ...

Most authors have unique writing processes, little tricks to help them write well. Mine is simple - just getting away from it all. When I've completed my research and am ready to begin the next novel, I plan a writing retreat to some place that will inspire me and feed my creative process.

When I was ready to write my "Waters of the Dancing Sky" novel, I took off, alone, for Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. I brought all my research notes with me, colored pens, and a roll of white paper. It was time to create my fictional village on paper. I needed to know where my characters would live, what the town looked like.

I settled into my room at Rock Harbor Lodge, got my supplies out - but found it difficult to get down to business. There were trails to hike, a lighthouse that beckoned, moose roaming the island, and Lake Superior lapping against the rocks beneath my balcony.

So I headed out to explore this wilderness island, chastising myself for not getting down to work. After all, writers need to write, don't they?

Of course, BUT... it was then that I discovered my secret to writing well. To write effectively, I find that I need to achieve a delicate balance among three things: learning, creating, and being.

"Learning" is the exploration, research, travel, taking in and absorbing of information. "Creating" is the process of shaping that information through your unique perspective, rearranging bits of information into something new and meaningful.

"Being," however, is the piece that we often tend to ignore in our fast-paced world. It is the process of letting go, of clearing your mind, of doing nothing except absorbing the world around you without the need to analyze or fix anything.

As I settled into the natural rhythm of Isle Royale, I thought about this. I gave myself permission one morning to just sit out on my balcony as waves crashed below me, as diamonds of sunlight danced with the seagulls. I lost myself in the waves, in the magic of this mysterious lake.

I had nothing to show for that morning - nothing except a burst of creativity. I felt that I'd absorbed things deep within my soul and subconscious, things that soon began to surface in the pages of this novel.

Just being... and getting away from it all... Try it, you'll like it!

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

TIME TO HIT THE ROAD ...

The writer in me is restless... it's time to start my next novel, tentatively titled "Amelia 1865" or "Prairie Rose." Before I begin, however, I need to hit the road. I need to explore the places where my novel will be set, to learn about the people, the history, the culture.

You see, I'm a place writer of "destination" novels. It's important to me that my readers identify with the places where my characters live. It means a lot to me when readers tell me that after reading my book, they are planning a trip to the place where it is set.

So...this time I'm off for several enchanting destinations. First, to Walnut, Iowa, officially known as "Iowa's Antique City." It's a small village of brick streets lined with turn-of-the-century historic buildings filled with antiques. Home of Prairie Rose State Park. A refreshing place where small town spirit lives on.

My final destination is the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana. Nestled in the mountains at the foot of Boot Hill Cemetery, Virginia City was a bustling gold mining town in the 1860's.

The basic premise of my novel is this: WHAT IF a restless spirit comes back to life seeking revenge for her murder in a previous lifetime?

She's a bored farm girl growing up in rural Iowa. Commitment-phobic, she stands her fiance up at the altar and heads west towards an unknown destination. A mysterious force drives her to the old western ghost town of Virginia City, Montana.

Why does she finally feel at home here, somehow recognizing old historical landmarks? Flashbacks begin to flow through her soul, driving her to a cemetery nestled in the mountains overlooking the valley. Here she discovers an overgrown gravestone inscribed, "AMELIA 1865." No last name, no date of birth.

Obsessed with discovering the truth about this long-forgotten woman, Rose finds herself flashing back and forth between two different realities - her current sheltered life and that of a "hurdy gurdy girl" struggling to survive in the Wild West. Rose's own life depends upon her ability to merge these realities into something that makes sense.

This strange journey becomes more complicated when a love interest materializes and throws her off balance. This relationship becomes a bizarre dance twisting and turning between love and hate. Can she still accomplish her mission? Does it matter?

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

A CHANCE ENCOUNTER...

The "Sleeping Giant" was shrouded in eerie banks of fog rolling in across Lake Superior. This "giant" is, in fact, the rocky backbone of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on the north shore of Lake Superior, Canada. Looking across the big lake from Thunder Bay, it appears to be a huge stone figure lying on its back, gazing into the heavens above. This silent giant rises many hundreds of feet above Lake Superior, its sheer cliffs dropping dramatically into crashing waves far below. Canada's Aboriginal people have passed on many fascinating legends and myths about this sleeping giant over past centuries.

Today, my two oldest grandsons, Derek and Malachi, and I were exploring this natural wonder. We'd driven many miles along narrow winding roads criss-crossing the top of this gentle giant to the very tip of the Sibley Peninsula.

Peeking through layers of fog as raindrops splattered around us, we were surprised to find the tiny community of Silver Islet. Once upon a time, as in 140 years ago, there was an active silver mining community on this site. The old clapboard General Store, built about 1870, still stands on the rocky point that juts out into Lake Superior.

The ramshackle store was closed, but a sign on the door invited us to ring the bell if we needed anything. We did. An elderly man greeted us, inviting us in. It was a step back in time. Nothing much had changed since the days when the miners purchased their supplies here. Surrounding the store, tucked back into the forest, are a number of the original miners homes which have now been converted into cottages for summer residents.

There happened to be another gentleman hanging out in the old store. He sported long hair and a beard, looked as if he'd been living in the wilderness for a while. In fact, he reminded us of a French Canadian voyageur...which was exactly what he turned out to be!

Mike Ranta, a 39-year-old explorer from the little town of Atikokan, Ontario, Canada was on the journey of a lifetime. He was paddling his canoe, alone, with his faithful dog, Spitzii, along the old Voyageur route. His 3,231 mile journey will take him from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada all the way to Montreal, Canada. He will be the first person ever to complete this journey all alone.

The boys (and I) were intrigued, just listening to his stories. Mike is doing this to raise money for his hometown Atikokan Youth Center. He delivers a powerful message to all whom he meets along his journey, particularly the youth.

His message is simple but very powerful - "Anyone can do anything. There is nothing you can't do! Nothing worth anything comes easy. It takes preparation, confidence, honesty and hard work. But... YOU CAN DO IT!" This gentle man radiates motivation, determination, and self-confidence. He has no doubt, despite the dangers of his journey, that he will succeed and reach Montreal. He reaches out to young people along the way, encouraging them to follow their dreams.

It was a chance encounter, one that my grandsons will always remember. One that I plan to integrate into my own writing. We would not have met Mike Ranta if Lake Superior hadn't been rough enough to force him in to shore that day - or if we hadn't changed our travel plans.

A coincidence? Perhaps...

Stay tuned and please stay in touch!

Janet Kay
www.watersofthedancingsky.com