Soul-Making

Have you ever met someone and felt an instant sense of attraction or repulsion even though you do not know the person? In Depth Psychology this is an unconscious as well as alchemical reaction that is understood as part of psychic projective phenomena of affinity, where a constellated chemistry between two individuals is ignited. This phenomenon was understood by Jung mythically as the unio Mystica, or the union of opposites.

This presentation will share how Jung illustrated this psychological understanding of the transference phenomena in alchemical symbolism and illustrations taken from the 16th-century alchemical text, Rosarium Philosophorum. He utilized these illustrations to show the connections that exist between the transformative process shared by alchemy and an analogous transformative process that he discovered in the psychic growth of an individual.

Spa Day - Be Careful What You Ask For

Caroline Chandler and her best friend, Abby, spend a Sunday afternoon at their favorite Day Spa. They leave the spa relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated, but Carli soon discovers an unexpected result from that spa visit. A microchip capable of two-way communication has been implanted behind her right ear. When it is activated, it instructs Carli to perform private courier tasks. The tasks are simple pickup and delivery of anonymous items on behalf of anonymous clients.

Over the next several months, Carli searches for the source of the unintended technology that is now taking over her life. Her search quickly takes her into the world of high-value art and antiquities. The more information she uncovers, the more confused she becomes as to the source of “the system”. Are the tasks legal? Are the tasks safe? The rewards are great, but at what personal cost? How far will she go without compromising her own integrity? Who will she trust in her search for answers?

Caroline has worked in the Harvard hospitals of Boston for most of her career. She has had an interesting life of work-related travel and has met an array of scientists and researchers. But none of her experiences could have prepared her for what she is being asked to do.

Spa Day is set in the present day, amid the historical sites of Boston and the Massachusetts shore, just coming out of a pandemic. The main characters are based on actual people, their experiences, and their expertise. The people that Carli meets along this journey change her life forever. Her story begs the question: What would you do?

Spices of Life and Herbs, Too!

Spices & Herbs: what’s the difference?

Spices are hot and spicy, and herbs are, well, ‘herby,’ right? Not exactly. Spices come from the seeds of a plant, but herbs come from the leaves or roots. So, juniper, vanilla, coffee, and chocolate, are spices, but not spicy, whereas curry leaves and ginger, though quite spicy, are herbs. A good reason for abandoning the distinction, as I have done in this cookbook.

Spices of Life and Herbs, Too! contains 87 recipes, each featuring a different herb or spice (or several), and each with ‘locked-in tastes.’ The book also contains my ‘alphabet’ of spices and herbs, from A to Z, which answers questions such as:

Which is the most expensive spice on the planet?

Answer: Saffron, which comes from crocuses. And how many crocuses do you need to make a kilo of saffron? Answer: 77,000!

Which is the real Spice of Life?

Answer: ‘Spice of Life’ is the nickname of Sumac, ground from the fruits of the Rhus tree, sometimes known as the Tree of Heaven.

Which is the most popular spice in the world?

Answer: Pepper, which comes in many varieties: black, white, pink, red and green.

Which spice was considered as valuable as Manhattan?

Answer: Nutmeg. The only source of Nutmeg used to be the Banda Islands, now part of Indonesia, Once controlled by the British but coveted by the Dutch, these islands were swapped for Manhattan, which Henry Hudson had already claimed for the Dutch Trading Company. The 1647 treaty gave the British control of the whole Hudson River area, whilst the Dutch gained a monopoly supply of their beloved nutmeg.

Spiritual R-Evolution

Would you be willing to sacrifice everything for a promise?

After the disappearance of her cousins, the only clue that Mia has of their whereabouts is a vagabond that lives between madness and cynicism, who claims to be able to take her to where her cousins are: The Sacred Island.

Mia and Leo, her skeptical friend, embark on a trip to an island that defies the boundaries between the real and the imaginary, where Mia is forced to face the secrets of her past.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they find on the island: the chaos of mankind has endangered the Kingdom of the Elementals, so Mia has to make decisions that will take her to people, beings, and places never seen before, in an attempt to save the planet from its own destruction.

Stand Alone Still

Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and healing in this compelling exploration of resilience and forgiveness.

Have you endured unimaginable hardships, surviving what feels like hell on earth, only to realize that the path to salvation lies not in entering heaven, but in healing your own wounded heart? In this poignant tale, you will discover that the true meaning of home extends far beyond physical walls – it resides within the depths of your own being.

As you navigate the challenging terrain of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, you will uncover a profound truth: the battle lies not in the external world, but within yourself. It is through this internal struggle that you find the strength to grow and transcend the limitations imposed upon you.

Story 1: The Delights of Sean Jr.

Sean Jr. had a tough life—as his mother told him, he had the ‘forbidden illness’: lusting for men. His uncle took him in, yet Sean lived a criminal lifestyle ingrained in the family business. Thug life meant trouble was Sean’s middle name; the drugs and jail did not help much either.

Now Sean had two loving parents. Yet his uncle was in conflict, wanting to protect Sean from the evils of their family’s work while disapproving of his player lifestyle. Meanwhile, the body count from their criminal exploits continued to rise.

Storyteller in Times Square

Storyteller in Times Square opens with a visit to New York and the ruins of the World Trade Center. Thus begins a poetry collection that reflects in subtle and surprising ways the post World War II history of the United States. Without being either “political” or “ideological,” the poet employs concise and often disciplined forms of language to touch upon deeper matters of destiny and feeling.  Our lives, our deeds, our ideas—all of these have consequences for how we treat our land and each other. The moments of lyricism and humor help us to keep our balance. And the perspective is important, for these poems are about paying attention to reality. Can we pay attention to the voices of history submerged in our wake, swirling behind us? Perhaps that question in essence is what these poems ask of us.

Stragaton - Warrior King

Stragaton is a sword fighting warrior who developed tremendous powers from God. The warrior king has the ability to rip open the mouth of a lion and pull out his tongue.

Stragaton is found to be an interesting story about good and evil. Clayton, the evil emperor, rules vast nations with an iron first. Azalea is determined to save her nations from Clayton’s vicious army.

Stragaton is an intriguing character, something of myth and legend. God sent him from heaven to help save humanity from the wicked bondage of Clayton. The wicked emperor who is half-man/half-serpent, has the world trembling to its knees. Will Stragaton make a difference?

Submission

This is a story about a marriage breakdown and the difficulties facing primarily women in protecting themselves and in collecting support payments under the Ontario justice system.

This is a story about justice delayed, justice denied, and how the justice system failed to level the playing field.

Every day a woman is demoralized in not being able to collect on support orders.

Every day in Canada a woman is subjected to ongoing abuse with her partner with minimal assistance through the legal system.

This story is typical of a woman’s plight going through a legal system where the parties have lost faith and face the dilemma of giving up or taking the law into their own hands.

Sunset Silhouettes

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

round up its warmth and retracts the lights to feed another

in degrees it recedes, slipping in, out, and about

the flaming orangey clouds half-dipped in the horizon

a dazzling hopelessness courts the night

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

but can it account for the slumped lone silhouette

faceless beauty that hovers in its foreground

matching its sadness with the splendid sunset

a dazzling hopelessness encamps the soul

the final charm of a dying day.

Sunset Silhouettes is Linda Adede Ongola’s debut poetry anthology which features a hundred poems written mostly in free verse and of the confessional genre. It covers themes of mental health, theodicy, love, betrayal, and corruption among other social concerns.

Supernaturalis Mortem

In the year A.D. 390, magic is both omnipresent and feared in newly Christian Rome. In an effort to revive their faith, three witches cast a curse on local leaders of the Empire’s new religion, subjecting them to demonic hauntings, possessions, and eventual death. Will the Iracundus family be able to survive the witches’ curse? Can the witches succeed in their quest for revenge?

Medea has always cherished her witch heritage, despite her family’s mistreatment of her. When her mother and grandmother decide to take action against the town’s mistreatment of them and their fellow believers, Medea initially supports their cause. However, when they unveil their plan for vengeance, Medea begins to question the morality of their actions.

As Medea attempts to convince her family to see reason and find a way to satisfy their desire for justice without resorting to revenge, she must navigate a difficult path that will affect not only herself but also her family, enemies, and the entire town.

Switch-Hitter

Switch-Hitter is the story of an ambidextrous female tennis player who plays the game with two forehands but quits after the untimely death of her father, a baseball switch-hitter who was her only coach. Enticed back into the game, she joins forces with an older Bahamian tennis coach who ends up moving in with her family. It is a feel-good American story about the obstacles encountered on the way to the top of the sport. In spite of issues including teenage pregnancy, racism, and geopolitical turmoil, will Sheila, our switch-hitter, fulfil her dream of being the first ambidextrous tennis player to win a major championship?