Author Fav’s – Mike Gilotti

I invite readers and visitors to enjoy this excerpt from Redemption – a Dragon Core tale.

With commentary.

Devi’s Diner, New York

The bell over the door jangled as Homicide Detective Mike Gilotti stepped through.  Nodding to the cook he glanced around, noted that, as hoped, the place was relatively empty.  A mom and her two kids sat at a booth close to the door while a regular by the name of Jackson nursed a beer at the counter near the kitchen.  Two seats down a guy who would have been at home in the NFL was eating a burger.  Waiving off the waiter who’d been on break he made his way toward a booth in the far corner.

“Hey Detective.  Your usual?”

“I have a usual?” he fired back; his New York accent thick.

Kyle smirked.  “You have two, actually.  Black or bitter.”

“It’s bitter tonight,” he came back referring to beer instead of java.  “I’m off for the next two days.”

“Anything to eat?”

“Nah.”

“You cheatin’ on us, Detective?” the waiter teased.  “Eating drive-thru?”

“I was on a stake-out junior.”

“I knew it.  Drive-thru.”  He shook his head.  “You know we do doggie bags.”  He tapped the table.  “Be right back with your beer.”

Author Commentary

Detective Mike Gilotti has been one of my favorite characters.  

An amalgum of a variety of relatives either blood or through marriage he has been a lot of fun to work with as he acts as an outside view into the world those he loves and strives to protect.

What makes it particularly fun is how he not only accepts everything – in great part from his upbringing and professional experience – but draws the community he’s a part of into it.

As evidenced in this scene.

I look forward to his continuing role in the Dragon Core series.

Stay tuned.

New Feature – Author Fav’s

Hello and Happy April Fools Day! In the midst of a project and decided to add a fun new feature to my website.

To bring a smile to readers and visitors.

Author Favorites

As part of this new feature I will be sharing some of my favorite scenes from various books.

Adding color commentary.

For the inaugural post I’m sharing a scene from Shadow of the Gods.

Note:  For this scene I put myself in the mind of Mica – the line she’s walking – being in love with a shape shifter – having to hide this from her family.

How many of us have had to hide the one they were with from those who might not understand?

– and the funny and sometimes maddening situations she’s put in because of it.

It’s not like she can say “Hey, mom, dad…guess who’s coming to dinner …?”

Without further ado…

She is Mica

She chatted with the West Coast raven shifter for a few more minutes before hanging up and resuming her pacing.  Too much going through her mind.  Too much loose energy and damn if academics no longer served as a conduit for discharging it.

“Mica?”

She whirled.  It was no mystery she hadn’t heard him but she couldn’t help wondering how long he’d been there watching her.  “Hello, Cayden.”  She stepped over to the window and into his embrace.  He’d just opened his mouth to her when the door to her bedroom was thrown open.

Mica spun around.  “Joe.”

For several moments her brother stared.  “Tell me you weren’t just kissing a bird.”

It was all she could do not to laugh.

“It was like that Stevie Nicks album cover, right?  But you weren’t kissing it.”

“What do you need, Joe?”

Cradle of Love – A Study in EMF Sensitivity

A child** of the 80s I recently decided to revisit Billy Idol’s Cradle of Love video.

A classic.

An interesting factoid came to the cosmic surface.

Factoid – fun.

It sounded more pleasing through the Youtube video.

Note:  Engineer Derek Gauger (author of the Foreward to my book Riding the Waves) once tried to explain the sometimes painful audio experiences I had listening to digital – especially satellite music – was due to compression ratio.

When I listen to satellite radio I hear a high-pitched (awful/painful) squeal and any male singer sounds as if he’s wearing his Speedos too tight.  Needless to say I’m not a fan.

Fiction V Nonfiction.

Though I’m working on a Dragon Core project I never miss the opportunity to learn.

Especially when it comes to EMF Sensitivity.

Something was niggling at the back of my mind.

An EMF something.

Donning a cherished Christmas gift 

Headphones from Grado Labs.

I compared listening to the same song via Youtube video V Apple Music.

Apple doesn’t offer the music video which would have offered me an apples to – no pun intended – apples comparison.

Note:  Every time I read “remastered” when searching for music I want to puke.

I cut my own casettes from album so don’t go there.

What I concluded is the Billy Idol video is far less painful – audially – than any remastered whatever.

I guarantee it has to do with that EMF context that gets caught up in the audio compression rate soup.

Conclusion

At this point?  Doest it matter?***   What I do know is I  won’t be downloading the mp3 anytime soon.

Given the video isn’t available for purchase I suppose I can play it in the background while working on Messenger of the Gods.

Audially?  I bow to no one.

Not when it comes it listening quality.  

** I was not a “child” then

*** Neil Young and his Pono project do.

I Get Every Season – But Why Now?

Growing up with Hippie parents – not to mention LIVING through some of the times in question – child that I was – gives a unique perspective on life.

The gift that keeps on giving.

To Every Season

Turn Turn Turn

Dragon Core

For whatever reason I stumbled when trying to find the vibe for Aesop’s Cove.

The heartbeat of Dragon Core

I wanted – needed – to sit in a place that felt like the Seattle centerpiece of the series. 

To bask in vibes I could wear as I wrote.

No Dice

Damn Goldilocks

Like other Creatives the Muse is in charge

For years I traveled to and visited venues in and around the Seattle Metro Area

Dive bars, places that landed in one periodical or another…

Disrupting various lives – including my own – in search of the physical embodiment of of what I lived while writing those scenes.

Like I said – the Muse is in charge.

Turn turn turn

Unable to find the right locale [read vibe] I forged a way through a path of pain and uncertainty.

I couldn’t write until I had the soul pieces in place.

Muse again ya?

Turn turn turn

Enter Covid

The path forced me to take a break.

Or was it the Muse?

Turn turn turn

And so it came to pass that while I healed the world healed and – changed.

The one constant right?

One day I ventured to a place I’d been to but never thought of as a possibility for the Aesop’s Cove vibe.  Lo and behold they’d evolved and the locale was now a solid physical option to wrap myself in the vibe.

Weirdly Enough

On the other side of the post Covid energy evolution …

I stopped by the place that had been a place holder for Aesop’s Cove only to find I no longer connected to it.

Still wrestling with that and what it means

Circle Back

A tool I use in my writing

Years ago I asked an engineer friend of mine living in A2 whether – when we move – do we change or does what we left behind change?  His answer?  Both

Which at the time was totally irritating.

I now understand what my friend was trying to convey.

Relativity revisited.

I couldn’t find my Aesop’s Cove before now because not only did the place not exist I was not ready; something the theory of relativity explains perfectly.

Thanks G3!

And so life happens.

When and as we need it.

Old (Working) Habits Die Hard

Decided to head to a local place to do a bit of a working lunch.

In addition to good food and good service it has a good vibe.

Unplanned

I wasn’t anticipating that the moment I stepped through the door I would be invited to sit near someone already there.  After a brief reflection – I’d planned on working – I decided perhaps the Universe was sending a message:  Don’t work through lunch – enjoy it.

The patron was a delightful conversationalist.

He left before my lunch arrived.

In his absence I got quite a bit accomplished toward the current project

Messenger of the Gods, a Dragon Core novel.

As I ate I considered the break in an activity I’d been doing since elementary school

Working Lunch

It was the nuns who first suggested we utilize time eating to study or otherwise do schoolwork, going so far as to suggest we learn to eat with our nondominant hand while writing with the other.

Forgoing time outdoors to focus on studies whenever possible.

Long after I left Catholic school I continued the tradition of working through lunch.

Corporate = Right At Home

In some respects corporate success depends on the ability to work through lunch.

I don’t mean lunch meetings.  

Many were the months spent working alongside fellow techies catching up or getting a head start, to the degree it was not only the norm, it was expected.

As were working nights and weekends.

If you wanted a Meets or Exceeds Standards on your review.

When considered in this context I realized that while I enjoyed the break, albeit a temporary one, to try to change such a habit would be to go against something I’ve done for decades.

Probably not worth the energy it would take to undo decades of programming.

Begs the Question

Does it Need to be Changed?

If I thought – or got feedback – the practice was harmful I would definitely be looking to change but given stepping out to a different environment has been tremendously beneficial to my well-being and my career, I have to think that in general, it’s not a bad habit.

One thing I know.  Spontaneity is never dull.

Valentine’s Thank You

Just taking time to wish readers and visitors a Happy Valentine’s Day and to thank you for all the wonderful support you’ve given over the years.

I feel very fortunate to have had lifelong support for my dream of being a novelist

  • Family

Especially my parents and grandparents

  • Neighbors

Who encouraged my love of reading as well as writing and were ready to discuss books 

  • Teachers

Math and science teachers who took time to discuss universal what-ifs? and others who advised me on how to do proper research or just gave encouragement 

  • Classmates

Including those who weren’t close friends but who were quick with an encouraging word

  • Coworkers 

Some of whom were also aspiring writers and who never tired of listening to me talk of my dream

  • Readers

Without whom this wouldn’t be possible

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Elizabeth

Project Update

Hello everyone!  Wanted to provide a quick update on various projects.

After much consideration I’ve decided to decomission Metatron’s Army.  

For details including an audio message from me, click here.

I will be releasing new material in both my Dragon Core and Port Gallatan series.

I’m excited about the new projects and anticipate new material being available by or before autumn.

Stay tuned!

Manifesting 101: Feelings

As I sat down  for a working lunch – having just arranged my laptop and other related tools –  I spared a moment to ponder a familiar feeling .  What makes it noteworthy is it’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in some time.

In a locale over a thousand miles away.

As I pondered further I considered I was finally getting a concept related to more recent treatise on manifesting

Drawing on emotion to enhance efforts.

The idea is that if you can “refeel” positive emotions it will put you in a frame of being that will draw a goal that elicits – once achieved – an equally positive one.  There’s a catch.

Manifesting in Reverse?

Confusion quickly set in because the feeling – good as it is – isn’t one I associate with this geography.

Yes the location I’m workingat has a good vibe but it’s a far cry in numerous ways from the other locale.

One thing I can’t argue with is the fact I really was feeling the feeling from years ago in a place far away.  

It dawned on me:  What I wanted – was trying to manifest – was what I got.

That wonderful feeling.

As opposed to the location.

I didn’t see the difference bbefore now ecause I associated the feeling with a specific location and it’s a feeling I haven’t experienced anywhere else. prior to recent times

So recent I didn’t even put two and two together until today.

I always assumed it was a feeling unique to the far away locale

Especially given each and every time I visit the feeling returns – pretty instantaneously.

Quickly reviewing the manifestation goal tied to this feeling I realized I really had – perhaps unconsciously – fixated on a feeling rather than an image of the location associated with the feeling.  

Something to Work With

So says the Universe

It made me realize I got what I was trying to manifest.

A feeling associated with a time and a place.

What You Wish For

Doesn’t that suggest I really wanted the location associated with the feeling?

Maybe – but…

I can apply all sorts of hindsight as to why it’s better I didn’t get that place.  In the end?  I now understand – taking all factors into consideration – the Universe- in its infinite wisdom – works perfectly to help you achieve your goals if you zero in on the specific why – emotionally – you want it.

Bonus:  The Universe only responds to positive emotions and works for the best outcome for all involved.

You don’t have to worry about the details.

Revel in the feeling.

Your goals await.

Manifesting 101: Details Shmetails

I’ve recently been working on a writing project increasing in complexity as I make progress.

Not great.

Even with encouragement from the Universe – in the form of articles validating scientific principles woven into the fictional storyline – the project itself has started tying me up in knots.  

The Cursed Hows

To put in context I need to go back to 2013.

To Arizona.

We were at a crossroads.

Renting month to month while deciding whether to go east or west.

I was fortunate to discover the work of Mike Dooley who introduced me to the concept of the cursed hows.

Long story short he framed the idea that while it’s natural for some if not most of us to be planners when it comes to manifesting goals we have an opportunity to seriously reduce stress if we don’t worry about how it’s going to happen.

No need to know the details – just trust that it will.

Letting Go

Which circles back to faith and confidence in manifesting – a challenge I’ve had.

I’m a planner.  I needed to know how it would happen so I could anticipate issues – cut them off at the pass.  

Um – ha ha.

After reading Mike’s take I was able to let go of the need to know which built confidence somehow it would happen – and I didn’t need to worry about the details

The cursed hows

Confidence

This led to faith that the same energy that worked numerous miracles in my life wasn’t going to screw up when it came to my goals.

Including not granting them when it was in my best interest.

I didn’t have a problem with the idea I deserved to achieve my goals – I just needed to know how it would happen.

Circling Back

To my current project.

For days I worried over how I was going to find the wherewithal to tackle a project that was a means to an ends.

It was energy intensive at a time I was coming out of severe burnout.  I didn’t want to slide backward.

After waking stressed 3 days in a row I told myself not to worry about it.

Note:I had confidence in the project. 

It’s a project of the soul. That wasn’t the issue…

I assured myself – at 5:35am – “You’ll figure it out.”

That confidence came from reminding myself I’d published over 20 books, had been interviewed for my EMF Sensitivity work, and was comfortable in my skin as a writer.

It was while on a walk later that morning – still wondering how am I ever going to pull this off? – that rather than reminding myself I had what it takes I reminded myself I didn’t need to worry about the cursed hows. 

I told myself to keep on the path of what I was doing and any next steps that needed to happen would present themselves at the appropriate time.

An Odd Thing

For me.

Maybe it was deciding to live a philosophy understood on paper but suddenly I was lighter of heart.

Confident somehow it would all work out.

What I did know was that I now had the energy to take the next step confident whatever I needed to do next would just be there.

Somehow.

I didn’t need to worry about it.

The Universe would guide me.

Feeling better I finished my walk and got back to work.

The Universe Confirms

Plugging into my morning routine I was half-astounded half-amused to find a thumbs up from the Universe had come into my sphere of awareness.

Timing – like Perspective – is Everything.

Unlike the other messages this one spoke to the philosophical methodology I was just coming to embrace.

A methodology that had been an Achilles heel for decades.

Not a coincidence.

Sign Post or Post Note?

The experience allowed me to further release attachment to the process

Strengthened the idea it would all work out 

And wouldn’t you know solutions to various concerns began to appear

As if by magic

Manifesting 101: Encouragement or Distraction?

I recently wrote that after deciding to take on a project of some magnitude I began getting messages that could be – and were – considered encouragement from the Universe.  

Each time I felt overwhelmed by the project one of these messages of encouragement would find its way into my awareness.

Life Validating Art?

The articles – scientific in nature – share a theme:  Science is proving what I’ve written about – in fiction.

Coincidence or Not?

Not.

The fiction was simply a way for me to incorporate scientific principles I’d long believed.  The principles existed – in the world of theoretical physics but I wrote the fiction long before I was able to study the principles.

High school teaches classical physics. You generally need to go to college before you can study – in-depth – theoretical physics, quantum mechanics, and associated principles.

I’m finding it a bit of an emotional tangle to see my theories – blended into my fiction – validated by science.

Especially as it’s now availble to the public not just those studying in college.

Bread Crumbs or Distraction?

Each time I felt overwhelmed another piece of the scientific puzzle came across my sphere of awareness.

Another scientific article would be available.

There was a randomness to it all in that some of the pieces would appear in my Apple News feed but be from a magazine I’d never heard of. Others an article on a news site I visit such as the LA or London Times.

One was even in the Wall Street Journal!

As I continued with the project I began to wonder if in writing the themes into the tale I hadn’t been trying to tell myself something.

A suspicion strengthened with every scientific article that appeared.

The suspicion became a distraction as I considered that even in high school – when I wove the tale – I was trying to help myself solve a mystery.

One regarding parallel universes perhaps?

Because I wrote these beliefs into a fiction tale years before I was able to study them in-depth is introducing complexity. It’sn opportunity to explore the principles but it’s also a distraction of epic proportions.

Then and now.

In high school I was constantly challenging math and science teachers on the flaws in what was being taught.  

Classical physics fails to address principles of and associated with quantum physics.

Fortunately, most of my teachers were willing to spare the time – so long as I didn’t bring it up during class – to discuss my theories and hypotheses.

I will forever be grateful to my physics and pre-calc teachers for giving me their time and sharing their beliefs which dovetailed mine beautifully.

And for the patience of my geometry teacher who wasn’t willing to stretch herself but didn’t take it out on my grade.

College was a different story and I happily engaged and sparred with professors – including a music TA – on the world beyond classical physics.

I was also extremely fortunate to intern for Stanley Ovshinsky during which I had many conversations about my theories with he and some of his top researchers.

After which he gave me access to various journals in his scientific library.

And Now?

The science underpinning the story is again becoming a distraction.  While I’m thrilled to see my theories validated, rather than serving as encouragement I’m starting to find the information pulling me away from the project by tempting me to do more research.

And ever more research which means I’ll never get the project finished.

Interpreting Interpreting.

On a philosophical level one could say that perhaps that is what the message is; not that I’m receiving encouragement through validation but that the Universe is nudging me back into research.

Only time will tell.

Stay tuned.

Note:  The latest article to tempt me away from a project that is mentally intense can be found here.