Category Archives: General

General posts that do not fit into any other category.

Easter Island Discovery – Reminder of Darkness of the Sun

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Bella Fontaine stood immobilized, her hypnotic green eyes transfixed upon the gripping spectacle in the heavenly realm before her. The polarized Typhoon sunglasses sheltered her vision, blocking all but the most miniscule glare of the torrid rays caused by the sun’s gradual entrapment beyond the brave parading moon.

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It was July 11th, 2010, and Easter Island was everything that she had ever dared dream it might be. Known to the original natives as Rapa Nui, this small slice of heaven is extremely remote, located at the southeastern most point of the Polynesian triangle between Hawaii and South America. Widely famous for 887 extant monumental statues, called “moai,” carved by the early inhabitants, Bella had read with rapture of their mysterious aura. The Rapa Nui National Park swallows up a large percentage of this virgin isle.

The two above paragraphs are excerpts from the first chapter of Rhonda St. Clair’s captivating novel ‘The Dartkenss of the Sun’ heralded online by an unknown reader as one of the best books dealing with abusive relationships.

The recent news story that it had been discovered that the statues on Easter Island, formerly thought to only be heads, have bodies, brought the book to my mind…not just because Rhonda is my wife, but because it starts out on Easter Island and is a very good read, especially for women who have undergone abusive situations. Get it and see for yourself. There is now a link to the StCP site at the upper right of this blog.

Interesting widespread urban legend

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In doing research for a future book today I came upon an interesting urban legend.

A large number of states have stories of babies dying on bridges, producing rumors that these bridges were haunted and the cry of the babies could still be heard. In Anderson, South Carolina (1850s—a mother reportedly threw her baby off the bridge after her husband died in the war); on White Lick Creek in Anderson, Indiana (a baby died in a car crash); near Smyrna, Delaware (a mother reportedly threw her baby off the bridge). These bridges, and many others, are all nicknamed ‘Crybaby Bridge.’ In Ohio, there are said to be no fewer than 24 ‘crybaby bridges,’ and it is heralded as the most widespread urban legend, by far, in the state. Salem, Akron and Lima are but a few of these locations. In each case, it is alleged that sounds of crying may be heard from the bridge. Other states with such legends include New Jersey, Illinois, Oklahoma, Georgia Alabama, and Texas. A separate stream in Lufkin, Texas is called ‘Crybaby Creek’ for the same reason.

Perhaps I should have saved this for Halloween or at least Friday the 13th of July. But it came up now, and I wanted to share. Reading can enlighten our minds and enrich our knowledge. Check out our huge selection of books at http://sstclairpublications.com . If you have Kindle, most of them are available in that format on Amazon worldwide.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jog

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When I was a child my mother used to use a little rhyme with me when we had returned from a trip. “To market, to market, to buy a fat hog, home again, home again jiggedy jog.” Tonight, after a week away which I dearly loved, I’m rather glad to be home. One of the movies the kids watched while on the road (probably for the hundredth time) was the Wizard of Oz. I know how the ficticious Dorothy would feel after returning from Oz. She had a marvelous experience, but it was good to get back to Kansas.

So I must say I will get to doing the blog in ernest later. It’s back to reality fo me and mine.

All That Glitters

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After a marvelous day yesterday at the park, and a great time of relaxation here, tomorrow we will be heading back to the world of reality. But not before inspiration hit me. This morning lying awake before arizing, a story line came to me for a book which will be enjoyed by teens to adults, and which may change their destiny if applied. Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps. I have already done an outline and am beginning to develop the story.

Here’s a little preview, but I won’t give away the surprises…you’ll have to read the book when it comes out; and that will be some time yet. This is a tale of a Jewish American boy who goes back to the town where he was born for his bar mitzvah. His grandfather is deathly ill, and feels compelled to tell him a story about what happened to him beginning on his 13th birthday which changed the rest of his life. Compelling drama, right to the end. My working title is ‘All That Glitters.’

My next entry will be done from home. In the meantime, good reading.

Friends, goodtimes and Goatfeathers

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Today was a combination of a lot of relaxation, reading, walking about, visiting with nearby friends at their home on the bay, and eating dinner at a place called Goatfeathers. The visit was nice and a good break after stolling through beach shops and looking at local art.

Now horsefeathers I had heard of, but Goatfeathers was a new word to me,  but I will have to give the place a good rating for atmosphere, service and food. If you ever find yourself in the area between Panama City and Destin, Florida, look them up.

Having reading material is a great idea, and I’ve been on my Kindle and into paperbacks both this week. St. Clair Publications offers a fine variety of genres in these formats. Visit us at http://stclairpublications.com .

 

Failure is not an option

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I have always been thankful for thre encouragement I received while growing up from my family. I was made to feel that anything I set my head and heart to accomplish, I could.

If we beileve we can achieve our goals, failure is not an option.

This modern statement of resolve came fully into our vocabulary in the 1990s, especially after Ed Harris used it playing Gene Kranz in Apollo 13 in 1995 (The phrase was not actually used by Kranz during the mission, though he did write a book by that title that strengthened the use of the phrase). But at least one printed example pre-dated that decade. The following citation is from an ad in Field and Stream in October, 1988.

“When one shotgun has to do the job of three, Failure is not an option.”

Set your goals high and never accept less than your best.

 

Getting ready to relax

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As we prepare to get away for vacation this year to enjoy some much needed relaxation, it came to my mind that when I first journeyed to the area where we will be traveling this weekend, the beautiful white sand beeches of the Florida Gulf Coast, where I lived for two years, it was just as Hurricane Eloise was hitting. Later, when it was easier to laugh than cry about that traumatic experience, I penned a few verses about it now found in the just-for-fun section of Reflections on Life, a volume of my poetry. I will include it here, and am happy to know that the forecast will be lovely for the coming week. And Happy Holiday to all.

ELOISE’S KNOCK

In late September Seven’ five,

When at the Gulf, I did arrive;

Oh, such a welcome to receive,

The howling knock of Eloise!

 

A schoolhouse beckoned all about

In hopes we’d safely set it out.

An elder gent was brought in there

Whose hearrt was failing from the scare.

 

A nurse was present, God be praised;

With respiration he was saved.

Miss Eloise soon bade farewell,

And we went home to rest a spell.

 

 

 

 

The Printed Word

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The internet, smart phones, and e-books have forever changed the way we communicate. Though I love writing about the good old days, which seem pleasantly nostalgic and conjure up fond memories of bygone days, I have no desire to return to them. I’m content with the blessings and comforts of the twenty-first century that our youth take for granted. That is one reason I am pleased to be able to offer many of our books through Amazon on Kindle format.

Still, there’s something about the printed word, and curling up in with an honest-to-goodness book that can’t be replaced by anything else. They can be taken on excursions where 4G service doesn’t reach. So if you still enjoy removing a book from the shelf and turning real pages, check out the work of our fantastic authors today online at http://stclairpublications.com or on an Amazon affiliate worldwide.

 

 

Writing from the heart

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Today I am using the following snippet from the introduction a future book I am writing which will not be ready for release for over a year:

“Since my mother was a school teacher once included in ‘Who’s Who in North Carolina Education’ who would remove printed works from the shelf and systematically edit the typos as she read, writing and editing just came to be engrained into my makeup. When I gave up art (something I dearly love, and for which I received early recognition) as ‘not my strongest talent,’ I adopted writing and have found its pursuit irresistible. Words have become my paint and the computer, my brush.” 

When one writes from the heart the words seem to flow onto the page or screen of the computer. As one of my authors once said, ‘This book wrote itself.’ When this senerio takes place you can be sure that you are at your highest level of creativity as an author.

Have a great day!

Reasearch opens doors and eyes

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For a number of years I have been doing research for books, and have had some real eye-opening experiences. The more a person digs into history, the more that person finds that much of what we are taught was written from a very narrow viewpoint–that of the author.

My latest releases have related to the origins of common phrases which we English-speakers all use in our everyday conversation. Here, as with other history, I have found that many misconceptions exist as to where these phrases originated. The Internet is a treasure-trove of information, but also contains much misinformation. For example, for the past hundred and forty-eight years, a lot of writers have felt that Abraham Lincoln coined the proverb, “Don’t change horses in the middle of the stream.” Other variations exist. Though he said something similar, he was certainly not the first to say it. I have devoted my research to bursting myths in this respect. Though I can’t take the credit for righting this wrong, my books contain a good many corrections of misquoted cliche origins. Order your copy of either On the Origin of the Cliches and Evolution of Idioms, or the companion book, On the Origin of the Cliches, All New Book II today at http://stclairpublications.com or on Amazon. Also available as an ebook on Kindle format. May be borrowed free by members of Amazon Prime.