Off - into the wild blue yonder.

It's now after 9.00 pm.  This is definitely the last blog for the day.
I'll probably have a few days off after this.
But check in regularly, the updates will be more frequent.

So what is it that's likely to happen, that I hinted at in my 2nd blog of the day?

I've bought myself a motor home.

I'm about to become a grey nomad and head off into the wild blue yonder.

Downloading Spirit is ready for launch.  August 12th is the date.
You know it seems a good idea, not only to keep on blogging,
but to spread the message as I travel around this vast land of Australia.
Maybe even have talks about Downloading Spirit in the many places
I visit.

I'll also get to finish the final three chapters of 

Downloading Spirit - 

Book 11 - Gaia and Galactica.

It's exciting.  A whole new world to explore ... meeting new people ... wow!

Walk through all your difficulties, your fears, hold to love and life, 

and remember,

we create what we think.

I'll be online throughout my travels.
Stay in touch and share your thoughts with me.
Let me know what you think of the book ...what you think of my discoveries.

Well I started the day with a "cuppa" - think it's time to finish the day with one.
I'm tired.  It has been a long day.

Sleep well everyone.  Catch you again soon.

Nama Amida Butsu.

Rest and Recuperation.

Rest and Recuperation.  How good is that?

For the next few weeks, it's time for me to re-gather my thoughts, re-organise everything that has been neglected for so long, and replenish my soul.

I need to do this because I'm about to re-undertake two ventures I'd hoped to complete  about 18 months ago and in April-May of this year.

I've now realised there were things to which I hadn't fully attended. Also, that they were linked in a way I had not seen. Consequently, there have been two false starts.

However, I've survived, and learnt.  I'm still loving, now laughing and so keen to just get on with my life.  I know I'll always learn.

It's almost time to effectively launch my work of the last 8 years.

So I'm perched on a peaceful branch, in a serene place, tidying things up, preparing and resting.

I'm going to get my hair done, who knows, I might even have a facial.  Not that it will do this time and weatherbeaten face much good anymore, BUT, it makes you feel good.  Instead of being frazzled and exhausted, I am excited and eager.

Still full of life, I have reached the age and stage of the Crone. 

The third aspect of the female trinity.  

It's time for Downloading Spirit to go out to the world.  

It tells the story of some of the things I have learnt on this journey we call life.  It is my extrapolation of what Spirit has downloaded to me.

May it fulfill its purpose.  May it prove worthwhile reading for many.

The book will be available as both a paperback and hard back, for sale on Amazon on the 12th August, 2012.  It will be available through my website, and as an e-book for Kindle.

You will be able to order it through bookstores, Ex Libris and other online distributors.

Stay tuned, in keeping with trilogies and trinities, there could well be a third blog this evening.

Nama Amida Butsu ...

Peace at last, I return to my core.

I woke at 5.30 am.  It was dark still, and I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea to take back to bed with me.  I enjoy being able to contemplate/meditate quietly, sipping a 'cuppa' watching the sun come up.  It hasn't happened for me in a while.

Waiting for the kettle to boil I  went to get my computer to take back to bed with me.  "Maybe I'll feel like writing that pregnant, gestating blog that's been brewing in me", I thought.



I looked out into the garden, through the trees to behold a vibrant sliver crescent moon surrounded by the brightest stars, and I thought: "It's been so long since I have been in touch with the sky and the earth."  A feeling of joy ran through me as I connected again with the Moon and the stars.






Tea made, I put my pugs back to bed.  They thought because I was up it was breakfast time.  But no, it's back to bed time, for all of us.

I turned lights off, drew my bedroom curtains, and sat in bed watching the pink intense glow of morning slowly lighten the sky, and cause those beautiful stars and sliver of moon to fade.  The silhouette of the trees still dominates, but colour is coming into the plants just outside my window.  Greys become green, bricks and clay dirt become a kind of ochre pink.

And so it's day.  And unbelievably, I'm writing a blog again.

I've been wanting to do this since the end of May, when I valiantly, believe me, valiantly, tried to focus my thoughts back on Downloading Spirit.

It wasn't meant to be. Still too many family and personal duties to fulfill.  Now that is done.  I hope.  I have each day a sense of greater freedom to pursue everything I wish to do with Downloading Spirit.

I have a so much news to tell you, but now it's daytime and two pugs are letting me know in no uncertain terms that it's time to go outside, and need I say it, breakfast.

Stay tuned today,  I'll be jotting bits and pieces, when I have a break in what I suspect is going to be a very busy day.

Back soon.

Is as much happening in your world as in mine?

My last blog was at the end of the London Book Fair.  I was tired, but ecstatic.

It was my intention to continue writing two to three times each week as I'd been doing for the previous month or so.

I like doing that because I see the stats rise continually and sharply.  I have the occasional comment, which is like gold, and I feel satisfied that the news of what's happening re Downloading Spirit is getting out there.

So much for my good intentions.

I actually started writing blogs on three occasions after I left London, but somehow with everything that was going on, I didn't get around to doing the editing and tidying up before publishing.  In France I almost did it, but I had internet problems, and my computer crashed.  Communication systems in France seemed to be generally erratic and frustrating ... at least they were for me.

When I got to Germany things seemed to be working again.  Is that weird or what?

Consequently when I started to write today, I re-discovered three unpublished blogs from the past.
Once I publish this, I'll post them over the next week to ten days.
Hopefully, you'll manage to fit them in to the sequence of my hectically busy life.

In Germany and Holland I was still so busy catching up with family and friends, I barely had time to scratch myself, let alone write.

Before I knew it I was flying back home.

Orlando

No sooner was I off the plane than I had a phone call telling me that Orlando, my beautiful Egyptian stallion, had had an accident and there are life threatening complications.  I'll know the prognosis tomorrow.  Please join me in praying and meditating for his recovery.

A disrupted night's sleep, and I'm on my way again.  This time driving for the next sixteen hours covering a distance equivalent to a road trip from Paris to Poland.


So here I am, shell-shocked, exhausted and wondering when calmness and sanity will return to my life ...  and this is not all that's happening.
Well at least I'm not bored.

These times are extraordinary whether we consider our personal lives or the world at large.  Day to day events are often a wild storm of chaos challenging and changing our lives and our world in so many ways.

This week there is an annular Solar Eclipse in Gemini, followed in two weeks time by the Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius.  Shortly thereafter Venus transits the Sun, also in Gemini.  At this time Venus will move ... as a tiny black spot ... across the face of the Sun.  This is very rare.

I'm a Gemini ... maybe this could have something to do with all that's happening in my life.
One thing is for sure ...

It's a time of change, and it's happening to us all ... endings and new beginnings.

I have a sense that overall, it's good.  Even though it's challenging, if we take the time to calmly assess everything, love and believe in ourselves, the right decisions will be made.

In the meantime we get on with living our lives ... coping with all the extremities and challenges we face.

I have come to view life as the greatest opportunity I've ever been given ... a gift beyond measure, no matter what I encounter.  I always seem to find that moment of oneness and bliss.  That brief moment which makes it all worthwhile.

It doesn't last that long ... but it always returns.

It's the same old thing again.  Walk through the fears of the negatives, see them as lessons, signs that guide us to the right path, and move on with love embracing the positives, creating a new and better life.

Exhilarated, excited, exhausted, ecstatic ... how's that for alliteration.

Here is the update, promised in the last update on the update.  The photos arrived this morning, so I'm a little late in publishing the latest news.  I wanted to include the following image.

Irina Webster (Australian Self Publishing Group) and myself at London Book Fair.

The final day of the Book Fair brought even more joy ... another two requests to submit to publishers.

Amazingly this brings the number of submission requests to five.  Two from US publishers, one from Scotland, and two from England.  One request is very much due to the forewood that John Woodcock was generous and kind enough to write for me after he read Downloading Spirit.

While I've been here I've learnt so much about the publishing, printing, designing and distribution aspects of the book industry.  So many countries are represented at this Book Fair.

You can get quotes from companies from countries all over the world, for printing, designing, distributing both e-books and bound books if you want to self publish.  I'm awaiting quotes in all areas.

It's important that the book is printed in one of three sizes, which are most favoured by the booksellers.  It's important your books have what's known as returnability to whoever does the distribution or publishing.

Publishers want to know if and how you promote yourself, e.g. blogging, networking, workshops, book signings, speaking engagements ...

Agents and publishers usually concentrate on certain genres.

It's so important for a writer trying to get published for the first time, particularly if they are self publishing, to find a group of like minded people who can help you to reach a learning venue such as the London Book Fair.

I was represented here by the Australian Self Publishers Group.  William and Irina Webster were the people who enabled me to gain access to the London Book Fair.  I thank them for the support, positive suggestions and the introductions they assisted me with.

The other amazing and wonderful thing with the LBF, is that often you get to speak with the CEO's of companies like Amazon and leading publishers in the genre covering one's book.

You just have to get up the courage to overcome your fears of rejection, of believing in what you've done sufficiently, to give it a go.  To go up to the person concerned, introduce yourself, and ask questions.

I'll say it again.  Walk through your fear.  Shine your light, for the world to see.


As Molly, my mother taught me back in the days when most parents told their children to be seen and not heard ... Molly my Mum taught me You have a tongue in your head, Jannie, use it.


This is what I've done here in London.  I've walked my talk and promoted Downloading Spirit, grateful that so many heard me.

So here I am, tired, chilling out and getting over the exhaustion of this marketing and learning experience. Getting my book out to the world has been an amazing experience.

It's been an exhilarating and exciting, roller coaster time here in London for me.

Again I've realised so clearly that being true to yourself, and living your life authentically is the only fulfilling and meaningful way to live.

Walk through your fears and live your life with love.

Update on the Update ... thoughts from a very tired me.

There'll be another post tomorrow.  One that is more exciting and elated.  The amazing things I've learnt and been blessed with whilst I've been here.

But now, tired and processing my impressions and experiences I consider what I've seen as I walk the streets of London.

It's fascinating the different aspects of life we encounter when we travel ... the things that are good, and the things which are not so good.  They exist in every country.

Here in London, UK, many things necessary to basic life are similar, many very different.

Toiletry items, processed foods ... are similar, even with the exchange rate ... but ...

Food, fresh food, wine, in most cases is decidedly different.

It's the fresh food where I find the greatest disparity (and you all know how I love good food and wine).  To some extent the difference is in the price ... but mostly in the quality.  It looks ok ... but there is no freshness or flavour, despite the appearances.

For convenience, I've taken an apartment while I'm here.

Whilst I've been at the book fair, I've come back to the Tesco's on the corner, to get my evening meal.  Tesco's is a Coles or Woolies equivalent.

I've been too tired to go out, so I've had a taste of what the local people experience.  I always like having that experience.

Where I'm staying is probably one of the better parts of London, but it's kind of a melting pot between the haves and the have-nots.  It seems to me that the have nots are increasing in numbers.

You see emaciated guys ... probably homeless ... covered with clothes almost falling off them.  They check the ash trays on top of the rubbish bins, to pick up the buts, and wander off with the crotch of their trousers flopping around at their knees.

You see respectable looking women from their 40's on, stressed and carrying so many bags ...  not meeting your eye, or your smile ... their mouths turned down, no sign of a smile ... then you look at their feet and lower part of their bodies.  You realise they are wearing sneakers and old, shoddy trainer pants, with dirty cuffs ... you look up and see an old, out of date coat ... no more warmth ... and in spring it's wet, and 6 degrees celsius.  They're cold, and trying to preserve a sense of dignity.

This is London, a city of  7,825,200 people.  This is in Kensington ... in Earls Court ... not far from Harrods ... not that far from the Palace ... but a world away.

We have this in Australia, but  they don't seem quite as many, and not in the more middle class areas.  They don't seem quite so cold or skinny.  Admittedly we only have a population of 4,504,469 (2010).

What to do about these problems?

As for the food ... unless you go to Harrods Food Hall and pay GBP 1.55 for 1 piece of Sushi, you don't get to eat food with any taste.  We can buy a 6-8 pack of Sushi for AU$5.  Made with fresh products with at least as much taste.  

Fruit and veg. is either imported from the tropics, or greenhouses,  grown hydroponically.  By the time you eat it ... it's like eating dead food.  There is no flavour.  There's no natural vitamins ... they're fed in artificially.  Even more, there is no sense of life in what you consume.  I wonder how much nutritional value there is ... ?

I see people going from the supermarket with 6 full bags of shopping waiting at the bus station ... having stressed out conversations with ???? on their mobiles.

They look tired ... it's been a busy day.

Supermarkets in inner London, don't have car parks where people can park their cars, and take their groceries home easily ... it's all public transport, sometimes with one or two changes. 

People can't afford cars ... or more importantly, petrol ... or parking ... and still there's pollution and noise.  The sirens, screaming, make me jump.  I've just heard the fifth wailing banshee tonight.

Yet there are still so many wonderful things here to experience.  The cabbies are a joy, even when they're fed up.

But what about the people?  The people who create the life of this city.

When are we going to solve these problems of inequality???

Soon I hope.

I'm not talking here about the gifted and trendy people who get out there and find the rewarding lane of life ... the ones constantly shrinking in numbers.  

I'm talking about people ... who work, and lose jobs, and fall from grace.  Good people from all walks of life, who try to cope with so many challenges ... people who get tired, who give up, who accept mediocrity, but still keep trying ... trying just to live.

All of us have these thresholds which exhaust us ... or somehow we overcome. 

To overcome them we have to walk through fear ... some of us just get too tired ... or do not have enough support or wealth ... not quite enough resilience.

To lift ourselves above, to achieve higher levels of consciousness ... some how we have to resolve these problems of inequality ... for ... here but for the grace of god go I.

We are all one, living in a world of challenges and extremes ... 

We need to remember ... he ain't heavy, he's my brother.

May our consciousness expand, and raise to a level where we can create change and improvement.

Then, we can at least move on to solving the next challenges of our world and our species.

We live in a world of extremities ... a world whose purpose is to teach us.  Our life here is to learn.

Let us learn to love, and forgive, and share.  Then love a little bit more.

Let us walk through our fear of losing our sense of identity.

Let us understand this is not possible, if we so choose.  

Let us remember that we are one with all that is.

Nama Amida Butsu.

Update from the London Book Fair.

This is an amazing, fascinating and exhausting experience.

As I slept in my lucid night talking state, I was mentally running over what I would write on my blog today.

It went like this:-

People everywhere - stressed, smiling, bored, polite, dismissive, curious, tactful, patronising, focussed and intent ...

The scene in EC2

Two exhibition halls on the ground floor -so large - at least two or three times larger than the Sydney Exhibition Centre.
Extended escalators going up to the 2nd floor where all the agents are - the IRC area - as it's known.

The IRC area.

If you're an author even with a badge you can't get up there.  You have to be some kind of wholesaler or middle man.

Don't kid yourself that you'll be able to just go up and have a look.
The security is extraordinary.

Guys in black, with wireless receivers in their ears, wearing coats or jackets hiding guns, looking like ex paratroopers, patrol all the vital areas, e.g. the IRC level.  Even a couple of interesting, hot (I think is the term today) James Bond types. You have no hope of getting past them.  They see nothing, yet everything.

They parade through the Pavilions, especially the feature country area - this year it's China.
There's much debate about freedom of speech.

The big name publishers don't even have editorial people on their stand, only marketing, distributing and sales.  It's the business side of publishing - not the creative.

Checkout this link:-                       http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/live

also                                               images for the london book fair - Google Search


My guardian angels are looking after me:-

Amazon's CEO is here.  Seeing him today.

Llewellyn's CEO is here.  I was introduced to him, showed him Downloading Spirit.
When I told him my experience with book submission not even being read, he asked me to re-submit direct to him ... and he guaranteed to have one of his editors read the book.

Wandering down Aisle H, I encountered a group of Scottish publishers.
Remembering one of my psychic friends saying to me ... You'll find a publisher in Scotland ... I went to their reception desk.

I was referred to two of the publishers ... again their CEO's.
Both were women, efficient, matter of fact, knowing immediately if the book was suitable to their lists.
In a few moments one politely and tactfully said: Not what we'd publish.
The other looked at the back cover, saw what John Woodcock had written in the Foreward:
Janet belongs to the stream inaugurated by Rudolph Steiner ... and immediately asked me to submit a PDF to give to her specialist editor who'd be in Edinburgh working for her over the summer.  This publisher specialises in anything that evolves from or is related to the thinking of Steiner.

A good back cover definitely draws people in.

I left at 5.30 pm.  I felt both exhilarated and exhausted.
Went back to my apartment for asparagus and scrambled eggs, a glass of wine and slice of bread, and found I'd shaken off about three hours of jet lag.  Slowly acclimatising.

The Australian Self Publishing Group I employed to represent me here, and enable me to get my entrance pass, showed Downloading Spirit to different wholesalers and distributors, but no success there.  However, tomorrow they're going up to the sacrosanct IRC where the agents hold court.  They're seeing a Chinese agent ... who knows?  I can't help but wonder what Downloading Spirit would look like in Mandarin.  Let's face it, I've explored the Tao in my book to some extent ... who knows, they might be interested.  We'll see.

So far serendipity has been very kind to me ...

Guess I'd better go and get dressed in my best business clothes and, God help me, high heels.
I haven't done this kind of thing in years, like thirty years.  It's a shock to a 68 year old's system.
But I have to say, I'm enjoying this experience ... and I'm learning so much.

I'm off for now, to shower, put on the glad rags and war paint, and venture forth again into the world of publishing, wholesaling, distribution, marketing, digital publishing and promoting.

Wish me luck.  Whatever happens today, I feel the effort has already been worthwhile.