Janet Kay's Blog, page 3

"Beauty Lies in the Eye of the Beholder"

Was it Plato or Shakespeare who left us these words of wisdom? Some even say this quote is a variation of a Proverb. Regardless, it's one of my favorite quotes, and I think it applies to many situations in life.



In my case, I got up this morning on beautiful Galveston Island hoping for a sunny day on the beach. Instead the wind howled, the sun refused to appear, and the radio informed me that the current temperature was 36 degrees! So much for my beautiful day, I thought. Maybe I'd just bury myself under the covers and catch up on my sleep.



After a few minutes I quit feeling sorry for myself. After all, folks at home in Wisconsin were shoveling snow. Other parts of the country and the world were struggling with extreme weather. Who was I to complain?



So I decided to quit being a wimp and head out on my daily 3.5 mile hike along the beach. It was difficult at first to head into the wind. Head down, I forced myself to move along. It would be easier heading back home.



As I hiked along, something strange happened. The ugliness of the day began to slip away. The pounding surf thundered and splashed, white froth dancing on the crest of the waves. Dark cloud formations interacted with soft billowy clouds, creating an assortment of animals and objects in the sky. The sun even tried to peak out now and then, casting striking reflections on the world below. Crazy pelicans plopped into the surf as seagulls clustered on the shore. Great photo opportunities!



More importantly, there seems to be something about days like this that bring out one's creativity. You draw inward as you tense up against the wind and cold, going deeper inside to places you've perhaps never been. In my case, I found myself thinking about the novel I'm currently writing - Amelia 1868. Some of the parts I'd been struggling with started to come together.



I began to see the beauty in the ugly parts of life, in the trials and tribulations that we all experience at times.



I'd like to share another example of beauty lying in the eye of the beholder. With Valentine's Day coming up, I'm thinking of a couple I recently saw walking along the seawall. They had to be well into their 70's, perhaps 80. He used a cane. They were wrinkled and gray-haired as older people tend to be and somewhat overweight. Not exactly "beautiful" in the sense that the world unfortunately defines beauty.



But they held hands as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. So much in love after all these years. Yes, they'd been married 50 years. He obviously found his wife to be the most beautiful woman in the world. To me, this is true beauty. And I do plan to use this couple in a future novel!



Stay tuned and please stay in touch.



Janet Kay

http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

A NEW DAY IS DAWNING...

This morning I captured this photo of a breath-taking sunrise over the Gulf of Mexico here in Galveston, Texas. It made my day! And it made me think about the infinite possibilities ahead for us all. Emily Dickinson once wrote, "I dwell in possibility..." So do I!



A new year. A new day. A new beginning.



I don't know about you, but speaking for myself, I made my usual New Year's Resolutions recently. I've already broken some of them! But, gazing out at the sunrise from my balcony, I'm inspired to begin again. Maybe resolutions are meant to change, to evolve as the year progresses. What counts is that we have goals in life and that we try to make our dreams come true.



Never forget to dream and to believe in your dreams! One of my greatest dreams is to write novels that will have value and help other people in some small way. To inspire hope. To share the beauty of a sunrise and never forget that a new day is dawning - every day...



What are YOUR dreams? And what will you do with this day that God has created?



Happy New Day to you all!



Please stay tuned and stay in touch!



Janet Kay

http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

It's A Wonderful Life...

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings! Love, Clarence"



This is a quote from my all-time favorite Chrismas movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." I watch it every year...and every year, I cry.



Clarence Oddbody is an angel second class, transported to earth on an urgent mission that could help him to earn his wings and become a first class angel. His assigned mission is to help George Bailey, a compassionate but devastated businessman who is contemplating suicide over financial ruin.



By showing George how many lives he has touched and all the good he has done throughout his lifetime, Clarence saves George's life. And the many friends whom George has helped over the years now find it in their hearts to help George. In the end, Clarence gets his wings!



What is it about this classic movie, released 65 years ago, that still touches our hearts and souls, and re-kindles the Christmas spirit within us all?



At a time when many are struggling with unemployment, major losses in their investments, health problems, and the loss of family and friends, the messages in this movie manage to restore a sense of hope. This helps us all to see through the fog of temporary problems in life and to focus upon our many blessings, on the truly important things in life.



Nobody ever said that life was supposed to be easy or fair. Perhaps this movie can teach us lessons that will help to build character and pursue our individual missions in life.



As Christmas approaches, many are stressed out, trying to create the perfect Christmas. The reality is that we must contend with the loss of loved ones who are no longer here to celebrate with us. With an overload of events to attend, gifts to buy. Sometimes there's a family fued or crazy relative who manages to put a damper on this holiday.



Perhaps, in the big picture of things...none of this really matters. That's the gift that "It's A Wonderful Life" portrays to the world.



Happy Holidays to you and yours...and always remember that it truly is "a wonderful life!"



Stay tuned and please stay in touch!



Janet Kay

http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

My Christmas Gift to You

Here's an idea to help you complete your Christmas shopping quickly, on line, at a seriously discounted price. For one week only, I'm offering an e-book version of my novel, Waters of the Dancing Sky, at a 50% discount! For $2.98 (less than a good cup of coffee) you can download my e-book, read it yourself when you need a little diversion from the hustle and bustle of the holidays - or gift a good friend. One warning - many readers say they are unable to put this book down!



To take advantage of this offer (expires December 19, 2011) go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/.... Proceed to check out and enter code SL22W to get your discount.



Yes, I gave in to the e-book revolution although I personally love nothing more than holding a real live book in my hands! If you're like me and would prefer a print version, go to my website - http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com.



Reviews of this novel have been excellent and readers are requesting a sequel.



My best to you all for a Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace, good health, and happiness.



Please stay tuned and stay in touch!



Janet Kay

http://www.watersofthedancingsky.com

Tis The Season...

Somewhere in between Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, The Woodlands, Texas was transformed into a magical world unlike any other.



"The Nutcracker" came to life here at the hands of the Woodlands Ballet Ensemble. This holiday classic is based on the story of E.T.A. Hoffman and danced to the brilliant music of Tchaikovsky.



Attending this well-loved ballet is a refreshing diversion from the harsh realities of a struggling economy and the rampant commercialism of this holiday season. The Nutcracker allows us to escape into an enchanting world in which dreams still do come true.



The beauty of the Christmas season is reflected on stage through an innocent little girl named Clara as she marvels at the wonder of falling snowflakes, as she dances with her nutcracker doll. The lovely Sugar Plum Fairy entrances the audience with her magical dancing in the arms of her Sugar Plum Cavalier. It reminds us all of the true beauty in this world. And perhaps leaves us wondering if there still is some magic out there for us all...



Nutcracker season has become an annual tradition for my Texas grandchildren who have grown up dancing in The Nutcracker in Missoula, Montana and The Woodlands, Texas. One of the highlights of my Christmas season is watching them perform, seeing them learn and grow into bigger and better roles. This year, I had the honor of watching grandaughters Abigail and Madelaine dance the roles of Clara and The Sugar Plum Fairy. They performed so beautifully, with so much passion and intensity, that I sat in the audience with tears welling in my eyes.



My congratulations to all the Nutcracker dancers for their great performances, to their teachers, parents, and those behind the scenes who made it all possible.



May the magic of The Nutcracker be with us all throughout the Christmas season!



Stay tuned and please stay in touch.



Janet Kay

http://www.watersofthedancingsky.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