Know Thyself

[Lisa]

The First Fundamental of Real Magic that Abby Teller learns at the Berkeley College of Magical Arts and Crafts is “Knowledge is Power.” And the First Fundamental of that principle is “Know Thyself.” The great philosopher and teacher Pythagoras coined that adage 2500 years ago, but it still rings true today, especially in this age of media up to your eyeballs.

“Know Thyself.” Think for yourself. Investigate and research issues, then exercise your own judgment and will independently of the crowd, independently of what the media tells you to think. Only then may you practice Real Magic in the real world.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Yet how many people allow themselves to be whipsawed around by family, friends, coworkers, and the media?

[Frances]

I'm reading The Garden of Abracadabra, and while I didn't lose my parents so young as Abby, I did lose them and that led me to finding out a lot about myself (as Abby is apparently doing). I've done a lot of soul searching and am almost (okay, not ever) near to knowing what I know about myself :-)

[Lisa]

Francesca wrote: "I'm reading The Garden of Abracadabra, and while I didn't lose my parents so young as Abby, I did lose them and that led me to finding out a lot about myself (as Abby is apparently doing). I've don..."

I'm very sorry to hear about your loss, Francesca. And thank you for your readership and your comment. Please let me know if you have any other reactions to the TGOA!

[Frances]

I had just read part of a book I couldn’t finish because it wasn’t edited. TGOA is such a refreshing book for this amateur proof reader. I really identify with Abby because of (what I have read so far) after I lost Mom and Dad in successive years, I moved halfway across the country. I did it for different reasons but I left a small town behind and moved to a much more metropolitan area.

I love Berkeley, and have spent a little time in the area. One of my dearest friends lived in Alameda.

Anyway this is a bit off thread but I am really enjoying the book. I got it from Book Bundle, I think, and it’s worth much more than I paid for it.

[Lisa]

The recent SFWA Fantasy Storybundle is how you got TGOA? Just curious.

I'm so glad you're enjoying the book! Yes, the deaths of my father when I was quite young and my mother's death years later were some of the most profound events in my life. And I, too, moved from the Midwest to California--what a change!

I always put heartfelt personal ideas in my writing. It doesn't work for me if I don't! I took about two + years to write TGOA. I'm not a book-of-the-month writer :-D

Please keep in touch, Francesca! And thank you again for your readership.

Lisa