Category Fiction

Jan 29 2017

“Mystic Tea” is Just the Right Blend

mysticteaBook review by Dana Taylor

Visionary writer Rea Nolan Martin is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. Her ability to blend spiritual elements with complex character development, plot twists, humor and humanity is rare. Mystic Tea revolves around a group of nuns and two novices barely keeping their small community up and running. Written in the revolving POV of three main characters, Martin builds a story unlike any other I can recall. Gemma is a young woman who works hard at being the perfect nun, keeping tightly wound. Her fear: she is probably crazy. Arielle arrives on the scene after a jailhouse vision propels her to the monastery, a wayward, yet, sunny soul. Sister Mike serves as the very worried Mother Superior. The Vatican may shut them down any day. Everyone hopes for a miracle, but, the truth is, Sister Mike’s faith has been running on low for a long time. Other characters provide quirks and mystery to the unfolding story. Each character has a destiny to find, a mission to fulfill. Watching them take the journey is a delight to the read. Just the right cup of tea.

Available at Amazon

reamartin

Rea Nolan Martin is the award-winning author of three novels:

THE SUBLIME TRANSFORMATION OF VERA WRIGHT (2009), MYSTIC TEA (2014), and THE ANESTHESIA GAME (2015), as well as a collection of essays: WALKING ON WATER (2016).

MYSTIC TEA is the recipient of the 2014 IPPY Gold Medallion and US BEST BOOK Award for Visionary Fiction; the 2014 PINNACLE Gold Medallion in the category of Literary Fiction; and Finalist in the 2015 International Book Awards.

THE ANESTHESIA GAME is the recipient of the 5 Star Readers’ Favorite insignia; 5 Star Clarion Review insignia; 2016 IPPY Gold Medallion for Visionary Fiction; Pinnacle Gold in the category of Best Novel; and most recently, Book Viral’s first Crimson Quill Award.

A collection of her most inspirational essays, WALKING ON WATER, was released in the spring of 2016.

Rea is the author of numerous short stories and poetry, most of which can be found in national literary magazines and anthologies. She is a regular Huffpo blogger, former literary magazine editor and MAW adjunct professor.

Visit her website at Rea Nolan Martin.com

Sep 30 2016

Don’t Let The Taker Win

anesthesia

book review by Dana Taylor

Visionary fiction is on the rise–books that blend storytelling with elements of spirituality, not bound by the box of a particular religion. Though established faiths may be presented in these works, the authors are not restricted by dogmas. Creativity flows. These authors are finding their way. Writing of esoteric matters is tricky. It can become preachy, incomprehensible, weird or just plain boring. Incorporating it into a piece of fiction requires a crafty writer who understands how to weave the visionary into a plot line that keeps moving along.

The Anesthesia Game by Rea Nolan Martin successfully blends storytelling, character development, and visionary elements. Each chapter is told from a point of view of one of the main four characters, Sydney, Mitsy, Hannah, or Pandora. Teenage Sydney is the center of the story, gravely ill, but refusing to give into The Taker. Her mother, Mitsy, is becoming a living ghost, overwhelmed by her daughter’s illness. Her narcissistic Aunt Hannah is shamed into coming to help take care of the pair of them. Overseeing all this human angst, is the psychic, Pandora, Mitsy’s phone mentor.

Each character is focused, in their way, on Sydney overcoming her illness. In the process, they must face their personal foibles. The visionary elements begin a slow simmer through Pandora’s character. As the pace of the story picks up, so grows the heat of the multidimensional aspects. Reincarnation, astral projection, dreams, auras, the battle of light vs. darkness. Martin does an excellent job of weaving it all together in the midst of contemporary characters.

By using the various points of view, we get into the heads of all the main characters and come to care  about all of them. There are enough twists to keep turning the page to see what happens next until the big climatic ending.

If you’re tired of the same old genres and rehashed plot lines, give visionary fiction a chance. As more of us live beyond 3-D realities, visionary writing will find a wider audience. The Anesthesia Game by Rea Nolan Martin is an excellent place to start your visionary fiction experience.

Available as ebook and paperback at Amazon

Sep 24 2016

Spirited Woman Top Pick Fall Books

Thanks to Nancy Mills, The Spirited Woman, for including two of my books on her fall list. The Spirited Woman unites spiritually conscious women striving to make a positive difference in the world. Browse the titles below and find the right inspirational book for you!
Spirited Woman Top 12 pick listFALL EQUINOX is a time of transition, a good book and a seasonal change. On our Fall Equinox Top 12 Book Pick list, we’ve included an array of gifted authors to help you be inspired. We urge you to support these spirited talents! Save this list all year round! A great book resource for you.
 

LIFESPARKS – In this collection of candid, dynamic and dramatic stories, 21 authors from around the world share their “sparks” of human triumph with a passion that creates positive change in the world. Each story won’t fit everyone, but one is sure to inspire, ignite, and illuminate a “spark” within you. Our stories are what connect us all. AuthenticMessengers.com.
BABA: A MAGICAL CAT WITH A MESSAGE – Baba shares his superior wisdom with his human pet, Mama Shirlee. Baba suggests how we can heal and at the same time be connoisseurs of comfort. He also suggests that magic can be a living part of our lives. Although he can purr his way out of anything, his message needs to be heard. Amazon www.behealedforever.com

MAI TAI ONE ON – by Jill Marie Landis. Em Johnson is divorced, broke and running a funky Tiki Bar on Kauai when an obnoxious neighbor is found dead in the luau pit. Em and a spirited troupe of over-the-hill Hula Maidens band together to solve the mystery before the next pupu party. Amazon book and Kindle. www.thetikigoddess.com.

PETRA’S ASHES: A TRANSCENDENTAL JOURNEY – Petra Nicoll’s real life story, could be fiction – but it’s not. Readers will find her life thought-provoking, mesmerizing – and perhaps even remarkable. At the age of nine, she has a near death experience and at sixteen she finds her mother dead under suspicious circumstances. Her book reveals a journey of unsettling discoveries and uncommon insight. https://petranicoll.com/
BUSY, STRESSED, AND FOOD OBSESSED – by Lisa Lewtan. Sometimes food is our best friend. Other times it’s our worst enemy. Some of us eat healthy one day, and not the next. In this award-winning book (the Winner of a Gold Medal in the Motivation – Practical Self Improvement Category of the Annual Living Now Awards) you’ll discover what truly nourishes you. 
THE COLOR OF MY HEART IS YOU – Heartbreak transitioned Gina Venturini’s life. Traveling from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, it was there where a casual kiss awakened her out of her dark, deep sleep from years of merely existing in a diluted love affair. That connection inspired her heart’s true poetic voice and words became the translucent window to her soul. Amazon

THE ADVENTURES OF JAGUAR JACK – When Jaguar Jack Campbell, television’s globe trotting hottest hero, meets Major Maggie Savannah, USMC, it’s dislike at first sight. But, when an American missionary is kidnapped, Jack and Maggie must join forces to secure her rescue and defeat an enemy of Biblical proportions. Visionary fiction filled with mystery, adventure, and romance.  Amazon.

THE BEST OF MARGARITAVILLE 2015: QUEPOS & MANUEL ANTONIO – is a bi-annual Costa Rica travel guide by Evelyn Gallardo. This intimate portrait of a unique beach community, its friendly locals and their favorite hangouts makes you feel like an insider in the Happiest Country on the Planet. Enjoy 24 different adventures including zip lining and whitewater river rafting. http://tiny.cc/costaricaguide
TRAPPED: VISITOR FROM HEAVEN – A redemptive story narrated by Archangel Ramiel. A woman’s firsthand experience rising from the depths of abusive power that led to a persistent search for truth, psychic and spiritual phenomena, complete surrender and a healing likened to a modern day resurrection.  The heroine’s journey demonstrates the power of faith and the force of the mind. www.behealedforever.com Amazon.

SUPERNAL ADVENTURES: EXPLORING THE NEW NORMAL OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL LIVING – What happens after a “miracle healing?” Author Dana Taylor and two friends set out to understand the mysteries behind the miracle. Their mystical experiences weave through the subjects that arise – Energy Healing, Past Lives, Akashic Records, Pre-Life Planning, Spirit Communication and more. Welcome to the New Normal. Amazon
SHIFT: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO TRANSFORMATION – Dr.’s Latz and Ross examine the 10 most common obstacles in women’s lives: feeling unloved, guilt and shame, abandonment, anger and resentment, self-definition, lack of self-love, heartache, powerlessness, fear of the unknown and stress. Creating awareness they give tools to overcome each issue. Stories of real people show how it really can be done Amazon.
MOMENTS: MAGIC, MIRACLES AND MARTINIS – During times of uncertainty, challenges and change, how do we find a ray of hope to move forward? In Amy Van Atta Slater’s bestselling book, she offers a torch of inspiration, motivation, mindfulness and authenticity that illuminates even the most desperate of situations with possibility. Order your copy today to see what the buzz is all about: www.AmyVSlater.com Amazon.
spirited woman book Would you like your book to be “showcased” in our Top 12 Book Pick List? Next book pick list is coming for late fall – a great time for reading books. We now offer you a logo with the list to get more recognition for your book. This list is by invitation only. Call Nancy to insure a spot at 805-698-3555 or via e-mail: NancyMills@TheSpiritedWoman.com.
Sep 22 2016

Visionary Fiction Can Be Fun

 

by Dana Taylor

The Adventures of Jaguar Jack didn’t start out as a visionary novel. In fact, there was no “visionary Jackmasterfinaldonergbfiction” category back then. I was writing attempting the romance novel genre, but as it turned out, I couldn’t stay “in the box.” My muse was too independent.

I remember the day the manuscript turned “visionary.” There’s a scene with Jaguar Jack and Maggie boating down a jungle river when a sudden storm squalls up. Caught in a deluge, they struggle to stay afloat. Lightning flashes. They catch a glimpse of a huge cat-like creature standing on hind feet on the shore. After the storm abates, Maggie says, “Holy shit? What was that?” (Read excerpt here)

Maggie expresses exactly what I was thinking as the scene unfolded in my mind. Holy shit, what was that? The Beast from Revelation emerged out of the collective higher consciousness. Somewhere along the line, I picked up an unseen “collaborator” for Jaguar Jack. The manuscript went from being a romance to a Hero’s Journey, with all the classic elements, though I didn’t realize it until after finishing it.

The four main characters are at once human beings, but also Biblical archetypes. There were times I was guided to open my Bible to Revelation to certain passages that revealed the spiritual significance of my characters. It was a bit spooky, but also intriguing.

I followed my “collaborator” for the thread of the story and hoped it would all make sense at the end. It did, but the completed manuscript also seemed to be outside of any defined genre. When I originally published the story in 2012, I didn’t know how to market it. It didn’t fit anywhere. While it has Christian elements, it’s too psychic and sexy for that market. The closest was “paranormal,” but that was really the realm of ghosts, vampires, and shapeshifters. So, I didn’t give it much of a push.

In the intervening years, the Visionary Fiction Alliance has been formed. Amazon now has a “metaphysical and visionary” category that’s on the rise. Visionary author Theresa Crater shares several examples in this recent article, Higher Consciousness and Visionary Fiction. I’m meeting and reading more of these kindred spirit authors all the time.

So, I’m hoping the time has come for Jaguar Jack’s day in the sun. This summer I readied the manuscript for the paperback version and was struck by a certain “power” in the piece, which I think comes more from the “collaborator” than me. I’ll take credit for the snappy dialog between Jack and Maggie.

So with a fresh cover and a new genre the book is ready to find its audience. I invite you to enjoy The Adventures of Jaguar Jack.

Paperback and Ebook versions available at Amazon UK    Amazon US

 

(Posting a customer review would be greatly appreciated.)

Bright blessings,

Dana Taylor

 

Aug 14 2016

Modern Mystics Meet Ancient Legends

Under Stone PawVisionary fiction author Theresa Crater weaves ancient knowledge, legends, and modern mystics in fascinating adventures of light verses darkness. In Book One of the Power Places Series, Underneath the Stone Paw, heroine Anne Le Clair must unleash her psychic abilities to fulfill an ancient prophesy. Traveling to the pyramids of Egypt, she encounters danger, romance, and destiny.

A forgotten family legacy.
Six crystal keys.
One shot at unlocking the secrets beneath the Sphinx.
Anne Le Clair, a successful, young attorney, has always managed to remain free from her family’s Gothic past—until now. When she inherits her eccentric aunt’s antique necklace though, she finds no escape from its secrets. Anne is immersed in a crash course of forbidden wisdom, secret societies, and her family’s own legacy. She soon discovers that her aunt’s necklace is one of just six powerful “keys” that, when combined with the other five at the appointed time, unlocks the legendary Hall of Records. However, another group, the shadowy Illuminati, is working behind the scenes to uncover the same powerful secrets—and make them their own.

Purchase at Amazon

Hallowed HillIn Book Two, Beneath the Hallowed Hill:

Anne Le Clair travels to Glastonbury with her fiancée, Egyptologist and mystic Michael Levy, to investigate a house she has inherited from a mysterious aunt…only to find trouble waiting. One of Avalon’s sacred twin springs is failing. Together, Anne and Michael try to restore the water flow, but discover there is much more at stake. The Illuminati master Alexander Cagliostro has activated an ancient crystal tower, tearing a hole in time that threatens so much more than one sacred spring. Determined to find Atlantean artifacts and activate them to gain power and spiritual knowledge beyond human limits, Cagliostro will stop at nothing.In ancient Atlantis, Megan, priestess of the Crystal Matrix Chamber, flees the destruction of her world carrying a vital artifact to safety.

Purchase at Amazon

Theresa

Theresa Crater brings ancient temples, lost civilizations and secret societies back to life in her visionary fiction.  She has also published poetry and a baker’s dozen of literary criticism. Currently, she teaches writing and British lit in Denver.

 

 

May 19 2016

Spirited Woman Top 12 Spring Book List Announced

The Spirited Woman, founded by Nancy Mills, spotlights spirit-minded women in various fields around the globe. The Spirited Woman Foundation raises funds and donates to charitable organizations that heal and empower women. Four times a year 12 books are picked that illuminate and inspire spiritual and emotional growth. I’m very honored to be included in this newly released list. Please check out the other fine books and authors on the list.
SPRING is the time of new beginnings, reinvention and rejuvenation. On our Spring Top 12 Book Pick list, we’ve included an array of gifted authors to help you be inspired. We urge you to support these spirited talents! Save this list all year round! A great book resource for you.

MY NOTHING – Stepping out to discover self. Rosie revisited her broken childhood to forgive and release her past. Ultimately beginning her personal healing. Trust led her to a 1,000-year-old Banyan tree who like a mother provided comfort, allowing new found wisdom. A story of Rosie’s empowering quest to discover the nothing space deep within. From nothing you have everything. www.rosiebanyan.com.

MOMENTS: MAGIC, MIRACLES AND MARTINIS – During times of uncertainty, challenges and change, how do we find a ray of hope to move forward? In Amy Van Atta Slater’s bestselling book, she offers a torch of inspiration, motivation, mindfulness and authenticity that illuminates even the most desperate of situations with possibility. Order your copy today to see what the buzz is all about: www.AmyVSlater.com Amazon.

HEART TOOLS FOR COUPLES: 8 WAYS TO A LOVING RELATIONSHIP – Offers simple but profound tools for anyone wanting to bring more love, understanding and deeper connection into their relationships. The book is down-to-earth, drawn from Ani and Bill’s 30-year marriage and work as therapists, winning much praise from relationship and visionary pioneers Harville Hendrix and Anodea Judith.compassionaterelationships.com.
BEYOND THE HORIZON – by Marilyn Stacy, describes astral (out of body) travel based on her own experiences. She writes of having lucid and precognitive dreams, spirit visits, and past life experiences, and how to see auras, to dowse, and more. Her book offers instructions that can open new dimensions to those who are curious and willing to believe. www.marilynstacy.com lulu.com.

G-VITES: EVERYDAY INVITATIONS FROM GOD – by Patty Kogutek, Ed.D. is a handbook for practical spirituality. In this book Patty shares how she found God in ordinary circumstances after living as a nun for seven years. You will identify the Divine, dwelling in your everyday life. You will discover how to interpret these lessons to give purpose and meaning to your life. www.pattykogutek.com.

SUPERNAL ADVENTURES: EXPLORING THE NEW NORMAL OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL LIVING – What happens after a “miracle healing?” Author Dana Taylor and two friends set out to understand the mysteries behind the miracle. Their mystical experiences weave through the subjects that arise – Energy Healing, Past Lives, Akashic Records, Pre-Life Planning, Spirit Communication and more. Welcome to the New Normal.Amazon SupernalLiving.com.

REINCARNATION: PAST LIVES AND THE AKASHIC RECORD – by Lois J. Wetzel, MFA. This is Lois’ second book on case studies of past life readings. What she sees resonates deeply with her clients, and that knowledge can powerfully heal them of still active ancient past-life trauma. Parallel and overlapping lifetimes are discussed, and spontaneous past life memories.HotPinkLotus.com Amazon.

TRAPPED: VISITOR FROM HEAVEN – A redemptive story narrated by Archangel Ramiel. A woman’s firsthand experience rising from the depths of abusive power that led to a persistent search for truth, psychic and spiritual phenomena, complete surrender and a healing likened to a modern day resurrection.  The heroine’s journey demonstrates the power of faith and the force of the mind. www.behealedforever.com Amazon.

WHOSE COUCH IS IT ANYWAY? – Highlights insightful stories about five families – you’ll find solutions to the challenges of living with Boomerang Kids. Over 20 million Millennials have moved home, are underemployed and carrying over $1 trillion in student loans. These are the cold facts behind this dilemma. Learn how to communicate, compromise and cooperate as you navigate the generation gap. Amazon.
EVER-FLOWING STREAMS: CHRIST, REIKI, REINCARNATION AND ME – 2014 Indie Spiritual Book Award Winner. Go see that woman! Despite trepidation, author Dana Taylor heeds the internal command to set an appointment with a Reiki therapist. She receives not only healing, but a whole new world view. Break old cultural barriers with this engaging spiritual memoir. Available at Amazon SupernalLiving.com.

IMAGINE: A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF MEDICAL CARE – by Dr. Tina Marcantel. A practical, empowering guidebook to understanding root causes of chronic health issues like fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, fibromyalgia, and more. Dr. Marcantel explains in simple language how stress and lifestyle affect hormonal imbalances that lead to common conditions and tells how you can take charge of your health! DrMarcantel.com.

EDINA: ENERGY MEDICINE FROM THE STARS! – by Lois J. Wetzel, MFA. For years human-sized golden beings worked alongside Lois in the massage room. One day five enormous blue beings appeared, conversed telepathically, and healed clients with her forever changing her life and the lives of thousands of clients and healers worldwide who work with them. EDINAHealingTemple.com Amazon.
spirited woman bookWould you like your book to be “showcased” in our Top 12 Book Pick List? Next book pick list is coming for summer – a great time for reading books. We now offer you a logo with the list to get more recognition for your book. This list is by invitation only. Call Nancy to insure a spot at 805-698-3555 or via e-mail:NancyMills@TheSpiritedWoman.com.