Love is the Thread traces the way one spiritual friendship can change all our relationshps. Sustained by the metaphor of knitting, the memoir centers on the friendship between two women, one snared in a life-long struggle with bipolar disorder and the other reweaving her life after an abusive relationship. The book is available in original trade paperback and ebook from the Pearlsong Press retail store, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Powells.com, the Book Depository (with free shipping worldwide) and elsewhere.
For more information on and links to archived recordings of the Pearlsong Conversations series of teleconference calls featuring authors, publisher and readers, click here.
Mary discussed how she came to write her multi-century novel rife with magical realism and feminine spirituality. She talks about the Black Madonna, which appears throughout The Singing of Swans, and Her roots in pre-Christian traditions; Lake Pergusa, a Sicilian lake whose waters for millennia periodically turned red and thus were associated with feminine mysteries; and even a spiritual meaning of the focus on 2012 "end times."
In addition to her work as a writer, Mary teaches creative writing classes and workshops on the Divine Feminine, which she has studied as an independent scholar for more than 20 years. During the Conversation she reports on workshops planned in Colorado and New Mexico.
The Singing of Swans is available in original trade paperback & ebook from Pearlsong Press. The novel tells the story of Madalene Ross, a thirty-year-old American who "lives in her head," cut off from her body, her heart, and her sense of purpose in the world. En route to and from her job as a computer programmer in Minneapolis, Madalene is hounded on the downtown streets by a homeless woman who asks "Got a match?" At night bizarre dreams haunt her sleep. Women fly through rooftops, chant in ancient temples, paint tongues of fire on vivid white canvases.
Madalene's story is interwoven with the lives of three women: Rosalina, a priestess of Persephone in 70 B.C.E. Sicily; Ziza, a strega (Italian witch) in 16th century northeastern Italy, and Ibla, an herbalist and painter in 18th century southern Italy. Sicily's Lake Pergusa and the Black Madonna also act as a portal to the rich tradition of pre-Christian spirituality that lies beneath Church dogma.
The Singing of Swans takes readers on a multi-century journey to uncover long-silenced traditions, crack Madalene's spiritual code and reclaim her soul. Elements of magical realism dovetail with historical storytelling as this compelling tale of redemption unfolds.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches in the U.S., publisher & psychologist Peggy Elam, Ph.D. chats with several Pearlsong Press authors about the importance of appreciating & listening to our bodies.
For more information about the Pearlsong Conversations series of teleconference calls, links to recordings of previous calls, and information on how you can participate in calls, go to the Pearlsong Conversations page on the Pearlsong Press website.
Lynne talks about the genesis of her newest novel, her works in progress, and the humor and life-sized characters that connect all her writing.
The Falstaff Vampire Files, as well as Lynne's romantic comedy novel Bride of the Living Dead & Larger Than Death, the first volume in the Josephine Fuller mystery series being republished by Pearlsong Press, are all available in trade paperback & ebook format from your favorite retailers as well as directly from Pearlsong Press's online store.
Read an excerpt from The Falstaff Vampire Files by clicking on the BookBuzzr widget below.
Monday, September 26, 2011 Health at Every Size show on Radio Free Nashville
This episode began with PegE (a.k.a. Dr. Elam) & Pat (a.k.a. the Queen) sharing the news that October 10, 2011 will be the last Health At Every Size show on Radio Free Nashville.
The show may continue as an occasional podcast, and the Pearlsong Conversations teleconference series (recordings of which have often been played on the HAES show) will continue as usual on a monthly basis & podcast. (For more about the Pearlsong Conversations series in which authors and publisher chat with readers, fans and each other, click here.)
In the rest of the show, Pat & PegE talked about TV shows, recently reported research on restaurant menu labeling, & an odious billboard campaign aimed at fat kids in Georgia.
Music includes "Freedom" (Suchi Waters Benjamin), "The Boob Fairy" (Deirdre Flint), "Big Fat Mamas Are Back in Style" (Candye Kane), "Chubby Man Blues" (Les Kerr) & "Fat Boys" (Uncle Bonsai).
Monday, September 19, 2011 Health At Every Size show on Radio Free Nashville
This episode features PegE (a.k.a. Dr. Elam) & Pat (a.k.a. the Queen) discussing research finding that many fat bodies have healthy cardiovascular systems -- and many slimmer bodies don't.
Music for this episode includes "Freedom" by Suchi Waters Benjamin, "Women's Bodies" by Rebecca Riots, "Even Free" (Kristi Martel) & "Introduction to Belly Dancing" (Deirdre Flint).
Pat (a.k.a. The Queen) & PegE (a.k.a. Dr. Elam)took the Labor Day holiday off, and scheduled a prerecorded interview with Karen Blomain, author of The Season of Lost Children, to run as that day's HAES show broadcast. There were some glitches with the recording that aired on 9/5/2011 -- some blank periods and a double show ID/intro -- which have been edited out of this podcast/archived version.
The interview was part of the Pearlsong Conversations teleconference series, in which Dr. Elam wears her publisher's hat and talks with one or more Pearlsong Press authors, readers and fans. To learn more about the Conversations -- how to participate in one -- visit the Pearlsong Conversations page on the Pearlsong Press website. You'll also find links to other Conversation recordings there.
Standard Podcasts [01:03:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (71)
, "Women's Bodies" by Rebecca Riots, "Even Free" (
) & "
by Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., 
(revised edition retitled 
) by Paul Campos, & 
.
