Couture Clothes Anyone...

My sister, Lori, and I were out shopping, browsing really at the high-end clothing store Nordstrom, I say browsing because their prices are usually out of our not-from-the-Hampton's budget range. With our book nearing a release date, Lori realized we should pick up something special for our first book signing when she spotted a cute cute dress that would be perfect. Now we needed two, and Nordstrom dresses are usually in the several hundreds of dollars on up. What's a pair of twin girls to do?

Remember during the Hazel Moon party at Lily Lake Resort, when our publisher gave us proof copies of our book, within minutes people began flocking to us expressing interest in buying copies...it was as if the Book had a mind and a purpose of its own and was opening doors to finding us an audience! Well, the normally $400 dresses had been marked down to a clearance price of only $10, so we bought two!! (If you want to see them you'll have to come to our book signings!!)

If you've read Hazel Moon one of the opening scenes has November and Angela working at Merry-Go-Round in a mall, a relatively high-end fashion-conscious boutique popular in the '80s that sold expensive jeans and other clothes. Later in the story, November told Angela to put on an expensive couture dress she'd gotten from Finn, a former fling, so our story was closely connected the world of couture and Nordstrom might be considered an upscale evolution of the Merry-Go-Round franchise.

Mere coincidence...or more Magic???!!!

From the book:

Chapter 3

A contemplative mood overwhelmed November as she flipped her bangs whimsically while considering the implications of what she'd just said to Angela.

"The band and the guys in the band are older than both of us put together. I think they have the experience to handle whatever the night throws at them. Besides, I think they're scheduled to perform until midnight, the bewitching hour, and on the Eve of the Hazel Moon. Doesn't that play into your fantasies of something mystical and unexpected unfolding at the festival?"

Angela was feeling it, both coy and seductive decked out in her new-moon black Paris couture gown. November's worries over demons and evil didn't bother her. Darkness was just like the rain—it might affect you, but it was the same old story, the same old song and dance.

She knew November was moody, but this was a night for fun and frolic.

"All-knowing high priestess serving the great God of Music, wait till you see what's going on at the Tampax Stage. Girl, think diamond-studded earrings, like everywhere!"

Still stressing, November replied, "Angela...Angela...just like you to go all mall materialistic on me when I'm like this—you really don't get me, do you?"

A moment to reflect and November realized she'd always been a sucker for the Tampax Stage.

"It's really low-platform but so real. I saw the Violent Femmes and Kate Bush there before they went gold. The reverb was garbling the sound so most of the crowd left, but it was rad for those of us who showed and stayed—I mean it mattered...it made a difference...you know?"

"Well, that's cool that you remember it that way, but dig this, that stage has completely changed," Angela conveyed, animated like a Hanna-Barbara cartoon character, acting as if she'd just spilled the secret to eternal life.

"Yep...Dickey, Mr. Tricky, and me, Miss G, checked it out last night...that's right, my parents didn't even know I snuck out! We slammed down some TJ Swan. I like Dickey. He talks about you a lot. Didn't he tell you about how rockin' the stage looks now? I thought he was your biggest, best buddy?"

"Not these days...we run into each other, but that's about it," November replied, her attention more on the accelerating Camaro's hum and grumble.

After downing her drink, Angela went on, "The stage is all rigged up like a castle or monastery...or something like that, with torches and lava lamps—it rocks! And, your boys, Echo and the Bunnymen, are playing there tonight!"

"Well...whatever, Angel, all the frills, stages and venues and such, just don't mean much to me...I'm all about Bunnymen—if they were playing on the moon I'd want to go see them there."

November's voice became breathy and jittery, like when you down a week's worth of birth control pills right after unprotected sex with a guy you'd never marry in a million years.

 

Lasagna Anyone...

Well, the Hazel Moon has come and gone...but the Magic continues. This is Lisa, Lisa Minneti, coauthor with my sister, Lori, of Hazel Moon. I'm beginning to suspect that the Magic of all these remarkable coincidences connected to the book is part of a broader phenomenon that brings Magic into our lives all the time if only we believe in it. BTW, the picture above of the fairy dust reminded me of the scene in Hazel Moon when November is in her apartment and it is littered with all kinds of strange things including jars filled with specimens and magic rocks!

So, I'm at work last week, at Peabody's Interiors, something happened that's never happened before when this gentleman walks in carrying a pan of homemade lasagna...enough for everyone in the office. His company sold high-end 5-figure dining room tables and he was hoping we would recommend his table to our clients. This person knew something about establishing good relations through Giving something of himself to others...just good business!

When he left, I sat at my desk realizing once again that this guy coming in was connected to several scenes in Hazel Moon! First the man was well-healed, and in that way, he was like Cash Reynolds. He was also charming and bold, like Cash. But the lasagna, when November picked up Angela at her house, she'd been all dressed up to go to the Bunnymen concert when she stopped to sample her mother's three kinds of lasagna, and ended up slopping sauce all over her. See below the lasagna scene from Chapter 2

Again, this seems to be another example of the principle of the Law of Attraction...what we care about, what we focus on, what we believe in...those are the things we will draw into our lives...Magic!

Excerpt from Chapter 2

Knowing he'd just been bested in their verbal jousting match, Mr. Gonzales retaliated with, "I see, you honked me over so you could stay in your car-got it. I used to feel that way about my garage-never wanted to leave. Are you hungry? You are just too scrawny. Rosa made lasagna. A Calabrese one with three kinds of sausage, a Napolitano version just like her mother made in the old country with spinach and cream, and she created, I suppose for me, a south-of-the-border variation beautifully garnished with colorful peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, and onions."

The offer of dinner softened her into finally returning his gaze. Seeing his smooth tan face, which could have passed for twenty or fifty, she took in a deep breath and thought, we do have something in common.

She could tell from his tone that he wasn't looking forward to dinner either. The combination of the three versions created such a stench that it made November want to gag. Grimacing wreaked havoc on her glam makeup, causing smudging and caking. Mr. Gonzales knew enough to get the subject off of food.

"So, what do you think of my front yard this year," he asked while standing proudly next to his meticulously pruned bushes featuring spiral scrolls resembling the iron works from a Gothic cathedral.

"I liked it last year...when you had that tall bush towers...for some reason I imagined a little baby living in there."

Growing impatient, November fisted her hand to blast the horn again, again to get Angela's attention. Mr. Gonzales grabbed her wrist. She pulled free and stared him down-unusual for her. Was it desperation or unabashed honesty she saw? Their moment of mutual introspection passed quickly.

"Do you realize I've known you for seven years now? When you worked at the restaurant you always left room in my coffee for cream. I never had to remind you."

His remark took her back to those diner days when Mr. Gonzales would come in, never asked for a warm-up, and always left at least a dollar as a tip. It was apparent that he cared about her.

"Please listen to me, November. I know what's real and what's not. I was a lot like you at your age. I would take on all comers. As a boxer I was known as the Demon Slayer and I was undefeated because I had a single mission in life."

Just then, something they couldn't make out few over their heads heading straight for the garage, interrupting his train of thought.

"My alternate mission in life was to find and destroy actual demons. Over many sunrises and sunsets I searched and fought...and I have the battle scars to...."

"November Rainer Savitchian," Rosa sang out in her piercing operatic voice, "Angela will be ready in a shake!"

After delivering the announcement she quickly retreated behind the screen door. Turning, Mr. Gonzales' smile returned as he looked Rosa's way.

"Mr. G, I hope you invited that skinny young lady to dinner."

Then, Rosa directed her drill-sergeant's voice up the stairs.

"Angela, get yourself down here, girl!"

Mr. G could tell the girls weren't going to stay for supper and he had some things to say to November before they left.

"Look, tonight, at the festival, you two stay close to each other. Be careful of strangers and don't leave Angela's side for a minute. Do that and you should be all right. But if things get out of hand, my girl's gift should be enough to protect both of you. If you find yourselves in a tight spot, trust your gut."

November wasn't quite sure just what Mr. Gonzales was referring to, but she listened. Then, a burden began to weigh him down well beyond his mere 130 pounds.

"I haven't thought about them...the demons, in ages."

A worried look overtook him. He shook his head from side to side.

"I'm going back to the garage to make myself useful. Goodbye November," he said, walking strong and straight, his fingers curled inward, resigned to whatever destiny the night might bring.

ANGELA EMERGED FROM the front door and planted herself on the porch, posing like Pat Benatar holding a microphone. November instinctively responded by pumping up the volume on her radio. Lasagna was the last thing on their minds.

"Let's go girl, it's getting late and we don't want to miss anything!"

Angel was definitely a hottie. Her long, naturally wavy hair always set to impress, her abundant curves always on display in her skin-tight jeans, the hands-down favorite of the Cherry Apple Mall gawker club, but she just didn't have it going on tonight.

November gasped. For some unfathomable reason Angela had a pair of her mother's pants on, polyester gabardine First Editions from J.C. Penny. Approaching the Camaro, November wasn't about to let Angela get in.

"Look, we work at MGR, we have an image to maintain. You just can't wear those pants to the festival. Go back inside and put on your work outfit from today."

Angela squirmed.

"Well...I would, but I can't...I was sampling the lasagna and spilled."

The Healing Hazel Moon...

The night of the 2015 full Hazel Moon, August 29, my sister Lori and I were at the Lily Lake Resort where singer lovely Lori was entertaining the dinner crowd along with amazing Dave, the Elvis tribute artist. Getting up, I just knew something November-like would happen...after all it was the morning of the full, rising Eve of the Hazel Moon! Few people at the resort that evening knew that I'd slipped and hurt myself in the morning while walking my dog, Jake. I thought I'd cracked a rib, but that pain would have been excruciating. Nevertheless, my bruised side hurt quite a bit.

After Lori and Dave were done entertaining, we had dinner and the end of the eventful evening was drawing near. Just before we ate, Lori made up a prayer of thanks to the Spirit of the Hazel Moon. After that I made my way down to the lake shore, found a stout trunk, and gave the tree a long, reverent hug. Shortly after that, the pain in my side was gone!

Of course, I'm not claiming to have been healed by the power of the Hazel Moon, as the stories of magic in my book might suggest, but I felt like something mystical had happened.

Many of us have grown up in the Christian tradition, hearing and believing stories of healings at the hands of Jesus and the other disciples. I can't help but believe that those same healing energies might be available through other sources and the hands of other healers given similar gifts.

It is our hope that more than anything else, Hazel Moon will help the reader stay open to all the Magic & Mystery the world has to offer.

Feeling the Hidden Hazel Moon...

This is a related post from our publisher's blog. Go there to see the rest of his Hazel Moon posts!

http://heritagepresspublications.blogspot.com/

As you know from the previous post, November... I mean author Lisa Minneti (I get confused sometimes) found herself acting out a scene from her story when she slipped down a slope and hurt herself on a partially buried lamppost, the post also connecting to the story through a key Lady Luna scene. Later that day, the Eve of the Hazel Moon festivities continued to unfold at the Lily Lake Resort in Walworth County in Wisconsin. What we did not see all night because of persistent cloud cover was the above Hazel Harvest Super Moon.

Author, Lori Minneti, along with her partner, Dave, an Elvis impersonator, entertained the resort/restaurant crowd to the delight of everyone who attended. Dave is so authentic, he appears to be channeling the spirit of Elvis. Lori's perfect pitch voice is delivered professionally, but her true gift is how she sells the song using her considerable acting skills and engages the crowd, often bringing individuals out onto the dance floor or dancing to Dave's singing like a '60s Go-Go Girl...the same can be said for Dave's gift for engaging the crowd...before, during, and after the show.

Here's Lori as Marilyn Monroe.

And as Ann Margret.

As charming and as entertaining as Lori & Dave's show was, the Hazel Moon had something more in mind. As Lori & Lisa's publisher, I couldn't let the actual night of the official Hazel Moon, around which the book was centered, pass without presenting them each with the first proof of their book, Hazel Moon. They had no idea I might have printed any copies because we were all waiting to have Lori on the cover, so it was a complete surprise!

Without pushing the book on anyone, people began to notice and within minutes folks were asking where they could buy the book. The next thing we knew, one of the ladies there walked up to Lisa and said she was part of a book club and definitely intended to have her group read Hazel Moon when it was her month to host the club and then invite Lisa & Lori to a book signing at her home. Let me add that this book club specialized in supporting local writers, which I found admirable and I suspected was rare as well.

Several times during the night people mentioned how even though the Hazel Moon wasn't visible because of the cloud cover, they all felt the magic of the moon's influence. For example, the book club person had played an especially energetic set earlier that day and gave the upcoming full moon the credit!

The entire night was both magical and unexpected. Author Lisa Minneti above joined in adding to the night's entertainment by playing her harmonica, an instrument featured heavily in Hazel Moon.

I'll finish this post by reporting that I distinctly got the impression the Hazel Moon project had taken on a life of its own...it was like the book wanted to find an audience so it could share the story and messages embedded in the tale and was using the authors, the publisher, and anyone else in the immediate vicinity to accomplish that cosmic goal. 

I couldn't help but feel it was just more Hazel Moon Magic...

And...the Hazel Harvest Super Moon finally came out the next day, which was what motivated me to put this post together!

 

 

A postscript ending the actual night of the Hazel Moon, Saturday, arriving home after a long drive through fog and mist, just before pulling up to my driveway, two beautiful deer loped in front of my car, looked at me, and continued on. I'd never before in all the years living there, have had that happen...


Follow this link to see a blog post from our publisher about a Saturday night soiree during which even more Hazel Moon Magic was on display, hosted by myself, Lisa, Lori, my sister, and my J-Dog, Jeff:

http://heritagepresspublications.blogspot.com/2015/08/when-your-story-talks-to-you.html

More Hazel Moon Magic Mischief...

This is a related post from our publisher's blog. Go there to see the rest of his Hazel Moon posts!

http://heritagepresspublications.blogspot.com/

 

I just got this email from one of the Hazel Moon authors, Lisa Minneti:

This morning a very "November" thing happened! I was walking my dog Jake and a black dog followed us and was playful and then when we were on a slope Jake bolted, I let go of his leash, and landed on my side and cried out in pain! I either bruised or maybe cracked a rib, but the weird thing is when I was on my side I came face-to-face with a black lamppost lying on the ground, uprooted...it was crazy. Both dogs came to my rescue and soon the owner of the black dog arrive on the scene!!

 

 

I knew the Hazel Moon Magic Mischief Machine would have another surprise for us today, of all days...the rising of the 2015 Hazel Moon and a Supermoon at that!!! Just two days ago, the story's Camaro turns up parked right outside of the cafe where I was meeting with author, Lisa Minneti, to go over our final edits. Now today, a scene happens to Lisa right out of our book when November, walking on a slope, slips on something she wasn't expecting underfoot and hurts herself badly...OMG!!!!

Here's the scene:


SONNY ARRIVED FIRST on the scene and quickly began administering first aid. Hunched down on all fours, he was doing what came naturally, licking November’s wound, her clothes stained with bright-red fresh blood, quickly turning a deep maroon as it hit the air and ran down her leg.

What do you do when someone upsets you? Flip them off, if you’re Italian you might give them the chin flick, but if you’re Angela Gonzales you’ll let out a she-devil scream, which is exactly what she did.

Taking a shortcut on their way back from the checking out the carnival rides, it all happened so fast. It could have been foul play as the freaky carny burnouts were capable of anything, but in fact November took a nasty accidental spill on the slick grass and moss-covered rocks leading to the injury. Seeing the blood, Angela’s shriek of terror traveled to the turrets of the Tampax Stage, pressed on to the Carburetor Stage, before echoing back to the scene of the crime.  

And the lamppost Lisa mentioned seeing, that caused her fall, another key scene in Hazel Moon is where Lady Luna first appears, standing like a statue under a lamppost in the rain holding an umbrella. 

Here's that scene:


A CAPRICIOUS WIND from the ominous storm slammed the heavy door behind them as the girls scampered back to the Camaro, each holding a black umbrella embroidered with the funeral parlor’s name and logo.

Slamming the shifter into first and about to speed off, November froze after seeing a vision from another era—a woman draped in a long, black cloak covered in elegant scalloped beading and silk buttons, holding a frilly parasol and perched under a lit lamppost. She pulled the shifter out of gear and abruptly jumped out, handing Angela her drink.

Oblivious to the rain, she ran to the light under the lamppost and the mysterious woman standing there.

“Luna!”

“Moonlight Star…I know I’m late, but you know it’s my nature to be naughty.”

November stood there in awe…Luna’s voice as sweet and intoxicating as a Champagne truffle. She added a polished curtsy, worthy of a member of a 19^th Century French Court. An amber glow danced around her olive skin and coffee-with-cream eyes. Turning her head to the left, Luna held her chin with two forefingers, striking a fetching pose, the glow from the lamppost casting her in a cocoon of light.

“Where have you been?” November petitioned, her heart now a useless lump in her throat.

“There will be plenty of time to chuckle over my amorous misadventures…tonight is all about you and your destiny…after all, this is the Eve of the Hazel Moon.”

In a few hours I'll be going to a Hazel Moon festival where author Lori Minneti will be singing, entertaining a crowd gathered to celebrate the full rising of the 2015 Hazel Moon. I can only imagine what Magic might happen under those feisty moonbeams!! 

Magic...or Mere Coincidence...

Note: Post from Lisa & Lori's Publisher

The "Magic" swirling around the Hazel Moon project continued to intensify. Authors Lisa & Lori Minneti were planning on attending the Rick Springfield concert at our local Bastille Days Festival which also happened to be one of my favorite summer festivals. Upon arriving, I saw the Arcadia's Oracle tent and was drawn to one of the psychics. I asked her to give me some explanation for these bazaar happenings, were they mere coincidences or were they somehow connected to the project.

In no uncertain terms, she told me they were "signs" that unseen forces were indeed guiding the unfolding of the destiny of the project, and, that the authors were sharing truths about the reality of the magic of this unseen world. She went on to describe the authors as being "High Priestesses" on a mission to enlighten our world and that they were old, wise souls who had lived before.

A week earlier, at work one of the authors was in an office where a nickname was given to the receptionist, and it was suggested that everyone have a special alternate name to represent them. Our author chose, High Priestess and only later learned from me that the fortune teller had given her that very designation!

Here is a scene from Chapter 9 in Hazel Moon:

Stage left, standing still like a statue of the Madonna, was Lady Luna, her China-doll perfect skin beginning to glow as if she were the actual Madonna about to be taken bodily up into heaven.

The book's Luna character is an immortal being who can shape-shift into physical form, has lived many lifetimes, and takes on a variety of stunning appearances. At the festival I found this animated statue to be a remarkable representation of Luna! An actual living human being, she would stay still until someone tipped her, then she would make a few slow gestures, often pausing for a photo, before resuming her pose as a still statue.

The Tarot Card reader, a fortune teller, also was a remarkable representation of the Mrs. Casimir character in the book, someone who helps guide November and gives her a magical gift.

Throughout the story there are references to Celtic lore, and the Salmon of Knowledge story is prominent. I walked to a park just outside of the Bastille Day festival grounds, sat down on a bench, and saw this Birds of Knowledge plaque about a sculpture on display.

And last, but probably not the end of these incidents of "Magic" author Lisa Minneti was out walking her dog, Jake, and came across two dead bunnies, the dead bunnies featured in two prominent scenes in her book.

So, although it might be normal to write these incidents off as common occurrences, mere coincidences, they might also be a strong indication that the world is more than we know and somehow what we imagine can shape our physical reality.

Whitesnake Summerfest Concert

Last night the authors of Hazel Moon invited me to attend the Whitesnake concert taking place at Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First of all, the band still puts on a show to rival what they did in their prime in the '80s but today they seemed to have attracted an audience of loyal fans from a wide range of ages. David Coverdale's voice was a strong as ever and their new material was actually quite good! All that aside, how did going to the Whitesnake concert enter the world of Hazel Moon?

Lisa sent me links to two music videos where Lori was featured. I commented that she was Tawny Kitaen gorgeous and deserved the hot spot in the video. Then, it turns out that Lori loves Whitesnake, the band that made Tawny Kitaen famous, and had a thing for David Coverdale. Within hours it seemed, it came to my attention that Whitesnake was apearing in a matter of days at our annual Summer Fest, and Lori, an actress by profession and a television personality as well, was planning to dress up as Tawny Kitaen in the famous Whitesnake video, and Lori could have been a standin for Tawny in the video, so that's how we all ended up there.

This concert means so much more because it seemed to be the apex of a series of "Magical" connections surrounding the unfolding, the birthing of the novel, Hazel Moon. First, there was the incredible Synchronicity of my "running into" Lisa at a Walgreens on the day before Easter, a day known to symbolize Resurrection & Renewal. I hadn't spoken to her in over 20 years, I'd seen her one or two times since then, but we weren't really friends, and yet that day I had to tap her on the shoulder and within minutes she learned I was a publisher, and I learned she had a manuscript for a novel.

Within days I had the manuscript copy and got to work, chapter by chapter, shaping the material into a form that would better appeal to a wide audience. From the first page on I recognized I had been given a diamond in the rough, a fantasy tale surrounding the coming-of-age of a girl whose religion, whose center came from the world and culture surrounding live concert performances and in general, music and song lyrics. The story's theme served as a powerful metaphor that any reader could apply to their personal source of inspiration and grow from the reading.

Running into Lisa was just the first of a long list of magical synchronicity happenings. For example, Hazel Moon takes place over a 24-hour period during a full moon in August of 1984 when characters November and Angela were all but desperate to see their favorite band in concert at the Hazel Moon Music Festival going on in their area. During the Whitesnake concert David Coverdale pointed the full moon out to the crowd and Lisa, Lori and I looked at each other and were the only people in the world who were thinking not of Whitesnake, but of the world they'd created in Hazel Moon.

Another example of an extraordinary connection, within hours of editing a scene where a little bunny was killed by a predator, I found a baby rabbit on my driveway in the same condition as described in the book. Also, within hours of editing a scene about a fawn, my sister came over and mentioned seeing a fawn during a walk for the very first time in her entire life.

Early on in the project, I suggested meeting at the cafe where I do most of my writing. When Lisa & Lori arrived, they saw the many colored lights of a carnival going on nearby, and in the remaining mist of some rain clouds, Lisa saw a rainbow. In the book there are many many references to different kinds of beautiful, rare colors, and rainbows are featured in multiple scenes. Lisa saw the rainbow in the mist as a sign that developing the book was part of our collective destiny.

I don't pretend to understand the magic involved, but I suspect it is somehow connected to the power of prayer and intention and imagination to create our destinies. That prospect is a subtle challenge for the reader of Hazel Moon to wrestle with.

Then, we find out that the band featured in the book, Echo and the Bunnymen, was actually touring in America and would be in Chicago this coming September, giving the author's a powerful opportunity to engage the band in helping promote their novel.

Throughout the book, Hazel Moon, the authors press home the idea that magic is swirling around each one of us constantly, and all we have to do is open our eyes to see that the world is much more than we know.