"The Whales Secret" now an E-Book.
What a great way to start this new year of 2012 than to finally get "The Whales' Secret" in PDF and E-Book format. You can now do a direct download via PayLoadz through the QQandN Publishing Cataloque or Order Page. Or you can contact me directly. I'm excited to finally get it out there. You will really enjoy Julie Draper's illustrations, and of course, the story which has so many levels, for everyone, not just children. It's about the heart and love! And we could all use a bit of that eh?!?
January 2, 2012
Happy New Year - Welcome to a year of harmony, balance and grace.
In the art of numerology, 2012 becomes 5, the number for balance, harmony and divine grace, a symbol of the universe, the will’s divine, incarnated conscience (matter and spirit), the spirit of life and human love. At this time, as we know it, there are five fundamental virtues (wisdom, love, truth, goodness and justice); five lines in a stave of music; five elements (earth, fire, water, air and ether); five principals in the human (body, animal soul, psyche, intelligence and divine spirit); five oceans; five reigns (elemental, mineral, vegetable, animal and human). Five is a common symbol in most cultures and religions. For the Mayas it is perfection. And no, the world is not about to end!
Web Site Changes
To coincide with the new year I have chosen to change the colours of the web site to aqua blue, the colour related to the number 5. It is also a refreshing new look and while I haven't completed everything by January 1, it will gradually come together over the next few weeks. This is all through self-taught HTML 101, so sometimes it takes hours to find just one symbol that is in the wrong place and can change the appearance of a whole page. The little gray cells are certainly being put to work! So I hope you enjoy the new look. I've even included links from various pages to Facebook for Like and Send - advice from those who are up to date with social media. If you have any suggestions and/or feedback, do please contact me.
December 29, 2011
"Little Candle" performed in the Netherlands
On December 11, I received an e-mail from Renate Bik in the Netherlands, along with a YouTube video of children and grown-ups singing "Little Candle" for the Candle Night on Friday, December 9. It was a fundraising event for LCH (Langehans Cell Histiocytosis), a rare form of cancer that affects young children. As the last of 1000 candles were lit in a stream in Roombeek in the district of Enschede, 120 children from six school choirs were accompanied by a small orchestra as they sang "Little Candle".
While I watched the YouTube video (you can see it on the Little Candle web page) I was brought to tears. I felt so honoured that the organizers chose my little song for such an incredible occasion.
May 27, 2011
Children's Art from Spain
Great news! I have today just received some art from children in Spain. Natalia Apariz, a teacher for English as a Second Language in a primary school in Sek Atlantico, Pontevedra, sent along the creations from her students. They can be seen in the One Seed Kid's Art Gallery.
Writes Natalia, "I would like you to know that my students from second grade have enjoyed the One Seed story so much that they wanted to keep on working on the topic all day long; they wanted to continue listening to the catchy song and listening to the story again and again. You would be delighted to see them working on the One Seed worksheets that I prepared for them using your inapreciable help; after the lessons they would sing the One Seed tune softly to themselves!!! I am still working on the story with them as I find it perfect to develop both language and other important competences such as tolerance, personal determination, willingness and much more. From Spain we would like to thank you for your support and valuable teaching resources."
These words warm my heart. It was for this very reason that "One Seed" was released to the world on You Tube for children to experience all that the story entails. Thank you so much Natalia for sending the pictures and for working with your children in such a delightful way. It is teachers like you who really do help make a difference in this world!
April 1, 2011
Rosemary with the Big Book - launching "The Whales' Secret"
What a launch - and there were whales!
The spirit of whale was certainly with us on March 21 and 22 as the new children's book "The Whales' Secret" was launched on board the Leviathan II in Tofino and Lady Selkirk in Ucluelet at Jaimie's Whaling Stations during the 25th Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival. It was the perfect location for such an event: "Storytime at Sea" - a book launch on a big boat with hot chocolate!
I took out the guitar and sang a couple of songs. It seemed appropriate to begin with Calypso by John Denver in honour of Jacques Coustau and all his work for researching life in the sea. That followed with Baby Beluga and children joining in. There was standing room only as I took out the big book ready to read.
Jacquie and Sandra
The boat was tied up to the dock but it still rocked at times with the waves coming in to shore. While I began the story Jacquie Phillips and Sandra Brigham helped out by serving up the hot chocolate and taking photos and little video clips that have been made into a short movie.
That afternoon Jacquie and Sandra and I were then treated to a trip out on the Leviathan II to see whales. The sea rolled and it was hard to keep steady but what an adventure! And like an answer to our prayers, there were whales - grey whales - all around us, spouting, moving through the water. One whale even breached. This we were told is quite a rare thing to see.
I do have a bit of video footage but it's a bit shaky because of the rolling sea. Unfortunately I just missed the breach - I had zoomed in but was focussed a little behind and instead caught the whale behind. I do have the splash as the whale landed in the water.
Amy Hancock of the Pacific Rim Whale Festival was on hand to take a video of the second reading on the Lady Selkirk in Ucluelet. You can see it on the The Whales' Secret page.
The news is that "The Whales' Secret" printed book is now available for purchase through PayPal on the Order page.
Thank You
Thanks go to Jenn at the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, the organizers, Amy, and Jaimie's Whaling Station for such an incredible adventure. Thanks also go to Jacquie and Sandra for being my "roadies" carrying bags, serving chocolate, etc.
Thanks also go to Lorna for letting me participate in the 6th Annual Literary Spout Off on the Tuesday evening. It was great fun listening to such wonderful stories about the dark and light side of living on the edge. And the little writing competition was a delight - to write a post card "From the belly of the Whale". Amy created another video which you can see here. And yes, I did use my winnings to buy a martini!
