Lucia and the Starfish

This was more challenging than I thought. I asked a reader of my novel to give me some passages that were her favorites. She gave me nine pages..... Now asking the author to choose her favorite is akin to  asking  a mother to chose her favorite child - actually that might be less challenging for some mothers.

In keeping with the animal theme of the passage I chose from the first book, this one mentions creatures of the sea. Rachel, one of the characters, the matriarch to be exact, narrates this scene in chapter Six of Lucia M of Singapore.


"........we crossed the causeway to Lido Beach in Johor where there were so many starfish. It was our favorite place to have chilli crabs. On one of the trips, we brought Lucia, who collected all the starfish she could find and left them in a pile by the beach. After we had lunch at the beach side restaurant, she returned to pick up her starfish but could not find them. Raul told her that the tide had come in and washed them away."

Next post, we will have a scene about school bullies and Lucia in her words.
PC Nicholas

Is Spring Over?

It is early JUNE and Usually in Ottawa, the lilacs are in full bloom and the Peony bushes are laden with various sizes of buds in hues of pinks, with their intoxicating fragrance permeating the outdoors.

Well this year, the lilacs are gone, since they arrived in mid-May and the peonies are almost past their peak. Our spring came too early and it was one of the warmest recorded spring we've seen.  Some people were even in shorts in the balmy days of May.

Today, on the second day of June we had a thunderstorm, in fact we had tropical storms this couple of days and more to come in the next few days. Ottawa had a reputation of being one of the coldest capitals but now, that claim is suspect. Is this the result of global warming?? Actually, our past winter was quite mild, too. Florida, watch out, you might not get your usual "snowbird" residents next winter. One of my friends have some red cardinals ( of course, I meant the feathered kind) in her backyard. Perhaps in another post, we will mention some of our feathered friends who have made Ottawa their home.

On the next post, we'll give you a glimpse of what Ottawans do in the summer and one of my first summer activity - my move in three weeks to my ideal location. As for now, working full-time, packing for the move and writing - where do I get the energy - if you're familiar with my blog, then you know the answer! If you're not familiar, then get busy and read my posts to find the answer.
Just one of the many varieties of Peonies found in the Experimental Farm Gardens.

Taking this opportunity  to extend to all my regular  and new readers, my heartfelt Gratitude for your inspiring comments. Even if it is a few words or just one sentence, it encourages me to keep writing. Thanks!

P Nicholas

Still in a State of Flux

It has been 2 months since I last posted. It seems like a vacation from a state of flux is what I need now. It is definitely what I want. So I am planning to go on a educational vacation this September. Does that make sense after I just told you I want a vacation now?  Perhaps it will, if I tell you what's happening.

I've moved to a temporary lodging while I'm in the process of finding a more permanent one. So going away for a vacation is out of the question. However, I don't have to go away...
The location of my present housing is where tourists flock in the next few weeks for the Tulip Festival. This area becomes a beautiful,  huge, spring garden with varieties of tulips, daffodils and other spring flowers in landscaped beds. Then, there are decorated boats floating on the canal just a couple of minutes' walk from where I live.

As I took a walk by the canal, the yellow buds on the trees is already making the landscape surreal. and the canada geese were gliding gracefully along the shallow waters.The purple martins were scouting their territories in the different trees by the canal. Some people were even sun-bathing on the slopes near-by. Oh Yes, my vacation has already begun!

In my next post, I will write about the reviews, I've received from my second novel Lucia M of Singapore.
PC Nicholas

In a state of Flux

This state began a little over a month ago. My work as an energy medicine therapist took more clients then I've ever had. Then, I prepared and delivered a Level One Course which I named Latticework of Energy, Level One. The outcome and evaluation was more than I could have anticipated. I would have liked to have time for a litlle vacation, however, something else happened that caught me by surprise!

Ten days ago, I decided to finally put my condo on the market. Within two days, an offer was made with one condition that they wanted to occupy the condo on February 26. So now, I am concentrating on finding a smaller place, trying to pack and parting with some furniture that I don't need.

I suspect this state of flux will remain for a few months yet. Yes, it could be a time of anxiety, instead  I have consciously chosen to associate this continuous change with the emotion of excitement, anticipation and surprise.

If you don't hear from me for another longer interval, at least you could blame it on my state of flux, ie continuous succession of changes. An update on my Lucia M of Singapore - 60% of the copies are sold. If any producers would like to turn it into a movie script, please contact me.

To my chinese readers and friends, my wish for a Happy Year of the Tiger! Kong Yee Fatt Choy!

The Family Band

I thought this would be my New Year's treat for my readers and followers of  TransformYourLife. This is the complete poem taken from my latest novel,  LUCIA M OF SINGAPORE.   I have had interesting comments from those who have bought my novel on this opening poem. So enjoy and comments would be appreciated.

                                                                     The Family Band
As fingers of your hand differ,                                                           
             so do members of the family band.
Each with a unique contribution,
            as fingers in a hand do work.
If the Hand was all thumbs or pinkies
           Oh what chaos that would be.

Pull one part of the hand,
           the rest follows in quick motion
Negative - the vibrations
          that weaken the family band
Positive - the vibrations
         that infuse health to the family band.

Copyright/2009 PC Nicholas

A New Year of Possibilities??

Yes this is what I wish for all my readers, especially the readers who have supported me. I am very grateful for what I have received in the year 2009 - the ups and downs, the many challenges - they were sometimes not pleasant but that did not stop me from achieving some of my goals, especially writing and self-publishing these novels. Now I can add that 50% of the copies of each novel have been purchased.

My little tip for all of you - if you think you can, you will and if you think you can't, you won't! Do not put limitations on yourself or your worth. I think each of you deserve the best and you were created out of love and if you doubt that, please send me an e-mail and I will attempt to show you that you were created from Love!
Wishing each of you a Joyful and Healthy New Year!
PC Nicholas

Lucia M of Singapore -back cover

My second book appears to be doing well - almost 50% have been purchased. One of the purchasers told me that it could stand on its own i.e - you could read the second one without reading the first one which is "Beneath the Singapore Sky".
As promised a couple of weeks ago, here is the back cover.

Wishing each of my readers, a wonderful Christmas and a New Year filled with Hope, Joy and Peace!
PC Nicholas

Let me introduce you to LUCIA M of Singapore

    It was a fantastic weekend for Lucia M of Singapore. Once again, the sequel to Beneath the Singapore Sky was a limited edition. Yet before it was printed, some copies were already sold. As of now, which is Thursday 10 December over 30 copies have been sold.

   This is the front cover of the book and next week, I will include the back cover!  If any of you would like to purchase a signed copy, you could do so by leaving a comment with your e-mail address and mark private, so that it will not be published in the comment section. Thanks.
PC Nicholas/2009

Lucia M of Singapore - debuts next week!

If you're wondering what is happening, I've been busy getting my second book published. Some computer glitches, so that my corrections and editing were not saved & went to the printers minus the edition. Finally the printer realized it had something to do with a defective program that I was using. Glad to report, everything has been ironed out.
Lucia M of Singapore will now be in print by next Thursday? How many of you would like to see the front and back covers?  Next weekend, there will be a book signing at the Book Stop in Ottawa, Ontario for 2 hours, commencing at 11.30 am    So if you're looking for Christmas presents for your family or friends, drop me a line and I would tell you how you could obtain a copy or the set of two books.
PCNicholas

Lucia M of Singapore - opening poem

Let me get the announcements out of the way
. Author Readings - Historical Novel - Beneath the Singapore Sky by PC Nicholas
1.Tomorrow, 4 November 2009, I will be giving a reading in the Ottawa Public Library on Metcalf St. It will be at 7pm at the auditorium of the main library at 7pm. Ottawa is in the capital of Canada and the main library is located a few blocks from the Parliament Buildings.
2. Book Signing - New Book - Lucia M of Singapore
This sequel to Beneath the Singapore Sky will be ready for purchase on the last Saturday of November 2009
My books will also be presented at some Christmas bazaars.

The second book begins with a  poem and here is the first stanza.
         The Family Band

As fingers of your hand differs,
so too members of the family band.
Each with  unique contribution
as fingers in a hand do work.
If the Hand was all thumbs or pinkies,
My, what chaos that would be?
copyright/pcnicholas 2009