Sandra Alex's Blog
February 17, 2014
Creating Unforgettable Family Moments
It has been a while since I last posted a blog here. With so much happening, I have only found time to work on new projects (two of them related to THE CONJUNCTION OF THE REALMS) and study for my new Advanced Cinematography class.Today, however, this trend changes and I would like to introduce you to a concept that is prevalent throughout THE CONJUNCTION OF THE REALMS (Part One): creating unforgettable family moments.When our daughter was born, I heard so many people say, “Enjoy her as much as you can because they grow up so fast!” I remember brushing off those comments because, of course, I was going to enjoy our brand new baby daughter and I didn’t want other people imposing their thoughts on my experience. Yes, a bit immature on my part.The years do go by so fast, it is true, and today what I treasure most are the moments we created together as a family. In the book’s preface, I mention how both my husband and I used to make up worlds through invented stories for our little girl who is now an adult. Those were probably some of the best times we had together, when it was just the three of us. She would be laying in her bed, my husband and I would be sitting on the floor, and her room would simply fill up with an almost-visible magic fog.I decided to bottle that experience and try to share it someday with other parents and kids. That was the main motivation for writing THE CONJUNCTION OF THE REALMS (Part One).For parents: you can read it for your kids before they go to bed at night. I recommend gathering however many kids you have in one of their rooms, with a dim-light. Lighting always helps create the mood for bed-time stories. Keep them excited about the moment and what is going to happen next.For pre-teen, teens, and adults: you can leave the pressures of this world and embark in an adventurous voyage to the world of imagination. The characters will come alive to you, and you will keep wanting to go back to that enchanted place.I hope this gets at least a few to exit for a moment the cares of this world and travel to another, where the love of family is stronger than death and decay, where the imagination within you can create the impossible, and you get to experience an upward spiral with each moment you are engaged in the book.
"If you haven't gotten your copy, you are missing out on the magic."
January 3, 2014
With Imagination You Could Create Worlds Unseen...
Remember when you were a kid and thought you could fight the darkest monsters or simply fly over a pristine lake? With your imagination you could create worlds unseen and visit them whenever you wanted. But then you grew up. And the worlds you so deliberately crafted disappeared in the past. That is, until now.
The Conjunction of the Realms brings the world of imagination back to you and you back to it. In this whimsical mystery novel written for all ages, Grandpa Kingsley takes his family and the readers on an unforgettable adventure where imagination and reality collide.
As an author of content for kids I know the difficulty of creating a world that is intriguing, engaging and fun. “The Conjunction of the Realms” has achieved that goal, and gone way beyond, in both originality and beauty. It is a giant leap for the genre. This has great “Legs!” — Frank J. Radice, TV Executive
2014 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Digital or print reproduction NOT permitted without written consent from Livre Press, Inc.
The Conjunction of the Realms brings the world of imagination back to you and you back to it. In this whimsical mystery novel written for all ages, Grandpa Kingsley takes his family and the readers on an unforgettable adventure where imagination and reality collide.
As an author of content for kids I know the difficulty of creating a world that is intriguing, engaging and fun. “The Conjunction of the Realms” has achieved that goal, and gone way beyond, in both originality and beauty. It is a giant leap for the genre. This has great “Legs!” — Frank J. Radice, TV Executive
2014 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Digital or print reproduction NOT permitted without written consent from Livre Press, Inc.
December 17, 2013
“The Vesuvius Escapade” by Maureen Cardoso coming in 2014
In “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One),” Maureen Cardoso is the Kingsley's youngest daughter. As a child, she dreamt of being a scientist; she followed current discoveries and was fascinated by DNA sequencing, molecular structures, and genomes. By age ten, she had memorized the periodic table of chemical elements. In spite of her scientific side, she carried strong artistic traits that led her to write poems, stories and children’s books.
Maureen studied macro-biology but interrupted her degree to have Philly, her firstborn. She always carried a pen and paper with her because she was also a writer. Paulo, her Brazilian husband, tried to give her an electronic pad or tablet, but she preferred her paper notepad, claiming that a true writer will use napkins if necessary. A small, local publishing company had picked up some of her children’s books. Still her hope was that someday her books would make it across the isle, into the hands of one of the more prominent publishers of London.
With the advent of electronic publishing, Livre Press, Inc. is making Maureen's books available for download on Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble in 2014. Watch out of the announcement.
Here is a sample of Maureen's writing: the Preface for the first book she ever published, “Voyage One: The Vesuvius Escapade.”
PrefaceAt age 10, I wrote a song about a little gnome who loved to row his boat on the sea waters under the moonlight. He loved the moon because he thought it was made of vanilla ice-cream, so he followed its reflection on the ocean hoping to reach that inexhaustible supply of his favorite dessert.
My sister Esther and I grew up hearing fantastic stories about gnomes, my favorite being one whose name was Laddy Dah. Our dad, Phil Kingsley, was quite the old Irish story teller. It is no wonder that at age 10, Laddy and his family were alive in my imagination. His wife’s name was Lynda and they had three kids: Lyle, 11, Lilly, my age, and Cousin George, 12. Dad’s stories were animated and rich in content. Laddy was always at the center of them.
When my first son was born, I began to cogitate on the idea of writing and illustrating Dad’s stories so they would be preserved for our family. I thought of a kids’ book format where each chapter would be a voyage and Laddy would be the guide to take you, dear reader, through amazing imaginary places. This story is the beginning of your journey. There are many more to come from Dad’s story repertoire. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did growing up and as much as I enjoy telling them now.
Maureen Cardoso
8/28/2003
Excerpt From “Voyage One: The Vesuvius Escapade”
2013 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted except with written authorization from Livre Press, Inc.
Maureen studied macro-biology but interrupted her degree to have Philly, her firstborn. She always carried a pen and paper with her because she was also a writer. Paulo, her Brazilian husband, tried to give her an electronic pad or tablet, but she preferred her paper notepad, claiming that a true writer will use napkins if necessary. A small, local publishing company had picked up some of her children’s books. Still her hope was that someday her books would make it across the isle, into the hands of one of the more prominent publishers of London.
With the advent of electronic publishing, Livre Press, Inc. is making Maureen's books available for download on Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble in 2014. Watch out of the announcement.
Here is a sample of Maureen's writing: the Preface for the first book she ever published, “Voyage One: The Vesuvius Escapade.”
PrefaceAt age 10, I wrote a song about a little gnome who loved to row his boat on the sea waters under the moonlight. He loved the moon because he thought it was made of vanilla ice-cream, so he followed its reflection on the ocean hoping to reach that inexhaustible supply of his favorite dessert.
My sister Esther and I grew up hearing fantastic stories about gnomes, my favorite being one whose name was Laddy Dah. Our dad, Phil Kingsley, was quite the old Irish story teller. It is no wonder that at age 10, Laddy and his family were alive in my imagination. His wife’s name was Lynda and they had three kids: Lyle, 11, Lilly, my age, and Cousin George, 12. Dad’s stories were animated and rich in content. Laddy was always at the center of them.
When my first son was born, I began to cogitate on the idea of writing and illustrating Dad’s stories so they would be preserved for our family. I thought of a kids’ book format where each chapter would be a voyage and Laddy would be the guide to take you, dear reader, through amazing imaginary places. This story is the beginning of your journey. There are many more to come from Dad’s story repertoire. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did growing up and as much as I enjoy telling them now.
Maureen Cardoso
8/28/2003
Excerpt From “Voyage One: The Vesuvius Escapade”
2013 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted except with written authorization from Livre Press, Inc.
November 25, 2013
The Mysteries of Easter Island
In “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” Grandpa Kingsley and others make a trip to Easter Island with the purpose of investigating a murder. From Northern Ireland to Easter Island. What is the connection? And why?
To answer properly, one must first understand that there is no distance in the world of imagination, where humans or other beings can travel unhindered from one location to another in fractions of a second. With that in mind, Grandpa Kingsley decided to incorporate Easter Island into the surroundings of his stories because from the time he was a young lad, the island always fascinated him. Especially the legends of the moais.
Now, the inhabitants of Easter Island call its famous statues moai. Those visiting the isolated Pacific Island cannot ignore the prolific presence of moais everywhere.
Throughout the island, moais are found in various stages of preservation. Some have their pukaos intact; pukao is the word for the statues’ red volcanic hats. Others are half-buried. While a few remain placed on a plateau or ahu. There are one-hundred and twenty-five ahus with standing moais. For instance, Ahu Tongariki has fifteen; however, the majority of the remaining ahus has only one. Grandpa Kinsgley taught his grandchildren the following:
Rapa Nui is what the natives call Easter Island. If you ask the people who live there about the origin of its monolithic statues called moai, they will explain that a previous civilization of royal beings transported the large rocks using their minds. Through concentration, they used the power of their minds to move these enormous rocks from one location to another. It is also said of this remote island that it may once have been the site of an astronomical observatory—not an observatory of astronomical proportions, but a scientific outpost of a long forgotten, antediluvian civilization that studied the stars. Not all archaeologists agree with this possibility, but further indication points to the island having been known as Mata-Ki-Te-Rani, which means “Eyes looking at heaven.”
To find out more about Grandpa Kingsley’s trip to Easter Island, you can purchase “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” in any digital platform at Livre Press, Inc.
Photo taken by Ian Sewell, July, 2006. Ahu Tongariki on Easter Island. These moai were restored in the 1990's by a Japanese research team after a cyclone knocked them over in the 1960's.
To answer properly, one must first understand that there is no distance in the world of imagination, where humans or other beings can travel unhindered from one location to another in fractions of a second. With that in mind, Grandpa Kingsley decided to incorporate Easter Island into the surroundings of his stories because from the time he was a young lad, the island always fascinated him. Especially the legends of the moais.
Now, the inhabitants of Easter Island call its famous statues moai. Those visiting the isolated Pacific Island cannot ignore the prolific presence of moais everywhere.
Throughout the island, moais are found in various stages of preservation. Some have their pukaos intact; pukao is the word for the statues’ red volcanic hats. Others are half-buried. While a few remain placed on a plateau or ahu. There are one-hundred and twenty-five ahus with standing moais. For instance, Ahu Tongariki has fifteen; however, the majority of the remaining ahus has only one. Grandpa Kinsgley taught his grandchildren the following:
Rapa Nui is what the natives call Easter Island. If you ask the people who live there about the origin of its monolithic statues called moai, they will explain that a previous civilization of royal beings transported the large rocks using their minds. Through concentration, they used the power of their minds to move these enormous rocks from one location to another. It is also said of this remote island that it may once have been the site of an astronomical observatory—not an observatory of astronomical proportions, but a scientific outpost of a long forgotten, antediluvian civilization that studied the stars. Not all archaeologists agree with this possibility, but further indication points to the island having been known as Mata-Ki-Te-Rani, which means “Eyes looking at heaven.”
To find out more about Grandpa Kingsley’s trip to Easter Island, you can purchase “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” in any digital platform at Livre Press, Inc.
Photo taken by Ian Sewell, July, 2006. Ahu Tongariki on Easter Island. These moai were restored in the 1990's by a Japanese research team after a cyclone knocked them over in the 1960's.November 17, 2013
Who Were the Enlightened Writers?
In the book “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” I make mention of a war that took place in the realm of imagination first, but it then permeated into the realm of man.
Various kids who have read the book, asked me if I could elaborate on this war and explain in more detail what happened. I decided to incorporate in the second book an in-depth description of what became known in “The Conjunction of the Realms” as the 80-Year War.
At Livre Press, Inc. we are also developing an interactive timeline to be featured in a multi-touch “The Conjunction of the Realms” Companion Book to be released on iBooks just in time for Christmas (more about that coming soon). For now, though, I am posting a modified excerpt from Part One and would love to hear your thoughts. See if you can connect the dots with real world history and find out who were the enlightened writers. Grandpa Kingsley tells the story:
“From the middle ages all the way through the early 1900’s, trolls, rebellious dwarves, evil goblins, ogres, witches, monsters, vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of horrendous, malefic creatures dominated the world of imagination. Children lived in fear. Belief in miracles was at an all time low. Wars were imminent in various countries, and the hope of a better world was waning quickly as people’s hearts grew sick.
In the early 1900’s, a few elves began an ‘idea’ revolution, which later became known as the 80-Year War (1903 -1983). Elves in those days were the most advanced of all creatures in the world of imagination. It was not always so. Their existence became almost extinct during the dark ages when the forces of evil ran rampant in the four corners of the earth. Their ingenuity and genuine care for humans stopped the destruction, and they managed to survive. To combat the evil of lies and fear, these same elves invited a small number or writers and story tellers to participate in their revolution by creating new worlds, filled with amazing wonders, adventures, laughter, joy, excitement, and integrity. Even confronted by the danger of being considered crazy and becoming outcasts in the society of the time, the writers began writing, and the first literary pieces started to be released as early as the 1930’s. This new kind of literature was destined to influence the generations to come! It was a war of words; a war between love and hate, truth and lies, faith and skepticism. Their books revealed the triumph of love, truth and faith, causing a relentless reaction in the forces of darkness. The evil forces plotted to fight all truth being propagated by the writers and storytellers. The fight was so intense that it influenced the world of matter, to the point of provoking the horrors of the Second World War. Many good writers and storytellers who survived World War II incorporated their experiences in future literary works depicting the victory of good over evil. But the war was far from over.
Now, the beings from the world of imagination gain strength by becoming known and by having people believe in them. The dark creatures’ plot after the Second World War was to obfuscate the existence of these beings so they became weaker to the point of vanishing. They inspired the rulers of countries to burn books and put in an insane asylum anyone who dared to believe in a world other than the material one; they filled the scientists’ heads with empirical and pragmatic theories so anything imaginable had to be proven in order to be real, and to believe in the invisible was to be an impossible feat. Filling people’s hearts with fear was what the forces of evil did best.
Such plot would have been successful had not Fireno, one of the elves who started the truth revolution, stepped in and paid the high price of annihilating all lies with his own life. The beings that abide in the realm of imagination do not deteriorate, in other words, they do not die of old age. Either a stronger creature takes their life or they lay it down. In times of peace, these beings can live for an undetermined amount of time. In times of war, many lose their lives. Whenever an elf laid down his life fighting against a lie, truth emanated so strongly out of his or her spirit that it took down a great amount of evil (not necessarily the creatures but the forces that made them act that way). Many elves have given their lives throughout the centuries. Somehow, Fireno’s death in 1983 was the last drop, putting an end to the 80-Year War.
The force of truth was mighty inside Fireno. When he died, so did the remaining powers that opposed all truth. Lying creatures, over time, lost their desire to lie and therefore lost their desire to perform their evil deeds. The rulers of the countries that plotted against the stories were removed from power and a renaissance of new stories and ideas based on truth and light began. Today, the world of imagination has been completely rid of evil. Not only we get to live in this renaissance of truth, but we get to participate in the conjunction as the two realms get closer and closer to each other.”
If you liked this and would want to read more about the “80-Year War” please leave me a comment, retweet this post, share it on Facebook, or simply mark it as Like. I will know that it doesn’t mean necessarily that you Like it, but that you would like to know more.
“The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” can be purchased at Livre Press, Inc. in any digital format.
2013 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, digitally or on paper, not permitted without written authorization.
Various kids who have read the book, asked me if I could elaborate on this war and explain in more detail what happened. I decided to incorporate in the second book an in-depth description of what became known in “The Conjunction of the Realms” as the 80-Year War.
At Livre Press, Inc. we are also developing an interactive timeline to be featured in a multi-touch “The Conjunction of the Realms” Companion Book to be released on iBooks just in time for Christmas (more about that coming soon). For now, though, I am posting a modified excerpt from Part One and would love to hear your thoughts. See if you can connect the dots with real world history and find out who were the enlightened writers. Grandpa Kingsley tells the story:
“From the middle ages all the way through the early 1900’s, trolls, rebellious dwarves, evil goblins, ogres, witches, monsters, vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of horrendous, malefic creatures dominated the world of imagination. Children lived in fear. Belief in miracles was at an all time low. Wars were imminent in various countries, and the hope of a better world was waning quickly as people’s hearts grew sick.
In the early 1900’s, a few elves began an ‘idea’ revolution, which later became known as the 80-Year War (1903 -1983). Elves in those days were the most advanced of all creatures in the world of imagination. It was not always so. Their existence became almost extinct during the dark ages when the forces of evil ran rampant in the four corners of the earth. Their ingenuity and genuine care for humans stopped the destruction, and they managed to survive. To combat the evil of lies and fear, these same elves invited a small number or writers and story tellers to participate in their revolution by creating new worlds, filled with amazing wonders, adventures, laughter, joy, excitement, and integrity. Even confronted by the danger of being considered crazy and becoming outcasts in the society of the time, the writers began writing, and the first literary pieces started to be released as early as the 1930’s. This new kind of literature was destined to influence the generations to come! It was a war of words; a war between love and hate, truth and lies, faith and skepticism. Their books revealed the triumph of love, truth and faith, causing a relentless reaction in the forces of darkness. The evil forces plotted to fight all truth being propagated by the writers and storytellers. The fight was so intense that it influenced the world of matter, to the point of provoking the horrors of the Second World War. Many good writers and storytellers who survived World War II incorporated their experiences in future literary works depicting the victory of good over evil. But the war was far from over.
Now, the beings from the world of imagination gain strength by becoming known and by having people believe in them. The dark creatures’ plot after the Second World War was to obfuscate the existence of these beings so they became weaker to the point of vanishing. They inspired the rulers of countries to burn books and put in an insane asylum anyone who dared to believe in a world other than the material one; they filled the scientists’ heads with empirical and pragmatic theories so anything imaginable had to be proven in order to be real, and to believe in the invisible was to be an impossible feat. Filling people’s hearts with fear was what the forces of evil did best.
Such plot would have been successful had not Fireno, one of the elves who started the truth revolution, stepped in and paid the high price of annihilating all lies with his own life. The beings that abide in the realm of imagination do not deteriorate, in other words, they do not die of old age. Either a stronger creature takes their life or they lay it down. In times of peace, these beings can live for an undetermined amount of time. In times of war, many lose their lives. Whenever an elf laid down his life fighting against a lie, truth emanated so strongly out of his or her spirit that it took down a great amount of evil (not necessarily the creatures but the forces that made them act that way). Many elves have given their lives throughout the centuries. Somehow, Fireno’s death in 1983 was the last drop, putting an end to the 80-Year War.
The force of truth was mighty inside Fireno. When he died, so did the remaining powers that opposed all truth. Lying creatures, over time, lost their desire to lie and therefore lost their desire to perform their evil deeds. The rulers of the countries that plotted against the stories were removed from power and a renaissance of new stories and ideas based on truth and light began. Today, the world of imagination has been completely rid of evil. Not only we get to live in this renaissance of truth, but we get to participate in the conjunction as the two realms get closer and closer to each other.”
If you liked this and would want to read more about the “80-Year War” please leave me a comment, retweet this post, share it on Facebook, or simply mark it as Like. I will know that it doesn’t mean necessarily that you Like it, but that you would like to know more.
“The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” can be purchased at Livre Press, Inc. in any digital format.
2013 © Livre Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, digitally or on paper, not permitted without written authorization.November 11, 2013
Press Release for "The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)”
A thrilling and original adventure to the world of imagination for the entire family. In this whimsical mystery novel written for all ages, Grandpa Kingsley takes his entire family along with the reader on an unforgettable adventure where imagination and reality collide.
Burbank, CA – October 10, 2013 – Sandra Alex is debuting her fantasy literature “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” released on August 1, 2013 through the Kindle Publishing program of Amazon.com. The trilogy collection contains elements of mystery, thriller, adventure and romance for the coming of age demographic, and for parents and grandparents alike. An Irish-themed party will be held in November for the launch with members of the press.
National Emmy Award winner Frank Radice, television producer and co-author of Random House’s popup book “Sam Katz on the Loose,” said, “As an author of content for kids I know the difficulty of creating a world that is intriguing, engaging and fun. ‘The Conjunction of the Realms’ has achieved that goal, and gone way beyond, in both originality and beauty. It is a giant leap for the genre. This has great ‘Legs!’”
Chere Berman, author of acclaimed poetry book for women, “Amber String of Beads” offered the following five-star review on Amazon: “Utterly original and spellbinding. The Conjunction of the Realms is quite unlike anything I have ever read… what you will discover will both delight you and release your inner child to consider the possibilities of the world that we live in. The illustrations are winsome and lovely….I can’t wait for Part II!”
Sandra Alex is available for interviews and appearances. The eBook is currently being distributed via Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Kobo.com and on Apple’s iBooks store.
About Sandra Alex Sandra, an entrepreneur and creative writer originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been working towards the publication of her first book for the past ten years while raising her daughter, running a successful software business and consulting for major television studios. As a cinematographer, Sandra co-owns Studio City’s production company, Shoot to Film, and is the founder of Livre Press, Inc., an e-publishing corporation that she started to support the release of upcoming books.
For more information about THE CONJUNCTION OF THE REALMS (Part One), please visit: www.livrepress.net or call at (800) 804-1173, Ext. 107.
###
Positive feedback all the way from Germany!
I wanted to share a positive feedback for “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” from Hanni, a native German who lives in Munich:
“It truly amazed me to read such a positive book about love and family, and it seems to make one dreaming… Normally I don’t read fantasy so I don’t have much comparison with others in this genre. But I just liked it. Most (especially sophisticated) literature usually dwells on the negative sides of humanity and this was different. Fantastic job…”
Thank you, Hanni, for liking this book and for your kind words. It was my intent to do just that: dwell on what we can be as human beings, provide a vision for the families, and for a future that is different from what we have now. I understand that by exposing all of the ugliness that exists inside the human heart then there are no surprises. I get that. But I also believe that by focusing so much on the negative, almost exalting evil, a certain cynicism is generated along with a warped look on life.
This is not to say that life is easy, or as my dad used to put it: “Life is not a sea of roses.” “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” does not aspire to be the next Pollyanna, and it definitely does not portray life as a “sea of roses.” I cannot imagine experiencing the loss of a 3-year old child. And yet, that is what happens in our story. For the Kingsley’s family, life took a whole new meaning after that event. They never healed from the loss, but that pain heightened their awareness one of another, and whenever a contentious situation arose, they consciously opted to express kindness instead of irritation; a smile instead of a frown, and so on. I ask of the reader: if I don’t believe that a family like Grandpa Kingsley’s can exist on the earth, what kind of earth am I wanting to leave behind for the future generations? The challenge of “The Conjunction of the Realms” is to provoke the reader to dream and dream big, to think of what the future can be, rather than looking limitedly at how the present presents itself. I hope that more readers can say like Hanni: “…it seems to make one dreaming.”
“The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” can be purchased at Livre Press, Inc. in any digital format.
2013 © Juan Hernandez (used with permission). Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from Livre Press, Inc. or Juan Hernandez.
“It truly amazed me to read such a positive book about love and family, and it seems to make one dreaming… Normally I don’t read fantasy so I don’t have much comparison with others in this genre. But I just liked it. Most (especially sophisticated) literature usually dwells on the negative sides of humanity and this was different. Fantastic job…”
Thank you, Hanni, for liking this book and for your kind words. It was my intent to do just that: dwell on what we can be as human beings, provide a vision for the families, and for a future that is different from what we have now. I understand that by exposing all of the ugliness that exists inside the human heart then there are no surprises. I get that. But I also believe that by focusing so much on the negative, almost exalting evil, a certain cynicism is generated along with a warped look on life.
This is not to say that life is easy, or as my dad used to put it: “Life is not a sea of roses.” “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” does not aspire to be the next Pollyanna, and it definitely does not portray life as a “sea of roses.” I cannot imagine experiencing the loss of a 3-year old child. And yet, that is what happens in our story. For the Kingsley’s family, life took a whole new meaning after that event. They never healed from the loss, but that pain heightened their awareness one of another, and whenever a contentious situation arose, they consciously opted to express kindness instead of irritation; a smile instead of a frown, and so on. I ask of the reader: if I don’t believe that a family like Grandpa Kingsley’s can exist on the earth, what kind of earth am I wanting to leave behind for the future generations? The challenge of “The Conjunction of the Realms” is to provoke the reader to dream and dream big, to think of what the future can be, rather than looking limitedly at how the present presents itself. I hope that more readers can say like Hanni: “…it seems to make one dreaming.”
“The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” can be purchased at Livre Press, Inc. in any digital format.
2013 © Juan Hernandez (used with permission). Reproduction in whole or in part is not permitted without written authorization from Livre Press, Inc. or Juan Hernandez.November 2, 2013
"O Boto Cor-de-Rosa" (The Pink Dolphin)
The pink dolphins are not cartoon characters nor are they to be compared with pink elephants. Well, they can be cartoon characters. In “The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)” the pink dolphins play a huge part in helping transport the humans to the world of imagination, but in the case of Paulo Cardoso or in our material world, they are real dolphins.
For those who have not yet read the book, Paulo Cardoso made a few documentaries on preservation projects in his homeland of Brazil. One of his films, titled in Portuguese, “O Boto Cor-de-Rosa,” featured Brazilian ecologists’ efforts to save the pink dolphins of the Amazon river, not only rare at the time but also endangered. For those who have never heard of these fresh water mammals, they are called Pink Amazon River Dolphins because of a light pink tinge in their almost white skin pigmentation. The ecological project, supported by Paulo’s documentary, gave birth to legends and stories that would educate the next generation of Brazilian children on the importance of preserving our earth’s interconnected systems. In fact, Paulo’s documentary was so successful that today he states with a sigh of relief that the pink dolphin has been removed from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Resources’ Red List of Endangered Species.
On one of his recent trips to the Amazon forest, Paulo shot a large amount of footage for his new documentary “The Encounter of the Waters.” The encounter of the waters is an unexplainable phenomena where the dark waters of the Negro river and the lighter muddy waters of the Solimões river first collide, then run parallel to each other without mixing for approximately six kilometers (or three and a half miles) and finally join together to form the great Amazon river. The trip required that Paulo contract a small helicopter to get some aerial shots where the contrasting colors of the rivers could be well depicted on screen. After being in the air for a couple of hours, Paulo joined his two-man crew on the small, motorized boat to travel up the Negro River towards Janauari, an ecological park filled with streams and lakes. Paulo, his cinematographer, and their assistant traveled in the small, motorized boat up the Negro River for almost a full day and finally arrived at the ecological park. To his utmost delight, a large pack of pink dolphins, larger than he had ever seen, was at play on the other side of the riverbed. A sight that would have been so rare in the early 1990’s was now more prominent, thanks to his and many others’ efforts to save the happy, playful creatures. Paulo motioned to his camera guy to document the beautiful aquatic ballet. A sighting such as this is simply extraordinary. Every piece of footage on the fresh water creatures is valuable and irreplaceable; Paulo captured every movement of the dolphins provoking each other to good fun while they splashed, jumped, and dove in the river waters innumerous times.
(I do not own the copyright for these images. If the rightful owner wishes to have them removed from this blog, please leave a reply below. Thank you!)
For those who have not yet read the book, Paulo Cardoso made a few documentaries on preservation projects in his homeland of Brazil. One of his films, titled in Portuguese, “O Boto Cor-de-Rosa,” featured Brazilian ecologists’ efforts to save the pink dolphins of the Amazon river, not only rare at the time but also endangered. For those who have never heard of these fresh water mammals, they are called Pink Amazon River Dolphins because of a light pink tinge in their almost white skin pigmentation. The ecological project, supported by Paulo’s documentary, gave birth to legends and stories that would educate the next generation of Brazilian children on the importance of preserving our earth’s interconnected systems. In fact, Paulo’s documentary was so successful that today he states with a sigh of relief that the pink dolphin has been removed from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Resources’ Red List of Endangered Species.
On one of his recent trips to the Amazon forest, Paulo shot a large amount of footage for his new documentary “The Encounter of the Waters.” The encounter of the waters is an unexplainable phenomena where the dark waters of the Negro river and the lighter muddy waters of the Solimões river first collide, then run parallel to each other without mixing for approximately six kilometers (or three and a half miles) and finally join together to form the great Amazon river. The trip required that Paulo contract a small helicopter to get some aerial shots where the contrasting colors of the rivers could be well depicted on screen. After being in the air for a couple of hours, Paulo joined his two-man crew on the small, motorized boat to travel up the Negro River towards Janauari, an ecological park filled with streams and lakes. Paulo, his cinematographer, and their assistant traveled in the small, motorized boat up the Negro River for almost a full day and finally arrived at the ecological park. To his utmost delight, a large pack of pink dolphins, larger than he had ever seen, was at play on the other side of the riverbed. A sight that would have been so rare in the early 1990’s was now more prominent, thanks to his and many others’ efforts to save the happy, playful creatures. Paulo motioned to his camera guy to document the beautiful aquatic ballet. A sighting such as this is simply extraordinary. Every piece of footage on the fresh water creatures is valuable and irreplaceable; Paulo captured every movement of the dolphins provoking each other to good fun while they splashed, jumped, and dove in the river waters innumerous times.
(I do not own the copyright for these images. If the rightful owner wishes to have them removed from this blog, please leave a reply below. Thank you!)
October 23, 2013
The Hobbit in real life?
(or in the case of "The Conjunction of the Realms, Part One" could it be “Laddy” in real life?)
Another one of Paulo Cardoso’s documentaries: the archaeological discovery of a very small humanoid-type, possibly a contemporary of humans, but supposedly now extinct. Or perhaps they are visible only with the mind’s eye.
Homo floresiensis (“Flores Man,” nicknamed “hobbit” and “Flo”) is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2004 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium (skull). These remains have been the subject of intense research to determine whether they represent a species distinct from modern humans, and the progress of this scientific controversy has been closely followed by the news media at large.
This hominin is remarkable for its small body and brain and for its survival until relatively recent times (possibly as recently as 12,000 years ago). Recovered alongside the skeletal remains were stone tools from archaeological horizons ranging from 94,000 to 13,000 years ago. The discoverers (archaeologist Mike Morwood and colleagues) proposed that a variety of features, both primitive and derived, identify these individuals as belonging to a new species, H. floresiensis, within the taxonomic tribe of Hominini. The discoverers also proposed that H. floresiensis lived contemporaneously with modern humans on Flores.
To find out more about this particular documentary and the other documentaries from Paulo Cardoso, please visit livrepress.net to purchase a copy of "The Conjunction of the Realms (Part One)."
October 18, 2013
The Legend of the Vitoria Regia
Paulo Cardoso is one of the characters in The Conjunction of the Realms series. Paulo came from the southernmost parts of Brazil and arrived in Northern Ireland as an exchange student during secondary school. Upon graduating, he went to the University of Ulster to get a degree in film. Paulo now has his own film production company. His famous documentaries require constant travel throughout Europe, Africa, Indonesia, and mainly South America. One beautiful documentary by Paulo Cardoso reports on the Vitoria Regia, the most peculiar and largest water-lily in the world, indigenous to the Amazon region. The Vitoria Regias vary from one hundred and forty to one hundred and eighty centimeters or four to six feet in diameter, and can hold up to forty-five kilograms or one hundred pounds. A child can sit in the middle of the plant and neither the plant nor the child will sink. The Brazilian Indian tribe Tupi-Guarani has a legend explaining the origin of this unique water plant (to listen to the legend, instead of read it, please click here):
“It was said of the moon goddess, Iaci, that she was known for her majestic presence in the heavens inspiring young native women to fall in love. The legend also tells how the young women who loved and were loved the most, eventually became a shiny star, glamorizing the heavens with their brilliance. Naia, the chief’s daughter and princess of the Tupi tribe, became so enthralled with this legend that every full-moon night, she would climb the hills to be closer to heaven and cry out to Iaci, longing for love. One night, Naia looked down from the top of the hill and saw Iaci’s reflection on the waters of a calm lake, as if spending countless hours contemplating her own beauty. The splendor of that reflection convinced the young Indian that the moon had heard her cry and descended from heaven to bathe in the pristine lake. This was Naia’s chance to be closer than ever to Iaci, when she, too, could be stricken by love and be transformed into a bright, shiny star. In no time, the princess ran down the hill and threw herself into the illuminant waters, in hopes to touch the celestial being. The deeper she swam, the further she became from Iaci; eventually, Naia was overtaken by the waters and drowned to her death. Iaci, moved by the girl’s unfortunate tragedy, was unable to transform Naia into a star in heaven, so she transformed her into a different kind of star: the magnificent ‘Star of the Waters,’ also known as the Vitoria Regia. Thus was born the aquatic plant and its exquisite flower that only blooms during the full-moon, exuding unique, sweet perfume; the flower’s petals are first white to reflect the moonlight; the following morning, the petals turn pink and then red when they finally wither, after only three days.”The lake from which the legend originates is to this day called “Mirror of the Moon,” and it is located near the Amazonas and Pará states border.
