I turned, and he stared down into my eyes. I felt drawn into his dark brown orbs that smoldered and shifted to blood red.

I hadn’t heard his footfalls or the crunch of snow behind me. His presence both startled and overwhelmed me. I moved back two steps to take in the sheer beauty and strength of Kane da Medici, the first blood son of Brogio, the original vampire.

His six-foot-five frame towered over my small stature. Dark brown hair fell around his broad shoulders. He wore black slacks, a white silk shirt open at the collar, and a black brocade jacket. A black belt and boots finished off his stylish appearance. His love of beautiful clothes was obvious on this night he had agreed to meet me in the woods outside his Tuscany wine estate.
You think I’m crazy to meet a timeless vampire in the woods at night? Nothing could be farther from the truth. First, he would never purposely hurt a human being. I know. I wrote him that way. Second, he wanted to meet his creator face to face.

He smirked. “You are smaller and older than I thought you’d be.”

I brushed a snowflake from my silver white hair and flashed him a smile. “And, you are more handsome than any image of you could convey.”

He laughed and shrugged. He bowed and pointed to a fallen tree where we might sit together. He tried to hide the boyish charm that I had built into him. I had no idea just how charming he had become over the years and the nine books I’d written about him.

“So, Carol, what do you want to know?” He hunched over, placed an elbow on a knee, and placed his knuckle under his chin. He gave me a sidelong glance and smirked. “What could I possibly tell you that you don’t already know?”

I leaned toward him. “I want to know if your love for Zandra and Moon has surpassed your lust for never-ending knowledge.”

He sat up in surprise and peered into my own brown eyes. “Isn’t it obvious? I willingly offered my true death to Lucifer in exchange for all those I love. Zandra and Moon being at the top of that list.”

I sighed. “Then you truly have evolved as a character, haven’t you?”

“Call it what you will.”

I placed my hand on his arm, and he turned to me.

 “You have been through so much. You, Moon, Zandra, and her brothers have had to fight off evil humans, shifters, the undead, the original succubus, demons, and even Satan himself. If I could grant you one wish, what would it be?”

He placed his hand over mine and stared into the darkness of the woods. “I’d wish you grant us all peace. Peace to just be together… and yes, for me to explore my unquenchable thirst for knowledge.”

I shrugged. “But you know the worst storm you’ve faced is coming in Moon Blood Book 5, don’t you?”

He snatched his hand away from mine. “Why do you have to put us through such difficult situations? You’re worst than the gods and the monsters that pursue us.”

I sighed again. “Because all of you are so very creative. You find ways to escape the worst situations, and I love watching all of you evolve into something so noble. Yes, you are supposed to be monsters, but I have never known creatures like you who have so much unconditional love for each other. Not one of you would hesitate to die for the others. It makes you all inspirational.”

He stood and began to pace, a habit he now mimicked from Brogio, his sire. “But that comes from Moon. It has all along. First from Snow Blood, and now from his daughter and my progeny, my beloved hybrid wolf. Both the kindred dog and his daughter have shown all of us the way.”

I smiled and turned to him. “And, it is my hope that those who read your stories will learn how to love unconditionally as you have.” I turned to go.

Kane placed his hand on my arm to stay me. “Won’t you tell me what evil awaits us next?”

I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered, “Moon Blood and I will reveal all in the next and last book. I know patience isn’t in your wheelhouse but try… and trust that you truly are the heroes of this series.”
​
He hugged me back, sighed, turned, and disappeared through the trees.
 
Read the adventures of the first blood son series. Catch up with Moon Blood Books 1-4 and look for Book 5 sometime in 2019. Want to start at the beginning with the Snow Blood Series? Why not.

Til Next Time,
​Carol
​

So, like me, you love vampire stories. We’re obsessed with these evil mythological beings who have as many different characteristics as there are legends. Mainly, they drink human blood by draining their victims with their sharp fangs, killing them, and turning them into kindred. Other characteristics include: avoidance of sunlight which can weaken and destroy them; the ability to morph into a bat or wolf; super strength and speed; and the ability to have a hypnotic effect on their victims. Mirrors don’t reflect them, and they cast no shadow.

Have you ever wondered how these remarkable creatures came to be? When I began writing my first vampire series, Snow Blood, I asked myself that question and ultimately began the research into vampire myths.

Most people think vampire myths all began with Count Dracula, the blood sucking villain in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, published in 1897. My research uncovered that the mythological history of vamps began long before.

I thought you might enjoy what I discovered.

Greek Mythology
I traced the first vampire to Greek mythology, through the Vampire Bible. It recounts the story of a young Italian man named Ambrogio and the love of his life, Selena. ​

​In this myth, Ambrogio and Selena experience love at first sight when the young man visits the legendary Oracle of Delphi in the temple of Apollo, the sun god. Ambrogio asks her to marry him, not knowing the jealous Apollo wants Selena for his own. Apollo curses Ambrogio by causing his skin to burn whenever it’s exposed to sunlight.

Desperate, Ambrogio turns to Hades, the god of the underworld, and then Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, for help. After stealing Artemis’s silver bow to fulfill a deal made with Hades, Artemis curses Ambrogio so silver will burn his skin. She later takes pity on him, though, and gives him super strength, immortality, and fangs to kill beasts to use their blood to write love poems to Selena.

Finally, Selena, still mortal, escapes Apollo and reunites with immortal Ambrogio. Artemis tells Ambrogio he can make the woman he loves immortal by drinking her blood, thus killing her body but making her spirit live on. The mingling of their blood turns anyone who drinks it into a vampire.
​
Of course, I adore this myth and adapted it to Brogio and Selene in my Snow Blood Series!

​The Middle Ages
Vampire superstition became prevalent in the Middle Ages, particularly with the plague raining death to its victims who were left with bleeding mouth lesions. To the uneducated masses, this was a sign of vampirism.

When mass graves were re-opened during epidemics to deposit fresh corpses, grave diggers often encountered older, bloated bodies with blood seeping out of their mouths. These are conditions that scientists now know result from the buildup of gases in decomposing organs. At that time, though, this was regarded as a sign that corpses were drinking the blood of others.
During that time, it was common for people with unfamiliar emotional or physical illnesses to be labeled as creatures of the night. Research indicates that porphyria may have been linked to the vampire legend. Porphyria is a blood disorder that causes severe skin blisters when exposed to sunlight. Symptoms of the disease can be momentarily relieved by ingesting blood! Rabies also has been blamed for promoting the vampire myth.​​

​When suspected vampires died, their bodies were most likely disinterred to search for signs of vampirism. It was at this time that a stake was thrust through the corpse’s body to make sure the victims stayed dead. Placing a brick in the corpse’s mouth was also used to starve the undead and deter the corpse from feeding further. Decapitation and burning of these suspected vampires’ corpses were practiced into the nineteenth century.

Vlad Dracula

​Many believe that the stories of Vlad Dracula, known as Vlad the Impaler, inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Vlad Dracula was born in Transylvania, Romania and ruled Walachia, Romania from 1456-1462. This cruel ruler fought off the Ottoman Empire and earned his nickname because his favorite way to kill his enemies was to impale them on a wooden stake. According to myth about him, he dined in the middle of his dying victims and dipped his bread in their blood. It certainly makes sense that Count Dracula, also from Transylvania, murdered his victims by draining their blood. And, of course, he could be killed by impaling his heart with a stake. Experts have denied that Stoker based his novel on Vlad Dracula, but the similarities have always been of interest.

Mercy Brown
A real person is the source of a vampire myth. Mercy Brown lived in Exeter, Rhode Island and was the daughter of George Brown, a farmer.
​
George Brown’s community used his daughter, Mercy, as the explanation for multiple deaths in her family in the late 1800s. Mercy, and many of her family members died of tuberculosis. It was common practice in that era to blame multiple deaths in one family on the undead. These bodies were often exhumed and searched for signs of vampirism.

​Mercy’s body was exhumed and didn’t show severe decay. The townspeople accused her of being a vampire and making her family sick from her grave. They didn’t consider that her body was entombed in an above-ground vault during a New England winter. So, they cut out her heart, burned it, and fed the ashes to her sick brother. Of course, he died a short time after.

Modern Vampires​

People who call themselves vampires exist today. These people appear normal but drink small amounts of blood in an exercise to stay healthy.

To avoid perpetuating vampire superstitions, these modern vampires keep to themselves and conduct their feeding rituals in private. These rituals involve drinking the blood of willing donors. Communities of these self-proclaimed vampires can be found on the Internet and around the world.

Some claim not to drink human blood but avow they feed off the energy of others. Thus, the term “energy vampires”? These individuals claim they become agitated if they don’t feed regularly.

Other myths persist, and I could go on. But this read might be overly long. If you want to read a little more, here’s a lengthy article about Polish Vampires.

For now, let’s just say that I’ve always been a huge fan of Greek Mythology, and, to me, the story of Ambrogio and Selena was intriguing enough for me to put forth my story of the original vampire. Hope you’ll read it sometime!

External Links and Resources:

• https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/vampire-history
• http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37981373/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/myths-scientific-realities-about-vampires/#.W_Lg9DhKhhE
• http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20161031-the-real-life-disease-that-spread-the-vampire-myth
• https://culture.pl/en/article/polish-vampires-bloody-truth-behind-dark-myth
• https://www.huffingtonpost.com/father-sebastiaan/10-major-myths-about-vamp_b_9146700.html

-By Eclipse Interviews

Please tell us about yourself.

Brogio: I am Brogio, the first, the original vampire. I was cursed by the gods, Apollo, Artemis and Hades, in particular. All because I fell in love with Selene. You see, I was an Italian adventurer thousands of years ago. I traveled to the Oracle of Delphi to get my fortune read and fell in love with a handmaiden in Apollo’s Temple. It was love at first sight for both of us. I had no idea that Apollo had coveted this virgin for himself. When he discovered we planned to return to Italy and be married, he cursed me by taking daylight away from me. I could only go out at night.

I left Selene notes written with the blood of a swan I killed. Selene was afraid to anger Apollo further and kept working at his Temple. This went on for 44 days – love letters written in blood left for Selene at night. Then I begged Artemis, Apollo’s sister goddess, and Hades for help.  But I angered them, and Artemis cursed me by causing silver to burn my skin and make me suffer. And Hades took my soul.

I begged Artemis’ forgiveness and pledged allegiance to her, and she took pity by turning me into a great hunter, almost as great as she, with the speed and strength of a god and fangs with which to drain the blood of beasts so I could use their blood to write letters to Selene. In exchange for this immortality, I had to agree that Selene and I would escape Apollo’s temple and worship only her forever. We managed to escape on a ship. Selene transported me in a coffin that she could only open after sunset.

Artemis let us be together as man and wife, but a virgin goddess expects her followers to be chaste. Years passed, and I stayed young, but Selene aged as a mortal. When she fell ill and was dying, I knew I couldn’t join her in the afterlife because my soul was in hell. I made offerings to Artemis, begging her to make Selene immortal so we could be together forever.

She allowed me to touch Selene just once, to drink her blood. This killed her mortal body, but our blood mixed together would create eternal life for any who drank it. Artemis said we would stay together forever. But she lied. Artemis took Selene from me to become a goddess of the moon and left me alone. I have spent thousands of years creating others like myself to end my loneliness, but nothing has helped. 

Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?

My worst quality: I have a temper, and I am very controlling. My best quality: my capacity to love Selene and my progeny.

What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?

I wish others could understand that I held back from creating other vampires for a very long time until my best friend, Kane, begged me to make him immortal. I was only driven by my loneliness and need to be with others like myself.

What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?

Only Kane, Selene, Snow Blood and the gods know my real story. And now, you do.

What are you most afraid of?

Losing those I love.

What do you want more than anything?

Selene as my consummated wife.

What is your relationship status?

I have always been and will always be married to Selene.

How would you describe your sense of fashion?

I only wear black. Black pants, shoes, socks and turtleneck sweaters. Everything I own is black. My hair is blonde, so I wear it mostly long.

How much of a rebel are you?

I have been defying the gods for thousands of years, so I’m willing to bet I am more rebellious than most.

What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?

Surviving for so long under impossible circumstances.

What is your idea of happiness?

Selene, Snow Blood and Kane by my side.

What is your current state of mind?

I will be a tortured monster until I can finally have Selene back with me.

What is your most treasured possession?

I have many possessions. I am wealthy beyond belief. Having thousands of years to build a wine empire all over the world has left me quite comfortable. I no longer possess what I treasure most – Selene. I am comforted by my kindred companion and dog, Snow Blood.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I am the original. I am the most powerful of all vampires. Only I can defy the gods.

What is it that you most dislike?

The gods.

Which living person do you, most despise?

Most living people are food to me, despite that I try never to harm them unless I must. I do not despise them. I love them.

What is your greatest regret?

Losing Selene and having to turn Snow to save him as my companion.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Healthy blood. (Laughing.) I admire strength; no matter in what form it comes.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Bravery. Selene is the bravest woman I’ve ever met.

Who is your favorite hero in fiction?

Well, I’ve been fictionalized in books, movies and television. They mostly have gotten it wrong, never giving the true back story. But it amuses me, particularly Dracula. So, I am my favorite hero, or, at least Dracula comes in as an interesting second.

 Which living person do you most admire?

My Selene. Have you figured out that Selene is everything to me?

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Laughing … why, I’d become mortal, with a soul.

What is your motto?

Carpe diem. Cease the day (or the night in my case) because tomorrow may never come.

Eclipse Reviews thanks Brogio for this interview.

Interested in learning more about Snow Blood? ​Click here.

Kane clinched his fists as he looked up into his sire’s violet eyes that shifted to blood red.
Brogio stood three inches taller over his progeny’s six-foot-five frame. “First you refuse my offer of rule over Milan. I allow you to seek your precious knowledge in Florence. Now, after only a decade, you want to travel the world? What will you want next? A total withdrawal from me?”

Kane stood up tall and defiant. He pushed a long strand of dark brown hair behind one ear. His brown eyes narrowed. “I desire to be the exception to your every rule.”

​Brogio snorted and whirled to face the gigantic stone fireplace that he kept ablaze no matter what the weather. “So, we are at odds. I want your companionship and loyalty. You want separation.” The original vampire ran his large hands through his silver white hair that framed the youthful face of a man only twenty-three years of age.

Kane stepped forward and placed his hand on his maker’s shoulder. “You know I’ve ended my apprenticeship with da Vinci. I’ve learned all I can from him. I want so much more.”

Brogio turned to face his first blood son. “I have kept in the shadows for a millennium. Your going about only exposes our existence to humans. Why do you want to risk all that I have taught you to survive peacefully in this world?” He walked to a large , plush maroon chair, sat, and crossed his legs. “What if you make a mistake like you did before and accidentally create out-of-control bloodsuckers? You will put us all in danger.”

Kane put his back to the fireplace and sighed. “You will never forgive that, will you?” He glanced at Brogio’s handsome face. “You insist on making me the bad son, the creator of problems.” His voice raised an octave on his last words. “Perhaps I should live up to that reputation!”

Brogio used his vampire speed, left his chair, and had his hand around Kane’s throat before his son could blink. “Why do you insist on needling me? I don’t want your antagonism. I need your love and loyalty.”

Kane swallowed and looked into Brogio’s eyes.  He knew his words delivered a cruel cut to his maker.

A black blood tear slid down Brogio’s white cheek. He dropped his hand from Kane’s throat and turned. “You break my heart. You always have.” The master vampire glided to the front door, opened it, and disappeared into the night.

Kane turned back to the fire. In his heart he knew the knowledge he would gain in the future would someday be useful to his sire. He would somehow prove his love and loyalty.

​WANT TO SEE HOW KANE’S KNOWLEDGE AFFECTS BROGIO? CLICK HERE TO START THE SNOW BLOOD SERIES.
​
HAVEN’T CLAIMED OR READ YOUR FREE BOOK – KANE: THE FIRST BLOOD SON? GO HERE! 

Til Next Time!
​Carol

Snow Blood slipped out from behind a cluster of frozen red spruces. The snow crunched under his feather-like, husky paws. The moonlight made his white, shaggy coat appear silver as he padded toward me.
    I felt lucky that he had agreed for me to interview him. I guess he felt some sense of obligation for my bringing him to life on the pages of the series of books I had written with him as the narrator and ultimate hero.
      I shivered a bit in the Canadian cold, which I knew had no effect on him. I glanced around expecting to see his mate, Nova, lurking nearby.
      She’s otherwise occupied hunting prey. His words slithered through my mind and took me by surprise. I had momentarily overlooked that he could read my mind, and anyone’s thoughts.
     I sat on a nearby stump so that I could be eye-level with his beautiful blue eyes that looked like a makeup artist had drawn black eyeliner around his lids.
      He moved closer and sniffed the air around us. You are curious about my perspective on my adventures with my sire Brogio, are you not?
        “I am obsessed with any and all things about you.” A pathetic answer but true enough.
        He padded closer and sat next to me. Ask away then.
      “After Brogio turned you to save your life, were you angry about your plight as a vampire?” I leaned closer as if I might miss his words.
      More confused and sad than angry. I didn’t understand at first. I wanted to go home to Tommy and his parents. I couldn’t have known then the love, friendship, and loyalty that I have now with my kindred family. People think that vampires are pure evil. Yet, the very first vampire, my sire Brogio, has taught all his children to do no harm unless protecting themselves. He taught us to live off the creatures of the forest and to stay out of the way of humans.
     Before I could ask another question, the great white husky bolted to his feet. His panicked thoughts prickled my brain. Nova! She’s under attack. And, with his vampire speed, he was gone.
      I summoned my imagination, just as I do when I’m writing, and ran after him at a speed I didn’t realize I had in me. I skidded to a stop to see Snow Blood and Nova surrounded by four werewolves – one black, another gray, another multi-colored, and the last a reddish brown. I wiped my eyes hoping they were part of Snow Blood’s coven. Unfortunately, they weren’t.
     The shifters, saliva dripping from their extended fangs,  circled the two mates. Their eyes glowed blood red. The brown shifter reached out with sharp claws to take a swipe at Snow Blood only to have the wolf vampire bite off half its paw. It screamed in agony and began to foam at the mouth and go into seizure. It died before hitting the ground. 

     The other three backed away snarling but afraid. Snow Blood made his thoughts heard to all. If you want to die from my venom, try me. If you don’t, leave now or I will eviscerate all of you.
     The three turned and ran.
     The vampire dog whirled and sniffed his mate who licked his face with her rough tongue.
    Nova stepped back and shook her heavy black, grey, and white coat. Her beautiful blue eyes cast a curious glance at me and then turned back to her mate.
     Go home to safety now, my love. I will be there soon.
    Rather than being obedient, Nova grew tall. I could have handled them, you know! Why did you interfere?
    Because you are precious to me, and I wouldn’t want to be without you. I take no chances where those I love are concerned.
     Nova shook her head, turned, and ran toward Brogio’s wine estate.
   Turning back to me, Snow Blood snorted and trotted over to me. Shall we continue the interview?

     I rubbed his head, and he closed his eyes enjoying my long acrylic nails scratching his ears.
    “How have you become such an accomplished fighter? I mean, I know you’ve had to learn quickly since you and your family are constantly attacked by monsters that the mythological gods send after you.”
     Snow Blood sat next to me. Much of it just comes from being kindred. As a vampire, I have superior strength and speed. And one of my gifts, as you know, is my deadly bite. It only takes being bitten once to die instantly. My family – Brogio, Selene, Kane, Nova, and my wolf coven - battle as a team. We all can shape shift into anything we want, so that helps as well. Let’s just say we have the team-court advantage with the gifts we all share.
      "What do you care most about in this life you now live?”
    My family and our friends. Perhaps you would consider them not worthy of love and loyalty, but any one of us would die for the other. I place loyalty to them above all else. It is my dog nature. They in turn have learned what love and loyalty mean. The evil that plagues us will never kill that in any of us.  We have all evolved into something that I know your readers can love. 

     Snow Blood turned his head as if listening to something in the distance. I must go now, Carol. Brogio calls me. We are once again under attack.
       With that, he stood and gave me a last look. He licked my hand as if to say, thank you for giving life to us all. He opened his mouth in a wide grin, turned, and disappeared into the trees.
       I thought how lucky I am to have found this extraordinary creature in my imagination.
     
To witness the love, loyalty, struggles, battles, and challenges of Snow Blood and his kindred, click HERE to begin Snow Blood, Season 1 by Carol McKibben.

​​


​So, how did I make the jump? Let me share with you how the idea was born. I was with my publisher telling her all about my latest foster dog, Snow. She was a white husky with the bluest of blue eyes. ​Stephanie (my publisher) and I both love vampire stories. She looked at me and said, "I want you to write a vampire book next." My reply: ""Yes, and I'll again narrate it through the eyes of a dog - a vampire dog. We both simultaneously locked eyes and said, "Call it Snow Blood!"
​
​It's amazing how the seed for a story idea springs to life. I latched onto it with the force of a vampire looking for his next meal! But it's so different from Luke's Tale! 

​Not really. 

​

Again, it is a story told through the eyes of a dog - a vampire dog! And even as a blood demon, Snow Blood develops loyalty to the ones he loves. But why? Sure, it goes without saying that vampires are bound to their makers. But, is it as inherent in the undead to want to love and be loved as it is for living creatures? But with such flawed creatures? Aren't human beings flawed creatures? Aren't my creatures just parables? After all, vampires don't really exist. Do they? ​

​They certainly exist in my mind, and after you read this five-book series, I hope those questions will be answered and that my Snow Blood characters will come to life for you!

​Til Next Time,
​Carol

CLICK HERE NOW

Called an "excellent vampire mystery thriller," Moon Blood Book 1 is the first in
The First Blood Son Series. Here's a bit about it:

Kane de Medici, the first blood son of Brogio, the original vampire, saves Moon, a hybrid wolf pup from certain death.
 The kindred two are soon immersed in a world of corporate espionage, murder, and intrigue and forced to fight for their lives.
Escaping capture and torture when human predators discover their vampire nature,
hey exact deadly revenge.

While Moon Blood Is loyal to Kane, her sire, she is a strong-willed female
with a mind of her own. Readers will enjoy the unique perspective of this tale
told through her mind’s eye.

The vampire mystery thriller that began with Snow Blood continues with the first blood son series.
​
GRAB YOUR FREE COPY TODAY!
 
Have a great Thanksgiving!

Carol

I carry a heavy heart today. I moved from Southern California to Texas in February of this year. In the past two days, I've awakened to horrifying events that have brought terror in the hearts of my friends in my old community.

First the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill. Many of my friends have been personally touched. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, the horrendous fires in both Northern and Southern California that have forced many of my friends to flee for their lives, while others wait, stressed but prepared to evacuate. Beloved horses and pets are foremost in their minds, in addition to all their loved ones. 

Happily, so far, many have already safely evacuated and have taken refuge in hotels, victim centers, and with friends who have opened their homes. Their animals have been taken to safety as well. 

I feel so helpless not being able to be there to open my home to as many as possible. All I can do is keep them in my thoughts and pray that everyone in danger be kept safe. I am grateful to those who have marked themselves "safe" on Facebook so that those of us who can do nothing but wait and pray will know they have made it out or are not in danger.

In a world filled with contention, anger, and unhappiness, let's remember what is truly important - our love for each other. All I can do is repost this story by Peter DaSilva, a person who cared more about helping another than he did himself. 

​Peter DaSilva's Story. 
 
God Bless Peter DaSilva and the three law enforcement officers from Redding CA. 

It is in times like this that we can find the very best in all of us.

Til Next Time,
​Carol

Wow! An experience I had on Facebook this morning inspired me to write about civility today.

Someone put up a graph about the electoral college. Folks started commenting about the pros and cons of voting via electoral vs. popular vote. I responded  when someone posted a comment about how people who live in the middle of the country and outside of cities are uneducated and ignorant. You see, I moved from Los Angeles to a rural area of Texas. I am neither uneducated or ignorant (have a Master's Degree, was a teacher and publisher, and now a novelist). So, I took issue mainly because I interact on a daily basis with educated, highly-intelligent people who also live in Central Texas. I work with brilliant people who are also novelists and live in such places as the Ozarks and other middle America areas.

The person on Facebook responded in such a rude manner that I was taken back. When I commented that I thought we just needed to agree to disagree (not my words but a summary of what I indicated), I was pretty much called a coward for not continuing the discussion. His incivility was rude and unacceptable.

Now, I don't normally ever get involved in politics on social media. My bad. Won't do it again. My purpose in responding to him was to challenge  his comment that all people living outside of cities are illiterate hog farmers.  

This country has become so divided, and the incivility that I find on social media, in politics, in the media, and elsewhere is downright frightening. So many people appear to be filled with anger, and that I find sad. 

One of the reasons my novels are filled with examples of unconditional love is because I want people to care about each other, respect each other, and accept each other for who they are. Yes, of course we can disagree. Yes of course we must express our concerns, opinions, and ideas, but when we are slammed for it, criticized and shamed for it, I say enough.

If you are filled with anxiety and anger, take a deep breath. Being nasty to someone isn't going to change their mind. Certainly calling them names or belittling them isn't going to change their opinion. Logical conversation, some compassion for what others think and feel, and acceptance of the rights of others to have their beliefs is a better way to go. I'm not saying anyone should stick their head in the sand and not stand up for what they believe, but certainly it should be done with respect for those who are listening.

In the meantime, if you want to read about loyalty and unconditional love, HERE are some samples of books that demonstrate how even a dog can show us the way... even with characters who might not be so lovable. 

Til Next Time,
​Carol

I had what I like to call "a light-bulb moment" in my Dressage lesson with my trainer, Deirdre, today. Both she, and my trainer before her, have encouraged me to RELAX while I'm riding. Rather than gripping with my legs and slightly leaning forward in the canter, they have both been telling me to let go of "the things I can do without." 

"Let your legs hang around the horse. Let go. Relax. Sit in the back of the saddle and move your seat with Okido." Sounds easy. Right? Wrong! Our tendency in riding  and in life is to "hold on." But, the way Deirdre said it today made me understand completely. So, I let go. When I did, my horse gave me the most wonderful, collected canter. It felt like a dream come true, because, it was.

How does this apply to you? I'm sure you are asking. You'd be surprised. This is a rough period of time for our country. Anxiety, political divisiveness, disagreement, angst, dissatisfaction... all those nasty words and feelings swirl around us, on top of everyday life and the challenges that we all face just living day-to-day and dealing with responsibilities and relationships. 

What we all need to learn to do is relax and let go of the things we can do without... the stress, anxiety, disagreement, angst, dissatisfaction. Tears for Fears, in their song Shout, say it best: 

​Shout
Shout
Let it all out
These are the things I can do without
Come on
I'm talking to you
Come on

I understand that sounds simple. But it isn't. Just like riding a horse that weighs about a thousand more pounds than I do isn't simple... at all. It's one of the very most difficult things to accomplish. The key is to let go of all those things you can do without. 

Try it. Come on.


Til Next Time,
​Carol