The exciting door prize could be yours

For your chance to win an unexpectedly exciting door prize, be one of the first 53 guests to arrive at the Daisy Chain book launch. Click on image to enlarge for launch details.


See you there.

Elspeth

Express Yourself

Click here for Daisy Chain in Sunday Express

Jasper's latest

I was lying in bed in the dark after yoga. Jasper jumped out of the window. A few minutes later he jumped back in. As he landed on the ground, I thought "It's been a while since he's caught anything."

Lo and behold, I heard him scurrying with something on the ground. I leaped out of bed and turned on the light to see a baby dove, still alive, gasping on the floor near the yoga mat. I grabbed the bird up and cupped it in my hands. After a while of gasping, it calmed down and remained still, only blinking its eyes. I noticed a wound to the chest, but not seeing blood, didn't think it was serious. The dove's body felt strong and I thought it would survive.

However, shortly after, it suddenly began to open its beak wide, its body started to twist and contort and, within seconds, it curled into itself and died.

R.I.P.

You have a date with 53 women on Sat 10 Sept 2011

53 women, each linked to the next in a chain of eclectic vignettes. Think, imagine, embrace and wonder . . . not only about their lives, but about your own.

 Click on image to enlarge invitation

YOU HAVE A DATE WITH 53 WOMEN. Meet them at the launch of Daisy Chain . . . and take them home.

The launch of "Daisy Chain"—the stream of consciousness novel by Elspeth Duncan— features filmed novel excerpts, readings, book signing.

The novel will be available for purchase at the launch courtesy Paper Based Bookstore.
...
Admission: Free

"In this remarkable collection of vignettes, Elspeth Duncan spins tales that draw the reader into the creative process. She gives us characters who are at once familiar and yet strangely unfamiliar, whetting our curiosity just enough that we find ourselves imagining endings for her tales, creating stories for the characters that tell as much about them as about ourselves. This is the genius of Daisy Chain. After one story, the reader is hooked. It's an exhilarating ride to self knowledge through the stream of consciousness of fictive characters."

(Elizabeth Nunez,—"Anna In-Between", "Prospero's Daughter" and other novels).

Daisy Chain is also available from amazon.com (with reader reviews):
http://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Chain-Elspeth-Duncan/dp/074146456X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309642211&sr=8-1

Police Numbers and Curfew Measures

(For article on T & T's limited state of emergency click here)


Police Numbers and curfew details below:
Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force will have powers of
arrest as well as the power to search and seize without a search
warrant; they will work either independently or with members of the
police service;

. The limited State of Emergency will be for a period of 15 days and
will be reviewed daily.

. Persons who must be on the streets during the curfew hours must
secure a permit from the police station nearest to their home;

- Companies whose employees must be on the road should apply for permits
from the Police Headquarters at Sackville Street; Acting Police
Commissioner Williams said all those who need permits should have them
by 6 pm today (Monday); He advised persons to also have two forms of
identification and police and soliders have been advised to exercise
discretion and leniency; As a precaution, persons should have two
forms of identification on their person;

. Persons travelling to the airport should obtain a permit; a booth
will be set up next to the domestic terminal of the Piarco
International Airport to process permits for those travelling out of
the airport;

. An inter-ministerial team comprising the Attorney General Anand
Ramlogan; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communications Dr.
Surujrattan Rambachan; Leader of the Government Business in the House
of Representatives and Minister of Housing and the Environment Dr.
Roodal Moonilal and Leader of Government Business in the Senate,
Minister of Public Utilities Emmanuel George  has been set up to
oversee the Independence celebrations during the limited State of
Emergency;

. If you have to access hospitals and other health facilities, use the
normal routes and police and soliders will exercise discretion;

. Persons arrested during the limited State of Emergency can be held
for up to 24 hours and a senior officer has the authority to detain
the person for a further seven days;

. No bail for those arrested during the period; discussions will be
held with the Chief Justice to set up a tribunal to hear greivances;

. Allegations of police brutality will not be treated lightly; police
and soldiers will approach their duties in a mature and sensible
manner and law abiding citizens have nothing to fear during this
period;

. Persons with information about criminal activity are urged to share
the information with the authorities;

. The limited State of Emergency is not about the deprivation of human
rights but about restoration of all human rights to citizens;

Telephone Contacts for Police Service
PABX connecting all offices 624-4140
Northern Division- 640-8854/ 643-1223
North Eastern Division- 625-3283/ 624-4316
Eastern Division- 668-2542/ 668-3377
Central Division- 665-5324/636-2559
Western Division- 628-8377/ 628-0817
Southern Division- 653-8258/ 652-2032
South Western Division- 649-2343/ 649-0166

Try this . . . simple, powerful.

Yesterday I went to visit a friend/yoga teacher from Toronto who is here to give a workshop today. While we were sitting chatting, a huge Jack Spaniard was buzzing around her head.

"They love me," she said. "Whenever I come here they swarm around."

She began to tell me a story of a time she was in Trinidad to do some spiritual work. She used to sit at a desk near to a bookshelf. Every day Jack Spaniards would fly in and out of the bookshelf, but she wasn't sure why . . . until one day she looked and noticed a huge nest behind the books.

She alerted the three other people working with her. The normal procedure is to burn the nest, but they couldn't, as it was in the bookshelf. One of the group, a girl from Findhorn said:

"We have the intention to move this nest. Let's sit and meditate in silence for 20 minutes. When we're done, we will say to the insects Please leave within 24 hours, otherwise it will be necessary for us to find a way to destroy your home."

The party of four sat and meditated in silence for 20 minutes, after which the Findhorn girl said aloud what she had to say to the inhabitants of the nest.

Within 8 hours, the large Queen flew out of the nest and through the window, never to return. None of the other Jack Spaniards ever came back either.

What I like about this story is the calm conviction of the girl from Findhorn and the subsequent results.

Try it, with something you want to see happen in your life. I did it last night before bed.

California Daisy

Get your copy of Daisy Chain at amazon.com

I'm still reading and find this an equally good read when relaxing in my hammock in my back yard chillin' and also great over lunch as I can get in one or two venyettes before getting back to work. So far I have laughed and sighed; but have not yet cried.
 

Enjoying... 

(Lynn, California)

Another Daisy amazon.com review

Get your copy of Daisy Chain at amazon.com

I recently returned from six days of camping in an all-woman festival and found Daisy Chain's rich female characters an extension of my experience at the festival. To be transported back into women's lives through a series of short stories all connected to each other was a deeply spiritual gift. I was entertained, moved, saddened, uplifted and connected to women and myself throughout the pages. There is just once section of the book that felt out of place for me -- the chapter about the author in the middle of the book. The writing style is quite different from the other chapters and broke the flow for me. I would have preferred to have had this section at the beginning or end of the book. Other than that, I found it a gem.


(Kimberly)

Desiring the Daisies

Purchase Daisy Chain at amazon.com

"I was so happy that the morning before I boarded the plane on 25 July the same evening, your book arrived! As I had wanted, it accompanied me during part of the long journey. I like it, and am amazed by your creativity. Of all the vignettes, I particularly like the one about you and the one about Alice. It is great to go behind the scene, as it were, to understand your thought process. Alice's experience I find very moving. Bravo!!" 

(Andrew Y., England)

Bring on more Daisy Loving

Get your copy of Daisy Chain here at amazon.com

 ‎

Mine will be finished soon, because quite frankly, you just want to keep knowing what happens next, and who the next woman is, and if this woman is like you or not... Brilliant.

(Param Atma)

Another Daisy lover

"I shall cross my fingers and toes that the shipment comes in shortly. I am so chomping at the bit to read it. Please sign my copy as it would mean that much more to me." 

Comment from Joanne (in London), whose husband is buying a copy to take up for her when the shipment comes in.

Existential Keeb

One of my friends, Keeb, has been experimenting with existential art and video.

Check out his video (embedded above) and let him know what you think.

And here is some of his existential art, which I told him is thought provoking and could invite some discussions by those who are inclined that way.

My last bout with existentialism was when I did Literature for my first degree at University—Waiting for Godot.

Daisy Chain reviews from Amazon readers

 Get your copy of DAISY CHAIN at Amazon

*

If you're looking for a delightful and refreshing read that is as well-written as it is well-conceived, DAISY CHAIN delivers. Elspeth Duncan has conjured 53 individuals, each with a tenuous connection to the next, and allows us to eavesdrop momentarily on their lives. We soon realise that these sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous, always resourceful women in part reflect ourselves. Although choosing a favourite from among these vignettes is difficult, Philomene returns to mind most often. I can't decide whether in her situation, appearance or reality is preferable. Another favourite is Mena, an unforgettable little tyrant whose parents can unwittingly take full credit for her obnoxious behaviour. I particularly liked the hilarious rendition of the newlyweds increasingly ominous journey to their remote honeymoon destination. Best of all is Duncan's knack for elevating to an inspirational level tales that might be merely entertaining from another author's keyboard.

(Darby)

******

DAISY CHAIN is an ingenious piece of writing. As the title suggests, the fifty-three characters into whose lives the reader gets a brief glimpse are linked one to the next by a "teaser" from the author, thus creating a chain effect. This technique serves as a vehicle for the threaded philosophy of life that runs throughout the work. More than the links in the "chain", i.e., the individual characters whose narratives connect one to the next, the virtue of the work is the subliminal narrative that IS itself the chain. The [literal] chain that is introduced in the first narrative serves as a metaphor for the subliminal narrative, underscoring the fact that we are all inextricably linked to our destiny.

(Esmerelda)

Dolphin day

Yesterday was the final day of our Kundalini Yoga Teacher Certification course. Intense and inspiring, it was great to be a part of it—not only as a participant, but as one of those who made it possible.

To celebrate our closing, one of our fellow yoginis arranged an afternoon boat ride down the islands courtesy one of her friends who has a large cabin cruiser. On the way back to the jetty, about fifteen dolphins surrounded the cruiser, playing and swimming in front of, alongside and behind us. It was magical. The perfect send-off.

Read about the symbolism of dolphins here.