By Kate E. Stephenson

In this fourth week of May 2013, I hereby call to order the 20th meeting of Kate’s Book Club. Every week, we shall be reading a tome either (a) penned by an author named Kate or (b) that includes a character named Kate. If you missed our last meeting, it’s easy to catch up.

Club members, this week meet Kate Feiffer.

Kate Feiffer is the author of nine popular picture books and two middle grade readers. Her books include Double Pink, Henry The Dog with No Tail, My Side of The Car, Signed By Zelda, and My Mom is Trying To Ruin My Life, which is being turned into a musical for the stage. Prior to writing for kids, Kate worked as a television news producer and made the documentary film “Matzo & Mistletoe,” which is an exploration of her secular Jewish identity. Her books and the film have won some lovely awards. For the past fifteen years, Kate has lived on Martha’s Vineyard island with her husband, daughter and their dog Henry, an Australian Shepherd with no tail. Kate is always happy to hear from fans and you can email her here and follow her on Twitter.

And now without further ado, Kate Feiffer answers our questions…

Who named you Kate and why?

When I ask my father, he says I was named after his favorite actress at the time of my birth, Katherine Hepburn, who went by Kate.  When I ask my mother, she says I was definitely not named for Katherine Hepburn. She claims I was named for Kate in The Taming of The Shrew. My father is adamant that he would never have named me after such an unpleasant character. He’s sticking with Hepburn. My mother remains a Hepburn denier. Their marriage didn’t last.

How did you become an author?

I moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1998. I arrived with a new baby and no real opportunities for work. I had been working in television production in Boston prior to moving to the Vineyard, but there was no production work here, so I started writing. I had thought about writing children’s books for a long time. I had in the past written a few stories, but nothing ever came of it. I guess I didn’t have the right inspiration or the nerve to try to get published yet.

What was the muse for your first completed/published book?

My daughter! I was that politically correct gender-neutral mother that denounced the color pink. That was until my daughter discovered pink and developed a driving passion for the color. Her love for pink made me start thinking about the important role that color plays in kid’s lives. When they ask, “What’s your favorite color?” it isn’t a gratuitous question. They want to know. My first picture book was titled “Double Pink” (Simon & Schuster 2005) and is about a girl whose love of pink goes too far.  Bruce Ingman did the illustrations and they pop. Double Pink was recently released in paperback and over the years I have grown quite fond of the color.

What are you currently working on?

I am on my third round of major revisions for a middle grade novel about a girl who helps her Aunt win a wacky world record. I was hoping to be done with the book by now.

What is your greatest accomplishment to date?

Sounds cliché, but raising a healthy strong daughter with a great sense of humor and integrity. Her love of pink endures.

What’s your favorite word? 

Don’t have one.

What’s your least favorite word? 

Friggin.

Who’s your favorite literary character?

Charlotte

What’s your favorite quote?

“My sister, my daughter.” (From the movie Chinatown. I usually embellish it with an extra round or two of my sister, my daughter.)

If you weren’t an author, what profession would you like to try?

A singer. Sadly, I’m tone deaf.

If you could do one thing in your life over, what would it be?

My teens.

And now Book Clubbers it’s time to read! Kate Feiffer’s Signed By Zelda, a quirky comedy that proves penmanship is important, was released this month in paperback. This is a fabulous book to introduce children to a wider world that still only exists in pen and paper. If you want to know what your handwriting says about you, I highly recommend you read this book. It’s a hoot! Check it out:

Signed By: Zelda (Chapter 1)

THURSDAY, APRIL 1

3:30 p.m.

West 68th Street, Apartment 8G

Grandma Zelda didn’t answer her doorbell the first time Nicky rang. The second time, he pressed down on the buzzer and counted to a hundred, although he knew that if Grandma Zelda didn’t have her ears in, he could count to a million and she still wouldn’t hear him.

Her note had instructed him to sneak out. She’d be expecting him. Nicky turned the doorknob and heard a gulping sound but wasn’t sure if it came from him or the door. He pushed. The door swung open, but the doorknob remained behind, in Nicky’s hand. “Oh, no,” he whispered to himself. “I hope I don’t get in trouble for this.”

Nicky had a bad habit of getting in trouble. Lately his Time-Out Average (TOA) had spiked to .750, which meant that he did something that earned him a time-out three days out of four. Grandma Zelda was pretty much the only person left that Nicky’s dad allowed him to spend time with. “I suppose you can’t do anything that will land you in too much hot water with someone so old,” his dad had told him.

Grandma Zelda wouldn’t care anyway. She didn’t believe in time-outs. During their afternoons together she fed Nicky slices of his beyond-favorite Zeldaberry pie and helped him make plans for a sail around the world. “If you meet a pirate, ask about his grandmother,” she’d advise. Or she’d tell him a story about the time she once swam under a pirate’s ship and scraped a nugget of gold off the keel. “It’s around here somewhere, if I could only remember where I put it,” she’d say.

Grandma Zelda hadn’t left her apartment in over a year, but she used to lead a life of adventure. Nicky couldn’t picture his tiny gray-haired grandmother doing any of this, but she once rode a camel across the Sinai desert, and twice she jumped out of an airplane and parachuted into Mongolia. Grandma Zelda’s left eye liked to wink when she talked, and she spoke with a Southern drawl, which was unusual for someone who’d grown up in the North. She had so many stories to tell that Nicky figured she kept telling them even when she was alone, even when she was asleep.

Nicky clutched the doorknob and stepped inside Grandma Zelda’s apartment. Her walls were covered with photographs and paintings. She kept every picture that Nicky and his sister, Stella, made for her and hung several of them next to paintings by better-known artists. It never felt messy in her apartment but always seemed busy.

Nicky called out for her. “Grandma Zelda?”

“Grandma?” he called out again after he didn’t get a response. “Grandma. Grandma Zelda?”

He walked into the kitchen. He waved to the pigeon squatting on the windowsill. He checked for Grandma Zelda in the bedroom. He saw her viola d’amore resting on the bed, alone. Nicky looked around the sides of her bed, in case she had fallen off it. He looked under the bed, in case she’d rolled under it.

He looked for her in the bathroom, the shower, and the cabinets.

“Grandma?”

He pushed his way into her two closets, behind her housecoats and dresses.

“Grandma? Grandma Zelda?”

Back in the hallway.

“Grandma Zelda, is this an April Fools’ Day trick?”

“Grandma Zelda?” Nicky called out one final time.

will land you in too much hot water with someone so old,” his dad had told him.

Book Clubbers, I already know what happened to Grandma Zelda and I’m not telling! Until next time…

Kate’s Book Club is a column on Kate-book.com featuring interviews with authors named Kate, as well as reviews of books starring Kate characters. It runs on Kate-book.com every other Wednesday at 10:30am, and is written by the self-admitted bibliophile Kate E. Stephenson, who you should follow on Twitter here. Oh, and write to Kate to suggest authors and books we should read for future columns.

By

Given the fact my handle is what it is, I am kind of obligated to write up about the new Star Trek movie. However, I have a confession to make.

I am not as big a Star Trek fan as my name would suggest. Or, rather, I am not as big an original series (TOS) fan as my name would suggest.

I got into Star Trek in that post-2009 movie era. I started with some TOS, but wasn’t a huge fan of it. Then, one day, I accidentally TiVo’d Enterprise and an obsession was born. Since then I have watched all of Enterprise and most of DS9 but I haven’t touched much TOS. And I haven’t seen any of the movies except First Contact.

My obsession with Star Trek and my ability to judge this movie without having seen all the necessary backstory comes from the fact I have a deep appreciation, bordering on obsession, for the richness and scope of the universe.

Quite simply, I have inhaled the entire Wiki.

This Star Trek is about – yes, you guessed it – Khan. This incarnation is played by Benedict Cumberbatch, more known for making fangirls squee as the title character in Sherlock.

But who is Khan? This is actually a question that I am well-versed in answering, but doing so takes a little backstory.

In the Star Trek universe, Earth went through a series of battles between about 1992-1996. These were known as the Eugenics Wars and they came about because scientists attempted to create a more advanced, more “perfect” species of human, called Augments.

While genetic engineering created a stronger human, it also enhanced aggression, which was often disguised as ambition. Science was not advanced enough to correct this.

The Augments took power in the early 1990s, starting with Khan, who eventually ruled over a quarter of the planet. Soon other Augments followed, seizing forty countries, and global war broke out, resulting in over 30 million deaths.

Around 1996, after realizing he would lose the war, Khan and a group of eighty-four loyal followers stole and launched what was known as a “sleeper ship”, where they went into suspended animation (stasis) and set themselves adrift. Nearly two hundred years later, seventy-two are still alive when Khan’s ship is discovered.

Khan as a ruler was an interesting character. He severely limited his people’s freedoms, but he did so in a manner that prevented internal conflict. From my understanding, his people lived a very restricted but overall “safe” life, in comparison to other Augments who turned their populations into slaves.

The aftermath of the Eugenics Wars led to a severe distrust for genetically-engineered humans, fueled by the tremendous fear of creating another Khan. Similar to the way homeschooling is illegal in Germany for fear of creating another Hitler, most forms of genetic manipulation became illegal on Earth.

Genetic enhancements were considered to be anti-Humanistic, a concept that became increasingly important following first contact. Ideas of retaining humanity, of what makes us human, and a fear of losing humanity are recurring themes throughout all of Star Trek and all can quite possibly be traced back not to alien contact and species’ pride, but to the Augments, who were technically human but possessed a certain inhumanity that was very frightening.

This makes me seriously question the validity of bringing Khan out of stasis. In the original timeline, Kirk accidentally brings Khan out of stasis, in an attempt to save his life after they stumble onto his sleeper ship in space and find his life support failing.

Kirk doesn’t know who Khan is when he does it; he is acting on his own humanity in an attempt to save a life.

But Admiral Marcus specifically brought Khan out of stasis, knowing who he was, in a world still terrified of genetic augmentation. Marcus felt the threat was worth the risk, but the Augments did such terrible things, I would severely question even his ability to make that assessment.

The Eugenics War is believed to have led to World War III, a period of global nuclear war lasting nearly 30 years and resulting in over 300 million dead. This led to the eradication of most world governments by the time first contact was made.

Who would honestly feel that waking up the man largely responsible for this devastation would be a good idea?

But it’s a small grievance in a very well-made and otherwise solid movie. I was very excited for it and it didn’t disappoint. J.J. Abrams did a very good job with keeping things consistent up to the point of divergence into the alternate timeline.

If you’ve stuck with me this far, congratulations! You might be a Trekkie!

If you want to hear more about the Eugenics War, I highly recommend watching Enterprise, particularly the fourth season episodes “The Augments”, “Cold Station 12”, and “Borderland”.

When walking past a nearby shop, my daughter saw a cute pair of sandals in the window.  They were really just a pair of flip flops with a bow and a gem on them.  It’s been in the back of my mind to try and make a similar pair, and as luck would have it, JC Penney had their flip flops for $1 a pair!  I bought a few colors, then headed over to Michael’s to see what ribbon they had to offer.  Lo and behold, Michael’s had some of their ribbon on sale for $1 also!  I chose a few rolls to coordinate with the sandals I’d bought, found some gems for decoration, and away we go!!

Supplies needed:

*Flip flops
*Ribbon – the cheetah print one shown here is 3/8” wide, and the black and white flower print is 7/8” wide
*Gems, flowers, or other embellishments
*Glue gun

Easy-peasy directions:

1.  Cut ribbon to approximately 36 inches in length.  Depending on the width of the ribbon, this may be enough to cover one or both straps.
2.  Place a small drop of glue on the outside of one strap.  Press the end of the ribbon to the glue and let it set.

3.  Wrap ribbon around that side of the strap, placing a dot of glue every inch or so till you get to the top. Start at the bottom and work your way towards the top/center of the sandal.

4.  When you’ve reached the top, place a small drop of glue on the underside of the strap, and press the ribbon in place.  Cut the ribbon, and continue the same process on the other strap.
5.  For the center bow, cut two pieces of ribbon, about four inches long, and fold each in half to form a loop. Cross one on top of the other, and either glue or sew to hold them together.
6.  Glue the gem into the center of the loops you’ve sewn together; then glue the loops in the center of the straps.

Voila!  There you have it, unique summer sandals in under 30 minutes, and for less than $5!  These would also be fun to make for a bridal party to use when they’re dancing the night away at your reception.  Instead of using ribbon, why not glue on a few small flowers to match the color of the bridesmaid’s dresses? Or how about putting them in a goody bag at a child’s birthday party?  There’s lots of fun ways to change this up, so have a blast!!

Fabri-Kate is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Tuesday. It is written by the crafty Kathleen Neafsey, who wields a mean pair of scissors (and glue gun). Follow her on Twitter @dbmomkat and look for a brand new craft next time

So, I’m a bit late on breaking this news, but good news is never late, right? Late last month, Mayor Bloomberg announced that New York City’s recycling program would be accepting rigid plastics, i.e. takeout containers and yogurt containers, which had previously not been included in the program.

This is the win for those of us who recycle, and either a) save up our rigid plastics (commonly #5s) to bring on the subway to Whole Foods or b) save up to take home to Massachusetts where they can be recycled (I’m not the only one who does this…am I?)

NYC will save about $600,000, so it’s a win for the piggy bank, as well.

Although the policies are already in place, the new rules won’t be enforced until July, when we’ve all had a chance to try our hand at including rigid plastics in our recycling bins. Change can be hard, and memories can be faulty, but we’ll get there.

I’m uproariously excited about this step forward (I did in fact cheer when I first heard the news). I am taking heart from this move, and hope that it inspires other areas that do not do so currently to begin accepting rigid plastics. If New York City can do it, you can do it, too!

Hopefully, the next initiative will be to get NYC residents composting (could be, according to the article linked to above). Summer is coming, and, with it, the stench of rotting garbage that can confront city residents at any moment. I know that my trash has stopped smelling almost entirely since I began composting, and I need to take it out less, saving trash bags. But more on composting to come!

For now, three cheers for recycling rigid plastics! If you want to learn more, you can check out NYC Recycles’ web page, or keep up to date with new efforts on their Facebook page.

A final note: I thought I might keep a log of the Plastic Bag in the Tree Outside My Window each time I post. It’s still hanging on there (pun intended).

Adventures in Greening is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Monday at noon. It is written by the very eco-conscious Catherine Moran. Follow Catherine on Twitter @folowbredcrumbs, or check out her excellent book blog.

By Kate E. Stephenson

This week, on behalf of the entire Kate-Book.com team, I hope all the mothers out there had a very special Mother’s Day! I may be a day late, but in saying thank you, you can never be a dollar short. So I want to say thank you to moms everywhere for bringing us into and introducing us to the world. Moms come in different ways, some by birth, others by circumstance, and others simply by love. To all those moms who work miracles everyday, we salute you!

Now, here’s a little trivia about Mother’s Day. Did you know:

• Mother’s Day is an international holiday celebrated by over 55 countries around the world (although the official date differs from country to country).
• In the US, Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother. Jarvis then campaigned to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized national holiday in the United States.
• On May 8, 1914, Mother’s Day was adopted into law by Congress. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother’s Day.
• Mother’s Day is always the second Sunday in May as designated by the congressional adoption and presidential proclamation.
• The spelling Mother’s Day is purposeful. Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases “Mother’s Day” in 1912. She specifically noted that “Mother’s” should “be a singular possessive, for each family to honor its mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers of the world.”
• By 1920, the modern originator, Anna Jarvis, was already jaded by the commercialism attached to Mother’s Day. Within 6 years the day of honor had turned from a Hallmark moment into Hallmark opportunism. Jarvis filed a lawsuit in an effort to stop the over-commercialisation of Mother’s Day. She lost her fight.

I admit that I was definitely in the card store at the last minute trying to find a sincere tear-jerker for each of my special moms. But I hope that as all of us make our purchases we preserve the spirit of this honorable holiday. At the end of the day, none of us would be here without our mothers. And while life isn’t easy, it is an adventure. I’m grateful for my mommy who made it possible and the mamas who continue to make it an interesting ride for me everyday.

I wish you much maternal love and affection in your life today and every day!

Trivia runs on Kate-book.com every Monday at 10:30am. It is written by the insanely knowledgeable Kate E. Stephenson. Read much more about Kate here, and click here to follow her on Twitter.

Technically, it’s May 7th, but this great chili recipe shouldn’t be limited to just one day a year!  I did make it for Cinco de Mayo so that should count for something, right? This is another one of those recipes that was passed along to me, and little by little became my own.  At times I’ve doubled the ingredients, and made it for a crowd.  I can’t tell you how many compliments I’ve received, it’s always a hit!  My favorite part of this recipe is that there’s only one pot to wash!

Here’s what you’ll need:

One pound ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (1.25 ounce) packet chili seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (15 ounce) can diced potatoes
1 (15.5 ounce) can each small red beans and small white beans
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa or picante

1.  In a large pot, add meat and onions.  Cook on low-medium heat until meat is browned and onion is tender. Remove from heat and, using a colander, drain any fat.
2.  Return the meat and onion mixture to the pot, and sprinkle in the chili seasoning packet.  Stir it around to get everything coated, then add the cup of water and the can of diced tomatoes.
3.  Using the same colander that you used to drain the fat from the meat, open up those cans of potatoes and beans, dump them in, and give them a good rinse.

Next, add the potatoes and beans to the pot.  Stir them all around, then add the salsa or picante.

4.  Mix well, and turn the heat to low and let cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve with chips or over rice – top with cheddar and/or sour cream – enjoy!!

There you have it!  Easy to make. and easy clean up too!

Kathleen’s Kitchen is a column running on Kate-book.com once a month. It is written by the amazing Kathleen Neafsey, who loves trying new recipes. Follow her on Twitter @dbmomkat. And make sure to look out for her amazingly fun column, Fabri-Kate.

By Kathleen S. Kirk

Every so often, some people find themselves in a situation that makes them wonder how on earth they got there. It’s like falling through a trapdoor and you look up to leave the way you came, but the door snaps shut and you can only go forward with a sore rear and terror-born heart palpitations.

I found myself in one of these situations not too long ago, when I decided that I was going to start a web digest. It wouldn’t be just any web digest, but rather a web digest devoted to being a female nerd. And now, two months later and 20+ staff members later, we have Feminerdity.com and I have a new job as editor-in-chief.

Sometimes I look around at the giant whiteboards full of things to do and upcoming content, the overflowing inbox, and pages and pages of both physical and virtual notes and I wonder how I got here. I wonder how on earth I thought I was capable and competent enough to run such a web digest.

And then I move my cat off my keyboard, fire off a bunch of emails, and remind myself that, so far, the force is with me and everything will be okay.

The job does have some perks. The staff is amazing and really fun to work with. The content mostly has me in my element. My dreams have gotten more interesting, as I have panic attacks in my sleep about the site going down or missing an important appointment.

And, once in awhile, I get to function as press at various events and conventions, including the Atlanta Comic Convention, held two weeks ago in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Atlanta Comic Convention is a small, independent con focused almost exclusively on comic books. It’s held four times a year in a very lovely convention center. When I was there, they had a small ballroom dedicated to comic dealers, their boxes spread out across a sea of tables. Outside, the hallway was full of tables hosting artists and dealers. This is what is commonly known as the “artists’ alley.”

For so many people crowded into that space, it was very surprising to find the atmosphere was rather relaxed, yet invigorating, instead of rushed, irritable, or anything like that.

The level of respect for the merchandise was also very unexpected. Hundreds of people were rifling through boxes of comics, with some just flat-out buying the whole box. They were very quick in their search, but they all seemed careful to keep the comics in good condition, even if they themselves weren’t buying them.

I stumbled headlong into this scene with no real idea of how cons worked, yet I had a keen interest in potentially becoming interested in reading comics. (Yes, you read that right.) I also needed to get my feet wet so I didn’t show up as press for the major con season looking completely bewildered.

In the end, I returned with the first installment of Young Avengers, which feels more like a chapbook to me. I spent far too much time in literary publishing.

But I’ve always had a weird appreciation for the smell of books, of their bindings, glue, and paper, and, while this comic book lacks a proper binding or any glue, it smells phenomenal. I’ve read it twice and, while it feels way too short and I don’t feel as into it as I would like, I must say I am intrigued and am looking for more installments.

I returned from the con with enough raw footage to clog up a good internet connection in sheer data alone, back to the mountainous to-do lists, whiteboard lists, and deadlines.

But I brought back with me a new appreciation for a different facet of my job, a new reason to love it, and a great anticipation for the upcoming con season.

Oh, and before I forget… May the 4^th be with you!

By Kate E. Stephenson

Sorry, Bookclubbers. This one’s posting a little late today. But I promise it’s worth the wait.

In this first week of May 2013, I hereby call to order the 19th meeting of Kate’s Book Club. Every week, we shall be reading a tome either (a) penned by an author named Kate or (b) that includes a character named Kate. If you missed our last meeting, feel free to get caught up.

This week we review Kate Douglas’ latest book Dark Wolf.

Released yesterday, April 30^th, Dark Wolf is the first installment in Douglas’ new series Spirit Wild. And oh, boy! Is it a great introduction! I am a huge fan of paranormal romance, and Kate Douglas takes it to an entirely new level of scrumptiousness. So to give you a bit of background:

Sebastian Xenakis is still coming into his power as a wizard. He can shapeshift by magical means and runs as a wolf using the power he draws from the elements. But young women are dying—raped by a human and then slaughtered by a wolf. Suspicion falls on the shapeshifting Chanku, but Sebastian wonders if he might somehow be guilty of the crimes. Then he meets Lily Cheval, the uncrowned princess of the powerful Chanku, and realizes he will do whatever it takes to clear his name and win her love. But evil walks where Sebastian goes, and there are mysteries neither Lily nor her father, the powerful wizard Anton Cheval can unravel. Is Sebastian the perfect mate for Lily, or is he instead, one she should fear?

Ok, so I stole that straight off the back of the book, but it sets the tone beautifully. There is something incredibly sexy about a tall, dark and handsome wizard with crazy teal eyes who can shapeshift into the dark predatory wolf—and Douglas knows it. I felt personally manipulated while reading this story, as if Ms. Douglas had a direct window into the secret recesses of my mind. And that is her talent. Kate is able to create a fiery landscape of fantasy, while engaging our most common fears and concerns. There is an eclecticism to  Kate’s writing that creates a kaleidoscope of characters, emotional textures, and rich conflict that leaves you eager and anxious for the next installment.

Before I finished the last page, I was ready for the first page of the next book. I want to know more about Lily Cheval, her father Anton and her mother Keisha. I want to know who Sebastian really is and who he’s meant to become. I want to run with the Chanku pack and discover more of their rich history and how they came to be among us mere humans.

There are so many elements that make this a good read. The love story. The battle—both internal and external—between good and evil. The bonds, that either support or restrain us. And of course—the steamy scenes that are so expertly seductive. But there is also a great deal more if you look below the top layers. There is a concern about hatred and prejudice, a cautioning about the corruption of power, and a commentary about the universal struggle to claim identity in a chaotic and unpredictable world.

There are a few moments that I think were shortcutted, some background left out, and some scenes rushed through. But at 352 pages, I can understand the moments in which I could feel the editor’s pen. Conversely, the scenes of intimacy at times felt forced (but Douglas is known for her racy writing). Also the cover absolutely drives me crazy—did the artist not know the protagonist’s eyes are blue! A minor thing, but a lost opportunity to make that cover pop even more. Take these piddling cons and chalk them up to more reason to read this book, because you are the only critic that matters. Judge for yourself.

Here’s an excerpt from Dark Wolf, Chapter 1:

Crickets chirped. An owl hooted. A dusting of starlight shimmered faintly against granite peaks, but here at the forest’s edge, all was dark. Shivering slightly in the cool night air, Sebastian Xenakis stood beneath the gnarled oak, just one more shadow among many. With great humility and as much confidence as he could muster while standing naked in the darkness, he raised his arms, drew on the magic coursing through his veins, and once more called on the spirit within the tree, one he affectionately thought of as the lady, humbly asking for her strength.

Nothing.

“Damn it all.” He exhaled, accepting the rush of air for what it was—a huge blast of frustration at the serendipitous nature of his magic. He stared at the massive tree towering overhead and methodically emptied his mind of all thoughts, all distractions. He put aside anger and frustration, fears and hopes, leaving room for nothing but here and now. Focusing everything within, he opened his heart to possibilities, and waited.

A few long, frustrating minutes later, he felt her warmth envelop him. An unexpected frisson raced across his bare shoulders, along his arms. It caressed his naked buttocks and swirled over his belly, lifting the dark line of body hair that trailed from navel to groin. Then it slithered along his thighs, circled his calves and tickled across his bare feet. His cock, flush with hot blood, swelled high and hard against his belly, giving homage to the gift of power.

Then, sliding away as soft as a whisper, the intimate sense of touch, of sentient communion, bled off into the damp loam and returned to its source through thickly tangled roots. Sebastian sighed, a shuddering acceptance of sensual pleasure, the gift of contact with such a powerful force.

The lady of the oak.

His erection remained, strong evidence of her touch, the visceral connection he’d made with a spirit ancient beyond recorded memory. His body thrummed with her life force, with her power, until Sebastian felt each and every one of her thick and twisted branches spreading far and wide, until he bowed beneath the age and innate wisdom of the ancient tree. This mother oak must have stood here, a silent sentinel of the forest since long before the dawn of modern history. A few heavy branches had fallen over time, but he knew her roots were strong, her branches healthy. As if challenging time itself, the graceful beauty and symmetry of the tree remained.

He remembered the first time he saw the oak, recalled the sense of life, the sure knowledge of the tree’s spiritual power. It was on that day he’d learned his father wielded the kind of power Sebastian had quickly grown to crave.

Standing just beyond the reach of the great branches, unsure of his relationship with a man he barely knew, Sebastian had watched Aldo Xenakis call lightning out of a clear, star-filled sky—call it and control it with the deft hands of a master.

He’d been seduced so easily, so quickly by that flashy show of fire and magic. Of power. Immeasurable power. So thoroughly seduced he knew he might never break free of its siren call.

Might never break free of the man he’d consciously sought, despite his mother’s warning. Now it was much too late. His die had been cast, commitments made, and he was almost glad his mother was dead.

Glad she couldn’t see what he’d become.

Sebastian quickly shoved thoughts of his moral weakness, his failures—and his father—aside. There was no need to mar the beauty of this night. He took a deep breath and then, almost as an afterthought, cleared his mind of all obstructions and drew more power to him. Pulled it from the earth, from the sky, from the water of a nearby stream, from the mountain itself. The fire must come from within, but he called on that as well and felt the power build.

Then he buffered the swirling energy with the strength of the oak until it was entirely under his control. Until he was the one holding the power.

Unlike his father, unwilling to display or even acknowledge such arrogance, Sebastian turned and bowed his head toward the oak, giving the tree’s spirit his grateful thanks for her help. Then, spreading his fingers wide, he consciously breathed deeply and opened himself to the energy flowing into him from all directions. A brilliant glow surrounded him, but it wasn’t lightning that lit the dark night.

It was power. Raw power he’d pulled from the earth, from the air and water. From the spirit in the tree, and the fire burning in his soul.

Within seconds, the light blinked out. Gone as if it had never existed at all.

As was the man. In his place, a wolf darker than night raised its head and sniffed the air. Then it turned away and raced into the forest.

Ok, Book Clubbers, until next time…

Kate’s Book Club is a column on Kate-book.com featuring interviews with authors named Kate, as well as reviews of books starring Kate characters. It runs on Kate-book.com every other Wednesday at 10:30am, and is written by the self-admitted bibliophile Kate E. Stephenson, who you should follow on Twitter here. Oh, and write to Kate to suggest authors and books we should read for future columns.

Last year (holy moly!) I wrote about my issues with plastic bags.  Since then, I have had the less-than-distinct pleasure of getting to know a plastic bag. It lives in the tree outside my window. This is my letter to The Bag.

Dear Bag,

We’ve gone through a lot together these past few months. When you appeared in the fall, I didn’t think you’d stay long. But as the temperature has changed, as has the tree you are mooching off of, I can tell you’re in this for the long haul.

You were the only thing I saw on the naked tree outside my window. I’m sure the tree appreciated your company. In some ways, I did, too: on those dark winter mornings, you were the only moving object in the wee hours near dawn. No cars, people, or animals disturbed the silence, but you kept on your undulating wave; a sweet acknowledgement from your perch for those who glanced your way.

You have been a reminder to me, every day, of how little humans can care for our home. As day after day went by, you remained, unchanged as a statue. Sometimes, I imagine I can hear your crinkling when the breeze is soft.

We know one another now, you and I. But, you know as well as I do: it’s time for you to move on. It’s time for you to share the lesson your very presence implies with someone else, someone who still uses plastic bags.  Our tree is in bloom––look at all its tiny leaves! Your presence has become a suffocating one, detracting from the beauty that nature is trying to unfold.

Perhaps you will find others like you, in some faraway land of plastic bags.

You have lingered far too long.

Adieu, Bag. Adieu.

Adventures in Greening is a column running on Kate-book.com every other Monday at noon. It is written by the very eco-conscious Catherine Moran. Follow Catherine on Twitter @folowbredcrumbs, or check out her excellent book blog.

By Kate E. Stephenson

If you’re like me this Monday morning—searching for strength and motivation to get this week started—then today’s Trivia may be just what you need.

Today, April 29, is the feast day of St. Catherine of Siena. As stated by AmericanCatholic.org, “The value [St. Catherine of Siena] makes central in her short life and which sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to Christ.”

Kate-Book.com does not advocate any one religion, deity or creed. Yet St. Catherine’s steadfastness may offer all of us, regardless of dogma or doctrine, a ray of hope and sunshine. This morning after waking up with a headache, finding out one of my projects was delayed, and being brushed off by a client, I realized my morning was not a great start to the week. Then at the moment I enjoyed the entire hot contents of my coffee mug spilling all over me and my desk, I realized something else—I have no control over this day. The question is what to do now? Sopping wet, sticky, and watching the dark liquid glide over papers, keyboard, shoes—everything!—I started to cry and crawl back into bed.

Instead what came out of my mouth was a very long bellyroll of a laugh. Then I decided to get on with my unpredictable day. Now I offer you this information about St. Catherine to help you get your day started on a better foot too!

More about St. Catherine from AmericanCatholic.org:

She was the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent, cheerful and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation.

She entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in seclusion, prayer and austerity. Gradually a group of followers gathered around her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter of 1374.

Her public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace between Florence and the pope

In 1378, the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two, then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her “children” and was canonized in 1461.

Catherine ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found in The Dialogue.

Read more:

[Wikipedia]

[New Advent]

More Kate Saints:

[Saint Kateri]

[Kate: Blessed and Holy Name]

 Trivia runs on Kate-book.com every Monday at 10:30am. It is written by the insanely knowledgeable Kate E. Stephenson. Read much more about Kate here, and click here to follow her on Twitter.