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Overview
Mount Taishan, China 1486 BCE
Humans have marked the tales of destiny and fate on the walls of caves since time began. But surprisingly, the first evidenced comet, Lao-Tien-Yeh 老天葉 is not documented until 1486 BCE. By estimates today, the comet was four times brighter than the full moon. So it was not unusual that only the scholars in China recorded it for posterity.
An old monk climbs Mount Tai to witness the coming star. A reunion, deemed insignificant at first, introduces the monk to what eventually becomes the tenets behind Universal Truth. Principles of life that shape the foundation of Buddhism. He won't have the chance to tell anyone, though, for an ancient force also stirs with the comet.
Taishan was the last of her kind. Awakened by the nightless day, she guards an isolated valley claimed in battle from an earlier emperor. She still has the scars. The comet has all but erased any protection provided by the cover of night. The ten tails that trailed behind were another worry. They mirrored what appeared the night the old girl was born. An omen. A prophecy. A battle. A disaster. In that scenario, no one wins. Taishan was determined to die here. Her unborn would vanish with her unless the old monk can change their destiny.
There are moments when we realize how fragile life is; how sacred the vows of compassion are. A soul becoming resplendent is hard-earned. A lifetime of serving others is the only way to get there.
It takes a thousand years for the Buddhist doctrine is discovered again.
Hanalei Bay, Hawaii Three Days Ago...
While caring for a recently rescued kitten, an accident occurs that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Every imaginary friend that ever visited Calvin in dreams has come home. Every Grumpmuffin, Gigglemonk, Cuddlemonk, Ticklemonk, and Adamsville Fairy expect to have their say. It has been a long time since a human has been in a position to have a conversation, and they intend to make the most of it.
Calvin's childhood promise weaves through time. It collects an old man, a grandfather, a ragged old cat... Clotho is the sister to the Fates who spins the threads of life and destiny. This time she has placed a single strand to connect them all. Harsh questions will be asked. Secrets will be shared. Truths will be revealed. But, like the Chinese monk before him, Calvin won't have the chance to tell anyone. Once again, an ancient force stirs.
Although Twain, Tesla, Barrie, Warhol, The Apollo 12/Intrepid Landing Module, Perun-the Slavic God of Thunder, Some Quantum Foam, and just a wee bit of lost faith all make appearances; they may not be enough to change a destiny long ago set in motion.
Comet Lao-Tien-Yeh 老天葉 is now designated 12P/Pons-Brooks, and it is fast approaching.
Evergreen, Colorado Now
"Shhhh, it is soon to be December. Love blooms in the softer sunlight. Changing colors float along with the wisps of chimney smoke and beckon the gentler souls to wander out beneath the starlight. The Magic of Elysium begins in the cool, darkened evenings in the last days of Autumn." ~ A Persistence of Dreams
This book and A Persistence Of Dreams, are the first two in a planned trilogy. It is the completion of a promise I made to my Grandfather. I gave him my word in the summer of 1966 after he had given me a journal. I'm fairly certain he was busy and hedging his bet about keeping me entertained for two weeks. Regardless, Adamsville, Tennessee, held other adventures for us that summer, and I never got around to it. These books are that promise fulfilled; this is his story. He wanted me to tell him a tall tale, a 'whopper' he said. I don't know that I have done that, but I gave it my all. The thing is, the world has changed since then. It is a tale of hindsight, of choices and consequences, of lost and newly found friends, of discovery, and redemption, of hopefully finding our way out of the darkness growing once again.
A thousand different pieces. A million clues. If we find our hearts, we get paradise again. You see, God works in mysterious ways. But it has given us free will and placed the clues in plain sight. The story was written and placed in a library of forever, then lost. But with any jigsaw puzzle, you begin with the edges and follow the colors. The patterns build with every piece laid until the bigger picture emerges. We only find magic when we look for it.
I found hope in the old tales. I believe we all have a book that resides somewhere within our hearts. Whether or not we pull it into reality is always one of persistence. My tales took on a life of their own. What started as a debt paid, grew into something beyond my wildest imagination. I hope I can do it justice. As usual, any errors are on me; I tried to catch them all; I am sure I did not succeed. I figure if I keep you entertained, you might forgive me for missing a comma or two. I hope that you find something you enjoy.
Humans have marked the tales of destiny and fate on the walls of caves since time began. But surprisingly, the first evidenced comet, Lao-Tien-Yeh 老天葉 is not documented until 1486 BCE. By estimates today, the comet was four times brighter than the full moon. So it was not unusual that only the scholars in China recorded it for posterity.
An old monk climbs Mount Tai to witness the coming star. A reunion, deemed insignificant at first, introduces the monk to what eventually becomes the tenets behind Universal Truth. Principles of life that shape the foundation of Buddhism. He won't have the chance to tell anyone, though, for an ancient force also stirs with the comet.
Taishan was the last of her kind. Awakened by the nightless day, she guards an isolated valley claimed in battle from an earlier emperor. She still has the scars. The comet has all but erased any protection provided by the cover of night. The ten tails that trailed behind were another worry. They mirrored what appeared the night the old girl was born. An omen. A prophecy. A battle. A disaster. In that scenario, no one wins. Taishan was determined to die here. Her unborn would vanish with her unless the old monk can change their destiny.
There are moments when we realize how fragile life is; how sacred the vows of compassion are. A soul becoming resplendent is hard-earned. A lifetime of serving others is the only way to get there.
It takes a thousand years for the Buddhist doctrine is discovered again.
Hanalei Bay, Hawaii Three Days Ago...
While caring for a recently rescued kitten, an accident occurs that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Every imaginary friend that ever visited Calvin in dreams has come home. Every Grumpmuffin, Gigglemonk, Cuddlemonk, Ticklemonk, and Adamsville Fairy expect to have their say. It has been a long time since a human has been in a position to have a conversation, and they intend to make the most of it.
Calvin's childhood promise weaves through time. It collects an old man, a grandfather, a ragged old cat... Clotho is the sister to the Fates who spins the threads of life and destiny. This time she has placed a single strand to connect them all. Harsh questions will be asked. Secrets will be shared. Truths will be revealed. But, like the Chinese monk before him, Calvin won't have the chance to tell anyone. Once again, an ancient force stirs.
Although Twain, Tesla, Barrie, Warhol, The Apollo 12/Intrepid Landing Module, Perun-the Slavic God of Thunder, Some Quantum Foam, and just a wee bit of lost faith all make appearances; they may not be enough to change a destiny long ago set in motion.
Comet Lao-Tien-Yeh 老天葉 is now designated 12P/Pons-Brooks, and it is fast approaching.
Evergreen, Colorado Now
"Shhhh, it is soon to be December. Love blooms in the softer sunlight. Changing colors float along with the wisps of chimney smoke and beckon the gentler souls to wander out beneath the starlight. The Magic of Elysium begins in the cool, darkened evenings in the last days of Autumn." ~ A Persistence of Dreams
This book and A Persistence Of Dreams, are the first two in a planned trilogy. It is the completion of a promise I made to my Grandfather. I gave him my word in the summer of 1966 after he had given me a journal. I'm fairly certain he was busy and hedging his bet about keeping me entertained for two weeks. Regardless, Adamsville, Tennessee, held other adventures for us that summer, and I never got around to it. These books are that promise fulfilled; this is his story. He wanted me to tell him a tall tale, a 'whopper' he said. I don't know that I have done that, but I gave it my all. The thing is, the world has changed since then. It is a tale of hindsight, of choices and consequences, of lost and newly found friends, of discovery, and redemption, of hopefully finding our way out of the darkness growing once again.
A thousand different pieces. A million clues. If we find our hearts, we get paradise again. You see, God works in mysterious ways. But it has given us free will and placed the clues in plain sight. The story was written and placed in a library of forever, then lost. But with any jigsaw puzzle, you begin with the edges and follow the colors. The patterns build with every piece laid until the bigger picture emerges. We only find magic when we look for it.
I found hope in the old tales. I believe we all have a book that resides somewhere within our hearts. Whether or not we pull it into reality is always one of persistence. My tales took on a life of their own. What started as a debt paid, grew into something beyond my wildest imagination. I hope I can do it justice. As usual, any errors are on me; I tried to catch them all; I am sure I did not succeed. I figure if I keep you entertained, you might forgive me for missing a comma or two. I hope that you find something you enjoy.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780998846880 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | James Qualls |
| Publication date: | 05/01/2018 |
| Edition description: | Barnes & Noble Exclusive ed. |
| Pages: | 268 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.63(d) |
About the Author
This book is the completion of a promise I made to Cugh Meek, my Grandfather. I gave him my word in the summer of 1966 after he bought me a journal to inspire my creativity. He wanted me to write for him a truly tall tale. Adamsville, Tennessee had other adventures planned for us though, and I never got to it. This is that promise fulfilled. This is that story...
Author’s Note:
I wrote a book, a simple fable. I wrote about what I knew, of caring for kittens, of Buddhism and life, of karma and debt, of right and wrong, of memories long unused. I wrote of dreams and desires, ignorance, and insight, of those I loved, of those I lost, of those I missed. I wrote a story of hope; of facing the day and overcoming the challenges of life that randomly stalk us all. I wrote of the serendipity; of the coincidences that led me to write a book. I wrote about my friend, Leo. I bounced the story between timelines. I allowed a monk to speak Cantonese in the opening chapter, knowing that the payoff would be worth the wait. I hid Easter eggs, seemingly misspelled words, dialogue from Saturday morning cartoons... In this version are links posted on the Copyright page that tie the book to the reality that has been my life. In the digital versions, I also included hyperlinks to information, pictures, and videos. I worked hard to fulfill a promise I had made more than fifty years ago as a child. A promise made to a grandfather who loved me more than life. This is who I am now, who I've become, thanks to him. I taught myself to write, edit, and publish. I tried to remember the rules of grammar and failed. Still, despite my shortcomings, I poured everything I‘ve ever loved about reading into my little fable. I love what it became. I showed you my heart. I gave you all that I have. The mistakes are truly mine, and for that, I apologize. Now that you’re here though, please come inside. I would love for you to read what I have written for this is only the beginning...
Author’s Note:
I wrote a book, a simple fable. I wrote about what I knew, of caring for kittens, of Buddhism and life, of karma and debt, of right and wrong, of memories long unused. I wrote of dreams and desires, ignorance, and insight, of those I loved, of those I lost, of those I missed. I wrote a story of hope; of facing the day and overcoming the challenges of life that randomly stalk us all. I wrote of the serendipity; of the coincidences that led me to write a book. I wrote about my friend, Leo. I bounced the story between timelines. I allowed a monk to speak Cantonese in the opening chapter, knowing that the payoff would be worth the wait. I hid Easter eggs, seemingly misspelled words, dialogue from Saturday morning cartoons... In this version are links posted on the Copyright page that tie the book to the reality that has been my life. In the digital versions, I also included hyperlinks to information, pictures, and videos. I worked hard to fulfill a promise I had made more than fifty years ago as a child. A promise made to a grandfather who loved me more than life. This is who I am now, who I've become, thanks to him. I taught myself to write, edit, and publish. I tried to remember the rules of grammar and failed. Still, despite my shortcomings, I poured everything I‘ve ever loved about reading into my little fable. I love what it became. I showed you my heart. I gave you all that I have. The mistakes are truly mine, and for that, I apologize. Now that you’re here though, please come inside. I would love for you to read what I have written for this is only the beginning...
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