Author Archives: Marcha's Two-Cents Worth

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About Marcha's Two-Cents Worth

I'm a science fiction author of the Star Trails Tetralogy, retired after two decades working at NASA, defected from my physics training to become a professional astrologer, and various other acts of rebellion. More recently, I've teamed with Pete Risingsun in writing "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits" which was released in July 2020 with more to come.

Here is my interview with Marcha Fox

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Here’s a recent interview I had with Fiona McVie. You may find out all sorts of funny things about me in this comprehensive interview. Fiona asked some great questions that really made me think!

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MarchaFoxpix

Name  Marcha Fox

Age  67

Fiona: Where are you from

Marcha: That’s a hard one.  I was born in Peekskill, New York, about forty miles north of New York City on the Hudson River but moved to California with my parents when I was 13.  I moved to Northern Utah with my then-husband and family and lived there for almost 15 years and then moved to Texas, where I still am after over 20 years.  I’ve lived on all three coasts, i.e., the East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast as well as at 4500 feet in the Rocky Mountains.  Currently I’m living across from one of Texas’ biggests lakes 15 miles outside of a small town northwest of Austin, Texas.  In other words, I live in the boonies.

Fiona: A little about yourself `i.e. your education Family life etc.  

Marcha: I was an only child born to…

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Rhoda D’Ettore Blog Tour

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Buy Rhoda D’Ettore’s books on Amazon

Coming this Summer…..

ZODIACJUNE

No One Is Safe While…

ZODIAC LIVES

A Novel by Rhoda D’Ettore

After surviving a car accident that killed her father, three-year-old Jennifer begins having nightmares. It’s soon obvious she suffers from something more dreadful than the accident when she provides clues to a murder committed 3,000 miles away—and two decades before she was born.

Jennifer’s nightmares set off a chain reaction that prompts the infamous Zodiac Killer to emerge from dormancy and terrorize San Francisco for a second time.

Visit Rhoda D’Ettore’s Website

BOOKSQUAD

Goin’ Postal & The Creek

Rhoda D’Ettore began her writing career by publishing humorous tales about working at the United States Postal Service. Fifteen years of dealing with bombs, anthrax, and human body parts in the mail made for an interesting read. Her co-workers laughed so hard at the nostalgia, they encouraged her to publish the writings. Since then, D’Ettore has fascinated readers with plot twists mixed with sarcastic humor.

D’Ettore knew postal workers would buy her story, yet she also wanted to show them she could write interesting, serious work with shocking twists. In Goin’ Postal & The Creek, the reader gets two very different stories in one book. The first containing the hysterical tales of postal worker life. The second story is a historical fiction that spans 200 years with a slightly supernatural twist. Topics include war, love, romance, death, Prohibition, the Great Depression, and how families survive such events.

Newborn Nazi

Newborn Nazi tackles the issues of right and wrong as well as self sacrifice when fourteen-year-old Edmund is forced into the Hitler Youth in 1935. His older siblings vow to destroy Nazi Germany, and the family gets swept up in espionage and the Underground Movement. When Edmund becomes an adult and joins the feared SS, his sister’s secret endeavors to save Jews in her home endangers lives—including her own. This suspense thriller is sure to keep you guessing.

Newborn Nazi is based on Rhoda D’Ettore true family history. There was an Edmund who was forced into the Hitler Youth, and his sister did help Jews escape. D’Ettore found the story so riveting, she took the plot of the story and added murder and espionage to create this intense thriller.

Tower of Tears: The McClusky Series 1

In Tower of Tears: The McClusky Series, we find Jane traveling to America from Ireland with her three-year-old son. Expecting to find a better way of life, Jane finds nothing but intimidation, betrayal, violence, and heartache. This family saga includes blackmail, murder, mystery, and a touch of romance.

While writing Tower of Tears, D’Ettore gave her mother one chapter at a time for feedback. D’Ettore was undecided who the murderer in the book would eventually be, so she wrote the story with five characters hating and threatening the murder victim. Halfway through the book, D’Ettore’s mother shouted, “I know who killed him…. it was ####”. D’Ettore then finished the book with a different character as the murderer. When her mother read the final draft of the book, she replied, “That’s not who the murder is. I told you who is was.” D’Ettore then said, “I wrote the book, so I know who the murderer should be. Thanks.”

10 Shades of Blush: The Softer Side of Kink

10 Shades of Blush: The Softer Side of Kink is a collection of naughty fantasies of ordinary women. Teachers, mothers, and professionals submitted their wants and desires for kinky fun. All the tales are told as if the women are speaking directly to their partners. The audiobook of this has been called “Two hours of phone sex for $7”.

Rhoda D’Ettore works are available as ebook, paperback, and audiobooks

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“The Emotion Code” by Dr. Bradley Nelson: DIY Guide for Dumping Old Baggage

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I learned to question everything when I discovered that astrology worked regardless of what my physics professors told me in college. Some of the questions one has to ask in such a dilemma are who has the most to gain from an untruth, who has the most power or influence and is it something you can test personally to determine whether or not it works?

For example, there’s the ongoing argument about alternative medicine. Who has the most to gain from an untruth? Easy. The pharmaceutical industry. Who has the most power? They do, especially considering they have the FDA on their side. Is it something you can test personally? Definitely.

This book addresses the concept and technique of energy healing which some equate with voodoo or snake oil salesmen. Who has the most to gain from debunking it? The healthcare industry. Who has the most power? The healthcare industry and its rather powerful lobby. Is it something you can test personally. You bet.

I first heard about emotions being the root of most diseases several years back when I read “Feelings Buried Alive Never Die” by Karol Kuhn Truman. She even goes so far in that book to define specific parts of the body related to certain diseases. Her premise was that certain negative emotions elicited a chemical response from somewhere in your body which had a toxic effect on certain organs, causing disease. Every time I’ve had some sort of malady and referred to her list it fit, whether it was issues with authority figures when my bad knee was acting up or having colon cancer when I was feeling “dumped upon.” Ms. Truman has a mantra of sorts to rid yourself of emotional issues that could affect your health and they worked in large degree. But not as effectively as Dr. Nelson’s.

Slightly different than Truman, Dr Nelson believes that emotions are generated by our organs themselves, not simply affected by them. He states that emotions are energy which can get trapped in certain parts of the body, most likely the part responsible for its generation. Our subconscious knows everything that is going on with our body and can thus reveal information regarding its status through a method of muscle strength testing he describes. Thus, identifying trapped emotions is as simple as going through a series of yes/no questions addressed to your subconscious, either by yourself or with the assistance of someone.

He includes numerous testimonials of the amazing experiences some of his patients have had using this method. As someone who has the baggage of a 747, of course I had to try it. I was truly amazed at how well it worked and the difference I felt physically, as if a burden had been lifted.

As a quick aside, as an astrologer, I can tell you that the cosmic climate right now is conducive to letting go of old baggage, which is related to Pluto. Pluto, by the way, does not much care whether he’s considered a planet or not by us lowly humans. His influence is strong regardless, as is that of numerous other small heavenly bodies such as asteroids and minor planets.

Another concept he introduces is that of a “heart wall” which is an energy field our subconscious creates around our heart to protect it from emotional harm. Our heart is more than a pump, it has an element of intelligence and stores memories as documented by heart surgeon, Paul Pearsall, in his book “The Heart Code.” If a person has been deeply hurt they may not just have trapped emotions but a heart wall as well which shields them from feeling additional pain. If you’ve suffered emotionally in the past and thus feel somewhat numb or unfeeling, it is highly likely that you have one of these barriers protecting you. He explains how to get rid of them as well.

Okay, I am well aware that the fact I’m a physicist is diminished somewhat by the fact that I’m an astrologer and a science fiction writer. Yes, I’m into metaphysics and have a reasonably good imagination. However, I have found that a lot of this woo-woo stuff does indeed work and Nelson’s “Emotion Code” is no exception. You can either go spend thousands of hard-earned dollars in counseling to get rid of your stash of baggage or you can buy Nelson’s book and see how much you can deal with yourself. By the way, in case you are unaware, some of the first counselors were astrologers who can tell by analyzing your natal chart what those hangups are likely to be. I have helped numerous clients through a crisis through understanding the cosmic energy upon them at the time.

So by now you are either convinced that I am entirely daft, crazy, not wrapped too tight, or whatever. Like Pluto, I don’t care. However, I don’t expect you to take my word for it. I challenge you to put Nelson’s theories and methods to the test as I have. They work. And if you don’t feel comfortable trying them solo, he has a plethora of certified practitioners nationwide to assist you in your journey. If you had a difficult childhood like I did, have been divorced, lost someone you love, or suffered any sort of physical or emotional trauma in your life, chances are you can benefit from this book. To me it was worth its weight in gold.

But don’t take my word for it. The last I checked Amazon he has 490 reviews and a rating of 4.6 stars. Clearly I might be crazy but I’m certainly not alone. You can get your copy via the link below.

The Emotion Code

Amazon… A virtual marketplace, or Big Brother?

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Wow. Amazon is certainly out of hand. This policy is nothing short of throwing out the baby with the bath water. If you’re an Indie author, read it and be warned. This is yet another reason that I refuse to give Amazon exclusivity with my books and participate in KU.

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A couple of weeks ago I read the third installment of a series I really loved. I will refrain from sharing the name of the novel and its author.

Like any reader, as soon as I finished reading, I wrote my review. When I tried posting it on Amazon (I did buy the eBook, just like any normal and decent human being would), I received a rather concerning email.

I will not share the screenshot of the email as it does contain the title of the book and name of the author. In its place I have copied the body of the email below.

Dear Amazon Customer,

Thanks for submitting a customer review on Amazon. Your review could not be posted to the website in its current form. While we appreciate your time and comments, reviews must adhere to the following guidelines:
http://www.amazon.com/review-guidelines

Here I was, thinking I had included an…

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“Beyond Vica” by T. C. Booth: A heartwrenching story of love and friendship

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This beautifully written and skillfully rendered tale of love and friendship is a heartwrenching story about three teens, Gabby, Sam and Brody, who have been friends since childhood. Their mutual love of astronomy inspired them to designate three stars as their own personal constellation which they named Vica, each star representing one of them and their bond of friendship. The backdrop the symbolism of this constellation provides for the story is genius in itself.

In my experience one of the most difficult years anyone has to navigate in life is fifteen and that is how old this trio happens to be when Sam is diagnosed with cancer. As if there aren’t already enough issues to deal with at that age such as school challenges, peer pressure, relationships with the opposite gender and their own developing sexuality, Gabby and Brody are now faced with supporting their lifelong friend to the end.

Written from Gabby’s viewpoint in the first person present tense, the immediacy draws you into her mind and heart as she’s not only torn apart by the thought of losing Sam but also the distant memory of the car wreck she experienced as a five year old where her father died before her eyes.

The rocky journey of losing a loved one will be endured by everyone at some point in life. Managing highly charged emotions at such a difficult time is shown in this touching story for what it is, which can serve as valuable information for those who have not experienced the loss of someone they loved and even if they have, they may have dealt with their feelings in an entirely different way. This touching story can thus promote understanding and compassion for those undergoing such an experience whose behavior at times may seem erratic, moody or express itself in unusual ways. Thus, the matter of dealing with the attendant emotions constructively as opposed to keeping them bottled up to fester inside in a potentially harmful manner is also touched upon along with the benefits of organizations such as hospice and the services they offer to grieving friends and relatives.

Truly this book is one that everyone can benefit from since the characters are so engaging that the reader can easily experience the impact of such a situation vicariously. It’s rather short and can be completed in an afternoon, but I don’t recommend it as a “beach read” unless you enjoy crying in public because I suspect tears are inevitable as you get pulled into this story. Yet it’s done in such a way that it’s not maudlin or overly sentimental, but simply addresses the situation in an entirely believable way. I highly recommend this story to everyone whether as comfort or reminder that you never know when someone you love will be taken from you and that someone you know is probably dealing with such a situation right now.

Pick up a copy today.  Only 99c at the Amazon link below.

“Thaddeus Whiskers and the Dragon” by H.L. Burke: A delightful new fairytale you’re sure to love.

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I won a print copy of this wonderful book in a Facebook event and I’m so glad I did. I’m convinced that we never outgrow a good fairytale and this charming book has the potential to be a classic. It has all the elements one expects in such a tale of make-believe including a sweet young princess, an evil wannabe queen, a somewhat ditzy king, an incompetent wizard, magic gone wrong, an adorable eternal kitten and, of course, a dragon.

However, don’t think that this is “just another fairytale.” This delightful story with its fantastic cover is even better than several classics in that the engaging characters draw you in and come alive. The dragon is delightfully complex, having his fire-breathing side coupled with a love for gold and jewels yet a tender place in his heart for a tiny, misplaced kitten. You love some, you wish really bad karma on others, and more than anything else you keep turning the pages as you navigate through a variety of surprises and plot twists in pursuit of the “happily ever after” part. The chapters are short and perfect for bedtime reading but don’t contain blatant cliffhangers. The suspense level is perfect, right in the “Goldilocks zone” of not too strong, not too weak, but just enough to prod your child into bed the following night to find out what happens next.

Of course any good fairytale includes a variety of archetypes which operate at the subconscious level and deliver a message cleverly disguised within the framework of the characters and plot. This one addresses several, such as the importance of not stereotyping who might be a potential friend when you’re down and out. There’s the usual concept that outward beauty does not assure goodness within as well as a few others such as innovative solutions at the hands of the most unlikely person can often unravel a problem. Inadvertent mistakes can hurt others as much as a deliberate blow, the smallest and most innocent deserve protection, dealing with homesickness and sadness when you miss a loved one, and the love that binds us to others are likewise incorporated skillfully into the story without being didactic.

Whether you’re a young reader, a child at heart, a parent or grandparent, pick up a copy of this book for a refreshing break you probably didn’t even realize you needed. And don’t forget to share it with a child you love.

A Detailed and Convincing Post-Apocalyptic Tale that Hits Close to Home

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Without belaboring how it got there, the author has developed a detailed and convincing post-apocalyptic world. Modern as far as the vehicles, weapons and computer technology are concerned, other elements have a medieval flavor including a feudal social structure and a bit of sword play. In this case the holdings of the elite are not so much land itself but what all need to survive–water. In other words, a few have gained control of the water supply with the different “houses” within “The Collective” system jockeying for positions within their own hierarchy while keeping the unfortunate masses at bay. The complexity of the political structure is well thought out and demonstrates a keen understanding of human nature as a relative handful of individuals struggle to maintain what they’ve acquired while also trying to advance through whatever means necessary.

Victor Xonox is the primary villain among many. He’s cruel and ruthless regarding everything and everyone save his beloved daughter, Pheona. He maintains his position with the proverbial iron fist enforced with lethal consequences. No one is allowed to obtain water except through his distribution channels. Anyone found having their own source such as a well is quickly dispatched. And thus we meet Abel, son of a former Army Ranger, whose family has their own covert water supply. Discovery results in the usual punishment except Abel escapes, bent on vengeance. As you would expect, Abel’s quest results in his meeting up with a variety of interesting characters. Each is well-developed with a detailed background and agenda of their own which brings them vividly to life.

While some action-oriented stories lack detail, that is not the case here. I measure fiction through a system I call IDEAS, an acronym which stands for Imagery, Dialog, Emotion, Action and Suspense. As a whole, a good story has an appropriate balance of them all. In this regard Hillard did an outstanding job. Visual, societal, weapons and character detail were outstanding, dialog convincing, enough emotion to make the characters human and provide motivation as well as plenty of action and suspense.

At times I felt as if there were too many named characters and I had trouble keeping track of them all with their exotic names. However, life itself is populated with legions and given the plot and situations, having so many people around contributed to the story’s convincing tone. So convincing, in fact, that its dark and gloomy essence was hard to bear at times since I’m not usually a fan of apocalyptic and dystopian tales, especially ones as vividly portrayed as this one.

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On a personal note, I have seen a modern version of this story play out, albeit less violently. I live in the second row from one of Central Texas’ largest reservoirs, Lake Buchanan. In the above picture you can see it as it appeared on 29 January 2011. Little did I know when I snapped that picture that I may not ever see the lake at that level again.  Ironically, at the time we considered it low!

This area has been in a severe drought for several years and during that time I’ve seen the lake drained at the behest of those in positions of power, putting the drinking water of millions at risk. In a long and complicated story which, if written, would undoubtedly be the length of an epic novel, since 2011 the lake has receded until it eventually fell as low as below one third capacity.  Note the boat ramp in both pictures is one and the same with the second picture taken exactly eight months later.  The lake view vista is now obstructed as well with an exposed strip of land to the left of the distant stand of trees which in normal years is inundated. The second picture below shows looking back from the waterline to the houses, where the lake level should reach their retaining walls.

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Thus, I have witnessed first-hand how water can spark a political battle until at long last a local leader rose to the occasion and led a fight for the rights of those whose local businesses and property values had been decimated for the good of corporate rice farmers downriver who sold their product mostly overseas.

Residents along other lakes in the Highland chain deemed “constant level” (which just happened to have multimillion dollar homes along their shores) were blissfully unaware there was a serious drought. Meanwhile, along Lake Buchanan property values plummeted while resort and business owners closed as the lake was no longer accessible. Furthermore, what was left was too hazardous to enjoy since the pecan orchards inundated with the lakes creation in the 1930s were now exposed, giving it the appearance of an eerie swamp. In some cases, those who were once waterfront could no longer even see the water, yet were still required to pay the excessive tax rate they were assessed for their supposed prime location.

So how did this come about? Our former governor (and aspiring presidential candidate, by the way) at one time was over the state’s Department of Agriculture. Thus, he had a close relationship with corporate rice farmers on the far end of the Colorado River near the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these farmers were thus his appointees on the governing board of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) who supposedly “managed” what are known as the Highland Lakes. In normal years, releasing water for the rice farmers to flood their fields, a practice related to controlling weeds, not the growth of the rice itself, was not a problem because winter and spring rains would replenish the supply.

This, however, was no longer the case with the drought. The usual release was made, nonetheless, which was further exacerbated by human error when someone failed to close the dam’s flood gates when they should have been. It was as if someone had pulled the plug in a bathtub and the lake fell to less than one third capacity, its precious waters eventually spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. And thus it has remained for years.

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This spring Texas received a lot of rain, relieving much of the drought in some areas, but much of it missed our watershed. Lake Buchanan is now at 52% while the others in the Highland Lakes chain are at capacity. Hopefully it will eventually be full again but so far that is not the case.

Clearly a commodity needed for life itself can be a powerful tool and those who seek position and control for selfish reasons will never hesitate to exploit situations that advance their personal agendas without regard for the good of anyone or anything else that stands in their way. Unfortunately, we see this every day. Thus, the premise itself of “The Collective” is highly credible given that there will always be despots like Victor Xonox who build an empire on the backs of those less fortunate.

The plot exposes and investigates the character of those with no regard for the lives of their fellow human beings. It inspires hope in that a leader or coalition of those opposing their evil intent will eventually also arise in the form of heroes and a few antiheroes. While this story had a reasonably satisfying ending, the author also left it open for a sequel which is sure to come. Whether or not you’re a fan of dystopian tales, this one is exceptionally well-written and worth reading as a reminder of what can happen when a few power-hungry individuals assume control of an essential commodity. I have seen it happen with near-tragic consequences from my front porch.

You can purchase a copy of this story at the link below.  Don’t think it couldn’t happen where you live.

The Collective

Another Purr-fect Romp with Xander de Hunter

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If you’re a fan of Xander de Hunter, the awesome feline 007 you met (or should have) in “The Red Claw” you’ll thoroughly enjoy his latest adventure. This one takes place in Haiti where he’s investigating some mighty weird goings-on that hint at voodoo and the paranormal. Don’t worry, it’s not scary and perfectly suitable to read to your kids or simply enjoy yourself, even before going to sleep at night.

Nonetheless, it has vivid descriptions that take you to a fascinating Third World country where you can learn more about its geography, plant life, culture and even the occult as you enjoy the story. Xander picks up a delightful sidekick named Mischief, a 7-week old kitten whom he will undoubtedly mentor into a future “Purr-tector.” The kitty mannerisms were hilarious and totally familiar to anyone who is owned by a cat from the mandatory grooming after eating, catnaps and tail dynamics. I particularly enjoyed Xander’s efforts to keep his eyes crossed, something so many Siamese cats display genetically, as he attempts to convince those he’s investigating that he’s a low-life “nip-head” looking for work. The purr-fect ending draws it all to a great conclusion and, as always, leaves you looking forward to the next episode.

This is another wonderfully light read with enough plot, character and description to keep you entertained. If you need a break from all the books out there these days that drag you through some dystopian nightmare or other dark scenario infested with zombies and vampires that bears just too much resemblance to today’s world, pick up a copy and take a break today. You won’t be sorry.

You can find it at Amazon, Smashwords, and various other retail outlets.

Connect with Author, Jeanne Foguth:

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Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jeanne-Foguth/e/B00JDW7TC8/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PurrtectorFiles

Blog: https://foguth.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannefoguth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1452089.Jeanne_Foguth

Jeanne on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=%22Jeanne+Foguth%22

Jeanne on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/-Jeanne-Foguth-?store=allproducts&keyword=%22Jeanne+Foguth%22

Fathers’ Day Musings

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fatheranyI always approach Fathers’ Day with mixed feelings. There are great fathers and there are those who were present at the moment of conception but that was about it. My father fit somewhere in-between. He was there, at least physically, but not much of a father. No, he wasn’t physically abusive but he didn’t have a clue how to be a parent, or even a husband, for that matter. In his defense, his father died when he was two years old and his mother, my grandmother, never remarried so he really didn’t have any sort of example to follow.

When I was little he found me amusing but as I got older he nicknamed me “Nuisance” and by the time I was a teenager he ignored me completely. Ironically, he and my mother stayed married because of me. The three little words I remember him saying to her on a regular basis were “You’re never satisfied.” As a result I grew up with little respect for either of them whose relationship was somewhere between the Bundys and Bunkers or maybe Ralph and Alice Cramden, a.k.a. “The Honeymooners” of sitcom fame. This, of course, fueled his resentment toward the “stupid kid.” In retrospect, I can see that the sour marriage ruined us all. If my parents had been happily divorced we all would have been better off, especially me, since I felt I was to blame for the sorry situation.

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A book I read years ago entitled “Getting the Love You Want” by Harville Hendrix did an excellent job of explaining why men and women marry the people they do. It’s quite simple. Each is attempting to complete a role that was lacking in some way regarding the parent of the opposite gender. I grew up feeling useless at best and a burden at worst, so when I got married I was out to prove that I could support myself and everyone else. That’s what happens when your nickname is “Nuisance.”

I probably sound bitter, but I’m not, just retrospective as once again Fathers’ Day approaches. It was a few weeks before Fathers’ Day when my father died. He was in his 70s and had suffered a major stroke with little to no hope of recovery. He was a Navy veteran so was going to be transported from the local hospital to the Veterans’ Hospital roughly a hundred miles away, so I knew I probably would never see him again. Thus, I went to the hospital that morning to say goodbye. He was unconscious as I took a chair at the foot of his bed, but shortly after I arrived he started to stir, opened his eyes, sat up far enough to make eye contact, then convulsed and was gone. As he left this life I had a strong impression that he’d apologized in passing for being such a lousy father. It didn’t change anything but for some strange reason made me feel at peace, recognize he did the best that he could and forgive him entirely for his deficiencies. The sense of loss I felt then and still is never so much that he’d passed on, but rather for the relationship we never had.

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As time went by, my own children grew up, had children of their own, and their children likewise grew up. During that time I witnessed a wide variety of fathering or lack thereof. The older I got, the more I realized how many voids I had in my life because of my father’s inability to function in that role. I never felt as if I mattered one way or the other and that I had to prove my worth, to myself as well as everyone else. I never had anyone I felt comfortable going to for advice, mostly because of being told “you’re only a stupid kid” on a regular basis. Ironically, he had a 10th grade education and couldn’t answer some of the simplest questions I asked when I was a youngster. I don’t doubt now, as I look back, that he was simply echoing what he’d been told as a child himself.

When I got married and he “gave me away” it was an empty part of the ceremony since we’d never bonded. I’ve seen some beautiful interactions between brides and their fathers and sometimes grandfathers, both at the altar and then later when they danced together. Seeing them always brought tears to my eyes because it was an experience I’d never have. I never knew either of my grandfathers, either, but having a loving grandpa can definitely help fill this void.

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Fortunately, in my life I’ve known some wonderful older men whom I adopted emotionally as a surrogate father. These were kind, educated and successful men who treated me like an intelligent and perhaps even interesting human being. I wept profusely when these worthy father substitutes passed away while never shedding a tear for my own.

The more children raised without a father’s positive influence, the more dysfunctional families will result. Boys need a loving and responsible male role model and girls need a positive relationship with their father to assure better self-esteem and higher expectations of the men in their future. If that sounds sexist, I don’t care. I wonder if my relationship with my father would have been better if I had been a boy, which he wanted as many men do. Maybe I got a physics degree and went into a career field predominated by men to try to make up for being a girl. My father was a mechanic and I remember when he’d work on our family car that I was curious and wanted to watch but was shooed away since that’s not what girls were supposed to be interested in. And sadly, now that I’m retired and single, I have this huge mental block about fixing things or performing even minor maintenance like changing the air filter on my lawnmower, probably because I was told as a child that girls don’t do such things.

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If any fathers out there have stuck with me this long, please recognize how important you are to your children. If a child feels unloved by his or her father it’s highly likely a feeling of not being good enough will have a pervasive detrimental effect on his or her life. Every rejection will reinforce this negative self-perception and deter love, success and joy from every fact of their life. They may turn out to be a workaholic people-pleaser, forever trying to find the praise and acceptance they never got. A more negative spin includes gang membership or promiscuity. Note that well-intentioned but over-critical parents can have the same effect if a child feels unloved or unaccepted.

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Fathers, your children possess half of your genetic material and have a natural affection for you, whether you deserve it or not. Why do you think adopted children will go to so much trouble to find their birth parents? Any failure on your part to fulfill your role will leave an empty place in their heart. And you adopted fathers are incredibly important. You don’t have the benefit of a genetic link yet have every bit as much influence and responsibility to fill that role. In some cases you’ll do far better than the natural parent ever could, especially if the natural father was in the “sperm donor” category. Unfortunately, my “surrogate” fathers entered my life too late to fill that void.

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While numerous male parents in the animal kingdom are remiss in taking part in raising their offspring, humans are supposed to be better than that. Fathers, be the best person you possibly can and man up to your responsibilities. Be there for your sons and daughters. By doing so you can make an important contribution one child at a time to a better world. A world that needs all the help it can get.

Meet Multi-talented, Multi-genre Author, Jeanne Foguth

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jeanne

Jeanne Foguth’s story of Xander de Hunter as chronicled in “The Red Claw” was an absolutely purr-fect light read which you can learn more about in my review of that title. As a cat lover I am hooked. To my great delight, she has just released Xander’s latest tale (or perhaps I should say “tail”?) entitled “Purr-a-noia” with another “Sea Purrtector Files” episode promised for next year.

Yet these charming cat adventure stories are but a small part of Jeanne’s repertoire. If you’re a romantic suspense, fantasy or science fiction fan you’ll want to get a hold of her other novels as well. Her vast travel experience coupled with her attention to detail create engaging characters in the midst of exotic settings which will pull you in and leave you wanting more. So without further ado, let’s learn more about this fascinating author and creator of my favorite cat hero.

MF: Clearly you’re an avid cat lover, which seems to be the case with numerous writers. What besides a strong affection for felines inspired you to write The Red Claw and its upcoming sequels starring Xander de Hunter?

JF: Yes, I love cats. In fact, I like most types of animals and over the years, we have had a wide assortment of furry and feathered friends. In 1981, we were adopted by Rom a.k.a. The Ramakazi, who became my good friend, fellow gardener and writing partner. We shared an L-shaped desk where he lounged on his keyboard while he looking out the window and tweeting to the birds. This allowed me to write freelance projects without him feeling the need to edit my work.

Rom was a major part of our lives until he died at 16.5. For years, I thought of various ways to write a memorial to him and when we were living aboard EvenStar, our Gemini 105MC, I imagined how Rom would have enjoyed the adventure…. by the time we got to Jamaica, where The Red Claw is set, I began putting notes in a file. Initially, I thought that I would only write one book, however I had so much fun that The Sea Purrtector Files is turning into a series. Purr-a-Noia (#2) is newly released and The Vi-Purrs (#3) will be out in early 2016.

MF: Do you have a favorite real-life cat that demonstrates Xander’s traits?

JF: Rom, who Xander is based on, loved technology and seemed very adept at turning things on and opening things – not so good at turning them off or closing drawers and doors. His technical expertise is the main reason we realized we could not share a keyboard and mouse. He was also “Mr. Cool’ when startled, so even when he decided that retreat was the wise choice, he never tucked tail and ran – he exited with dignity. In your review of The Red Claw, you suggested that Xander was sort of a feline 007 and that captures Rom’s character quite well.

BTW, the Siamese cat on The Red Claw‘s cover is Rom. We don’t have many photos of him, so my cover artist, Kiara Graham, adapted the same photo for Purr-a-Noia‘s cover.

redclawcoverpurranoia

MF: He was certainly beautiful and it’s like he’s looking through you with those blue eyes. I can’t think of a better way to immortalize a beloved pet than in a series of novels. What other animals have you had for pets besides cats?

JF: Hmmm, that is a long list. When I was a child, we lived on a dairy farm, which was at least a half mile from the next neighbor. Aside from cows, we had horses, a dog, sheep (rams are NOT good pets, but lambs are adorable), pigs and chickens.

Over the years, we have usually had a cat and sometimes a dog, but we’ve also had a variety of outdoor pets, which included birds, bunnies and even a few goats (I called them my gardening crew and used them in my war on kudzu ;-).

MF: Your biographical sketch mentions that you have a background in technical writing. Which industry was it applied to?

JF: Initially, I helped write J.C.H.A.(hospital procedure manuals) and preventive maintenance guidelines. Later, I wrote computer-user manuals as well as several free-lance projects that included policy and procedure manuals for some small companies.

MF: How do feel your technical writing experience influenced your fiction writing?

JF: I am a stickler for accuracy. It was drilled into me that J.C.H.A. manuals were used by hospital staff as a guide to treat life-threatening conditions.

MF: I can relate. Accuracy was drummed into my head when I was a techwriter at NASA. Speaking of accuracy, clearly you have traveled extensively which enriches your writing’s sense of place with a strong sense of authenticity. Your descriptions of Jamaica made me feel as if I was there such that I would recognize it if I ever was.  Which location is your favorite and why?

JF: My favorite is wherever our next destination is 😉

I also like where I am and where I have been. Each place has had good and bad points. For example: in Alaska, the Northern Lights were amazing, but the mosquitoes were horrid (BTW, catnip is ten times better than DEET as an insect repellent and if you use it, you might make a new feline friend).

MF: LOL! I have a hard time growing catnip because it always gets ravaged long before harvest. I have one plant surrounded by a hardware cloth cage which so far has survived.

As you’ve gone to these fascinating locations do you find that you’re always thinking like a writer in that new experiences automatically evolve into a new story idea? Or does the story come first with travel and research following?

JF: Yes to both. For instance, the initial idea for Star Bridge (#1 of the Chatterre Trilogy) came to me on a sweltering day, as I was sitting in traffic, waiting to make a left turn. I had the thought that there wouldn’t be traffic jams and pollution on a world where humanity chose to live in harmony with nature. Of course, when I actually began writing the book, I needed to research a variety of things. For instance, Nimri, a main character, is an herbal healer, so I needed to verify what each herb that I used in the book was good for and also to confirm that if people decided to use something, it should not have an adverse reaction to something I mentioned in a scene.

MF: I’m a real fan of accuracy myself. You never know who might be reading your book and if they’re familiar with the subject and you get it wrong then you lose all credibility. Such details in fiction should be trustworthy as well as contribute to the substance and reality of the story. Speaking of accuracy, I assume that you’ve spent some time living on a boat based on the terminology the average non-mariner wouldn’t know in “The Red Claw.” What’s your favorite part about that life? What would you recommend to someone considering such a lifestyle?

JF: We lived aboard EvenStar for a few years. My favorite part was that I didn’t need to pack a suitcase when we moved to the next country – we only needed to pull up the anchor.

If anyone was considering the lifestyle, I would recommend:

1) that they be a good jack-of-all-trades because once you get off shore, you and your shipmates need to be capable of dealing with a wide variety of problems.

2) that they be competent sailors and good at plotting an accurate course.

3) that they be adventurous and open-minded, yet realize there are dangers out there, so avoid inviting problems aboard and stay away from trouble spots.

4) that they expect to learn new languages and understand cultural sub-text and not expect people in a new country to adapt to them.

MF: Makes sense! Have you had any frightening experiences living on a boat?

JF: Of course, but I’ve had worse and more life-threatening experiences on land.

MF: I can believe that. So which of your many books and/or characters are your personal favorites?

JF: That is a difficult choice, but I think Kazza and Xander are my favorites. Interestingly enough, both are cats, so I guess that brings us full circle to your initial observation that I am an avid cat lover.

Be sure to connect with Jeanne via her social media sites listed below and pick up one or more of her books today!  Also note that both Xander and Kazza have their own blogs which have links on Jeanne’s blog site.

CONNECT WITH JEANNE:

Website: www.jeannefoguth.com

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Jeanne-Foguth/e/B00JDW7TC8

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PurrtectorFiles

Blog: https://foguth.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeannefoguth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1452089.Jeanne_Foguth

Jeanne’s Books on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=%22Jeanne+Foguth%22

Jeanne’s Books on Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/-Jeanne-Foguth-?store=allproducts&keyword=%22Jeanne+Foguth%22

AMAZON BOOK LINKS

The Red Claw: http://www.amazon.com/Red-Claw-Purrtector-Files-Book-ebook/dp/B00OYAXK6I/

Purr-a-noia: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZFUKBAO

Star Bridge (Chatterre Trilogy Book 1): http://www.amazon.com/Star-Bridge-Book-Chaterre-Trilogy/dp/099133387X/

Thunder Moon (Chatterre Trilogy Book 2): http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Moon-Chatterre-Trilogy-Triology-ebook/dp/B00S2WGH82/

Deadly Rumors: http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Rumors-Jeanne-Foguth/dp/0991333810/

Fatal Attractions: http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Attractions-Jeanne-Foguth-ebook/dp/B00JDNBS7O/

Passion’s Fire: http://www.amazon.com/Passions-Fire-Jeanne-Foguth/dp/0991333845/

The Peacekeepers: http://www.amazon.com/Peacekeepers-Jeanne-Foguth/dp/193092870X/