Walking a New Path

                                                            

I am not who I was when I was young. Back then, I was afraid to spread my wings. Although, by nature I’m a wild spirit, I’ve always minded my adults and followed the rules...followed the rules even though they made no sense to me.

I grew up in a family that was tied to the paranormal world. We all saw what was on the other side of the veil. We took these visits for what they were...communication between two worlds. The dead had stories to tell and we were their willing students. There was only one rule. Don’t let the neighbors know. We had a grocery store in South Philadelphia and the customers might have been spooked about talks of ghosts...and angels.

                                                            

Busy with living life: working, raising a daughter and later grandchildren, I kept my gift under wraps sharing the messages only with my siblings and parents as they shared their experiences with me. What would the staff at the museum have thought about me if I told them about the ghosts that walked their hallways? What would they say if they knew that one of the mummies behind the glass display would greet me each day when I ran up to the second floor to say hello before heading to the Changing Exhibit.

I was too busy working to be with people like me. I was too busy working and had no time to take classes in developing my psychic ability to its fullest. I was too busy surviving life to do ghost investigations even though I always knew when a spirit was present. I knew they were there whenever I entered a home or building. The spirits know when you can sense them. People like me are like lightbulbs. We shine and the dead see us.

                                                               

I was raised a Catholic. I went to twelve years of Catholic school, but I’ve always questioned what was preached from the pulpit. Something wasn’t right. The words from my religion and, the words of the ministers and preachers from other religions sounded empty. The laws of religion were so heavy that it crushed my spirit and I was too weak to lift my head to see the GOD that would speak to me from when I was a very young child. I never felt GOD inside a church. It was always when I was in a moment of awe that I felt him standing behind me with his hand on my shoulder.

The magic of a sunrise or a sunset, the birth of a child, the sound of nature outside my window, walking on the beach, music...these were moments that I felt the presence of GOD. I would ask my questions and GOD would answer. When I hugged my infant daughter to my heart, I would hear GOD speak about his creations throughout the universe. Over the years as I aged to where I had become more independent, I was able to rip off the chains that bound my wings. With retirement, I had time to write and create a series based on dreams that I’ve had since I was very little.

I love writing. I will always write, but my soul is evolving and I find myself studying the mysteries of the universe. I am a religious person. I am loyal to the GOD who created me, but I have discovered that GOD doesn’t belong to or subscribe to any organized religion. I have become closer to the Creator by taking the shackles off.

                                                             

                                       

I surround myself with like-minded people who want to learn about the Universal life force. My friends and I are on a journey that will take us away from dictations that call for us to hate another human because they are different.

I’m not who I was when I was young. I have spread my wings. I have stopped following the rules. There are no rules. There is only universal love for all things. I am on a new journey. I will take you with me, if you like. I’ll tell you what I’ve discovered in my writings.

Steampunk Granny Interviews Author Michael Stern

                                                              

I recently hosted a Steampunk Granny Authors’ Bonanza at the Treehouse in Audubon New Jersey. Most of the authors belong to the South Jersey Writers’ Group, but some of the writers were friends that I had previously interviewed. At the event, I was introduced to Michael Stern, a published author and husband of author LC Bennett Stern. I had previously interviewed Linda for my blog and you can check it out here. I guess great talent runs in this family and I was excited to learn more about Michael’s books. So, join me now as I chat with Michael Stern.

Michael, tell my readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired you to write.

Michael Stern: I’ve always enjoyed stories, fact and fiction, written, televised and verbal. And I believe that everyone has a story to tell. After a long and varied business career, I have had the wonderful opportunity to join the family of writers to offer my stories to the universal collection of creativity. And hopefully provide some other storyteller with the motivation to try their hand.

Quick bio—easy. I’m a native of Garden City, New York, a graduate of Cornell University with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I live with my family including a fellow writer, L.C. Bennett Stern, know to me as Linda, or Wifey, in Riverton, New Jersey. In my career, I’ve had many experiences, some of which really happened. I was executive director of a humane society, sold mortgages, operated a medical laboratory, drove a cab in New York City, and sold Good Humor Ice Cream.
                                                                  

                                                                                        

Linda told me for years that I should write something. The opportunity came in a sad way. Seven years ago, my father passed away. Originally, I intended to write anecdotal memories for my family. When I began to go through his papers, waiting for me there was my story to tell. Dad lived to almost 98 years old, and with almost a century to talk about, and with so many important events he experienced and shared, I began to fashion the story of his generation. Born in the early years of the 20^th Century, struggling through the Depression, fighting the war, the generation that returned built the most impressive democratic movement and the most dynamic nation in the world. He lived long, as a participant, not a spectator, and is one of the many unsung and unnamed heroes to whom we owe so much.

What genre do you prefer to write; History or Science Fiction?

Michael Stern: I have studied history since I was a kid. Even my science fiction is stocked with history. But writing about history, whether fiction or non, keeps my attention. It’s my hope that history lovers will find my efforts worthy.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Michael Stern: Inspiration comes from living. All around us, stories call out to be written. Even a garage door, or a chain link fence have stories awaiting a writer to give them voice. At the same time, when my brain is in gear, words find a way, so I guess my inspiration is floating out there somewhere. Reading helps too. A single word can set off a story. That’s why I know everyone can tell a story. For example, a friend responded to a comment I made on Facebook about aging, and she responded with “I’m right behind you.” I wrote a short story for Halloween with that line.

Can you give us a short synopsis of your books?

Michael Stern: Thus far, I’ve written and published four books. The first, REFLECTIONS ON A GENEROUS GENERATION, is mentioned above. By the end of September, I expect to have the fourth book of my Quantum Touch series available. The series tells the adventures of Fritz Russell, a high school history teacher, whose classroom door enters a time travel portal to the past, as well as a tunnel in present time.
                                                               

In the first book, STORM PORTAL, he discovers the portal, meets Robert E. Lee the day after Appomattox, and to assure the principal that nothing unusual was happening, they walk together into the Oval Office and meet the president. Setting off alarms in government security, the president recognizes the potential value of the portal. As Fritz attempts to unravel the portal’s mystery, the nation’s security apparatus gears up to protect the president and the country.
                                                               

Book two, SAND STORM, establishes the value of the portal under fire, as the president asks Fritz to help eliminate a rogue Middle Eastern country’s nuclear weapons program.
                                                              

SHADOW STORM, the third book, a hidden enemy casts an ominous grip on world affairs. As violence escalates and Fritz becomes a target, the portal may be the only way to end the danger, identify the source, and bring peace back to the globe. The next book, STORM UNLEASHED, ends the waiting, as a conspiracy is unmasked, but not before constant violence erupts, while the president and Fritz work together to fight back.

Do you and your wife ever consider co-authoring a book?

Michael Stern: At this time, Linda and I haven’t discussed the possibility of co-authoring a book, but YA Never Know.

What are you working on now?

Michael Stern: My current work in progress is twofold:  the final book of the series, book six. With the fourth book about to release, the fifth is written, has been through the first edit and rewrite, with more to come, and the last one is about halfway written. I am also writing a book called Sarah and the Dragons. Sarah is rescued from a storm by two dragons, and the real storm begins when they take her home.

I would like to encourage those who are reluctant to try a paragraph, then a page, then another. You might like what you see. But be careful, the bite is contagious and chronic.

                                                              

I appreciate the opportunity to talk with your readers, and should anyone have a question, please ask away. My email address is sternmike52@gmail.com. I am a regular Facebooker and my author page is https://www.facebook.com/cabinfevercommunications My Amazon author page link is  https://www.amazon.com/Michael-R.-Stern/e/B008OP4DVU

 

It was a true pleasure to learn about your books, Michael, and I will definitely have you as a guest for Granny’s next Authors’ Bonanza in early December.

Candles, Books, Tea, and Frogs...Oh My!

                                                          

We like to celebrate life in grandiose ways, but it is the smaller celebrations that bring us so much joy. This weekend was a true celebration and it was because I spent it with friends and family. My neighbor and adopted niece, Isabella, who I have been babysitting and teaching since she was three months old, has just turned seven.
                                                                  

 

I’ve been reading to Isa since she was three months old. She is now entering second grade and is reading at a fourth/fifth grade level. Her younger brother is following in her footsteps. He enjoys having me read to him.

Books are the fastest gateway to universal knowledge. When you read to a child, then teach them to read, you allow them to use their minds. This is the most powerful gift to give to a child! Knowledge gives a person the gift of discernment. When we teach a child to read, they gain the ability to find the truth hidden within the lies. Happy Birthday, Isa.

Speaking of books

This weekend was the Authors’ Bonanza that I hosted at the Treehouse in Audubon New Jersey. We have many talented people in the South Jersey Writers’ Group and many of them had recently published a new book. I also had friends at the event that were not part of the writers’ group, but were also published authors.
                                                             

Check out this link to learn more about the authors. It was a success in spite of the ungodly heat and, I plan on doing another Authors’ Bonanza in early December.

Tea Party

Many of you know about my psychic abilities and my love of ghost investigations. I have many friends with this special gift. We call ourselves the “Golden Seers.” We ladies are on a journey to learn more about the Universal Collective and to tap into the spiritual realm.
                                                          

I hosted a Tea Party for my friends and it was fabulous. The afternoon was filled with topics on Angel Card Readings, spirits and, secret gardens.

Speaking of gardens

Rita, Blanch and I were already Pros at making garden ornaments. We'd been gathering items from various yard sales and thrift shops. After a leisurely lunch, the Golden Seers began a new garden project. My basement was a flurry of glue guns, beads and glassware. Luckily, I did not glue myself to any of the projects. Here is one of the completed items created by my daughter.
                                                              

Speaking of gardens part 2

I was born and raised in South Philly. We did not have gardens in our back yard, nor did we have a pond. Our yard was nothing more than brick and cement as witnessed in this photo with my mother and brother.
                                                                

After moving to Audubon New Jersey, I made it my life goal to plant as many trees and pollinator attracting plants as possible. My husband is worried that I’m trying to create my own rainforest. I am! This year, our pond has been the pivotal point of the garden. We have guests. Frogs! One of the frogs is huge and has earned the name, KONG.
                                                                 

                                                        
Did you know that bullfrogs can live a long time? Did you know that they can get big enough to eat birds? We have 16 fish in our pond, 3 large frogs; Kong, Hopper, and Tiny. We have migrating birds stopping at our feeders and, we have lots of hawks.

We, as a species, are destroying too many natural habitats, but although the rest of the world appears to be circling the drain, my home will always be a refuge for wildlife.
                                                          

How about you? What are you doing to protect the birds and the bees? Send me a photo of your garden.

Looking for Ghosts and Linking Apps

                                                             

Last night a fellow ghost investigator and I joined the owners of “On Angels’ Wings” Marti Haines and Marcia Balint Moore for an investigation at the Historical Selma Mansion. I had been to this mansion one time before with another investigative group called Keystone Spirit Seekers. The mansion is extremely active and the spirits, for the most part, willing to interact with the living. In the earlier investigation, I was able to connect with a young boy named Robert and you can read all about this adventure here.
                                                               

Last night, the spirits were in a playful mood, but not as engaging as I had hoped. The equipment confirmed that they were indeed there, but they would hop to the other room as soon as we checked the area. Remember that your personality is the same when you’re dead as when you were alive and, if you’re a practical joker…you’ll be one as a ghost.

Later that night, Marti and Scott had observed a shadow figure rushing down the stairway towards the basement. They weren’t sure exactly what they were dealing with so they asked Rita and I to take a break outside while they investigated. All was good, but the spirit was a bit grumpy…I don’t blame him because it was stifling in the house. Unfortunately, little Robert was not in a chatting mood, but I’m not worried. I’ll be back there again. On a side note, the Historical Society needs donations to bring the Selma Mansion back to its original beauty. Here is the link to help out.

Speaking of Links

I belong to the South Jersey Writers’ Group and one of the many benefits is our monthly meeting for Bloggers. At this meeting, people who blog regularly and people setting up a blog for the first time share information that will help them with their sites. Officiating over these meetings is Glenn Walker aka Saint Glenn.

                                                            

We call him Saint Glenn because there are a few of us bloggers that are totally tech challenged. Glenn would patiently work with each and every one of us until he either blacked out from exhaustion after we asked the same questions over and over and over, or we actually got it right. Unfortunately for us, Glenn and his lovely bride, Jen, are moving to Florida. This is great news for them…a tragedy for us….but there is a light at the end of the tunnel…

Queen Victoria

Victoria Marie Lees, who is a member of the writers group, has stepped into Glenn’s shoes. Victoria is the perfect choice as Glenn’s replacement because she is so very personable and willing to help her fellow bloggers. You can read her work here and here.
                                                            

                                      Erika on the left & Victoria on the right             

Ema Timar aka Erika Berger is now known as Ema the Great and you can read her work here. Ema is not only proficient in technical knowledge, but the perfect sidekick for our new queen of blogging. Ema has helped me with a very big problem…

                                                           

                                         Marie           Erika                  Victoria

I was unable to add links to my posts on WordPress. Since I write for a popular pop culture site, this was a big inconvenience. The good news is that Ema the Great showed me a well-guarded secret that only the most trusted warriors are privy too. I can now add links with no stress or hair pulling. Thank you Ema and thank you Queen Victoria. Saint Glenn has been notified that he will find us at his door in sunny Florida if we ever need his saintly advice.

Steampunk Granny's Review of Stranger Things

                                                               

Netflix has captivated the attention of many sci-fi fans with its debut of Stranger Things, a series produced by the Duffer brothers that seems to mirror a bit of Spielberg’s and Stephen King’s storytelling magic and the end result is a series that proves you can have fun while being scared stiff.

Stranger Things

Created by Ross and Matt Duffer and produced by Shawn Levy, the series stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarzzo, and Matthew Modine. The series, which takes place in the early 1980’s in the small town of Hawkins Indiana starts with an accident happening at a high security research center and a young boy disappearing. What do these two incidents have to do with each other?
                                                             

Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his friends Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are playing Dungeons and Dragons over Mike’s (Finn Wolfhard) house. When Will and Dustin leave to ride their bikes home, trouble begins and Will vanishes without a trace.

The police are called in and at first it is assumed that the boy either ran away or was taken by his father. David Harbour plays Jim Hopper a big city cop who seems a bit out of place in a small town. Hopper’s laid back handling of the initial report fools you into thinking he’s not a good cop, but that’s where you’re wrong. When a second child disappears, Hopper uses every resource available to him to find out what the connection is between the abductions and the research center.
                                                                 

Winona Ryder plays the single parent of two boys who works long hours to have enough money just to keep a roof over their heads. I think Winona is awesome in the role of a mother who is frantic to find her youngest son while the world around her collapses.
                                                                 

A search party is formed and people search the nearby woods including Will’s three friends, who have sneaked out of their homes to find their friend. During a thunderstorm, they come across a young girl who goes by the named Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). She is running away from some very bad people.

Conclusion

The story revolves around the boys and the mysterious girl who can move things with her mind. Who are the dangerous people who are searching for her? Where is Will Byers and who is the creature who took him?
 

This is all I’m willing to reveal and it’s up to you to find out more. You can see this fabulous series on Netflix. It is addictive and, you’ll find yourself watching one episode after another. I’m hooked on the show and you will be too.

Steampunk Granny's Review of Ghostbusters 2016

                                                               

If anyone is going to enjoy a good ghost movie, it’s a person who actually goes ghost hunting and since I'm that person, I was excited to see this new and improved version of an old favorite of mine. I was especially stoked to see the film because Melissa McCarthy was in it. Did Ghostbusters 2016 meet my expectations?
 

                                                          

Ghostbusters 2016

Based on the remake of the 1984 Ghostbusters film which starred Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Ernie Hudson, this newer version was directed by Paul Feig and featured Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. Chris plays the part of Kevin Beckman, an incompetent receptionist who reminded me of a male version of Mrs. Wiggins, which fans of Carol Burnett will know what I’m talking about.

                                                                  

If people were worried that a female ghostbusting team would tarnish the original version, they were soon proven wrong. The script was well written and the acting superb. I have over the years become a loyal fan of Melissa McCarthy, although I did not like her earlier film work. It wasn’t until I saw Heat and later Spy that I knew that I would watch any film Melissa McCarthy starred in.
                                                                 

Plot

Kristen Wiig plays the part of Dr. Erin Gilbert who is forced to track down an old friend when she learns that Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McBride) has republished a book on Ghosts that both co-wrote together. It isn’t long after that reunion when Abby, Erin and Abby’s assistant, Kate McKinnon are called out on a case. There are ghosts to deal with and because of a frightening incident in the subway tunnels of New York, a new member joins the team. Patty (Leslie Jones), who has encountered a rather strange man and the nasty spirit he was able to call forth, now wants to help catch ghosts. One of the biggest surprises of the film was Chris Hemsworth playing a ditzy receptionist. This casting was pure genius.

                                                                   

The other surprise was Kate McKinnon’s character. Kate is a blast to watch and I don’t want to ruin the show by telling you too much, but if you watch Orphan Black and love the clone, Helena, played fabulously by Tatiana Maslany then you’ll see why I freaking loved Kate McKinnon’s character.
                                                           

Conclusion

I truly enjoyed the movie from beginning to end and I want to see it again. Go see the movie. You’ll thank me for it.

Uplifting Thoughts Can Cancel Hate

                                                         

Another bombing! More lives lost! Hateful people committing the ultimate crime against GOD and men. We are lost and the only way to regain our humanity is to become one with nature. I can only begin with myself and work outwards to spread the peace...but if all of us use the power that is within us to cancel out the very real entity called hate, we will conquer evil. I go into my secret garden and send out my prayers and intentions for a peaceful world. Enjoy my video and try to create a sacred place that will serve as your sanctuary.