The Last Error... or was it?

            

If you're a writer, then you probably know the angst of searching for every typo and grammatical error in your final manuscript. If you're self-published, you may also know the frustration of combing through your final proof with a fine-tooth comb, only to discover one more 'to' or 'of'' that mysteriously shows up where you are SURE it was not before. It's quite mind-blowing how a letter or a word can magically appear in the hard copy sent to you by Amazon!

Am I the only one suffering from this malaise of the unseen error? Surely not. 

But never fear, tenacity and fearlessness are here! I have meticulously scrutinized my proofs again and again and I think.... I have found all those errant words lurking in the shadows between letters on the page. I guess I could have hired a proof reader - right? I know. Next time, I think I will. It would probably cost me less than the fees Create Space has charged me for my errant ways. 

But today... I found an angel.

Her name was Amber. She answered my call at Create Space (self-publishing depot at Amazon) - it was the 3rd time I had called regarding the same error (not of my making as it happened). Amber came to the rescue... after apologizing profusely for their mistake, she offered... "Is there anything else I can do for you?" I gulped... there was ONE more extraneous word nestled innocuously where the eye did not expect it to be, rendering it invisible time and time again. A simple, two letter word that meant coughing up yet another $79. Aargh! But I so wanted my book to be perfect, to meet every publishing standard it possibly could.

"Actually," I ventured, "there is something.... "

Yes, sweet Amber snatched that word and threw it away. Hooray. I think we've got it!
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Research.... does it really matter?

                           

Before I wrote the first chapter of Pursuit of the Golden Lily, I spent months researching facets of the story. In hindsight, I see how that research was key in helping me formulate the details of the narrative. You know how it goes... one thing leads to another and before you know it you've fallen down the rabbit hole into worlds beyond worlds. For me, that was powerful and definitely one of the most enjoyable aspects of writing this book. For others, that may not be. But one of the marvels of living in this technological age, is the ability to actually visit a destination without leaving your living room!

View from Bellevue Hotel, Penang Hill, Malaysia

Of course visiting all the locations in person, after I'd finished the book, was beyond amazing! But in the interest of creating an authentic and exhilarating novel it was most helpful to be able to visit places virtually. Aside from destinations, the internet also allowed me to validate precise details, like: what was the weather on a certain date? Were cell phones available within my book's time frame? How do you tie a Kinbaku knot? OK, I'll concede, some people probably won't go rushing to their computers to check up if it was raining in Thailand on the night of November 14th, 1998 - but if they do... well, they'll find it was a clear night on the road from Kanchanaburi to Chumphon!

And then there are the researchers. Individuals whose lifelong work uncovers for us a story that is rarely found in mainstream media. Stories that lurk in the shadows, often veiled in 'conspiracy' theory land - (most likely relegated there by the very people that have been exposed by said researchers!) They're people like Sterling and Peggy Seagrave, whose book Gold Warriors set me on the trail of the Golden Lily. Fearless people are these, who, undeterred by threats from government agencies and organized crime, continue relentlessly in search of truth. That's why, we should care about journalists who risk their lives seeking their stories; bloggers who write, despite the horrific deeds committed against their peers; researchers and writers who dig and dig, not for the money or the glory, but because they care about finding the truth, about exposing bullies, racketeers and high handed government officials who believe they are beyond the grasp of justice. We should be grateful to these people; they are the heroes amongst us. 

Click Here to learn more about the Seagraves work.

Shamans & Tigers

Malaysian Tiger Photo by Tu7uh

As I immersed myself in writing Pursuit of the Golden Lily, the practice of shamanism wove its way into my storyline. Awareness of indigenous healers, or medicine men and women, was not new to me; I had read some books, attended a few workshops and firmly believe in alternate realities. However, what I learned about the shamanic traditions of the Orang Asli aboriginal groups of Peninsular Malaysia, was extraordinary. My newfound knowledge arrived courtesy of Diana Riboli, President of ISARS (International Society for Academic Research on Shamanism), and Assistant Professor in Social Anthropology at Panteio University's Department of Social Anthropology in Athens. 

Diana is one of the few 'outsiders' to witness the inner workings of tribal medicine practiced by the Jahai, a semi nomadic indigenous tribe who are members of the Orang Asli. The Jahai have roamed the mountainous borderlands between Thailand and Malaysia for centuries. Diana spent several spells of time with the tribe, studying the remarkable traditions and customs of these gentle people. Unfortunately their invaluable knowledge (passed down through generations), of rainforest plants and animals, not to mention spiritual practices, risks being lost forever as the tribes are increasingly 'encouraged' to assimilate into Malaysian society.

Temuan People (Orang Asli)

One shamanistic ritual I found particularly riveting is the ability of the jampi (shaman in Jahai), to take on the shadow soul of any animal or plant. This practice enables them to travel anywhere, inhabit anything, all the while retaining the 'essence' of their hosts's physical nature. When a rogue tiger threatens a tribal village, a jampi will embody the shadow soul of a tiger to ward off the live predator.  

While the shadow soul is at large, the body of its host remains in physical homeostasis, as if asleep. However, the fate of the shadow soul is intricately bound to that of its host. It experiences the same physical and emotional sensations – whatever befalls the shadow soul befalls the host body. If the shadow soul is killed, the physical entity dies too. 

Extraordinary does not even begin to describe what these medicine men and women are capable of. Indigenous people worldwide have suffered, and continue to suffer, in the name of progress and religion. Instead of reaching out respectfully to learn from aboriginal elders willing to share their traditional ways, much of humanity has dismissed this precious knowledge as witchcraft or paganism.  

Like indigenous people everywhere, the Jahai understand that all of life is connected. That, as Albert Einstein so eloquently said: 

"A human being is part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness... Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Einstein was a theoretical physicist, revered for his brilliance. The Jahai are a nomadic tribe living in the jungles of Peninsular Malaysia. Their conclusions about life, in all its forms and manifestations are not so different from those of Einstein. As we prepare to face the formidable challenges brought about by our rapidly changing climate, it might behoove us to listen closely to these wisdom voices calling to us across millennia, and learn from them as quickly as we can.

  The Center for Orang Asli