From the HuffPo: Review of HEAL Documentary
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From the HuffPo: Review of HEAL Documentary

This is a recent piece on the HuffPo, a review of the HEAL Documentary by Kelly Noonan Gores

When I was 15 or 16, I developed asthma. My mother took me to a doctor who duly prescribed medication.

I took the medication for a few days. I hated it. The drug made my insides race. Perhaps I was breathing better, but it didn’t matter. The trembling and hyper-adrenalized feeling, the out-of-control, careening-downhill sensations eclipsed the benefits—for me. There was a moment, and I still remember it vividly, when I decided, I will not have asthma.

This was no ordinary frisson of will. It was a moment of translucent intention. I felt no emotions, just a laser line of unadulterated purpose, and I felt it in every angstrom of my being.

The asthma left my body. I stopped taking the medication. That illness has never returned.

This was a visceral, undeniable experience of the power of the mind-body connection. It stayed with me.

Years later, in graduate school, I took up meditating. I experienced esoteric phenomena that is written about in many ancient texts but isn’t part of the usual discourse of our culture. I perused every book I could find on the topic, from the Vedas and The Yoga Sutras to The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying and A Course in Miracles. Eventually I picked up books about spiritual healing.

After graduate school I started having babies. I also attended a four year hands-on-healing school and opened a practice as a spiritual or energy healer. The basic premise of this form of healing is that the human being is a psychosomatic unity—mind-body-spirit-psyche are indivisibly one—a concept well articulated in John Pierrakos’ ground-breaking work Core Energetics: Developing the Capacity to Love and Heal (Pierrakos, John C. Core Energetics: Developing the Capacity to Love and Heal. Core Evolution Pub., 2005.)

Affect one part of a human being and you affect the whole; that is, affect the body and you affect the mind, spirit, and psyche; affect the spirit, and you affect the body, mind, and psyche. This is a powerful iteration of the mind-body connection that I experienced so powerfully as a teenager.

During the decade that I practiced energy healing, I saw miracles. I had especially good results with women who wanted to conceive. Fertility in women has many roots in the mind-body connection. A number of women came to my healing table and then went home and got pregnant. But not all of them.

Healing isn’t curing. Not every woman who came into my healing room seeking a resolution to her infertility was able to conceive. There is a great mystery at the heart of everything, and the body isn’t solely a machine in the Newtonian model where if a biochemical lever is depressed, or if a current is introduced, a result is generated.

This is a lengthy introduction to the screening I attended last night of the film Heal. A new documentary from Kelly Noonan Gores, produced by Adam Schomer, this documentary explores the new-old field of the mind-body connection and the impact of that connection on illness. It also surveys a few modalities of healing that people can utilize during their journey of healing from a serious illness.

I spoke with Adam before the screening. He’s a serious, friendly, poised man with a background in meditation. Longtime meditators emit a palpable peacefulness and I felt that as I stood beside him. He said, “The intent of this film is to empower people, that’s the through line.”

Lovely Kelly Noonan Gores told me something similar. “There are options in the treatment of illness, I want people to know that. I want people to have the information.”

The film follows a few people as they engage, poignantly and bravely, with the spiritual and psychological dimensions of healing. One is Kelly herself, the healthy seeker whose fascination with this rich topic is the engine of the story. Eva, however, experiences harsh dermatologic outbreaks. There’s also Liz, struggling with cancer and chemotherapy.

Luminaries in the field speak on the topic of the mind-body connection. Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Joan Borysenko, and Michael Bernard Beckwith touch on the spiritual dimensions of healing and wellness. Dr. Kelly Brogan, a Cornell University trained psychiatrist, discusses her foray into integrative and wholistic medicine as a result of her own illness.

Of particular interest for me was Dr. Bruce Lipton, author of The Biology of Belief (Lipton, B. H. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc., 2016.). Dr. Lipton works with epigenetics, a science of understanding why some genes are turned on and others are turned off. This field has all the potential to empower people far beyond a simple biological destiny.

Author Anita Moorjani spoke of her miraculous remission from cancer. She was healed within hours of death.

The film is inspiring and informational. Quietly yet dramatically, it presents possibilities and alternatives. People who already know the field will enjoy the fresh presentation, and people new to these concepts will find themselves intrigued and uplifted. Heal approaches the great mystery that I encountered as a healer, and it doesn’t shrink. It blossoms like a rose opening.

The Oceana Beach Club Hotel: A Review
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The Oceana Beach Club Hotel: A Review

The Oceana Beach Club Hotel in Santa Monica

Oceana Beach Club Hotel

Never before have I posted a review of a hotel on my personal blog. But I had such an enchanting experience at the beautiful Oceana Beach Club Hotel in Santa Monica that I decided to write about it.

Please note: I have in no way been compensated for this review.

It’s true I showed up at the Oceana feeling off, trembling with the remnants of a stomach bug that had had its slithery way with me.

It’s true I had a mediocre experience with a supposedly nice hotel prior to finding the Oceana on a third-party booking site that offered an excellent deal.

Notwithstanding, the Oceana surpassed all expectations. From the moment I arrived, I was graciously welcomed by the kindly staff and soothed by the cheerful, elegant surroundings. The gentlemen in the valet parking booth treated me with good-humored kindness. Mason and Jordan and the other guys were lovely!

It was hours before official check-in time, but the lady at the front desk phoned housekeeping to see if there was a room available. She was apologetic that none was yet ready and offered to call my cell phone as soon as one became available. She offered suggestions for lunch if I wanted to walk out into sun-drenched Santa Monica.

Sometimes when I book through a third party for a discount, I get treated like an ugly stepchild. Not at the Oceana Beach Club Hotel. I was treated with courtesy and respect.

Best of all, the room was gorgeous: spacious and peaceful with lovely furnishings. I walked in and my spirits lifted. There is something about being surrounded by luxury close to the sea that soothes and elevates you!

The Oceana provides bicycles for guests to ride, and I rode extensively. I pedaled to Whole Foods and to YogaWorks nearby on Montana Ave. My second and last morning, I rode along the beach just after sunrise. ‘Glorious’ suggests light emerging…and it was such a ride.

I ate one meal at Tower8, the hotel restaurant: lunch. A grilled chicken panini that was sumptuous. Having eaten little in a few days, I devoured it. But even if I hadn’t been off my vittles, I’d have enjoyed this well-made sandwich.

The pool was appealing though I didn’t use it. The ambiance was fun and bright and posh.

The location of the Oceana, on Ocean Avenue overlooking the beach, was spectacular. It’s easy to get to the boutiques on Montana and the shops on the Third Street Promenade.

I recommend the Oceana, and I give it 5*.

 

 

Glowing Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING
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Glowing Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING

Glowing reviews of The Year of Loving

Two great review sites recently put up excellent reviews of my latest novel THE YEAR OF LOVING.

The first site is Mrs. Mommy Booknerd’s Book Reviews. What a cool title for a book enthusiast’s site, and what a terrific model for her children! She’s publicly proud to be a Booknerd. Kudos to Mrs. Mommy.

Mrs. Mommy Booknerd wrote,

This book is a realistic romance that will have you guessing and touches on many areas…love, motherhood, life, struggle, romance, friendship, betrayal and so much more.  The main character is raw and harsh, but also funny and smart.  This book is one that romance readers will certainly enjoy.
The other review was posted by reviewer HCharju on a big review site called Night Owl Reviews. I like Night Owl Reviews, a lively, appealing site with great integrity and great reviewers.
 
HCharju selected THE YEAR OF LOVING as a Top Pick and wrote a beautiful review, saying,

The rawness of this story pulls at your heart and fills you with so many conflicting emotions. Her first ex-husband, and the father of her children is such a hateful and petty man. The way he turns the children against her and lets them do whatever harmful thing they want makes me want to strangle him. I would think his current wife would get tired of all the court cases and BS but she seems to be of the same ilk as he is. The second husband doesn’t seem too bad, just a little narcissistic and immature–Pretty much a perfect rebound guy, but not great husband material. It does sound like he has an awesome talent which leads me to believe that he will be going places.

The struggle with the daughters is heartbreaking. I’m not sure how things will end there but, I felt bad when Sarah tried so hard with no positive response.

Whenever I finish a novel, I email HCharju and ask respectfully for her to review my new book. She’s a thoughtful reader and a reviewer who sees to the heart of a story. I’m lucky to have discovered her.

Night Owl Reviews

Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING
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Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING

Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING

The last several news cycles seem to have been dominated by politics. It’s been hard to get some traction with my new novel THE YEAR OF LOVING.

But early this morning a gracious email arrived from a blogger whose reviews I really enjoy. Her name is Jen Thorpe and she writes for No Market Collective. She said she wanted to capture the emotional quality of the story without giving away too many details about it. The link to her review was attached.

What a great review! She wrote, in part:

The Year of Loving is what I would describe as a romance novel with a drama rolled into it. There are some hot sex scenes to look forward to. Some situations are presented in quirky, amusing, ways, which made me giggle. (The “meet cute” at the start of the book had me laughing!)

In addition, the book includes some painful moments, any of which could set the reader off on a “good cry”. The story runs the range of emotions, which makes the book feel a bit like a sample box of chocolates. We all have our favorites, but the ones we tend to avoid are good, too.

This was a really fun and thoughtful review. I especially loved the comparison to a sample box of chocolate, and anyone who’s read the novel will get the sly humor….

Midwest Book Reviews also featured THE YEAR OF LOVING on their Small Press Bookwatch page. I was really happy to see that–Midwest Book Reviews is a quality review outlet.

The review read:

Critique: A deftly crafted and compelling read from beginning to end, “The Year of Loving” clearly showcases author Traci Slatton’s genuine flair for storytelling. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Romance & General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “The Year of Loving” is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99).

I appreciated the inclusion of the business of book selling!

So two new reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING, excellent ones!

Two New Reviews of The Year of Loving

Recent Author Events and Book Reviews
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Recent Author Events and Book Reviews

Recent Author Events

I’ve enjoyed getting out and promoting THE YEAR OF LOVING and my other novels, too, of course.

Book Club

Early in February the Women’s Novels of New York Book Club hosted me at a dinner downtown. What a great group of women! They asked meaty questions and offered insightful comments about The Year of Loving. They reminded me why I am a novelist.

That’s right, books are the keepers of soul, and novels enrich people’s lives! Novels entertain, amuse, provoke, incite, and open the doors to the mind. I was touched and honored to sit with this thoughtful, kind group of readers. Also, the food at Gloo was delicious.

Book Blog Reviews

Two book review blogs posted excellent reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING.

CTRL, ALT, BOOKS! is run by Layna whom I’ve known for a few years from other blogs. She reads and writes with keen intelligence. I love her well-written, deeply observant reviews. She serves as one of my ‘test’ bloggers; if she doesn’t get what I’m trying to do, then I haven’t done my job as a novelist. She’s that good.

Layna started her review with these words: “Traci L. Slatton is one of the most underrated authors I have come across. I have yet to read one of her works that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and The Year of Loving is no exception. It was beautifully written and evoked a wide range of emotions.”

In conclusion, she wrote, “The book is written in such a way that you really connect with all of the characters, whether you like them or not. I had to keep reading to know what happened next in Sarah’s life, even if that meant I lost a little (a lot) of sleep in the process. Truly a great story and a must read!”

Layna’s review prompted me think–which a good review does. I had to ask myself, Why am I an underrated author? Because I think Layna is on to something. I sent her a note saying so, and thanking her for the review. Seems like I have some work to do within my own consciousness…

CTRL, ALT, BOOKS! review

Also, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers published a review. What a treat to find a new review blog! Gina R wrote the review:

On the surface, we have a woman (Sarah) caught between ages, pulled two ways by desire, and struggling to make all the pieces fit one big puzzle in an effort to reach happily-ever-after.  At its heart, it’s a story of one woman truly finding her way back to herself.

Did I agree with all her choices?  No…in fact, I was actually very surprised by the ending… I was thinking something completely different, but then again, that resistance to fit what I think, or what anyone thinks for that matter, is what makes Ms. Slatton’s character that much more real. The way Sarah struggles to deal with her friend’s illness…, the constant battle between her and her daughters (let’s now even mention the ex) to find some common ground let alone agreement on pretty much anything, and even the yoyo not-a-relationship status she puts herself and the two contenders in, all add up to one independent, not-perfect-but-still-trying-mightily woman that will capture your attention, if not your heart…

I enjoyed this review and the openness with which Gina related her experience of the novel.

The Year of Loving Book review

Library Event

In addition, just yesterday I did an author event at the Riverside Library in NYC. It was good fun, with attendees who asked probing questions about THE YEAR OF LOVING. The lovely librarian Ms. Gomila helped out in various ways. A great experience!

Recent author events