Intuition is a beautiful thing

Clairvoyant Paul Fenton-Smith's latest book Intuition arrived a few weeks ago, and I've just finished reading it from cover to cover. Wow!

Not only is the book possibly the most comprehensive psychical text I've ever read, it is one of the most beautiful. No small surprise perhaps when you consider that the artistic Cristina Re designed the book, which is richly illustrated with prints and photographs and other small motifs that make reading Intuition even more of a pleasure.

Intuition is all about developing your psychic senses, and the author leads the reader through the various methods and techniques he uses to hone that often underplayed sixth sense, your 'gut instinct'.

The author also devotes space to the topic of psychic self defence and outlines an interesting 'cord cutting' exercise and other psychic cleansing approaches to help sensitives dispense with metaphysical baggage.

The book is also full of case studies gathered from Paul Fenton-Smith's lengthy career as a clairvoyant and author, which is a key strength, and one of the things that makes it so hard to put down - that and the gorgeous layout!

Paul Fenton-Smith published the book under his Academy Publishing imprint (prior to Intuition he has published 10 self development books with mainstream publishers), deliberately setting the benchmark high with not only the quality of the writing but the overall excellence in the final product.

Intuition would make a beautiful, memorable gift, and I have already recommended it to several friends who I know would relish the read. Click on the link below to buy your copy.

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Self-published Stonewylde scores!

The global rights for one of my favourite book series has been bought by publisher Orion/Gollancz, which will bring out the books from August 2011 in Australia.

I'm writing of course about the Stonewylde series by Kit Berry, which has to be one of the most successful UK self-publishing ventures in recent times.

Kit has done a tremendous job not only conceiving, writing, publishing and promoting the books (which will number five in all), but in securing a mainstream publishing deal after spending several years establishing an enthusiastic fan base, largely via the Internet.

The books themselves are highly original and engaging, and I for one will be lining up to secure book #4, Shadows at Stonewylde, to see what else lies ahead for its protagonists.

So what is Stonewylde?

It's an alternative community hidden away behind high boundary walls in a corner of Dorset, led by the charismatic Magus, and initially seems a haven of tranquillity and beauty. But it's not all idyllic. 

There is a secret at the magical heart of this seemingly perfect community - and a young girl and her mother are about to discover what it is.

The series begins with a young girl, Sylvie, who is slowly dying in a city hospital. She and her mother are extended the opportunity to visit Stonewylde and, after falling in love with the community, move there permanently after Sylvie's health dramatically improves.

But like any fairytale, a cost must be exacted for a cure, and Sylvie and her mother are slowly drawn in to the dark secrets that plague this seemingly perfect haven.

I gobbled up the first three books and have patiently waited a few years for book #4, which is close, oh so close, with author Kit Berry putting the finishing touches on it and getting ready to embark on book #5. 

As if that's not exciting enough, all the books will have fresh jacket cover art (see above) and will also be issued in hardback for collectors. Hardback! Yay!

And can I make a tiny confession? Not to be negative, but I think I prefer the original book cover art (see below) - so I will cherish my original self-published trio of books.

But will that stop me from acquiring the new-look books? Not a chance!

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Psychic world gets a shake-up

Lisa Williams is a refreshing breeze in the world of psychic literature.

With her punky hair, British accent and effervescent personality, she’s a different kind of ‘ghost whisperer’, one that’s refreshingly down-to-earth.

Regardless of whether or not you believe in psychics, you’ll be charmed by her lively personality, which leaps off the pages of her first book Life Among the Dead.

It goes without saying that if you’re sceptical of all things paranormal then Lisa isn’t for you.

But while her self-described psychic ability is ever-present in her story, it occasionally takes a back seat to her romantic entanglements, increasingly eclectic job portfolio and her loving family.

There’s the spiritualist grandmother and dance hall psychic ‘Airplane Granny’ who is something of a mentor for a young Lisa; her likeable entrepreneurial hubby Kev; gorgeous and wise-beyond-his-years tot Charlie; and the rest of the Williams gang – they are so endearingly normal (with the odd eccentric) they could be living around the corner.

But Lisa, Kev and Charlie are now all ensconced in the US after Lisa stumbled into a television deal after a reading for a celebrity client.

Her TV shows, Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead, and Voices From the Other Side, have rated through the roof in the US. And as she memorably relays in her book, the late Merv Griffin, who first discovered her amazing rapport with the camera and the public, still produces her show from the world of spirit!

After conquering the land of TV, Lisa now has her first book (even if it was a teensy bit ghost-written, in both senses of the word), which shares the story of how it all came to pass.

In some ways parts of her life remind me of one of my favourite fiction titles, The Extra Large Medium by Helen Slavin, a gentle and somewhat romantic tale about a young woman who is troubled by her sixth sense.


Happily for Lisa (and Annie, the chief protagonist in Slavin’s novel) both women come to accept their gifts and find love.

You can’t help but like Lisa, and as a result her book is impossible to put down. While I have happily skipped reading the scores of books written by psychics, mediums and others that have gone before, Lisa’s cheery smile that radiates from the cover was hard to pass up.

I’m now tempted to try and wrangle a ticket to see her show (she’s touring in Australia right now) – maybe not so much to have a conversation with dead people (after all, they never seem to have anything terribly interesting to say), but to see that dynamo personality in action.

Life Among the Dead by Lisa Williams, Hay House, RRP$26.95.

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The Magic Pudding turns 93!

One of Australia's best-loved children's books - The Magic Pudding: Being The Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and his friends Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff by Norman Lindsay - turns 93 this year.

It's a book close to my heart, as it formed a part of my childhood library and captured my imagination in a way few other books did.

Talking koalas, a self-replenishing cheeky pudding, a pants-wearing penguin and a salty old sailor hit the road to see the world, but when Albert, the pudding, is taken by 'pudding thieves' - a wily wombat and possum - his friends Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff are forced to launch a rescue mission.

A special 90th anniversary edition of the book has been released with a special afterword by his granddaughter Helen Glad. The original black-and-white artwork has also been rescanned.

The book has inspired an animated movie, a stamp, and a play, but most importantly it has fired many a young imagination.

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Sydney Writers' Festival 2011

The program for the Sydney Writers' Festival has been made available via its website www.swf.org.au, and there are some not-to-be-missed opportunities for writers and readers alike.

Would-be authors will love the When Preparation Meets Opportunity session with writer Phillipa Fioretti, which will give writers plenty of tips on how to get noticed by publishers.

And then there's the unmissable So You Think You Can Write international session, where audience members have three minutes to pitch their work to a panel of agents and publishers.

Readers will love any number of talks, organised by genre, featured on the website.

My picks include a session with Australian crime author Garry Disher, Tightening the Screws: Creating Tension and Suspense in Crime Fiction, and Lawyers, Guns and Money with bestselling US crime writer Michael Connolly.

From Harry Potter to Tim Winton: How to Write for Young Adults with Belinda Jeffrey sounds promising, as does Reporting from the Inside with journalists Elisabeth Wynhausen and Anna Krien.

Of course there are many, many more talks and workshops of interest - some free, some for a fee - so get in quick and book your tickets!

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