Ashland Reviewed by John Darling

Catching up a bit: My recent visit to Ashland OR was wonderful! Not only did I have a great audience at Bloomsbury Books, I met some extraordinary people. Heading the list were Bill Kauth and Zoe Alowan, who launched their Oneness Community a few days after my reading. Here's what Bill wrote about the effort:

We are so thrilled to be launching Oneness Communities exactly five years from 11/11/11, a day predicted to be a major transition point in the Mayan Calendar. Recently we went to Mt. Shasta to dedicate ourselves. We said our prayers at an ancient sacred well and were met in an astounding way. An old wolf came out of the woods. ( He was tame, his people followed close behind.) The medicine of the wolf is about the well being of the pack. The power of that wolf’s heart and appearance affirmed for us that we are being called to bring forth a new form of community.

Also in the audience at my reading was John Darling, a writer whose distinct, arresting prose lets you know right from the first sentence that you are reading something unique, pointed and personal. His writeup of my reading ran in the Ashland Daily Tidings and stands as one of the most startling and insightful accounts of my work I've ever read. Have a sample:

"It was one of those love notes from Ashland, which she will give you when you need a lift, a wink, a door to the next level. I'm in one of those dark moods, what the Scots call a scunner, and she drags me out of the house into the rainy night to walk the downtown streets, giving events a chance to stir the pot, and we wander in good old Bloomsbury Books and here are the chairs set up for an author reading..."

Read on here. Thank you Susan (at Bloomsbury), thank you Bill and Zoe, thank you John, and thank you Ashland for the memorable visit!