#PerkysBooksandGifts 1

Welcome to Perky's Books and Gifts where gardening books blossom into bouquets, cookbooks sizzle with succulent juices, and military history books can be lethal. Don't mind the mutilated body behind the werewolf display, or the fact that the café manager is an egregore; Frankenstein was one, too.

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More Joy of Life

This B&W above is how I felt when I began belly dancing.

Below - this s how I feel now - and plan to look like this time next year.

Why yes, I did have a good time at Necronomicon!

This and many other photos were taken by

 Kent Akselsen Digital Imaging as part of the charity set up at Necronomicon.

He and his staff were absolutely wonderful! 

They treated me like a gypsy princess. 

Kent Akselsen Digital Imaging

3412 Blowing Oak Street

Valrico, FL 33596-62141

A lifetime later

Hmm. The last time I posted was Feb. 2013. That's shameful in a way. But in reality, that was a whole lifetime ago.

Between Feb and now (Oct. 20, 2013):
I have been reunited with my son again after 10 years of not knowing whether he was alive or dead - and he's married and has a child on the way and he's so much fun to be with

I have battled physical illness (aggressive tumors and a really life-altering food toxicity), I have lost over 40 pounds and dropped from a tight size 18 to a perky size 14

I've written seven manuscripts

I have two manuscripts which are going to be published in 2014

I've learned to belly dance.

I've left the church which filled most of my social time; it was a necessary journey I had to take, much like Jesus telling the disciples they should brush the dust off the bottom of their sandals and walk away

I've discovered that the distributor for my first publisher went bankrupt and I'll probably never get my due royalties

I've discovered there are many hundreds of wonderful publishers out there

I've discovered how to use a smartboard

I have come to the conclusion that my GPS has a wicked sense of humor and/or is evil incarnate and/or has a perverse need to send me in loops which always involve driving on I4.

I've discovered you can't argue with a GPS; you should just turn it off.

I've discovered that when you throw a GPS out the window of your car whilst going 90 miles per hour on I4 (which is where you never wanted to be in the first place), you should really unplug it from your car first.

Exultation

Raven

by Evelyn Rainey

Raven

My dog Raven

Foundling, changeling

Ancient God.

Like Hercules, his muscles

        Bulge and strain with

        Graceful pleasures.

In defense, his teeth like

        Titans against Ulysses.

His tongue, like water-nymphs,

        Playful and loving.

The Ennui Raven-god loaned him

        His colors and name

        And humor.

Zeus in Anger.

Apollo in Gentleness

Bacchus in Joy

Athena in a Race

Like Volkan’s bellows, he lies

        At my feet and

        Smiles his Cupid’s darts.

Like Janus, he will age

        And die and be replaced

        Again.

The Last Amen

by Evelyn Rainey

The Last Amen

I will praise You

            As long as there are stars in the sky.

I will love You

            As long as the ocean roars.

I will serve You

            As long as the forests have trees.

I will praise You

            Until the very last Amen.

You knew me before I was formed in the womb

And you saw me running before I could crawl.

You gave me a voice to sing and so I’ll praise your Name

            Until the very last Amen.

I will praise You

            As long as there are children in the world.

I will love You

            As long as the rains fall.

I will serve You

            As long as the deserts have sand.

I will praise You

            Until the very last Amen.