The Mojo Monthly Newsletter is published by Celise Downs, Author and Owner of Gemini Mojo Press, the 1st of every month.

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Archive |

So, did everyone have a great New Years? Steven and I just went out to dinner then spent a quiet time at home. His best friend was in Indiana with his girlfriend or else I'm sure we would've hung out with them. But I'm glad we stayed home this year. We also celebrated our 4 year anniversary on January 12th. 4 years! My, how time does fly. We spent the day checking out the Bond. James Bond Exhibit at the Az Science Center. Very cool. If you don't know by now, I'm a huge James Bond fan (Sean and Pierce only, of course), so I was very interested in seeing this exhibit before it left town. If there are any Bond fans out there, be sure to check out this exhibit if it comes to your town. We then went to see a movie ("Elektra" with Jen Garner) and went out to dinner. The following weekend, we spent a pampered couple of hours at the day spa. I treated Steven to a 60 min "Weekend Warrior" massage (deep tissue massage) and myself to a 50 min Seasonal Herbal Wrap (detoxified my body while removing some excess baggage...if you know what I mean). All in all, the New Year has started off with a nice, relaxing glow.

Hmmm, wonder what Valentine's Day is going to be like...

So apparently there's been some mild curiosity about the main characters in my books. I mention some people from Secrets in Dance Jam and refer to Ty's new client at the end of Dance Jam. Some people have wanted to know if there's going to be a sequel, if they're going to see these characters again...well, right here, right now, I'm gonna give you all the 4-1-1 on my writing future (hopefully, I won't jinx myself in the process). I am creating a teen series entitled Draven Atreides: Teenage FBI. It's about a 16-yr-old African-American girl who's been a product of the foster care system all her life. She graduated from high school at the age of 10 (two snaps up for home-schooling!), turned her foster parents over to the government at the age of 15...and was promptly recruited by the FBI at the age of 16. Tykota Black Hawk (Mattie's guardian from Dance Jam) will be a constant presence in this ten book series because she will be a semi-permanent client of his company, the Black Hawk Protection Agency. He will be the only character from my first two books that will be carried over into this series. FYI: Jarek's (DJP) best friend, Gunner, has a twin brother. You'll be reading all about him in Book One of the series due out in June (Lord willing and the creek don't rise...grin)

As for seeing the other characters again, it's a definite possibility. Although I love to write YA fiction, I love to read adult romance books. They're my addiction. I read them so much that I could probably write one. Five years down the line, I'm going to try to do exactly that. I intend to create an adult romance division within Gemini Mojo Press and write about characters from the books that I've written...all "growed-up" and in their late 20's. Want to know what happened to Skylar's friend, Ellie, from Secrets and Kisses? Mattie's friends, Ren and Mici, from Dance Jam Productions? Or even Kedren's or Jarek's buddies? This new division will give you that chance. Any secondary characters that show up in the DA series will be potential story fodder as well.? 

So, there you have it. For the time being, my focus is Young Adult fiction. The signs I keep receiving are telling me that I need to stick with this genre for a while. Maybe when the series is done, I'll try my hand with adult romance. I'd like to think that I can cross over and do both. Hopefully, you'll all stick around for the ride.

Thanks...and happy reading!

In This Issue:

1. About the Author.
2. Feature Article -? How to Heal Your Heart by Carna Zacharias
3. For Writers and Self-Publishers:? 
4. Just For Fun
5. General Info
6. Classifieds and Ad Swaps

Like our Newsletter? Please vote for us at: http://www.ezine-marketing.com/cgi-bin/ezsearch/vote.cgi?ID=1101320859

AVAILABLE NOW -

SECRETS AND KISSES - The secret lives of classmates, studying for exams, and kissing lessons. Find out how Skylar Knight deals with it all during her final week of school.

DANCE JAM PRODUCTIONS - A local dance contest, a twisted scheme, and a long buried secret. Do Mataya Black Hawk and Jarek Thanos have what it takes to be regulars on the hottest teen dance show in Phoenix?

To order online, and read excerpts, go to: Gemini Mojo Press Books

Order two or more copies and receive a free gift! All copies bought through the website are autographed by the author.

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AND THE WINNER IS...Sarah Y., 19, of Sarasota, FL. She was the winner of the one year membership card to Barnes and Noble in the January "Spill the Details:Dreamscape" Contest. Her entry will be posted in the February issue of The Teen SuiteZine as well as in "The Storyteller Room" in the Teen Suite section of the website. Check out her dream here in the "General Info" section.?  Congratulations, Sarah!!? 

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"SPILL THE DETAILS" CONTEST.? ?  January's topic was DREAMSCAPE. This month it's? GOTCHA!:?  Fake poop on chairs, rubber snakes in the drawer, shaving cream on the face...we want to hear about the mother of all practical jokes. Grand prize is an unedited copy of Chapter One from Draven Atreides: Teenage FBI, A Touch of Essence.?  Runner Up will receive a goodie bag full of items inspired by the teen series. For details on how to enter, go to: www.GeminiMojoPress.com/contest.html.

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IN THE NEWS TODAY -?  ? 

~ I'd like to congratulate my best friend and PR Consultant, Amy Rocker, for being chosen as one of Business Journal Magazine's "40 Under-40 Business Leaders". This is a major coup for my friend because she has had to battle learning disabilities all her life. Now, she's currently working as the Community Relations Director for Az Spinal Foundation. I'm so proud of her and glad she's working with me. Congrats, Aim! You deserve this.

~? Talkin' Smack - A new page has been added to the Teen Suite section of the website. It's called The Venting Room and it's structured around the The Teen SuiteZine's Rant and Rave column, with one big difference: the "rants" will be supplied by GMP's own teen reviewer, Shanna Mann. Every two weeks, a new rant will go up. Check out her Maiden Rant by going to www.GeminiMojoPress.com/TeenSuite/room5.html.?  I highly encourage teens, ages 13-18, to contribute to my monthly e-zine for teens. Articles, stories, and personal rants for the column are welcomed. If you have any teens that are interested, please have them check out the Feb issue of the e-zine at www.GeminiMojoPress.com/TeenSuite/home.html.? 

~ Mojo Merchandise - New merchandise has been added to the INSPIRED BY...COLLECTION at the Gemini Mojo Store. In honor of my new teen series, Draven Atreides: Teenage FBI,?  buttons and magnets have been created. I will soon be adding stickers, throw pillows and apparel. Keep checking back...and I'll keep you posted.

Also, three new items have been added to the store: Gemini Mojo Throw Pillows, Women's Raglan Hoodie, and Women's Track Suit. These come with the girls emblazoned on the front (black, pink, and blue logo) and the company's motto and website address on the back. The apparel is available in three colors: black, baby blue, and pink; pillows come with a black backside.

All the Cafepress shops are having a Valentine's Day Promotion, so please be sure to take advantage of it: Starts 01/18/05 - 02/03/05. Sale is $5 off $50. Coupon code: VDAY50

To eyeball all these items, click on Merchandise.

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~ Gemini Mojo Press is listed in the Black Authors and Published Writer's Directory. Order your copy here.

? 

How to?  Heal Your Heart

by Carna Zacharias

Copyright 2004...Reprinted with permission

We all experience severe heart break at some time in our lives. 
For many it happens in childhood or adolescence, the time when 
we are most vulnerable. A cold mother, an absent father, being 
different in any way from our peers and ostracized for it - 
these are some of the reasons for the early feeling that 
something is wrong, inadequate and utterly disappointing about 
us. For others, it happens later, when a spouse betrays our love 
and trust, a child is hurt, or our dream of making it big in the 
world is shattered.

It happens -sooner or later- to everybody, yet strangely enough, 
we tend to believe that other people have heaps of money, great 
careers, excellent health, and are blessed with devoted spouses 
and perfect children. Even if common sense tells us that this 
isn't true, we behave as if it were. We hide behind our painted 
faces and empty phrases, as if our wounded heart was a rare, 
shameful thing that had to be hidden at all costs. Even if we 
are the light of every party, our real self never shows up. We 
withdraw and disconnect while telling pretty lies in appearance, 
word and deed. Thus our hearts shrink and harden, and we live 
lonesome, inauthentic lives deep within the fortress we have 
built from pride and fear.

From this point on, two things can happen: either we become 
depressed or cynical enough to believe that staying in this 
barren place and turning into dust is our only option, or we 
listen to the cries of our exiled hearts and become seekers. If 
you belonged to the first group, you would not be reading this 
book. So let's start the search for our true selves. In the 
following imaginative exercise, you will begin to restore the 
lost connection to your heart. You may feel some resistance 
reading these words. Won't this lead to an emotional breakdown, 
or to an eruption of pain and anger? It depends on your 
intention.

If you want to explore your childhood or other severe emotional 
trauma, there are medical and psychological professionals who 
are trained to guide you through that sensitive process.

What we want to achieve here is to find and free our spiritual 
hearts. There is the heart, and there is the true heart. There 
is our "pink" heart, and there is our "golden" heart. There is 
our low heart, and there is our high heart.

Qualities of the low heart: 
   Passion, Extremes, Volatility, Attachment, Emotion.

Qualities of the high heart: 
   Compassion, Balance, Patience, Unity, Spirit, Soul.

Again, our intention is to connect to the high, the spiritual 
heart. This may happen instantly, at the first try. If it does, 
it is a profound, awe-inspiring experience, and you will 
recognize the level of truth instantly. You will realize that 
there is, behind your physically sick or emotionally broken 
heart, a heart that is completely whole and strong and wise. 
However, establishing this pathway could be a much longer 
process. You might connect to "pieces" of your heart at a time. 
Perhaps you will first experience an acute awareness of your 
heart's imprisonment, or your inner space may remain silent for 
a while. Take it easy. Whatever happens is just the right thing 
to happen for you at this point.


EXERCISE: LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

Sit or lie down comfortably, making sure you will not be 
disturbed. Close your eyes. Breathe. Relax. If relaxation does 
not come easily to you, visualize a thick, golden liquid pooling 
in your head. Slowly, slowly, like molasses, it flows down into 
your whole body, making it slack and heavy.

When you feel relaxed, shift your attention to your chest. 
Imagine breathing through your chest. In-out. In-out. In-out. 
Do this as long as you want to. When you are ready, focus your 
attention gently on your heart.

Your high heart, your true heart, your spiritual heart.

Now, and possibly for the first time, greet your true heart. 
Express your gratitude for its continuous, life giving service, 
its protection and guidance.

When you have established a connection, you might want to ask 
questions. Then be quiet and listen.

Listen to the voice of your heart. This voice might express 
itself in words, in feelings, in images, in sounds, or just as 
a "knowing". Learning to recognize the unique voice of your 
heart may take time, so relax if you can't "get it right" at 
first. 

Carna Zacharias is a professional writer with more than ten published books.

She provides Spiritual Healing Tools for life coaches, spiritual counselors, group

Facilitators-and all people who wish to heal their hearts.