The Reading Glass Magazine | Goes to Tucson!

EDITOR’S NOTE
I could ramble on about the Covid-19’s impact to the world—and to each of our own. I could not even
remember, without effort, what my life was like before the pandemic started. But I am sure, then, my days
weren’t so dragging. My sanity wasn’t constantly teetering to the edge of mayhem. My relationships weren’t
as flimsy as paper. And it was easier to breathe—metaphorically and literally. I couldn’t have imagined that
breathing would be more than what it was.
Most must have felt the same way. Your life must have been catapulted into uncharted territories because
of the pandemic. It must have been a struggle to get used to a new set of routines. And it must have caused
emotional turmoil to not be able to do what you used to do before. Indeed, the past two years only afforded us
drastic changes. Yet, for me, one thing did not change. And that’s reading. The sheer delight when reading a
good story, if not remained, grew even stronger.
Thus, when outdoor book exhibits are starting to grace the streets again, we couldn’t pass up the chance to
join. After being locked up for more than a year and virtual encounters, the excitement and pent-up tension
for outdoor activities are brimming and ready to overflow. We want to seize the built-up excitement and bask
in its glow and full glory.
One of the many book exhibits that is returning to the streets is the Tucson Festival of Books. And The
Reading Glass Books, in partnership with Writers’ Branding, is more than ready to parade alongside many
book exhibitors, enthusiastic writer and readers, and literary giants.
The world came into a halt as the Covid-19 continued to extend its reach. But 2022 will be a year of healing and
rebirth. And so for this issue, we wanted to emphasize breathing, being,and breaking free from the chains of
the past two years: Breathe and Be: Break Free from Foretime’s Fetters.
Alongside us is Raju Ramanathan, featuring Souls from Mercury for the cover story. And four of our authors
participating in TFOB’s book signing session: Ellen Beth Berman, author of The Voice of the Rooster and the
Lessons it Teaches; Sergio Diaz, author of Jemmy and the Little Spider of Hope; Lloyd Hulcolm, author of $10
Save Me, and; Janine Hall, author of Knowing that He Will: Experiencing God’s Transforming Power.
The last two years were enduring years. We have heard countless stories of
heartbreak and loss. This year, we are giving room for stories about healing,
recovery, and of breathing, being, and breaking free. So what’s your story?
Publisher
The Reading Glass Books
Project Manager
Kate Miller
Editor-in-Chief
Sam Carter
Copyeditor
Anne Wilson
Layout Artist
Alex Bleed

CONTENTS
4 Cover Story: Searching for and Shaping Into: The
Transformative Journey Into Becoming a Soul
from Mercury
20 Jennifer Moorcroft on When Silence Speaks: The
Life and Spirituality of Elisabeth Leseur
26 H. Allenger on The Damned of Magdeburg
28 Llyod Hulcolm on $10 Save Me
30 Books to Read on a Warm Day and Cozy Night
40 Sergio Diaz on Jemmy and the Little
Spider of Hope
46 Ellen Beth Berman on The Voice of the Rooster
and the Lessons it Teaches
54 Recommended: Carlton: Down Sized By
Tawnee Chasny
56 Recommended: Ting! The Silent Warning By
Tawnee Chasny
60 Meet The Reading Glass Books Team
62 Meet RGB’s Partner Outsourced Vendor from the
Philippines

4 | The Reading Glass Magazine
SEARCHING FOR AND SHAPING INTO:
THE TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY INTO BECOMING
A SOUL FROM MERCURY
SAM CARTER
Human life is like a tapestry of external and internal
factors intricately woven to make up much of who
we are—a complex combination of our ancestry,
history, and culture. On top of that, we are what our
core constitutes, how we shape our choices, and
what principles we learn. So as we tread the journey
of life, we search for ourselves incessantly. However,
we focus more on the outside factors and only know
ourselves skindeep. This imbalance welcomes
the noise outside, and so much of the world’s
distractions and disturbances meddle with our soul.
Master Raju Ramanathan, also known as Datta Yogi
Raja, teaches us how to understand ourselves better,
achieving composure through delving deep in our
core. The calmness attained through introspection
will eventually lead to a healthier connection with
the world around us, building a better community
in contrast to Charles Darwin’s ‘survival of the
fittest’ notion.
Master Raju champions in helping people’s soul
searching through defying societal limitations and
inculcating diverse practices from across religions.
He further utilizes human anatomy for a fruitful
thought-processing.
Through the help of family and friends who
constantly support Master Raju, a collection of all
the transcribed lectures from the seminars that
the author himself conducted through the years
came into fruition, published as Souls from Mercury:
Chakra Magic Empowering Relationships. This book
reflects on the personal, professional, scientific, and
spiritual insights of Master Raju, mindfully mustered
to bring about a book that leads to self-actualization
and empowerment.
The Reading Glass Magazine talks with Raju
Ramanathan to get to know more about the life of
the author and how Souls from Mercury: Chakra
Magic Empowering Relationships transpired.
The Reading Glass: What does the everyday life of
a Raju Ramanathan look like, especially now that we
are in the middle of a pandemic? At this point in your
life, what do you look forward to the most?
Master Raju: I get up in the morning religiously at
five am, I upload my intentions and visions to Godworld
as prayer and download and receive answers
in meditation. This is what I recommend to everyone
in the weekly Zoom classes. I look forward to those
sessions as much as those students do which are
close to hundred in number. I guide them through
these meditations as well.
You are known as a scientist of both the inner and
outer worlds, can you elaborate this mastery in
layman’s terms? How does it feel to be sought after
by many, both individuals and corporations, to be
their mentor?
It feels great to be sought after by thousands as their
mentor. In the words of Albert Einstein, the pursuit
of truth and beauty is an activity on which we are
privileged to remain children all our lives. That is
why, my sense of calm and composure is infectious.

The Reading Glass Magazine | 5

6 | The Reading Glass Magazine
Growing up, what were you like? What are your
interests? What are you most passionate about?
Who/what is the greatest influence of your life?
In my early years, I read a lot of poetry from famous
authors. I am passionate about teaching yoga in
which I was certified as well similar to my technical
advanced degrees. My father and mother were my
greatest influencers. They lived as a perfect couple
and I wanted to teach their secret to others in the
world. My colleagues in school as well as colleagues
in the corporate world became my earnest students.
You did a lot of things throughout your journey in life,
among all of those accomplishments, how did you
become a writer? Has this always been one of the
things that you wanted to do?
I became a writer only after my retirement and the
inspiration and impetus came from my son who was
keen on documenting all my teaching from hundreds
of seminars conducted by me. They helped me and
provided the photographs from globetrotting which
are in the book as well.
If you would describe your writing style in one word,
what would it be and why?
I have no unique writing style. My writing style is
actually my speaking style. The words in the book
were actually my spoken answers to questions
raised during my retreats and seminars. My family
and friends recorded them in audio format and
transcribed them verbatim. Whatever was compiled
was put in the form of a book. That is why the whole
book is in a Question-and-Answer format.
What inspired you to write Souls from Mercury? How
did you come up with the idea of your book and its
interesting title?
The book called Men are from Mars and Women are
from Venus by famous author John Gray inspired me
to come up with a more balanced approach where
the creators of the future humanity will be Souls from
Mercury. I chose Mercury as a mean between Mars
and Venus. My main theme is that men and women
are more alike than they are different. Let us focus
on our similarities and not on the differences. Chakra
Magic is the best way to empower relationships as
the subtitle of the book says.
What is one salient point of your book that you want
to highlight the most?
My book is about a new dawn and a new hope for
humanity and the book describes seven pathways
for mankind to awaken inner hidden Energies called
Kundalini and achieve Chakra Purification. This
approach is also recommended by the emerging field
of Energy Medicine with authors such as Carolyn
Myss and celebrity and author Shirley Maclaine et al.
Refer to Anatomy of the Spirit written by the former
and Going Within, A guide for Inner Transformation
written by the latter.
Why should people read your book? What sets it
apart from other books of the same genre?
People should read my book because it presents
the current day core issues faced by mankind and
solutions which lie within our own human body in the
form of 7 endocrine glands. These are analogous to
the seven-chakra system. The solution to the global
pandemic such as COVID will also come from this
Chakra system and not just from the outer Solar
system. We need to go through an inner revolution
and develop a global village and not just depend on
the so-called evolution of the species as told by
Charles Darwin.
What do you want the readers to experience during
and after reading your book?
I want everyone to experience as a child of God even
if they do not know it or even pretend not to be. They
only experience the small I that lives in fear and
forget the big cosmic I - Consciousness that lives in
love. Once they bring this into focus, they will live in
peace within themselves which will eventually lead
to global peace.
As a life coach, what advice would you give to
everyone in general?
I already spelled it out in my answer to the last
question. Always remember to return to LOVE as
Marianne Williamson says in her book Return to
Love. Because that love is the stuff of which you
are made and so is the universe and that is your
essence. Learn to return to this by daily meditations
and prayers. The so-called evolution is logical,
mechanical and unidirectional. One should not
depend on it. We can all become Godly by an inner
revolution recommended in the Souls from Mercury.
That is the only way to come out of the labyrinth of
darkness and confusion seen often during these
times of global pandemic.

SOULS
from
MERCURY
Chakra Magic
Empowering Relationships
Our lives are often led to merely survive our years, doing whatever it takes to achieve our
goals. For the most part, this doesn’t cause harm to others. But we don’t know the effects
of our actions beyond what we can see, and with a very primal mindset of “survival of
the fittest,” we might end up doing something that causes negative effects to ourselves
or others down the line. This is why author Raju Ramanathan wrote his book, Souls from
Mercury: Chakra Magic: Empowering Relationships, which aims to guide people out of this
primal way of thinking.
Souls from Mercury: Chakra Magic: Empowering Relationships is a collection of Master
Raju’s insights and thoughts about life. It serves as a guide and roadmap on how to live
life with kindness. He believes that “survival of the fittest” will simply send humanity down
a dark path we might not get out of, and that introspection and understanding one’s self
better can lead to a life of kindness that benefits humanity as a whole. His work, which
draws lessons from Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and more, aims to give the reader a
better understanding of life.

FROM HOMELESS TO HEAVEN
BY JEANNE ANN OFF
“It centers around a formerly homeless man, Alan Washburn, who
chooses to work on a Colorado ranch instead of living in a homeless
shelter. However, the ‘riches’ Washburn experiences are far more
of a spiritual variety than a monetary kind. Although he arrived with
little physical baggage when he went to live with and work for Cody
Chambers, he still carried much emotional baggage.”
— Dan MacIntosh, Pacific Book Review
COWBOY ON THE WRONG TRAIN
BY JEANNE ANN OFF
The book starts with the story of the protagonist Ty Grenshaw and
his girlfriend, Patti Dileo. Ty lives on the Cal Grayson cattle and works
as a cowboy. Meanwhile, Patti works for the Gully Real Estate Co.
While Patti was returning to the town of Gully, she met Skeet, the
story’s antagonist, and then planned on selling their ranch to him.
Unfortunate events ensued, however. Their ranch was raided by cattle
rustlers and Ty made a frantic attempt to catch the thieves. Only later,
Ty finds out that he went on the wrong train.

ACID AND BRIBERY
BY JEANNE ANN OFF
“Acid and Bribery is the fictional product from Jeanne Ann Off’s
pleasant experience. Off’s novel focuses on sixteen-year-old Kelsey
and her single mother, Loren, who work in Colorado at Derbyrun Downs
racetrack with racehorses, getting them ready to compete. One of
the horses, Tomar El Oro, is one of Kelsey’s favorites and happens to
be one of the best horses in the stables compared with all the owner’s
other horses.”
— Goodreads
MY COUNTRY STORY: GROWING UP AS
THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER
BY ANNIE FARMER
Farming wasn’t the easiest job. My father worked two jobs, during the week
he was working in the fields and on Friday afternoon at times and all day on
Saturday as a Barber he had his own shop and when I was a young girl he
would cut my hair. I can remember climbing up into the Barber chair.

THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO JESUS
BY DONALD BLOSSER
Dr. Blosser takes us for a walk with Jesus and allows Jesus to speak
for himself. What we hear is a message of hope that stands in striking
contrast to the current popular Christian message that tells us Jesus
came to die on the cross. This message of New Life is important news and
needs to be heard by everyone who is serious about following Jesus.
- Dr. J. Denny Weaver, Prof. of Religion, Bluffton University (ret), author of
The NonViolent Atonement, and The Nonviolent God
THE EXAM: LIFE IS ONLY A TEST IS
THE REAL DEAL
BY DR. ALFRED WILLIAMS
Nothing feels more defeating than living a life full of discouragement.
Get your spirits uplifted with The Exam.
Its heartwarming stories by Dr. Alfred Williams will have you diving
deep into its Christ-centered words of encouragement. Words that will
inspire readers of all ages.

SPIRITUALITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
BY FRANK DAVERSA
This book offers a vision of faith, hope, compassion, understanding and
clarity. It is a transformative work that enhances the reader’s ability
to shape his/her own destiny. It is packed with insight and inspiration.
After reading this book, readers should have a sound understanding of
spirituality in the 21st century.
Visit my website at www.FrankDaversa.net for more information.
CHRISTIAN POEMS, PRAYER AND
INSPIRATIONS
BY PATRICIA OFFERMAN
The book contains Christian poems, prayers, and inspirations written in a
forty-year span of daily journaling experience, now in print to inspire and
uplift body, mind, and spirit in simple easy-to-read poems that woo and
inspire one to a holy desire to have a closer and more intimate walk with
the Lord Jesus Christ as one journey through life.

THE VOICE OF THE ROOSTER AND
THE LESSONS IT TEACHES
BY ELLEN BETH BERMAN
What if there is a different gauge of success than one’s
accomplishments? What if life’s most significant focus is the
relationship that we develop with our own souls? Can we be guided to
something so important by a mere rooster?
The “rooster’s lessons” unfold, suggesting a way to value each day, by
searching for its inner light. Discovering indications of this G-dly plane
of existence, gives voice to one’s heart with its own expression of
joy (“crow”).
May The Voice of the Rooster resonate within you and awaken you to the
intrinsic beauty dwelling within the chambers of your own heart.
JEMMY AND THE LITTLE SPIDER OF HOPE
BY SERGIO DIAZ
These are ancient times. Kings and wise men are searching the sky
because the stars are predicting a very special night. Meet Jemmy, a
mischievous little mouse that finds a tiny spider, bright as a star. Well,
this tiny spider has a mission to accomplish, and our little boy is more
than ready to assist her and help her fulfill her purpose.
The journey starts in a temple, with an evil rat minister and hundreds
of roman rat soldiers set to stop them at all cost. Then our adventure
continues in Egypt, with a beautiful green lizard pharaoh and a baby
falcon god. At the end, Jemmy and his friends will witness an event of
utmost importance: the birth of a very special star!
With enticing artwork by the author, this book will have children
immersing and enjoying stories of the old scriptures once again, like the
kings and wise men of ancient times.

WOULD YOU BE MY FRIEND?
BY LARRY D. CLIFFORD
It doesn’t matter who you are. Be honest and treat others with respect.
Never stop looking for new friends. You will have a good friend in your life
forever! Here is Clark and all his friends!
WHOEVER HEARD OF A PURPLE HAPPY TREE
BY JOYCE TIMBERLAKE
The Happy Tree is a mischievous, lovable little creature who is an outcast
from his forest home because he accidentally started a fire with a “magic
glass on a stick” (magnifying glass). In the process of trying to save the
youngest Joy Baby, Angie, the Happy Tree uses the leaves on his top knot
to smother the fire. But something terrible happens! His leaves change
from green to purple! When this happens, he becomes a social outcast
with the tree town elders. The Happy Tree is the Joy Babies’ constant
companion.
Look out for the next book, The Mystery of the Vanishing Gold Coins, and
learn more about the Purple Happy Tree on
www.authorjoycetimberlake.com.

THE ID PARADOX
BY JAN NOTZON
After disastrous experiences in law and education, Jake Kazmareck tries
to disappear into a menial job picking melons on a farm in the Rio Grande
Valley while an estranged friend tracks him down. Jake, together with
his friends, brushed death in a canoe trip, however, unleashed in Jake is
a primitive beast that has never stopped plaguing him. Will he learn to
accommodate it, or will it destroy him? Is it an essential part of us that
must be accepted? Or must it be fought to the death?
IT’S MY TURN: FINDING IDENTITY AND
PURPOSE AFTER THE EMPTY NEST
BY JANINE HALL
When the children leave home, many women suffer from malaise and
wonder what to do with the rest of their lives. Many struggle with a
feeling of purposelessness. This Christian author contends that the
empty-nest stage is the gateway to new and fulfilling modes of living and
an opportunity to enjoy a closer walk with God. Approximately seventy
essays explore the female experience immediately before and during the
empty-nest stage and the opportunity not only to move on but also to
move upward.

OH! THOSE SIXTIES: CONFRONTING
THE TURMOIL AND MOVING ON
BY RUTH DEACON
This novel portrays vivid insights into the lives of individuals caught up
in the various issues and events during the later years of the Sixties.
The earlier years of the decade of brewing unrest are treated through
flashbacks or memory comments that clarify current activity.
The late Sixties contained the mounting pressures. Characters
represent a wide range of perspectives--parental confusion and/or
support, then independence, protesters of injustice, defenders of the
status quo, impatience with the status quo, evaders of issues, workers
for justice, Vietnam as necessary or evil.
PATCHES AND PIECES: BECOMING
THE LEGACY OF OUR FAMILY QUILT
BY LANA MOURNING
This delightful story speaks of author Lana Mourning’s family adventures.
In preparation for their 50th Wedding Anniversary, Lana recalls the
memories made on the remote, primitive ranch and compiles them to
share with her children and grandchildren. The author’s desire is to share
how her husband’s deployment to Viet Nam was the catalyst bringing
them to faith, though continents apart, creating a family born out of
trust in God’s love. Sharing her stories through the years would bring
encouragements that she should write a book, which now has come
to fruition.

Matters of the Heart
Book 1
The Early Years
A Memoir
Rachel G. Carrington
Most of us will go through life with numerous ups and downs but overall, we experience it in a seemingly
mundane and normal way. However, there will be those crucial moments when the course of our destiny would
change forever and when that happens, it can really be a moment to remember. In the case of author Rachel
Carrington, that life-changing moment happened during her teenage years. Despite not having a lofty job,
higher education, nor grand accomplishments, her book The Early Years: A Memoir will show that her life is full
and complete.
Born in a small Kentucky town in 1930, Carrington is the eldest of eleven children of low-income, strict but
very loving parents. She and her family struggled to make ends meet and put food on the table yet her desire
to learn pushed her to attain a high school diploma despite not having the funds to go further. She was offered
a prestigious scholarship during senior year of high school but things changed. She now resides in Ocala,
Florida, and continues to write with the hopes of having a sequel to this book.
The book tells the story of how Rachel’s life, as a teenager on her way to go beyond high school, changed when
she crossed paths with a World War II veteran trying to pick up the pieces of a life in shambles upon returning
home. As he struggled, Carrington was there for him and together they found love and went through life
alongside each other, through joys and sorrows and all the other challenges a couple faces.
It is a must-have book for fans of stories about the human condition, love, and triumph against all odds. Get
your copy today!

HOW TO DESIGN YOUR DREAM HOME
IN 25 YEARS OR LESS!
BY JAN J. EVANS
Buying property? Building a home? Read this first!
This engaging and practical guide will teach you How to Design Your
Dream Home (In 25 Years or Less)! Learn how to save time and money,
avoid common mistakes, choose the best location, plan your space
and layout efficiently, design custom storage and organization, and so
much more! Reduce regrets at projects’ end and make it easier on you,
your builder/contractor, and your architect (if you use one).
A SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
BY SHIVA SHANKARAN
What is Consciousness? What is the Holy Spirit? What if the ancient
word St. Paul used for “spirit,” pneuma, were to be interpreted as
equivalent to “consciousness” as we are striving to understand it
today? What would be the effects and implications of this upon
understanding of the self, the world, and the greater creation?
A Science of Consciousness begins with the author asking the reader
to accept as true for a moment a few basic, though perhaps unthought-of
premises. On that basis, the reader is invited to go on an
imaginary journey into a world of new implications, possibilities, and
powers coming from human creativity.

THE QUANTUM LIFE: THERE IS A BETTER
WAY TO LIVE
BY DR. M. TERI DAUNTER
“There are frequent mentions of the work of Carl Jung in these pages.
Alongside these are exhortations, which ring both contemporary
and true, such as, ‘Be the CEO and guardian of your soul.’ This book
is ultimately hopeful, a welcome departure from passive belief
systems. The book calls for the awakening of mankind to its true
calling, namely achieving selfhood and discarding false worship. Dr.
M. Teri Daunter writes, ‘Heaven and hell are states of consciousness
in which you live.’ This is evocative of the best of another spiritual
whistleblower, namely William Blake.”
- Pacific Book Review
I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN: A MOTHER’S
SACRED JOURNEY AFTER THE
PASSING OF HER SON
BY SHERRI BRIDGES FOX
Sherri takes you into her heart as she describes the feelings and deep
emotions she felt as she discovered her seventeen-year-old son’s
dead body. She will take you by the hand, and you will be there with her
as she recounts her life and sacred journey.
Over the last four years, Sherri has dedicated herself to learning about
and understanding life, as seen through the eyes of the soul. With the
telling of her story, she wishes to empower others to know that they
are capable of traversing any mountain that may be casting a shadow
of darkness in their life.

THE JOURNEY OF THE MOST LIBERATED
WOMAN IN AMERICA
BY BARBARA WILLIAMSON
Barbara Williamson is bold, fearless, and truly revolutionary in The
Journey of the Most Liberated Woman in AmericaI, a joyous romp
through the sexual revolution of the sixties when open sexuality and
free love were encouraged and fully embraced.
This intriguing narrative takes us back to Sandstone, a commune for
grown-ups dedicated to setting people free from conservative views
and practices on sex and relationships by guiding them to own and
accept their sexuality.
LEGACY OF THE ELDER
BY FIERA
Although published as fiction, Legacy of the Elder is the author’s truelife
account of her personal induction into vampire hood. Informative,
tragic, and funny, Fiera’s story explains and dispels the myths that
haunt human folklore while revealing the heart and soul of the lovable
and despicable creatures we know as vampires.

20 | The Reading Glass Magazine
When
Silence
Speaks:
The Life and Spirituality
of Elisabeth Leseur
Jennifer Moorcroft
Even in a modern age where religious liberty
is widely acknowledged, spirituality still faces
questions and doubts. For author Jennifer
Moorcroft, documenting the journey to holiness
of the Servant of God in the humble life of
Elisabeth Leseur is an avenue to address the
many issues that we have today.
The Reading Glass Magazine takes delight in
a short yet insightful interview with Jennifer
Moorcroft about her book, When Silence Speaks:
The Life and Spirituality of Elisabeth Leseur. This
gentle storytelling of the spirituality of Elisabeth
Leseur comes in another title from Jennifer
Moorcroft, The Joy That Is In Me.
The Reading Glass: You have already written
quite a number of books and have been writing
for publications, what motivated you to have
the life of Elisabeth Leseur to be your subject
among the many other inspiring stories to
account for?
Jennifer: I felt that Elisabeth had to face, in her
time, many of the issues that we have now and
that she could be a force for good in addressing
those issues:
Then, as now, Elisabeth lived in an atheistic
milieu, not only with her husband’s atheism
but in the society in which they lived. I was
impressed with the way she had the utmost
respect for those whose views differed from
hers. She wanted to hear them in order to
understand their point of view. ‘Not to accept
everything but to understand everything.’ She
decided it was futile to argue with them,
only speaking of her faith with those whom
she discerned were willing to listen. This is
especially relevant in our current ‘cancel culture’

The Reading Glass Magazine | 21
when those with views not deemed ‘acceptable’
are denied a voice.
She spoke out about the antisemitism she met
with; this was the time of the Dreyfus affair.
She felt it was vital to have a firm grasp of her
faith and continually fed from the riches of our
Catholic tradition and in prayer to root herself
more firmly in it. This is an important message
when the Christian faith is often being watered
down to accommodate current fashions.
‘Struck with the fact that unbelievers have more
sympathy with people of deep faith than with
those of variable and utilitarian views.’
another, opposing, point of view. She therefore
decided to remain silent when the Catholic
Faith was attacked, entering into a deep well of
prayerful silence within herself. Of her husband
he wrote, but it applied to all the atheists she
met with: ‘Let him see the fruit but not the
sap, my life but not the faith that transforms
it.’ Profoundly aware of her own failings, she
wanted the witness of her life to speak: ‘By the
serenity and strength I mean to acquire I will
prove that the Christian life is great and beautiful
and full of joy.’ She wanted to be Christian to the
core and therefore let her peace, love and joy
shine out.
When Silence Speaks sparks so much interest,
how and why did you come up with this title?
Elisabeth realized that it was futile to argue with
those who would not be prepared to listen to

The subject of the biography you have written,
Elisabeth Leseur, is French. Did you have any
challenges, especially in translation, when you
wrote the book?
Yes! It so happens that many of the people I have
written about, especially St. Elizabeth of the
Trinity, were French, so I have had to rely on the
French I learnt at school. The Leseur’s French
was more sophisticated than that of Elizabeth,
but I was able to turn for help to my husband,
David, who learns languages as a hobby!
You have taken an in-depth research of
Elisabeth Leseur’s life. Among the many crosses
that she has endured, what would you like to
highlight the most and why?
She suffered from ill-health for most of her
life due to an abdominal abscess, which to her
profound sorrow meant that they were never
able to have children. She died of breast cancer.
However, she saw her sufferings as part of her
prayer apostolate, united to those suffered by
Christ, thus acquiring meaning and fruitfulness
in her apostolate for souls.
In an era when euthanasia is being imposed or
accepted, Elisabeth’s message and experience
is that suffering cannot disturb the deep peace
of a soul united to God. ‘That great, true sun has
risen above the horizon of my soul, and all clouds
of suffering fail to obscure its brightness, while it
has tinged them with a divine radiance.’
Even more painful for her was to live with the
atheism of her husband and his relentless
attacks on her faith. She felt the isolation of this
profoundly, not able to share with the one whom
she loved so dearly the faith that meant so much
to her. She found a ‘soul sister’ in a nun, Sr. Goby,
and later on she received interior assurance that
after her death Félix would recover his faith and
become a priest, which did indeed happen. It is a
testimony to the strength of their marriage and
their love for each other that this issue could not
break the bonds of their love.
What message do you want to send to all
your readers, especially those who are quite
spiritually distant?
To my fellow Catholics I want them to draw
strength from Elisabeth’s example when living in
a secular society. She wants them to pray, study,
receive the sacraments and grow steadfast in
their faith in order to withstand attacks against
it. To be able to explain their faith when asked
about it. A faith received in childhood needs to
grow throughout life.
To those who are spiritually distant I want them
to see the beauty of Elisabeth’s life, when so
often Christianity, and especially Catholicism,
is portrayed in such a negative, mocking and
dismissive way, and accept that there might
be some truth in Christianity! Even to start
exploring it and even come to faith themselves.
This is what I have wanted to show in all the
books I have written and why I have written
them. In all the saints I have written about there
is that joy, that peace, that wholeness of life
which we find so strikingly in Elisabeth. As a
convert to the Catholic Faith, I can never come
to the end of its depth, its beauty, the joy and
peace that union with Jesus Christ brings. This
is what I want to share as I write about people,
in the cloister and in the world, who have lived
their Catholic faith to the full and whose lives
show the fruits of it.

Published Books
Of Jennifer Moorcroft

THE TALE OF TUMELENG
- RYKE LEIGH DOUGLAS -
The story starts with Jabari, a male elephant, who takes the lead in defending the herd from hyenas. When
Tumeleng, Jabari’s daughter, is born, she aims to keep up with the herd as they move to a new waterhole.
As Tumeleng grows and learns how to survive in a world filled with danger and environmental challenges, the
reader discovers these majectics sociable animals are not just the biggest animals in the world.
Douglas is a veteran educator devoted to helping children discover the joy of reading and magic books. She
holds an M.A as a reading specialist from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania.
Douglas strives to provide parents and teachers with entertaining stories that lend themselves to nurturing
positive attitudes, good character traits, and creative thinking.
When she isn’t writing, Douglas enjoys visiting schools, museums, libraries, and early learning centers to
share her stories and encourage children to develop their own writing skills with a program she developed
entitled The Writer’s Tool Box.

DEMONIC CONSPIRACY KNOWN
AS CALVINISM
RON CRAIG
“Craig uses many cogent examples in building his case,
such as the issue of human illness. If illness is predestined,
there would be no means and no motivation to cure or
combat it. Yet Craig reminds readers of many biblical
accounts of Jesus healing the sick and indicating that the
gift of such miraculous healing would be ‘preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations’ (Matthew 24:14). This
example is one of many key points about Calvin’s teaching
raised by Craig to establish the early reformer’s lack of logic
and absence of true scriptural study.”
- Pacific Book Review
THE CULT THAT CALLS ITSELF
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST: WHAT
EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT
WHAT THEY TEACH
RON CRAIG
“Craig has organized this treatise with verve and emotional
drive while including numerous scholarly references and
logical propositions undoubtedly based on his careful
reading of Church of Christ sources. Some chapters are
devoted almost solely to scriptural quotations to underpin
his realistic explorations. He doesn’t hesitate to accuse
those Church of Christ representatives whose work
he examines of outright stupidity and, in some cases,
plain hypocrisy. Craig has gathered this data in an easily
accessible manner to inform those within and outside of
the Church of Christ of the weaknesses and untruths being
sustained within that group.”
— US Review of Books

The Dam
of Magd
26 | The Reading Glass Magazine
H. Allenger
Embedded in human history is the harsh
reality that civilization went through a rough
journey—the horrors of hostility to fight for
freedom and to protest for equality. With all the
war that had happened, it undoubtedly tested
the moral compass of people. In his book The
Damned of Magdeburg, H. Allenger depicts
human tendencies especially when facing a
crisis at large.
Author H. Allenger joins The Reading Glass
Magazine in an interview to catch a glimpse of
the fruition of The Damned of Magdeburg.
The Reading Glass: You have pursued writing
and other passions after retirement, but have
you always been fond of writing ever since?
What pursued you to write a book?
H. Allenger: I’ve always enjoyed writing and have
delved into it from time to time even before
retirement, even doing poetry. It wasn’t until
retirement that I felt I had the time to commit
myself to the discipline.
Of the many possible topics under the sun,
how did you come up with your book’s subject?
Were you always fascinated by history?
Certain periods of history have always
fascinated me. One such time was the Thirty
Year’s War, primarily because of its savagery and
loss of life. I felt I needed to know more about it
and that writing a novel about it would help me
achieve that goal. I’ve always liked history as
a subject at school as well as in doing private
readings on it.
Writing a subject based on history can be
arduous. What are the constraints that came in
the way when you created your book? Did you,
in any way, feel restricted as to the limitations
of writing a history book?

The Reading Glass Magazine | 27
ned
eburg
My major constraint was in trying to understand
the convoluted nature and politics of the subject
and how I should transmit this knowledge to the
reader. I decided the best way to accomplish
this was through the dialogue of the main
characters. In having them address the issue at
hand, the rules and laws defining their moral and
legal conduct, and how they functioned within
these constraints, the reader would gain an
insight into that period of history .
What inspired you to highlight the story of the
people in the thriving city of Magdeburg during
the Thirty Years’ War?
Magdeburg was the perfect vehicle for defining
how people respond to an impending crisis.
The city was besieged and ultimately destroyed
in the worst atrocity of the Thirty Year’s War.
This novel is mainly about how people behave,
how their relationships evolve and become
intertwined, the measures they take in trying to
avert the inevitable.
What moral lesson/s do you want your readers
to take away from your book?
That defines the main theme of this novel.
Even in a crisis situation, people are finding it
difficult to deviate from their long-held beliefs
and convictions, clinging to these despite
the circumstances telling them otherwise.
The characters are in conflict over how to
respond when they find their friends engaging
in illicit acts, seeking to protect them from the
law, fighting off urges to engage in likewise
activities, and suffering from guilt complexes
over their committing of sins as defined by their
religion and their laws. They desperately cling to
the hope of rescue, even to the point of denying
the possibility it may never come about.

28 | The Reading Glass Magazine

The Reading Glass Magazine | 29
$10 SAVE ME
Lloyd Hulcolm
The decision of $10 seems logical for individuals
to put aside rather than $100. Think about it, $10
would be easier to give someone rather than
anything more. To save $10 per day would be
much more feasible and easier to accomplish
than a bigger figure.
Savings is everyone’s necessity for a
comfortable future. However, the process can
be very stressful and tiresome. Lloyd Hulcolm
purposefully writes $10 Save Me, a handy book
which guides readers into saving little by little
without compromising the fun that comes with
it for a more rewarding benefit.
In a conversation with The Reading Glass
Magazine, author Lloyd Hulcolm imparts a more
personal take on his book $10 Save Me.
The Reading Glass: In one of the chapters
in your book, you mentioned that luck plays
a massive role in the equation of life, and if
somebody wasn’t lucky, then the other option
is to work and save. How did this statement
resonate with you on a personal level?
Lloyd: On a personal level, luck in the sense that
money was not given to me from inheritance,
winning the lotto, through gift or donation. For
me to accumulate money, I must work and make
a sacrifice to save, which is hard to do and as my
slogan indicates, “Don’t think about it, just do it.”
Out of all the possible bills or amounts that
anybody could save, tell us the story of how you
decided that $10 would be the figure that would
make it to your title.
What is your best advice to people who find it
challenging to save $10 per day consistently?
Any words of encouragement?
As I mentioned in the book, $10 per day might
be challenging to save, so this is where one can
do $70 per week if individuals get paid weekly or
$140 every two weeks or $280 monthly. To make
this feasible, create a compulsory bill name for
this activity and apply the same pressure to
yourself as it was your mortgage, phone bill or
light bill.
A chapter in your book has been dedicated to
discussing the art of saying no. At what point
could a person deserve to spoil themselves in
terms of finances?
It is easy to lend out money but it’s hard to
receive what was lent to some individuals. I have
experienced many times where individuals end
up in arguments or fights to retrieve their own
money that was lent. So, to specifically answer
this question, say no to lending.
What is the most important thing you have
imparted in your book that people should
remember all the time?
“Don’t think about it, just do it” because the
moment individuals start thinking about how
hard it is going to be to save $10 per day, then he
or she will never start.

30 | The Reading Glass Magazine
Books
to Read on a
Warm Day and
a Cozy Night

Get Inspired!

Happy Trails

Create
Yourself

finding
your way

Divine Walks

Terrific Tales

Foster
Fondness

SIGNS OF THE
TIMES
IN 2020
The Beginning of Sorrows
Joe Irizarry
We might ask ourselves what is going on during these challenging times in which we
live. What is happening? Are we being punished by God? Is it the end of the world? Are
we living in apocalyptic times?
Many biblical end-time prophecies are being observed in our present time. If we open
a newspaper or are informed about current events, we can see it right before our
eyes. We can read about wars or rumors of wars. The Bible foretells the cataclysmic
events; earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, pestilence, plagues, famines, locusts, and
Christian persecution. The hatred of Judeo-Christian values would be prevalent upon
the earth, such as seeing in the present times.
In this book, I will attempt to explain what is happening in the world from a biblical and
prophetic viewpoint and some of the events we should expect next.

KNOWING THAT HE WILL
Experiencing God’s Transforming Power
JANINE HALL
Author Janine Hall encourages readers of Knowing that He Will: Experiencing God’s
Transforming Power to always remember that throughout the challenges of life, God is guiding
and watching. The book, divided into four parts and comprising numerous short entries,
touches on a variety of topics, from depression to taking risks, giving birth, and persisting
through life.
Janine, an MA in special education, created the book as a reflection of her own struggles with
depression. It tackles her own vulnerabilities, and encourages others to find strength in their
own struggles. It was Janine’s faith and trust in Jesus Christ and God that lifted up her spirit,
and the book is a chronicle of her newfound insights on life and how it happened.
Janine’s passion is undeniable and evident in the essays of the book, which reads in the same
manner as a conversation with a good friend or a trusted loved one. Insightful snippets like “It
isn’t what happens to us in life that makes a difference but how we handle it,” gives the reader a
glimpse of the road map Hall took, along with her faith, to lift her life up.
And the way Janine speaks to the reader radiates with positivity, which clearly shows her
experience and passion in wanting to help people. Be inspired by Janine’s experiences, and
in turn see how God’s will can greatly motivate you to motivate yourself with the help of the
higher power.

40 | The Reading Glass Magazine

The Reading Glass Magazine | 41
Children’s books are always full of vigor, with
takeaways that meet the needs of kids and
adults alike. Sergio Diaz creatively crafts Jemmy
and the Little Spider of Hope that is brimming
with bravery and optimism.
In a brief talk with The Reading Glass Magazine,
Sergio Diaz discusses how Jemmy and the Little
Spider of Hope came into being.
The Reading Glass: Jemmy and the Little Spider
of Hope touches the narrative of one of the most
celebrated stories in history—the newborn king.
How did you creatively weave a story out of it?
Sergio: As a child who lived, and often played
in the church across the street, during the
Christmas season, I often found myself admiring
the nativity scene. And I always wondered what
it would have been like to live back then (2000
years ago) but from an 8-year-old boy’s point
of view… Jemmy is that boy, an innocent child
witnessing the struggle and the glory of the
birth of the king of kings.
Your book essentially touches the hearts of
young kids. Can you highlight an underlying
message from your book that meets the eye
of adults?
Jemmy’s message is to use our innocence and
imagination to overcome impossible dilemmas,
and to have faith and to trust that, in the end,
good always triumphs over evil.
Of all the animals that could potentially play the
role of the characters in your story, how and why
did you come up with the ones you have used?
A humble child-mouse in all his fragility is the
perfect example that no matter how small you
are, you can always help the brightest star in
heaven shine. And about the rats… well, rats will
be always rats.
What inspired you to write? Have you always
been inclined to dedicate your stories
to children?
The world is much more adventurous and
exciting through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy…
everything is new and exciting! My stories are a
way for all of us to connect with our own selves,
with our inner child, and also an attempt to
reach out, and be present and connect with our
youngest and newest generations.
Picking the right words when writing may be
more difficult when it is mainly intended for
children. What were the challenges that you
faced when you were writing your book, if
there were any?
Thankfully I had the help of multiple and
professional editors. I tried to consider the
language limitations that an 8-year-old boy
might have while expressing himself in the
middle of an adventure. I chose the words that a
young reader will relate and understand.

MOM...
LET’S TALK
Jeanne Schaeberle
Life has always been one bittersweet ride for a lot of us. In moments of despair, there is a
big room of tendency that we would eventually down in our thoughts without even knowing
it. More often than not, we tend to isolate, not bother anyone with our problems, hide our
weaknesses, and bottle up our emotions. When the broad daylight eventually looks pitch
black, what do we do? Mom…Let’s Talk is a wholesome read to reflect on the power of healing
through writing.
Jeanne Schaeberle writes Mom…Let’s Talk, the fruition of one’s coping mechanism. In
battling the demons that internally terrorize him, author Jeanne’s son transcribe the voices
that echo within his beautiful head. He creatively writes poems and uses it as a sword to slay
pestering monsters that try to rat down his core.
Mom…Let’s Talk is a beautiful memoir by Jeanne, dedicated to young people who struggle
with internal battles. In the same manner, it also serves the interest of family and friends
with loved ones who are also struggling internally. Much like Jeanne’s son, may everyone find
their way into a healthy coping mechanism to slay their internal demons down.

MATTERS OF SOUL
BY RUTH CHERRY, Ph. D.
“A memorable, thoughtful, and engaging book on spirituality and
meditation, author Ruth Cherry, Ph. D., and her book Matters of the
Soul is a must-read. The narrative focuses on giving readers the
power to go within themselves and find the true nature of who they
are, beyond our day-to-day conscious minds. The exercises and
techniques are both detailed and heartfelt, and give readers the tools
they need to go on this spiritual journey for themselves.”
–Anthony Avina, Pacific Book Review
WHERE DOES THE TROMBONE GO?
BY JIM SEAMAN AND VIVIENNE VITALICH
This book is a collection of 335 questions about sex and related topics
written by 4th, 5th and 6th grade students and answered by their
teachers. Some of the questions are thoughtful and mature such
as: “When they have sex, do they ask who is going to start it?” or “Can
a guy have menopause?” Others can be a little “far out” and hilarious
such as: “If someone had a penis and a vagina, could they have sex with
themselves?” or “Can ghosts have sex?”
A must read whether you are having the “birds and the bees” talk
with your children as they enter puberty or if you just want to be
entertained by the thoughtful and curious minds of children.

PARTLY SUNNY, WITH A CHANCE
OF LAUGHTER
BY JIM AND KAREN SEAMAN
Partly Sunny with a Chance of Laughter brings readers inside the
wonderful and vivid minds of Jim and Karen. Aside from its witty
title, it is playful, heartfelt and represents life itself vibrating with
thoughtful rhymes and creative verses about controversial topics,
social issues and everyday challenges.
This is truly a must have book even for those who are not big fans
of poetry.
MY STUDENTS TAUGHT ME
HOW TO TEACH
BY JIM SEAMAN
In My Students Taught Me How to Teach, Jim falls into a pleasant,
nostalgic reverie of his teaching days. Jim writes vividly of his good
old days as a teacher, and his persona of having fun and bringing
smiles into people’s lives shines through his recollections. Some
of his notable and praiseworthy accounts are of the momentous
introduction of the term collateral when students wanted to borrow
pencils, Mr. Seaman would have them give him a shoe to hold until
he got his pencil back, and the unforgettable holiday break where
his students received their homework wrapped in fancy Christmas
packets delivered by a UPS driver.
Insightful, cleverly written, and chock full of fun and laughter, My
Students Taught Me How to Teach would bring tears into your eyes—
both from sheer delight and tender moments of sentimentality.

Scent-Sational
Searches
Find Your Fragrances By Blood
And Personality Parallels
- DEBORAH WORLEY -
With her professional experience in the fragrance industry, Deborah Worley’s pursuit for answers to her
curiosity led to the writing of Scent-sational Searches, a guide to finding the perfect perfume for each
and every one. In this book, Deborah gives an in-depth discussion of her fragrance theory: that the four
blood types and one’s personality play an important role in finding the most suitable bottled scent fit for an
individual.
Scent-sational Searches is a handy reference for perfume shopping, either for you or for gifting. Unlock the
secrets of the world of fragrance and enjoy exploring the perfect scent for you with Scent-sational Searches:
Find Your Fragrance by Blood & Personality Parallels.
For author Deborah Worley, life is made up of questions that ask “why”, and the only way to get answers is to
explore one’s curiosity. Her eagerness to learn led her to formulate a fragrance theory that urged her to write a
book. Scent-Sational Searches is the product of Deborah’s years of research and experience as a top perfume
sales representative.
The author’s professional experience in the fragrance world and a need to know ‘why’ perfumes can be lovely
on some and quite unpleasant on others has led her to write a unique book that explains the mystery! Scent-
Sational Searches is a handy one-of-a-kind shopping guide that explains how to find perfect fragrances for
yourself or to gift others.
Begin your journey by learning about her “Fragranista Theory”. Years of customer surveys and fragrance
application and observation indicated a definite pattern of matches. She concluded that the four basic blood
and personality types actually match to one of the four basic fragrance families. Your own genetics determine
how to unlock the secrets of the fragrance world so that you can better enjoy your searches and new finds!
Just for fun… Scent-Sational Searches also includes a history of the evolution of perfumes, 100 most
asked Questions and Answers, Glossary of Notes and brief bios of the author’s favorite perfumers. Take the
Fragranista journey… you’ll be glad you did!

46 | The Reading Glass Magazine
The Voice
of the Rooster
And the Lessons
It Teaches
Ellen Beth Berman
As we wrap up our day and hit the sack, we
anticipate tomorrow in high hopes. The rooster’s
crow signals the sunrise—an assuring voice that
there is a bright day ahead. Ellen Beth Berman
creatively writes The Voice of the Rooster And the
Lessons It Teaches, a collection of poems beaming
with hope.
In an engaging interview with The Reading Glass,
author Ellen Beth Berman elaborates the realization
of The Voice of the Rooster And the Lessons
It Teaches.
The Reading Glass: The title of your book is very
captivating. How does the Voice of the Rooster
resonate with you?
Ellen: Sometimes, a person needs a bridge to
connect two equally important aspects of life. For
me, this was reflected in the 400 miles between the
place of my birth and my current home.
As my parents aged, I found my heart being torn
by my desire to be available for Mom and Dad and
life at home. They were still living in their beloved
small town home. My husband and children were
in Baltimore, where my husband’s job and our own
community lay. When our oldest married, there were
grandchildren being born nearby, as well. Flights
no longer arrived in the once-active town’s small
airport, now a hundred miles being the closest.
Regardless, it took a car to transport the many
dishes prepared or bought by me to fill my parents’
freezer. It was my hope that when they heated each
dish, they understood the “warmth” of my love, even
when I was not present.
I cried out to G-d for a solution to the conundrum of
loving all concerned and the limitations of my own
aging body. (My parents were blessed to both have
lived into their nineties. Their infirmity started when
I was already well into my fifties.) It would take 6
months after my mom’s death to start to recognize
G-d’s answer.
The Voice of the Rooster represents the “song of my
heart”, an awareness of G-d’s Presence from within.
After the loss of my beloved mom, I discovered
the existence of His “creative spark”, taking
shape through writing poetry. Others may find its
expression in different ways, perhaps through their
talents or excelling in a certain type of knowledge.
For me, even though older, it was a novel experience,
as though G-d was waiting to be found within the
chambers of my own heart.

The Reading Glass Magazine | 47
The Voice of the Rooster And the Lessons It Teaches
is very insightful. What are the driving factors that
made you write this book?
I had attended a religious retreat, looking for solace
after Mom’s death. A young Rabbi conducted one
of the classes. He read a poem from his own book,
but surprised his wife afterwards by reading in her
presence and all the class’s, a poem about her. I had
not met either person before the class. After this
poem, however, I felt both a certain awareness of the
Rabbi’s wife’s special nature, as well as the intimacy
found between them both within the context of their
special relationship.
This teacher then had asked each class member
to write two poems, each in 15 minutes. The first
was to be one about someone who had affected us
personally. The second was supposed to be about
a Biblical personality or event that influenced our
way of addressing life. This “assignment” was the
beginning of my writing.
You have poured your intimate thoughts and
recollections in your book. How did you filter your
reflections upon writing your beautiful poetry?
My challenge was not filtering what I had written.
The flow of words reminded me of the mountain
stream that my neighborhood friends and I pursued
on so many occasions in my youth. Actually, multiple
smaller streams diverged from the major one.
My childhood home was in a valley between two
mountains. I woke up to the sight of a 900 foot
mountain across the country road. A farm also made
its way down the valley in front of that mountain. Our
group of kids was always pursuing the source of the
primary stream, the place where it came out of the
rock. We risked two threats while trying to reach the
mountain, a bull being in one of the farm’s pastures
on any given day and what, we might step into. A
certain fragrance was a testament to the latter.
The 15 minutes for each poem forced me out of
my standard modus operandi. School in my youth
was always about obsessing over making straight
A’s. Students rarely left Virginia to go to college.
There were a variety of good colleges throughout
the state and they were cheaper to attend. My
challenge (and the root of my pressure) was that I
wanted to go to a well-respected women’s school,
near my grandparents’ home in Maryland. Both my
grandparents were very beloved to me, although I
saw them only two or three times a year. The 400
miles into Baltimore was primarily spanned by
a winding Route 11 in the days before interstate
highways and took 10 hours. Thereafter, the
challenge became the number of trucks, racing
to meet deadlines. (Please read “His Bride” and
“Abraham and Sarah” in my book. They were my
first poems.)
In your personal note, you have pondered on the
thought that having one’s relationship with his/
her own soul is life’s most significant focus.
At what point of your life did you reach this
realization, and why?
A juxtaposition of two opposites is most often,
insurmountable. Even the body and the soul may
be perceived as competing factors in our lives.
In the case of other opposites, one or the other
is invariably given priority. I loved my youth in my
rural community. It did not, however, afford me a
good Jewish education. Then, too, in our county’s
Public School System, I was the first student of
my particular religion to attend. The congregation
and other Jews lived in a closely neighboring state.
Mom and Dad, fortunately, loved their Jewish
background and openly kept certain traditions,
including celebrating Jewish holidays. It was always
enjoyable inviting friends of other religions to our
holiday table. I did not seek to change any religious
practice of my school teachers or classmates. I
was always aware, however, that I might have been
the first and only Jew they had met in their lives,
because of the remoteness of our farming/miningbased
community. I wanted Judaism to be perceived
in a meaningful light. This pursuit also made me
very aware of the role that I played, even in my
elementary years-a challenge for one so young.
My solution, like my college goals, was surmounting a
barrier. How could I share my life with friends around
me, yet be true to my religious core, my Jewish soul?
The resolution came, counter-intuitively. Ultimately,
the religious questions often asked by those of other
faiths, stimulated my desire to actively educate
myself in my Jewish religion. The result was a
journey that I, unknowingly, had already begun.
The “rooster” in the title of The Voice of the Rooster
was a symbol. It represented metaphorically, my
childhood home’s being joined with my growing
religious understanding. A particular one of the
traditional morning blessings thanks G-d for a gift,
he selectively gave to the rooster. In this prayer,
G-d recognizes the rooster, amidst all His animal

48 | The Reading Glass Magazine
creation, as having the ability, to distinguish
between day and night. The logo for the merchandise
created for my book succinctly captures the role
of the rooster. It provides a lesson for us, as well.
“ANTICIPATE THE DAWN.”
This early morning’s prayer and my childhood’s
pursuit of the origin of the mountain stream shared
the same motivating stimulus---a search for their
Creative Source. It also answered a question, that
I asked when I confronted the Heavens during my
strenuous 400-mile trips traveling between my
parents’ home and my family home in Baltimore:
“Why did G-d put me at birth into such a remote
country town, if He wanted me to discover the
religious Essence of who I really was?”
In a nutshell, what advice can you give to someone
who is yet to defy the darkness of life?
[I can only speak from my limited perspective. We
all share fears, doubts, and a yearning for G-dly
comfort. My book is really a way of asking heart-felt
questions. It is a dialogue. I can only hope that “what
comes from the heart goes to the heart” and the
words of my poetry, reflect yours. May both of our
questions bring us closer to Him.]
by his young child. The Alm-ghty is also our Father.
(Please read the poem, “Awaiting You”.)
Do not define the efficacy of your relationship with
G-d in human terms. Our lives are circumscribed by
His creating the principle of “time.” Just as G-d alone
can live in a world of (seeming) opposites, He can
resolve the conundrums that they cause in our life.
He is not subject to a timeframe. A specific G-dly
answer may take us years to interpret. Such is not
true for Him. Maybe, like a Father, He is waiting for
the “child” in us to reach a place of greater clarity and
readiness.
The exception to this is that, without any action on
our parts, He sends us the gift of His Blessing. Some
people may call it a miracle. On such occasions,
our task may be one of recognizing in this often
distracting and ego-driven world, G-d’s continually
being present. Our role is each day “to make space
for Him.” (Please see “Why Not Choose an Angel?” and
“Held Prisoner”.)
Cry out to the Source, whether you believe in His
Presence or understand His role in your life, or not. It
is my belief, that if one wholeheartedly asks for Him,
he or she is perceived as would a father approached

The Reading Glass Magazine | 49

50 | The Reading Glass Magazine
A wise man once said to us,
“Never underestimate the power of
your presence.”
Only a few moments of your time
can become someone else’s
treasured gift.
(Thank you, Mom.)
Mom during her childhood
The Power of
Your Presence
Embedded in a day can be timeless moments, if
we but allow our eyes to truly see them as such. It
is at those times, that not only do we perceive the
beauty of the “Artist’s hand” in all creation, but gain a
sense of His Presence within our very selves. Such
moments give our hearts an oasis, a place to return.
They are also an indication that we are not alone.
Reflected is the special relationship written into
the context of our own lives, a “dialogue” with our
Creator. We gain a sense that He provides both the
on-going vitality of life itself, as well as a plan for
all existence. It is a unique clarity or awareness,
that our lives are not limited to the mundane or the
“nature of things”. Hidden from view is something
beyond the obvious, more clearly defining a course
of action, a “road best taken.”
In my newly-released book, The Voice of the Rooster
and the Lessons It Teaches, I share a quote from
one of the special teachers in my life, Rabbi Morris
Kosman. He said these, seemingly, larger-than-life
words: “NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF
YOUR PRESENCE.” Their impact has resonated in my
heart since I first heard them while in college, albeit
spoken, nearly fifty years ago. They were meant as
an indication of my importance (and others’) at his
family’s table. The particular time was for a Sabbath
meal. Were his words merely an indication of the
graciousness of Rabbi Kosman and his special wife,
Carol, both now Of Blessed Memory? It has taken me
years for my perspective to have grown adequately
enough to grasp the quality and breadth of those
words of truth, the Rabbi so succinctly imparted.
A very important example for me of this beautiful
expression is that of my mother’s closeness at an
especially impressionable time in my life, about
four-years-old. The setting was my bedroom, the
last half-hour or so before bedtime. Her presence,
during that brief nightly period of time, became like a
Heavenly gift, sparking my love for poetry, providing

The Reading Glass Magazine | 51
a sacred memory to which to return after her death,
and perhaps most significantly, becoming a longremembered,
hallowed place for the special bond I
formed with Mom, through the course of our shared
lives. Those moments have been transformed into a
reference point for my desired intimacy with G-d---
the most important, I believe, of life’s relationships.
I encourage you to take to heart, when reading my
poem, your own importance, potentially, for others.
It is a blessing to be given such moments with your
own child or grandchild or beloved niece or nephew.
G-d may even choose you to be a special teacher
or mentor for someone else’s young child. In any of
these cases, the opportunity is there for a treasured
connection being formed, simply, by the child having
the proximity of your presence.
they were written, I noticed, that like a diamond,
each reflected its own particular light. Each poem
allowed me to see G-d’s Presence from a different
vantage point.
I have also been blessed with another remarkable
gift–my husband’s extraordinary help and artistic
contributions, necessary in the creation of: The
Voice of the Rooster and the Lessons It Teaches. He
refused to have his name on the cover, but I chose to
include him, along with myself, in the picture I was
asked to provide for our web-site.
There may even be occasions, that by happenstance,
you may say just the right thing called for by the
moment. Your timing is perfect, not merely a
coincidence in G-d’s world. Friends may later
reference the importance of your special words,
such as those I found so memorable of my Rabbi’s,
residing in my heart all those fifty years.
At holiday time this past year, G-d granted me a
special gift. I had the amazing pleasure of reading to
my eight-year-old grandchild. This granddaughter
was named after my Mom, her great-grandmother.
Instead of one of us reading out loud an all-tofamiliar
book, she asked me to read “The Bedtime
Gift” from The Voice of the Rooster and the Lessons
It Teaches. My sweet granddaughter listened with
great interest. She had noticed beforehand, in
the accompanying 1920’s picture, my mom’s being
approximately the same age as she. My grandchild,
proudly, also took note of my name, being on the
book’s cover. Those few moments reading with her
were, for me, a blessed example of the timelessness
and G-dly light possible in one’s own life.
“NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF YOUR
PRESENCE.” Even the last few moments of a child’s
day, may be the portal to a life-long bond. May you,
too, be blessed in such a special manner within the
context of your own life.
I share with you now, that poem read with my
grandchild. It was written in response to Mom’s
death. Not only did I find comfort by returning to
that place deep within my heart, but a creative
spark was ignited. It was as though G-d was waiting
for me there. Eventually, 26 poems emerged. After

v
52 | The Reading Glass Magazine
The Bedtime Gift
Even with her weariness
After a long, exhausting day
She sits on the edge of my bed
Hearing adventures of my hours of play.
She listens very carefully
To the words of but a little child
As though they were just as intriguing
As tales of mystery or of deepest wild.
When I finally finish my exploits
Greatly enhanced for her special ears
We open together a book of poetry
Her antidote for a young mind’s fears.
I memorize the exact language
Mental pictures that have long remained
Not just of the words of the poems
But the shared moments the two of us gained.
We discover what’s been happening
“By the shores of Gitche Gumee”*
Or in a land filled with trees, bearing gumdrops
So captivating and alluring to me.
Mom takes me to her special childhood place
Deep within her now-adult heart
Where time does not make us grow older
And mothers and daughters are never far apart.
We sail together in my little bed
By the light of a watchful moon
Serenaded by a musical cat
Forever secure in my childhood room.
These memories are treasured gifts
Imparted by a kind and knowing G-d
Who never worries about spoiling a child
With but love, eschewing hickory rod.
*Taken from the 1855 poem, “The Song of Hiawatha”
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Copyright © 2021 by Ellen Beth Berman

The Reading Glass Magazine | 53

v
Tawnee Chasny’s Carlton: Down Sized is a chock-full of adventures and mysteries throughout
the character’s journey. After working for over a decade, Carlton finds himself unemployed
due to the company’s downsizing. Carrying retirement plans from the company and his
earned savings, he embarks on a journey north to rediscover and redefine himself. However,
Carlton’s life gets worse from there. Mysterious events start to unravel. He meets fugitives
and loses his memory after narrowly escaping from them. Will Carlton recover his memories?
Donna Chasny, as recalled by her husband, was ambitious, creative, iron-willed, and a
perfectionist. She was a skills instructor at an aerospace company and received training
from the Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, California. However, Donna always liked to
write, paint, read, or draw in her spare time. After retiring from her professional duties,
she took to full writing. She penned two novels under her nom de plume—Tawnee— Carlton:
Down Sized and Ting!: The Silent Warning.

Carlton:
Down Sized
Tawnee Chasny

v
Ting!
The Silent
Warning
Tawnee Chasny

In Ting!: The Silent Warning, Tawnee Chasny tells the story of two different women who
come together in the face of their own emotional turmoil and eventually overcome
adversity with each other. Lilly is an artist from the big city. She’s grown tired of the
bustle of the metropolis and is taking refuge in her grandfather’s cabin in God’s Country.
Joanne, meanwhile, is a widow whose husband has recently passed away. Grieving his
death, she decides to leave everything behind and uproot herself to a small cabin in the
same community as Lilly. The two women meet and become friends. Their interactions
with each other lead from one thing to another. Will this friendship lead to their mutual
demise? Or will it bring forth from within them the strength and willpower to persevere
over a looming threat?
Donna Chasny is a retired teacher and mother of two from Southern California. Upon
retirement, she decided to focus most of her energies into writing stories, under her
nom de plume—Tawnee, that people from within her circle of friends – and even those
from within her locality – can enjoy. Ting!: The Silent Warning is the first of her written
works to be published. Short in form, this novelette barely clocks in at 130 pages.
However, it is densely filled with the drama and suspense one would expect from one of
the most promising contemporary writers today.

Dear happiness,
You have visited me once again.
You did before in fleeting moments and for a longer duration of time than I expected.
I don’t know when you’re going to come and never will have an idea when you’re going to disappear, so I never let
myself cling to you.
Although I have told myself not to look forward to your arrival and not to pay any mind during your stay, it
still disappoints me and inexplicably pains me when you bid goodbye.
I dread your coming because I know your visit is temporary and that when you leave, sadness will arrive.
I am still unsure how to welcome you.
But little by little, I have become more hospitable, haven’t I?
First, I gave you a smile when you visited. I let you enter the foyer and allowed you to look around, pull some
strings, and leave some prints.
You left, and the ache kicked in.
Sadness came.
On the next visit, I pat your shoulder. I gave you access to a room I haven’t shown you before. I let you wander to
take it all in and remember, so the next time you come along, you could bring back some ornaments to decorate
the bare space.
You left, and the ache is still haunting.
Sadness came.
After many visits, I think I have come to terms with our arrangement.
So when you knocked on my door for the nth time, I welcomed you with an embrace and told you that you could
stay how long you want, do whatever you want, paint every wall in whatever color you like, hang some pictures,
write some songs and stories, learn new things, fail at those things, and try again.
But if you decide to leave sooner than intended, I told you that it’s okay, that I will feel sad, but it’s okay now
because I know you’re going to come back.
When you finally leave, I will tell you how grateful I am that you came and that I will yearn for your next visit.
When you go and leave the door open for sadness, I will welcome it, too.
Because when sadness comes, it leaves a lot of things in disarray, but when it does, I find those things I have
always struggled to find.
When sadness comes, sometimes, it just sits there in one corner, not doing anything, not saying anything, but
because of that, I am thankful for giving me the silence I desperately need and the time to reflect, cry, grieve,
and grow—and I needed to do those too.
Right now, every time you leave, sadness and I sit together, waiting for your return.
Sadness made the waiting worth it; sadness made the yearning strong; sadness made me think of all the
things I’m going to do to welcome you when you come back and of the things we’re going to do together during
your stay.
So the next time you come, I’ll cherish every moment. So that when you leave again, I’ll have more to remember,
relive, and share to sadness—and to many others who’ll come to visit.
Always,
Rei

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