Faery Tale – One woman’s search for Enchantment in a Modern World

 
A skeptic's search for magic, one faery at a time.

 

In search of something to believe in again, Signe Pike left behind a career in Manhattan to undertake a magical journey-literally. In a sweeping tour through England, Ireland, Scotland, and beyond, she takes readers to dark glens and abandoned forests, ancient sacred sites, and local pubs, seeking those who might still believe in the mysterious beings we've relegated to the dusty corners of our childhood imaginations: faeries. But as Signe attempts to connect with the spirit world, she'll come to view herself and the world around her in a profoundly new way.
Engaging and full of heart, Faery Tale is more than a memoir-it's the story of rekindling that spark of belief that makes even the most skeptical among us feel like a kid again.
  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Perigee Trade; Reprint edition (November 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0399537007
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399537004
Signe Pike worked in book publishing at Random House and Penguin before leaving New York to write the travel memoir FAERY TALE: One Woman's Search for Enchantment in a Modern World. The memoir received glowing reviews from Harper's Bazaar and Women's Adventure Magazine among others, as well as earning a "Best of 2010" nod from Kirkus Reviews. Pike and her memoir were featured on NPR's "To the Best of Our Knowledge" along with Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman, and A.S. Byatt. In February of 2012 she published her first collection of poetry entitled NATIVE WATER. 
Signe currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina with her husband, book and music critic Eric Liebetrau, where she is at work on her next exploration into things unseen. 
To contact Signe, view photos or videos from her travels, or get an updated schedule of events, please visit www.signepike.com



Buy the book from Book Depository (currently best price for Australians), fishpond.com.au,or Amazon

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How do you express what cannot be said?

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This is a beautiful quotation.

But now I'm giving it some deeper thought.

Really? ... "what cannot be said" ... what is it that cannot be said that music can express?

I would love to hear your ideas, because there are some incredibly eloquent writers and speakers whom I admire hugely, and I cannot help wondering what it is that they cannot express that music can...?

And add to that the criterion ... "on which it is impossible to be silent"

Do comment!

Another thought that occurs to me is that we use images as we speak sometimes, and they add a new dimension to our spoken words.

What is the role of music here? Would it add a dimension, or speak for itself?

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The latest from George R.R. Martin

dangerous_women This first volume features an original 35,000 word novella by George R.R. Martin.'The Princess and the Queen' reveals the origins of the civil war in Westeros (before the events in A Game of Thrones), which is known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryen and dragon against dragon. Other authors in this volume of warriors, bad girls and dragonriders include worldwide bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson, Lawrence Block and Nancy Kress. Read more here >>> http://bit.ly/1v2v027









More from George R.R. Martin ...

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"Let's choose today to quench our thirst for the 'good life' we think others lead by acknowledging the good that already exists in our lives. We can then offer the universe the gift of our grateful hearts."

Sarah Ban Breathnach





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Presenting with Power … powerful public speaking tips

I had the pleasure of contributing to this compilation. And I have to say I love the format which makes it so easy for you to pick up tips on speaking... particularly now that I have remembered to click on full screen rather than squinting at it!!

Two Sets of Proud Parents


I received an e-mail with a story worth sharing. Only the names have been changed to preserve privacy.

Doug is the proud and loving father of Emma, a high school junior who takes a leadership class responsible for putting on dances and other student events. All student body officers must take the class, but a number of other kids like Emma who just like to participate are also enrolled. Well, Emma is a little different and she's becoming more aware of those differences. Recently, she began to tell her father through tears, "I don't like having Down's Syndrome."

Doug comforted and encouraged his daughter the best he could, but he admits he always wonders how her classmates really perceive her. Do they just tolerate or patronize her, or do they see the richness of her character and appreciate her sense of humor and the beauty of her heart?

These concerns came into play when he visited Emma at a school event where she was working at a table with the student body president, a handsome kid named Chris. Later, Emma announced that Chris had invited her to the homecoming dance. Doug was doubtful and afraid that she might be embarrassed or hurt if she misunderstood. So he checked with the leadership teacher, who discreetly confirmed it was true. This extraordinary young man asked Emma to accompany him to dinner and the dance.

Doug was moved to tears and confessed he was ashamed he doubted this could happen. 

He wrote of his joy seeing his daughter prepare for one of the greatest days in her life. And he marveled at the kindness and self-confidence of the young man who was able to see and care about the inner Emma.

Doug was rightfully proud of Emma, but how good would you feel to be Chris's parents?


Author: Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org

I love stories like this - real stories from real people - that inspire and remind us of our humanity.  And it's beautiful to be able to share them with you.

So I welcome stories from you too.  Do you have a story to share?

Please send me your story to share.  It's a simple matter of filling in a few boxes with your details and cutting and pasting your story into one of them.  Just go to this page and do it!... http://bit.ly/1xbNT41 
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A multidimensional hero in this multi-layered mystery thriller

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Refuse Generation
By David Palmer

This book is a mystery thriller – on two levels - gripping thriller on the surface, intellectual challenge underneath.

New Zealand garbage collector, Farrari Auva’a, is drawn by a letter uncovered in rubbish, into a mystery full of suspense and intrigue. There are murderers and manipulators, professors and businessmen, and it takes him across the world through plane rides and peaceful countryside, car chases and awe-inspiring historical sites. On the surface.

Underneath, though, is the mystery of personal identity in a time of change. This is highlighted in several of the characters but particularly Ferrari, as they search themselves and their family relationships, their cultural ties, career paths and spirituality.

Author, David Palmer, has used his other interests - in war and history - to tie all of these together with the thriller narrative, and maintain the thread of refuse.

The combination of Stranger in a Strange Land and Hero’s journey works well, though I occasionally felt the need for an easier transition from high drama to contemplation. While I’m sure the details of the ancient codex were vital to the narrative, I have to admit to skipping a few pages in my urge to see what the thrilling outcome would be. It’s as if Palmer invited his readers onto the journey with him and stands beside them as reader and writer. Some of his descriptions are incredibly evocative …”A scalloping of wastewater stain rosettes on the carpet pile failed to conceal a floral design evoking a more gracious age”, for example…but this one went a bit beyond that “They followed a haze-abraded plain chitinous with industrial pullulations.” I must say it got my attention!

This sort of language, though, becomes part of the mysterious undercurrent -which in turn highlights the intuitive problem-solving amid rationality in the upper level of mystery.

I just hope there is a sequel where we see more of the mystery that is the multidimensional Ferrari, and of the beautiful culture and countryside that is his New Zealand.

Bronwyn Ritchie
Your Story Matters at PivotalBookClub.com

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“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” 

–John D. Rockefeller




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Ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living from Brene Brown

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I love Brene Brown - her presentation style, her meticulous research, and her constant reassurance.

I featured this, her book, as the Pivotal Thought for the Day >>>> here

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For when you really have to get your point across…

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Thank You for Arguing is your master class in the art of persuasion, taught by professors ranging from Bart Simpson to Winston Churchill.

The time-tested secrets this book discloses include Cicero’s three-step strategy for moving an audience to action—as well as Honest Abe’s Shameless Trick of lowering an audience’s expectations by pretending to be unpolished. But it’s also replete with contemporary techniques such as politicians’ use of “code” language to appeal to specific groups and an eye-opening assortment of popular-culture dodges—including The Yoda Technique, The Belushi Paradigm, and The Eddie Haskell Ploy.

Whether you’re an inveterate lover of language books or just want to win a lot more anger-free arguments on the page, at the podium, or over a beer, Thank You for Arguing is for you. Written by one of today’s most popular language mavens, it’s warm, witty, erudite, and truly enlightening. It not only teaches you how to recognize a paralipsis and a chiasmus when you hear them, but also how to wield such handy and persuasive weapons the next time you really, really want to get your own way.

JAY HEINRICHS spent 25 years as a journalist and publishing executive before becoming a fulltime advocate for the lost art of rhetoric. Since then he's taught persuasion to Fortune 500 companies, Ivy League universities, NASA, and the Pentagon. He is also the author of "Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines that Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever."

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