Loving family publishing gets down to business
LFP is going to look into publishing it’s stories, whilst research and writing is taking place for a first novel.
Our intention is to become an important name in digital publishing. We find that Amazon selling the kindle versions at same price as printed ones is not the right path to go.
We also don’t encourage the free for all downloadable PDFs – it encourages digital hoarding and, ultimately, devaluation and lack of reading.
Almost 20 years ago I was stating that the fall of my country will come from lack of knowledge and lack of … Care: compassion. I was right – but to a much larger scale than a country.
This enterprise is going to be that grain of sand moving towards a healing. Books and apps for babies and children, books and apps for new mothers and fathers, games and apps for teens.
Wish us luck!
I will be tweeting and blogging reviews and build the house’s business plan as it goes along, starting first and foremost with setting goals.
Wee girl illustration
The Adventures of Abbey the Tabby
Abbey and the Hoglet
Abbey was sleeping on her favorite cushion on the window ledge when she was suddenly awakened by the barking of the dog next door. She looked out of the window to see what the silly dog was barking at and could see his big black nose poking through the fence.
He was barking at the big bush in the middle of the garden and something seemed to be moving under it. Abbey decided to go outside and see what the dog was making all the noise about.
She jumped off the window ledge landing on her mum who was asleep in the big arm chair. Her mother woke up startled and asked, where do you think you are going. I am just going outside to see what the noisy dog is barking at replied Abbey.
Alright said her mother, but don’t be long as the sun is going down and little cats shouldn’t be out alone in the dark. I will be careful muttered Abbey as she disappeared through the cat flap in the back door and into the garden.
As she wandered down the path she heard the man next door calling the dog, then a door slam and all went quite except a rustling sound.Abbey could see the the bush in the middle of the garden was moving slightly. Who’s there asked abbey in a low voice, but nobody replied. So she crept down the path and jumped over the bush. Ouch! cried Abbey as she landed on a ball of spikes.
Oops, I am sorry about that said a voice softly, I thought you were that horrible big dog that’s been barking at me through the fence. Abbey turned round while rubbing her prickled paws to see the ball of spikes open up and four legs appear, then a small head pop out.
Then after a couple of attempts the ball of spikes rolled over onto it’s feet and moved towards Abbey. Who quickly backed away from it with a hiss. You don’t have to be afraid of me, said the ball of spikes. We hedgehogs curl into a ball so our spikes protect us from bigger animals.
That’s a good idea thought Abbey, if she had nice sharp spikes like that she would be scared of that dog next door either. I have never met an hedgehog before as my mum doesn’t let me go out of the garden. It is very nice to meet you Mr hedgehog, my name is Abbey and I am a kitten.
Well it’s very nice to meet you Abbey the kitten, this is a very nice garden you have said the hedgehog. My name is Ollie and I am an Hoglet. Thank you replied Abbey, but I thought you said you were a hedgehog.
Just like you young cats are called kittens , young hedgehogs like me are called hoglets explained Ollie. Oh I see said Abbey. You are very clever for a hoglet. How come I have never seen you in our garden before then Ollie.
You were probably asleep in the house as we
Chilling with God
Every evening I like to meditate. My iPod provides sounds of storm. I. See myself in a room. And I just spend some time with God. Chilling
She met her dream and danced with it
She felt falling. Through the rotten fabric of the old garden chair and inside herself in a sudden rain of swirly, pearly molecules.
At times she would have herself hugged by the good mummy she was. She would go inside and cuddle the little scared girl hiding behind the tall wall of bravade.
Her body swiveld on top of duvet: it felt like made of long twisted snakes of wet, twisted sheets. Between insomnia and surrendering to sleep the new word was bracing her: stavolta
Poppa and Luca in the garden
Poppa and Luca in the garden
Poppa is a cat. Black
Old but not so wise
She likes to go out in the garden with her friend Luca.
He’s a little boy.
He walks from flower to flower and says “Hello, flower!”
Poppa hides behind a Rose bush.
You silly cat, I can see your tail says Luca and grabs it
Poppa giggles – that is, she is having tiny cheeky sparkles in her eyes- and jumps on the fence
“you cannot climb here!”
And walks on it like a circus acrobat on tight rope.
Luca is having a friendly chat with the Rose :
“can you believe that cat? She thought she could hide behind You!”
Gossiping with God
Laying down on the floor, after deep cleaning, by my son’s side, watching with pride how he’s shuffling his way towards something that is probably in some way, harmful, but, no doubt, more interesting than his toys- in this case a big, mingy broom. Encouraging him in his exploration, then slyly removing the fascinating object with a smile and a less harmful replacement.
“you’re doing a good job”[big smile]
Now, having this praise from someone as important and busy as God is something!
[giggles]
Fetita care se temea de umbra ei
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A fost o fetita care traia cu bunicii pentru ca parintii erau prea ocupati mereu cu cate ceva. Nu prea intelegea ea bine ce inseamna “parinti”, dar stia ca exista …
Traia intr-o casa mica, casuta bunicilor… Era verde, pe varful unui deal si avea flori violet si portocalii la ferestre.
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Fetita nu se temea de nimic. Era un copil, dar parca intelegea lucrurile ca si cum le-ar fi stiut dintotdeauna. Alerga dupa fluturi, ii placea si intunericul – atunci putea fi ea insasi, dar timpul trecea si oamenii mari din jurul ei ii spuneau mereu – nu te du noaptea in spatele casei!
Ar trebui sa iti fie frica!
Nu fa asta- sa-ti fie frica!
Nu fa aialalta – sa-ti fie frica!
Fetita nu intelegea.
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Dar se pare ca a-ti fi frica este lucrul corect pe care trebuie sa-l faci.
Intr-o zi a incercat sa sara coarda si a cazut. A incercat din nou si iarasi a cazut. Zi dupa zi a incercat si de fiecare data se impiedica si s-a rusinat si a inceput sa-i fie frica sa iasa sa se joace cu copiii, pentru ca nu reusea sa joace jocurile de copii, iar oamenii mari ii tot spuneau: sa-ti fie frica, sa-ti fie frica!
A ramas in casa, uitandu-se la jucarii, dar fara sa se joace cu ele. Doar se uita la ele si invata cum sa-i fie frica, astfel incat in prima zi de scoala ajunse sa-i fie frica de propia umbra care o urmarea.
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Fetita alerga si alerga, dar nu conta cat de tare ar fi alergat sau cat de sus ar fi sarit; orice ar fi facut sa se indeparteze, umbra tot o urmarea. Se ducea acasa in fiecare seara prea inspaimantata si rusinata incat sa spuna bunicilor.
Noaptea, in intuneric, umbra disparea, iar ea se strecura in casuta de pe deal ca sa fie cu ea insasi… pana cand, intr-o seara, a zarit o luminita la o fereastra.
Fetita a pasit temator, intrebandu-se:
“- Oare de ce-o fi lumina?”
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Si atunci: BUM!
S-a uitat speriata in jur … Umbra era acolo!
Ingrozita, a incercat sa scape, dar usa se tranti in urma ei.
Grozav de inspaimantata, ea se intoarse spre umbra si-o lua la rost:
“De ce incerci sa ma sperii si ma urmaresti?”
Nici un raspuns.
Din nou puse intrebarea.
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Nici un raspuns.
Fetita inainta catre luminita din camera…umbra se facu mai mare si mai mare…
Panicata, se ascunse in dulap sperand si rugandu-se ca umbra sa plece…
Dar de fiecare data cand iesea, umbra era acolo.
Timpul trecea si fetita realiza ca bunicii se vor ingrijora, as aca se hotari sa iasa din dulap.
Luandu-si inima intre dinti isi intreba umbra:
“- Ce ti-am facut eu tie?” …si ridica o mana
Umbra facu la fel. Le ridica pe amandoua. Si umbra facu la fel. Atunci fetita se gandi ca poate umbrei ii este frica de ea! Dimpotriva, umbra ii sopti calm si cu caldura:
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“- Nu-mi place intunericul, imi place lumina!”
“- De ce nu-ti place intunericul?”
Umbra raspunse:
“- Pe intuneric nu am pe nimeni sa ma joc!”
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Atunci amandoua intelesera ca aveau ceva in comun: nu aveau pe nimeni cu care sa se joace. Umbra sopti din nou: “- Ma voi juca ziua, la scoala, cu tine, daca te vei juca seara cu mine aici, sus, pe deal.
Si asa, cele doua devenira de nedespartit tot restul vietii!
Christina D’Oro Hooley
the man who loved the sea
Once upon a time there was a man who dreamt that he will drown one day. But he loved the sea so much. He loved her so much that he left her, he walked the walks of life going further and further from her. He even learnt to feel at home every place he lived. He knew that the sea will drown him. He dreamt that, and everybody knows that dreams are true. At times he missed her silence, her curves, her tempests, her loneliness and her peace. The sea is a demanding woman, who takes a man’s heart for ever. Our man was honest and true and proud – a strong man.
Days go one after another and he kept being true to himself, the very one who felt in love with the sea. But those around him didn’t quite get his ways. Nothing was wrong, he always found a way to manage his way. And he was safe, He will not drown, as the sea is so far away and could not take in her deadly embrace. He worked, and he was such fun being around him. One could find him amongst friends, laughing and joking, at the pub .. he worked, he had fun, he loved, he enquired the books and spiritual people of questions he had. And was alive and not drowning.
The waters of questions raised and illusions surrounded him. He was up and down so many times. But he was honest, true and proud – and people searched his light and inspiration. So he found a way to swim into the sea of questions and illusions.[to be continued]
Christina D’Oro Hooley
Purple Orca Publishing 