The Sands of Erebus

Posted 2006-05-27 12:27:07 by Drew Gardner
News URL: http://www.publishedauthors.net/sands/index.html

This novella is a young, American Aikidoka's search for wisdom and spiritual fulfillment. His sensei has spoken to him in a riddle: "A soul is both clarified and invigorated where two kinds of saltwater meet ten thousand gallons of fresh water." Will Jackson ever make sense of this?

From the chapter entitled Sushi Sympathy:
"Though it lacked a blade, the jo was clearly formidable in its own right. He was walking out the door with it when his roommate, Paco, said, "What's that for? Are you going hiking?"
"No, it's a practice weapon for that martial art I told you about," Jack responded.
"Oh it's for that akita, then?"
"No, it's much to heavy for a dog to fetch, it's for EYE-KEY-DOE."
..."Aikido is the martial art of peace."
"Mira, that's one of the most oxymoronic contradictions I've ever heard. Now, in the least literal sense, take that broomstick and go break a leg at your class. Tell me more about this uhkito someday."

To view the synopsis and a brief biography, and for purchasing guidance, kindly visit http://www.publishedauthors.net/sands/index.html

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Congratulations on your book Drew.

John Riggs wrote: Congratulations on your book Drew.

Thanks John; that means quite a bit to me. Writing and editing was the hard part, as it should be. Working with PublishAmerica to get it in print was smoother than I could've ever imagined. I'm so grateful for them that I wish I could just erase their negative publicity right off the Net.

Drew

Congrats Drew!! We miss you back in Tally.

somebody actually said that to me, last week :"what's it called? akita?"

Since an akita is a Japanese dog, at least the person got the country right! For anyone passing through Tallahassee, check out the FSU Aikido Club and North Florida Aikikai. You might just run into Beau-san, a shining example of the blending of strength and softness in our beloved art.

Drew

Review for 'The Sands of Erebus'
Nathan
Phoenix, Arizona (6/24/2006) I believe that there are special little treats in that given to us in this life; ones that are unnalloyed, that remind us of perhaps our first romantic encounter could be a part of our own spiritual journey. 'The Sands of Erebus', by Drew Gardener elicits that feeling to me. When I first hold the book in my hands I look at the cover with awe: it is a tranquil cover of pink and lavender, that shows the image of a hourglass. Now, many have said that one should not judge a book by its cover - and this is true - but I believe in the holistic approach that everything in a book should be inportant - after all, I will be reminded of the significance of its content: that the days of our life are as sands of time; that the philosophical bitter-sweet reality is that of which the Enigma lyrics ask: 'Why do the good ones go away?' The answer one will find out in this book, is that yes, the good ones often do go away; however we should have the knowledge that, even though the "good ones" sometimes do go away it is meant to be. What I am trying to get at is the fact that this book shows us that everything we do in life will bring us to that point in which a meaning should be bestowed upon us by our higher being, arriving from perhaps, the most banal aspects of one's life> In this book, Jackson Muldoone questions when he will meet the girl of his dreams. On the way to that goal, he begins to ponder life and the deeper aspects of what it has in store for him. What he finds out in the end is a big surprise, a revelation concerning his ulitimate happiness, the self-actualization that we all seek. This is the answer to the enigma.

"The Sands of Erebus" has just made it to the shelf at an independent, though by no means insignificant, store in Coral Gables, FL called Books & Books. The store's website is, you guessed it, BooksandBooks.com. Thanks to all who have contributed to my work. KIAI !!!

Drew

Congratulations.
I will pick up a copy.

This is something that has been irking me for many years, and I've finally thought of posting it here.

I am not sure exactly why I didn't place "Aikido and the Harmony of Nature," by Mitsugi Saotome on my acknowledgments page of this book. For some reason I only included the title within the text. I paraphrased a few times from Saotome's work, and I believe his masterpiece clearly belongs with my other acknowledgments. If there is a second printing of my book, I will remedy the situation.

Drew