sailing

Five star treatment for The Voyage of the Kresala

It’s good to see the first five star reviews of The Voyage of the Kresala appearing on the Amazon page. See:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00TXWJSE0

“A hero’s journey in a classic sense …,” says one reviewer. “… a joy for both children and adults alike.”

I’m really glad that the importance of the hero’s journey has shone through for this reviewer.  In the book, Gentil truly has to travel into the unknown and face new dimensions within himself as well as in the world around, and therein lies the heroic journey.

For the same reason I wanted to include the “voyage” in the book title, and again the same reviewer notes that the boat herself “is at the centre of a mythic quest” in which all on board participate. All are in flight, but at the same time in search of a kind of redemption. Itxaso’s mission binds them all on the physical journey, but for each one an inner quest mirrors the outer.

The quest gives meaning to life. I am reminded here of Viktor Frankl’s renowned work in Vienna with suicidally inclined youngsters, where his therapy consisted in helping them to find a meaning and purpose for their life. We know that suicide is alarmingly common in young people in our own time, in the US being the second leading cause of death in youngsters from age 15-24.

It should be said here that my “seven songs” are all meant as songs of life and meaningfulness.This is the connection that all of King Abba’s children have to make with reality, each in their own way.

Thanks to those who have taken the time and trouble to write their comments. This post also appeared in http://www.cjminwords.blogspot.com

CJM  April 2015

Prince Gentil’s story: the school of life

The cycle of The Seven Songs moves on to telling Gentil’s story in this new title in the series, The Voyage of the Kresala. On escaping from the destruction of the royal palace (see King Abba), he and his friend Alick had an urge to travel and find adventure, and, my goodness, they certainly encounter it on this epic journey sailing across the Northern Ocean to the distant Winter Isles.

Gentil is the younger brother of Fion, and a very different character. As he himself confesses, he never learned much in class, and was bored in lessons most of the time. But his real learning centre is to be the school of life, and in this adventure story, from the very first page of the book, he is pitched headlong into what you could literally call “hands-on” learning, as the yacht Kresala is hit by an almighty storm.

This scene has a special significance for me, as it describes almost exactly what happened to me on a sailing trip across the Atlantic. I was the one wrestling with the helm as the others tried to restore order in a tangle of spars and breakage. it was an unforgettable experience and I hope I have captured the event when it happens to Gentil, too.

From this point, Gentil doesn’t look back, and is very soon involved in another way with the mysterious “cargo” that Nestor, the skipper, has brought aboard quietly one night. Who is Itxaso and what is the secret mission that takes them all nearer and nearer to danger?

Gentil’s journey across the ocean will change him for life.  Join him on his great voyage of discovery.

CJM February 2015