Thursday, April 9, 2026

ORIGIN OF MIND: The Conscious Mind and 3-D Images in the Brain

  Mind with Lots of Golden Energy Coming out of it.


ORIGIN OF MIND:

The Conscious Mind and 3-D Images in the Brain


Fully illustrated throughout with challenging 3-D illusions and some of the most extreme examples of the “spooky action” of the brain from bizarre beliefs we still hold true, to ideas of sexual attraction, this book takes us through a new perspective on how words create our very perception of reality, from the point where consciousness and cognition of our mind kick in, to the study of how easily any stimulus, even pain, can be associated with any response, even pleasure. This accounts for the 700 named phobias and the 547 sexual paraphilias identified by Anil Aggrawal.  In a review of old and new evidence, we find explanations for the "spooky action" of the conscious mind and how the mind is deceived by the brain.
This sets the stage for a journey through your own mind. The first ideas embedded in our brain by others, like the language we speak, become the criteria by which we judge all things. All of this is learned through a process so subtle and so unconscious that it is taken for granted. We see this daily in our politics, our religions, our sports, and our personal relationships.
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, scans the internet, picking up relevant facts, images, and ideas, and presents them in an organized form. The brain has its own version of AI that scans our memories, selects relevant information, and presents reality to our conscious mind as reality. From this reality, our conscious mind "sees" what the brain has been “hard-wired” to perceive by our earliest experiences. This applies to language, ideas, religion, politics…
CHAPTER I ORIGIN OF THE BRAIN. Learning does not just give the brain information to use in processing, as a computer; it changes the brain itself so completely that it creates a new reality in the brain. From this reality, our conscious mind "sees" what the brain has been “hard-wired” to perceive by our earliest experiences. This applies to language, ideas, religion, politics…
CHAPTER II PSYCHOLOGY’S THEORY OF RELATIVITY Learning, at its core, goes beyond merely associating two stimuli. It involves forming an impression in the brain of all the visual, auditory, and sensory experiences happening at the same time. Through repeated exposure to the same stimuli, these experiences can create a perception. By connecting multiple perceptions, one can develop a concept (or a learning set, or an algorithm, or a heuristic) into a concept. Perception Can Determine Experience
CHAPTER III Learning happens with no conscious awareness, and we have limited ability to change our brain’s perception.
CHAPTER IV Origin of the Individual We are not born knowing who we are. We are not born knowing who our mother is. We have no clue even what species we are. We have no language to speak. We are the center of our own unique world of experience. Everything relates to us. This gives us the perception of a separate and self-conscious mind.
CHAPTER V THE CONSCIOUS MIND The relatively high speed of the Beta waves of our brain, which scan across the cortex, linked to areas deep inside, combined with our focus of attention, is what makes consciousness possible. Our learned experiences allow the brain to 
anticipate whatever will come next.
CHAPTER VI THE ILLUSION OF THOUGHT, RELATIVITY
: The fact that we can think has created the illusion that we do think.
CHAPTER VII INVISIBLE PERCEPTION Learning is so profoundly important that it changes the biology of your brain.
CHAPTER VIII PERMUTATIONS The Third Variable of Relativity
CHAPTER IX THE CONSCIOUS MIND AND THE PROGRAMMED MIND 



Front and Back Cover of the Book






Wednesday, April 8, 2026

The Pickerings' Last Tango: A Very Different Love Story

 Green book cover with title and picnic basket


The Pickerings' Last Tango:

A Very Different Love Story


The Pickerings' Last Tango Dorothy Pickering, a “feisty” 68-year-old grandmother with a penchant for off-color jokes, reminds her spouse, Guy, of his vow to help her die after her terminal cancer diagnosis threatens their life together. However Guy concludes that he cannot live without her, and makes the decision to die alongside his wife. But Guy is no good at this task and his attempts quickly go awry with hilarious consequences. What starts as a simple and melancholic tale of an elderly couple grappling with end-of-life affairs transforms into a surprisingly action-packed adventure, with wacky turns that emphasize the lengths people will go to to care for each other, as well as the question of just what exactly makes life worth living. Despite its controversial themes, the narrative develops a poignancy that provokes both laughter and tears. The grim realities of aging and grief hit hard without sacrificing the authenticity of the portrayal of the Pickerings’ lifelong love or the comedic gold of their last outing. The Pickering saga is a brilliantly balanced dark comedy that addresses euthanasia with humor and empathy.






Monday, April 6, 2026

TOO AUTHENTIC: 25 Years of Not Fitting In

 Beautiful Woman in Cave Person Costume



This memoir follows 25 years of dancing in spaces that wanted me smaller—and my refusal to shrink.
What's inside:
Chapter 1: Go-Go Dancing - Stories from village discos and city clubs where creativity was treated like rebellion. From the DJ who couldn't handle a woman who initiated, to the boss who wanted decoration instead of artistry, to discovering that "too sexual" really meant "too free."
Chapter 2: Belly Dance - Stories from the world of traditional belly dance, where innovation was viewed as vandalism. Teachers who needed obedience, schools that rejected fusion, and the realization that authentic expression threatens those who police tradition.
Chapter 3: Walked Away - Five turning points, including Slovenia's Got Talent (where the national TV audience humiliated me for having body hair), confronting a teacher who wanted devotion over sovereignty, and the moment I stopped trying to fit into spaces not designed for authentic people.
Plus: An epilogue about what I was doing till now, and the declaration I wrote in 2011 that predicted everything: "I Don't Wanna Fit In."
Each story is told with honesty, just what actually happened when I kept choosing authenticity over acceptance.
This book is for anyone who's been repeatedly rejected and has started to doubt themselves. Because after the third rejection, that voice in your head starts to whisper: "Maybe they're right. Maybe you are too much, not good enough. Maybe you should tone it down. Why can’t you just be normal? Your body should be hidden. Your sexuality is inappropriate." But you know what? Fuck that! Move on with me!
This is what sovereignty looks like in practice: seeing clearly, choosing yourself, and leaving spaces that demand you shrink.
Not perfect. Not healed. Just unapologetically authentic.


Sunday, April 5, 2026

Lessons from the Front: A Rookie War Correspondent in Ukraine and Israel

   Man in a Press Bullet Proof Vest in Tunnel


Lessons from the Front:

A Rookie War Correspondent in Ukraine and Israel


Robert Sherman was a 25-year-old kid who thought he knew everything about the world. One day, Russia invaded Ukraine, and the young journalist who had spent his time covering local politics found himself smack dab in the middle of the world's biggest geopolitical crisis -- fleeing air raids and getting accused by local authorities of being a Russian spy. A year later, he found himself in the Middle East running from rockets and diving into Hamas tunnels in Gaza. There's no textbook that teaches you that. In the end Robert's whole view of the world changed and he quickly realized its the simple things in life that matter most: family, home, community, and time. I'm attaching an excerpt of the book here too


 



Saturday, April 4, 2026

Secretary of the City The Liz White Diaries (2 book series)

 Two Book Cover Showing Secretary Walking





Book One- Secretary of the City Book Two- Secretary Says

Liz White doesn't hate her job, but she doesn't love it either. Liz, a self-described slacker, is happy being a secretary to the Manhattan billionaire Henry Jones and his entitled, self-absorbed wife Leighton Jones. When Leighton once again pushes boundaries, this time flying off with an old flame on his private plane only to have it crash, Liz becomes a party to the coverup. From Henry to the governor's mansion to the NYC media, it's a game of cat and mouse as the lives they once knew begin to crumble around them. For Liz, that could mean unemployment. For Leighton and Henry, the consequences could lead to a lifetime of embarrassments. "Secretary of the City" is an ambitious, fast-paced, light-hearted look at the very rich and the very famous.





Friday, April 3, 2026

THE GHOSTLY LEGENDS SOCIETY: THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST DUTCHMAN'S GOLD

   Four Friends walking towards mountains.


THE GHOSTLY LEGENDS SOCIETY:

THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST DUTCHMAN'S GOLD


Four friends. One legend. A mystery buried deep in the Arizona desert.
When Ava and her friends—Jamie, Leo, and Maya—form the Ghostly Legends Society, they expect a summer of exploring the rugged Superstition Mountains, chasing ghost stories, and unraveling old desert myths. But what begins as a daring adventure soon turns into something far more dangerous.
Guided by an ancient map and whispers of the fabled Lost Dutchman’s Gold, the friends stumble upon secrets hidden in the mountains—secrets guarded by forces older than the desert itself. Every step deeper into the wilderness tests their courage, their friendship, and their ability to separate fact from legend.
From flash floods to shadowy ruins, from riddles carved in stone to encounters with the inexplicable, Ava and her friends must rely on their wits and each other to survive. But some treasures are meant to stay hidden…
The Ghostly Legends Society and The Mystery of the Lost Dutchman’s Gold blends history, myth, and heart-pounding adventure into a tale that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night. Perfect for fans of thrilling mysteries, desert legends, and stories where ordinary kids face extraordinary discoveries.






Book Contest

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Kader's Quest

    Space Cycle with Ryder Flying over large city Graphic Novel Style


Kader's Quest


Middle school student Kader is on the precipice of the turbulent path to adulthood. Join him on this journey of discovery and healing through dazzling art replete with puzzles, hidden images, symbolism, reflection and silence.

Award-winning artist Nadir Balan brings this deeply human story to life with stunning illustrations that invite readers to feel every emotion alongside Kader as he uncovers his past and searches for belonging. Written by psychiatrist Dr. Yener Balan and psychotherapist Duygu Balan, this graphic novel embraces raw vulnerability and authentic experiences, creating a story that feels real, digestible, and powerfully relatable.

Kader's Quest offers behavioral health specialists an invaluable therapeutic tool that resonates with young adults facing similar struggles with family dynamics, anxiety, friendship, bullies, and major life transitions. The carefully crafted narrative allows readers to process their own complex emotions through Kader's journey, helping them feel seen in their experiences. For professionals working with teens who struggle to articulate their feelings, this graphic novel provides a meaningful conversation starter grounded in evidence-based principles, making it a compelling read and a powerful clinical resource.



Click here to get Kader's Quest on Amazon / Kindle 








ORIGIN OF MIND: The Conscious Mind and 3-D Images in the Brain

    ORIGIN OF MIND: The Conscious Mind and 3-D Images in the Brain Fully illustrated throughout with challenging 3-D illusions and some of t...