Launch Day is finally here! My new book, The Sorcerer Queen, comes out today! In many ways, as many writers will attest, writing and publishing a book is somewhat akin to having a baby. It begins with a gleam in the eye, there is a long gestation

period in which the baby grows and takes shape, and then come the birth pangs until, finally, you are holding your newborn in your arms. And then, of course, you want everyone to meet this little bundle of joy. So it has been with each of my books, and this one is no different.
I do hope my readers will enjoy meeting the “players” who populate this story, which is framed as a play and told in a lyrical, fast-paced rhythm of rhyming quatrains. There is the aging King Sagan, trying to undo the curse of Caravaille, which brings bloodshed every time a king dies. There are his three young nephews, each a potential heir. There is a mysterious goldspun weaver, whose whereabouts no one can uncover. And there is an ancient adversary hidden deep in a cave, whom the king must eventually face if he is to save his people. This is a young adult fantasy, but like many fairytales, has layers that go deeper than the whimsy, magic and adventure of the story. For it is also an allegory for all ages that speaks to the journey of the soul and the hidden dark tunnels we must traverse if we are to accomplish the spiritual tasks of our lives.
It also speaks symbolically of the power of the feminine. For while a king rules the land, and he will name one of his nephews as heir, it is in fact a woman who controls everything. And though the king thinks he—or his heir—will solve the riddle of the curse, it is the power of the female that will bring everything full circle. I did not consciously put any of this into the story, but discovered it, as I hope my readers will, upon reading the whole once it was finished. In a sense the story asks the question: does the masculine, outer power base represent the ego mind through which most of us live our lives and see the world, while the inner feminine energy represents the soul and the true paths we must take if we are to grow and make ourselves whole, whether we are aware or not?
I think of The Sorcerer Queen as a medieval verse tapestry, and I do hope you will all enjoy the magic, mystery and perhaps touch of the mystical that is woven through it!

period in which the baby grows and takes shape, and then come the birth pangs until, finally, you are holding your newborn in your arms. And then, of course, you want everyone to meet this little bundle of joy. So it has been with each of my books, and this one is no different.
I do hope my readers will enjoy meeting the “players” who populate this story, which is framed as a play and told in a lyrical, fast-paced rhythm of rhyming quatrains. There is the aging King Sagan, trying to undo the curse of Caravaille, which brings bloodshed every time a king dies. There are his three young nephews, each a potential heir. There is a mysterious goldspun weaver, whose whereabouts no one can uncover. And there is an ancient adversary hidden deep in a cave, whom the king must eventually face if he is to save his people. This is a young adult fantasy, but like many fairytales, has layers that go deeper than the whimsy, magic and adventure of the story. For it is also an allegory for all ages that speaks to the journey of the soul and the hidden dark tunnels we must traverse if we are to accomplish the spiritual tasks of our lives.
It also speaks symbolically of the power of the feminine. For while a king rules the land, and he will name one of his nephews as heir, it is in fact a woman who controls everything. And though the king thinks he—or his heir—will solve the riddle of the curse, it is the power of the female that will bring everything full circle. I did not consciously put any of this into the story, but discovered it, as I hope my readers will, upon reading the whole once it was finished. In a sense the story asks the question: does the masculine, outer power base represent the ego mind through which most of us live our lives and see the world, while the inner feminine energy represents the soul and the true paths we must take if we are to grow and make ourselves whole, whether we are aware or not?
I think of The Sorcerer Queen as a medieval verse tapestry, and I do hope you will all enjoy the magic, mystery and perhaps touch of the mystical that is woven through it!

shop now

projects later, took it out recently to revise, polish and illustrate it.

People always ask writers about their process and where their book ideas come from. Mine often come to me as whispers from people in distant times and places, or else as wisps of poetry or bits of dialogue that float into my consciousness. I will listen, write it all down and wait for more to come. At some point I will realize a new story, a new book, is coming through. I do not really feel that I invent these stories, but I welcome them as gifts and try to do right by the characters and bring their tales to fruition.

The Sorcerer Queen is one of those stories that began with snippets of poetry. I was on my early morning walk one day when the first lines came to me:

“In the land of blue and silver moons
And jasmine scented air,
A just and aging sovereign ruled—
King Sagan, called ‘The Fair.’ “

The words had a haunting quality to them, and I realized that the king himself was haunted, deeply troubled by a curse that boded ill for his kingdom. Not long after that, again on my morning walk, the curse itself came to me in its entirety of eight rhyming quatrains. I rushed home to capture every word and sat back and looked at it. I had not invented this, but now it was my job to decipher it and write the full story. And I realized that the curse not only contained the key to its own reversal, but provided a template for the entire book.

“My curse be on this murdering band
For threescore years and more,
That every time the crown must pass,
The nobles go to war.”

So begins the curse, and so my work began. Who cursed the kingdom, and why? What must the king do to end the curse? Who is thwarting him every time he tries to name one of his three nephews as his heir? Who is the one true heir? Where is the mysterious goldspun weaver, and who is The Sorcerer Queen?

The story began as lines of poetry and became a magical, whimsical young adult fantasy, a tale I had to tell. And that’s what I was doing, telling a story. But as it unfolded, layers of meaning revealed themselves to me, spiritual questions and lessons that I had not consciously inserted but that I realized were underneath it all: What must we do to make amends for old wrongs? How do we make things right and bring everything full circle? What dark nights of the soul must we go through before we come into the light? The answers to these questions came as the story did, line by line, over many months. And so I do believe that this story is not only for young adults, but is a spiritual allegory for all ages.

Look for the book coming August 28! I hope my young readers will have as much fun with the magic and mystery of The Sorcerer Queen as I had in the writing of it, and that it will bring delight, and perhaps a bit of inspiration, to readers of all ages.

projects later, took it out recently to revise, polish and illustrate it.

People always ask writers about their process and where their book ideas come from. Mine often come to me as whispers from people in distant times and places, or else as wisps of poetry or bits of dialogue that float into my consciousness. I will listen, write it all down and wait for more to come. At some point I will realize a new story, a new book, is coming through. I do not really feel that I invent these stories, but I welcome them as gifts and try to do right by the characters and bring their tales to fruition.

The Sorcerer Queen is one of those stories that began with snippets of poetry. I was on my early morning walk one day when the first lines came to me:

“In the land of blue and silver moons
And jasmine scented air,
A just and aging sovereign ruled—
King Sagan, called ‘The Fair.’ “

The words had a haunting quality to them, and I realized that the king himself was haunted, deeply troubled by a curse that boded ill for his kingdom. Not long after that, again on my morning walk, the curse itself came to me in its entirety of eight rhyming quatrains. I rushed home to capture every word and sat back and looked at it. I had not invented this, but now it was my job to decipher it and write the full story. And I realized that the curse not only contained the key to its own reversal, but provided a template for the entire book.

“My curse be on this murdering band
For threescore years and more,
That every time the crown must pass,
The nobles go to war.”

So begins the curse, and so my work began. Who cursed the kingdom, and why? What must the king do to end the curse? Who is thwarting him every time he tries to name one of his three nephews as his heir? Who is the one true heir? Where is the mysterious goldspun weaver, and who is The Sorcerer Queen?

The story began as lines of poetry and became a magical, whimsical young adult fantasy, a tale I had to tell. And that’s what I was doing, telling a story. But as it unfolded, layers of meaning revealed themselves to me, spiritual questions and lessons that I had not consciously inserted but that I realized were underneath it all: What must we do to make amends for old wrongs? How do we make things right and bring everything full circle? What dark nights of the soul must we go through before we come into the light? The answers to these questions came as the story did, line by line, over many months. And so I do believe that this story is not only for young adults, but is a spiritual allegory for all ages.

Look for the book coming August 28! I hope my young readers will have as much fun with the magic and mystery of The Sorcerer Queen as I had in the writing of it, and that it will bring delight, and perhaps a bit of inspiration, to readers of all ages.

I am utterly delighted to share that I received the advance copies of my new book, The Sorcerer Queen, scheduled for release on August 28th. It is such a thrill for me to hold that first copy of a new book in my hand.

Even though I have written the book, revised, revised and copy-edited till I know it almost by heart; even though I’ve done the artwork and worked countless hours with my art director on the layout; even though I’ve seen the galley proofs plus what’s called a cover dye-strike in advance—even though all of the above, to have that first copy hot off the press at last is always a sublimely joyful experience! And it’s an experience that actually gets more, not less, exciting every time I bring out a new book.
Perhaps that’s because each book begins as an ephemeral idea, like the proverbial gleam in the eye, or perhaps a whisper from a character from a time or place I never imagined, or a line or two that I find I’ve written without any conscious intention. And then as the days pass, the wispy, dream-like thoughts become more insistent, more coherent, and I realize there’s a story waiting to be told, and a book waiting to materialize. And when it finally does, it really is a dream come true.
So I held The Sorcerer Queen in my hands and looked over every page and laughed and cried at the same time. And then I did what I always do with the first copy of each new book: I set it on a tiny easel on an antique table framed by a gold-leaf mirror and two brass lamps with green hanging crystals and cherubs on the base. And suddenly I realized there were four books on the table and it was actually getting crowded!

And then it hit me—this is my fourth book in four years! I honestly did not realize that I’d been working that fast. But I love what I do and my work completely energizes me, so I keep going. And yes, I’m halfway through Book#5, but more about that later.
The Sorcerer Queen is one of several books that I have planned that I call medieval tapestries of verse. It’s a whimsical young adult fantasy about a kingdom cursed for nearly a century, the king who tries to undo the curse, and his mysterious, hidden adversary. I think the layout and artwork reflect the playful nature of the story, but it also has its serious side, since it can be read as a spiritual allegory about our necessary journeys through darkness into light. Stay tuned for more as the launch gets closer!

Even though I have written the book, revised, revised and copy-edited till I know it almost by heart; even though I’ve done the artwork and worked countless hours with my art director on the layout; even though I’ve seen the galley proofs plus what’s called a cover dye-strike in advance—even though all of the above, to have that first copy hot off the press at last is always a sublimely joyful experience! And it’s an experience that actually gets more, not less, exciting every time I bring out a new book.
Perhaps that’s because each book begins as an ephemeral idea, like the proverbial gleam in the eye, or perhaps a whisper from a character from a time or place I never imagined, or a line or two that I find I’ve written without any conscious intention. And then as the days pass, the wispy, dream-like thoughts become more insistent, more coherent, and I realize there’s a story waiting to be told, and a book waiting to materialize. And when it finally does, it really is a dream come true.
So I held The Sorcerer Queen in my hands and looked over every page and laughed and cried at the same time. And then I did what I always do with the first copy of each new book: I set it on a tiny easel on an antique table framed by a gold-leaf mirror and two brass lamps with green hanging crystals and cherubs on the base. And suddenly I realized there were four books on the table and it was actually getting crowded!

And then it hit me—this is my fourth book in four years! I honestly did not realize that I’d been working that fast. But I love what I do and my work completely energizes me, so I keep going. And yes, I’m halfway through Book#5, but more about that later.
The Sorcerer Queen is one of several books that I have planned that I call medieval tapestries of verse. It’s a whimsical young adult fantasy about a kingdom cursed for nearly a century, the king who tries to undo the curse, and his mysterious, hidden adversary. I think the layout and artwork reflect the playful nature of the story, but it also has its serious side, since it can be read as a spiritual allegory about our necessary journeys through darkness into light. Stay tuned for more as the launch gets closer!

A refreshing blend of classic narrative poetry and modern style and creativity, Xianna Michaels's The Sorcerer Queen is a versatile gem.

The lilting tale of a kingdom haunted by an ancient curse, Xianna Michaels's The Sorcerer Queen is a captivating volume of narrative poetry, recounted in the spirit of traveling minstrels and wandering troubadours singing legends of old.
The aging King of Caravaille is determined to name an heir from among his three nephews in hopes of sparing his subjects from the curse of Oriana, long the cause of chaos and bloodshed surrounding each succession. With the aid of his trusted adviser, Lord Shin, he realizes that he will need to seek out the mysterious Sorcerer Queen and elusive Goldspun Weaver to unravel the secrets of the tragic prophecy and ensure peace for Caravaille.
The stage is set with five acts and multiple scenes, creating ambience with descriptions ranging from moonlit gardens to the king's privy chambers and royal throne room. A cast of players is listed prior to the entrance of "The Bard," very much akin to a theatrical production.
The entire epyllion is done in creatively positioned and oriented quatrains, with each double-page spread functioning to form visually fluid shapes, patterns, and designs. Pen-and-ink drawings by Michaels are scattered throughout, adding a touch of whimsical detail with depictions of crowns, knights, and courtyards.
The curse itself doubles as a riddle with clues for its reversal. King Sagan ruminates extensively with his royal advisor, Lord Shin; they humorously attempt to decipher the imagery and proclamations. Complete in eight stanzas, the curse is periodically quoted in a chorus-like manner--though Sagan, much to Shin's consternation, often passes out before the recitation has been completed:
Shin slowly closed the ancient book,
So moved that he could weep,
But when he turned to look at Sagan
The king was fast asleep!
Individual stanzas utilize alternating rhymes and maintain an upbeat, rolling cadence that builds suspense and urgency while retaining a sense of fun and excitement. There is a smooth, lyrical rhythm to the quatrains; each functions either as a complete thought or is linked to others with natural pauses. This rhythm is occasionally interrupted by midline breaks.
Sagan is a well-meaning ruler, but he is quick to make up his mind and slow to change it; he is unintentionally comical, if sincere, in his efforts. His nephews are likewise pleasantly agreeable; it is not immediately clear which will break the curse or why the Sorcerer Queen is determined that it must be one over another. As the story is consistently fast paced throughout, answers and resolutions are quickly realized.
A refreshing blend of classic narrative poetry and modern style and creativity, Xianna Michaels's The Sorcerer Queen is a versatile gem--perfect for reciting, reading in tandem, performing with a group, or simply enjoying as a fantasy adventure.
Read the full review here at Foreword Reviews.

The lilting tale of a kingdom haunted by an ancient curse, Xianna Michaels's The Sorcerer Queen is a captivating volume of narrative poetry, recounted in the spirit of traveling minstrels and wandering troubadours singing legends of old.
The aging King of Caravaille is determined to name an heir from among his three nephews in hopes of sparing his subjects from the curse of Oriana, long the cause of chaos and bloodshed surrounding each succession. With the aid of his trusted adviser, Lord Shin, he realizes that he will need to seek out the mysterious Sorcerer Queen and elusive Goldspun Weaver to unravel the secrets of the tragic prophecy and ensure peace for Caravaille.
The stage is set with five acts and multiple scenes, creating ambience with descriptions ranging from moonlit gardens to the king's privy chambers and royal throne room. A cast of players is listed prior to the entrance of "The Bard," very much akin to a theatrical production.
The entire epyllion is done in creatively positioned and oriented quatrains, with each double-page spread functioning to form visually fluid shapes, patterns, and designs. Pen-and-ink drawings by Michaels are scattered throughout, adding a touch of whimsical detail with depictions of crowns, knights, and courtyards.
The curse itself doubles as a riddle with clues for its reversal. King Sagan ruminates extensively with his royal advisor, Lord Shin; they humorously attempt to decipher the imagery and proclamations. Complete in eight stanzas, the curse is periodically quoted in a chorus-like manner--though Sagan, much to Shin's consternation, often passes out before the recitation has been completed:
Shin slowly closed the ancient book,
So moved that he could weep,
But when he turned to look at Sagan
The king was fast asleep!
Individual stanzas utilize alternating rhymes and maintain an upbeat, rolling cadence that builds suspense and urgency while retaining a sense of fun and excitement. There is a smooth, lyrical rhythm to the quatrains; each functions either as a complete thought or is linked to others with natural pauses. This rhythm is occasionally interrupted by midline breaks.
Sagan is a well-meaning ruler, but he is quick to make up his mind and slow to change it; he is unintentionally comical, if sincere, in his efforts. His nephews are likewise pleasantly agreeable; it is not immediately clear which will break the curse or why the Sorcerer Queen is determined that it must be one over another. As the story is consistently fast paced throughout, answers and resolutions are quickly realized.
A refreshing blend of classic narrative poetry and modern style and creativity, Xianna Michaels's The Sorcerer Queen is a versatile gem--perfect for reciting, reading in tandem, performing with a group, or simply enjoying as a fantasy adventure.
Read the full review here at Foreword Reviews.

New things grow and blossom in the spring, so what more fitting time than this to share my latest news! My new book, The Sorcerer Queen, has just gone off to the printer and is scheduled for release on August 28, 2018.

The Sorcerer Queen is a magical, medieval verse fairy tale about a kingdom cursed for nearly a century for an ancient crime. Now its aging king is determined to undo the curse before he dies, but every time he tries, great harm comes. For wrongs must be righted and lessons learned, and the king must face a mysterious, hidden adversary, known as "The Sorcerer Queen."
A young adult fantasy with the feel of a play, The Sorcerer Queen is also a spiritual allegory for all ages, a tale of waking up and making amends, of redemption and the power of love. It’s a story many years in the making, one of several that I’m working on that I call medieval tapestries of verse. I’ve illustrated it with pen and ink drawings and I am so excited to finally share it with everyone! Find out more in the coming months!
I’m also so happy to share other great news. The Alchemy of Illuminated Poetry®, which came out in June, 2017, has been selected as a Foreword-Indies Book of the Year award finalist in the Mind-Body-Spirit category! This is my only non-fiction book to-date, about the intuitive poetry process which I developed and teach. I begin all my days writing a poem as part of this process, before I go on to my latest book.

And what’s next? Perhaps a collection of long-lost Renaissance love poems? Stay tuned!
Very best wishes,
Xianna Michaels

The Sorcerer Queen is a magical, medieval verse fairy tale about a kingdom cursed for nearly a century for an ancient crime. Now its aging king is determined to undo the curse before he dies, but every time he tries, great harm comes. For wrongs must be righted and lessons learned, and the king must face a mysterious, hidden adversary, known as "The Sorcerer Queen."
A young adult fantasy with the feel of a play, The Sorcerer Queen is also a spiritual allegory for all ages, a tale of waking up and making amends, of redemption and the power of love. It’s a story many years in the making, one of several that I’m working on that I call medieval tapestries of verse. I’ve illustrated it with pen and ink drawings and I am so excited to finally share it with everyone! Find out more in the coming months!
I’m also so happy to share other great news. The Alchemy of Illuminated Poetry®, which came out in June, 2017, has been selected as a Foreword-Indies Book of the Year award finalist in the Mind-Body-Spirit category! This is my only non-fiction book to-date, about the intuitive poetry process which I developed and teach. I begin all my days writing a poem as part of this process, before I go on to my latest book.

And what’s next? Perhaps a collection of long-lost Renaissance love poems? Stay tuned!
Very best wishes,
Xianna Michaels

My grandchildren think it's hilarious that Nana has a "real" ladies' fainting couch, and they love to bring their friends to see it. Actually, mine is a 1920's replica of a type of furniture that became popular in the 19th Century.

This was a time when women's corsets had whalebone and everyday gowns were extremely constricting. (Think Scarlett O'Hara having her dress laced tighter and tighter.) The idea was to have an hourglass figure with an extremely tiny waist. And the result was, indeed, that some ladies were prone to fainting. Hence the expression, "having the vapors." It wasn't that our 19th Century foremothers had excessively delicate sensibilities. It was that they couldn't breathe! Thank goodness the 20th Century brought not only women's suffrage, but liberation from the corset and the stiff, unwieldy garments with their bustles and layers of petticoats!
And lest you wonder why women would have put up with such unhealthful wardrobe dictates, they had little option. Any woman with pretensions to being fashionable, or merely not to be considered eccentric, simply had to conform. And really, who are we to judge? Think the gorgeous, excruciating stilettos of today!

These days I can barely manage kitten heels, but I am happy to report that I am not prone to fainting. I do love my ladies' fainting couch, however. It is my favorite place for reading, meditating and the occasional lovely nap. And, of course, for curling up with a grandchild to read or have a quiet talk, which once upon a time would have been called a "long, comfortable cose." Some traditions are well-worth keeping!

This was a time when women's corsets had whalebone and everyday gowns were extremely constricting. (Think Scarlett O'Hara having her dress laced tighter and tighter.) The idea was to have an hourglass figure with an extremely tiny waist. And the result was, indeed, that some ladies were prone to fainting. Hence the expression, "having the vapors." It wasn't that our 19th Century foremothers had excessively delicate sensibilities. It was that they couldn't breathe! Thank goodness the 20th Century brought not only women's suffrage, but liberation from the corset and the stiff, unwieldy garments with their bustles and layers of petticoats!
And lest you wonder why women would have put up with such unhealthful wardrobe dictates, they had little option. Any woman with pretensions to being fashionable, or merely not to be considered eccentric, simply had to conform. And really, who are we to judge? Think the gorgeous, excruciating stilettos of today!

These days I can barely manage kitten heels, but I am happy to report that I am not prone to fainting. I do love my ladies' fainting couch, however. It is my favorite place for reading, meditating and the occasional lovely nap. And, of course, for curling up with a grandchild to read or have a quiet talk, which once upon a time would have been called a "long, comfortable cose." Some traditions are well-worth keeping!

We all have negative bias to some degree. We tend to notice and focus on what's wrong in our day, our lives, our country, more than on what's right. The experts tell us this has a biological, evolutionary basis.

That is, back in the day it was much more important to notice the hungry saber-toothed tiger than it was to smell the daisies. It was, of course, a matter of survival.
But the same instinct today does not always serve us so well. Yes, noticing what's wrong may prompt us to correct it, to improve our lives and those of others. But negative bias can also cause discontentment, excessive worry and anxiety. We tend to take so much of what's good in our lives for granted that we barely notice it and therefore do not get nearly the pleasure and satisfaction from the good things that we might. Oftentimes these are small, everyday things that we simply take as a given, a baseline, and we don't even think to be thankful for them. Yet, as many other experts tell us, a little bit of gratitude goes a long way toward the well-being of the person being grateful.
Here's a small example: In America today, it's pretty safe to say that almost every residence—apartment or house, urban, suburban or rural—has indoor plumbing with hot, running water. And of course we take it for granted. We go to the sink or shower and have the option of turning on the hot or cold water, or combining the two to get the exact temperature we want. Who even thinks about it?
My very dear friend does. She's in her eighties now and lives in a beautiful home. But when she was newly married her husband was in the United States Armed Forces stationed in post-war Germany. They lived in a cold-water flat. If she wanted hot water for bathing, she had to heat it on the stove in a huge pot. They were only there about two years, but she told me that since then she has never taken hot running water for granted. Every time she gets into the shower, she says a short prayer of thanks.
That little story had a profound effect on me. I can't say that I remember to say a prayer of thanks for my hot shower every day, but I do sometimes. And believe it or not, it changes my outlook for the day. And my friend's story made me cognizant of so many other things that are just part of life and that we hardly notice, but that really are rather extraordinary, especially given a bit of historical perspective. For instance, it was late summer in LA one day and and the outside temperature was 108 degrees. Yet here in my study it was a delightful 75 degrees, because of course, I had the air-conditioning on. But when I was a girl in the 50's growing up in New York, I didn't know a single family that had air-conditioning! And yet here we are, and yes, I am profoundly grateful.
Yesterday I spent one and a half hours riding bumper-to-bumper on the 405 Freeway coming home from the west side of LA. That same trip at 11:00 at night would take me 30 minutes. Certainly cause for frustration, right? But I didn't want to go there, so instead I took some deep breaths and said a silent prayer of thanks to my little green car for its great power, its comfort, it's air-conditioning. I said a prayer of thanks to God that I have a car at all, that I live in a place where I can drive instead of crowding into the subway and hanging onto a strap, and that I had found my wonderful calligraphy teacher all those years ago and was coming home from class.
I'm not any saintlier than the next person. I'm not saying that I do this sort of thing all the time, only that when I do, it makes a huge difference in how I experience my day. Negative bias, as I've said, can lead to better lives: If I were a city planner sitting in that traffic, dwelling on the awfulness of it might prompt me to come up with some ingenious solution to find a better way to move people in LA from point A to point B. But I'm not that person, and so my little exercise in seeing the good instead of the bad made for a much more pleasant ride and subsequent evening.

Here's another example: Most of us think of going to the supermarket as a chore. The parking lot is too full, they never have the brand of yogurt we want, the freezer aisle is, well, freezing, and there are just too many choices. Do I want Granny Smith apples or Red Delicious or Washington? Medium or large, organic or conventional? From which country or state of origin? Do I want white rice or brown? Basmati, long grain, or sushi rice? And don't even get me started on the coffee and herbal tea offerings! It's exhausting, right?
Except... have you seen the pictures circulating on the Internet of the supermarket aisles in Venezuela? Oh, Dear Reader, the shelves look nearly empty! They resemble a store here in America that's on the final day of its "Going Out of Business" sale. But in Venezuela the food shortages are business as usual. Inflation is rampant, money doesn't go very far, and people line up for hours waiting for a store to open, hoping to find a few basic necessities for their families. And this is not because of some massive drought or crop failure. This is not the Irish potato famine of the 1800's. No, this is entirely created by an increasingly oppressive, authoritarian government that has crushed its own economy. This is the antithesis of The United States of America.
Which brings me to the holiday coming up in a very short time: Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday. Many people think of it as a day to thank God for all the blessings in their lives. And that's fine, but I have always thought of it as a day to thank God for America, for the very concept and existence of America, and for the blessing of being an American.
Yes, I know our country has problems, divisiveness, political rancor and dysfunction. Those are things we all want to work on in our own ways, and so of course, we need to be aware. But on the national macro scale just as on the personal micro scale, this negative bias doesn't always serve us so well. And especially now, as Thanksgiving approaches, I want to focus on the miracle that is this country. For all its faults, it is the nation of the Declaration of Independence, the founding document that became the template for individual liberty such as the world had never seen before. And yes, for some that liberty has been a long time in coming, but our founding principles have made it possible.
And so on a personal note, here is a partial list of my thank you's to America, and to God for the privilege of being born here:
Thank you, America, for providing a safe haven for my maternal grandmother, who barely survived a pogrom in Russia and came through Ellis Island in the early 20th Century. She is one of those who literally got off the boat and kissed the ground.
Thank you, America, for the fact that though my paternal grandmother was taken out of school at the age of nine and put to work in a Lower East Side sweatshop, all fourteen of her grandchildren went to college.
Thank you, America, for giving a new life to my in-laws after the Nazis murdered their families.
Thank you, America, for the fact that though my uncle was unabashedly fired from his job as an accountant at a major U.S. corporation in the late 1930's when they found out he was Jewish, today such behavior against any minority is not only illegal but is looked upon with abhorrence by decent people everywhere.
Thank you, America, for being the sort of place where a football player can raise over $15 million dollars for hurricane victims in less than a week.
Thank you, America, and thank you, God, for this amazing country with its supermarkets full of food, its malls full of "stuff" and its plethora of books to help us organize and purge our "stuff". Thank you, America, for the trivial decisions of whether to buy a 12 or 14 pound turkey, whether to ask for a paper or plastic bag at the market, and which brand of sneakers to buy our kids.
Thank you for the fabulous interstate highway system, the urban corridors of concrete and steel, the stately halls of Congress, the magnificent mountains and the fertile farmland.
Thank you for being the birthplace of the technological revolution, of countless, miraculous medical advances, of the automobile and of the palm-size piece of glass and steel that puts more information at my fingertips than all of the libraries of the world combined.
Thank you for my right to vote, to worship as I please, to pursue my dreams and help my family pursue theirs. Thank you for being "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Thank you for being the shining beacon on the hill.
God bless America. Have a joyous Thanksgiving, everyone!

That is, back in the day it was much more important to notice the hungry saber-toothed tiger than it was to smell the daisies. It was, of course, a matter of survival.
But the same instinct today does not always serve us so well. Yes, noticing what's wrong may prompt us to correct it, to improve our lives and those of others. But negative bias can also cause discontentment, excessive worry and anxiety. We tend to take so much of what's good in our lives for granted that we barely notice it and therefore do not get nearly the pleasure and satisfaction from the good things that we might. Oftentimes these are small, everyday things that we simply take as a given, a baseline, and we don't even think to be thankful for them. Yet, as many other experts tell us, a little bit of gratitude goes a long way toward the well-being of the person being grateful.
Here's a small example: In America today, it's pretty safe to say that almost every residence—apartment or house, urban, suburban or rural—has indoor plumbing with hot, running water. And of course we take it for granted. We go to the sink or shower and have the option of turning on the hot or cold water, or combining the two to get the exact temperature we want. Who even thinks about it?
My very dear friend does. She's in her eighties now and lives in a beautiful home. But when she was newly married her husband was in the United States Armed Forces stationed in post-war Germany. They lived in a cold-water flat. If she wanted hot water for bathing, she had to heat it on the stove in a huge pot. They were only there about two years, but she told me that since then she has never taken hot running water for granted. Every time she gets into the shower, she says a short prayer of thanks.
That little story had a profound effect on me. I can't say that I remember to say a prayer of thanks for my hot shower every day, but I do sometimes. And believe it or not, it changes my outlook for the day. And my friend's story made me cognizant of so many other things that are just part of life and that we hardly notice, but that really are rather extraordinary, especially given a bit of historical perspective. For instance, it was late summer in LA one day and and the outside temperature was 108 degrees. Yet here in my study it was a delightful 75 degrees, because of course, I had the air-conditioning on. But when I was a girl in the 50's growing up in New York, I didn't know a single family that had air-conditioning! And yet here we are, and yes, I am profoundly grateful.
Yesterday I spent one and a half hours riding bumper-to-bumper on the 405 Freeway coming home from the west side of LA. That same trip at 11:00 at night would take me 30 minutes. Certainly cause for frustration, right? But I didn't want to go there, so instead I took some deep breaths and said a silent prayer of thanks to my little green car for its great power, its comfort, it's air-conditioning. I said a prayer of thanks to God that I have a car at all, that I live in a place where I can drive instead of crowding into the subway and hanging onto a strap, and that I had found my wonderful calligraphy teacher all those years ago and was coming home from class.
I'm not any saintlier than the next person. I'm not saying that I do this sort of thing all the time, only that when I do, it makes a huge difference in how I experience my day. Negative bias, as I've said, can lead to better lives: If I were a city planner sitting in that traffic, dwelling on the awfulness of it might prompt me to come up with some ingenious solution to find a better way to move people in LA from point A to point B. But I'm not that person, and so my little exercise in seeing the good instead of the bad made for a much more pleasant ride and subsequent evening.

Here's another example: Most of us think of going to the supermarket as a chore. The parking lot is too full, they never have the brand of yogurt we want, the freezer aisle is, well, freezing, and there are just too many choices. Do I want Granny Smith apples or Red Delicious or Washington? Medium or large, organic or conventional? From which country or state of origin? Do I want white rice or brown? Basmati, long grain, or sushi rice? And don't even get me started on the coffee and herbal tea offerings! It's exhausting, right?
Except... have you seen the pictures circulating on the Internet of the supermarket aisles in Venezuela? Oh, Dear Reader, the shelves look nearly empty! They resemble a store here in America that's on the final day of its "Going Out of Business" sale. But in Venezuela the food shortages are business as usual. Inflation is rampant, money doesn't go very far, and people line up for hours waiting for a store to open, hoping to find a few basic necessities for their families. And this is not because of some massive drought or crop failure. This is not the Irish potato famine of the 1800's. No, this is entirely created by an increasingly oppressive, authoritarian government that has crushed its own economy. This is the antithesis of The United States of America.
Which brings me to the holiday coming up in a very short time: Thanksgiving, a uniquely American holiday. Many people think of it as a day to thank God for all the blessings in their lives. And that's fine, but I have always thought of it as a day to thank God for America, for the very concept and existence of America, and for the blessing of being an American.
Yes, I know our country has problems, divisiveness, political rancor and dysfunction. Those are things we all want to work on in our own ways, and so of course, we need to be aware. But on the national macro scale just as on the personal micro scale, this negative bias doesn't always serve us so well. And especially now, as Thanksgiving approaches, I want to focus on the miracle that is this country. For all its faults, it is the nation of the Declaration of Independence, the founding document that became the template for individual liberty such as the world had never seen before. And yes, for some that liberty has been a long time in coming, but our founding principles have made it possible.
And so on a personal note, here is a partial list of my thank you's to America, and to God for the privilege of being born here:
Thank you, America, for providing a safe haven for my maternal grandmother, who barely survived a pogrom in Russia and came through Ellis Island in the early 20th Century. She is one of those who literally got off the boat and kissed the ground.
Thank you, America, for the fact that though my paternal grandmother was taken out of school at the age of nine and put to work in a Lower East Side sweatshop, all fourteen of her grandchildren went to college.
Thank you, America, for giving a new life to my in-laws after the Nazis murdered their families.
Thank you, America, for the fact that though my uncle was unabashedly fired from his job as an accountant at a major U.S. corporation in the late 1930's when they found out he was Jewish, today such behavior against any minority is not only illegal but is looked upon with abhorrence by decent people everywhere.
Thank you, America, for being the sort of place where a football player can raise over $15 million dollars for hurricane victims in less than a week.
Thank you, America, and thank you, God, for this amazing country with its supermarkets full of food, its malls full of "stuff" and its plethora of books to help us organize and purge our "stuff". Thank you, America, for the trivial decisions of whether to buy a 12 or 14 pound turkey, whether to ask for a paper or plastic bag at the market, and which brand of sneakers to buy our kids.
Thank you for the fabulous interstate highway system, the urban corridors of concrete and steel, the stately halls of Congress, the magnificent mountains and the fertile farmland.
Thank you for being the birthplace of the technological revolution, of countless, miraculous medical advances, of the automobile and of the palm-size piece of glass and steel that puts more information at my fingertips than all of the libraries of the world combined.
Thank you for my right to vote, to worship as I please, to pursue my dreams and help my family pursue theirs. Thank you for being "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Thank you for being the shining beacon on the hill.
God bless America. Have a joyous Thanksgiving, everyone!

We’ve all known intelligent dogs, and despite what some experts may tell us, those of us who have lived with them know that they definitely do have some interesting thought processes. We can see it in their eyes and by their actions.

Once upon a time my husband and I had a beagle-lab who would pick up her empty food and water bowls with her mouth and deposit them into the open suitcases we had set out to pack for a camping trip. Was she thinking about ensuring that she would not be left behind? Of course she was!
Alas, not only are my tent-camping days long behind me, but so are the days of delighting in a pet. Years ago, I developed allergies to all creatures furry and feathery and now can only admire them from afar. Which brings me to the present day, and Rooney. Rooney is the beautiful, beloved little ginger-haired Pomeranian belonging to my friend and calligraphy teacher, DeAnn Singh. DeAnn gives workshops and private lessons in her inviting home studio of Designing Letters, and Rooney sits like an all-seeing little emperor on his very own throne, carefully observing all the proceedings. Except, that is, on the one afternoon a week when I come for my lesson. At that time DeAnn asks Rooney to leave because of my allergies (of course she asks: you don’t exactly tell Rooney anything.)
Rooney, needless to say, is not pleased by this dismissal. Sometimes he won’t budge at first. Often, he tries to stare me down. But eventually, DeAnn prevails and the little guy leaves. This has been going on for more than seven years, but a bit of background is in order. In the early days once Rooney left, DeAnn would close the door. And Rooney, lest we miss the extent of his displeasure, would bark. And bark. Relentlessly. Then one day DeAnn had the brilliant idea of asking Rooney to leave but keeping the door open. This seemed to please him. He knew he wasn’t supposed to enter the studio while I was there, but in case he really, really wanted to, all he had to do was saunter over the threshold.

He rarely does so. He may doze in a patch of sunlight, observe from a distance, or find something more interesting with which to occupy himself for the three hours each week when I encroach on his territory. But here’s the really fascinating part: DeAnn and I meet from 1:00-4:00 P.M. each week. Rooney will grudgingly escort me in and then as per DeAnn’s request he will walk out. But at 4:00 on the dot— every single week— Rooney walks back into the studio, cocks his little head at me and gives me a sharp look that unequivocally says, “Okay, lady, your time’s up. My turn.”
How does Rooney know it’s 4:00? He comes in to dismiss me whether or not I’ve begun packing up my work, and whether or not DeAnn and I have begun saying our good-byes—so there are no visual or audio cues. He does this whether the sun is shining or the day is dark and cloudy, and even on a week when we’ve just changed the clock. So the sun is not a cue. There is no bell to signal the end of class as in a school building. There is no grandfather clock chiming in the adjacent house nor a Big Ben somewhere announcing the hour to the entire neighborhood. Nonetheless, Rooney marches in every week at precisely 4:00 to show me the door. How on earth does he know?
DeAnn and I have no idea. Rooney truly is a time-telling canine wonder. And an exquisite one at that!

Dear Reader,
As many of you know, I launched my newest book, The Alchemy of Illuminated Poetry®—Seven Steps to Your Personal Gold, this past June. As summer draws to a close, I wanted to thank everyone for the interest and

delightful reception the book has received.
This is my outlier book in that it's about the process I developed of drawing and writing poetry for self-awareness and spiritual connection. It's been so gratifying to hear from readers who work the process and find that it does, indeed, help them access their intuitive right brains and come up with surprising insights and answers to dilemmas not available through their everyday, left-brain consciousness. The same thing always happens when I teach workshops in the process. Participants experience AHA moments and say things like, "Wow! Is THAT what's going on here? I had no idea!" So thank you all, and I wish you happy reading, drawing, writing and continued unexpected insights!
I always start my day doing this poetry process as well, and then I go to my work-in-progress. So I'd like to tell you a bit about my next project: a medieval verse fairy tale about a kingdom cursed for almost 100 years and the aging king who wants to undo the curse before he dies. In this he is thwarted by a mysterious sorceress who seems to have her tentacles everywhere. I'm in the revising and polishing stage now, and I'm working on the illustrations for the decorative initial letters and the chapter headings.
This story came to me many years ago and it's so exciting for me finally to be bringing it into fruition! It's for readers perhaps age 10 through adult, and can be read as a magical tale as well as a spiritual allegory. I can't wait to share it with everyone—I'll keep you posted on the upcoming publication date!

I have several other medieval tales in various stages of development, but meanwhile people from other times and places have been whispering to me, demanding attention. I find myself pulling off the road while driving so I can write down the snippets of their stories as they reveal them. All of which means that my carefully laid plans for the order in which I will bring my stories into the world may have to change. Updates to follow!
With warmest regards,
Xianna Michaels

delightful reception the book has received.
This is my outlier book in that it's about the process I developed of drawing and writing poetry for self-awareness and spiritual connection. It's been so gratifying to hear from readers who work the process and find that it does, indeed, help them access their intuitive right brains and come up with surprising insights and answers to dilemmas not available through their everyday, left-brain consciousness. The same thing always happens when I teach workshops in the process. Participants experience AHA moments and say things like, "Wow! Is THAT what's going on here? I had no idea!" So thank you all, and I wish you happy reading, drawing, writing and continued unexpected insights!
I always start my day doing this poetry process as well, and then I go to my work-in-progress. So I'd like to tell you a bit about my next project: a medieval verse fairy tale about a kingdom cursed for almost 100 years and the aging king who wants to undo the curse before he dies. In this he is thwarted by a mysterious sorceress who seems to have her tentacles everywhere. I'm in the revising and polishing stage now, and I'm working on the illustrations for the decorative initial letters and the chapter headings.
This story came to me many years ago and it's so exciting for me finally to be bringing it into fruition! It's for readers perhaps age 10 through adult, and can be read as a magical tale as well as a spiritual allegory. I can't wait to share it with everyone—I'll keep you posted on the upcoming publication date!

I have several other medieval tales in various stages of development, but meanwhile people from other times and places have been whispering to me, demanding attention. I find myself pulling off the road while driving so I can write down the snippets of their stories as they reveal them. All of which means that my carefully laid plans for the order in which I will bring my stories into the world may have to change. Updates to follow!
With warmest regards,
Xianna Michaels

Not long ago I had the pleasure of visiting family in New York and New Jersey. As everyone is rather spread out, I found myself calling Uber quite a bit. I am new to this service, since here in LA we basically live in our cars.

So I didn't quite know what to expect, but I certainly didn't anticipate the fascinating conversations I had with almost all my drivers.
There was the single mom with teenagers who works as a school secretary. In the summer when things are slow, she's permitted to take Uber calls, and was very happy to get out of the office and drive me. We spent the entire ride discussing the perils of raising kids in the digital age, and how she tries to stay one step ahead at all times.
There was the man from Lebanon whose wife speaks at conferences all over the world about children with learning disabilities. We spent the time talking about possible reasons for the obvious rise in these issues in recent years.
There was the fellow from Sudan who has two young children and wanted my take on the differences between parenting and grand parenting. He wanted to understand the nature of the special bond we grandparents feel for our grandkids.
There was the guy who, in addition to driving for Uber, is an engineer and owns a transportation company that contracts buses out to school districts.
Then there was the one from Peru, also an engineer, whose parents used to work in the aerospace industry and who has lived in more countries than I could count.
Perhaps the most interesting was the youngish American-born guy who took me on the long drive from Westchester County to New Jersey. He asked me what I did and when I told him I wrote medieval verse fairy tales, he wanted to know where my stories came from and how I formulated my characters. He asked detailed, pointed questions. Then I asked what he did. He writes comedy sketches, he told me, and produces and promotes comedy shows. So then we discussed ways in which he comes up with his ideas, how he sees the humor in the everyday. The hour's drive went by so quickly, and it was a delight for both of us.
Who knew ride-sharing could also lead to such interesting idea-sharing? So my suggestion to all who use this service: Get to know your Uber driver. You never know what you might discover!

So I didn't quite know what to expect, but I certainly didn't anticipate the fascinating conversations I had with almost all my drivers.
There was the single mom with teenagers who works as a school secretary. In the summer when things are slow, she's permitted to take Uber calls, and was very happy to get out of the office and drive me. We spent the entire ride discussing the perils of raising kids in the digital age, and how she tries to stay one step ahead at all times.
There was the man from Lebanon whose wife speaks at conferences all over the world about children with learning disabilities. We spent the time talking about possible reasons for the obvious rise in these issues in recent years.
There was the fellow from Sudan who has two young children and wanted my take on the differences between parenting and grand parenting. He wanted to understand the nature of the special bond we grandparents feel for our grandkids.
There was the guy who, in addition to driving for Uber, is an engineer and owns a transportation company that contracts buses out to school districts.
Then there was the one from Peru, also an engineer, whose parents used to work in the aerospace industry and who has lived in more countries than I could count.
Perhaps the most interesting was the youngish American-born guy who took me on the long drive from Westchester County to New Jersey. He asked me what I did and when I told him I wrote medieval verse fairy tales, he wanted to know where my stories came from and how I formulated my characters. He asked detailed, pointed questions. Then I asked what he did. He writes comedy sketches, he told me, and produces and promotes comedy shows. So then we discussed ways in which he comes up with his ideas, how he sees the humor in the everyday. The hour's drive went by so quickly, and it was a delight for both of us.
Who knew ride-sharing could also lead to such interesting idea-sharing? So my suggestion to all who use this service: Get to know your Uber driver. You never know what you might discover!