Cathy Oldham

Having read many books on the Mayan prophecies, a friend Cathy Oldham gave me one as a gift. It is written by Gerald Benedict and called The Mayan Prophecies for 2012.

Gerald Benedict

Recently published in 2008, it has a simple, clear introduction, contains each of the twenty-one prophecies. The book lists each prophecy, gives its message, comments and explains the prophecy, and then summarizes it. At the end of the book, G. Benedict explains each of the Mayan calendars and explains them in the appendices, i.e. the Tun, the Tzolk’in, the Calendar Round, the Long Count Calendar, the Venus Cycle, the Moon Calendar, or Tun-Uc. It summarizes and gives conclusions about the 2012 phenomena.

For those who have read little or nothing about the Maya or their 2012 prophecies, or even if you have read other books, you will like the organization and clear presentation of Gerald’s Benedict’s The Mayan Prophecies for 2012.

Judy and I went to a Children’s Fair with our friend Cathy Oldham in Elm Mott, Texas. I was looking through the educational pavilion and non-chalantly picked up a children’s book called The Treasure by Uri Shulevitz.

Being a child at heart myself, I was captivated by the beautiful illustrations and the simple story. I could not put it down. It is Caldecott Honor Book. Check it out.

The book signing at Fort Hood, Texas could not have gone better. 100 copies of my novel The Ascendancy sold out in 8 hours! I talked to everyone, personalized the message, and shook hands. Gary Taylor and Judy were a huge help during the selling of the books. They handed out catchy bookmarks, while they spoke with people.

The book signing was beyond what I imagined would happen. The message of courage, love, and compassion contained in the novel The Ascendancy itself is what unfolded during the book signings. I spoke with a soldier who was leaving for Iraq in four days, another who was leaving his family in January for his third tour of duty, women whose husbands were either in Iraq or Afghanistan, husbands whose wives were there now, soldiers who had their children with them, a woman who had lost her father in 9-11; he was in one of the towers when it collapsed and was buried. He lived, but died eleven months ago of Black Lung disease, a soldier who was going to propose to his girlfriend tomorrow when he arrived in Iraq, where she was stationed. He was joining her division. Even the wife of one of the generals of Fort Hood purchased a book to give to her husband as a Christmas present. The interactions were remarkable.

Almost everyone whom we spoke with loved The Ascendancy, its story and concept. They were drawn to the cover. Almost everyone loved the idea of the beanstalk sprouting out of the debris, three days after 9-11.

The soldiers and their families showed such an incredible selflessness in their duty over their personal lives. I was greatly moved. I am really looking forward to these book signings. It will be a good 2009 for us, not just in terms of book sales, but I know now that The Ascendancy is striking a deep cord in people. I travel on Thursday, December 11 to San Antonio, where I will sign books at three bases: Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB, Lackland AFB on December 12th & 13th.

Judy and I stayed with close friends in the Killeen area, Gary Taylor & Steve Butler and Cathy Oldham.

After the signings in San Antonio, between January and June of 2009, there will be Ascendancy book signings in Oklahoma, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and bases along the East Coast, then San Diego, Arizona, the Northwest and maybe midwest areas. The number of The Ascendancy book sales will rise dramatically. That’s what we wanted.