A Snapshot in Time

A snapshot in time. That's all a travel book or a book about hotels can be. Things change too quickly for anything to last very long in our fast-paced, fluid society. When I wrote my book, Hotels to Remember, I had no idea some of the hotels I included would change in a short period of time. My book is indeed a "snapshot in time."

Soon after publication, one of the 20 hotels included in my coffee table book underwent massive renovations. Another I learned recently is now closed and may be demolished. Sad, because it had become an historic landmark for the area where it stands.

Another hotel, the Adam's Mark St. Louis has undergone a $63 million transformation
to the 910-room Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront. The building is still within the shadow of the Arch, but the internet photos show no evidence of the beautiful and amazing art work that made the hotel so special that I selected it for my book. Where is all the gorgeous art that filled the lobby? Where is the outdoor art that formed the unique view from windows on one side of the hotel? Where is Faust's Restaurant now?

I have not been to St. Louis to see the transformed hotel, but I'd like to visit it in the future. Perhaps I'll stay in that hotel, visit the new Busch Stadium, and watch my beloved Cardinals play.

The Hyatt Regency Union Station is also part of my book. It is usually among the views shown as I watch the Cardinals on Direct TV. Since it is an historical landmark for the city, I hope that hotel will not change too much nor disappear.

Things change. We have only a snapshot in time.

Mary Montague Sikes, Author Hotels to Remember http://www.oaktreebooks.com/bargainbookshop.htm

Past Life Regressions

Past Life is the name of the new series on Fox. I realized the title mistake as I watched a preview for another episode. In the last program that aired February 11, the word regression was used often to describe what happened when the girl in the story experienced a flash back into the previous life.

Past life regression is the term I associate with the hypnotic regression a hypnotherapist does with a client to help him/her uncover the source of a problem that may be associated with a past life. In the TV program, it appears the regression depicted is of the spontaneous type since no hypnotherapist is involved. In regressions with a hypnotherapist, the individual is taken back to a point in time associated with a current life situation. I have not read the latest research on hypnotic regression nor anything written recently about spontaneous regressions. I'd like to know more about scientific research into the subject. I'd also like to know of documented cases of actual spontaneous regression. Is there such a thing?

I used regression in my reincarnation story, Hearts Across Foreverhttp://www.amazon.com/Hearts-Across-Forever-Montague-Sikes/dp/1892343207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=126611. It works in fiction. I'll be watching and maybe taking notes during the next episode of Past Life.

Mary Montague Sikes
www.marymontaguesikes.com

Past Lives

Last night, we watched the first show in the new series, "Past Lives" on Fox TV. Since I've been fascinated by reincarnation for as long as I can remember, I was excited to discover that network television is interested as well.

The first program featured the story of a 14-year-old boy who starts having memories of the traumatic kidnapping and drowning death of an eight-year-old girl. His memories, pieced together with the work of the two paranormal investigators who star in the show, result in the discovery of the girl's four-year-old sister who is now 18. She is reunited with her parents who had no idea she might still be alive.

My fascination with reincarnation inspired my first novel, Hearts Across Forever. I wondered what would happen if my heroine saw a painting of Rose Hall Great House (in Jamaica) and that event began to trigger a series of memories. In my book, Kathryn visits the famous old plantation house where she has a vision of people from her past life in 19th Century Jamaica dancing on the portico. She remembers a life as the star-crossed niece of Annie Palmer, known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.

I look forward to seeing more of the "Past Lives" television dramas. Hopefully, this show will spark renewed interest in my book which is still available on Amazon.

Snow Again

Looking out the window at the diagonal snow falling from the sky, I feel like we have moved to Alaska. It's especially disheartening to see our Southern Magnolia tree (in the photo) covered with snow. But we are lucky because just a little north of here, in the Northern Neck, they are expecting much more, and in Washington, D.C. they are measuring in feet, not inches!

Thoughts of spring fill my heart with hope. Also, there's the Williamsburg Flower Show 2010 opening on Friday at Prince George Art and Frame in Williamsburg. My art work will be part of it!