Author Henry Sloan to sign books Sept. 26
When he’s not pressing healing energy into sore or damaged muscles as a myotherapist, Henry Hall Sloan takes up pen and paper to write about angels, cats, princesses and queens. Those meditations, poems, stories and observations take Henry’s head – and those of his readers - into dimensions not visible to the naked eye.
|
From Persimmon’s point of view...
|
|
Here is a section from Henry Hall Sloan’s newest book – Meowabout: the Carolinas’ Coast –written in the first person to enhance the sense of a feline perspective. The section is called Walkabouts and the first passage is about the town of New Bern.
“My name is Persimmon. I am a downtown cat in the town of New Bern. It is one of the largest and most beautiful towns in eastern North Carolina off the Neuse River. During my early morning scoutabouts I like to amble along Pollack and Front Streets. New Bern affords a cat many pleasantries and many stopping and snooping opportunities behind restaurants. It is notable that some cats in the local cathood love to peer up into windows and do their form of feline shopping. However, this cannot last very long because most cats find that their necks get very stiff from looking upward! Sometimes I find a friend of mine also prowling around the main streets of town. His name is Biscuit. Biscuit was named after his predilection for stopping by the breakfast places, particularly a bakery famous for its bacon and egg biscuits. Biscuit became addicted to this place in the morning and to overeating biscuits. He even stored some in a collection not too far from my house. It was such a sight looking at that cat amassing such a delicious pile of delight!”
|
In late September and again early in November, people can get a taste of the gentle and celestial world of Henry Sloan and his books at three separate events planned at the 205 Lavinia Street studio in Milton.
From 7 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 26, Sloan will be part of a book signing and art opening. Then Sunday, Sept. 27, his Whisperings From Angels show will go into high gear from 1:30 to 3 p.m. when he offers original meditations and exercises with music to help people get in touch with their own angels. “That will be an interactive, an experiential presentation,” said Sloan. “I’ll use quotes from some of the transcendentalists – Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman and Dickinson. And we will work on connections with angels – reconnecting with spiritual things. We will conclude with a healing circle.”
The book signing and art opening event is free. The Sept. 27 Whisperings From Angels costs $15 per person. Some of the meditations will be from Sloan’s book “Love Is The Greatest Healing Form.” “We get a lot of assistance from our angels and muses,” said Sloan. “The Whisperings session is all about attunement. There is a collective despair related to man’s disconnection with nature. I work on the reconnections with the meditations, music, guided imagery and guided vibrations. Much of those connections are through animals. Cats and animals are great teachers and I try to get at the feeling and the essence of the animal in my books and meditations.”
Sloan will return to 205 Lavinia Sunday, Nov. 1, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. for Cat Tail Hour when he will sign copies of his latest book, “Meowabout: the Carolinas’ Coast – A Cat’s View for Travelers,” and share cat stories with all who attend. “That will be a fun event where we can share cat and other animal stories. I’ll also be reading from my new book – ‘Meowabout’ – and signing books.”
Sloan grew up in a household with many animals on Herring Creek in the Pinewater Farm area. He lives now in the Annapolis area where he practices myotherapy techniques pioneered by Bonnie Prudden. “She’a a muscle doctor with her own modality which involves applying pressure to help with the healing of pulled and torn muscles and other related problems.”
Sloan also travels up and down the east coast collecting material for his books, which he produces with a variety of illustrators to help spread his message. His earliest books, including Church of the Woods, used poetry to delve into the world of animals and nature. His most recent book – Meowabout: the Carolinas’ Coast – sees a transition in style to prose and other changes in structure including snippety – almost Tweeter-like – prose pieces to capture thoughts and ideas. The book goes into longer prose pieces and uses poetry where the author feels the urge (and the comfort level.) “I like swinging from serious to whimsical and back and forth. I think people are often looking for something light.”
In a chapter titled Feline Healing Arts, Sloan, in one of his shortest pieces, writes: “Meowatherapy – This is an ancient form of healing involving feline talk therapy. Cats would sit apart from each other and listen to each others’ issues and complaints. This was the original precursor to the modern-day talk therapy made famous by Sigmund Freud.”
Sloan has found good reception for his books in shops along the Carolinas’ coast. “Shopkeepers like something local and a light beach read. Storekeepers in Kitty Hawk, Duck and Swan’s Quarter – they all like it. I figure about one third of all people have cats so this is an area where I can write consistent sellers. My next one will be Meowabout: the Mid-Atlantic Coast. I also want to do one about Vermont. That’s been my best state in terms of selling. I take a look at regions through the eyes of cats, mentioning towns and restaurants. It’s a fun way to look at the world.”
Elizabeth R. Byrne provided the illustrations for Sloan’s latest book on cats. It, and other books by the author, are available at Critter Beach on Rehoboth Avenue and at Rehoboth Art League.
