Cold White Marble

In a parallel world, perhaps not so different from our own, a marble ‘City of Enlightenment’ has been built, claiming to have eliminated negative emotions from day-to-day life. But what the oblivious ‘Whitehead’ race – citizens of the City – do not realise is that such emotions have not been abolished; only obscured behind the City Wall. When ten-year-old Zulu accidentally steps into the other – secreted – half of her seemingly perfect world, she discovers a new existence, where the Blackhead race endure every negative emotion possible in order to ensure that the Whiteheads never learn of them. The slave force behind the Wall, working to keep the City functioning, is frightening and undeserving. But, as Zulu comes to learn, the truth almost always is... Cold White Marble tells the story of eight people from every status and corner of the City, thrown together by fate and by circumstance, but not by choice. Along with Zulu, these include Goldhead (and leader) Jufu Delani, Blackhead Savanyah and the fiery - but ultimately loathed – Brownhead, widely believed to be the lowest being in existence: Tai. Their individual views and opinions of each other, distorted by hatred and prejudice, are challenged in a way they have never been before, in an epic quest to find a better world for all of them... Cold White Marble is a gripping work of adult fiction that will be enjoyed by fans of science fiction. Many elements of the story reflect the western world we live in, challenging readers’ perceptions of their own ‘perfect city’ and what secrets are hidden behind their walls.

Beginning with Freud's celebrated case of Little Hans, psychoanalysts and psychotherapists have been intrigued with the topic of fear. Eclipsed in theoretical writings by the term 'anxiety', fear remains a pervasive expression in day to day clinical work. Patients constantly talk about it. One implores that we cure him of his fear of dogs. Another offers the fear of aloneness as the rationale of her staying in a bad marriage. Yet another avoids all athletic activity due to the fear of physical injury. And a fourth one lives in utter denial of passing time to avoid facing his fear of death. Despite its ubiquitous presence, fear has received little direct attention in psychoanalytic literature. This book aims to fill this lacuna. It explicates various intensities of fear, e.g. apprehension, dread, panic, and terror. It delineates the boundaries between fear and anxiety and demonstrates how phobic states constitute an admixture of these two emotions.

This is the story of how a lonely person found joy in his daily walks. Finding new marbles every day showed him the hidden joy all around us.

In this gorgeous fantasy novel that NPR Books called “a world to get lost in,” in the spirit of Guy Gavriel Kay and Robin McKinley, a prince and a princess must work together to save their kingdom from outside invaders…and dangers within. Long ago the Kieba, last goddess in the world, raised up her mountain in the drylands of Carastind. Ever since then she has dwelled and protected the world from unending plagues and danger… Gulien Madalin, heir to the throne of Carastind, finds himself more interested in ancient history than the tedious business of government and watching his father rule. But Gulien suspects that his father has offended the Kieba so seriously that she has withdrawn her protection from the kingdom. Worse, he fears that Carastind’s enemies suspect this as well. Then he learns that he is right. And invasion is imminent. Meanwhile Gulien’s sister Oressa has focused on what’s important: avoiding the attention of her royal father while keeping track of all the secrets at court. But when she overhears news about the threatened invasion, she’s shocked to discover what her father plans to give away in order to buy peace. But Carastind’s enemies will not agree to peace at any price. They intend to not only conquer the kingdom, but also cast down the Kieba and steal her power. Now, Gulien and Oressa must decide where their most important loyalties lie, and what price they are willing to pay to protect the Kieba, their home, and the world.