Category: WoWW

Books, Health, Healthy eating, Latina writer, Non-fiction, water footprint, Water sustainability, WoWW, Writing

How We Can “Eat Less Water” And Help The Environment

Mona Alvarado Frazier
“Eat Less Water” releases Nov. 1, 2017, by Florencia Ramirez

When the well is dry, we know the value of water- Benjamin Franklin

For thousands of people in Flint, Michigan and East Porterville, California, the well dried up. For 800 million people around the world, the well is dry.

There’s a new book arriving on November 1st, 2017 titled “Eat Less Water.” The author and researcher, Florencia Ramirez, state experts predict two-thirds of people living on this planet in 2030 will experience water scarcity, a situation expected to result in the deaths of millions and an unprecedented rise in military conflicts.

Can we as individuals hope to have any effect on the global scale of water misuse?

The answer is “Yes,” if we change some of our lifestyle habits. The author states, “THE MOST FAR-REACHING,  effective strategy to save water is to eat less of it.”

This book gives the reader an eye-opening education on how much water is used in food production:

1 pound of beef has a “virtual water footprint” of 1,851 gallons.

1 pound of pork = 631 gallons of water

1 pound of lamb = 398.8 gallons of water

This is not a book against meat, it’s a book describing the benefits of organically raised water sustainable livestock.

“Food grown without chemicals saves fresh water more than any other water-saving strategy.”

There are sixteen chapters ranging from Wheat and Water to Eggs and Water; Beer and Water; Coffee and Water, and other major food groups. Each chapter ends with a recipe for an organic, water sustainable dish or beverage.

 

The author traveled over 16,000 miles across the USA and took seven years to research and interview farmers and food producers who illustrated the very best in food cultivation. The food is grown with farming systems in sync with their surrounding environment, “working to replenish rivers, not pollute them,” and methods used to regenerate the soil, “keeping more water in the ground…”

Written in an engaging narrative, the book is non-fiction and several footnotes cite studies which back up the research. The book encourages families and the household shopper to be selective in what they buy and consume. The recipes encourage you to shop for locally grown organic products.

“What we choose to put on our dinner tables can rewrite the story of water scarcity touching people around the world.

Be part of a change that will make a difference in creeks, rivers, groundwater, and oceans across the planet. Start tonight at your kitchen table.”

Check out the Vimeo book trailer:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/240210963

Eat Less Water Book Trailer from Nueva Vista Media on Vimeo.

This book can be found at:

Indie Bound  

Barnes and Nobles

Amazon

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Note: Florencia Ramirez is a personal and professional friend. She co-founded the writing group: WOmen Who Write (WoWW) in Ventura County. I am a member of this small group and this in no way detracts from an honest review. I’m delighted to participate in Florencia’s writing journey and see the fruition of all of her very hard work.

To find a reading visit Florencia’s website at EatLessWater.

Amada Irma Perez, My Handy Writing Book, Post Novel Blues, Saying goodbye, WoWW, Writing

Post Novel Blues

Mona Alvarado Frazier

Get a good look at her. Except for the blue hair, that was me four days ago (sans the slender arms). With my last round of revisions done I  loaded my MS “Butterfly Hearts” onto two different flash drives, sent copies to  friends who volunteered to be readers, and then powered off my laptop. First reaction? Whew, finally. Then I massaged my wrists, smiled, and went on with my day.

Within hours I wanted to go back and open up the MS. No, I shouted back to my inner voice, leave it be, go on to the next MS that’s been waiting for revisions for two months. I opened that MS, working title of Strong Women Grow Here, and began reading the first page. My eyes glazed, the words made no sense, pace slowed, I couldn’t recognize my protag, Juana’s, voice. I almost felt dizzy, discombobulated. What the heck is happening here?

Over the weekend I spoke with my writing mentor, Amada, and described the feelings. She’s published four children’s books and her latest (My Handy Writing Book) just came off the press last week. She listened and nodded her head, she understood, she’s been there. Her suggestion was to do a ritual cleansing with sage and say goodbye to Lili and the other characters in the novel. Hmmm, yes I nodded, I could do that.

Later that evening I found my white sage in my abalone shell. It smelled so, so “sagey,” deep and powerful. I felt it’s soft as a kitten silver white leaves, wrapped in cotton red yarn, and breathed in deep. High Mass in Latin, incense lanterns, low murmurs of prayers, pow-wows, curanderas and sobadoras floated through my mind. And then a huge indigo NO in block letters bulldozed through my thoughts. What? NO, you can’t purge Lili, Vero, Joe, and the kids. NO you can’t cleanse them from your home. Now I’m drawing back my drapes and looking out the window, who’s there?

Then I sat with myself. What do you want to do, what are you feeling? I’m embarassed to say. I feel, I think I’m mourning them, I’m depressed, like the postpartum blues and empty nest mixed together. But it’s a novel, my logical self says-no, the creative self insists. It’s the post novel blues. Did such a thing exist?

When in doubt, Google it. I found a 2008 article by Vickie Britton where she quotes ” It’s long been known that writers, artist, and others in the creative fields can become prone to depression, especially when people finish writing (their novel).” It may be long known, but I didn’t know that, but it does make me feel better.

A few suggestions, cited in various articles, popped up in my search:

  • Write your next new outline, brainstorm new ideas, write a short story (are you kidding me?)
  • Try something new and different that is not writing (hmm, maybe)
  • Organize your work space, clean your desk (uh, no)
  • Use the time to transition (to what?)
I decided to sleep on it. Next morning I powered up the laptop, prepared a cup of green tea (cuz I can’t drink coffee on this new eating plan) and sat down, like I have for months. I just sat there. I wanted to call or text my characters, re-read the MS, have a drink with Lili. I couldn’t type and I didn’t want to either. What to do? 
Last night I met with my writing group, WoWW (WOmen Who Write) and explained my tale of woe when it was ‘check-in’ time. Yes, they nodded and they were supportive. But, I still had the same post novel blues on my drive home. 
Later that night, I sat on my bed and stared at my laptop across my room, against a bulletin board backdrop of blue butterflies, post cards, index cards, scripture quotes, and the prints of my hands with notes in them (from my mentor),etc. And I sat with myself again. How long do these feelings last anyway? 
The next morning (it’s day 4 now) I ran errands and on my drive home, an idea popped in my head, it felt like Lili wanted to say something. When I got home I went out to my backyard and sat in my porch swing. Darn it Liliana, what do you want? 
In a flash, I felt that Lili wanted to go on a trip with her best friend Vero, and Joe can stay with the kids. She wants to go to London. Don’t I remember that has been one of her dreams. So I helped her pack her purple suitcase, with way too many clothes and that dang pair of stilettos and eyeliner (no wings, I promise she said). She set out the batches of walnut brownies for her daughter to take to the kids. I had to tell her to hurry up because she was going to be late. Vero honked the horn outside, Lili grabbed her Cherri Bombe lipstick, threw it into her purse, and ran out the door. 
And now my eyes are misting. Please don’t say “GAH,” because to me, it feels so real. Now I’m sniffing. I pull back my window curtains and wave goodbye. Lili sticks her head out of the window and yells “Cherrio,” with a huge smile on her face.