If you read to your child, grandchild, niece or nephew or any child that you want to assure has your love and security, put your arm around them, cuddle up and read them the story of, Smokey the Cat (finds his purr.)

PONDERS II is a follow-up to my first book, "It Is To Ponder... A Collection of Reflections". All ponders and poems were written while working forour local newspaper (The Clark Count Press) as a reporter/photographer, and thenas acolumnist.

No man can conquer Hell and Heaven alone. With the help of his friends Ernest Hemingway, Nettie, and Essie--plus a whole army of kids and an ancient Aztec god--Jude might just stand a chance to change the system of the afterlife. But will the toppling of the current regime simply be replaced by one just as bureaucratic and unfeeling? And what happens when betrayal comes not from above or below, but from one of their own? Collects issues #6-#10 of the series.

16 philosophers offer specially written essays on the themes of mind, method and morality in the work of Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, and Wittgenstein. These themes reflect the contribution of Anthony Kenny to our understanding of the Western philosophical tradition, and of these thinkers in particular.

“You do what?” people exclaim in amazement when I tell them I am an animal communicator. “And how exactly do you do that?” they ask. “Well,” I reply, “I get pictures in my mind like clips of a movie. These pictures tell me whether an animal is happy or sad, if it’s longing for something, or satisfied with its life. They show me their wants, desires, needs and their hurts.” The images I receive do not refer to time, so it may be hard to place the content of the picture in the past, present or future. Also, the meaning depends greatly on the circumstances surrounding the event or the context of the situation. The images are often accompanied by impressions, feelings, tastes, sounds, and smells. I use all my senses when I am receiving the picture clips so, when I see a scene, I also know how the animal feels about what I’m seeing. Occasionally, I call myself an animal behaviorist, which is tongue-in- cheek because most of the time, any behavioral change called for is on the part of the human and not the pet. People often assume that, because I communicate with animals, I grew up close to them, observing them and sharing their lives. In fact, I grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a busy metropolitan city, surrounded by apartment buildings. The downtown area, where skyscrapers competed for the sky and for how many apartments or offices they could contain, was no place for pets. To see the slightest hint of green, I had to walk to a park, the lungs of the city, a couple of miles away. When I was eight, my family bought a summer home about two hours away from the city. It was a large Spanish-style home surrounded by lush green, and lots of fruit trees. It was a little piece of heaven, away from the noise of taxi horns and exhaust fumes. All of my three-month long school vacations were spent there and, on one such vacation, I realized that I could hear animals’ thoughts. On the corner next to us were neighbors who had emigrated from Europe. They had a farm and everyone within 30 miles knew the family and sought them out for fresh produce. They also raised chickens for eggs, cows for milk, a few work horses, a couple of dogs and some barn cats. We felt lucky to have them nearby as it meant that we would not starve, even during bad summer floods. I would often go next door to buy milk and eggs. On one occasion, I was given a tour of the farm and saw a new mother pig with about 20 piglets beside her. I was surprised to hear her complain about how incredibly tired she found nursing her young. As I “heard” this, she was looking right at me, and it was clear to me that I was not imagining it. I was paralyzed by this phenomenon and couldn’t move for a long while. From then on, I volunteered to go for supplies all the time so that I could talk to the animals. Once a dog tied to a tree told me how hot he was and laughed about the beating he received the previous day for breaking his chain. He said, “It didn’t hurt that much, and besides it was worth it. I got to inspect the whole ranch and marked everything. Now, even if I’m tied down most of the day, everyone will know it’s all mine.” I also heard a cow that warmly offered me some freshly squeezed milk, and the chickens complained about the new arrogant young cock. At such a young age, I took these things for granted, never realizing that not everyone had this gift. I simply replied to the animals and went on playing. It was not always pleasant, however. One day, a dog was about to be beaten and I really heard his desperate cry for help. The man undid his belt and called the dog to his side. The faithful animal, well aware of what was going to happen, obediently trotted over to him, shoulders sloughing down, head looking at the ground, and tail curled low between his legs. He looked at me and screamed, “Tell him to stop, tell him not to do it.” “Please don’t hurt him,” I begged the owner, but to no avail. “He needs to be taught a lesson,” the man said gruffly. Filled with anger and disbelief, I turned and walked away, the dog’s cries ringing in my head. His pain was my pain. I ran home and vowed to never experience this again. It wasn’t until my eighteenth birthday that I realized I was different, and began asking why I got extrasensory information from people and animals but others didn’t. Why was vivid déjà vu an everyday occurrence? Why could I foretell events? For example, in conversations, I routinely knew what someone would say next. This was a matter of mild curiosity for me until the day my world stopped. I had just married and we went to a furniture store to buy furnishings for our new apartment. The moment I set foot in the store, I started to see a “movie” that showed me what the two-level store looked like, and I noted that the sweeping main staircase reminded me of the one in Gone with the Wind. I saw how every piece of furniture that we would buy was already in our new apartment. And I suddenly discovered why I was there and why this was happening. The picture inside my head showed me a little girl playing on the staircase accidentally fall and break several bones. My mind raced. What am I supposed to do, I wondered. Has this already happened? Or is it about to happen? And if so, what am I supposed to do? Stop the little girl? Tell her mother? WILL SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO, I screamed internally. The movie played for several minutes, during which time I actually saw a little girl begin to play on the staircase. She was jumping to the first step, then turning around and jumping to the ground. The next time, she jumped two steps and turned to jump back to the ground level. She did this several times, each time jumping up one more step before turning and jumping down. I was motionless, watching and reliving my premonition. I counted six steps and, as I saw her begin to turn, I screamed. This startled her and she shifted her weight so that, unlike the premonition, she was only bruised, with no broken bones. She still cried and screamed for her mother but I felt so good when I saw her stand up and run to her family. Somehow my scream had changed the outcome. Shaken and confused, I wondered to whom I could speak about this. Who would understand? Would I be judged weird or worse, insane? I decided to say nothing to anybody, except God, the Universe, or whoever out there was in charge and hopefully listening. “If I am never shown any bad things, then I will accept this gift and put it to work in helping people and animals. I will honor this promise as long as you never, ever show me scary things again.” Getting over the furniture store incident took many years. By then, however, I knew what the word “psychic” meant. I had read all the books by Jane Roberts in which she channels an entity named Seth, and was glad to learn that I wasn’t the only one who was “strange.” Jane Roberts had the same doubts that I had and as she recounted that she was, in fact, her own worst skeptic and critic, I began to feel more at ease. Then came other authors. And so my path began. How will I use my gift in a positive way to help animals, I wondered. I reasoned that when you meet new people, you begin by asking them about themselves. So why not just do the same with the animals? I will ask them questions, and they will answer, I decided. As I would come to find, animals are usually happy to describe their personality so that I can get to know them quickly. For example, they may describe themselves as “a little lady,” “an old grouch,” “an adventurer,” or ”a couch potato.” Sometimes they explain their interaction with family members. They might tell me, for instance, that they are very close to Mom or Dad. (Most animals hold a parental-like image of their humans, so ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad’ often comes to mind.) Members of a multi-pet household talk about who is “top dog.” A few talk about “friends” when describing the humans with whom they share a home. Amazingly, even those who are beaten and cursed talk lovingly about their families. Some give me deep spiritual messages while others talk about their favorite food or activity. They all talk about love, about patience, and about having a job to do. Their jobs vary and are the most important part of their lives. Dogs, for instance, might take care of the house, watch for strangers, keep an eye on the kids, prohibit the cat from entering the room, or watch the baby. Outside dogs can go hunting, fishing, hiking or herding. No matter what the job is, they always enjoy doing it well. They want to please their human companions and see them happy. Cats, on the other hand, are more independent. Although some of them have a job, their main desire is to sleep, sunbathe, and do exactly what they want (as opposed to what you want). Still, they balance their wants and desires so that the relationship can be give-and-take. Granted, some of you give more than you take ... or do you? At times, it seems as if our animals give us a lot more than we offer them. Their unconditional love is always there for us, regardless of how we treat them, and that far outweighs any payment or sacrifice that we can make. Many of the stories in this book reveal that often our animals’ main purpose is to teach us something about ourselves, and if they don’t achieve that purpose in one lifetime, they will reincarnate back with us to continue their work. This may involve an animal getting the same sickness as its human guardian. With one of my clients, the animal died while she made a complete recovery. Understanding the role of our animals and what they do is sometimes far beyond our comprehension. By their actions, they mirror your feelings, showing you whether you’re having a good day or a bad one. By being stressed themselves, they show you how stressed you are. Even when you show no outward signs of stress, they sense it because they can see your aura (the energy field surrounding your physical body) and become sponges, absorbing your stress for themselves. This helps you feel more relaxed. And what do you do then? You pet them and tell them you love them. They, in turn, show you their tummy, look at you with adoring eyes or simply purrrrrrrr .... Purring signifies a magnificent feeling of contentment. To make your kitty purr with delight means that you must be a wonderful person. She needs you to show love and you do. In return, she shows you just how special you are. After all, she doesn’t purr for just anyone! When our animals speak to us, they say things they need us to hear. They seldom complain, but do want us to see their perspective. It’s not enough for us just to understand what they’re saying, though; often we must also take some action. If, during a consultation, I tell you that the reason your cat refuses to use her litter box is because it’s dirty, I get concerned if you give me excuses such as, “I work long hours and get home tired,” “I can’t change the location of his box!” or, “He always liked that brand of litter before.” I can’t change your animal’s mind; I can only tell you what they tell me. It’s up to you to act on it and do the changing. Some people scoff when pet lovers ascribe human-like feelings to their animals. As an emotional empath, I disagree; every day, animals share their feelings with me. They can also rationalize what they want and what they prefer, and events and circumstances to do with home and family. It is my hope that this book will open a door in your mind. Even if you question my gift, please strive to be receptive to the insights it offers. And know that I have been as truthful and honest in every detail as I possibly can. Some of these consultations are on audio cassette for my reference, and others have been verified with the animal’s owner. The stories are all true! Hopefully, this book will reveal the rich and deep inner world of our pets, so that owners may appreciate them more. Animals know far more about what is happening in their lives—and yours—than we give them credit for. And as you will see, they have souls that survive physical death as do we, and often watch over us from the other side. For clarification in the following accounts, I have put the animals’ communications to me in quotation marks, as if they are speaking. Sometimes, I do in fact hear actual words; when it is important, I get the whole sentence and, other times, I get a few words with the movie clip. I hope this conveys the to-and-fro nature of our telepathic “conversations.” So please relax and enjoy each chapter, filled with the animals’ insights and perceptions, and walk alongside their families to experience how animals affect, enrich and enlighten our lives every day. Dr. Monica Diedrich Anaheim, California

Harlequin Medical Romance brings you a collection of three new titles, available now! Enjoy these stories packed with pulse-racing romance and heart-racing medical drama. This Harlequin Medical Romance box set includes: DATING HIS IRRESISTIBLE RIVAL Hope Hospital Surgeons By Juliette Hyland Foster care survivor Knox has worked hard to be the best trauma surgeon. Yet it still stings that in med school annoyingly irresistible Miranda beat him to a coveted fellowship. Now that Miranda’s returned, it’s clear the remarkable woman he knew is a shadow of her former self. Putting his competitiveness aside, Knox is determined to bring her fire back. Could a first date to rival all first dates be the answer? HER SECRET BABY CONFESSION Hope Hospital Surgeons By Juliette Hyland Let me "introduce you to your daughter” are not words responsible surgeon Ryann ever thought she’d say. Yet here she is, face-to-face with the man she spent one incredible, and totally out of character, week with, confessing she’s had his baby! Despite growing up in the foster system, nurse anesthetist Jackson is thrilled to be a dad. But can they be more than co-parents when cautious Ryann so ardently protects her carefully curated life…? COUNTRY FLING WITH THE CITY SURGEON By Annie Claydon Stella and Rob are nothing alike. She’s an ambitious reconstructive surgeon from the city, while he’s a dedicated country GP. But when they pair up on a complicated case, they discover they make the perfect team. Stella awakens a deeply buried spark in Rob, and he tempts her to let her guard down. They decide to work together on something more intimate—a fling! Because two people who are so different couldn’t have anything other than that…right?