Category Archives: Climate

The Story of Us: Interview with E. A. Meigs, Part 2

Interview with Seth Chagi (World of Paleoanthropology): Additional Commentary

My early childhood home was a traditional New England-style house, said to have been floated across Cape Cod Bay on barrels in 1750. It’s mind-boggling to imagine how challenging it must have been to keep a large, non-aerodynamic, and non-hydrodynamic two-story house on course as it made its way from Boston to Brewster. I’m sure the house was towed by a ship, but that’s still a lot of open water! If the wind picked up, they might have ended up in an entirely different town than where they had planned to reside.

Once they reached the shore, they likely used teams of horses and large wooden rollers to move the house to its final location, where it still stands today. Over the centuries, the house was expanded, and the property turned into a working farm. If only buildings could talk—the stories that house could tell! By the time my family lived there, it was no longer a farm, just an old, rambling home on a narrow country road. At various times, my grandparents, aunts, and uncles lived with us, making it a bright and lively place where we created many happy memories.

Back then, television reception on Cape Cod was practically non-existent, so we entertained ourselves the old-fashioned way—reading, doing crafts, playing music, and the like. I imagine my parents were relieved that none of us had access to bagpipes! Endless piano renditions of “I Love Coffee, I Love Tea” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on the violin were bad enough. (My sister eventually became a skilled violinist, even earning the position of second violinist with the Cape Cod Symphony.)

Some of my earliest memories are of walking through the woods with my father. He was an avid outdoorsman, and people often said that if they ever found themselves stranded on a deserted island, they’d choose him to be there with them. Walking through nature with Dad was never rushed. We’d stop and look at things, and he would explain what they were and what they could be used for. He taught me to observe, to listen, and to watch the sky and the animals around me. I also learned to see the outdoors as nature’s grocery store—if you knew where to look, you wouldn’t go hungry. These days, I find myself passing on these same lessons to my grandchildren.

Photo credit E. A. Meigs

I was an unusual child. Though I had friends, I often spent time alone, wandering the woodlands, marshes, and nearby beaches. I knew where several springs were hidden, offering a refreshing drink when I was thirsty. I built small huts from saplings and thick brush, weaving deadwood to form the walls. I also spent time gazing at nature, mentally taking notes that later inspired my writing. Even as a child, I wrote stories and illustrated them with my own drawings. My explorations often led me to collect treasures—rocks, pinecones, acorns, feathers, bugs, and other fun finds—that surprised my mother during laundry day.

When I was about nine or ten, I decided to build a makeshift tent using a tarp, bits of rope, clothespins, and sharpened sticks as stakes. I set it up across the stream from our house in a small clearing amid the trees. Over time, I gathered a decent camping kit, and eventually, I was given an old but sturdy canvas tent. It served me well until a family of mice took up residence during the winter, leaving my tent with much more “ventilation” than intended. By that point, I had saved enough from my afterschool job to buy a modern nylon tent. Little did I know, that small blue-and-yellow pup tent, along with my camping gear, would come in handy when I first set out on my own. When rentals were hard to find and/or too expensive, I occasionally lived in the woods.

I loved boondocking—that is, camping in the woods rather than in a campground. I’ve never liked campgrounds much, but I’d sometimes stay in them during the off-season. I was fortunate that we didn’t have dangerous wildlife like poisonous snakes or large predators, so I could enjoy nature without much worry. The worst I might encounter was a skunk. Now that I’ve worked for an employer like Fish and Wildlife and seen gruesomely graphic photographs and read the reports of the aftermath of grizzly bear attacks, etc., I am much more aware of the potential hazards. Some folks don’t seem to mind tent camping in bear country, but having seen half-eaten remains, I would only do it in a hard-sided RV. Motivated bears can get into almost anything, but at least an RV gives you a chance to start up the engine and drive away and thus oblige them to run for their dinner.

And that’s it for this entry. I’ll be adding more blogs to go with the Story of Us! podcast.

Be sure to check out World of Paleoanthropology for interviews, articles, book reviews, and much more! It is a veritable goldmine of paleoanthropological information!

To learn more about Dreamer Books: An Ice Age Saga check out these pages!

Dreamer Books

About the Author

Reader Reviews 

 

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Book 7 Released!

Dreamer Literary Productions is pleased to announce that The Dreamer VII ~ The Challenge Circle is now officially released, in Ebook, paperback, and hardcover formats!

The epic Ice Age adventure continues with this latest installment. Did you ever wonder what life was like for those who walked the Earth before us? Dreamer Books opens a literary portal to life during the last Glacial Maximum, what with all its challenges and drama, while simultaneously instilling an enduring sense of wonder at the resiliency and resourcefulness of our ancestors. The ongoing story celebrates the human spirit, and illustrates however much the settings may differ, people have little changed over the eons.

The next and final book in the series, The Dreamer VIII ~ The Talking Stones is due to be released in the summer of 2023.

Find Dreamer Books: An Ice Age Saga here!

Reader Reviews here!

And more about “The Birth of a Book Series” here!

(Image credits: book cover photo by Paula Kugerud Photography, Venus figurine pendant and lithics by Neanderthal Joe. Header photo and blog photo by E. A. Meigs)

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Neanderthal Joe and Life During the Paleolithic

This hour-long podcast is well worth your time: Anthony Yokolano from The Neanderthal Mind digs deep into mankind’s ancient past in this interview with Neanderthal Joe. (What a nice surprise to hear my name and my books mentioned during the discussion! Thanks for the plugs, Anthony and Neanderthal Joe!)

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New! The Dreamer VI ~ The Outsiders

Just in case you missed it, the latest installment in the Dreamer Books: An Ice Age Saga series was released earlier this summer!
The Dreamer VI ~ The Outsiders continues the ongoing adventure, as narrated by Tris, a young Neanderthal man.  Tris's thoughtful and sometimes droll perspective brings to life the struggles of ancient humans as they fight to survive in a hostile world.

All Dreamer Books are available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook formats. Click (below) to visit storefront page.

 


FYI: 

Free Printable Calendars!

(2021 & 2022 now available)

 

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Now on Reddit!

Now you can find Dreamer Books: An Ice Age Saga on Reddit! Look for us @ Read_an_ice_age_saga.

Hope to see you there!

 

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Neanderthal Mind Podcast Interview!

Anthony Yocolano, host of the Neanderthal Mind, interviews author E. A. Meigs once again. Listen as they discuss Meigs’s Ice Age-themed book series, and the background research and personal life experiences that add layers of realism to the saga. Also discussed are assessing research sources for finding the best and most current information, and the probable social constructs of Neanderthal society. I hope you enjoy the show!

For additional information, check out these blogs:
The Birth of a Book Series
A Day in the Life of a Neanderthal Clan

(Podcast and logo shared with permission from The Neanderthal Mind.) 

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Now on Instagram!

Find us on Instagram @ dreamer_books_an_ice_age_saga or

 

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“The Outsiders” Now One Step Closer to Publication!

“The Dreamer VI ~ The Outsiders” is now in the hands of the copy editor!

The latest installment in the ongoing Ice Age saga is still on-track to be published this summer!  Embark on a journey to an ancient land; to a time when life was broken down to its most basic elements and survival depended upon strength of mind and body, and the strength of relationships with those around you.

Edit: The Dreamer VI ~ The Outsiders was published in July 2021! Find it in hardcover, paperback, and eBook at https://dreamerliteraryproductions.com/
Graphics by E. A. Meigs. Cover photo by Paula Krugerud.
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The Dreamer IV ~ The Cave of Bones

I’m pleased to announce that the first draft of the fourth book in the on-going ice age saga “The Dreamer IV ~ The Cave of Bones” is complete! Now comes the editing process! The Dreamer IV is due to be released in the summer of 2019. Read more about this and other books in the series at: https://dreamerliteraryproductions.com/

Click image to read more about this book!

The Dreamer IV ~ The Cave of Bones

Ready to Ship!

I love to pack up my books and send them off into the world. There, I hope they will reach into the minds and hearts of others, and spur their imaginations to experience life in a distant past with all the drama and adventure, and perhaps most surprisingly, find that humans have struggled with many of the same problems throughout the millennia.

Photo by E. A. Meigs, cover photos by Paula Krugerud.

Upcoming book: The Dreamer IV ~ The Cave of Bones

Now that The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves is done I can finally turn my attentions to finishing the next book in the series                       The Dreamer IV ~ The Cave of Bones!

Graphics by E. A. Meigs, cover photo by Paula Krugerud.

“The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves” has gone to press!

“The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves” has been put to bed! It is available only in eBook format for now, but the hardcover and paperback versions have been ordered. Depending on how backed-up the printer is, I should have copies ready to send out in a week or two!

Cover photos in header and blog by Paula Krugerud.

The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves

The newest book in The Dreamer series “The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves” was published in 2018!

WHERE TO BUY THIS AND OTHER DREAMER BOOKS

The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves first draft complete!

I am pleased to announce that the first draft of “The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves” is complete. Now begins the editing process!

Cover photo by Paula Krugerud.

Our First Anniversary!

This is the first anniversary of the day I released the first book (The Dreamer ~ The Beginning) in The Dreamer Book Series! The second book (The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering) was already undergoing editing at that time and has since published in July of this year. The third (The Dreamer III ~ The People of the Wolves) has almost completed the 1st draft stage and will be available in 2018.

Graphics and background photo by E. A. Meigs.

Cover photos by Paula Krugerud.

Excerpt From “The Dreamer ~ The Beginning”

Graphics and background image by E. A. Meigs

Header and cover photos by Paula Krugerud.

Now you can read the cover blurb from “The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering”

Graphics and background photo: E. A. Meigs.

Cover photos by Paula Krugerud.

Released! The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering

The second book in The Dreamer Book Series: The Dreamer II ~ THE GATHERING was officially released on Saturday, July 22nd, 2017!

The Dreamer II – The Gathering  continues the saga as Tris’s sheltered world expands when The People from the East (the Cro-Magnon) begin to settle in ever-increasing numbers on the long-held territories of the Old Ones (Neanderthals).  Discord develops as they come into serious competition for the same limited resources…

To purchase this and other books in The Dreamer Book Series, click on the image below:

Click image to purchase books in The Dreamer Book Series. Cover photo by Paula Krugerud.

 

New book! “The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering”

I’m excited to announce that the second book in The Dreamer series The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering is expected to be released on Sunday, July 23rd, 2017. 
This novel continues the ice age saga which follows the life of a young Neanderthal man, as introduced in The Dreamer ~ The Beginning
The book cover (and that of the first book as well) features the magnificent photography of Paula Krugerud.

Coming soon! The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering!

“The Dreamer II ~ The Gathering” is now in the hands of the copyeditors!

Photo credit: Paula Krugerud

The second novel in the ice age saga book series: The Dreamer II ~ THE GATHERING is now in the hands of the copyeditors!

The book’s cover, which features the magnificent imagery of Paula Krugerud Photography, is still in development, but will likely look something like the one shown here, above.

The Dreamer II ~ THE GATHERING is expected to be released in July 2017.

The Dreamer III ~ THE PEOPLE OF THE WOLVES is underway and will be released in 2018.