I could never get “magical realism” until I spent too many years around the Rub al Khali–the Empty Quarter.
Then I met CJ. He was obsessed. About? I couldn’t figure it out–magical realism or the Empty Quarter.
He wrote: “How to beat, tame, survive–the Empty Quarter–life–magical realism?
Only by imagination.”
CJ tried…and got beat.
It all started in Morocco, Tangier Gardens, then KSA, Egypt and finally, the Empty Quarter.
CJ studied fine arts for his first two years at college. In music, literature and painting he found an enigmatic similarity. Many composers, authors and painters were inspired by nature, either the outdoors or human nature. That was clear.
It was, however, the dichotomy of the critics that confused him.
The critics’ perplexing dichotomy pitted human social nature vs the natural world, nature without humans. He wondered why the dichotomy? Were not humans part of the nature in which we all lived? Even though humans were at the top of the food chain we were still part of the chain. How can behavior, intelligence or spirit separate humans from the nature all around us?
And why have so many sought to make that ‘false’ distinction?
CJ’s own battles with this dichotomy got serious when, after deciding to major in landscape architecture, he went to North Africa, for his term abroad design study.
There he met a couple esoteric horticulturists, one Russian and the other British. They had built and were guardians of an arcane garden, the Oval Garden, behind their Hibiscus House. There they tried to educate CJ–solve his enigmatic fine arts, landscape and garden concerns.
Travel to Morocco on a fun trip, weaving culture with horticulture.
That arcane weave is the magic connection of humans with nature.
Discover that weave with CJ, the protagonist.
This action-packed coming of age novel follows Christopher Janus, a determined American university student who, during his last year, is abroad studying landscape architecture in Tangier. But what was supposed to be a simple design study quickly turns into a battle of wits and will as CJ is thrown into a world of unexpected challenges that threaten his degree, professional goals, and even his life. With danger lurking in every corner, CJ must rely on his courage and luck to make it out alive. If you enjoyed the suspenseful thrill ride of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, you’re sure to love Tangier Gardens. Buy at Amazon now before the price changes! Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv
These metaphysical autobiographies will transport you to a realm of discovery beyond the limits of nature and the five senses. Christopher Janus graduated a landscape architect, but his true education came from the most unexpected and unfortunate experiences of his life. In his fictional autobiographies, readers follow CJ on his international travels as he discovers the secrets of the landscape. As CJ navigates through this supernatural world and uncovers its hidden powers, he must grapple with the consequences of his discoveries. Along the way, CJ finds himself balancing between love and loss, life and death, and the supernatural and the mundane. If you enjoyed the supernatural thrill of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, you’ll be enthralled by Christopher Janus’s mysterious journeys in “The Landscape Architect“ series.
Bad juju? Nah. What else?
No, no, no—it’s not the evileye. Couldn’t be. The landscape wouldn’t tolerate such violation, would it?
Living in Tangier, 2000, Christopher Janus, CJ, during his six-month term abroad design study, explored northern Morocco. But his geographic explorations were not the entire story. He was swayed—swayed? How? By what?
Unlike CJ had ever imagined, that geography throbbed with a much larger pulse beat—that of the northwest Africa landscape….
If you are:
-A nature lover or a landscape aficionado;
-Curious about all things green—the environment, plants, gardening, horticulture;
-Intrigued about the northwest Africa multi-cultural, mystical history of people and plants, and their arcane interactions with strangers, then…
Pick up a FREE copy of this Amazon E-book here: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
NOW, FOLLOW THAT LINK AND PICK UP THE FREE EBOOK, CURIOUS TALES—NOW!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You wonder… who is this CJ?
CJ is an American, born in the Midwest, raised in New Mexico—a hard worker who found his muse in the landscape.
At university, he grew to embrace music, literature and all the fine arts with humanitarian, environmental and spiritual sensibilities. Did that help him in Morocco?
Studying landscape architecture, CJ was into pedestrian towns and warm sandy beaches. For his last class, that term abroad design study, he’s been in Tangier, a town with sandy beaches on the Med and a historical pedestrian district, the medina. But CJ got more than he bargained for… and it wasn’t a suntan or a relaxing time.
These 43 curious tales were CJ’s final submittal for his term abroad design study. CJ’s curious tales highlight the strangeness of the landscape he encountered in northwest Africa and… what he learned.
E-Book FREE NOW Here: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures #Gardens #Plants #Landscape
Please share this FREE offer with your landscape friends.
Thank you.
E-Book FREE NOW Here: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures #Gardens #Plants #Landscape
This is a tonic for the curious, for those who would delve beyond the surface knowing there is more than meets the eye at first glance.
Please share this with your landscape friends.
E-Book FREE NOW Here: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures #Gardens #Plants #Landscape
Thank you
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures
Travel with us to Morocco on a fun trip. Together we will be weaving culture with horticulture. That arcane weave is the magic connection of humans with nature.
CJ is an American, born in the Midwest, raised in New Mexico—a hard worker who found his muse in the landscape.
At university, he grew to embrace music, literature and all the fine arts with humanitarian, environmental and spiritual sensibilities.
Studying landscape architecture, CJ was into pedestrian towns and warm sandy beaches. For his last class, a term abroad design study, he was in Tangier, a town with sandy beaches on the Med and a historical pedestrian district, the medina. But CJ got more than he bargained for… and it wasn’t a good time.
And the subject of CJ’s 43 tales? …his daily life, the high points, the low points–nothing was normal–it was all curious.
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures
Please share this with your landscape-minded friends.
Thank you.
Try some old-school—right here!
Check it out here: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
#Morocco #Tangier #Mediterranean #FlashFiction #LandscapeArchitecture #Design #Cultures #woke #oldschool
…what! If this is true, then what have you been telling us? Lies? Is that so?!
No…it’s just business.
In order to graduate with a degree in Landscape Architecture, CJ had to complete a term-abroad design study. That was the story in Tangier Gardens.
And in order to complete his term-abroad design study, CJ had to submit a final deliverable. Curious Tales is that final deliverable.
In some aspect, Curious Tales is the short form of Tangier Gardens—but with added style.
In Curious Tales CJ shares, in a series of 43 flash fiction stories, his take on the culture and landscape of northwestern Africa. He describes how the unique culture and landscape of that region have impacted his life and approach to landscape architecture design.
I am happy to announce that Curious Tales is now live on Amazon at this link: https://amzn.to/3nO2WEG
And please my friend, share this post with all of your like-minded friends of the landscape.
Thank you.
100% Moroccans 100% of the time
On an early summer day in Gibraltar I was relaxing on a hotel terrace, shaded by wisteria, looking towards Africa, Morocco, Tangier. At a table near me, I met a grizzly old American landscape architect named Herb Striet. He talked about the geography at the Strait of Gibraltar.
Why was Striet in Gibraltar?
Striet was in Gibraltar because his old-time Lebanese friend ran the bank where Striet kept his off-shore accounts. “It’s convenient,” Striet said, “I can easily go back to my Tangier if I want.” Then the conversation got weird. I couldn’t understand. He twisted. I got twisted; but I listened.
“Heh, heh,” he said, “…if… if I want.” I didn’t really get the picture. He continued. I summarize.
All the while he had been working and living in the Arabian Peninsula, Striet said he had missed the freedom of Morocco, North Africa, the Maghreb. He had missed the accessibility of the Moroccan people. He had missed the intimate human nature of their medina public realm. He had missed life in Morocco, very real, just 100% Moroccans 100% of the time–Morocco, where daily life was not flash like the oil-countries of the Arabian Peninsula. He told me his daily public realm life in the oil-rich Middle East was awkwardly filled with contracted, sad-faced expatriate service people.
At the end, I finally understood, almost, that Striet had a love/hate thing with Morocco. So nice… but…
And all this is mellowed-out by C418’s cut “Door” on his Alpha album.
Curious Tales: The Prequel is free to read on Kindle Vella at this link: https://bit.ly/3Hv6p2p
And the story behind Curious Tales is Tangier Gardens and it is available on Amazon at this link: https://amzn.to/3HLrtyv
Curious Tales Ebook will launch 15April at a huge discount: Sign up here for details: https://bit.ly/3q5lcaq
Please share this with your like-minded friends.
