Queen bees are totally necessary… if you live in a bee hive, not if your daughter is in middle school! But what are queen bees anyway? And how does your child survive the tween years without getting stung?

Let’s start by defining a Queen Tween Bee. She leads her “friends” around like a queen bee in a bee hive. But Queen Tween Bees are not real friends. Unfortunately, like the worker bees, her “so-called friends” will do whatever the queen wants just to say they can be near the “queen bee”. They are called the “want to-bees”. Those are people who wish to be queen bees and will copy their queen bee’s fashion, talk, and walk just to be accepted.

How do you recognize a Queen Tween Bee (QTB) when you see one? Let me list the ways…

You know “QTB” by the girl games they play. Queen Bees are known for putting a scent (kinda like a spell) on her worker bees so they can focus on doing her work. She “dumbie-downs” her subjects so they will not question the Queen. They turn friends against friends. The Queen makes other girls feel like they are only special if they belong to the queen’s court.

“QTB” control party situations. Birthday parties are another form of “weapons”. The Queen Bee uses parties to make girls feel that are part of the ‘in’ group or ‘outcast’ group. They decide who will be invited and who won’t be? Did your child make the popular list or not?

“QTB” tell the want to-bees what to wear. Sometimes you can identify the Queen Tween Bee by the clothes she wears. Queens love to wear fashionable, expensive, and famous label clothes. Sometimes they even go as far as excluding the girls who don’t wear the same things as they do.

“QTB” love spreading rumors. Queen bees are also known for gossiping and rumors. What’s the difference, you ask? Well gossip is more personal and can be based on the truth. Rumors can be anything from legends or made up stuff just to hurt someone. It’s really a form of bullying.

Why are there Queen Tween Bees, and the worker want to-bees, you ask? Because everybody wants to belong, and that’s normal. It’s just some kids want it more than others.

Save yourself and your daughter a lot of drama and tell your daughter to avoid being around Queen Tween Bees. Explain what a Queen Tween Bee is–it’s really a way some girls get away with bullying. Tell your child not to listen to their gossip, and don’t let the QTB control them-by doing this you will take away their power. And everyone knows a Queen needs power to rule. Then, maybe everyone in the tween-kingdom will live happily ever after–or at least ’til the end of the middle school years.

“My music is music of upliftment. It is music that teaches. It shows you how not to complain, but to seek solutions for yourself.” ~ Queen Ifrica

Conscious, roots reggae music has always been a male-dominated genre, so it can be difficult for female artists to break through into the top. But this “Fyah Muma” (Fire Mother), the royal Rastafarian empress known as Queen Ifrica, is definitely setting a blistering pace to becoming the foremost female in this arena. Hallelujah – we’ve been waiting for her for too long!  

Born Ventrice Latora Morgan in Spanish Town, Jamaica, on March 25, 1975, this daughter of Ska king, Derrick Morgan, was raised in rural Jamaica. She was nicknamed Ifrica by her mother who thought her face was shaped like a map of Africa. Queen Ifrica burst onto the reggae scene in 1995 when she performed in, and won by a landslide, a Montego Bay talent contest. In 1998, Tony Rebel recognized her gifts and her quality and invited her to join his Flames Production family. Now, Queen Ifrica is using her substantial hereditary talents to help restore the cultural vibes to reggae music and to Jamaica as a whole.  

Her commanding stage presence, strong self-confidence, and her delightful voice and dynamic performances have created a demand for her on the international reggae scene as well. She has toured extensively and been warmly received throughout the U.S. and Europe, appearing at festivals such as Summer Jam (Germany, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008), Reggae on the River (California, 2006), One Love Festival Tour (US, 2006), Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (California, 2007), Reggae Sundance Festival (Holland, 2007, 2008), Ragga Muffins Festival (California, 2007, 2008), Rototom Sunsplash (Italy, 2007, 2008), Montreal International Reggae Festival (Montreal, 2007), Uppsala Reggae Festival (Sweden, 2008), Anthems of Love (Trinidad, 2008) and the Millennium Countdown (Bahamas, 2008). She has shared the stage with the legendary Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Culture, Sly & Robbie, Burning Spear and a host of others. This mother of two also mesmerized a hometown audience in Montego Bay, Jamaica, with her fiery performance at the 2008 Reggae Sumfest. Visiting nearly every continent, she would like to perform in Africa in the upcoming year.  

Stirring up controversy and social awareness by addressing topics like incest and child molestation, Queen Ifrica claims to find inspiration for her music in the people she meets while doing community outreach work. She believes she was put here for a special purpose – to do her part for all the suffering people in the world. Her songs are uplifting, teaching us to appreciate life and to look for solutions wherever there are problems. Some of her role models in the industry were Sister Carol, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths.  

Sometimes drawing on her own personal experiences, this mother of two has covered religious discrimination in Natty Fi Grow, Jamaica’s violence and negativity in Randy, a poignant rage against gangster violence in Boxers and Stockings, the pain of lost love in Goodbye Love, downtrodden communities living in poverty in Zinc Fence, domestic violence in Below the Waist, incest and child molestation in Daddy Don’t Touch Me There, and the dangers of Jamaica’s latest skin bleaching trend in Mi Nah Rub. This Rasta Empress doesn’t shy away from social commentaries. She proves you can sing about anything; it just has to be done with class.  

Bold and vibrant, sweet and sultry, Queen Ifrica’s voice and delivery have improved over the years. She fills arenas with beauty and positive vibes while sharing with us her brand of socially uplifting culture music. She exemplifies what consciousness combined with talent can achieve and proves herself to be a fine example for all women.

We hope to see a follow-up studio album from the Fyah Muma in 2009. May her wisdom and morals and truth stay with her and her meteoric rise continue!  

This year Victoria Day is scheduled for May 22. Although the holiday was named for Queen Victoria, it is her granddaughter Queen Elizabeth who is now honoured on that date.

Queen Elizabeth was 91 years old on April 21. Despite this, she moves forward in her reign with a schedule and energy that many who are decades longer could not match. She had 294 engagements in 2016!

Movies and documentaries outline the sixty years that she has been on the throne. I believe that none of these, however, describe the importance that she has placed on separation of her personal feelings and her royal role than the Netflix series “The Crown”.

Every monarch throughout the world has a unique education, character, culture and intellect. Although s/he is usually groomed for the position, there are stressors at both micro and macro levels that put pressure on the ruler. Many of these are unexpected and could not have been predicted. Times change but in the theme of “The Crown” is that in order to protect English monarchies, the constitution must be given priority over personal preference.

Queen Elizabeth has faced so many challenges yet she has remained steady. She has never given an interview. She has not aired dirty linen when her children were in crisis. She has not slowed her pace even though in most other jobs she would have qualified for a pension more than twenty-five years ago. But Queen Elizabeth is not the only aging monarch in the world.

There are several Asian and Middle Easterners who have reigned for decades and are well past 80 years of age. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is 76 years old. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden who was born in 1946 has been on the throne since 1973.

Monarchies do not die when the monarch dies. Right now there are many heirs to the thrones in the wings. For example, there are three direct-line generations to assume the English throne – Charles, William and George. The Swedish king has five grandchildren under the age of five. All over the world, the monarchs age and the next generations are born. The lineage is set.

Will the next kings and queens be steady and loyal to the constitution? Will they deal with their personal problems in private or broadcast them with tactless abandon? Will they work collaboratively with other countries to promote peace, health and growth or will they arrogantly fight for power and position?

We don’t know what will happen before the next Victoria Day celebration. There could be several significant changes in the world. But for now, I just give thanks for Queen Elizabeth who has been a wonderful example to us with her strong work ethic, good health practices, solid character and devotion to her people.

For those of you who love to laugh, Marti Lawrence of Grain Valley, Missouri will deliver a laugh a minute with her new book of humor titled “Queen Klutz”. Follow along with her as she has an unusual experience at the DMV, find out how a McDonald’s French Fry cost her $2,000.00 Meet her wacky kids and find out how she deals with two broken ankles and a house full of cats. It is real life at it funniest and she will have you laughing out loud with every turn of the page.

Leeuna: Marti, how did you come up with the title “Queen Klutz”?

Marti: My family has always called me, The Royal Klutz because I’m so hideously clumsy. The first thing a cousin of mine said when she met my husband was, “Is she still a klutz?”

Leeuna: How long have you been a writer?

Marti: “I’ve been writing humorous articles since I was on my high school newspaper staff (back in the Neolithic Era). I was always sending family and friends funny stories in letters, and when I learned to use the internet, I discovered message boards, and would leave long narrative posts for strangers to read. Kindly (and sometimes inebriated) friends suggested I try writing an Erma Bombeck-style newspaper column, so I started freelancing those. Some of the essays in the book are previous columns, some are blog posts and some are material I written specifically for the book.”

Leeuna: What did you find the most difficult about writing the book?

Marti: “Editing was a challenge because my family didn’t want to end up in the witness protection program. I think they were afraid I was going to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. Which was silly. That’s the next book.”

“Of course I think everyone will love it! *snicker* Anyone who is clumsy can empathize. I think parents will enjoy the stories because many of them encompass not slaughtering our children when they do something awful like setting the yard on fire, or wrecking your car. The stories are about the things people endure every day – car trouble or visits to the DMV. I think putting a funny spin on these things can make them easier for everybody to go through.”

Leeuna: Was it difficult getting your book published? Can you tell us a little about the process?

Marti: “I’m publishing through Lulu, a publish on demand company. The hardest thing for me was setting up my file to convert to PDF. I had full control, which was a good thing, but all the responsibility, which was a hard thing.”

“Formatting the Word document with headers, footers, justified margins and page breaks was something I had never done, and that was tough! But Lulu itself has been great! I asked a lot of questions at the forums, and a few times from the live help, and always got good responses. I actually had the live help guys laughing a few times! I purchased a draft copy to see how the book would actually look, and discovered I’d made a lot of mistakes.”

“I reworked the material, and sent it through the process again. I was pleased with the second copy so I put it on the market. Lulu offers authors the option of selling just through their storefront, or purchasing a global distribution plan which includes a galley proof of your book. When you approve the galley then you are assigned an ISBN and bar code, which allows it to be distributed through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Overall, it’s been quite a learning experience for this ol’ gal! “

Leeuna: Where can folks buy the book?

Marti: “For now, I am selling it through my Lulu storefront on the internet at lulu.com. Personally signed copies can be ordered directly.

For anyone who loves to laugh and enjoys good solid writing, “Queen Klutz” by Marti Lawrence is the recipe for a complete laughter buffet.

I remember a rather trivial incident several years ago which yet relates to the topic in question. It was a hot summer’s evening; the twilight was already setting in as I was travelling home in a heavily crowded bus. The crowd in the bus made it hotter and more humid with their exhalations, rendering the air heavy with the stench of sweat and awful body odour. With every one perspiring acutely the odour was quite oppressing and unbearable. The bus moved on at a snail’s pace with more and more people struggling to find their way in at each stop. It was truly stressful as the malodour assailed our nostrils with a vengeful disposition. I was wondering if I should alight at the next stop and walk home, as it was impossible to stand the miasma any longer. Before I could decide however, the bus stopped at the next stop. Luckily here a significant part of the crowd alighted and were replaced by only a few new passengers. I then decided to stay put.

It was at this point, that a sudden whiff of fragrant fresh Jasmines filled the bus and everyone gasped in relief. I discovered that a few women who had boarded the vehicle here were each wearing a small bunch of fresh Jasmine flowers in her hair. The change in the air could be felt with a pleasant difference as the perfume of the flowers permeated all over the bus alleviating us with sense of deliverance. The persistent fetor quickly vanished even as I wondered at the cleansing potent of these heavenly flowers. In my mind I secretly blessed the women who brought about such a change in the air though they were themselves ignorant of the relief they brought in with the wonderful flowers they wore that evening.

Come summer and the late evening air is rent with a pleasant redolence of the divine Jasmines in the neighbourhood. A walk in the colony is enrapturing as the flowering plants nurtured carefully in many houses put up their blossoms for display each competing with the other in proffering the best fragrance and imbuing our senses with subtle delight. And when the moon shows up in the sky, the flowers somehow seem to further enrich their perfume. It is probably the combination of the moon and the delicate Jasmines that had charmed men for ages into their most romantic selves and aptly christen the exalted flower as the ‘Queen of the Night.’ For the flowers are at their best only in the night; an attribute that only a few other flowers probably share.

What is it about this little flower that makes heads turn? How is it that this tender blossom becomes the ‘queen of the night?’ What is it in these flowers that mesmerises men and women alike? Bearing little beauty in itself unlike the reginal rose or the consummate lotus or even a plain marigold, it is too small and rather insignificant in its looks. Or is it? In its isolation perhaps it may be quite unpretentious too; but in its multiplicity it commands traits that beat the best of the flowers in every attribute. A whiff is all it takes to change even the worst moods into sober and soothing spirits. The flowers have a strangely mystical power to induce a sense of gladness. There’s something in them that brings about a sense of calmness and relaxation when sniffed and felt. It is but natural that though thousands of years have passed since the little wonder was discovered, its allure only keeps pervading across newer horizons. It is rare for a lady wearing Jasmines to be unnoticed. The flowers have a strange and wonderful attribute in that, that they also enhance the beauty of a lady bringing in a certain charm and delicateness into her persona.

Jasminum Sambac as the divine Jasmine is scientifically named, since time immemorial has been an intrinsic part of the cultures of several Asian countries. Though believed to be of an Arabian origin it has been actually sourced to the South Asian region. While it is the national flower of Philippines, Indonesia and Pakistan, it plays the role of the most important flower of even the distant Hawaiian Islands across the Pacific. Now the flower has found its place in Europe, Australia, Africa and even the Americas. The flowers are now a major source of commercial perfume extraction, and they find their way into Jasmine oil, Jasmine spray and for consumption in China as Jasmine tea.

In India, especially the south, no celebration is complete without these flowers. For traditional weddings every girl adorns herself beautifully with these flowers. In fact it is an unwritten norm that women wear silk sarees and beautify their hair with long clusters of woven Jasmines when attending weddings. The bride herself is impeccably adorned with these lovely flowers and made seated in the wedding gazebo. The flowers inevitably find their way on to the celestial bed without the presence of which, it is believed the ceremony is incomplete. It is perhaps true that Jasmines have aphrodisiac capabilities, for their use in marriage rituals is so inescapable. There is almost an anthomaniacal fervour attached to these magical blooms so much so that in rich wedding celebrations, the aisles are strewn with these flowers and guests showered with them rendering the air with euphoric delight.

Jasmines for centuries have exhorted beauty, purity, grace, and tenderness that remains nonpareil and will continue to inspire multitudes, for all it takes is a whiff of their blithesome perfume to imbue our senses with inexplicable rapturous ecstasy. The hallowed Jasmine in its timeless fragrant exuberance and acclaimed for its myriad virtues is thence truly ‘The Queen of the Night!’

Dancehall Queen is one of those movies that anybody drawn to Jamaica or living in Jamaica has seen at least once in their life. I’ve seen Dancehall Queen several times, and every time I notice something new. This weekend was no exception as I decided to watch Dancehall Queen again.

After watching Dancehall Queen this time, I believe it is the most complete movie to learn Jamaican Patois, Slang and day to day Jamaican Culture for most Jamaicans. Dancehall Queen is the story of a downtown Kingston street vendor named Marcia (played by Audrey Reid) who tries her luck at becoming the queen of a dancehall contest hosted by Beenie Man, the self-proclaimed King of The Dancehall. Marcia, is a single mother of two girls who does what she needs to do in order to make sure her daughters get the best education and life, but this becomes costly when her older daughter, Tania, a young teen is forced to sleep with Larry (played by Carl Davis). Larry is the economic support or sugar daddy of sorts who pays for Marcia’s children to go to uptown schools while Marcia is working the street stand with her brother, Junior (played by Mark Danvers). Once Tania tells Marcia that she does not want anything to do with Larry and she resents her mother’s dependency on Larry, Marcia begins to find alternative methods of making money. While Marcia is fine tuning her skills on the dance floor, her brother, Junior, spends his time hiding from Priest (played by Paul Campbell), the man who stabbed and killed his friend, and the police chief (played by Carl Bradshaw). Once Marcia learns that Larry and Priest are both no good, she devises a plan to make sure that neither of them ever hurt her family again while still competing to be the Dancehall Queen.

The great thing about Dancehall Queen is that film is comprised of Jamaican actors speaking in the language of Jamaica, Patois. There are very few instances of Standard English being spoken in the film. This is great for the student Jamaican Patois because key phrases are spoken in the appropriate contexts. One could really not ask for more because you are able to hear patois in all the main scenarios of life such as interacting with your parents, friends, the police, boyfriend/girlfriend and just strangers on the street. Additionally, Dancehall Queen is different from other Jamaican films in that there is no excessive gun violence. The movie contains comedy elements while still some of the truths and hardships of Jamaican life, especially for people of Downtown Kingston.

Besides the ability to learn an immense amount of Jamaican Patois, there are many aspects of Jamaican culture and life displayed in the movie. This movie focuses on the life of the day to day people as opposed to the police or “badman” contained in so many other Jamaican films. For example, in one scene Tania brings home an “uptown” boy from her school to her “downtown” home for her mother and sister to meet. At first her mother, Marcia, reacts strangely to his presence, but eventually she is accepting. This division between uptown and downtown is very prominent in Jamaican culture. Generally, uptown is home to the more financially privileged people while downtown is home to the less educated and less financially privileged. This is just one example of many culturally subtleties at work. You see the interaction of the Jamaican Country folk with the City dwellers of Kingston, the relationship between single mothers and men acting as father figures to their children and of course, you experience the dancehall culture.

The idea of a dancehall queen is something very common in Jamaica and now around the world. There are dancehall competitions all around the world. These competitions were inspired by the dancehall competitions of Jamaica. In fact, foreigners have gone to Jamaica and won dancehall competitions. Just like reggae, dancehalls and dancehall competitions are elements of Jamaican culture that have been exported to the world. The movie provides a good foundation into what the dancehall competitions are like, but should not be the last resource into learning this aspect of Jamaican culture.

In conclusion, Dancehall Queen is a positive film that highlights many aspects of Jamaican culture, but also teaches us to reach for the stars and just maybe are dreams will come true.

India is a land of festivals. Being a secular country, there is no dearth of things to celebrate in this land of wonders. From Christmas to Eid ul Zoha, Independence Day to the Cricket World Cup, there is hardly anything that Indians do not like celebrating. Simply point us towards an occasion and we are all for it. But hidden amongst this long list of celebrations is a gem in the form of Durga Puja, something celebrated in its full glory in the Bengali community.

So, what exactly IS the Durga Puja?

Well, for the sake of clarity, Puja refers to a religious festival. However, for us Bengalis, Durga Puja is less of a ‘Puja’ and more of the embodiment of the spirit of festiveness. What exactly does that mean? Well, let us go back a few millenniums to answer that question.

The tradition of invoking the goddess Durga (or the mother, known as ‘Ma’) is first considered to have been done by Lord Ram before he went forth to battle Ravana, as documented in the epic Ramayana. However, the tradition lay dormant till about the late 1500s, when the landlords in Bengal took it up. It was finally given its final form in the 18th century as Baroyaari (or 12 friends’) puja, a term which finally came to refer to community sponsored Durga Pujas held in Kolkata.

Essentially, all parts of India celebrates this period, but in the form of Navratri. It constitutes of 9 days’ worth of fasting, which ends with Dussehra, a day where an effigy of Ravana is burned as a way to show that evils are always championed by good as Lord Ram had championed above Ravana.

In Bengal

In Bengal, however, the meaning of these 10 days are quite different.

My earliest memories of Durga Puja are that of waking up in the middle of the night to listen to Mahalaya on the radio. It is a programme that has been airing on the first day of the Bengali month Ashwin for more than 7 decades and 4 generations of Bengalis, forcing them to wake up at 4 am, something I still do religiously every year on that particular day. Although the magic of the scent, the half awoken self and knowing Ma is coming has somewhat diminished with the years, the idea of something so collectively powerful that it makes a whole community look forward to it still holds a great deal of charm nonetheless.

Ma

We treat Ma Durga as something more than just the goddess. While it is true that she embodies the raw power (or Shakti) that overcame evil by slaying the evil demon Mahisasur (hence the term Mahisasur-mardini), she is much MUCH more than just that. The ten days that start with Mahalaya signify her annual visit to her paternal home in Bengal with 4 of her children. As such Ma is, at the same time, a mother, a wife, a goddess, and most importantly, a member of our family. We pamper her, we respect her, we love her and we adore her. She is more than just a divinity.

To us Bengalis, she embodies our truest nature. No matter where a Bengali might be, come Durga Puja, he/she feels a connection to his/her family.

THIS is what it means to celebrate Pujo (a colloquial term for Durga Puja).

Frankly, it cannot be compared to anything else in the world. But, remember the togetherness one gets when visiting the family, or the warmth during Christmas, or the feeling you get when you visit your family after a year away? That is what Pujo means to a Bengali. It is more than celebrating a religious festival. The idea of Pujo is bringing everyone together. And what better way can there be than a mother facilitating all that? We eat, we cry, we talk, be happy and celebrate something that is practically unheard of anywhere else in the world. It does not matter what you religion is. Whether a Muslim, a Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Jain or anything in between (including atheists), if you are a Bengali at heart, Durga Puja is for you. From visiting the tens of thousands of makeshift podiums (or pandals) for hoisting Ma Durga to having a cup of tea in the middle of the night (under a tree in the local shop because it seems to inevitably rain during Puja nights these days, especially if you are out at 2 am) to dancing during the idol immersion ceremony (called Bhashan), Durga Puja is something that you have to experience at least once in your life.

Oh, and did I mention scrumptious luchi and khichudi as lunch during Ashtami and the gorgeous ladies who grace the pandals? Pujo is worth it… believe you me.

And It all Ends

And once Pujo is done, while we are all sad, we pray for Ma to return safely to her heavenly abode atop the Himalayas. Thus begins the wait for the next Puja. Another year to spend before our dear mother comes back. Because Pujo never ends, it simply gets shifted by another year. After all, Ma is like the mother who wants you to be happy even when she is gone.

Come, be a part of this wonderful festival of togetherness.

By 1970s, Queen had become popular, not only in UK but also in United States. Since the band ventured, into the world of music, the group has produced fifteen studio albums and more than three live albums.

The band was associated with different types of genres of music such as hard rock, progressive rock, dance, glam rock and psychedelic rock. Queen wrote songs, which were influenced by genres that were not linked with rock like folk, ragtime, gospel and opera. Another feature that featured in most songs of the band is sonic experimentation. The band vocal harmonies were composed by Taylor, May and Mercury. Roy Thomas Baker and Mike Stone helped in the development of the sound of the band. Apart from Vocal harmonies, the band was popularly recognized, for their multi tracking voices.

In 1975, the band started their first world tour. All members in the band made costumes and banks. They went to perform in United States, for the first time and later went to Canada to perform another show. During that time, the manager of Queen, Jim Beach helped the band to sign more contracts. One of the options, that the band was awarded was to sign, with Led Zeppelin. The manager of Led Zeppelin, Peter Grant wanted the band, to sign a record deal with, Swan Song Records. But, the band turned away this offer.

Mercury designed the band logo, which was also referred as the Queen Crest. He designed the logo, before the band released their first album. The logo had zodiac signs of all the four members of the group, two lions and two fairies. The band mostly used the logo in all the band album covers. What made this band different from the other rock bands is that, they were widely known, for inspiring genres like pop rock, arena rock and progressive rock. Queen also inspired, other popular artists, not only in U.K but also in America. Some of the bands, which were inspired by the band, include Green Day, Ben Folds, Metallica, Guns N Roses, Keane, Radio Head and Lady Gaga.

Since the band ventured into the world of music, the group has produced ten DVDs, eighteen albums and eighteen singles. This made the Queen, one of the best selling rock bands. By 2004, the group had sold more than, three hundred albums globally and thirty million units, in United States. In 2007, it was reported that, the band Greatest Hits 1 and 11 were, the most downloaded albums in America.

According to one of the managers, of the group official online site Nick Weymouth, the band was one of the most, bootlegged groups. A survey which was carried out in 2001, showed out of twelve thousand website, Queen was the most bootlegged bands. Bootleg has significantly, increased the band popularity, in various countries especially in countries, which censor western music like Iran. The band also contributed music to various movies like Flash Gordon in 1986. The director of this movie was known as Mike Hodges.

It’s somewhat doubtful that thoroughbreds take gender into consideration on the racecourse, saving that distraction for more suitable venues.

Many a stallion has been bested by a competent filly at every distance, Makybe Diva being a prime example of an exceptional plodder. Other mares that excelled at middle distances would be represented by Leilani and Light Fingers.

For now, let’s examine the life and racing history of a mare that was a sprint specialist, Storm Queen.

A bay filly foaled in 1963, she was by the fine Irish stud Coronation Boy, himself a 24 wins from 52 starts racer.

The dam was a native name of the Storm Glean, a productive broodmare.

Storm Queen enjoyed the advantages of having T.J. Smith for a trainer, and Roy Higgins, a hoop that was reputed to have a special way with the ladies, for a rider.

With these two estimable persons in her corner, Storm Queen embarked on a rampage as a two-year-old.

Her first race was forgettable, but she then reeled off eight consecutive and attracted the notice of the racing public.

As mentioned previously, Storm Queen was more sprinter than stayer. She never won beyond 1600 metres, and only has four of her major victories at that distance: the 1966 group 2 Moonee Valley Racing Club Moonee Valley Stakes, 1966 Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes, 1966 Group 1 VATC Caulfield Guineas and 1966 and the Victoria Racing Club George Adams Handicap.

At 6 furlongs (1200 metres) she is credited with the 1966 principal SAJC Breeders’ Stakes, 1966 the VATC Merson Cooper Stakes, Group 1 AJC Champagne stakes, and perhaps her most prestigious victory, the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes.

1966 also produced a 7 furlong victory (1400 metres) in the group 3 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes.

She produced one major victory in the 1967 Group 1 VRC Lightning Stakes over 5 furlongs (1000 metres.)

She was retired in 1967 after she was unplaced in the Doncaster Handicap. Her career record was an entirely respectable 13 wins, two second place and one third place finish from 20 starts. Her career prize money total was just a bit beyond $50,000.

She produced no significant progeny, but she was held in such regard that AJC established of the Storm Queen Stakes run at Rosehill Racecourse to honour her in 1979. Restricted to fillies and mares, it was first run over 1900 metres. The following year, 1980, it was elevated to Group 2 status and extended to 2000 metres. In some measure of the respect of the racing public accorded Storm Queen, the race achieved Group 1 status in 1992, where it is on the programme with the Golden Slipper Stakes.

It regularly attracts the best fillies from across the country by offering significant prize money.

Perhaps Storm Queen’s greatest contribution to Australian horse racing is as an emblem for the high esteem Australian punters seem to place on fillies.

If you have already read The Wrekening you need to hold onto it. In Jayel’s newest book Dragon Queen you will find answers to all of your questions. This is the beginning of the saga. I read both books, back to back, and felt you need to read Dragon Queen first. With the two books together the story was very enjoyable. Jayel has a talent to weave the characters and story line into a mesmerizing read. The Dragon Queen is the story of Yavie, her Guardians and their quest to reunite the seven kingdoms. You will find that once you read Dragon Queen you will read The Wrekening again. Both books flowed together with their characters and story, although The Wrekening is about the next generation. The main character in Dragon Queen is Yavie who has a very strong character personality. Jayel has kept with the female lead in this book as she did in the first book. Her style is definitely her own, a little gaming, folklore, and a whole lot of fun.

The Dragon Queen tells you about each of the Guardians, the Ancients, the talismans and which elements each Guardian was linked to. How did a Guardian become linked to a flyte of dragons and why. Who betrayed the Guardians and why? The story will tell you why the kingdoms were shattered and by whom. The Dragon Queen is a story of courage, and adventure, betrayal and love.

This is definitely a book for pure reading enjoyment. I can’t wait for the third book.