905.484.4257 cj@cjmartin.ca

Enjoy my latest book.

It is dedicated to all those who work for
social and ecological justice.

Illustration: Beric Henderson, Awakening (detail), 2020, acrylic on canvas, Port Macquarie, Australia

Dances With David 

21st-century responses to the Psalms by an eco-spiritual poet (Vol. 1)

“Thousands of years ago, King David of Israel and the other Psalmists wrote of their days’ injustices, their hearts’ desires and their souls’ longings.

In Dances with David: 21st-century responses to the Psalms by an eco-spiritual poet (Vol. 1), CJ Martin voices concerns of our own day, calling attention to the global climate crisis and the soul-negating impacts of materialism, hyper-connection and distraction.

Her sense of spirituality is influenced by a lifelong attention to multiple world religions, an interest in science, and a background in social activism.

The book is illustrated with the artwork of breakthrough painters of the past few centuries.

The ideas, words, and images create a richly layered experience for your heart to revisit again and again.”

Available in Six Formats

Scrollable e-book ($11.90)

  • designed for perfect comfort on cell phones — no pinching and zooming
  • also enjoyable on laptops, desktops, tablets, and e-readers
  • 32 art images, 72 scrollable pages
  • enhanced with dozens of links to information about the artists and the paintings

Accessibility-Optimized EPUB (unillustrated) ($11.90)

  • designed for e-readers, cell phones, tablets, and computers
  • unformatted, reflowable text is easy for read-aloud apps
  • artwork, art credits, and links have been removed
  • best choice for people with low vision, or those who prefer to listen

Deluxe Hardcover Edition ($46.90CAD)

  • durable, hard cover looks sharp, even with frequent use
  • artwork shines with premium ink and 80#, coated paper
  • 50 full-colour art images, 116 traditional pages
  • size: pocket book

Three Choices for Paperback

  • choice of
    • student edition ($19.90CAD) with standard ink and standard paper (matte cover)
    • traditional paperback ($24.90CAD) with standard ink and 80#, coated paper (glossy cover)
    • premium paperback ($37.90CAD) with premium ink and 80#, coated paper (glossy cover)
  • 50 full-colour art images, 116 traditional pages
  • size: pocket book

I have taken responsibility for every aspect of this book, including:

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Writing

I wrote all the material.

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Editing

I self-edited, then worked with another editor to fine-tune the book.

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Contract Execution

I obtained permissions and executed licensing agreements with artists, copyright holders, and photographic sources from as far away as Norway, Australia, and California.

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Image Research

To select 50 images, I viewed thousands of images held in the public domain, private collections, institutions, and studios of working artists. The challenge for each image was to find a painting that:

  • related, but not too directly
  • was in the right style, palette, orientation, and resolution, and that fit in with the surrounding images
  • was available to be used as desired, for the right budget

 

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Book Design

I worked with a graphic designer to develop all four versions of the book and its related merchandise.

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Online Selling

I worked with a Shopify site designer to create  DancesWithDavidPoems.ca, using Lulu Xpress and Gelato as print-on-demand partners.

(For more about how self-publishing saves trees, see: Sustainability in Self-Publishing)

"Reads like Rumi"

“Inspired by David, but reads more like Rumi, with the ecstatic scope of Whitman and the influence of Lau Tzu. The imagery is strong and very current, and the stylistic variation keeps the reader’s interest high. I think this collection will resonate with a wide audience.”

– Christopher William, Writer and Teacher

"Fresh as the morning breeze"

“These poems, CJ – fresh as the morning breeze! They are so true. So true. Yours are new prayers, for our earth, our very souls, our very selves. Instead of the old “vertically up” relationship, yours are spherical, all encompassing, ecumenical…and sometimes even with a touch of humour. They are important – now more than ever.”

– Shauna McLean, Visual Artist

"Its beauty touched my soul"

“I read your first poem, and it filled me with such emotion that I could go no further. Its beauty touched my soul! The feminine in it is so strong and wondrous.”

– Agnes Richard, Coordinator, Global Catholic Climate Movement Canada