"Flowering Woman - Moontime for Kory", is the story of a girl's rites of passage into womanhood. It deals with the issues of sex, pregnancy, passion, menstruation and adulthood in a most beautiful, delicate and profound way," according to Publishers Weekly.
Kory's first "moontime" or menstrual period is
celebrated by her mother and the village women. They help her
feel special about her body and its natural biological changes.
The wise village grandmothers remind Kory of the sacredness of
being a woman and the responsibility of 
bringing forth new life. Through their
kind and loving words, they set Kory on the path to adulthood and
give her gifts that will enhance her unique talents and
abilities.
This book - the first of its kind on the market - offers a sweet story that celebrates menstruation. "It's meant to be shared and it lends itself to discussion," says Librarian Joan Duke. "it brings back some of the ancient values of other cultures into our modern-day world."
"Many parents and teachers," says Barclay, "haven't known how to talk to their children about basic biology. We're so cut off from the normal, natural functions of life that we can't offer our children healthy explanations for their biological changes. When parents are uncomfortable discussing topics of aides, pregnancy, menstruation and sex with their children that "uncomfortableness" is what the kids pick up.
"Most tribal cultures are more connected to the natural rhythms of life. They have a profound respect for nature, God and life itself and tend to impart these deep values to their children in their everyday way of living."
Ms. Barclay's career started as a teacher in a small Inuit village in Arctic Alaska. An experience she says helped her to see the connection we have to vast cycles of nature, life and the cosmos and the simplicity of birth-life-death that everything shares.
"Women have forgotten how to nurture themselves,"
Barclay continues. "We're all so busy with children,
marriage, church and career that we forget about ourselves. The
tradition of "moontime" or our monthly cycle offers
women a time to be still, rest, pray, meditate and 
regenerate. Tribal cultures consider
woman's time as a sacred, and powerful pathway to greater
understanding God, self and family. In many languages the word
for God, sacred, moon, blood, menstruation, and taboo are the
same word.
At least forty percent of the women in our culture suffer from PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome). There are over 150 minor to major symptoms ascribed to PMS...headache and irritability to acts of violence. The cause of PMS is still unknown. The so called "hormonal imbalance" during a woman's menses or "moontime," according to Native American traditions opens the intuitive side of the brain to wisdom and insights that benefit the woman, her family and her tribe. It is hence the "cure" not the "curse," explains Barclay.
After reading "Flowering Woman - Moontime for Kory,"
a Seattle business woman wrote us saying: "I was feeling so
bad, I wanted to leave my office, go home, eat bonbons and watch
the 
soaps. I went home, laid
down on the couch and was quiet. I thought I fell asleep, and
awoke in an hour with a brilliant idea. I went back to the
office, put the idea into action with a phone call and made a
very lucrative sale. Taking time out for my "moontime"
not only helps me and my business, my husband and children say
that I am easier to be around."
A single father wrote saying, "Your book is the answer to my prayer. My daughter is 8 going on 18. I didn't know how to talk to her about becoming a woman, much less approach the issues of sex, passion and pregnancy. Your book gave me the language that I needed to talk to my daughter. Reading and discussing your beautiful story together has deepened our relationship."
Author Shinan Barclay believes that there is a connection between many of the issues that are facing people and the planet. "There are many crisis situations that face us. Aides, pollution, teen pregnancy and suicide, battered women and children. Our status seeking, materialistic lifestyles cause a great deal of unnecessary stress. We all need to re-examine our personal and collective values. We need to learn how to nurture ourselves, each other and the planet. One way women can begin to do this is to just allow themselves some time, even an hour or two each month, to do something that deeply nurtures them," Barclay concludes.
There is a growing body of research that indicates PMS can be greatly lessened, if not eliminated entirely, by a woman observing and honoring her "moontime."