Dear Friend and Reader:

We at Planet Waves have felt a calling to develop astrology materials for and about men -- and the moment has arrived. The project is called Mars Calling, designed to be one of the few astrology resources ever created for men and the people who love them. We are now ready to go, and you are hearing about it first.

This is an unusually challenging time for men to be alive. Men face the challenge of dealing with feminism, rising to the calling of chivalry, and honoring their own emotional independence all at once. It is impossible to be sure of the expectations society has. Men who are listening get a lot of mixed signals, and no doubt this is an influence not to listen. Women are expected to be more independent, but men are still expected to be supportive, if not support them. Pressure to get in touch with our feminine or receptive side and be less aggressive pushes men to give up aspects of maleness (such as a sense of entitlement), while other influences push men to be more macho. We feel that astrology can help plot the way out of these contradictions.

Mars Calling explores the ideas, experiences, struggles and needs of men, as best we can identify them. We'll cover emotional, personal growth and professional aspects of life, and provide a few tips how to communicate with women. We will cover psychology, creative development, sexuality, same-sex sexuality, and the rarely considered maturing process of boys into men. In our research, we've gone on a quest for that elusive thing that makes men into men -- or not, as is so often the case.

The book will look primarily at the Sun and the Moon through all the signs and to some extent the houses. Toward the end of the project there will be extra sections exploring generational movements of Ceres, Chiron, Eris, Pluto and other factors.

Mars Calling is co-written by Paloma Todd and me. I have worked with, learned from and grown with Paloma for many years. Together we have an excellent creative alchemy, and match one another's curiosity about gender and gender relations. In addition to being one of the most intelligent astrologers I know, this summer Paloma will finish a Master in Expressive Arts Therapy in Barcelona, Spain. This international program is part of the European Graduate School in Leuk University, Switzerland. Together, we are bringing far more to this project than astrology -- but astrology is the basis.

To keep things interesting, Paloma is working with the Sun and I am working with the Moon. The project is based on the ideas and experiences of men in their own words. This project is designed for men and for the people who love and care about them. For female readers, it will provide an excellent mirror where you can look into the psyches of your male counterparts, and explore your own Mars aspect. For men, it will provide ideas about how to learn and grow, and give you an idea of how you are perceived by the people around you.

Mars Calling is being developed over the course of one year -- sign by sign, following the Sun through the seasons. New editions will be issued monthly. Aries will come out during Aries 2008 (next month), Taurus during Taurus, and so on, till we come to Pisces in early 2009. Each edition will be about 20 pages, but you know how we write around here -- generously and thoroughly.

You can subscribe to the whole series, or purchase the Aries edition separately. Everyone who signs up (whether for one sign, or all 12) will get the extra materials (on generational astrology) as they are produced. Each sign separately is $9.95, and you can subscribe to all 12 for $89.95.

We don't go anywhere without our computer. Eric Francis and Paloma Todd in Paris. Photo by Danielle Voirin.

Aries turns the key to the universe. This first chapter will introduce the concept of Mars, the ruler of Aries, and be relevant to all of the 12 signs.

The anticipated release date of the Aries chapter is Friday, April 4 -- the eve of the Aries New Moon -- and the chapters will be published around the New Moon each month until the 12 signs are complete. They will be delivered as an email and also as a Web link. Please follow the directions in your confirmation email, so that we avoid bulk mail issues.

We are excited to be going into this territory for the first time, and invite you to come along with us. Those who subscribe to this series are directly sponsoring the creation of this exciting project -- thank you.

Yours & truly,


PS: We are encouraging reader participation, starting now! For the first edition: if you have a message for the Aries men in your life (including the ones no longer in your life), please send it to us at info@planetwaves.net. We will use the quotations anonymously. Thank you!