Changing More Than The Clocks by Helen Henderson

 

Fire and Amulet by Helen Henderson
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One of the autumn/winter events that I have come to hate is Daylight Savings Time. Now I am not going to debate the benefits of shifting clocks ahead or back an hour. The fact is, the older I get the harder I find it is to adjust to the changing of the clock. And it doesn't make a difference whether the hour is springing forward or falling back, both are now wrecking havoc to my life. But I am not the only one.

A social media meme of a dog with a sign hanging around its neck notifying its owner that changing the clock does not change its feeding time made me laugh. 

One dog owner I know slowly shifts the feeding time five minutes a day to help her animals adjust. That never worked with the tuxedo cat who used to rule my household. He made it very clear. Bird song and brightening skies meant it was time for his humans to rise and give him his milk. Door slams made sure that we woke. And the evening feeding time? Whenever he wanted to be fed. Delays resulted in loud meows and leg pats (with extended claws).

Another type of seasonal change can be just as impactful as changing the clock. There comes a time in an  author's writing life when a series ends. The Windmaster Novels eventually came to an end with Windmaster Golem. The series covered two generations of mages and a legend pulled from the mists of time. Adjusting to saying good-bye to characters I had lived with for years was harder than that of a time shift.

Two of my favorite things are hanging out with mages and flying with dragons. A coin flip decided it was time to take to the skies. A documentary of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, a volcano on the island of Luzon in the Phillipines became the initial inspiration for the world of Fire and Amulet. The images of the volcano and the lands around it took me back to the time of my childhood when I lived there.

Since the topic focuses on change and time, in recognition of the changing temperatures outside, a snippit from Fire and Amulet of the change of seasons.

Helen Henderson lives in western Tennessee with her husband. While she doesn’t have any pets in residence at the moment, she often visits a husky who have adopted her as one the pack. Find out more about her and her novels on her BWL author page.

Nighttime breezes accentuated the crisper air of harvest season that had accompanied the last few days of her travel. The cooler temperatures came with daytime storms that kept her huddled beneath her cloak for what little shelter it provided. Although the rain and lightning restricted her movement, it did little to stop her mind from roaming down untenable paths.

Worries about her future, whether Geren and his new bride were happy in Nawddmir, and if Drakus, Hiryur, and their herd had found safe pasture, mingled with memories.

The cool air recalled all the times she hid in Trelleir’s cave to escape the desert heat that scorched Darceth in the summer months. Not even the dark hours provided respite from the heat that burned your lungs and stole what little energy one could summon. In the few steps from the communal well to the garden, even without a single splash or spill, the full bucket emptied by half.

A low chuckle escaped. Caldar could never object to days spent at the cave because it was the head slayer’s orders to go there and assist Trelleir. What was supposed to be a punishment was a reward in disguise.

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 ~Until next month, stay safe and read.  Helen

Helen Henderson lives in western Tennessee with her husband. While she doesn’t have any pets in residence at the moment, she often visits a husky who have adopted her as one the pack. Find out more about her and her novels on her BWL author page.

Running Behind by Janet Lane Walters #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #writing #Holidays #Release in December #Plotting new Book

 

Suddenly I realized it was my day to post on the blog. For some reason I've been runing a day behid for weeks. No excuses, really. As one ages, days seem to run into each other. So for the past few weeks, I've been pushing myself. Whatwith? First there's the December release of Seppal. I've been doing much promotion of the book. Trying something new with this one. I'll know if it works. That's Excuse no.1

Excuse number 2 is Christmas stockings. This year I have 17 to fill for an expanding fmily. The real problem is they must go out after Thanksgiving to make sure they arrive on time. Most of them will be sent out of state.

Excuse Number 3 is I've started plotting the last of the Moon Rising series - Keltoi and when I'm in that zone I lose hours and hours. The plot goes to bed with me and I often wake up with scenes ready to fit into the story. Once the plot is in line and it's almost done, I'll begin writing the story. That's the part I love, too. Next month I'll be back to my orderly self.

 

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The Seven Fires Prophecies, by J.C. Kavanagh

 

Book 3 of the award-winning Twisted Climb series: 

A  Bright Darkness

In last month's blog, I referenced an Ojibwe legend about the Seven Fires Prophecies. It's a fascinating, genuine tale handed down over hundreds of generations by tribe Elders and Wisdom Keepers. The significance of these prophecies and how they've transpired over the centuries, cannot be understated. These prophecies became pivotal in the final book of The Twisted Climb series. Curious? Read more below in an excerpt from Chapter 20 of A Bright Darkness. 

Chapter 20 - The Seven Fires Prophecies

“In the ages when time had just begun for my people – the original Anishinaabe nation – seven prophets dared to speak to the Elders about the future. Their predictions and warnings are called the Seven Fires Prophecies. Each prophecy marks a significant turning point for our people. Let me explain.” Mrs. Beeforth, the Ojibwe Elder, settled in her chair. “The first prophecy spoke of our origins, of how we had to preserve our history, our traditions, and medicinal practices. All these things were to be written on sacred scrolls. The prophet said we had to travel from the shores of the great salt water – the Atlantic Ocean – to the land where food grows on the water. If we did not travel to this land, we would die.”

“The Second Fire Prophecy would be upon us when we doubted the wisdom of the Elders. During this time, the ancient ways would be ridiculed and stifled. It would take the insight of a young native-born boy to re-direct the people back to the traditional ways.”

“The Third Fire prophecy declared that the nation must continue their journey west, to the chosen land – the land where food grows on the water. I can tell you now that our people travelled for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, settling in the Great Lakes Region. There, the food on the water was found – wild rice. Berries, beaver, deer and fish were also plentiful, and our people flourished.”

“The Fourth Fire Prophecy was met with skepticism. Remember, these prophets were from the beginning of our ages. In this prophecy, two prophets foretold the arrival of a Light-skinned race. One warned that the future of our people depended on whether or not the Light-skinned race was offering true brotherhood. If they arrived with a handshake and desire to share their knowledge, then our people would join to form a great nation. However, the second prophet advised that if they came with weapons, and if they spoke from both sides of their mouth and secretly desired to steal the riches from our land, we should beware. If the rivers turned sour and the fish die, that is the sign the Light-skinned race brings death.”

Mrs. Beeforth adjusted her glasses, eyes grim. “The Fifth Fire prophecy foretold a struggle amongst all Indian nations; an internal struggle concerning traditions and beliefs. The Light-skinned people promised their own kind of salvation as long as we relinquished our beliefs. The internal struggle amongst our peoples would last for many generations and bring the nations to the brink of extinction.”

“The Sixth Fire Prophecy speaks to the results of the Fifth Prophecy. The deceit of those pushing to destroy our way of life will become evident when the wisdom of the Elders is disparaged and ignored. It will become evident when children are removed from the teachings of the Elders, and when our people are driven from their lands. A new sickness will befall our people at this time. Languages will be lost. The purpose of life – of living, loving and learning – will turn into shallowness and grief.”

“This is horrible,” Jayden muttered, “because it all came to be.”

“Yes,” Mrs. Beeforth agreed. “It all came to be.” She took a sip of water and continued.

“It was during this time that the Wisdom Keepers – priests if you will – called upon every Elder and every Priest, from every tribe, to gather all the sacred writings and scrolls. Everything that defined our people – our medicines, our languages and our traditions – was to be inscribed on birch bark and placed in a sacred bundle. This bundle would be hidden in a hollowed-out log and the log hidden within the crevice of a rock cliff. The log could only be reached by scaling down the cliff. All the knowledge of our people, from time immemorial, would be kept hidden there until the Indian people were ready to practice their beliefs and traditions, respect their Elders, and resume our Native ways without reprisal from the Light-skinned people.”

* * *

Check out A Bright Darkness for yourself and read what the Seventh and final prophecy will bring.

In the meantime, stay safe!

J.C. Kavanagh, author of 
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2) 

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada 

AND 

The Twisted Climb,

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll

Voted Best Local Author, Simcoe County, Ontario, 2022

Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com

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Hold the Advice or Live by it? By BC Deeks, Paranormal Mystery Fiction Author

 

Visit B.C. Deeks' BWL Author Page for Book and Purchase Information

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It’s taken me 64 years to learn not to teach others what it took me 64 years to learn myself. People must discover things themselves or it just doesn’t stick. That’s not to say I haven’t heard some really good advice that I wish I had known, or even listened to, over the years. For example. I wish I had known, Skip all the heartbreak and drama of teenage dating and just read a book until you’re 25 – Wish I'd had that nugget of wisdom at 15.

Ironically, now I collect advice sayings like tree ornaments and I even try to follow the sage wisdom to lead a more mindful life. Another one that I wish I had known way back is, Find your passion-Then figure out how to make money at it. I’ve known since I was twelve that I wanted to be an author, but my career took a very different direction.

I was a young woman in the ‘yuppy’ generation. We energetically threw ourselves at that glass ceiling determined to be the first to shatter it. I’ll admit I experienced some exciting adventures. In the early 1980s, I sat at a table with the CIA on one side and the KGB on the other! They didn’t speak to each other, but I spoke to both of them separately. Fascinating times. I also got lost in the warehouse district of Paris at midnight on another occasion and was rescued by a mysterious French businessman. He drove me back to my hotel and wished me fond memories of the city before disappearing again into the night. I’m not making this stuff up, but it sure does find its way into my writing.

It wasn’t easy being a single woman working in male dominated industries and traveling internationally. Computer security was an emerging field, and I was dealing with hackers, terrorists, and an emerging Dark Web. I was also rising into management, and sometimes encountered men who didn’t like a woman directing their work. Fortunately, there were also men along my journey who gave me a solid hand up. I’ll share another piece of advice I live by: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

And I did eventually get back to my dream of writing and pour all those experiences into my writing.

Maybe I should have listened to some of the advice I was given when I was younger. I wish I had believed then that I would survive the tough times and grow from my experiences. My mother’s favorite advice to me was, And this too shall pass. She was a wise woman.

Do you have advice you live by? Or wish you had listened to when you were younger?

Stick Season

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 Welcome to Stick Season here in Vermont!

What is it? It's that time when the leaves have left the trees but the snow has yet to visit.   Inexact, to be sure, like our maple sugaring season...more dependent on Mother Nature than on the calendar. 

Stick Season in Vermont is a time of transition. The days are shorter, the nights are colder. We start to nest indoors. It's time for contemplation, for walks among the downed leaves.

For me, it's a great time for cooking up plots for future novels, for trying to understand my characters and stories of books in progress, while enjoying our landscapes, transformed to an almost black and white beauty of bare limbs and grey skies letting us know that winter is on the way.