Six Sentence Sunday November 7th

This is my first Six Sentence Sunday. I’ve selected an excerpt from my upcoming book Tears on a Tranquil Lake, to be released February 1^st, 2011. This is from Chapter One, a very mysterious but passionate scene.

            Waves of passion rippled through my body and I desired whatever being touched me. Wanting to know more, I opened my eyes. Light pained my limited vision.

            A hazy image flashed in front of me.

            I pulled back, ending the kiss and viewed a sweep of dark hair turning away, moving up toward the surface.

            The being kicked up debris from the bottom of the lake and obscured its exact form.

I hope you enjoyed this snippet. If you’re wanting to know more and/or be reminded when my book may be purchased, follow this link to the MuseItUp Publishing Bookstore.

Be sure to check out the other awesome entries at: http://sixsunday.blogspot.com/

“The radiance was that of the full, setting, and blood-red moon, . . .

which now shone vividly through that once barely- discernible fissure,... extending from the roof of the building, in a zigzag direction, to the base. While I gazed, this fissure rapidly widened.”
Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), A metaphor for the defloration of the deceased Madeline Usher.

This marks the second in my Full Moon Blog Series. Full moons have long fascinated me, bringing day and night dreams of both fantasy and romantic passion, my two favorite writing topics.

Writing my current work in progress, Enchanted Bookstore: Seeking a Scribe, led me to research the folkore of full moons. That book involves a quest which must be completed by the rising of the Red Moon, before evil has a connection from my fantasy world of Draganspeir to the real world

The next time the full moon will rise is tomorrow, August 24th (17:06 GMT).

It is named the Red Moon because it appears slightly reddish, rising through the sultry heat haze of August. It was also named the Sturgeon Moon by Indian tribes of the Great Lakes region, when sturgeon are plentiful in those waters at this time in the summer. Other common names for this August moon are the Green Corn Moon, Lammas, Grain Moon, Barley Moon, Dispute Moon, Holly Moon , and Moon of Encirclement.

Many cultures celebrate gathered harvests with this moon, hence all the grain references. August 1st marks a Celtic feast called Lunasa or Lughnassadh, the celebration of grain harvest. This was known as Lammas, “Loaf Mass,” in Old English times.

It was originally known as Sextilis during Roman times, before being renamed as the August Moon after Augustus Ceasar. On three August dates, the 17th, 23rd, and 27th, the god Vulcan was honored, to ward off accidental fires during this dry month.

August held holy days in early Greece, celebrating on the 13th for Hecate, the Dark Mother, and on the 23rd for the Goddess Nemesis, who balanced the scales of justice with rightful punishment.

Continuing yet today in India, Hindus honor their elephant-headed god Ganesha in August, but it is unlucky to look upon the full moon during the celebration. Instead, flowers and dishes of rice are offered to images of the deity who is known to remove obstacles and bring good luck.
Correspondences of the August Moon
Nature Spirits: dryads
Herbs: chamomile, St. Johns wort, bay, angelica, fennel, rue, orange
Colours: yellow, gods
Flowers: sunflower, marigold
Scents: frankincense, heliotrop
Stones: cat's eye, carnelian, jasper, fire agate
Trees: hazel, alder, cedar
Animals: lion, phoenix, sphinx, dragon
Birds: crane, falcon, eagle
Deities: Ganesha, Thoth, Hathor, Diana, Hecate, Nemesis
Power Flow: energy into harvesting; gathering, appreciating. Vitality, health. Friendships.


On Tuesday evening be sure to pause and enjoy the dramatic beauty of the Red Moon.

Art: ukitakumuki and Holly 6669666 (Deviant Art)
Reference: Months of the Moon

Wolves howl, kitties prowl when the Moon is full....

FULL MOON

Full moon

So bright and serene

Keeps me awake.

Letting its stillness

Soak my being

I look up,

Joyfully certain

Moon dust sprinkles

You, too, Love,

Caressing you

This silvery night

~Yldan

I spend a lot of time reading about fairy and folktales of many cultures. While the most well known come from Europe and North America, I have amassed a decent collection of these writings from Russia, Romania, India, Japan, Africa, Australia/New Zealand, and the Caribbean. I collect rare references of folklore because I enjoy seeing the different cultures within stories which originated as oral tradition. Weaving bits of these time-honored tales into my fantasies brings me pleasure to continue their passage.


This writing research for a current work in progress took me to discover interesting lore and fables about the various full moons. I have always been intrigued by the mystique of the full moon, conjuring both fantasy as well as eliciting romance and passion. Those who know me understand my attraction to this symbolism; the genres I blend are exactly those, fantasy and romance/soft erotica.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

_

Tall nettles cover up, as they have done
These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough
Long worn out, and the roller made of stone.
Only the elm butt tops the nettles now . . .
This corner of the farmyard I like most,
As well as any bloom upon a flower
I like the dust on the nettles, never lost
Except to prove the sweetness of a shower.

~Edward Thomas

The Buck Moon

The next time the full moon will rise is on July 26th (1:38 GMT). This cycle is given the name Buck Moon because it is in July when new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. Another name for this lunar event is the Full Thunder Moon, owing to the fact that thunderstorms are most frequent during this month. It is also called the Hay Moon because farmers hold to the rule that grass crops should be sown at this time to insure the hay will dry quickly. Other common names for the July moon include the Crane Moon, the Claiming Moon, Mead Moon, Oak Moon, Wort Moon, Moon of Blood (because of mosquitoes), Blessing Moon, and the Summer Moon.

 Many cultures rely on this moon to mark their celebrations. In Japan, the July moon is the time of the O-Bon, or Festival of Lanterns, a three-day celebration of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs honoring the dead. Homes, tombs, and grave markers are cleaned. Altars and shines are decorated. Gardens are hung with lanterns so the dead may find their ways to join families.  

The Egyptian New Year also occurs in July, as does the Opet Festival, which commemorates the marriage of Isis and Osiris. Their sexual union is supposed to bring good luck to all people. In Rome, the love of Venus and Adonis are celebrated at this time of July’s full moon. 

Correspondences of the July Moon:

Nature Spirits: hobgoblins (small grotesque but friendly brownie-type creatures), faeries of the harvest crops
Herbs: honeysuckle, agrimony, lemon balm, hyssop
Colors: silver, blue-grey
Flowers: lotus, water lily, jasmine
Scents: orris, frankincense
Stones: pearl, moonstone, white agate
Trees: oak, acacia, ash
Animals: crab, turtle, dolphin, whale
Birds: starling, ibis, swallow
Deites: Khepera, Athene, Juno Hel, Holda, Cerridwen, Nephthys, Venus
Power Flow: relaxed energy; preparing; succeeding. Dream-work, divination, and meditation on goals and plans, especially spiritual ones

On Sunday evening be sure to pause and enjoy the simple pleasures of the beauty of the Buck Moon.

Art: Angela Jayne Barnett

Reference: The Months of the Moon

Why Paranormal?

I'm pleased to present my friend Raven Corinn Carluk as a guest on my blog. Enjoy!

******

Why paranormal?  Normal relationships are hard enough to deal with; stolen covers, toilet seats left up, mother-in-laws, divorce, jealousy, and every other stumbling block.  So why add to that mix?  Isn't it enough without wanting to eat your partner?


For paranormal readers, definitely not.  We want out stories big, our characters engrossing, our tricks difficult, and our rewards enormous.  We want passion through the ages, and inner struggles with humanity, and to know that love never dies.  Struggling to make a relationship work around opposing work schedules is nothing compared to making it work when one of you changes once a month.


It's certainly not for everyone.  It's a big, magical, scary world out there.  But some people seek the things that go bump in the night.  Those are the people who need to know the struggles of our paranormal characters.


Even adding the barest hint of the exotic takes us beyond the mundane.  A witch working in a call center.  A spiritual medium on the city bus.  A werewolf shopping for groceries.  Each are just familiar enough that we feel welcome following them, that we can root for them as they struggle, and we can share their elations and sorrows.


But they're not normal, and they take us out of our every day worlds.  We can dabble with the darkness without taking it home.  We can be part of that world for as little or as much as we want.  We can even bring back what we want, and keep it with us.


So, why paranormal?  Why not paranormal?


Raven Corinn Carluk
http://raven.youareannoying.us/

******
 

Raven Corinn Carluk is just starting out on her journey as an author.  She's proud to have All Hallows Blood to offer to you.  You can read more about Raven on her site, or follow her blog.  Her novel, All Hallows Blood, is available on Kindle, and in print on Barnes & Noble.  (ISBN: 978-0984180554) She's always available, and would love to hear from you.

A bit about her book All Hallows Blood:

Mourning her mother on Halloween, Keila O'Broin, psychic warrior and last of her line,isn't prepared for dead teenagers to ask her to avenge them.  Compelled by her family creed, Keila combats the vampiric serial killer, despite her atrophied powers.

But defeating one killer is only the start of her adventure. Into her life walks Varick Eitenhauer, centuries old undead master of Portland.The vampire tells her she will now help him defeat his rivals in a battle to control the city, and he will accept no refusals.

Surrounded by her desire and danger, the only way to succeed is to rise from her past like a phoenix from its ashes.

******

It's been great having Raven as my guest and I encourage you to enjoy more of her writing in her book All Hallows Blood.

What is a Goddess?

The message of this beautiful video, while certainly applicable to all women, reminded me of the wonderful female writers I have come to know recently. The heartfelt words of the video's text speak of the joy a fulfilled woman brings to those who know her. Daily I am in awe of dozens of amazing ladies. While pursuing their personal ambitions of writing with considerable grace and determination, they motivate others along positive paths, perhaps unknowingly.

The breathtaking images in this clip show the spiritual and mystical essence of a strong female spirit. The women writers I'm pleased to have as friends, mentors, and acquaintances not only emulate this strength in the female characters they create, but also live this persona in their real lives. This video reminded me of what I see inside them and what I seek within myself. I am inspired and grateful.

"A woman who is in the process of learning to know, accept and love herself on all levels, Mind Body and Spirit. A woman who, because she focuses on personal growth and self awareness, experiences a life, increasingly filled with peace, love, joy, passion and fun. A woman that understands that she has unlimited capacity to make her life anything she wants. A woman who is inspired to give to those around her our of her sense of gratitude and abundance." ~Selina Fenech

Credit to my dear friend The Pleasure Coach where I discovered this video on his Facebook page. http://thepleasurecoach.blogspot.com/

To Be Lovers

What does the term 'lovers' mean today? What connects lovers? As a writer of romance/erotica, the etymology baffles me. Some friends of mine recently brought up a conversation which showed my usage of this word flawed, quite a surprise for me, since I spend plenty of time pondering the meanings of romance, intimacy, love, lust, passion . . . for a few intriguing story ideas, and to understand life.


In modern life, being lovers doesn't necessarily imply love or caring; it's loosely used as a pretty term for sex partners. In my Swedish friend's native language, the word 'lovers' is considered ambiguous, and other terms are used to better define the extent of the emotional bond. In comparison, English seems limited. I wish I had words to describe various involvements: people partnered primarily for sex; a couple whose fondness, caring and sexual interaction are equally important; and a pair united by their sexuality, as natural extension of their souls being deeply bonded by love. I need more words.


In my fiction I expect lovers to care for each other and their sex be an intimate extension of that. Their bond may be threatened by evil characters seeking to come between, by perilous sword and sorcery adventures separating the pair, or by magical and natural physical impairments. In response, I want my fictional couple to demonstrate emotional upheaval when forced apart. The extent of their anguish is a measure of the depth of their feeling for each other.


This is, perhaps, in contrast to reality. Seems sad. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all lovers truly cared for and about each other? The element of friendship transforms sex into intimacy, an ember fanned into flame. Most likely, physical urges cry so loudly, even an ember satiates our bodies, while our minds still yearn for the flame. That all humans long to be deeply admired I accept as a premise, supported by Maslow in his psychological hierarchy of needs. Possibly meeting a person who can help us discover intimacy occurs so infrequently we hold the goal as an ideal. Our thirst for what appears beyond reach fuels our interests in romance stories. If so, fictional lovers MUST be more than sex partners. Otherwise, as I write I need to define the term 'lovers' more carefully, or switch to Swedish, or coin a few new English words.  What do you think?

Colors of Love

I am orange today. A statement of mood through expression of a color, trusting known connotations. Lately this seems to be a trend. Perhaps, a result of character limitations on tweets or status updates. What kind of love do cerulean, fuchsia, or aubergine bring to mind? As a writer of romance and erotica, I ponder such amusements.

A cold and isolated relationship is white, barren of everything, sterile. Be warned, icicles from that lover may impale you at any instant. Only the most colorful personalities feel welcomed. Ivory love, demure like a fragile parchment, kisses softly over the hair, the brow, the nose, before brushing lips. Its distant cousin, charcoal, seeks a stormy union. While the lovers' dedication may be as solid as granite, their passion transcends tumultuous fog, rain, wind, and snow. Thunder sparks intense passion. Values darker, a blackened heart grieves for what will never be, yet clings to remnants of broken beauty. His mysterious elegance draws many, yet fulfills none, instead appreciating their oppression, delighting in macabre.


That thirst for blood and hunger for life, heightens passions. Lovers slake their own desires for claret. Ropes bind the skin, cutting a sanguine trail. Stilettos and stockings lie tossed aside while she reclines; he is already gone from her bed. Crimson lips on his starched shirt bring a memory of the conquest. At his own door, he interrupts his daughter and boyfriend in a goodbye kiss, both blushing. The pinkness of young love. Inside at the dinner table he looks upon his wife, trying to recall that same tenderness. She is too aged; he cannot. But, her smile pours orange warmth across his heart, a glimpse of the sunshine which fascinated him when he proposed. He twirls his band of gold, wondering . . . his desire to provide for her transformed into a vicious drive. Their love once yellow, hers shone like the sun, while his reached toward succeed. As she gave birth to their children, her harmony glowed verdant and fertile. However, he became green with greed, darkening his heart by degrees, until compelled to satiate his ravenousness with that carmine mouth.


Sadly, like him, few discover the most blissful colors. The azure of tropical waters soothes the soul. Nothing is more important than time spent on carefree caresses, part of an everlasting vacation for those who are so lucky. Such tranquility, together gazing up to stars twinkling against sapphire is appealing, but I prefer to blend it with a quantity of passion – purple, my choice for amour. Hearkening back to chivalry, honor, and valiance, when nobles dressed in violet, I swoon from the romance. Amethyst love potions intoxicate with spells from which I never wish to turn away. Tiptoeing through patches of lavender and heliotrope while gathering armfuls of lilacs, his love seduces me with heady fragrances. This is the color of my love.


Do you agree with my color associations?  I'd like to know your thoughts.