Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 293
October 31, 2012
All Hallows' Eve
Halloween had its beginnings in an ancient, pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic peoples, who were once found all over Europe, divided the year by four major holidays. According to their calendar, the year began on a day corresponding to November 1st on our present calendar. The date marked the beginning of winter. Since they were pastoral people, it was a time when cattle and sheep had to be moved to closer pastures and all livestock had to be secured for the winter months. Crops were harvested and stored. The date marked both an ending and a beginning in an eternal cycle.
The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons--all part of the dark and dread. Samhain became the Halloween we are familiar with when Christian missionaries attempted to change the religious practices of the Celtic people.
All Saints Day, otherwise known as All Hallows (hallowed means sanctified or holy), continued the ancient Celtic traditions. The evening prior to the day was the time of the most intense activity, both human and supernatural. People continued to celebrate All Hallows Eve as a time of the wandering dead, but the supernatural beings were now thought to be evil. The folk continued to propitiate those spirits (and their masked impersonators) by setting out gifts of food and drink. Subsequently, All Hallows Eve became Hallow Evening, which became Hallowe'en--an ancient Celtic, pre-Christian New Year's Day in contemporary dress.
Happy Halloween Everyone!
October 30, 2012
Sponsorship: STAKED by Sandra Edwards
Are you looking for a smart and sexy time travel book, then
look no further than STAKED. I've read this story and absolutely loved it
especially Dexter Stone--oh, la la!
Book
blurb:
Ava Valentine is a
time-traveling bounty hunter from the distant future. She's chased her fugitive
back to present-day New York City, where she anticipates an uneventful capture
even though she's a little on edge because she's meeting a new contact.
Dexter Stone is a mysterious
soldier of fortune who's agreed to take Ava to her bounty--for a fee. What
Ava's not expecting is to get mixed up with a man she suspects is a vampire!
After a run-in with an unsavory
character from Ava's past, she and Stone are forced into an uneasy alliance.
But very soon she'll discover she could be Stone's saving grace--or his
downfall.
Reviewer’s comments:
5 stars – “I just loved the chemistry between Ava & Stone. Even with the risk
she takes if ever giving herself to him, this story leaves you wanting more and
hoping”
5 stars – “It is a wonderful book, I could not put it down read it in about a day
and a half. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a great romance with a
little twist of vamps in it.”
5 stars – “This book kept me reading from first page to last. I couldn't put it
down. I love the new spin on the vampire angle, and the time travel element
leaves the mystery lover in me begging for more.”
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Staked-Time-Brokers-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B0052MSYRW
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staked-sandra-edwards/1102380111
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Staked/book-ZVuFbnwGXEWCgZ8FH3W0_w/page1.html
Excerpt:
“When do you think we'll arrive at
our destination?” She threw an easy and unassuming question at him in hopes
that he’d drop his guard a little.
He
shrugged and thought about it. “Couple hours or so. Three tops.” He turned to
her. “But since you’re from south Jersey, you should know that. Right?”
“Well,
it’s not like I’ve been there lately.” She shrugged. “So I can’t really judge
travel time because I don’t know what the traffic’s like.”
“Makes
sense.” He gave a concurring nod and then went silent. They passed a sign
signifying a rest stop one mile ahead.
“Hey,”
Ava said. “Can we make a pit stop up ahead?”
“Seriously?”
He rolled his eyes. “You want to stop now? Do you realize how much time we’ll
waste by stopping?”
“Five
minutes,” she said. “Five minutes isn’t going to make or break us.” She wasn’t
sure if he’d stop or not. Stone didn’t exactly strike her as the accommodating
type.
He
didn’t say whether or not he’d stop, he simply turned his attention back to the
road ahead and handled the steering wheel with one hand.
Ava
tried willing him to stop. Aside from
needing to pee, she wanted to splash a little water on her face. Maybe it’d
shock this detrimental fascination with Stone out of her system. It’d slammed
her back at Louie’s, even before he’d crossed the threshold. She hadn’t wanted
it then and she was no closer to accepting it now. The sooner she acquired Cole
and reimbursed Stone, the quicker she could escape the spell Stone held over
her. That was one thing she could look forward to if Stone bypassed the rest
stop exit—getting away from him that much faster.
Stone
barely slowed down prior to veering off the freeway at the precise moment he
was about to bypass the exit. Knowing now that they’d be making the stop left
her with mixed feelings. She needed to use the bathroom, but there was
something to be said for getting away from Stone as quickly as possible.
The
parking lot was nearly deserted and cloaked in the nighttime’s darkness. Most
of the street lights were out, right along with the outside lights on the
building. It was hard to see whatever might be lurking in the shadows.
Ava
scanned the area as she opened the car door but couldn’t decide if the eeriness
swallowing her up was from real trouble or just her nerves. Well, she had to
pee; plus she was sure that she and Stone could handle any mortal trouble
hiding in the darkness.
She
closed the car door with an easy push and surveyed the area. The night’s warm
air held the faintest hint of a breeze. She just wasn’t sure if it was enough
to fuel the goose bumps that’d begun to pebble her skin. To be on the safe
side, she and Stone had better stick together.
Ava
glanced over her shoulder at Stone strolling up the sidewalk about two paces
behind her. “You think you could come inside with me?” she asked. He threw her
suggestive look. She didn’t have the patience for his antics right now. “Look...I
can’t say that sexing it up in a neglected john at some rest stop along the
highway really turns me on.” She tried to project her impatience onto him with
a glare. It must have worked because he rolled his eyes, drew a heavy breath
and moved toward her. “Can you just go in there with me? These kinds of places
give me the creeps.” It was best to let him think she needed a hero. But the
truth was, if they were going to get backed into a corner, better to do it
together.
Stone
moved in front of her, shaking his head. “No matter how long I live,” he said. “I’ll
never understand women.”
“Right
back at you,” she said with a bite to her tone.
Stone
stopped at the door, cracked it open about a foot and scanned the interior
before entering. After a second or two he pushed the door open and beckoned her
to follow.
“You’re
safe, my lady.” He fanned a grand gesture about the outer area of the ladies’
room. Clearly making fun of her.
Ava
didn’t know why, but that wounded her ego. She headed straight for the sink and
turned on the cold water. Luckily, it was instantly cold. She cupped her hands,
filled them with the chilled water and splashed her face. Then she did it again
for good measure. As she suspected, it didn’t do that much good.
She
pivoted on her heel and moved toward the nearest stall. Slamming her hand, palm
out, against the door, it thrust open. Once inside, she flipped the latch. It
helped knowing the bathroom stall served as a kind of barrier between Ava and
what tempted her. If she kept telling herself that, maybe she’d believe it by
the time she was done.
She
dropped her pants to her knees, well-aware of Stone’s presence and what she’d
allow him to do without much persuasion on his part. She went about her
business, hoping it’d distract her from the sexual attraction coursing through
her body where it all seemed to be gathering beneath her belly.
This
was so not good. Ava couldn’t afford to give herself to some vampire.
Especially not this vampire. The one
who could convince her to give up all her secrets with a mere touch.
Finishing
up, she stood and pulled her pants back up around her waist.
“Ava...?”
There was a certain sense of wariness in Stone’s voice. “You about done?”
“Yeah,”
she said, pushing the stall’s door open. “Keep your shorts on.” She went to the
sink to wash her hands.
“Listen,”
he said softly, moving closer to her. “I don’t want to alarm you, but there’s
trouble outside.”
“Trouble?”
She turned off the water and shook her hands a couple of times before wiping
them on her pants. “What kind of trouble?”
Their
eyes met and for a second it looked like he might actually say the word vampire. But he didn’t. He kind of left
that part out when he said, “Five or six of them. I don’t know if I can fight
them all off, but I’ll stand a better chance in here...where we can’t be
surrounded.” He wasn’t paying much attention to her. Instead he was canvassing
the room, taking in every inch of it. Finally, when his gaze landed back on
her, he gave a half smile. “I’ll do my best to keep you safe and get you out of
this alive.”
look no further than STAKED. I've read this story and absolutely loved it
especially Dexter Stone--oh, la la!
Book
blurb:
Ava Valentine is a
time-traveling bounty hunter from the distant future. She's chased her fugitive
back to present-day New York City, where she anticipates an uneventful capture
even though she's a little on edge because she's meeting a new contact.
Dexter Stone is a mysterious
soldier of fortune who's agreed to take Ava to her bounty--for a fee. What
Ava's not expecting is to get mixed up with a man she suspects is a vampire!
After a run-in with an unsavory
character from Ava's past, she and Stone are forced into an uneasy alliance.
But very soon she'll discover she could be Stone's saving grace--or his
downfall.
Reviewer’s comments:
5 stars – “I just loved the chemistry between Ava & Stone. Even with the risk
she takes if ever giving herself to him, this story leaves you wanting more and
hoping”
5 stars – “It is a wonderful book, I could not put it down read it in about a day
and a half. I recommend this book to everyone who loves a great romance with a
little twist of vamps in it.”
5 stars – “This book kept me reading from first page to last. I couldn't put it
down. I love the new spin on the vampire angle, and the time travel element
leaves the mystery lover in me begging for more.”
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Staked-Time-Brokers-Book-ebook/product-reviews/B0052MSYRW
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staked-sandra-edwards/1102380111
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Staked/book-ZVuFbnwGXEWCgZ8FH3W0_w/page1.html
Excerpt:
“When do you think we'll arrive at
our destination?” She threw an easy and unassuming question at him in hopes
that he’d drop his guard a little.
He
shrugged and thought about it. “Couple hours or so. Three tops.” He turned to
her. “But since you’re from south Jersey, you should know that. Right?”
“Well,
it’s not like I’ve been there lately.” She shrugged. “So I can’t really judge
travel time because I don’t know what the traffic’s like.”
“Makes
sense.” He gave a concurring nod and then went silent. They passed a sign
signifying a rest stop one mile ahead.
“Hey,”
Ava said. “Can we make a pit stop up ahead?”
“Seriously?”
He rolled his eyes. “You want to stop now? Do you realize how much time we’ll
waste by stopping?”
“Five
minutes,” she said. “Five minutes isn’t going to make or break us.” She wasn’t
sure if he’d stop or not. Stone didn’t exactly strike her as the accommodating
type.
He
didn’t say whether or not he’d stop, he simply turned his attention back to the
road ahead and handled the steering wheel with one hand.
Ava
tried willing him to stop. Aside from
needing to pee, she wanted to splash a little water on her face. Maybe it’d
shock this detrimental fascination with Stone out of her system. It’d slammed
her back at Louie’s, even before he’d crossed the threshold. She hadn’t wanted
it then and she was no closer to accepting it now. The sooner she acquired Cole
and reimbursed Stone, the quicker she could escape the spell Stone held over
her. That was one thing she could look forward to if Stone bypassed the rest
stop exit—getting away from him that much faster.
Stone
barely slowed down prior to veering off the freeway at the precise moment he
was about to bypass the exit. Knowing now that they’d be making the stop left
her with mixed feelings. She needed to use the bathroom, but there was
something to be said for getting away from Stone as quickly as possible.
The
parking lot was nearly deserted and cloaked in the nighttime’s darkness. Most
of the street lights were out, right along with the outside lights on the
building. It was hard to see whatever might be lurking in the shadows.
Ava
scanned the area as she opened the car door but couldn’t decide if the eeriness
swallowing her up was from real trouble or just her nerves. Well, she had to
pee; plus she was sure that she and Stone could handle any mortal trouble
hiding in the darkness.
She
closed the car door with an easy push and surveyed the area. The night’s warm
air held the faintest hint of a breeze. She just wasn’t sure if it was enough
to fuel the goose bumps that’d begun to pebble her skin. To be on the safe
side, she and Stone had better stick together.
Ava
glanced over her shoulder at Stone strolling up the sidewalk about two paces
behind her. “You think you could come inside with me?” she asked. He threw her
suggestive look. She didn’t have the patience for his antics right now. “Look...I
can’t say that sexing it up in a neglected john at some rest stop along the
highway really turns me on.” She tried to project her impatience onto him with
a glare. It must have worked because he rolled his eyes, drew a heavy breath
and moved toward her. “Can you just go in there with me? These kinds of places
give me the creeps.” It was best to let him think she needed a hero. But the
truth was, if they were going to get backed into a corner, better to do it
together.
Stone
moved in front of her, shaking his head. “No matter how long I live,” he said. “I’ll
never understand women.”
“Right
back at you,” she said with a bite to her tone.
Stone
stopped at the door, cracked it open about a foot and scanned the interior
before entering. After a second or two he pushed the door open and beckoned her
to follow.
“You’re
safe, my lady.” He fanned a grand gesture about the outer area of the ladies’
room. Clearly making fun of her.
Ava
didn’t know why, but that wounded her ego. She headed straight for the sink and
turned on the cold water. Luckily, it was instantly cold. She cupped her hands,
filled them with the chilled water and splashed her face. Then she did it again
for good measure. As she suspected, it didn’t do that much good.
She
pivoted on her heel and moved toward the nearest stall. Slamming her hand, palm
out, against the door, it thrust open. Once inside, she flipped the latch. It
helped knowing the bathroom stall served as a kind of barrier between Ava and
what tempted her. If she kept telling herself that, maybe she’d believe it by
the time she was done.
She
dropped her pants to her knees, well-aware of Stone’s presence and what she’d
allow him to do without much persuasion on his part. She went about her
business, hoping it’d distract her from the sexual attraction coursing through
her body where it all seemed to be gathering beneath her belly.
This
was so not good. Ava couldn’t afford to give herself to some vampire.
Especially not this vampire. The one
who could convince her to give up all her secrets with a mere touch.
Finishing
up, she stood and pulled her pants back up around her waist.
“Ava...?”
There was a certain sense of wariness in Stone’s voice. “You about done?”
“Yeah,”
she said, pushing the stall’s door open. “Keep your shorts on.” She went to the
sink to wash her hands.
“Listen,”
he said softly, moving closer to her. “I don’t want to alarm you, but there’s
trouble outside.”
“Trouble?”
She turned off the water and shook her hands a couple of times before wiping
them on her pants. “What kind of trouble?”
Their
eyes met and for a second it looked like he might actually say the word vampire. But he didn’t. He kind of left
that part out when he said, “Five or six of them. I don’t know if I can fight
them all off, but I’ll stand a better chance in here...where we can’t be
surrounded.” He wasn’t paying much attention to her. Instead he was canvassing
the room, taking in every inch of it. Finally, when his gaze landed back on
her, he gave a half smile. “I’ll do my best to keep you safe and get you out of
this alive.”
October 29, 2012
Blog Tour Blast: PROPHECY OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL by Diantha Jones
Prophecy of the Most Beautiful
Oracle of Delphi #1
By Diantha Jones
Follow @DianthaJones
Synopsis:She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her.
Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of "Whack Job" in her home town of Adel, Georgia. With the onslaught of prescription medications and therapists threatening to push her over the edge, she wishes for a life far away from the one she has, a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone's jokes and mockery.
Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true.
After living through an attack from her worst nightmare, she awakens to find herself far from home, surrounded by glorious riches and servantsÖand a few demigods who enjoy killing things. Upon learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future, and the great Pythia that the gods have been anxiously awaiting to arrive for centuries.
Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given and to keep her family safe from a demigod Princess that wants her dead, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters, evading divine assassins and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own.
In the hopes of discovering the Most Beautiful and the truth of her destiny, she strives to uncover the mysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his lifeÖand threatens to win her heart in the process.
You can help Diantha
In order to build some buzz for the second book of the Oracle of Delphi series, help us spread the word about the first book in the series, Prophecy of the Most Beautiful
.This can best be done if you have a blog, especially a blog about books. If you are a blog tour host with The Masquerade Crew, your invitation to help Diantha will be sent to you soon (if you don't already have it). If you aren't a tour host for The Masquerade Crew yet, go to THIS PAGE to sign up.
If you don't have a blog, you can still help. Spread the word via Twitter and Facebook and anywhere else you hang out online. There's a giveaway mentioned below that will give you the opportunity not only to win a copy of the first book but also spread the word via Twitter.
Win a copy of Prophecy of the Most Beautiful
Diantha Jones and The Masquerade Crew are giving away 3 copies of her first book, Prophecy of the Most Beautiful
. Enter for your chance to win.Click HERE to go to the giveaway form.
October 28, 2012
The Symbol of Scary Things by Michelle Snyder
Halloween, or Samhain, the ancient pagan new year, is
celebrated at the beginning of winter, a time when everything dies. Corn
stalks, harvest sheaves, and scarecrows are all symbolic of the rituals and
tradition of the harvest, the basis of the Samhain or All Hallows Eve
celebrations. In agriculture, scarecrows are responsible for keeping the birds
away. Other common Halloween symbols - cats, snakes, and owls - were depended
upon for keeping grain stores rodent-free. In order to suppress pagan
agricultural industry, these animals were demonized by the church, associating
them with all things evil.
Samhain was a time when the gates to the underworld were
believed to be opened and spirits roamed the earth freely. Offerings of fruits and vegetables were
made to honor the dead. Over time, a night to remember and honor the dead
became a night of fear of the dead; a day when fairies and ghosts were about.
This required masks to hide from the fairies and ancestor-worship rites to
placate the spirits. Skeletons are symbols of the dead and a favorite Halloween
decoration. Samhain was a night when the dead could cross over and communicate.
This was an important time for divination, as any information about the nature
of the coming winter was valuable.
Goblins, also a Halloween symbol, are not ghosts. Goblin is actually the French name for Fairy Folk or Fair Folk, the descendants of the white-skinned blonde Maglamosian
people; northern Europeans who, because of their knowledge of astronomy and
natural sciences, were feared and powerful, and gained the reputation of being
able to do magic.
A very popular activity at Halloween is carving pumpkin
faces and lighting them from inside with a candle. These scary faces are
sentries designed to scare off evil spirits; legends of the demon Jack probably
originated from sightings of bog and marsh “lights” that looked like lanterns
being carried. Referred to as Jack-O-Lanterns, they were caused by combustion
of methane and marsh gasses.
The most common Halloween character of all is the witch. The
word witch likely comes from a word
meaning wise one. Pagan witches have
many traditions. It is said that at their annual celebration they would marry,
initiate new witches, and dance about on branches or broomsticks. Old pictures
of witches show them worshipping a horned figure, most likely Cernunnos, the
Celtic god of the woods, a Green Man. When the church attempted to stamp out or
change all pagan celebrations Cernunnos became a devil figure. Later, witches
were imaged with wings like a bat’s; bats fly at night and sleep hanging upside
down, lending them to be associated with scary things.
Kids love to dress up and go out to Trick or Treat. Viewed
as extortion by some, the tradition actually comes from a time when poorer
families went house begging, offering prayers for the dead en exchange for food
and money. This was called “guising” (disguising” oneself and knocking on the
doors of the affluent) Those who gave were blessed with good luck, those who
were stingy were threatened with bad luck. Trick or treat is actually a later
American phrase and was known as a time of pranks that were supernatural in
character, such as taking apart something large and putting it back together on
a roof, or fixing a door so it wouldn’t open. People gave candy to avoid having
pranks played on them. As the popularity of pranking died out, candy was still
given to groups of children who visited their neighbors in costumes to get some
goodies.
Early Christians disliked Samhain’s association and connection
with the supernatural, and spread the belief that spirits of the dead were
delusions from the devil. Eventually the Celtic traditions became associated
with the Christian hell, and were greatly feared. Today, less moral
significance and more theatrical emphasis is enjoyed by those who practice
Halloween traditions. As it is with December to January New Year celebrations,
in Pagan and Wiccan traditions Allhallows Eve is considered a good time to make
a new start or begin new projects.
celebrated at the beginning of winter, a time when everything dies. Corn
stalks, harvest sheaves, and scarecrows are all symbolic of the rituals and
tradition of the harvest, the basis of the Samhain or All Hallows Eve
celebrations. In agriculture, scarecrows are responsible for keeping the birds
away. Other common Halloween symbols - cats, snakes, and owls - were depended
upon for keeping grain stores rodent-free. In order to suppress pagan
agricultural industry, these animals were demonized by the church, associating
them with all things evil.
Samhain was a time when the gates to the underworld were
believed to be opened and spirits roamed the earth freely. Offerings of fruits and vegetables were
made to honor the dead. Over time, a night to remember and honor the dead
became a night of fear of the dead; a day when fairies and ghosts were about.
This required masks to hide from the fairies and ancestor-worship rites to
placate the spirits. Skeletons are symbols of the dead and a favorite Halloween
decoration. Samhain was a night when the dead could cross over and communicate.
This was an important time for divination, as any information about the nature
of the coming winter was valuable.
Goblins, also a Halloween symbol, are not ghosts. Goblin is actually the French name for Fairy Folk or Fair Folk, the descendants of the white-skinned blonde Maglamosian
people; northern Europeans who, because of their knowledge of astronomy and
natural sciences, were feared and powerful, and gained the reputation of being
able to do magic.
A very popular activity at Halloween is carving pumpkin
faces and lighting them from inside with a candle. These scary faces are
sentries designed to scare off evil spirits; legends of the demon Jack probably
originated from sightings of bog and marsh “lights” that looked like lanterns
being carried. Referred to as Jack-O-Lanterns, they were caused by combustion
of methane and marsh gasses.
The most common Halloween character of all is the witch. The
word witch likely comes from a word
meaning wise one. Pagan witches have
many traditions. It is said that at their annual celebration they would marry,
initiate new witches, and dance about on branches or broomsticks. Old pictures
of witches show them worshipping a horned figure, most likely Cernunnos, the
Celtic god of the woods, a Green Man. When the church attempted to stamp out or
change all pagan celebrations Cernunnos became a devil figure. Later, witches
were imaged with wings like a bat’s; bats fly at night and sleep hanging upside
down, lending them to be associated with scary things.
Kids love to dress up and go out to Trick or Treat. Viewed
as extortion by some, the tradition actually comes from a time when poorer
families went house begging, offering prayers for the dead en exchange for food
and money. This was called “guising” (disguising” oneself and knocking on the
doors of the affluent) Those who gave were blessed with good luck, those who
were stingy were threatened with bad luck. Trick or treat is actually a later
American phrase and was known as a time of pranks that were supernatural in
character, such as taking apart something large and putting it back together on
a roof, or fixing a door so it wouldn’t open. People gave candy to avoid having
pranks played on them. As the popularity of pranking died out, candy was still
given to groups of children who visited their neighbors in costumes to get some
goodies.
Early Christians disliked Samhain’s association and connection
with the supernatural, and spread the belief that spirits of the dead were
delusions from the devil. Eventually the Celtic traditions became associated
with the Christian hell, and were greatly feared. Today, less moral
significance and more theatrical emphasis is enjoyed by those who practice
Halloween traditions. As it is with December to January New Year celebrations,
in Pagan and Wiccan traditions Allhallows Eve is considered a good time to make
a new start or begin new projects.
October 26, 2012
Book Tour Blast: TAMING THE WOLF by Stephanie Nelson
Taming The Wolf
Attacked by a wolf while hiking, Anna Avery's life just got a little hairier. Living in the Big Horn mountains in Wyoming, with a group of werewolves who are more animal than human, Anna must try to hold onto her human side. It's not easy when the alpha continues to persuade her into his bed, while another wolf is chomping at the bit to become her mate. To top it all off, dead bodies are showing up and it just so happens that Anna was the last to see them alive. She'll have to work to prove her innocence and taming the wolf who bites first and asks questions never.
This book is not intended for readers under 18.
Buy On Amazon Download for FREE Oct 26 & 27!!!
Follow Stephanie Nelson on Twitter, Facebook, and her Blog
The Author is giving away an Amazon Kindle (or GC equivalent) to one lucky winner. Open Int. Ends 11/11.
Fill out the form below to enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 25, 2012
New Release: RAPUNZEL by Saffina Desforges
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">From the award-winning
international best-selling author <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Saffina
Desforges</b> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sugar & Spice,
Snow White, Anca's Story</i>) comes the second book in the sensational Rose Red
crime thriller series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rose Red takes British crime thrillers in a new direction,
with fast-paced, action-packed detective fiction, each based on the theme of a
classic fairy tale. Forget plodding police procedurals. Think 'Ashes to Ashes'
meets James Patterson's 'Women's Murder Club' with Lee Child's 'Reacher' thrown
in for good measure. Think sassy female Sherlock Holmes, 21st Century style!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Cass 'Red' Rose is a feisty female cop fighting the usual
battles that go with being a senior detective in London's Metropolitan Police
and having a defence lawyer for a partner. While one fights to put them away
the other is fighting to get them off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">With the Huntsman safely behind bars, and newly promoted to
DCI, Red is faced with a new challenge. Someone is murdering men in the city
and leaving a particularly nasty calling card in their mouths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Of course, things are never that simple for Red. Throw in a
suicide jumper on a bank holiday weekend, the kids being abducted, the
partner's ex wanting custody, DC Jez Harris's new girlfriend, and the small
matter of inheriting an illegal Smith & Wesson, and it's just another day
in the life of a Met police officer. Oh, and did we mention Rapunzel's?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Set in modern-day London, Rapunzel is a fast-paced, gritty
urban thriller that will leave you wondering whether fairy tales really do have
happy endings.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">OTHER
BOOKS IN THE ROSE RED SERIES</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rose Red
Book 1: Snow White</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> is out now!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rose Red
Book 2: Rapunzel</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">. This is it!</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rose Red
Book 3: Beauty & the Beast</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> coming early 2013.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rose Red
Book 4: Red Riding Hood</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> coming late 2013</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">And if you can't wait that long, watch out for the new <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rose Red Rhymes</b> short story
thriller series.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJhWyMrSZcQ..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJhWyMrSZcQ..." width="267" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Book 1:
Rose Red Rhymes: Ring-a-Ring O'Roses</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> will be available October
2012.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Book 2:
Rose Red Rhymes: The Night Before Christmas</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> will be out in time
for the Holidays.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Book 3:
Rose Red Rhymes: Hush, little baby</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> will be out in the New Year</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Book 4:
Rose Red Rhymes: Hot X Buns</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">, well, you can guess the rest...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The series will continue throughout 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the pace, action and thrills of the
full length novels, and just right for keeping up with Red and the team while
waiting for the next book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Website: </span><br />
<div id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234634">
<a href="http://saffinadesforges.com/" id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234435" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="" id="lw_1350213258_1">http://saffinadesforges.com/</span...
<div id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234636">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234636">
Amazon UK buy links:</div>
<div id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234638">
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rapunzel-Rose..." id="yui_3_2_0_46_1350213237234438" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="" id="lw_1350213258_2">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rapunzel-Rose...
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
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October 24, 2012
Coming Full Circle With the Wheel by Michelle Snyder
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">World of Symbols</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Michelle
Snyder, M. Phil, Symbolist</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.whiteknightstudio.com/&quo...
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com... style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com...
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zCW5KSVtjKM..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zCW5KSVtjKM..." width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In our culture we take wheels for
granted. They are on every vehicle we see; daily living without wheels is now
unimaginable. The wheel symbol has been used repeatedly all over the world from
the oldest times we know of to the most modern. The word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wheel</i> can be traced to the ancient word for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spindle-whorl</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– a round disk with a hole in the
center, used for spinning threads. The concept of the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a wheel was widespread in antiquity, and the wheel is
often used as a solar emblem. The oldest wheels have four spokes. There are
also six, eight, and twelve-spoked wheels. All are astronomically associated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wheels indicate movement. The rim
of the wheel divided into sections illustrates the passage of time. The divisions
are astrological, symbolizing the passing of seasons and the cycles of the
heavens. The Wheel of Signs</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- the zodiac</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- denotes the revolution of a year. Mithraic</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wheels symbolize the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">’s movement in the heavens.
The Buddhist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>solar wheel symbolizes the passage of time and cosmic forces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Representing solar power, the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the center and the rays as its spokes, a solar wheel
symbolizes the chariot of Helios</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Apollo</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">) and is an emblem of
Dionysus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. It is an attribute of all
sun gods and their earthly delegates - sun kings. The winged wheel indicates
swiftness of time passing. In Greek symbolism a six-spoked wheel is an
attribute of Zeus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Jupiter</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">) as sky god. In Egyptian
mythology man was fashioned on the potter’s wheel of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Khnemu</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- the intellect. Wheeled crosses sometimes symbolize the sun;
the Celtic</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cross has a wheel at the crossed bars, symbolizing winter
solstice (See Ch. 7: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Symbology-Miche... style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Symbology, Decoding Classic Images</i></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Horse-drawn chariots became a
great weapon, combining high speed, strength, durability, and mobility that
unmatched by infantry. Chariot racing became a sport in the arenas of Rome. The
use of wheels has facilitated wealth and power. In Ireland a wheel brooch is
bequeathed from one ruler to the next.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mandalas</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, a type of wheel, are used
in meditation. Some have images of deities in the center to help the initiate
focus on the divine. Medieval</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cathedrals often have a rose window, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rota</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Latin for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wheel</i>. The wheel symbol is associated
with the rose in the West and the lotus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the East - both patterns of the mandala.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In alchemical symbolism the wheel
contrasts the movable (the perimeter) and the fixed (the center). The Wheel of
Fortune</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tarot card is based on the number two: contrary forces, the
duality. The turn of the fateful wheel is irreversible once set in motion,
floating in an ocean of chaos</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">; the two halves symbolize
constructive and destructive forces of existence. As some are considered lucky
in love, and some unlucky, the Wheel of Fortune exemplifies the eternal cycle
of good and bad luck, prosperity and poverty, stability and change - constantly
subjecting mortals to the turns of Fate</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">; the Wheel of Life</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>raises them up and brings them down. The goddess</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortuna</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is occasionally shown standing on a wheel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In mystical thinking the wheel
represents the Unmoved Mover</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. The Taoist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sage is he who attains the central point of the wheel and
remains united with the Origin, bound at the center. The sage, the Unmoved
Mover, can move the wheel without himself moving. The Buddhist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wheel represents the dynamism of peaceful change, destiny,
fate, karma</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, and sovereignty. It is
associated with the lotus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the chakras</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. The Wheel of Law</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, Truth, and Life is one of
the eight emblems of good luck in Chinese</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buddhism</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As the world turns</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a contemporary phrase with an ancient meaning: We
are all riding around the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on this chariot called Earth. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What a trip! </i></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fhNTW9DFmeg..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fhNTW9DFmeg..." width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For more history and context of
symbols, visit Michelle’s <a href="http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com...
and <a href="http://www.whiteknightstudio.com/&quo..., watch her <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6EsDI...
video</a>: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Civilizations: the Green
Man</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Books by Michelle Snyder: </span><br />
<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">World of Symbols</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Michelle
Snyder, M. Phil, Symbolist</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.whiteknightstudio.com/&quo...
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com... style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com...
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zCW5KSVtjKM..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zCW5KSVtjKM..." width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In our culture we take wheels for
granted. They are on every vehicle we see; daily living without wheels is now
unimaginable. The wheel symbol has been used repeatedly all over the world from
the oldest times we know of to the most modern. The word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wheel</i> can be traced to the ancient word for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">spindle-whorl</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– a round disk with a hole in the
center, used for spinning threads. The concept of the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a wheel was widespread in antiquity, and the wheel is
often used as a solar emblem. The oldest wheels have four spokes. There are
also six, eight, and twelve-spoked wheels. All are astronomically associated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Wheels indicate movement. The rim
of the wheel divided into sections illustrates the passage of time. The divisions
are astrological, symbolizing the passing of seasons and the cycles of the
heavens. The Wheel of Signs</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- the zodiac</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- denotes the revolution of a year. Mithraic</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wheels symbolize the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">’s movement in the heavens.
The Buddhist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>solar wheel symbolizes the passage of time and cosmic forces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Representing solar power, the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the center and the rays as its spokes, a solar wheel
symbolizes the chariot of Helios</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Apollo</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">) and is an emblem of
Dionysus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. It is an attribute of all
sun gods and their earthly delegates - sun kings. The winged wheel indicates
swiftness of time passing. In Greek symbolism a six-spoked wheel is an
attribute of Zeus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Jupiter</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">) as sky god. In Egyptian
mythology man was fashioned on the potter’s wheel of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Khnemu</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- the intellect. Wheeled crosses sometimes symbolize the sun;
the Celtic</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cross has a wheel at the crossed bars, symbolizing winter
solstice (See Ch. 7: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Symbology-Miche... style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Symbology, Decoding Classic Images</i></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Horse-drawn chariots became a
great weapon, combining high speed, strength, durability, and mobility that
unmatched by infantry. Chariot racing became a sport in the arenas of Rome. The
use of wheels has facilitated wealth and power. In Ireland a wheel brooch is
bequeathed from one ruler to the next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mandalas</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, a type of wheel, are used
in meditation. Some have images of deities in the center to help the initiate
focus on the divine. Medieval</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cathedrals often have a rose window, called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rota</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Latin for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wheel</i>. The wheel symbol is associated
with the rose in the West and the lotus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the East - both patterns of the mandala.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In alchemical symbolism the wheel
contrasts the movable (the perimeter) and the fixed (the center). The Wheel of
Fortune</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>tarot card is based on the number two: contrary forces, the
duality. The turn of the fateful wheel is irreversible once set in motion,
floating in an ocean of chaos</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">; the two halves symbolize
constructive and destructive forces of existence. As some are considered lucky
in love, and some unlucky, the Wheel of Fortune exemplifies the eternal cycle
of good and bad luck, prosperity and poverty, stability and change - constantly
subjecting mortals to the turns of Fate</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">; the Wheel of Life</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>raises them up and brings them down. The goddess</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortuna</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is occasionally shown standing on a wheel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In mystical thinking the wheel
represents the Unmoved Mover</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. The Taoist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sage is he who attains the central point of the wheel and
remains united with the Origin, bound at the center. The sage, the Unmoved
Mover, can move the wheel without himself moving. The Buddhist</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wheel represents the dynamism of peaceful change, destiny,
fate, karma</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, and sovereignty. It is
associated with the lotus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the chakras</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. The Wheel of Law</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">, Truth, and Life is one of
the eight emblems of good luck in Chinese</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buddhism</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">As the world turns</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a contemporary phrase with an ancient meaning: We
are all riding around the sun</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on this chariot called Earth. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What a trip! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For more history and context of
symbols, visit Michelle’s <a href="http://whiteknightstudio.blogspot.com...
and <a href="http://www.whiteknightstudio.com/&quo..., watch her <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6EsDI...
video</a>: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost Civilizations: the Green
Man</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Books by Michelle Snyder: </span><br />
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October 23, 2012
THE SILVER CROSS is on book tour + prizes
I'm very excited to announce that I have signed THE SILVER CROSS with Promotional Book Tours for a month-long virtual tour around the internet. Best of all, there are prizes!! Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate or a digital copy of the book. The contest (via rafflecopter) is listed below so be sure to complete all the tasks for a chance to win! The schedule of blog stops is also listed below. Looking forward to meeting lots of new readers!
The Silver Cross
There are two things Boston detective Lacey Gardner knows about killing vampires. Slicing off a head or a hit directly to the heart are the only surefire ways to kill one. Silver is their Achilles heel. A vampire never wears silver.
When she meets bartender extraordinaire, Damon Harte, her heart does a quickstep for the dark hunky guy. She's learned the hard way that having a love interest in her line of work can be heart-wrenching. She's kept to herself for years, but something about Damon captivates her and draws her to him. When she learns Damon's devastating secret, she knows what she has to do: kill the man who has stolen her heart.
Purchase now on Amazon or BN
Follow the Authors, Debra L. Martin and David W. Small on their Blog, Facebook, Twitter
Tour Prize - $50 Amazon GC and 5 ebooks Open Internationally Ends 11/26
Fill out the form below to enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 22, 2012
Guest Post: Education Debate by Nancy Wood
The
Education Debate: Great Authors that Never Went to College
Young, novice writers often wonder whether pursuing a
college degree is necessary in order to become a best-selling author or
professional writer. Not surprisingly, there have been many heated debates
about this topic in the writing community, especially when it comes to creative
writing degrees, and I often interject my own opinions into these discussions
whenever they come up. Sure, pursuing a writing degree may seem like a logical
path to becoming a cultured, accomplished writer, but is it the only path?
Well, you'll have to answer that for yourself. While you ponder that thought,
however, here is a list of wildly successful writers who never attended
college.
Ray
Bradbury
Ray Bradbury is one of the most well-known science fiction
authors in the world, but he never went to college. It's not that Bradbury
didn't want to, though; his parents didn't have enough money to pay for the
tuition. Instead, Bradbury took to selling newspapers in Los Angeles during the
day and teaching himself about literature and writing at night. “I never went
to college," he once famously said. "I went to the library.” His most
famous work is without a doubt "Fahrenheit 451."
William
Shakespeare
He is without a doubt the most well-known writer of all
time, composing over thirty-eight plays and one-hundred-and-fifty-four sonnets,
but Shakespeare's formal education ended early in his childhood. He attended
the King Edward IV Grammar
School, but left the school when he was fourteen in 1578. Shakespeare's
education ended at that point. It didn't seem to affect his writing
career, however. Shakespeare went on to write spectacular works like
"Romeo and Juliet," "The Tempest," "King Lear,"
"Much Ado About Nothing," and numerous others without a college
degree.
Mark Twain
Mark Twain wrote nearly seventy published works in his
lifetime and is known as a great travel essayist, journalist, and fiction
writer. His professional education ended before he even reached fifth grade,
however – although it wasn't by choice. Twain's father's unexpected death
sparked the famous writer's decision to drop out and take care of matters at
home. He was invited to join a writer's group at Yale later in life, which he
gladly accepted. If you haven't already, read his greatest work:
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
Jane
Austen
Jane Austen is beloved by generations of readers, both male
and female, and it didn't take a college education for her to attain all her
literary success. Although, Jane attended school in Oxford, she ended up
leaving at the age of 11 to be homeschooled by her father. Austen went on to
write six novels and twenty-nine fictional works. You probably know her from
titles like "Pride & Prejudice," "Emma," and "Sense
and Sensibility."
Maya
Angelou
Despite the fact that she has over thirty honorary degrees from colleges and
universities around the world, Maya Angelou never attained a college degree.
She received a scholarship to San Francisco's Labor School for drama and dance,
but eventually dropped out to become a cable car conductor. Her over 60 works,
including poems, autobiographies, essays, children's books, plays, and
screenplays, have found a worldwide audience.
Stieg
Larrson
Before he wrote the famous "Girl With a Dragon
Tattoo" series, Larrson was a hard-working journalist and magazine editor
at Expo. Though he didn't live to see the phenomenal success of his trilogy,
Larrson was already an accomplished journalist in Sweden. His books have been
adapted into films in both Sweden and the U.S. Larrson died from a heart attack
in 2004.
F. Scott
Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald is well known for works like "The
Great Gatsby" and "The Beautiful and the Damned," but not many
people know that Fitzgerald never received a degree. He attended Princeton
University in 1913, but never finished. Although he was immensely involved in
the university's writing community, he neglected the rest of his university
coursework. Fitzgerald was placed on academic probation by the university and
dropped out in 1917 to join the U.S. Army during WWI.
Is writing a gift, or is it something that must be studied?
Each writer is different in their styles and techniques, so, if you ask me,
there is no universal answer to that question.
Nancy Wood is a freelance education writer who currently
works for onlinecollegeclasses.com.
Nancy loves writing about education trends and often muses about what the
classroom of tomorrow will look like. She also gives tips to aspiring college
students. Feel free to send some comments her way!
October 20, 2012
Kitty Funnies
Haven't done one of these posts in awhile. Everyone needs a good chuckle now and then. Enjoy!
Definitely John Lennon!
I vote for Option B!
Awww...
We've all been there!
And last but not least, this is why cats rule!
Definitely John Lennon!
I vote for Option B!
Awww...
We've all been there!
And last but not least, this is why cats rule!
