Cynthia A. Morgan's Blog, page 285

#WordlessWednesday – Seasons Change

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~Morgan~

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Photographs by me[image error]

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: Autumn, BnV, BooknVolume, Changing Seasons, Light, Nature, photography, Seasons, Summer, Sunset, ~Morgan~

#CharacterInteractions – Maca of Don – Part One

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“It was kind of ye to invite me to your pleasant study”.

Would you introduce yourself, please?

“I am Llewellyn, Maca of Don, but on your Earth I am Zebediah L. MacDonald. I took that name as MacDonald was as close to Maca as I dared come and to many of ye, I sound like someone from Scotland. Of course, any Scotsman would ken I was nay from there.”

How did you first come to Earth?

“The Justines meant to isolate me for existing. My Mither, LouElla, the greatest Warrior to ever grace Thalia, had bedded with a Justine to escape their clutches.”

You mean they had her imprisoned”

“Aye, after the Justine War they imprisoned her on an asteroid with an elderly Justine and Kreppie guards. She used her wiles and the Justine bedded her, taught her about their spaceship, the Golden One, and then he drank the Justine nectar to better enjoy their coupling. He twas elderly, and it weakened him. She broke his neck when he climaxed. She then killed the Kreppies and escaped into space only to learn she was pregnant with me. It tis how I possess the two hearts of the Justines and their mind abilities. It also means I will live for one or six thousand years, mayhap longer.”

“Your mother killed your father?”

“She had to do so to escape. It was the only way. Somehow she birthed me while alone and learned to operate the Golden One among the stars. When I was between one and two years of age, she used the Kreppie, ship inside the hold and took me and a crystal explaining what she was doing to her Director of Home with instructions to give me to Lamar, her sib.”

“By sib, do you mean brother?”

“Aye, that would be your Earth word for sibling. He raised me till the Justines discovered my two hearts. I thought that I would be the loneliest of men on your violent planet, but I discovered true friendship and a true love. My Anna was the Warrior woman that all Thalians desire as a counselor.”

“I presume counselor means wife. Perhaps you would like to explain how you met and how you explained your two hearts, or did she ever know?”

“I rescued Anna from a Comanche camp while I was a Scout for the Second Dragoons. My friend, Rolfe, had taught me how to read sign while we were fur traders. She had downed two of their warriors when her home was raided. She continued to fight them even when they cut off the tips of her little fingers to show her loss of her two sons and cut off her ears because she did nay listen. In answer to your other question, she did discover my two hearts.

“I had courted her for one year, obeying all the rules of your 1850’s ere she accepted me. I had hugged her too tightly. She did nay speak to me the entire trip back to her brither’s home. This will help explain, although my Thalian accent will be quite strong.”

By the end of the three hour drive, MacDonald was clenching and unclenching his teeth. His futile attempts to speak, to apologize, or explain had been rebuffed; sometimes with words, but mostly silence.

At the back of the general store, MacDonald pulled up with a, “Hello the house.” Before he could leave the buggy and tie off the reins, Anna was up the steps and at the door. She turned before entering the kitchen to face him.

“Mr. MacDonald, I cannot marry you. You lied to me. All of it was lies!” She clamped her lips together and dashed into the house banging the door behind her.

For a moment MacDonald could not move. Then he mounted the steps and raised his fist to pound on the door. To his surprise, Anna, shawl in hand, opened it.

“I have the right to ken why ye think I lied.” He was roaring. His voice filled the house and the outside world.

“Really, Mr. MacDonald, I should not need to explain.” Anger rolled through her words.

Kasper’s dark head appeared in the hall doorway. Gerde was looking at them, her eyes wide.

“Ye owe me that much. I have nay kenning of what ye mean.” He had managed to get control over his voice and it was back to a deep rumble.

“That cannot be true, Mr. MacDonald.” Anna’s teeth were almost clenched in her anger.

“Then tell me.”

“I cannot in front of other people. It might put you in danger.”

“Then put on yere wrap and we twill talk out here. There tis light enough for them to see us. I have pledged ye my troth, my heart, and my House. It binds me to ye. If ye continue to refuse me, everything that I have here tis yeres and I twill go elsewhere.”

A solemn Anna regarded him. “I cannot take what is yours. You cannot be serious.” She hesitated, knowing full well he was serious.

“Very well, Mr. MacDonald, we will talk outside.”

She turned towards Kasper and Gerde. “I will return soon. He will not do anything in full view of everyone.” Her comments left the couple puzzled. They could not conceive that gentle giant hurting anyone.

Anna swung the shawl over her shoulders and stepped outside. Twilight was beginning to throw a grey mantle around the world and the sun was slowly leaving the sky. She held her head high and her shoulders straight.

“We will go over by the cottonwood. If you start to yell again, everyone will hear you.” She did not wait for him to grasp her arm, but marched down the three steps.

He was beside her within seconds, his long legs easily keeping pace with hers.

She stopped by the tree and looked up at him. Her grey eyes were calm, her face betrayed nothing.

“When did I lie to ye?”

“The lie was the reason you gave for not having children. I knew when you hugged me in the kitchen. I heard your two hearts. I will not marry another man with two hearts. One who says there will be no children and when there are children the man hates us and tries to kill us.” Determination was in her voice and brightening her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?” The last words were hurled at him.

For a moment MacDonald stared at her, his mouth open, until he remembered to draw in a breath and speak. To Anna’s surprise, his voice was a low, awed whisper.

“Yere Thomas Lawrence had two hearts? Dear Gar, woman, ye twere married to Toma.”

“I was married to Mr. Thomas Lawrence.”

“If he had red hair and copper colored eyes with gold rings around the pupils, his name tis Toma.”  His voice was back to normal.

Anna’s lashes blinked over the grey eyes, and she drew in a deep breath. “What else is a lie?  Have you told me your real name?”

He hesitated. “I have nay. Like Toma, I was hiding my true identity for my name makes nay sense in this world. I am Llewellyn, Maca of Don.” He gave a slight bow.

“This world?  Don’t you mean country? Where are you two from?”

Bitterness was in his voice as MacDonald explained. “He tis a Justine from the planet Justine.”

“That is nonsense.”

He continued. “My fither twas a Justine and my mither a Thalian from the planet Thalia. The Justine on the ship I came in planned to abandon me here on Earth, but his plans went awry. While we searched for Toma, the inhabitants of this planet killed him. I twas left in control of the ship. I can take ye to it and prove everything I have said.”

Anna was shaking her head. “Mr. MacDonald, that is worse than a fairy tale.”

“Does it sound so foolish if I tell ye that in addition to his two hearts, yere husband could control certain people with his mind or that he had the ability to go into other people’s minds and know what they were thinking?”

The anger left Anna’s face and she was silent for a moment. “He tried to go into my mind, and I wouldn’t let him,” she whispered.

“How did you know?” Her voice was strong again on the last phrase.

“I told ye. He tis a Justine, and ye are one of those that he could nay control. Why did ye go to Texas with him if ye kenned what he could do?”

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. Written entirely by Marilyn Collier for Character Interview/Interactions.  Please be sure to stop back for Part Two, posting tomorrow

#RomanticTuesday – Prompted Acquiesce

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Soft

Your Touch

Breath

A subtle Caress

Light

Your Kisses

Sighs

Prompted Acquiesce

Intangible

Incongruous

Shivers deep within

Irrepressible

Imperceptible

Even before we

Quietly Begin

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original Photograph by:  Aidan Photograffeuse

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: Anticipation, BnV, BooknVolume, Desire, Longing, Love, Love Poems, passion, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Romance, Whispers, ~Morgan~

#RomanticTuesday – Unmask My Soul

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Lover, come, Unto my Heart,

With Zealous, Devoted Fire,

And Let me Never turn away,

O, Let me Never tire;

For in the Dappled Midnight Hour,

With Luminous Illusion,

Passion Seeks the Blushing Flower,

And All of its confusion.

Lover, Come, Unto my Spirit,

Gentle let Your Devotion Be,

Pour out Your Fervor, Moment by Moment,

Play my Desire like Symphony.

For as the Moonlit night Expands,

Your Piquant Charms I Eagerly Extol,

Caress my Senses with Your Loving Hands,

And Unmask My Blushing Soul.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original artwork by : Katarina Sokolova-Latans’ka

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Desire, Longing, Love, Love Poems, Night, passion, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Romance, Soul Mates, ~Morgan~

#CharacterInterviews – The Last Immortal

Today’s Character Interview comes from Indie Author Jenna Whittaker. Jenna is an Australian author who has been writing fantasy, science fiction, and horror novels for as long as she can remember and just published her first novel a year ago, (and three more after that in relatively quick succession!)  She loves writing, as well as her artwork–she even does commissions for portraits of people, their pets, books, anything related to books–covers, bookmarks, book plates; even portraits of the characters!

Jenna’s character in this interview is Kyrilee, the main character of her fantasy dystopian novella, The Last Immortal.  So without further ado, lets find out more about Kyrilee….

Hello, What is your name? Kyrilee

Does your name have any special significance? No, not that I know of. It’s what my mother named me at my birth.

Where were you born and where do you now reside? I was born in a tribe, near the beginning of time. Somehow, I am immortal–and not in the way you’d expect. I now live with the surviving women of the human race, in a city perched at the edge of a cliff-face.

What internal battles do you struggle with or what would you like to change about yourself? I struggle with how to be a mother to the children I adopted, and the realisation that I was a mother to the beginning of another race entirely.

Do you have a personal creed you live by? That all deserve a chance at life, no matter who or what they are. That’s why I saved the children from death, or a life at the hands of the fathers, being experimented on.

What are you most passionate about and what do you despise most? I’m most passionate about the children in my care, and finding a safe home from them. I don’t despise anyone, but I work against those who aim to stop me from doing that!

When and where is your tale set? My story is in a land not unlike your Earth. Thousands of years before the time when my tale is set, when I was born, the world was normal. But over those years, the orbit of the planet slowed, and what was once a complete sphere…split into shards, barely held together, with never-ending chasms between them.

Who shares in your adventure and how are they important to you? A friend from the city of the mothers, Vi; all the children, especially Jahanna; and my twin soul, Jonas, all play important roles in my life.

What is it you seek to achieve, change or create? I seek a safe home for all of us! Safe from the cats, from the machinations of the mothers and fathers…A place for the children to grow up in peace.

To discover more about Kyrilee:

What is the book’s Title? The Last Immortal

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4AGO0Q

Is it available now or when will it be released? It’s available now!

You can connect with Jenna Whittaker at:

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Jen_W_95

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jennawhittakerauthor  

Pinterest:  https://au.pinterest.com/jenna_whittaker/

Blog:  http://jennawhittaker-author.weebly.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://amazon.com/author/jennawhittaker  

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~Morgan~

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Character Interviews/Interactions are a fantastic way to share unique content about your character(s) with readers. Read more about the idea here:  http://wp.me/p3C4k1-4aZ

Then contact me to create your own[image error]

 

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Filed under: Your Beautiful Life Tagged: BnV, Book Teaser, BooknVolume, Character Interactions, Character Interviews, creative writing, Free Read, Indie, Indie Authors, SciFi, Supporting Indie Authors, ~Morgan~

#MusicandMuseMonday – Impenetrable

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Measure of unchanneled Mind,

Vision of Luminous Daytide, Singing,

Wisdom of unguarded Temples,

Mystery fortified and Contemplation Bringing;

As the Hours of Night descend,

As the Glass through which we Stare, Fades,

Lustrous as the Noonday Sun,

Billows in Waves of Impenetrable Shade.

Visitor from the Limitless Beyond,

Incomparable, Beyond our ken,

Stately entrance upon the Eastern Sky,

Breath substantial, though never again.

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Silence stirring in Temporal Rhyme,

Splendor dimming the stars that Shine!

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~Morgan~

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.The Music and Muse category by Morgan shares Poetry and the Music which Inspired it.

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Beautiful Original Music by Hans Zimmer

Filed under: Music and Muse Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Cosmos, Harmony, Meditation, Music, Nature, Night, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, spirituality, time, ~Morgan~

Subliminal Antiphony

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Moments Awash in hues of Light

Shimmering betwixt the baser glows;

Dancing Perception  upon the glass

Of Whispers heard from the depths below;

Subliminal Antiphony

Heralding the arching Breathless morn

As Grasping Earth stirs in silent Pause

All Nature’s Gilding to Adorn;

Sing, then, Sweet in lilting Verse,

A Beckoning Anthem to Imbue and Immerse.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photograph by Rajiv Chopra found at https://rajivchopra.me/

I commented on his gorgeous photo and he thanked me by challenging me to write a poem on it.  Fortunately for me, the image spoke up loud and clear!  Thank You Rajjiv[image error]

Filed under: Collaborations, Poetry Tagged: Beautiful Earth Photography, Beautiful Photographs, BnV, BooknVolume, Harmony, Light, Morning, Nature, photography, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, ~Morgan~

#CharacterInterviews- Lost Time and Missing Yesterdays

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Please allow me to introduce author Terry Marchion, who lives in Seattle in the Pacific Northwest of the US.  Aside from drinking too much coffee, he’s an avid sports fan, loves science and ancient roman history.  He loves science fiction, thrillers and mysteries but no matter the genre, sitting down to read a good book is always a pleasure.  He’s been in the embroidery industry for 20+ years and has published various articles in trade magazines. Terry found himself intrigued with the prospect of a Character Interview and stopped by to share his character Tremain with us today through a witty dialog I enjoyed reading thoroughly and hope you shall as well.

Please tell us about you.  

What is your name?  My name is Tremain

Does your name have any special significance?  Significance?  Hmm . . . aside from the fact that it’s mine, no.

Where were you born and where do you now reside?  I was born here on New Earth – in Capital City.  I still live here – my lab is just off Centennial Park.  My sister doesn’t believe I have a place of my own as I seem to spend most of my time at the lab . . . (looks away, sheepishly).  Don’t know what she’s talking about.

What internal battles do you struggle with or what would you like to change about yourself?  Change?  Hmm . . . I do seem to lose an inordinate amount of sandwiches.

Do you have a personal creed you live by?  Always seek the truth.  If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never learn anything new.

What are you most passionate about and what do you despise most?  Passionate?  Science, of course.  I love discovering new and interesting things.  What do I despise?  Hmm . . . interviews mostly (looks directly at interviewer).  No, the thing I dislike most in the universe is dishonesty.  Science and discovery are by their very nature honest and real.

Please share your story with us.  

When and where is your tale set?  Well, we start off in my lab.  Circumstances being what they were, we ended up  . . . somewhere else.

Who shares in your adventure and how are they important to you? My nephew Christopher.  He’s such a bright boy, but I think our little adventure was a little too much for him at first.  He learns fast, though.  Have to give him some credit there.  He’s very important to me as he’s my only nephew.  I would hope he wants to follow in my footsteps, although his mother may have something to say about that.  (chuckles nervously)

What is it you seek to achieve, change or create? In a nutshell, we need to get back home.  Restore it, if you will.

What challenges or obstacles stand in your way?  There’s a little matter of our past being erased, but we fixed that . . . I think.  You’re here, after all.

What Inspired you to this course of action?  Primarily, self-preservation.

What else should we know?  I’m afraid you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.  You have that skeptical look in your eyes already. 

To discover more about  Tremain and Christopher:   

What is the book’s Title?   The Missing Yesterdays

Amazon Link: https://amazon.com/dp/B01E1MYIIM

Is it available now or when will it be released?  Available now in paperback and wherever ebooks are sold.

You can connect with Terry Marchion  at:

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/terrymarchion

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/terrymarchionauthor

 

Blog:  http://www.terrymarchion.com

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/Terry-Marchion/e/B01E6DUPVA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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Thank You Terry for your interest and participating in Character Spotlights on Bnv.   I am delighted you stopped by for a natter[image error]

 

~Morgan~

 

 

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Filed under: Your Beautiful Life Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Character Interactions, Character Interviews, creative writing, Fantasy, Indie Authors, SEO for Books, Supporting Indie Authors, ~Morgan~

#FridayFantasy – Inspiration’s Wings

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Inspiration Spread its Wings,

Reaching Youthful Hearts

And

Sagacious Minds,

To the Awe and Wonder of All.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original Artwork found on: Expedino.com.  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Artist

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Filed under: Friday Fantasy, Poetry Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, creative writing, Dreams, Fantasy, Imagination, Inspiration, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Writing, ~Morgan~

#FridayFantasy – Arvansys and Gwynzeles

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A very long time ago, before anybody had ever been born, there lived a creature very unlike you and me that roamed these lands alone. He was enormous, more than four times the height of man and three times as wide. He resembled a human, though he was not mortal. His long black hair was unkempt; his eyes were gray, his skin pale, and his nails sharp. Through his hair protruded two curved horns and attached to his back was a pair of stunning silver wings of dragon-hide with small talons at the tips. He was both beautiful and terrifying to behold, and his name was Arvansys.

For the entirety of his being, Arvansys was free to explore anywhere on land or in the skies. He coexisted with the plants and animals harmoniously, but Arvansys knew something was missing. No matter what he did, he could not find complete contentment with the flora and fauna that surrounded him; they were suitable companions, but he wanted something… more. After a while, the animals, plants, and even the clouds in the sky began to notice Arvansys’s depression.

One spring morning, while the leaves and blades of grass were still covered with dew, Arvansys was walking through the forest when he came across a dead tree stump. It was old and hollow, but two branches remained on either side, leafless. He stared at the lifeless tree for a few moments, and suddenly, he had a thought! He knew what it was that he longed for. Hurriedly, Arvansys searched the area for leaves, twigs, and stones, piling the collection at the base of the tree. When he had collected a sufficient amount, he used the various pieces of nature to decorate the stump. Upon his completion, Arvansys stepped back to admire his handiwork: the remainder of a tree trunk had disappeared, and in its place stood a piece of art. He had used the twigs and rocks to liken the stump to another creature like himself, but as a female. Arvansys yearned for her to be real, to be able to share a friendship with her so deep that they would be together until the end of time. He even knew what her name would be, if she were real – Gwynnzeles.

Suddenly overpowered by his desire, Arvansys fell to the ground and sat in front of his would-be mate. He found a decently large stick on the ground near his feet, hollowed it, and carved it to create a musical instrument. In order that he might express his emotions and pining, Arvansys began to create beautiful yet melancholy music. These notes and feelings floated upward and eventually found their way to the stump of “Gwynnzeles”. The music spiraled around her when suddenly the tree stump was no longer lifeless.

Arvansys became aware of a new presence before him and looked up. There, standing in front of him, was a gorgeous creature with delicate horns on her head, long blonde hair, and a set of breathtaking, almost translucent periwinkle wings. Arvansys knew right away that this was her. Both he and his heart leaped for joy and he took her into his arms, spinning both of them around and up above the clouds. He was no longer alone, for Gwynnzeles was finally by his side. As they danced together in the skies, all of the earth and sky celebrated; even the clouds were so happy that they shed tears of bliss. Where these tears hit the ground, little flowers grew quickly and morphed into human beings – our ancestors.

When they had finally settled down, Arvansys and Gwynnzeles returned to the world and took up new responsibilities caring for all of nature and the skies, so that the new people with which they now shared the land could flourish.

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This wonderful myth of Creation was written by my beautiful niece Katelyn.

I simply had to share it[image error]

~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original artwork by Rongrong Wang at Deviantart.com and Shamail

Filed under: Friday Fantasy Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Creation Myth, creative writing, Dreams, Imagination, Mythical Beings, Mythical Creatures, Mythical Realm, Short Stories, ~Morgan~