Cynthia A. Morgan's Blog, page 305

The Soiree

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Even as the last hues of diminishing day fall silent in the hush of twilight, trepidation dances with delicious anticipation.  Shadows lengthen into

velvet darkness as the bluster of rush and hurry scurrying from the daylight

stretches out against the cool shadows to sigh.  Midnight flutes serenade the sparkling hours of night as billows of possibility mingle with whispers of dreams like lovers dallying amid the soiree, kissing the sweet honeyed nighttide before Apollo stirs.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photo discovered at Nightscape Photos.com  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographer. Thank You

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Darkness, Evening, Midnight, Nature, Night, Peace, photography, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Stars, ~Morgan~

Friday Fantasy – Standing In Shadows – #BehindtheScenes

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Dark Fey: Standing in Shadows, book two of the Dark Fey Trilogy, delves deeper into the mystery and suspense of the tale initiated in book one: The Reviled. In book two, readers discover the history behind the main character, Gairynzvl, in greater detail as they learn about the harrowing life he endured among the Reviled of the Uunglarda, as well as the terrors of The Integration; the process of intentional cruelty and neglect designed to twist childfey into Dark Ones.  Although Standing in Shadows reaches deeper into the shadows, it never strays entirely out of the Light, relating a tale of both fear and hope as readers share Gairynzvl’s challenges to return into a restored life.

Although certainly darker than book one, Standing in Shadows does not incorporate this level of horror simply for the sake of it. One does not need to open the pages of a book to discover the unthinkable, as the darkness typically embodied in fantasy genre stories by some terrifying being or creature is very much alive in our own reality and this is the underlying motivation for the darkness woven into Dark Fey.  Standing in Shadows was inspired in great part by the terrifying, yet true-life events of the Lord’s Resistance Army or LRA, a rebel militant group in Uganda that has for over 20 years abducted children from their homes; forcing them to commit horrifying acts of violence against each other and their own people. These children suffer a very real Integration and, like the childfey of Jyndari, they endure violence, starvation, multiple rapes and beatings at the hands of truly sadistic overlords.  This is how the Reviled came to life and became the horrifyingly cruel beings depicted in Dark Fey.

However dark, Standing in Shadows also gives readers the opportunity to explore the vibrant realm of Jyndari more fully.  There are accounts of distant lands and exotic wildlife; readers join the villagers of Hwyndarin in a night of celebration and exquisitely described traditional music; and the characters even get time to enjoy an exhilaratingly heart-pounding sporting event, but through it all, Gairynzvl’s purpose remains and the reasons why he wants to return into the dark realm of The Uunglarda are ultimately exposed.

In spite of the dangers involved and the very great risk of sparking full-scale war with the Reviled, Gairynzvl has an inescapable need to go back into the dark realm of the Uunglarda to rescue as many of the childfey trapped there as he can find. The success of his plan will hinge upon more than courage and military strategy; it will call upon the unique skills and magic of each individual who chooses to join his band of Liberators, and it will require a level of dependence upon each other for which few of them are prepared.  Their actions will test all of their limits, could easily divide loyalties, and will shake the foundations of everything The Fey of The Light have accepted as truth for thousands of years. Can Gairynzvl convince his friends and the Temple Elders to allow him to return to the Uunglarda?  Who will join him to help the innocent childfey who have been abducted into the realm of shadows and fear?  Will the Fey of the Light risk a savage war in order to rescue so few, and will any of them be prepared to face the consequences of their actions?

 

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Standing-Shadows-Dark-Fey-Book-ebook/dp/B018HF4HSA

Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Standing-Shadows-Dark-Fey-Book-ebook/dp/B018HF4HSA/

For More Information on the LRA visit Unicef: http://www.unicef.org/newsline/02pr06lra.htm

~Morgan~

Filed under: Dark Fey, Friday Fantasy Tagged: Based on a True Story, Behind The Scenes, BnV, BooknVolume, Child Abuse, Dark Fantasy, eBooks, Fantasy, Harmony, Kindle Books, RRBC, ~Morgan~

Friday Fantasy – Sweetest Hazard

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The Sound of your most Brazen Wings,

Keeping time with my O’er Lusty Heart,

Holds Court in the Shadows of the Sky,

My Sighs Forgetful of the Danger You Impart.

When flash of Saber and Baritone Song,

Sharp and Menacing Greet the Dawn,

My Heart Listens with Deaf Concern,

Enchanted far more by your Draconian Charm.

While Hercules and Apollo Proudly Chant

With Verse and Sweetness Tuned in Gold,

My Love is Ever drawn to You, My Lord,

My Sweetest Hazard and Heartbreak of Old.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original Dragon Artwork by: Anne Stokes

Beautiful Original Wizard Artwork by: Nene Thomas

Filed under: Friday Fantasy Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Dragons, Dragons and Maidens, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Love, Love Poetry, Magic, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, ~Morgan~

Friday Fantasy – Water Dragon

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Just because it seems to be Dragon Day here today and these Water Dragons are amazing[image error]

~Morgan~

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Amazing Original Artwork by:   Ardourheart, martinradon, BullDan at deviantart.com, and digitalartgallary

Filed under: Friday Fantasy Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Deviant Art, digital art, Dragons, Fantasy, Fantasy Art, Mythical Creatures, Water Dragons, ~Morgan~

Friday Fantasy – Your Song’s Sweet Sound- Sonnet XXVIIII

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Speak not when this pale shallow glass

Shall fall in mute shale upon the floor,

Scattering winsome Laughter as Seasons pass,

Whispering in Retrospect, now More and More.

Like Fallen Roses in the Rush of May,

When Petals Glisten in Heavy Balm,

This Passion, Once Remembered, forgets to Play,

And Now sits brooding; Silent, not Calm.

Transparent in the Willow-ribbon haze,

This Mirror of True Love, now Tarnished Lies,

Reflecting Naught but my Own Shifting Gaze,

While Memory Above the Void, Unraveled, Flies.

Now as the Darkness Seeps and Sinks Around,

My Yearning Heart Strains to Hear Your Songs Sweet Sound.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Original Artwork by: Anne Stokes

Filed under: Friday Fantasy, Sonnets Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, Dragons, Dragons and Maidens, Fantasy Romance, Love Poetry, Magic, Mythical Creatures, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, ~Morgan~

Tender Blush

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Tender Blush

Of Shy Sweet Colour,

Kiss my Memory

With your Delicate Flourish,

Linger in the Quietness of my Dreams

With Sweetness of Honeyed Scent

And Tapestries of Hues,

Ever Shifting in Dulcet Romance

To Enchant my Days with

Subtle Tantalization

That turns my senses from their melancholy chaos

To Drops of Fragrant Harmony Singing in

Reflection of Your Absolute Beauty.

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful photograph by: Shingan Photography on Flickr

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: Beautiful Photographs, BnV, BooknVolume, Flowers, Harmony, Inner Beauty, inner peace, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Soul Mates, ~Morgan~

Gem

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The Sweet Whisper of Shadowy Hours

Sings Bliss in ephemeral Calm

As Transient Illusion passes, softly,

And all Heaven Sighs with the

Midnight Balm.

Lustrous Time Sparkling Synchronously

Shifting in the Raucous Hush

While Life Bends and Blusters, Unhindered,

And Mesmeric Hours pass with a

Fleeting Rush

Dance then upon the Momentous Gem

Of Life

Of Breath;

Precious Diadem!

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photograph found on Bing Wallpaper.  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographer. Thank You!

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: Beautiful Photographs, BnV, BooknVolume, Cosmos, Harmony, life, Nature, Poem, poetry, Poetry Blog, Precious Life, spirituality, ~Morgan~

#WordlessWednesday – Gardens of Light

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photographs found via Google Image Search.  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographers.  Thank You

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: Amazing Photography, Beautiful Earth, Beautiful Photographs, BnV, BooknVolume, Earth_Pics, Forest, Light, Nature, photography, Streaming Light, ~Morgan~

#WordlessWednesday – Pleasantly Purplescent

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~Morgan~

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Beautiful Photographs found via Google Image Search.  Credit Gratefully Acknowledged to the Original Photographers.  Thank You

Filed under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged: Beautiful Gardens, Beautiful Photographs, Beauty, BnV, BooknVolume, Flowers, Gardens, Lavendar, Nature, photography, Purple Flowers, ~Morgan~

#OneLiner Wednesday – Username

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What is in a Name

Might Name what is Inside,

If what is Inside is Needing to be Named

Without Naming what is Needed.

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This is my first attempt at One-Liner Wednesdays. Not entirely sure if this is the trick, but I ran with it.

~Morgan~

Filed under: Just Me Musing Tagged: BnV, BooknVolume, creative writing, Hidden Truths,