Ray McCarthy's Blog, page 2

Magh Meall Foods

 

In the Independent (UK)

Cosmopolitan Celts living in eastern France adopted the lifestyles of their Mediterranean neighbours and drank wine at their banquets.

This is according to researchers who studied organic residues in 99 ceramic drinking vessels recovered at Mont Lassois in Burgundy, which would have been a well-to-do fortified settlement between the 7th and 5th century BC.

Researchers also found evidence of olive oil at the site – which is the earliest example of it being used in central Europe.

Early Celts originated from south western Germany, eastern France and Switzerland at the end of the Bronze age. They would have imported Mediterranean products from the classical Greeks who had outposts in southern France and Italy, according to the paper, published in Plos One.

So not so unreasonable that I have Manannán and the River Demigoddesses bring vines and olives to Deas Ceat (The Southern Quarter) of Magh Meall in 2500 BC.

However the existence of Coffea plant in Magh Meall is harder to explain, though the Tuath Dé don’t know what it is. Certainly Tea and Coffee was unknown in Europe in the Bronze Age.

Coffee was discovered by people in Ethiopia and exported by the fifteenth century. Tea was supposedly discovered by the Chinese in 2737 BC. However tea and coffee wasn’t widely available in England till the Jacobean era. The first Coffee houses opened in London in 1645.

Conspiracies and Rooks

This is the 8th of 16 books (so far) in the Celtic Otherworld series. It’s not a series in the sense of a single story chopped up, though the first three cover Alice’s arrival from Limerick to the Otherworld and then her joining a Fay Court

It’s the second of six books that have Marion and her Rook Familiars.

It’s just had a much better Proof Edit, so those of you that bought it originally can go to Smashwords or Amazon (after the 14th April) and get an updated download for free (Use My Content and Device on Amazon, download to PC/Mac and transfer via USB). No link for Amazon, as you’ll know how to log in to your own Amazon Marketplace.

 

Saints and Fairies

Being really Irish, I will ignore St Patrick’s day, He’s one of Ireland’s three Patron Saints, who was Welsh. Nor was he the first to bring Christianity. The Armagh Bishop, answerable to the Pope, wanted to be in charge of the entire Irish Church. So they promoted two manuscripts supposedly of Patrick’s writing. One might certainly have a lot of his writing. Parallels with the Monks of Glastonbury. I’ll write about Glastonbury vs Avalon another day.

Also most of the stories are later inventions from the 17th Century, that’s nearly 1200 years later. Especially the Shamrock (means Young Clover) regarding Trinity, as that idea was well known to Celts for a thousand years or more. And the snakes. There were none, unless maybe before the last Ice Age which ended 10,000 years ago. At least Patrick was real, though might have worn blue rather than green The other Patron Saints? Bridgid. Probably real, except most things about her also describe Brigid the “Irish” Celtic demigoddess of fire. “There is some debate over whether St Brigid was a real person. She has the same name, associations and feast day as the Celtic goddess Brigid, and there are many supernatural events, legends and folk customs associated with her.”

Ooops!

Columba is the third (should be 1st?) Patron Saint of Ireland. Properly called Colmcille. Almost everything people think they know about him (unlike Patrick & Bridgid) is actually real!

We can’t stand the American invented Green Hats.

What WAS the shamrock for then? Celts had LOADS of triple aspect gods and goddesses. The Ancient Neolithic Triskele, the triple spiral, was a favorite art motif, the Shamrock is a poor copy…

Shamrock comes from Irish seamróg, which is the diminutive of the Irish word (seamair óg) and means simply ‘young clover’, as óg means young, younger or youth as a suffix.

Neolithic design still used in St. Patrtick’s era

The word Glamour COMES from Fairy Magic to deceive, originally it only meant deception by the Fair Folk, The Sí, the Sióg, the Púca, the Aés Sidhe. Tolkien borrowed them for his Elves. See also the story of Thomas the Rhymer. North England / Border Scots Elves = The Fair Folk. A stone with a hole and a potion made from shamrock was the tool to see things as they really are!

Yes, I did a lot of research for one of my Celtic Otherworld books. Busy proofing & editing an early draft of ‘The Ensorcelled Maid’, #15 in series. I can see now where I’ve skipped over some bits. So more writing to do.

Endings and Beginnings

It’s worst with TV & Cinema, not knowing when to stop. I’ve two major series, one SF and one Fantasy. The temptation is like Pern or Chalet School and to keep extending. Except unlike the the Famous Five the characters age and change. Unlike the excellent Midkemia world, both have major social, political, economic and technological changes. The Celtic Otherworld of the Inamok development somewhat influenced by my own engineering background and interest in vintage electronics. I wrote a history of Communications and Computers with their convergence in the 1980s as a background for a project. I also spent many hours with Civilisation II and IV. Those games seem well researched. All influences of the Celtic Otherworld series.

I think “Carmán’s Legacy” (book #14 of Celtic Otherworld) and either the “Mission’s Talent” or the “College Talent” (#7 and maybe #8 of Talent’s Universe) will tie up all the loose ends. I’ve chopped up the “Second Talent” and put bits into “The Legal Talent” and “The Mission Talent” as it only reached Novella length and the plot was weak.

Other Projects

I have the “Restoring the Talismans”, once Jorath’s Quest (started in 1992) and a sequel, now combined as a stand-alone story needing re-written.

There is the start of the hard SF, “The Eden Seeds”, but I’m not sure about it!

My plans for a 16th Century Adventure / Romance are taking shape. I need to do a lot more reading and research. In a way it’s the start of a new Era in Western Europe with exploitation of the Americas starting. An acceleration of the loss of Celtic Ireland started with Henry II in the Twelfth Century, when he obtained by political trickery what had never been achieved militarily, Brian Boru’s victory at Contarf in 1014 was really the start of the end because there was no political reform or cohesion in Ireland, making the political success of Henry II inevitable. A setback for the English was avoided in the 14th C due to famine and defeat of the Scottish King Bruce’s brother’s Scottish army in Ireland. So I’ll be concentrating on the Rígan Gráinne Mhaol (Grace O’Malley), an almost exact contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I, died the same week. Very likely QE I, Walshingham, both Marys and John Dee will have parts.

My rooks (in six books) have been well received, so I may do something for younger readers in the line of “Watership Down” (not a child’s story), “Farthing Wood”, “Duncton Wood” but not “Wind in the Willows” mainly featuring cooperation and enmity between various members of the Crows in Ireland. Jackdaws and Rooks are social. Magpies are not much liked by any bird. I’ve seen them take a tit from the bird-feeder. The hoodie crow, carrion crow are less social. Ravens seem rarer. Rooks are certainly very smart tool users, can count, have a vocabulary, recognise humans and guns but are very lazy. Illustrations or at least my own photos would be nice. I’ve just evicted a jackdaw pair from my attic. The third eviction of crows.

New for Autumn 2018

Exiles and Rooks was released on 2nd August on Amazon (Kindle and Kindle Apps only) and Smashwords (all common eBook formats, also distributed to Apple, Kobo, Barnes& Noble).

Starship Chief is still free (but only give friends a link, not a copy). A fairly stand-alone Talents Universe prequel.

‘Fairy Godmothers’ comes out Midnight 2nd September. Exiles and Rooks and Fairy Godmothers both work stand-alone.

Amazon (Kindle only) and Smashwords (Kindle and all other readers / apps).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DSC32HM

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GD1YR59

All books: https://www.amazon.com/Ray-McCarthy/e/B01DWGJLQM

also

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/841574

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/889041

Likely also in September is ‘Conspiracies and Rooks’, the sequel to Exiles and Rooks

I think we are also ready to release ‘The Fay Child’.

‘Exiles and Rooks’ came out on 2nd August. So I think Midnight 16th and 30th Sept for ‘Conspiracies and Rooks’ and ‘The Fay Child’.

Maybe November for ‘The Legal Talent’.

Special Offers

The Apprentice’s Talent and Under the Stone of Destiny are on special offer, 99c or 99p depending on Country.

Also on all Amazon marketplaces (Author’s Page)

There is some possibility of more already completed titles in October, perhaps ‘The Fay Child’ (slight spoiler, he’s an adult in the story). All the “Rooks” books are done (six titles). The Talents Universe Series ‘The Legal Talent’ final edit is nearly done.

No DRM on any titles, so you can use in ANY app, or any device, or pass on when you die, or make backups. Not so you can upload or share it. All Copyright & All Rights Reserved. Even the ‘free’ editions MUST be downloaded.

Smashwords treats customers and authors better than Amazon (who wants a monopoly) and distributes to everyone significant selling eBooks, except Amazon and Google.

Corvids Press has put some titles on Google Play/ Google Books. However you are better off installing a free app like Aldiko or Bluefire on your Android phone or Chromebook and using Smashwords. The Smashwords editions will also work with a Kindle or Kobo app as well as the dedicated eink ereaders.

No more paper titles via Createspace as they have rebranded as Amazon. Corvids Press may use Lulu for paper POD, but phone apps are the biggest platform for indie titles, followed by tablets, then eink dedicated readers.

I like to have ebook & paper. Trying to figure how to have a single user unique serial code in paper books for free download of any format ebook.

Do download to PC, and not direct to Kindle, so you can make backups. Do not trust clouds!

Goths and Rooks

I’m quite excited to have completed the 3rd revision of this. It’s probably #12 in the Celtic Otherworld series and maybe the 5th “Rooks” book, ‘Goths and Rooks’. It’s close to 61,600 words.

It’s got Nikoli and Jenny from ‘Hero Genesis’.

I had planned #6 in the series to be released in October 2017. I will look at what the earliest date can be. Perhaps the end of July or the start of August for ‘Exiles and Rooks’.

Focus

I’m going to focus on getting some Work In Progress polished. “Exiles and Rooks” is nearly ready (Celtic Otherworld #6). “Artists and Rooks” (#10) seems complete.

Switching to Lulu for POD paperbacks because CreateSpace are now branded Amazon. Good news is that Smashwords are partnering with an Audio book production & publishing company. You’ll be able to hire narrators or upload finished Audiobooks. Distribution will include Audible and author keeps full rights.

Watch this blog!

I’ve also a lot of books to read, including some old tales that have slipped past me. So I’m pretty much packing in Social Media. It’s only really useful for the already famous, otherwise a toxic time waster.

“Exiles and Rooks” is inspired by the Eilis chapter in “Hero Genesis” (also on Amazon, iBooks, Barnes & Noble and soon Google PlayStore/Books)

Books too gritty or erotic?

If you are finding the books you are reading, maybe published as YA, too gritty or erotic try different authors. This applies to Detective, Adventure, Romance (it’s just as good or better without ANY sex!), Fantasy, SF etc.

Also though it’s easier in your 40s to 80s, try reading fun books for younger people. Also if you are a good reader, and you are 10 to 17 you might find many books for “adults” better and less explicit, especially classic authors before the 1980s. Loads of adult books are suitable for younger readers if they have the vocabulary.

Mostly you are reading fiction to relax and be entertained?

Reading is less passive and more satisfying than cinema or TV. You can’t tell a book by its film. But it’s a very private activity.

TV & Cinema are complementary arts, as are plays, radio drama, music and poetry.

Read a mix of new and classic authors.

Give the Vampires and edgy Urban fantasy a break.

Browse Fantasy, Science Fiction and “Younger sections” in a decent real bookshop. Grab an armful of different authors you don’t know at charity/thrift shops and boot / yard sales.

Get an eInk type eBook reader (far less tiring than a phone or tablet) and browse the 55,000 out of copyright eBooks on www.gutenberg.org as many books 80 to 200 years old are very good. Some even better than most new ones.

My recent discoveries there include early 20th C. Westerns: Riders of the Purple Sage. The Virginian (the old TV series is hardly the same).

On a later post I’ll add some current and classic authors.

Christmas 2017 Sale

The Starship Chief is free (on Smashwords), but not public domain. All rights reserved, as it’s a novella inspired by Treasure Island, King Lear legends before Shakespeare and the film Treasure Planet. However, while stand-alone and 25 years before The Apprentice’s Talent, it does need to be read before The Master’s Talent. Do not share it or upload it. Anyone may freely download it (anonymously, no sign-up) for Kindle, Nook, Kobo or eReader applications*.

25th December 2017 to 1st January is the big 2017 Smashwords sale. The Apprentice’s Talent and Under the Stone of Destiny are 75% off! Only one US Dollar. The other titles are half price!

 

* I recommend Aldiko for Android (doesn’t spy like Kindle App) and Calibre to manage your books. There is a way to convert Amazon eBooks downloaded to transfer via USB using Calibre, for your own use on Aldiko App, Nook or Kobo, if you own an actual Kindle.

Dogs, Crows and Whales

Ancient news about dogs being Red / Green colour blind. Common among carnivorous predators.  Birds often have exceptional colour vision extending to the Ultraviolet. Link opens in a new tab.

Q: Who needs to know this about dogs?

A: People buying balls to throw for their dogs? Or Cats and rats that want to hide in the grass.

They claim to have a new method, but nothing new mentioned in the article.

Further musing on perception

The difficulty with ALL animal perception and behavioural tests is to have a test that the animal will be motivated to react to. Tests (AND RESPONSE ANALYSIS!) are often far too anthropomorphic to be meaningful.

Even an animal touching a spot of paint only visible in a mirror might not indicate self-awareness. It might simply be curious as to why that elephant doesn’t look like other elephants. Tests are often poorly designed with poor understanding of control groups.

The most famous behavioural mistake is to mistake Vocabulary for Language. Very many animals have an extensive vocabulary. Also many animals can “learn words” represented by sound, image or shape and correctly connect them to an object or action. There is not one verified use of grammar or new sentence building! The animals or birds can learn a stock phrase and use it as a symbol. That’s not language.

Evolutionary Psychologists are constantly trying to discredit Chomsky, who argues persuasively that language is not only Human Only, but spontaneously started (for no known reason) about 40,000 years ago at the most.

You can see why “strict” evolutionists and people that argue that we are no different to Dolphins and Chimps and Bonobo don’t like it.

The biologists have the additional problem that it seems Dolphins and Whales are not very smart (maybe less than dogs, horses and sheep). There is also no correlation between brain size and performance in Humans.

Corvids and some other animals (maybe even the Octopus) despite small brain SEEM to be very smart. Certainly able to make / use tools and solve problems (both families).

Anyway science is about observation, theories and testing the predictions. Not about “proving” any particular philosophical or political viewpoint. Science doesn’t answer any metaphysical questions at all. Such as Faith, Evil, Good, Morality, Justice. Probably Science can’t answer what is Intelligence or Self Awareness or Sentience (may all be separate?).

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