K.D. Pryor's Blog, page 5

A Chat with Kimberly Barrett About Crystals

Kimberly in front of a portal in her space

Recently I had the chance to sit down with Kimberly Barrett, Crystal Therapy practitioner. Kimberly is also a long-time Master Instructor of IET, Magnified Healing, Shambhala and Karuna Reiki and she teaches Earth Healing as well as Crystal Therapies, and more! Kimberly is currently writing a children’s book entitled The Secret Lives of Crystals, teaching children from 4 to 8 about crystals through the use of engaging rhyme. Visit her website http://crystalawakenings.weebly.com/ for more information. You can also find Kimberly on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyBarrett.earthsinger

I had the pleasure of attending Kimberly’s Crystals 101 class where I learned a great deal about connecting with crystals and the many ways we can ask for and receive help from crystals. With her wealth of crystal knowledge and her deep love of the subject, Kimberly was an obvious choice for an interview about crystals. I wanted to get some basic ideas about interacting with various stones as well as get her take on my particular use of crystals in The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean series and book one, The Portal’s Choice.

Thank you, Kimberly, for welcoming me into your amazing space and agreeing to answer some questions about crystals. Let’s get started!

Q.    Tell us a bit about crystals.

A.  Crystals are a tangible way for each of us to work with and aid our personal growth and help us along our spiritual path. If you connect consciously with a crystal, the stone can work more deeply with you, in partnership. Crystals can provide protection, good luck, and increase happiness. They can be touched, held, worked with and the more you work with crystals the more you can hear the stones, sense their power, and understand the way they work in your life.

Q.  I know that each crystal has its own vibrational energy. Explain a bit about how you sense crystals and the energy in each stone.

A. Each crystal has a unique energy. Kimberly senses crystals and feels something different from each stone. Additionally, each stone is connected to one of the elements; earth, air, water, fire, or ether. She explains a bit about some of the crystals used in The Portal’s Choice and how they might impact someone in contact with them.

Tourmaline is the gatekeeping crystal for Noreis Alexandre, Tallis Challinor’s uncle. Tourmaline is connected to the element of water. Holding a tourmaline, Kimberly senses the ocean, as if she is holding the ocean. Tourmalines are calming and cooling and promote emotional release.

Carnelian, Citrine and Coral are red or golden stones and are connected to the element of fire. They promote a more awake or enlivened feeling and feelings of vitality and passion. The red carved stone in the center of the ring that Tallis finds in an old dresser in her basement is a coral. Later in the book we discover why the stone evokes such fiery passion in the people who come into contact with it.

Rose Quartz is another stone associated with the element of water. It is connected to the heart and to love of self, of others and of the divine.

Smoky Quartz and Obsidian are earth stones and as such are very grounding and protective. They help the one who connects with them to be firmly rooted in their physical body and secure in their space. Smoky quartz becomes important at the end of The Portal’s Choice.

Moldavite, Clear Quartz, Danburite, and Andaras are stones associated with the element of ether. These are the high vibrational stones that really propel us on our Spiritual Journey.

Q.    How do you work with crystals?

A.  Kimberly uses crystals in a variety of ways. She creates crystal grids in a space to bring calm or peace or to clear the energy in the space. Grids can also be used for healing people or the world. Another way that Kimberly has started using crystals is in creating crystal elixirs; each elixir is created for a specific purpose, for example to promote grounding, focus and moving forward in life.

Q.  How can an individual know if a crystal is attuned to, or right for, him or her?

A.  Kimberly uses a variety of methods to choose her crystals. She recommends that each individual ask the crystal they’ve chosen if that crystal is right for them. If the crystal is attuned and happy to be with that person, the individual will feel a tingling or warmth in their hand. Some might also see a word, like ‘yes’ in answer to the question or have a vision of using the stone. Another method Kimberly uses to test the compatibility of a crystal with an individual is the forward/backward test. If the person holds the crystal to their heart and asks if it is right for them and they feel a sense of falling forward, the crystal is meant to be with that person. If the person falls or sways backwards, the crystal isn’t meant for him or her.

Q.  In The Portal’s Choice, I use crystals as keys to open and close portals between the human and spirit worlds. Recently I have found information about crystals indicating that they have been used for a long time as keys to portals. Can you tell us anything more about this?

A.  Yes. Portals are openings into another plane of existence or another vibrational dimension. There are portals all around the world and crystals have been used for millennia to open and close these gateways.  Humans are also portals into other dimensions and lifetimes. In Kimberly’s work she uses the portals within and all around us the help souls move forward on their spiritual path.

Q.  In The Portal’s Choice each gatekeeper receives a stone based upon his or her needs. The correct stone for an individual gatekeeper appears when the person is ready to assume gatekeeping duties. Does this premise make sense to you as a person who works so closely with crystals?

A.     Absolutely.

Q.  Is there a best way to care for crystals?

A.  The best way to care for crystals is to keep them clean, charged, and stored safely. Sometimes crystals will be active and you will use them for clarity, healing or other purposes. Other times your crystals will rest in a special place, maybe a bag or special drawer. Be sure to interact with the crystals periodically – use them for that is their purpose.

Check out my Pinterest Gatekeeper Crystals Board at: http://pinterest.com/kdpryorbooks/gatekeeper-crystals/

There are some beautiful crystals pinned there and more to come soon.

Get your Copy of The Portal’s Choice before the price increases

The Portal’s Choice, released on May 6, 2013, has been out almost a month. As an introductory offer, we started the e-books at $.99 and the print version at $12.99 and those prices will remain in effect until June 6, 2013. But, on June 6 the prices will go up to $2.99 for the e-books and $15.99 for the print version, still a great deal for a 484 page book full of spirited adventure.

Get your copy of The Portal’s Choice now, before June 6, and if the spirit moves you, please leave a review at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads.

 

Thanks for reading!

A Busy Week since Publication and now an Interview

Last week I was interviewed by Robert Michaelson of the Amherst Patch, a local, daily online news publication.  Today, the article appeared and I wanted to share it with my readers. I’d also like to say a public “Thank you” to Robert Michaelson for such a thoughtful and detailed article. This is my first taste of any kind of press coverage for The Portal’s Choice. As with all the aspects of the publishing process, I am finding this new experience unfamiliar yet exhilarating. It is all part of the learning process as I become more knowledgeable about marketing my book.

To find the article on the Amherst Patch, click on this link. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. http://bit.ly/17pqyzU (http://amherst.patch.com/).

This past week since the book’s release has been full of new experiences. My publisher, Katherine Mariaca-Sullivan at Madaket Lane Publishers, keeps me informed of sales and I can check out reviews as they appear on Amazon. I am writing guest blog posts and will update my website when the guest posts are scheduled to appear. And Katherine and I are looking for new ways to market the book. I have had positive responses so far, and I am thankful to all the readers of The Portal’s Choice. The next step in the marketing process is for me to contact local independent booksellers and a letter is going out soon.

Besides marketing, I’m back to work on book two in The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean series, The Forgotten Gate. I have to say I am very happy to be writing again on a daily basis and I’m so excited to present this new book to my readers early in 2014.

Photo Courtesy of: www.neighborhoodnewspapers.com 

Thank You!

 

The Portal’s Choice was successfully released on Monday, May 6 and so far the response has been wonderful. My publisher at Madaket Lane Publishers, Katherine Mariaca-Sullivan, and I decided to run a Goodreads Giveaway prior to the book launch. The giveaway started on April 7 and ran until May 6. In that time, 477 people entered the giveaway and 5 people won a copy of The Portal’s Choice. Thanks to all the people who entered the contest. To the winners, the books will be on the way quickly and I hope you enjoy the story.

I also want to thank the early purchasers of The Portal’s Choice. It is exciting, as an author, to know that folks are buying my book. Enjoy.

 

Photo courtesy of http://irishruleoflaw.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/thank-you.jpg

Inspiration for “The Portal’s Choice”

My daughter, Shannon, suggested that I write a post describing my inspiration for The Portal’s Choice.  Shannon is 17 and is my guide to the teenage world, so I’m following her advice.

The idea for The Portal’s Choice was born on a late afternoon in June when I drove by an older house located next to an even older graveyard. For some reason, this sight caught my imagination and I knew that some kind of interaction happened between the basement of that house and the graveyard next door. At home, I brainstormed the initial idea with my husband and kids until I was fairly certain I had a young adult novel about a portal between the spirit realm and our human world. From there, the book took off. Some days I feel that it wrote itself and I was present only as the typist.

Before I started writing the book, I did some research into words and phrases that I could use to name the places and beings inhabiting the world of the gatekeepers. I discovered many resources in my quest and have provided the words in the glossary in an earlier post. I also took my time to name the characters in the book. I believe that names say a great deal about people and can help to define who we are. I wanted to be sure I had the correct name for each character.

I love crystals and have a growing collection of beautiful stones placed around my study where I write. When I began the book, I wasn’t sure what I was going to use for the keys to open and close the portals. One day I realized that I had the keys to the gates sitting about me and the idea to use different crystals, attuned to the vibration of each gatekeeper, was born. I’ve spent time researching the meanings and uses of crystals, and I’ve discovered that these stones are thought to have been used to open different portals for millennia. The idea was not unique to me at all.

One other aspect of my research included spending time in cemeteries. I wandered around several graveyards near my home and in the Boston area and took many pictures of gravestones. There is no one cemetery that is the actual model for the one next door to Tallis Challinor’s house, but rather, the cemetery I write in the book is a composite of the many that I’ve visited added to my imagination.

My process evolved as I wrote The Portal’s Choice. I have started book two in The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean series, The Forgotten Gate, and I’m glad that I have a template for my writing. I always start with some quiet time to gather my thoughts. And then I allow my imagination to take over. In the end, I have a feeling that book two will be written through me, just like The Portal’s Choice, with me doing the research necessary to make it all happen. I am very happy with that.

Photo courtesy of http://mymysticgems.deviantart.com

Get your copy of “The Portal’s Choice” this Monday

 Experience The Portal’s Choice as soon as it releases this Monday, May 6 at special introductory pricing.

E-books will be available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble for $.99. Print books will be available from Amazon and Create Space for $12.99.

Be sure to get your copy early as this pricing is available for a limited time only.

And don’t forget to sign up for the Goodreads Giveaway to win a copy of The Portal’s Choice. The giveaway ends May 6, so sign up now. Go to www.goodreads.com/kd_pryor and click on the cover of The Portal’s Choice  to enter.

 

 

 

 

Sneak Peek at the Prologue of “The Portal’s Choice” releasing May 6, 2013

Here is a sneak peek of the Prologue of The Portal’s Choice, the first book in The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean series. The Portal’s Choice releases this Monday, May 6, 2013.

 

Prologue

  April 29th, 2:30 in the morning

O ne week to go.  I feel it, the nearness of the spirits. The fact that everything is aligning to some sort of conclusion. I hope I’m ready. I hope I have the power to finish this thing. And, I hope that Gregory Millard calls soon.

 The shrill ring of the phone pierced the late night silence of the house, startling me out of an exhausted sleep. My body jerked to semi-awareness and I reached for it, knocking it to the floor in my confusion. I reached down, patted the floor, and finally found the phone as it rang for the third time.

“Yeah?” I mumbled.

“Hello, can you hear me?” shouted a voice I didn’t recognize.

I was groggy with sleep and confused as to my exact location. The voice continued hollering at me, but I had trouble focusing on it as my sluggish brain worked to figure out why I wasn’t in my bed. Finally, I remembered that I’d fallen asleep on the sofa in the front room. Satisfied that I could place my body in space, I directed my mind to the person who was calling. A glance at the clock on the wall said it was 2:00. In the morning.

“Who is this?” I asked, stretching my neck until I felt a loud, satisfying crack.

“My name is …” a male voice started, then abruptly stopped. The connection appeared to be lost.

“Hey, are you there?” I hollered back into the phone, assuming that if the caller had to yell to be heard, he needed me to yell back at him.

“Tallis, what’s going on down there?” my aunt, Gabbie, called to me. She hurried down the creaky, wooden staircase.

“Phone call,” I mumbled when she appeared in the doorway. “But I think the connection’s broken. It wasn’t too good to start with.”

Gabbie moved to my side and looked down at me. The flickering fire in the wood stove illuminated the paleness of her skin and amplified the heavy shadows under her eyes. She looked awful, much older than her twenty-seven years.

“Do you think?” she began, and then swallowed. “Is it him?” I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

The voice burst through the static. “Gregory Millard.” He was gone again.

“Gregory,” I stood up, pacing, anxious not to lose the connection I had with this guy, no matter how tenuous it might be. I’d been calling him for the past three weeks, leaving him voicemails asking him to call back. Messages that had grown in desperation even as I’d tried to keep calm so that my growing sense of panic didn’t wash through in my voice, did not warn him away.

“I’m here,” he said, and I reached for Gabbie’s hand, feeling a wave of relief that I wanted to transmit to her. “Is my Grandmother Ethel okay?”

“She’s fine,” I said. “But we really need you at her house.”

“I’m in Northern Canada… Baffin Island… Pretty remote… Bad connections here… Just got your messages.”

“I thought you lived in Montreal?” I said, and immediately thought who the heck cares where he lives? “Can you get to Landry?” I hollered, hoping he’d say yes, praying he’d be on the next flight.

“Not sure how long it’ll take.” His voice faded in and out, insubstantial and so far away, yet still our lifeline. He had to get here. “Why?”

“Uh,” I hesitated, not sure how to answer, but knowing this wasn’t the time to explain, and pretty certain that he wouldn’t believe me even if I tried. Gabbie was giving me an is that the best you can say to this guy? look. She lifted her hands in the air, exasperated. I shrugged, knowing she was as anxious as I was to get him here even though her hand gestures weren’t helpful. I shot her a you want to try and do better? look and continued. “It’s too hard to explain over the phone,” I improvised. “Especially with this connection. Please come. I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.”

“But, Grandmother’s fine?” his voice trailed through the ether. “Everyone is fine,” I said, striving to relay a maturity I didn’t feel. “Your great-aunt Constance is anxious to see you,” I added, wanting to reassure him that I had a real connection to him.

“Be there as soon as I can find a way off the island.”

“Thanks, Gregory.” I felt relief wash over me, accompanied by a glimmer of hope that, with his help, I’d finally get the escaped ghosts back to the spirit world and close the portal in the basement of his grandparents’ home once and for all.

The connection broke. He was gone. I sank back onto the couch, exhausted. Gabbie joined me.

“He said he’d come?” she asked, rubbing her eyes and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I think so. He said he was somewhere remote, some island or something. He hadn’t gotten the messages before.”

“I’m frightened, Tallis. For all of us, but especially for you.” She scooted closer to me and we leaned against one another. I felt soothed by her presence and glad for her support. Because I was scared, too. As Gabbie dozed, I allowed my mind to wander over all the ins and outs of my situation. As if being fifteen isn’t hard enough.

All I wanted was a normal life, like any teenager. Instead, here I was, living in a small town in New Hampshire and dealing with a horde of nasty ghosts who were seeking revenge for perceived wrongs done to them during their living years. And, for the murderous deaths most of them had endured. When I’d been deputized as a Gatekeeper of the portal between the human and spirit worlds, and been given the responsibility of rounding up the recalcitrant ghouls, the otherworldly thugs had come after me. They’d focused on making my life hell and, in the process, had turned me into the biggest freak Landry had ever known. In the last three weeks, I hadn’t been able to go anywhere without an earthbound spirit showing up to taunt me and to hurt a bystander or two. I was getting sick of the entire mess. Not to mention, I wasn’t too popular around town.

Gabbie shifted and settled against a cushion, allowing me the freedom to grab my journal. I wanted to record my conversation with Gregory, jot down the mess of thoughts running through my brain, and then, hopefully, get some sleep. I’ve always kept a journal, but I’d never had such interesting entries. Of course, when I was being the most honest with myself, I knew that what I was really doing was leaving a record of my experiences. Just in case.

A creak from outside the living room put me on alert. The hair on my neck rose and I held my breath, straining to hear any other sounds. Not tonight. Please.

When no other creaks sounded, I let out a sigh. It’s an old house. There’s bound to be a few noises.

Noreis’ face floated into my mind and, at that moment, I wanted him there because he’d know what to do and then I wouldn’t be the responsible one. Noreis. Gabbie’s husband and a man I’d once dismissed as weird, but whom I’d come to respect immensely. I missed him, although he did manage to keep in touch. Returning the spirits to the Netherworld would be as much for his sake as for mine.

Gabbie snored softly. She was tired most of the time and I was glad she could rest. Still, I envied her. I’d been on alert for what seemed like years because whenever I let down my guard, the spirits attacked. That’s why I’d chosen to sleep downstairs tonight. Being in my room at the top of the house was too far away from the portal to quickly respond to an attack.

I hated being on the defensive. It was wearing me down. I needed to switch to the offense, which was why I needed Gregory Millard to get to Landry quickly. As the grandson of the last active Gatekeeper for this particular portal, I hoped he might have the power to help me corral the wandering spirits back to the spirit realm and close them in forever.

Another creak, louder and closer this time, and coming from the vicinity of the basement door, sent me to my feet, my journal clattering to the ground. The noise woke Gabbie just as another sharp crack of old wood disturbed the stillness of the house. We stared at each other, terrified, and then we turned to watch for movement beyond the slot of space between the open pocket doors. Something was out there. I could feel it.

“Tallis.”

 

Words from the world of “The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean”

Many of my beta readers have asked for a glossary of the unfamiliar words I use in The Portal’s Choice. I had a great time searching for old words as I created the world of The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean.  Below are the first entries in the list that will grow and change over time. I will add words as needed, and I might add more to the definitions of existing words when further explanation becomes necessary. For now, these words should help all my readers navigate the world of The Gatekeepers of Em’pyrean and better understand the challenges faced by Tallis Challinor in The Portal’s Choice. 

Em’pyrean – The Spirit Realm. Where souls go after humans die. The home of all Sawol.

Portals – Gateways between the human and spirit worlds.

Sawol – What souls are called after they pass into the spirit realm. The source or essence of life.

Bancofa – The first level of the spirit realm. Where the majority of souls or sawol go immediately after death.

Spirit – A soul that has passed into the spirit realm.

Earthbound Spirit or Earthbound – A soul that remains in the human realm after death for any reason. May maintain a more corporeal form due to surrounding human energy. Can also be invisible.

Grimming – Spirit bodies on earth. A spirit that has remained corporeal. Also called an Earthbound or Earthbound Spirit.

Perditas – The spirit realm between Bancofa and Dardanos. A preparatory realm for former earthbound spirits who wish to come back to their spiritual home and eventually continue to Bancofa.

Dardanos – Realm of the fallen spirits. Lowest of the spirit realms.

Edwist – A spirit suffused with human energy that becomes substantial.

Folctoga – Head gatekeeper of the spirit realm.

Consistoire – Governing body of the Spirit Gatekeepers

Spirit Guides – Evolved spirits willing to lend support and impart knowledge to humans.

Gatekeeper Stone/Crystal – A crystal unique to each gatekeeper, the stone is used to open and close the portal. Each crystal is attuned to the vibrational frequency of a specific gatekeeper and gate. They are not as effective when used on other portals.

Hereditary Gatekeeper – Gatekeeper born into a gatekeeping family. Usually the role passes to the oldest child.

Telesma – A talisman infused with dark or dangerous energy which can attach and be harmful to humans.

Character Names from “The Portal’s Choice”

I do enjoy picking out the names for my characters. All names have meanings and I believe that a person can be influenced by his or her name. So I took my time choosing the names for the characters that populate The Portal’s Choice. I’ve been just as picky for the next book, The Forgotten Gate, and as the time for the release of the second book gets closer, I’ll share a few of the new names. For now, here’s a list of the main characters of The Portal’s Choice and the definitions I relied upon when I named each of them.

Porteur – Gatekeeper

Tallis – (Greek) Truth, noble, (French) forest, woodland

Wyatt – Brave Warrior

Noreis – Caretaker

Alexandre (Noreis’ surname) – Defender of mankind

Gabbie/Gabrielle – God is my strength

Bailey – Bailiff, law enforcer

Aiden – Fiery, little fire

Anselm – Helmet of God, Protected by God

Christelle – Crystal, Ice

Phoebe – Radiant, shining, shining one

Sohrab – Bright, shining, illustrious

Gregory/Gregoire – Watchful, alert, vigilant

Ethel – Noble

Adalmund – Noble Protector

Angus – Exceptionally strong, one strength

Bertha – Bright, famous

Varden – Green Slope

Bradach – Spirited

Jenat – God is gracious

photo courtesy of poetryonthebrain.blogspot.com

Beta Reader #2 of “The Portal’s Choice” – Insightful comments

I have received feedback on The Portal’s Choice from several sources now, and most of what I’ve been told has been positive. I did have one reader who made some very constructive comments about the book, comments that, at first, were a bit tough for me to take. I have a great publisher who helped me to see that constructive criticism is very important at this stage in the game. She’s right and I’d like to share with you, my readers, some of what this perceptive woman had to offer.

I’ll call this reviewer Beta Reader #2. Beta Reader #2 is a college student who only had time to read a portion of the book, but her comments on the part that she did read are insightful and, therefore, very helpful. Beta Reader #2 pointed out that I needed to add some suspense and a stronger reaction from Tallis near the first of the story. Reading over the section of the book that she referenced, my publisher and I decided that this reader was correct. Edits are underway. She also pointed out a place where a comment made by one character would be more appropriate from a different character. Again, she has a valid point and I’m making the changes. Next, Beta Reader #2 also pointed out a place where she would like to see more emotion from Tallis and another spot where Tallis might not have been as sensitive to a situation as she could have been. I am considering all of the suggestions made by this reader and appreciate her thoughtful consideration as she read the book.

Beta Reader #2 didn’t have a chance to finish the story and so she didn’t have a chance to see how the protagonist, Tallis, evolves as the story continues. I wish that she had. I would have liked to hear her thoughts about the story and Tallis once she finished the book. I am very pleased that she read as far as she did, and I thank her and all of my readers for every comment and thoughtful suggestion.

Picture courtesy of www.npr.org and istockphoto.com from The Joys of Reading Many Books at Once