Harmony Kent's Blog, page 128
September 8, 2016
Book Review: Little Red Cuttlefish
Using Fiction to Interest Young Readers in Non-Fiction
I think it’s fair to say that parents want their kids to develop both the right-brain creativity stoked by reading fiction, AND the left-brain analytical capacity encouraged from reading non-fiction. Both help round out young minds. Both improve school grades and SAT scores. Both are useful life skills.
Sadly, many young readers view only fiction as fun reading; looking down their cute noses at “boring” non-fiction. This makes fiction the chocolate pudding of the literary banquet table. History, math, and science are relegated to the role of lima beans, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Boy are they steamed!
Now, I love fiction. After all, I write fiction picture books – like the fractured fairy tale, Little Red Cuttlefish recently released by Pelican Publishing. And I moderate fantasy literature panels at San Diego Comic-Con. That said, I’ve also been long fascinated by history, math, and science.
So, how do we get kids to use both sides of their brains and eat their literary vegetables? Well, as a parent, I’m not embarrassed to admit that I’ve resorted to melting cheese on vegetables so my co-author sons eat what’s good for them. And why not use the same technique with my writing?
Little Red Cuttlefish is a good example of this approach. The story is an aquatic retelling of the classic fairy tale. In the original, Little Red Riding Hood is swallowed whole by the wolf – not a very savory outcome (for the girl, anyway). In Little Red Cuttlefish, the plucky cephalopod protagonist uses her wits and natural defense mechanisms to thwart a hungry tiger shark.
Aside from a more positive message (they were called the Brothers Grimm, after all), the aquatic version is intended to spark young readers’ interest in learning about sea creatures, zoology, and science in general. Toward that end, the story showcases the superhero-like abilities of cuttlefish, and an author’s note serves up fascinating facts about cuttlefish and tiger sharks, an excerpt of which is below.
Cuttlefish aren’t fish at all. They are members of a class of animals that includes squids, octopuses, and nautiluses. They have a porous shell inside their bodies, called a cuttlebone, which is used to control their buoyancy.
Male cuttlefish have eight arms and two tentacles. Female cuttlefish have only six arms and two tentacles. The arms and tentacles have suckers for grabbing prey. And if that isn’t strange enough, their blood is greenish blue.
Cuttlefish have an amazing ability to quickly change the color, pattern, and texture of their skin. Cuttlefish can use this camouflage to sneak up on their prey, which consists mostly of crabs and fish.
The cuttlefish’s ability to quickly change color also helps it avoid being hunted by sharks, dolphins, seals, and other predators. If camouflage doesn’t work and it is spotted by a predator, a cuttlefish can squirt out a cloud of brown ink to help it hide.
Now, what kid wouldn’t want the superpowers of changing color, squirting ink, and multiple sucker-covered arms? As if by magic, fiction can point young minds in the direction of non-fiction. “Why, yes, I WILL have some broccoli now.”
My Review:
Little Red Cuttlefish by Henry, Josh, & Harrison Herz
♥♥♥♥♥
I read a free copy of this book via a Pelican Publishing eGalley in exchange for an honest review.
By now, I have read a few books by this wonderful family trio of authors and loved every one of them. As ever, the illustrations are delightful and give such magic to the story. This is a fast-paced tale about Little Red, a Cuttlefish who lives deep in the ocean. One day, while on her way to deliver a basket of yummy crab cakes to her Grandma, a big mean tiger shark chases her, and she has to use all the tricks she has up her tentacles to escape his clutches. This is a delightful tale of bravery, delivered in easy to understand and snappy sentences. With the gorgeous illustrations from the talented hands of Kate Gotfredson, even young non-readers can enjoy looking at its pages over and over again. This book is one to be enjoyed while cuddled up with a grownup doing the reading, or for older youngsters to read to themselves. I give this lovely little book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.
by 
September 6, 2016
Sword of Shadows
Hello everyone! Please, give a huge warm welcome to author Karin Rita Gastreich and her Dark Fantasy novel, Sword of Shadows. Karin also has a guest post for us talking about what she would do if she could be one of her characters for a month and why 
Karin will also be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. For Karin’s other tour stops and more chances to win, please click on the banner above, which will take you to her Goddess Fish tour page
From Karin:
What would you do if you could be one of your characters for a month and why?
This is a tough question because the truth is, a lot of bad things happen to my characters. So, I’m not sure I would want to be any of them! But if a story genie showed up one day and told me that as punishment for making my characters suffer so much, I must choose to be one of them for a month, I think I would choose to be Eolyn’s good friend, Adiana.
I would also ask to be Adiana during one of few periods of her life when she is not going through hell. When she works as a musician for Mage Corey’s Circle, for example. Or during that period between the first two books of The Silver Web trilogy, when Adiana helps Eolyn build a new home for women’s magic in the highlands of Moehn.
Adiana is a talented musician from Selkynsen, one of the wealthiest provinces of the kingdom. At the age of fifteen, she was orphaned when her parents, successful merchants, were executed on false accusations of witchcraft. Their family fortune was confiscated by the local magistrate, and Adiana was left to fend for herself on the streets. That situation could have ended very badly were it not for one of her father’s former servants, who found Adiana and took her in as one of his own family.
Years later, Adiana would join Mage Corey’s Circle, a group of traveling performers, where she quickly earned her status as his best musician and singer. Adiana would always look back on this time as a unique period in which she felt truly free, able to be entirely herself without any risk of persecution or death. She loved the creative interaction with Corey’s other musicians and performing artists, who hailed from all corners of the known world.
In Sword of Shadows, we meet up with Adiana in a very different context. She now works with Eolyn to resurrect the lost tradition of the magas. While Adiana is not a maga, her command of music gives her special status, as music is considered a fundamental part of their magical tradition. Eolyn and Adiana’s community of self-determined women helps young girls escape the constraints placed upon them by a largely patriarchial society. Theirs is a refuge of womanly love, strength, and support in an otherwise cruel and violent world.
I would like to be Adiana because I admire her passion and independence. She can be very cynical, especially towards men, but this same cynicism gives her the strength to stand on her own, to retain a sense of pride and dignity, even in times of great danger and intense brutality. She was a wonderful character to work with, and a very good friend for Eolyn to have.
Thank you, Karin!
Book Blurb:
Sisters in magic, Eolyn and Adiana seek to revive a millennial tradition once forbidden to women. When war strikes, their fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered.
Determined to defend her people, Eolyn seeks to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. Trapped by the invading army, Adiana is taken prisoner and placed at the mercy of the ruthless Prince Mechnes.
Even as their world is torn asunder, Eolyn and Adiana cling to a common dream. Courage and perseverance guide them toward a future where the Daughters of Aithne will flourish in a world set free from the violence of men.
“War propels the story forward, and the characters are at their best when circumstances are at their worst.” -Publishers Weekly
This is the second book in THE SILVER WEB trilogy. It can be read as a stand-alone novel, or as the sequel to the first book, EOLYN.
Excerpt:
As Joturi-Nur’s breath slowed, Rishona wrapped her fingers around the jeweled hilt of his broad sword. She adjusted her balance and tilted the blade, trying to see Abartamor’s oversized figure at her back.
When at last the San’iloman laid still, the priest nodded to the princes. Abartamor’s heavy step sounded behind Rishona, along with the slow unsheathing of his sword.
“I, the eldest son of Joturi-Nur, challenge your claim,” he said. “Face me, so that I may send you with my father to the Afterlife.”
Rishona spun, hands wrapped around the hilt of the scimitar, and cut deep into Abartamor’s protruding belly. The prince cried out as metal parted flesh. Blood sprayed across Rishona’s shimmering gown. Abartamor dropped his weapon and staggered backwards, eyes wide and lips quivering in protest.
“What have you done?” he stammered. “My niece? A woman? It’s not possible…not permitted…”
He sat hard on the floor and stared dumbfounded at the entrails spilling from his belly.
Rishona strode forward and drove the scimitar into his thick neck. With a few vicious hacks, she cleaved Abartamor’s head from his torso. Tearing off her veil, she leveled the sword at his brothers and demanded, “Who else would challenge me?”
For several moments there was no sound but the gurgle of Arbartamor’s blood, pooling around Rishona’s satin slippers.
Then Paolus-Nur drew his weapon.
About the author:
Karin Rita Gastreich writes stories of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. She lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where she is part of the biology faculty at Avila University. An ecologist by vocation, Karin has wandered forests and wildlands for over twenty years. Her past times include camping, hiking, music, and flamenco dance. In addition to THE SILVER WEB trilogy, Karin has published short stories in World Jumping, Zahir, Adventures for the Average Woman, and 69 Flavors of Paranoia. She is a recipient of the Spring 2011 Andrews Forest Writer’s Residency.
Website: http://krgastreich.com
Twitter: @EolynChronicles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eolyn-110814625640244/
Purchase link for SWORD OF SHADOWS, Book Two of THE SILVER WEB: https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shadows-Silver-Web-Book-ebook/dp/B01G5L1GEG/
Purchase link for EOLYN, Book One of THE SILVER WEB: http://www.amazon.com/Eolyn-Silver-Web-Book-1-ebook/dp/B01B8F4G50/
by
September 5, 2016
Domestic Discipline
Hello folks! Today, we have author Cara Bristol with her erotic romance novel, Domestic Discipline, joining us. Please, help me to give her a huge, warm welcome. Cara will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. For her other tour stops and more chances to win, please click on the banner above
Love, desire, domination, and submission. Two domestic discipline romances by USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol in one volume.
Wife on the Lam
Janelle wants to take a luxury vacation for her wedding anniversary. Despite numerous hints, husband Brent misses all the clues and plans a business trip! Miffed, she flies off alone to a luxury resort. She’s going to celebrate—with or without him.
Brent didn’t have to work. He’d planned a second honeymoon to the luxury Cabana Resort. Janelle might have ruined his surprise, but he’s not going to let her ruin their anniversary, too. He has a little trick up his sleeve to take his errant wife in hand and get their marriage back on track.
Rahm’s Way
Before her military husband left for his tour of duty, Cadence Simmons relied on Rahm’s love, direction, and protection. His absence forced her to become more independent and make decisions for herself. After serving his country, he’s home for good and eager to resume their marriage as it was before. Only Cadence isn’t quite sure she wants things exactly as they were. Can domestic discipline guide this couple through some major changes?
Young beautiful loving couple is embracing on a black background
Excerpt:
“I want to work in the field. Simmons isn’t the only private detective agency. Maybe I’ll go work for somebody else.”
The air sizzled. “Is that so?” he asked quietly.
She didn’t mean it. She would never defy him that way, but he had to learn she wasn’t a pushover. Cadence wet her lips as courage and its foolish cousin, bravado, deserted her. Poke the sleeping tiger with a stick, why don’t you?
He unfolded his crossed arms. “Instead of sharing your feelings, you sneaked behind my back and presented me with a fait accompli.”
“What good would sharing my feelings have done? You still would have said no.”
“Yes, but we would have talked this out. You agreed that when you and I differed, I would have the final say. Do you think you should be able to pick and choose which rules you should follow?”
Sometimes, yeah, she did. “No,” she replied.
“Don’t you think there should be consequences for disobedience?”
In general, yes. Did she wish she could avoid those consequences, hell, yes! “I guess,” she muttered mutinously. She glanced at his face. He arched his eyebrows. Don’t make it worse for yourself. “I mean, yes, Rahm,” she amended in a more respectful tone.
He unlocked a drawer in his desk and extracted a paddle. “Here?” Cadence squeaked.
He pulled an armless wooden chair away from the small round meeting table adjacent to his desk and sat. “Lower your pants.”
“Rahm, please. Couldn’t we at least wait until tonight? At home?”
“I didn’t choose the time or venue, Cadence, you did.”
About the author:
USA Today bestselling author Cara Bristol writes “nice and naughty” stories of love, romance, and humor featuring strong alpha heroes. She is a no. 1 bestseller in BDSM erotica, science fiction romance, and holiday fiction on Amazon. She is best known for her Rod and Cane Society domestic discipline series and her Breeder D/s sci-fi romance series. She lives in Missouri with her own alpha hero, her husband.
Cara Bristol web site/blog : http://carabristol.com/
New Release Newsletter : http://eepurl.com/9aRJj
Facebook Author Page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cara-Bristol-Erotic-Romance-Author/178661122147994.
Amazon Author page : http://www.amazon.com/Cara-Bristol/e/B004D8KZTQ/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/cara.bristol.3
Twitter : https://twitter.com/CaraBristol
Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4136271.Cara_Bristol
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Domestic-Discipline-Cara-Bristol-ebook/dp/B01LM0K1O6/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-domesticdiscipline-2090428-354.html
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1146670410
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/domestic-discipline
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/domestic-discipline-cara-bristol/1124439142
by
September 4, 2016
Monday Musings Part Fifteen: I think, therefore I am
I think, therefore I am.
The mind is everything. What you think, you become. We make our own world, and then we live in it. As with the Monday Musings on Gratitude and Patience, perception is key.
Train your mind to see something good in everything.
If I believe that I don’t have enough, I will never have enough.
If I believe that I am inadequate, I will never feel adequate.
If I believe that I live in a cruel world, I will never find love in that world.
When the world caves in, you have to get busy digging. Go deep enough, and you’ll come up with pure gold.
We’ve all heard the clichéd cup-half-full or cup-half-empty options. Today, I have a different choice for you. Cup overfull or cup completely empty? And, in true Zen paradox, the two can be one and the same thing and not the opposites that they first appear.
Take a moment to think about that.
When our cup is overfull, we cannot get any more in. However, when our cup is empty, we have room for everything. Without all those views and opinions filling our receptacle, we have room for love and laughter and life. So, with an empty cup, we are completely filled. Complete and fulfilled, and yet empty.
As you will know if you’ve read the preceding fourteen musings, my life has not been filled with love and light and ease. Quite the contrary. So, how come I didn’t drown? How come I’m not some bitter and twisted old crone?
It’s all in the mind.
To use another cliché: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Good advice. Sometimes, things become clichés for good reason.
Take care with the stories that you tell yourself. When you get out of bed in the morning, pay attention to which colour-tinted glasses you’re putting on. Rose coloured or black? And, when you go to bed each night, let it all go. Take some time in your day to reflect on events and your reactions and thoughts. What kind of vessel are you?
Your thoughts are the potter’s hands that mould the clay of your being.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It relies solely on what you think.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
by
August 31, 2016
Chrysalis
Hello everyone. It gives me pleasure to host a book with a difference today. I would like to introduce author Ann Vanino and her non-fiction book on Personal Growth, Chrysalis. Now, I have a bit of a thing for butterflies and the process of transformation, and so this couldn’t be a more perfect book or author to host! Ann also gives us a lovely post on Embracing Change!
Ann Vanino will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. For more chances to win and to find her other tour stops, please click on the banner above
From the Author:
EMBRACING CHANGE
“Who are you said the Caterpillar. “I hardly know, Sir, just at present-at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” – Alice in Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Is change a part of your life? Do you embrace change or hide from it?
If you can count on one thing in life, it is change. Changes can be small, medium, or large. They can bring wonderful things or difficult challenges. Change is a constant force in Nature. You see change in the four seasons, life and death, day and night and the weather. Nature accepts change with grace. Humans are not always as graceful!
Change can unsettle you. It can bring negativity and pain into your life and it can break apart your happiness. However, resisting change is ultimately a futile effort. Change happens and your life is affected.
There are many ways you can resist change:
pretend it isn’t there
try to control it
avoid it
deny it
fight it
ignore it
If change is going to happen, isn’t it better to embrace it, rather than resist it? When you embrace change in your life you begin to understand it, you flow with it, you see its benefits, you reduce your stress and life becomes an adventure.
How can you begin to embrace change in your life?
Strengthen your faith. With a foundation of faith you can face anything. Your foundation can be a faith in yourself, a belief in a higher power, a religious community, or your own spiritual practice.
Prepare for change. Create a financial reserve. Talk with your children about change. Think of how you will respond to change when it comes.
Accept uncertainty. Allow the unknown to be a part of your life. Expect the unexpected. Don’t count on being able to control all aspects of your life.
Face change when it occurs. Don’t avoid it. Look at what has happened and decide how you will deal with it.
Shift your perspective. See life as a journey. Accept change as a force that shapes your life.
By embracing change, you see life as it really is. You shatter illusions. You align yourself with the flow of life. Life gets better.
So, are you ready to take some action? Here are two things you can do to begin embracing change in your life.
Name three big changes that have occurred in your lifetime. Write down how you felt when each change first occurred, how you dealt with it, and how the change affected you in the long run. Then, for each change, write a scenario that presents the change as a positive force in your life. See what you learn from doing this.
Observe a change in nature, for example, the change from winter to spring or the change from day to night. Identify the positive and negative aspects of the change. Think about what would happen if something in nature tried to obstruct that change.
Good luck!
Book Blurb:
We are living in a time of transformation. Old ways are fading. New ways are emerging. There is an increasing focus within. Many of us are feeling a desire to create a new direction for our lives.
Chrysalis: Personal Transformation From The Inside Out uses nature’s process of Chrysalis- a caterpillar transforming to a butterfly – as a guide for our own personal transformation. Each stage of Chrysalis provides a jumping-off point, upon which to reflect about our own experiences as we each transform.
Excerpt:
Chapter Five 
Our Collective Chrysalis
Becoming Imaginal Cells
In our Collective Chrysalis, imaginal cells are the people, organizations and societal forces that promote and create positive change and transformation in the world. Imaginal cells are our innovators, providing the fuel for our Collective Chrysalis. We can nurture imaginal cells by promoting open space for all to create, overcoming our fear of change, creating an environment of increasing interconnectedness and transparency and giving imaginal cells both a context and a role in our world.
Can we all be imaginal cells? Yes. It is a journey available to every one of us—a journey of freedom, creativity, trust, and courage. We do not look to leaders for our answers; we look within. We source our own creativity and highly value freedom. We look to the new and see possibilities, not barriers. We champion human rights and the empowerment of the individual. We feel the winds of change and use their energy for our creations. We have the courage to venture into the unknown and the discipline to follow through.
Imaginal cells have already given us global communication, faster means of travel, space exploration, scientific breakthroughs, profound spiritual insights and pathways, new organizing structures, and greater understanding of the human psyche. These creations can be built on as we begin our work. We accept that imaginal cells are of many varieties, and we move organically to create our Collective Chrysalis. We are tolerant and value diversity, knowing it is necessary to our evolution. Amidst diversity, we work in harmony and, sometimes, in chaos. We know that chaos fuels creativity, and it is not feared.
About the Author:
Ann is an author and coach dedicated to collaborating with her
clients and readers as they create fulfilling lives and bring their
unique gifts to the world.
Connect With Ann Vanino:
Website: http://www.annvanino.com
Connect On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnVaninoCoaching
Follow Me On Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/annvanino
Connect On Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/annvanino
Subscribe To My Monthly Newsletter: www.annvanino.com/newsletter-subscribe
Subscribe To My Blog: www.themanagershub.com
The book will be free during the dates of the tour.
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Chrysalis-Personal-Transformation-Inside-Out-ebook/dp/B0145JM00Y
Other Books By Ann Vanino:
Power Stories: Mythical Tales Of Personal Power At Work
Coaching Corner Volume 1
Leadership On Trial: Lessons from The Apprentice
Kaleidoscope
by
August 30, 2016
Prodigal Son
Hello everyone! Please, help me give a big warm welcome to author Lisa Beth Darling and her Contemporary Fiction novel, Prodigal Son. Lisa will be awarding a digital copy of Prodigal Son to 3 randomly drawn winners via Rafflecopter during the tour. For her other tour stops and more chances to win, please click on the banner above, which will take you to Lisa’s tour page over at Goddess Fish
In the final installment of the Sister Christian Series, the Court has demanded a hearing regarding Hannah’s capacity. Hannah and Nick are falling deeper and deeper in love. Looking forward to a bright future together they begin planning their life together. A shadowy stranger from the past has set his sights on Hannah and her 3.5 million dollar trust fund. Is he really Rick MacNeill, the son Hannah thought died in the terrible fire at Saint Anne’s? Is he someone sinister? The last of the family secrets come to light in this
roller coaster ride of suspense, love, betrayal, and faith.
Excerpt:
Grabbing a second piece of pizza and again settling into the comfortable chair Mason answered, “I’m not bi-polar I’m just a temperamental geni—” the pizza fell from Mason’s hand to the paper plate.
Nick felt movement and thought Aphrodite was going after the food again but when he moved his hand to shoo her away Mason grabbed his wrist to stop him. His eyes shifted upward to meet Mason’s gaze and saw him raise a finger to his lips before he pointed to the bed. Nick looked down to see it wasn’t Aphrodite moving on the bed it was Hannah’s fingers and they were going for the pizza sitting on the flat of his stomach. Nick’s mouth opened and Mason’s grip tightened to silence him. Both of them sat frozen watching Hannah’s slow hand make its way toward the cooling slice of cheese and pepperoni. In their current positions only Mason could see Hannah’s face, her eyes looked a little clearer but her expression was still blank until her fingertips touched upon a slightly burnt slice of pepperoni.
Hannah snatched the pepperoni from the top of the pizza along with a gooey strand of melted mozzarella and popped it into her mouth like a thief in the night making off with someone’s family jewels. A splash of tomato sauce burst off it as she chomped down nearly biting her fingertip. It stuck on the corner of her mouth with a strand of cheese clinging to it.
Even though he was slightly awestruck, Mason had enough experience with family members to anticipate Jackson’s next move even before he thought of making it. He wrestled the man’s arm to the mattress to keep him from jumping up and shouting out something that would startle her. “Not a sound,” Mason whispered. “Don’t move.”
About the author:
Lisa Beth Darling is 49 years-old, lives in her hometown of New London, CT with her husband of 30 years, Roy and is mother to their two daughters. She is the author of more than fifteen novels along with several short stories and non-fiction books. When she’s not writing she likes to garden and is an avid movie buff.
Author web links:
Website: http://www.lisabethdarling.com
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com
Twitter: @lb_darling
Facebook: http://facebook.com/lbdarling
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1577311.Lisa_Beth_Darling
Purchase Links:
Kindle/Amazon (paperbacks available on Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Prodigal-Son-Sister-Christian-Book-ebook/dp/B01HSD5NTE/ref=asap_bc#nav-subnav
Nook
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prodigal-son-lisa-beth-darling/1124249452
iBooks
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lisa-beth-darling/id411650358?mt=11
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/lisadarling
by
August 28, 2016
Book Review: Mabel and the Queen of Dreams
Fairy Tales and Fairies and Fae (Oh, My)
Guest Post by Henry Herz
Fairy tales are commonly defined as children’s short stories featuring fantasy creatures and magical enchantments. Wikipedia artfully states, “The characters and motifs of fairy tales are simple and archetypal: princesses and goose-girls; youngest sons and gallant princes; ogres, giants, dragons, and trolls; wicked stepmothers and false heroes; fairy godmothers and other magical helpers, often talking horses, or foxes, or birds; glass mountains; and prohibitions and breaking of prohibitions.” The fairy tale is such a ubiquitous literary form, that it even has more than one classification system*.
Thomas Keightley indicated that the word ‘fairy’ derived from the Old French faerie, denoting enchantment. Fae is not related to the Germanic fey, or fated to die. Some authors don’t distinguish between Fae and fairies. Other authors define Fae as any inhabitants of Faërie, be they large or small, good or evil. For them, Fae is the broader term encompassing not only fairies, but elves, dwarves, ogres, imps, and all other fantasy creatures. They consider fairies to be Fae who are diminutive and often ethereal, magic-wielding, and/or winged.
Fairy Islands from Elves and Fairies by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, 1916
Fairies of either flavor have been flitting about literature for centuries. Consider Morgan le Fay in Le Morte d’Arthur, Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, Oberon and Titania in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tinker Bell in J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, Holly Short in Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl, all the way up to Bloom in Doreen Cronin’s eponymously titled picture book and Mabel and the Queen of Dreams (inspired by Queen Mab in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet).
C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and others established fantasy as the subgenre of speculative fiction that employs magical elements set in an alternative world. Tolkien wrote in his essay “On Fairy-Stories” that fairy tales are distinct from traveller’s tales (e.g., Gulliver’s Travels), science fiction, beast tales (e.g., Aesop’s Fables), and dream stories (e.g., Alice in Wonderland). He felt that fairies themselves were not an integral part of the definition of fairy tales. Rather, fairy tales were stories about the adventures of men and fantastic creatures in Faërie, a marvel-filled magical otherworld. By that definition, The Lord of the Rings is a fairy tale.
By John Bauer from The Boy and the Trolls, 1915
Urban fantasy** is a subgenre of fantasy set in an urban setting, typically in contemporary times. This setting violates Tolkien’s definition of a fairy tale, since the story takes place in the “real” world, rather than in Faërie. Thus, Mabel and the Queen of Dreams, though featuring a fairy, is an urban fantasy rather than a fairy tale, or as Tolkien preferred, Märchen (wonder tale).
Regardless of subgenre, I hope readers will find in my story what Tolkien posited for Märchen generally. “Far more powerful and poignant is the effect [of joy] in a serious tale of Faërie. In such stories, when the sudden turn comes, we get a piercing glimpse of joy, and heart’s desire, that for a moment passes outside the frame, rends indeed the very web of story, and lets a gleam come through.”
*Two major fairy tale classification systems are Aarne-Thompson and Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folk Tale.
**Some notable urban fantasy includes the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Modern Faerie Tales series by Holly Black, Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher, Weather Warden series by Rachel Caine, Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, The Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris, The Hollows series by Kim Harrison, The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne, Feral series by Cynthia Leitich Smith, The Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr, October Daye series by Seanan McGuire, Marla Mason series by Tim Pratt, Simon Canderous series by Anton Stout, and Borderlands series by Terri Windling.
My review:
♥♥♥♥
I read a free PDF copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a childrens’ book that is as much for the parents as it is for the kids. It is the story of little Mabel, who comes up with all the classic excuses to avoid having to go to bed and to sleep. Her mum tells her a tale about the Fae Queen, who can only visit when your eyes are closed and who paints childrens’ dreams.
The book is aimed at young children, with plenty of adorable illustrations by Lisa Woods for them to look at while their caregiver reads to them.
I found the decorative font used a little hard to read, which may be easier on a large printed book than on a computer screen. This is a slow-paced, sweet little tale designed to encourage the young ones to sleep.
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Monday Musings Part Fourteen: Patient Perseverance
Patient Perseverance
Whenever things go wrong, we respond. Often, in our annoyance or hurt, none too skilfully. Sometimes, it’s not actually any of our business, and still, we meddle.
Do we have to try and solve everything, though?
When we hit a bump in the road, we either ride the rocky bit or steer around it. What we don’t do is to get out and berate the bump, or try and stomp it down. Unless our car is damaged, we continue our journey. Sure, we may cuss and curse a bit under our breath, but we don’t detour or allow it to run us off the road.
When change happens that we don’t like or want, we resist. We attempt to alter the present and future, and rail against the intractability of the past. In short, we try and wriggle out of our situation as soon as we can.
This isn’t always the most helpful or comfortable approach, however. Sometimes, the very thing we need to do is just sit with it. Some things have a way of working themselves out. The best response might be no response. Both outwardly and inwardly. Patient perseverance is much easier on us than ranting and raving and upsetting ourselves and those around us.
The same applies to any inner change that we are attempting to make. Time and again, we will trip up. We need to offer ourselves a gentle hand and suffer in patient perseverance. This is the only way we will make any progress.
To realise that we are not in the driver’s seat can feel scary, but it’s so incredibly liberating. Such knowledge makes it easier to deal when things happen that we cannot control. As with last week’s Monday Musing on gratitude, the more we let go and appreciate what we have, the clearer our vision, and the more readily we’ll see solutions and ways forward.
In my house, I have a rule: if someone breaks something, I don’t get upset. Instead, I say, ‘As long as no-one gets hurt.’ Things, I can replace; people, not so much.
Good things come to those who wait. Much of life is like juggling balls in the air. If we get impatient and try and snatch one down out of turn, we’ll drop the ball. We have to remain patient until the right time comes for a ball or two to drop. Patience is the calm acceptance that life happens in a different order than the way you had in mind.
As the Dali Lama reminds us: Tolerance and patience should not be read as signs of weakness. They are signs of strength.
Patience is the companion of wisdom.
And wisdom is the companion of peace.
And peace is the companion of patience.
The eternal circle.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘A moment of patience in a moment of anger saves a thousand moments of regret.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
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August 26, 2016
Taken
Hello everyone. It gives me great pleasure to host author Amy McKinley and her Paranormal Romance novel, Taken. Amy will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. For her other stops and more chances to win, please click on the banner above Amy also has a guest post for us on Character Creation. Take it away, Amy!
Character Creation
There are many ways to create characters and it’s about finding the method, or combination, that works best for you. A well-developed character has all the facets of a real person, complete with fears, flaws, desires, and goals.
How do you get a character that lives and breathes? Flesh them out and give them a personality, emotions, and motivation. Learn how they make decisions and what the world they would live in looks like so when they surprise you, and they probably will, the world you’ve created remains mostly intact.
Use all the tools at your disposal. Dream your characters at night, or during the day, profile them in a character sketch, or any other method that results in a memorable character.
A character sketch is a great tool to list facts and details to get to know their likes, dislikes, secrets, skills, and physical traits. It’s there to keep track of specific dialog, things they do throughout the book, or anything needed to go back and reference.
Sometimes I use the profiles to write a scene if I’m not connecting with a character. I’ll lose myself in a scene where they take the lead, revealing their innermost secrets. Those scenes are ones my readers may or may not see.
In Taken, Layla was first created through a spark of an idea, daydreaming, and a character sketch. I thought I knew everything I needed to about her, until she surprised me around more than one corner.
Book Blurb:
Forged through a childhood trauma and cursed by the Fates, Layla vows never to be at another’s mercy. With determination and training she evolves into a deadly weapon and quiets her inner demons—until the prophecy activates, shattering her peace. The gods who want her dead converge and the hunt to end her life truly begins. The skills that Layla honed for protection become an unconscious tool for death and destruction, threatening not only the gods but her family.
Entrenched in clan turmoil, Thaull’s life hangs at a precipice. He’s faced with a condition known only to his kind, the soul-divide. If not dealt with, his soul will rip in half and he will turn into an unstoppable, ice-cold killing machine. As he hunts the traitor within his Phantom Warrior clan he worsens. A fragile thread of hope remains. The love of a female, freely given, can save him. Through a premonition of an alluring demigoddess, he gambles his very existence in the chance she will be his salvation.
She will go dark from her curse. He will go numb from his. To survive, Layla must risk trusting another or become another.
Excerpt:Sunlight sliced into Layla’s eyes the moment she cracked them open. An impending threat itched along her skin. Outside, mostly naked and vulnerable, she jackknifed to a sitting position. Darkness roared to life. No! She’d dropped her guard. Out of the corner of her eye, she just managed to register Thaull lunge for her before her vision faded.
It was different this time…the reemerging. She took stock of her shaking limbs, the hand clamped onto her wrist, and the deep rumble of displeasure rattling in a male’s chest as reality seeped into her consciousness.
Her free hand grasped for her knife, her senses expanding, filling. Thaull. She knew his smell, and from last night, his name. Oh gods… What had she done?
Terrified to see the condemnation in his eyes, or worse, the pall of death filling them by her hand, she slowly turned. Transfixed by the splattered blood covering his bare chest, she followed the trail up his neck until her gaze landed on his face. His raw carnality hit her like a blast of heat. Was he always this way? His calculating eyes narrowed, observing her every move.
Unsure what to say to him, she cleared her throat. “Get out” hardly seemed appropriate.
Before she could speak, he was on her. His mouth forced hers open, his tongue filling her, fighting for space. He kissed the breath from her, and she was glad for it.
With his hand fisted in her hair, he tugged her head back, staring with an unfathomable look that pierced the depths of her soul. She stood, plastered against him, because he willed it. What just happened?
About the Author:
Amy McKinley is a freelance writer and author of the Five Fates Series. She lives in Illinois with her husband, their four talented teenagers, and three mischievous cats. You can find her at www.amymckinley.com
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/amymckinleyauthor/
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26249544-hidden
@AmyMcKinley7
available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Champagne Books, Kobo, All Romance eBooks, iBooks
Buy sites:
http://www.amazon.com/Amy-McKinley/e/B016V99PAO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1464527075&sr=8-1
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/taken-147
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hidden-62
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/search?query=Amy%20McKinley&fcsearchfield=Author
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hidden-1907133-143.html
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-taken-2048055-149.html
iBooks for Hidden: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hidden/id1050481745?mt=11
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August 21, 2016
Monday Musings Part Thirteen: The Great and the Small
The Great and the Small
A close friend made a comment the other day, which set me to thinking. He noted that we stop noticing. We go through our daily lives oblivious to much that surrounds us that we couldn’t do without, or at least, would struggle in its absence.
So many things support us each second of every day, and we don’t register their existence, let alone feel grateful. In fact, too many folks spend their day in constant complaint, only seeing the lack and blind to the bounty.
When was the last time you stopped and noticed?
When you hung your coat on the hook so conveniently there for you? When you switched on a light in the dark? When you turned the key that locks the door that keeps you safe? When you took a deep breath of fresh, life-giving air?
Our human condition seems to dictate that we see the bad far more readily than the good. We remember the negative for longer too.
How many of us complain about the potholes in the road and miss the fact that the road is there in the first place? Yes, an ill-repaired road is an inconvenience and can damage our cars, but at least we have a road to use. The next time you drive anywhere, take a moment to reflect on what that same journey would be like without the modern convenience of a motorised vehicle and a road.
How long would it take you? Would it be a dangerous journey? Could you drive to work/run your errand without it? Or would it just be too ridiculous a prospect for you to consider?
Usually, we do notice the big things. However, it’s the small things that make the most difference to our existence and experience. If we go through life feeling that we don’t have enough, or that we want more of this, that, or the other, we will never feel truly satisfied. Something will always feel as though it is missing.
To find contentment, I had to face that within that believed that I (and my life) were, in some way, inadequate. In paradox, I had to give up everything to find the greatest riches. In having nothing, and wanting nothing, my cup overflowed. What an awesome way to live!
These days, gratitude and joy offer me constant companionship. That’s not to say I don’t wobble from time to time. I do. I’m only human. The difference is that the state of contentment and happiness make the baseline that I return to constantly. The point from which I depart and return and live my life.
When we look through the filter of gratitude, everything is enough. Whether great or small, we’re grateful for it all. Not only that, once we stop complaining, we see solutions.
Just yesterday, my neighbour came to call. In the house eaves, I have swallows nesting, and over the course of their summer occupancy, they’ve left a great mess with their poop. My visitor noticed this when she walked past and, knowing that I cannot climb ladders due to my disability, she went home and returned with a bucket of soapy water and other cleaning bits and bobs while her husband carried their long ladders. (Only after asking if she could clean it for me, I might add. Not at any point did she take anything for granted.)
Instead of moaning at me and telling me that I couldn’t leave the wall and sills in that state, especially expecting visitors as I was, she took care of it. I cannot express the depth of my gratitude for that simple act of kindness and generosity. And, I’m equally grateful that the swallows have found a home in my home. I could, of course, only see the mess they make (and the noise at five AM). However, I’d far rather enjoy their company and see the beauty of nature all around.
More important still, is that I can live with the actual instead of hankering after the ideal. Unable to physically do anything about the mess on high, I let it go. A far cry from the perfectionist I used to be. A world away from the gal who would have minded.
In the wise words of Zen:
‘Gratitude turns what we have into enough.’
If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links here: http://www.harmonykent.co.uk/category/monday-musings/
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