Esma Drake, fresh from the orphanage, arrives at Seacliff House to care for sickly five-year-old Alisette. Esma soon finds the household uneasy. The child's father, and captain of Sea Dragon, Stephen Nicolai, is years overdue at port, and, to Esma's distress, the child's mother ignores the little girl. Then Stephen returns--with amnesia, recognizing no one. When he at first mistakes Esma for his wife, the terror that soon engulfs Seacliff House begins
THIS ISSUE OF THE BOOKS WE LOVE NEWSLETTER INCLUDES:
1. St. Patrick's Day contest information
2. New Books We Love authors
3. Spotlighted authors
4. Announcements
5. New book releases
6. The Wily Leprechaun by Ian Middleton (short story)
7. The Gift by Sheri L. McGathy (short story)
8. Another Chance, Another Time by Catherine Snodgrass (book excerpt)
Shirley Martin, aka S.A. Martin, has always enjoyed reading, both fiction and non-fiction. Several years ago, she decided to try writing and began with short stories and essays. More ambitious, she wrote an historical novel, since history has always been a favorite subject and was her major at the University of Pittsburgh. Growing up in western Pennsylvania, she is familiar with its history and geography, subjects she has woven into her historical novel and her time travel romance, Dream Weaver. She sold her historical novel, High Wind Rising, to New Concepts Publishing and has since branched out to paranormal and fantasy romances. She loves reading and writing about vampires, time travel, and shapeshifters.
After graduating from college, she taught school, then worked as a flight attendant. This was an exciting job, one that gave her the opportunity to visit many cities. She married a civil engineer she met while based in Miami but had to quit her job since flight attendants then were not permitted to work after marriage.
After forty-four years of marriage, Shirley became a widow and now lives alone with her two cats in Miami Shores, Florida. She has three grown sons and two grandchildren. Besides reading and writing, she enjoys growing orchids and other plants. Walking is a favorite form of relaxation, and long walks often help get her through writer's block.
Shirley loves to hear from her fans. Her email address is: Mshirley1496@aol.com.
Dee is a young at heart writer who sees the world a little differently. Dee is currently working on a new release entitled "The Fox and the Gargoyle/ The Eleventh Commandment." The book deals with a fox who has as a dear companion a female gargoyle. St. Patrick is entrusted with the gargoyle which was property of the Pope. The Pope awared Patrick the statue in order to protect the 11th commandment which is inscribed on the wing of the gargoyle. Of course Patrick does not know why he is entrusted with the 11th commandment, but the fox who is his pet does.
Dee is a historical fantasy writer. She takes a familiar oft-told tale and gives it a new twist. Her books strive to create another world you may visit without a road map. The tales are intended to make fantasy a little more comprehensible and each has a moral. Each story is based loosely on Arthurian legend infused with new characters. All her heroines are foxes with the ability to become human.
The author also had another life as a substitute placement officer for her local school district. She was known as "The Lady in the Dark" as she awakened people to ask if they would like to substitute teach. After serving 22.5 years she retired in June of 2004.
The strange spirits who, without rhyme or reason, or so much as a 'by your leave', had suddenly inhabited The House On The Bluff and caused a multitude of problems. It was not only that people were disappearing, which heightened their trepidation, but the menacing, almost threatening manifestations it showered on the human residents, while relegating the "harmless" spiritual entities into their own inescapable prison. A prison, which was so deep within the recesses of the house, they apparently couldn't or didn't dare attempt to escape or leave. The new entities had taken control of the Inn On Adam's Point and were bound and determined to bring everyone into its clutches. But Jacob, one of the resident spirits, did try to break the hold that bound him and his compatriots only to fail in his attempt to warn Ethan, Abigail and or Tony.
BOOKS WE LOVE ST PATRICK'S DAY CONTEST:
SHORT STORY:
THE GIFT
by
Sheri L. McGathy
Zachary kept his gaze trained forward as a bitter north wind pushed against his back, threatening to tear the tattered remnants of his cloak from his grasp. He wrapped the thin wool tightly about him, fearful that he would lose what little protection left him and die alone in this winter wasteland.
And would his fate be any different when he reached the end of his journey?
He clenched his fist over the clasp of his cloak, grimacing as its sharp edges pierced his skin through the worn leather of his gloves. He must go on, if for nothing else than to see her face one last time before darkness took him. 'Twas that single hope that kept him moving ever forward. He dare not dwell beyond that thought.
A mournful howl wound its way through the tall pines, the sound serving to enhance the solitude of the place. The wolf had trailed him for days, since he had entered this cursed land that had once been his home. The animal was never far from him, yet never so near as to leave itself vulnerable, if vulnerable it truly was.
"You shall not have me yet," Zachary whispered to the creature lurking within the murky shadows. "For I shall keep my promise to her. And then…" Zachary halted and stared directly into the wolf's glowing eyes. "And then, we shall see what fate holds for me."
Zachary crossed the frozen river as the last struggling rays of sunlight gave way to the rise of the moon, leaving the land awash in pools of silvery light. As he climbed the bank, he spied the circle of stark white birch trees that shielded the dais from mortal eye on all days save this one.
An unearthly glow gave life to the evergreen boughs draped across his lady's prison, the splash of color in an otherwise colorless world a beacon to his weary soul. This night would see him returned to the arms of his beloved, if only in his mind.
He knelt upon the dais and brushed aside the snow that hid her from his view. A shaft of moonlight shone down upon the form encased within ice, its glow illuminating the beauty of the face that had given him hope on an otherwise hopeless quest.
"My Lady of the Wood," he whispered as he looked upon a face frozen in eternal youth. "At long last, I have returned to your side." His numb fingers stroked the clear, smooth surface above her brow and trailed down the wavy outline of her delicate cheek. "And here I shall stay."
A slight shift in the silence caused Zachary to pause. He need not turn about to know the wolf waited just outside the circle of birch.
He ignored the creature as he laid his cheek directly above her breast, and sighed as long sought understanding finally gave him clarity.
He pressed his lips against the ice and whispered, "My love, I have been a fool."
The wolf inched forward, but halted when Zachary withdrew a small acorn from his pouch and placed the tiny nut within the branches of the evergreen. "On this night of all nights, when the impossible may be made possible and moonlight cloaks the land in its ethereal glow, I evoke the magic of the ancient grove and ask that the spirits of those who have gone beyond look favorably upon me." He turned to stare into the wolf's ice-blue eyes.
The wolf drew closer, never taking his inhuman stare from Zachary. As he stepped into the protective circle, his form shimmered and changed. Gray fur blurred into a long flowing robe as silvery as the moonlight that shone upon it, while padded limbs that had inched silently through the snow, transformed to arms and legs. A crown of holly graced hair as dark as a moonless night and rested on a brow as smooth as silk. The man was ageless, yet seemed as old and ethereal as time. The wolf turned man took a careful step forward while leaning heavily on a staff of ancient oak.
"By what right do you, a mere human, dare to ask a boon of the ancient grove?" The spirit lifted a bushy brow as he drew nearer. The spirit's voice surrounded him, drifted past him, as illusive as the wind yet as tangible as the ice beneath Zachary's fingertips.
"'Tis my right as a fool." Zachary caressed the ice as he spoke. "A fool who believed, Old Father, the half truths told him to assure he left behind that which was most precious to him, and most coveted," he lifted a defiant chin to the spirit, "by you."
The wail of the wind was the only sound that disturbed the silence between them. The spirit nodded toward the tomb. "She came to me of her own free will."
"For me," Zachary shouted, managing to halt his fist mere inches above the ice. "Though your lies blinded us both to your true intent.
"Yet I am blind no longer; my journey has come full circle. I have returned at a time when the moon above shines silvery bright and magic guides its glow to this ancient grove, here at the very moment time hesitates between the old and new." Zachary looked upon the face of his beloved. "On the one night you and your kind cannot deny this fool his boon."
"A fool, you claim? Nay, I think not, for a fool would still be searching. It would seem your journey served you well, for few now know the sacred binding of Oak and Holly."
"Aye, I learned much on my fool's quest, but the time for talk is through. By the rights given within the ancient pact, you are bound to grant my boon for the trickery you visited upon me, a descendant of the first woodland clan whose blood gave life to this grove."
"You claim blood rite of the First Clan?" The spirit circled him, wary as the wolf, a sneer upon his lips. "Yet, I claim foul, for 'tis you who has broken the pact by failing to return the heart to the land, the very heart you pledged to find."
"The heart was here all along," Zachary whispered as he pressed his palm to the tomb. "You encased her in ice—my lady, my life. She was always the prize you sought, and I the tool you used to gain it.
"Yet enough of this useless banter. Do you not think I see how you seek to forestall until the moon ebbs from the circle? I am a fool no longer. 'Tis time you grant my boon." Zachary tossed his cloak to the ground and shivered as the bitter wind leached away what little warmth left him. "Give her the life that yet clings to me…still my heart so hers may beat. I would know selfish joy once more before I draw my final breath."
"Ah, 'tis true that you are not near the fool I thought you to be, nor as selfish as you would have me believe." The spirit continued to circle him, the thump of his staff against frozen ground matching the beat of Zachary's pulse. "You offer your gift freely, yet must know you will not live to see it given or realize this selfishness you claim to possess."
"I do." Zachary nodded.
"'Tis also true that I cannot deny your boon for I am held to the binding of Oak and Holly. You have indeed learned much upon your quest, Zachary of the Gray Woodlands," the spirit offered him a feral grin. "Yet you remain a blinded fool who gives his gift most foolishly. A fool who has not considered the simple truth in his haste to give a selfless gift, for long after you are gone, I shall remain to claim her heart."
Before Zachary could cry foul, the spirit lifted his staff above his head and released the magic of the winter staff. "The boon has been stated and shall be granted. Prepare, young fool, to embrace your fate."
Light flowed forward and wrapped itself about Zachary. He could no longer move. A chill far beyond the simple chill of the ice and snow invaded his body. What little warmth he still possessed fled. He grew numb.
He could do no more than watch as the spirit tapped his staff against the tomb, causing a crack to run across the smooth surface and down its sides. A glow built from its core, bathing the form within in silvery light.
Zachary fell down upon the frozen ground and waited for the nothingness to claim him. Though his eyelids grew heavy, he struggled against the power that sought to claim him. With no regrets, he had given his gift, though he remained unwilling to go without seeing the laughter in her eyes one last time. Yet, selfish joy was to be denied as his eyelids slid slowly closed. "For you," he whispered as he floated toward a sea of darkness. "My lady, my life."
He had not drifted long, nor met with the spirits of his woodland clan when warmth again found him. He struggled to pull that warmth about him. Energy he had thought long lost, flowed into tired limbs and the oft-imagined touch of his love's soft lips pressed against his.
"And my gift to you, beloved," a voice near forgotten whispered near his cheek.
He opened his eyes to the sparkling blue gaze of his lady, his love…his heart. "Do I dream?" He drew her into his embrace even as he searched the circle for the winter spirit.
"He is not here." Another spirit stepped into the circle. "My brother's reign is over for another year, the season has turned toward the light and darkness has been forced to surrender. 'Tis I who must honor your boon now."
The spirit wore a robe of green and a crown of acorns encircling a brow as fair as a newborn morn. Long white hair graced his ageless face. In his hand, he held a bough of evergreen. The spirit looked toward Zachary's love. "My Lady of the Wood, your gift was given long ago and has now been returned tenfold." He nodded toward Zachary. "And you, my child, have been granted a great boon."
When Zachary raised a questioning brow to the ancient spirit, he merely laughed. "No gift ever truly remains without reward," the spirit's voice floated over him as he reshaped into the form of a great white bear, "when that gift is given from the heart."
Alec Edwards stared into the blinding rain. Traffic crawled along Interstate 10. Typical Los Angeles traffic. At this rate he’d never make it to the fund-raising dinner, and that was fine with him. As Alec had left the hospital that evening, Walt Rushmore had let it slip that his daughter Andrea would be joining them.
Somehow Alec had managed to keep from wincing. The Rushmores were playing matchmaker. As far as Alec was concerned, it would be a match made in hell. An abortive relationship with Andrea four months ago proved that. For some reason, the Rushmores and Andrea couldn’t understand Alec just wasn’t interested. Tonight was going to be pure agony. The weather seemed to agree.
Traffic slowed, cars wedged bumper to bumper, horns blared from all directions to no avail—nothing was going to move this traffic along. They were stuck here for God knew how long.
Alec smiled. Maybe there was justice in the world after all. The hospital already had his money for the benefit tonight and now he wouldn’t have to bear Andrea’s company.
As he thought that, the crawl of cars ground to a halt. Headlights from oncoming cars zoomed by and bathed him in eerie yellow light. They moved a little too quickly for Alec’s comfort. He blessed the concrete divider that stood between him and the eastbound lane. Still, his gaze remained riveted to those mesmerizing lights.
Through a sheet of rain, Alec watched in horror as a car broke free from those coming in the opposite direction. It careened off the center divider and sailed through the air.
Alec snapped open his seat belt and dove for the passenger side.
It was silent except for the beating rain, and then came the explosion of metal and glass.
When silence descended once more, Alec eased up, looking for damage. He was safe. The car behind him was a shambles. He shoved his shoulder against the door and sprinted to the wreckage.
Others did the same. A patrolman from the eastbound lane squealed to a stop, leaped the divider, and ran to the wreckage.
“There’s a medical bag in my car! Get it!” Alec pointed to his car.
Relief washed over the young officer’s face.
Alec stared at the tangled heap of vehicles and wondered if there was any hope someone was still alive. The first car, a beat up Colt, had plowed headlong into the windshield of the second, a late model Cougar.
Crawling up, Alec wrenched open the door of the Colt. The stench of liquor took his breath away. A pair of gaping, vacant eyes stared back at him. Nevertheless, Alec felt for the man’s pulse. Nothing.
He jumped down, expecting the same from the Cougar. The door groaned in protest as he forced it open. A woman was behind the wheel, her face, neck, and chest sliced by shards of metal and glass. The Colt’s bumper missed decapitating her by mere inches. He gingerly felt for a pulse and then sighed in relief. She was still alive.
Her eyes fluttered open and focused on him. There was a catch in her breath, an awareness in those deep brown eyes of hers. She grappled for his hand and then curled her bloodied fingers around it.
“It’s...you.” Her voice was no more than a whisper. “God, how I have missed you.” She braced her cheek against the seat and drifted off, a touch of a smile on her lips.
Alec stared at her hand still nestled in his. Warmth radiated up his arm until his body was engulfed. Not even the chilling rain could diminish the heat pulsing through him. Who was she? He racked his brain trying to place her. They had never met, had they?
“Here’s your bag.” The policeman set the black satchel near the open door.
Alec turned to thank him. Shock paralyzed the other man.
“She’s going to make it.” His tone warned the officer to say nothing to the contrary.
Finally, the man forced himself to nod. “And the other one?”
“He’s already gone.”
The officer glanced around. “The paramedics are on the way, but with this rain and traffic it might take a while.”
“Some butterfly kisses will hold her in place until—”
“Kisses?”
Alec blinked. Where was his head? “Sorry, I meant stitches.” When he tried to extricate his hand, her hold tightened. He leaned closer, cupping his free hand over both of theirs. “It’s all right. I need to help you. I’m right here. I won’t leave.”
“Yes, you will. You are never there when I need you most.” A sigh heaved her chest and her hand slipped free.
“Not this time.” Alec had no idea who she thought he was, but he knew whoever it was, she had to have faith that person would help. It was up to him.
He pulled off the paper strips on the stitches and used them to hold her skin together until he could get her to a hospital. With all the blood, it was hard to tell the extent of her wounds. Around him he was conscious of the officer directing traffic and the pounding rain, but that was all. Every sense was focused on the woman before him. It was only the two of them, as if the world around them had ceased to exist.
Each time he recalled those brown eyes upon him, Alec shivered. She knew him, trusted him. And he would swear he had never met her in his life. Now he was her lifeline, and although Alec had never been one to assign himself God-like qualities, he knew in his heart he was the only person who could save her now.
Click one of the Leprechauns on the contest page to visit the author indexes. Each author has a guest book on their page. Sign five author guest books and receive one entry into the contest. Our contest committee will visit the pages and verify the entries. Everyone entering will receive one entry for every five guest books signed. The more you sign, the more entries you receive, the more likely you are to win. That's it. Enter as often as you like but you must sign 5 guest books for each entry.
Plus for those of you who are dedicated to the hunt. Sign all the author guest books, and then forward an email to ownerbookswelove@aol.com with the subject line "I signed them all" and you will be entered into a special bonus round drawing.
CONTEST PRIZES:
Three Leprechaun Prize Packages consisting of books and collector coins. Plus, the SPECIAL DRAWING will award three autographed paperbacks and three ebooks to winners. CLICK ON THE POT 'O GOLD BELOW TO VISIT THE CONTEST PAGE TO SEE ALL THE WONDERFUL PRIZES!
CLICK THE POT 'O' GOLD TO VISIT THE ST PATRICK'S DAY CONTEST PAGE:
SKYLA DAWN CAMERON is absolutely stoked to announce her debut novel RIVER is one of three finalists for the 2007 EPPIE Award for best Fantasy novel. The winner will be announced at a gala banquet in Virginia Beach this March. As well, the cover for RIVER won the Ariana award for best in category (fantasy) and will go on to compete for the Quasar award.
CATHERINE SNODGRASS has been nominated for five CAPA Awards! Writing as Caitlyn Willows, she is nominated for Favorite Erotic Author and Contemporary Erotic Romance for Forbidden Fruit. Writing as Catherine Snodgrass: Historical Romance - The Wishing Tree and The Marriage Committee; Paranormal Romance - Another Chance, Another Time.
KAREN WIESNER would like you to join Jewels of the Quill for our annual Valentine’s Day Giveaway! For more information, visit their website at http://www.JewelsoftheQuill.com.
PAULINE BAIRD JONES is excited to announce that Out of Time is an EPPIE 2007 finalist in the mainstream category. The EPPIES are awarded by EPIC, the Electronically Published Internet Connection (www.epicauthors.org). Winners will be announced at their conference in March 2007.
JEANINE BERRY announces her latest novel, Supernatural Love, has been named as a finalist for Best Fantasy/Paranormal Romance in the 2007 Eppies contest. Supernatural Love is published by Mundania Press. Berry is also the author of the Dayspring Dawning fantasy series.
DEE LLOYD is delighted to announce that the reviewers of The Romance Studio have nominated her as their Favorite Author of 2006! They have also placed her Eppie Award-winning novel "TIES that blind" in the Romantic Suspense nomination list.
JUDY LEIGH PETERS has been nominated for a CAPA Award 2006 for her book JOSHUA'S FAITH.
She became a swan to avoid marrying the evil Pheland. Rory became a fox to restore her to womanhood. He risked his human existence for all time that Fionna would not have to remain a bird.
Nolan Tremaine's love of telling tall tales lands him in trouble when he enters into a wager with a stranger. Unwilling to admit he'd never heard the land of Connachta, his pride prompts him to accept the stranger's
challenge and he sails from his homeland to find a land he's never heard of-in search of a sacred bell.
Disconcerted when he discovers the bell is a belle--The Princess of Bellarmine--Nolan quickly discovers the wager is less important than the lady's happiness, for as far above his station as she is, he can not help but fall in love with her.
Time & Chance, a suspense novel written by G.L., Rockey, runs the gamut of emotions along with just the right amount of twists and turns designed to keep the reader twisting and turning -, and reading. Published by London Circle | Publishing, this electronic book, (in pdf format) deserves more recognition than | it is getting - which, incidentally, is substantial. Reviews have compared the hero Jack Carr to Phillip Marlow, but in truth, Carr is less sophisticated than Marlow and more street smart, and actually a lot more interesting, especially as the complicated layers peel off his flesh-and-blood character.
Fourteen-year-old Lupe Hernandez wishes she was blond, white, and popular. She dismisses the legend her Mexican grandmother tells about a treasured family heirloom—a pair of ruby earrings—as a silly fairytale, despite recurring nightmares of human sacrifice whenever she wears them. But when the earrings thrust her into the parallel world of Ixtumea, she must confront the very thing she shuns the most—her cultural heritage.
Kim Baccellia has a degree in Elementary Education, and was a bilingual teacher for South Whittier School District in Los Angeles County for eight years. As an educator, Kim couldn't find many books for Latinos that were upbeat or dealt with their heritage. During her personal quest to find out more about her own Mexican heritage, she began writing The Earrings of Ixtumea. Her purpose was to create a protagonist that teenage Latina girls could relate to while also learning about their own rich cultural heritage.
Ms. Baccellia's writing credits include numerous poems in a variety of magazines, ranging from Beginnings magazine and Latino Stuff Review to Coil magazine. Her poem, My Father , appears in the Mind Mutations Anthology published by The Sun Rising Poetry Press. Her essay on the adoption of her son, Our Turn , appeared in both Adoptive Families magazine and the Adoptive Families 2003-2004 Adoption Guide. She is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators ( SCBWI).
Ms. Baccellia is currently finishing a YA paranormal, which she hopes to query soon. Her next project, SWAGING FOR THE TRUTH, is a contemporary YA story that deals with a teen living with a bipolar parent in 1975.
In her spare time, Kim enjoys reading, quilting, yoga, power walking, volunteering in her son's kindergarten class, and doing service work for her church. You can visit her website at www.kim-baccellia.com
The Enchanted Cottage Bed & Breakfast needs some renovating, but BBW proprietor Merrilee Allbright can't find the funds, no matter how hard she crunches the budget. Then a surprise visit by her eccentric Aunt Cordelia begins a chain of events that will not only solve Merrilee's problems, but alter her life forever.
Noble carpenter Vasili Dobecek--who unexpectedly drops into Merilee's life--captures her heart and proves that, if the time is right, one day your prince does come.
Fate drove devil-may-care Jake Harrigan to Nicolette Oliver’s doorstep. Nic can’t allow her attraction for Jake to develop. Her goal is to re-establish her career as a dancer. Is it worth the risk to give in to the temptation of Jake’s kisses, even on a temporary basis? Would Jake repeat the same mistakes as her late husband? Could she live with the likely end result?
Alexandra Jordan doesn't anticipate the challenge ahead of her when she agrees to spend the summer as a research assistant for acclaimed author, David Meredith. Though aware he his visually impaired, on arrival at David's isolated coastal hideaway, Alex is both surprised and concerned over his reaction to her.
Spinster Celeste Prescott has no use for rakes. The Earl of Campion has no time for straight-laced young ladies. Fate throws these two unlikely-to-suit the other into a situation where both are striving to keep a love-struck young lady and a lovesick prince apart.
When Kegan Kendall, an English aristocrat in 1812 America, rescues an Indian Maiden held captive by the Sioux, he has no idea his life is forever changed. Snow Flower, a respected Mide shaman among the Anishinabe, has vowed never to wed a white man. But Kegan's rescue changes her mind—and her life.
Over the past six years I have travelled through Australia, Mexico, North America, Spain, Ireland, South America, Cuba, New Zealand and Slovenia. In 1997 I started working on a series of travel books charting my adventures in these countries. They tell of my experiences and of the colourful characters I met along the way. The reason I started writing these books was to show people just how much fun and adventurous travelling can be, and how it is not as dangerous as many might perceive. I also wanted to show that travelling alone need not be as lonely as you might think. These books are a perfect example of that. Another reason is that I have a terrible memory, and so at least this way when I'm old and grey, sitting in my rocking chair with my pipe, slippers and incontinence pants, I'll be able to read my books and think, blimey did I do that?
Ian was more than a little apprehensive when his turn came to kiss the Blarney Stone. Not only had they just met, but it seemed this stone wasn't at all fussy as to who it allowed to kiss it. Kissing the Blarney Stone is Ireland's third most popular tourist attraction, so as well as the moral implications there were the hygienic implications too. Yet kissing the Blarney Stone is reputed to bestow upon you the Irish gift of the gab, a talent Ian would need if he was to seduce the Sisters of Murphy's; assuming he ever finds them.
Ireland represents the next generation of travel guides. More than just an uninspiring listing of names, numbers and dates, as are most travel guides, Mysterious World: Ireland takes you behind the scenes to help you to understand the history, and the mystery of the sacred isle. Starting with The Mystery, you will delve deep into Ireland's legendary past, and the mysterious people who invaded Ireland time and time again in search of their destinies. In The History, you will discover Ireland's known history up to the present day, and receive a thorough understanding of what it is to be Irish. Finally, in The Journey, you will be taken along one man's journey throughout all the four ancient provinces of Ireland on a quest to rediscover mysterious Ireland.
Special Bonus
Click the MYSTERIOUS WORLD IRELAND Book Cover to visit the author's page. Sign the author's guest book and one winner will be drawn from the signatures to receive an autographed copy of this comprehensive travel guide to the mysteries of Ancient Ireland.
Shapeshifters, Seduction, Corporate intrigue and the military all have one thing in common: Heat and lots of it. When you throw these fab Aussies authors together youre going to have a sinfully good time when you meet some of the Boys Down Under.
THE WILY LEPRECHAUN
by
Ian Middleton
A long time ago when the giants walked the land of Ireland, the fairies (also known as the wee folk) lived in the underworld, a land known as the Tir na Nog (the land of eternal youth). The fairies were considered to be the most beautiful of all the spirits of this land. The fairy women are always born beautiful, but on occasion a fairy man may be born ugly (some say this is often a result of the union between a human man and a fairy woman). Whatever the reason, the ugly male offspring is considered to be unfitting for the fairy kingdom, and the male baby is cast out and left to fend for itself. This cast-off is known as the Leprechaun. And these, along with all the other wee folk lived long after the giants disappeared.
In the northeast corner of County Louth lies the small and incredibly beautiful Cooley Peninsula. Here in the principle town of Carlingford, which sits in the shadow of Slieve Foy, is a local pub known as H O’Hare. The owner of this pub was a leprechaun hunter and would often go into the hills in search of the little men. According to local folklore, the leprechaun is a vagabond and due to being cast off as a child, would devise all manner of devious, mischievous methods to survive. This included stealing food, clothes and gold and treasure from people’s homes. If captured, you might be able to force him to give up the location of his hidden treasures.
The pub owner went out one day way back in 1946 and captured a little rascal called Sean Og. He took him back to his pub and forced him to live in captivity, letting him out occasionally to entertain the drinkers with his music. For years he tried to coerce the wily little fellow to give up the secret of his treasure, but Sean proved too clever for his captor and always managed to talk his way around it, often sending his captor on a wild goose chase. 55 years later, Sean finally made his escape, sneaking out one evening in 2001 after luring his capture into a night of wild music and drinking. Once the owner was suitably inebriated, Sean slipped quietly out the back door.
The pub retained many of Sean’s clothes and now offers a reward for his re-capture. Every night the owner goes out in search of him, but Sean is too clever to be captured a second time.
On a nearby road that heads up into the Cooley mountains is a phenomenon known as Magic Hill. Many people have driven this seemingly nondescript section of road and passed by without ever knowing what was there. But those who have stopped have suddenly found that their car will roll back up the hill when the brake is released. The scientific community have called this an optical illusion where it looks like the hill is sloping upwards, but is actually sloping down. Many of the locals think otherwise. They believe it to be the work of powerful fairy magic. Could it be that this is yet another devious trick by the wily Sean Og; a ruse to distract the traveller who dares to stop there and may discover him and his hidden treasure? I tried, but his magic is so strong that all I could do was roll up and down the hill in my van in childish fascination at this strange phenomenon. Once I had overcome the powerful force of his magic it was too late, as Sean had managed once again to escape the clutches of his potential captor. Perhaps others will have more luck, for a grand reward awaits the intrepid explorer who manages to outwit this wily Leprechaun.
At the far southern tip of South America, surrounded by some of the world's roughest seas, lies the island of Tierra del Fuego. It's three days into the new Millennium, and Ian is about to set off on the journey of a lifetime.
This is the fascinating story of Ian's experiences as a lone backpacker on a not so lonely journey across South America. There are tales of the opulent cultures Ian encounters as he makes his way along the East Coast from Buenos Aires to the southernmost tip of South America and the inestimable experience of actually being at Tierra del Fuego, the end of the world. The geographer will enjoy the stories of how Ian experienced and handled the exotic climates of South America and sometimes found that he was not dressed for the weather. The historically-minded will relish Ian's deep insight into the culture and customs of the Titicaca Indians. Hikers will dig the stories of how Ian tackled the desolate and sometimes perilous landscape as he moved in to get the closest possible shot of the breathtaking scenery.
For another story on Magic Road and directions on how to get there, read Ian's other article:
Lorna Lund and Larry Collins were raised in Alhambra, California. They attended grammar school and high school together. Larry went to California Polytechnic College in Pomona, and Lorna attended California State College at Los Angeles. They have been married for over forty years and have one daughter, Kimberly.
Larry is an engineer and spent many years working on various projects throughout the United States and around the world. Lorna worked in Document Control and is now an IT professional where she has done a great deal of technical writing.
They both worked in Japan on the Universal Studios theme park. Larry was a Project Engineer, responsible for the Jurassic Park, JAWS and WaterWorld attractions. Lorna continued to put her documentation skills to use working in the Osaka field office.
Their memoir of that experience, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park was a 2006 EPPIE finalist and named as one of Rebeccas Reads Best nonfiction books of 2005. It is five star rated on Amazon and is available in e-book, paperback and hardbound formats.
Published in April, 2005, 31 Months in Japan tells the story of our adventure of living in Japan and working with the Japanese to build the Universal Studios Theme Park in Osaka. You will meet some of the unique characters and wonderful friends we encountered during our stay and share our frustrations and triumphs. If you are interested in visiting or doing business in Japan or are just intrigued by the Japanese, this is the book for you!
Rebel Porter is a man on the edge. His wife was killed to silence evidence he uncovered on a dangerously corrupt man of power. Now Reb is in hiding, and he’s as afraid to lose someone else to the bounty on his head as to lose his heart to another woman.
WINNERS OF OUR PREVIOUS CONTEST - THE BOOKS WE LOVE VALENTINE CONTEST ARE:
Judy Cox, Holden, LA:
Winner of Ballotin of Godiva Chocolates
Teresa Warner, Toledo, OH:
Winner of 14K Gold simulated emerald earrings
Michelle Bauer, Albany, NY won:
1. The Snowfields of Fala by Frances Evlin (autographed print copy)
2. Nick's Baby by Rita Hestand (autographed print copy)
3. Shadows in the Mist by Maureen McMahon (ebook)
4. A Family Matter by Marsha Briscoe (ebook)
Rhonda Barns, MacDonald, OH won:
1. The Garrison: Lockdown by Vijaya Schartz (autographed print copy)
2. Moon of the Long Night by K. Celeste Bryan (autographed print copy)
3. Free Spirit by JennaKay Francis (ebook copy)
4. Ghost Writer by Terry Sheils (ebook copy)
Jacquie Hess, Medicine Hat, AB, Canada won:
1. Teacher's Pet by Judy Bagshaw (autographed copy)
2. Lady Blue by Judy Bagshaw (autographed copy)
3. Sabrina's Destiny by Selena Robins (ebook copy)
4. Undercurrents by Nancy Darryl (ebook copy)
Kristan Anderson, Little Canada, MN won:
1. Point Blank by Julie Cambria (autographed print copy)
2. Intervention by Marilyn Meredith (autographed print copy)
3. Tracks by Libby McKinmer (ebook copy)
4. Return of the Gulls by Maureen McMahon (ebook copy)
Heidi Durham, Winnsboro, SC won:
1. The Triskelion by JennaKay Francis (autographed print copy)
2. Fire Hills of Orland by Frances Evlin (autographed print copy)
3. The Queen of Cherry Vale by Judith B. Glad (ebook copy)
4. Hot Footing Around The Emerald Isle by Ian Middleton (ebook copy)
Lisa Garner, Auxvasse, MO won:
1. Dream Weaver by Shirley Martin (autographed print copy)
2. Holly for the Morning by Micqui Miller (autographed print copy)
3. Independent Heart by Juilet Waldron (ebook copy)
4. Return of the Gulls by Maureen McMahon (ebook copy)
Lorrie Hamblin, Glendale, CA won:
1. Beyond The Lies by Carolyn Russell (Autographed print copy)
2. Clues to Love by Nancy Madison (Autographed print copy)
3. Deadly Secrets by Jude Morris (ebook copy)
4. The Silent Scream by Betty Sullivan La Pierre (ebook copy)
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