Carolan Ivey

Braaaaaaaaiiiins!

2011-10-29T12:29:00.002-04:00

Last night, the zombies took over Adams Street in downtown Toledo! My husband and I donned our biker gear and went out in search of a few brains to munch on at the second annual Zombie Crawl. This is probably the one time that turning off the red-eye reduction on the camera is actually a good thing. :)

This was one night we elected not to ride the Harley. Are you kidding me? With all those blood-hungry monsters roaming the alleys? [shudder]

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Carolan Ivey
www.carolanivey.com

Early Celtic "Stonehenge" Found in Germany

2011-10-25T12:09:00.001-04:00

Early Celtic Moon-based Calendar "Stonehenge" Found in Germany

Just in time for the Celtic new year!

From Science Daily:
A huge early Celtic calendar construction has been discovered in the royal tomb of Magdalenenberg, nearby Villingen-Schwenningen in Germany's Black Forest. This discovery was made by researchers at the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum at Mainz in Germany when they evaluated old excavation plans. The order of the burials around the central royal tomb fits exactly with the sky constellations of the Northern hemisphere. Read more

Highway to Hell (Mich.), Oct. 2011

2011-10-11T09:40:00.000-04:00

Last weekend my husband and I explored south central Michigan's rolling hills and gem-like lakes to see the fall colors. Armed with a handful of printed off maps (oh yeah, I can hear you snickering already), off we went on our Harley beastie (I'm not riding solo that far or fast yet!). Within an hour the wind took a couple of the maps, so thus began our navigation by "iron booger." (Fans of Home Improvement will get that reference!)

Here are a few pictures from the weekend. Most of them were taken while the bike was in motion, so I apologize in advance for the tilted view. :)

Huron River below Barton Pond dam.

My hubby and the Beastie at Sandhill Crane Winery. Don't worry, I did most of the tasting, since I wasn't driving!

Most of these photos are from the Waterloo recreation area.

Lotsa bikes at the Dam Site Inn, Hell, Michigan.

Barton Pond

I'm not sure WHAT this is...!

Welcome sign over the bar at the Dam Site Inn.

Proof that Hell, MI is a real place!

Ticket to ride!

2011-10-11T09:18:00.002-04:00

About this time last year, I posted a blog about my spectacular failure to pass the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's (MSF) basic rider course in a quest to get my license. I can look back on it now and laugh, especially since now, one year later, I have...(drum roll)...passed the course and earned my M!

Yep, instead of a generic picture of a girl on a motorcycle, today's picture is me on my second day riding my new scooter, which I've dubbed "Puck." In faerie lore, the pooka or phukka are a funloving folk, full of mischief and lively humor. But treated with disrespect or ignored, they can turn on you and make life miserable! That's sort of how I approach riding - have fun, but don't push my luck.

Puck is a 2011 Meiduo 150cc scooter, delightfully easy to ride and with enough zip to be safe on the townships 50-mph roads. The previous owner added a water bottle holder and a strip of bright blue LED lights on the underside, right before he decided he wanted a machine with a bigger engine.

My instructor, the proprietor of a local scooter shop, went above and beyond to help me get over my jitters. When I showed up for the schedule class in August, it turned out all the scooters he'd brought with him were too tall for me - I couldn't reach the ground with my toes, much less flatfoot it. So once again I had to bow out of the course before I'd barely gotten started. Tom promised me he'd meet with me one on one with a smaller scooter the following week. Then his lovely wife Katy broke her foot, so we had to put it off yet another few weeks.

Just when it looked liked I'd either be riding in the snow or putting it off another year, Tom called with the news that Katy was cleared to put weight on the foot.

A few days later I walked nervously onto the far corner of long-term parking at the local airport. Tom put me on a bright yellow former rental scooter that I promptly named Tweetie Bird. After learning the basics on Tweetie, Tom put me on a bigger scooter to see how I fared in the sharp turns. Suffice to say the bug population of the Lucas County airport parking lot was cut roughly in half as I raced around the turns with a huge grin on my face. :)

Two days later I'd mastered the dreaded Box (tight figure 8), cornering, weaving and emergency stopping. My only point off was not coming out of the corner fast enough.

Hmm, riding faster...better go work on that. See ya later! Now where's my helmet...

CONTEST on my BtV blog post today!

2011-09-03T13:15:00.000-04:00

Come on over and chat about your guilty media pleasures. :) Leave a comment to get in a drawing for a bag of Authors After Dark con swag and books. Click here!

Summer Ghost Hunting

2011-08-26T09:21:00.002-04:00

Read about the ghost walks and hunts I've done this summer over on the Samhain Publishing blog, and see my orb photos! :)

Read it here!

Dark Wine & Dangerous Cheese: What Authors Do After Dark

2011-07-24T17:47:00.005-04:00

Greetings! Just a quick announcement that I will be appearing at the 2011 Authors After Dark con, Aug. 11-14 at the Philadelphia Doubletree. Registration is officially closed, but the booksigning will be open to the public.

If you're signed up to go, here's my schedule:

Thursday:
3pm, Assembly E, Historical ROmance
4pm Assembly F, Myth and Magic

Friday:
11am, Concerto A, Behind the Scenes of the Average Author
4pm, Assembly D, Spontaneously Paranormal

Saturday:
11am, Assembly D, Author Blog Fail
2-4pm, Ormandy Ballroom, Booksigning

-----

On Friday, join me, Dana Marie Bell, Bianca D'Arc and J.C. Wilder for "Dark & Dangerous Wine & Cheese" from 4-6pm, Hospitality (2nd Floor).

Trust me, as an avid fan of "Suspicious Cheese Lords", I lobbied hard for "Dark Wine & Dangerous Cheese" as the title, but I guess everyone was afraid that no one else would get the reference. [grin] Oh well.

We'll have gourmet cheese and nibbles and a cash bar, and we'll be handing out goodie bags and holding a drawing for prize baskets and a FREE NOOK!!

Hope to see you there!

Friends of author L.A. Banks hold benefit auction

2011-06-24T00:48:00.002-04:00

Click here for information

Music Review: "Stories for Sale" by Christie Hennessy

2011-06-06T13:09:00.002-04:00

Hey gang, I'm now a staff writer for Celtic Mp3s Magazine. If you haven't checked out this site, you should! There are even free Celtic music tracks to download. Enjoy! Click here

Between Two Fires: Earth Day to Beltane

2011-04-20T19:12:00.015-04:00

Eadar dà theine Bhealltainn. The Highland Scots honored the ancient traditions of May Day by casting juniper boughs upon two bonfires, then passing between them for purification and luck.

These days, our planet Earth could use a bit of both.

Here are a few things you can do to celebrate both Earth Day (April 22) and May Day/Beltane!

Declutter and donate. As long as you're spring cleaning, do it right! Be ruthless and get rid of anything you haven't seen, touched or used in more than a year. Don't just pitch everything, though. Your local Goodwill, Salvation Army or homeless/domestic abuse shelters can use:

Furniture
- Clothing & shoes
- Small appliances
- Toys, games and books
- Older but still functioning computers/laptops
- Unused toiletries leftover from when you went crazy at that last 2-for-1 sale
Recycle all those cardboard Christmas gift boxes you've got stuffed under the bed. (Yes, dear hubby, I'm talking to you!)
Your local chapter of the American Association of University Women or Friends of the Library might appreciate your old books.
Send your used paperback novels to soldiers serving overseas.
Plastic grocery bags - there's a reason these are being outlawed in some states. Please don't throw these out with the garbage - save them and drop them in the collection box many grocery stores have their front doors.
Oh, but keep a few to stuff in your pocket to collect trash on your next walk in the park.
Take a stand against climate change and observe Earth Hour. Turn off electrical appliances, lights, computers, etc. for one hour. Do something crazy, like, um...talk to your kids and your spouse! ;)
A great project for schools, churches, scout troops, etc. - Earth Day Groceries Project. "Borrow" paper bags from the grocery store (ask the manager), decorate them with earth-friendly messages, and return them to the store to be given to customers.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Put your talent to work! Contribute a photograph to the Earth Day State of the Earth photo project.
Learn about kid and pet friendly, toxin-free cleaning products. Can't find these in the store? Make your own!
Take a hard look at your overstuffed linen closet (come one, admit it, you know you have one!) and take out at least half of what's in there. My guess is you've got more towels and maybe sheets than you need or use. Your local animal shelter would love to have them! Here are a few more ideas.
Save a few tin cans from the recycle bin and make Tin Can Herb Pots.
Don't throw out that broken wooden chair - or that half a can of leftover house paint. Make a Faerie Chair!

Happy Earth Day and Blessed Beltane!

Carolan
www.carolanivey.com

Things that make you wish you'd worn a Depends...

2011-04-02T20:46:00.003-04:00

Blogging today over on the Samhain blog: "Things that make you wish you'd worn a Depends..."

Celtophile Monday - Get Your Tartan On!

2011-03-21T10:10:00.010-04:00

Tartan Day is upon us! Wondering if there are any special events in your area? Check out my friend Scotty's list of events, many in the U.S. Click here.

What's your favorite tartan? I have a few. :)

My clan tartan, MacPherson:

Black Watch:

and Flower of Scotland:

...which is not unlike Black Watch but a little lighter and more reminiscent of the colors of a thistle.

Oh, come on, who am I kidding? Just about any tartan is my favorite, worn in the right context:

2010-12-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

A Ghost of a Chance is an RT Reviewer's Choice Finalist!

2010-11-03T19:05:00.006-04:00

Following in the footsteps of Beaudry's Ghost, book 2 of the series has also been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice award! :)

My very first romance

2010-09-08T10:21:00.001-04:00

Check out my mini-blog today over on IReadRomance.com. :)

What I Did On My Summer Vacation--VROOM!!

2010-09-03T19:06:00.012-04:00

Subtitle: In order to remember what it's like to feel alive, sometimes it's necessary to do something that scares the sh!t outta you.

So, I've been a little MIA this summer. As soon as the weather got nice, my husband and I have been out on his Harley whenever it's a nice day. This is our second summer with the bike, a '99 Ultra Classic, and while it's a blast riding behind my husband, I've been getting the itch to learn to ride, myself. I figured, hey, I know how to drive a stick shift. How hard can it be?

[insert hysterical laughter here]

Those of you who know me even a little know that I've had rheumatoid arthritis virtually all my life. I've done pretty well overall, thanks to modern medicines and joint replacement technology. Normal, everyday activities are usually not too big of an issue. Still, the prospect of working a clutch with my teeny little hands and not my foot had me working on strength training for a few weeks leading up to a weekend beginning riders course.

Day 1 of the riding portion of my Motorcycle Safety Foundation class dawned dreary and rainy, and I'm thinking, "Perfect! If this doesn't cure me of my fear of wet surfaces, nothing will."

I arrive, gear up, and walk down the row to select my bike, preferably one with a low seat. I got on a Honda Rebel, red, and my tush went "aaahhhh!!" It seems to be a good fit. Next step, overcome my first fear: balancing the bike. I put the kickstand up and leaned it back and forth, not real far, but got a feel for the weight. Okay, seems doable, and it's clear I'm not going to tip over just sitting still with my feet on the ground.

Did I mention it's pouring rain by now? I'm glad I put the visor back on my helmet.

Finally comes the moment to start the engine. I hit the button and how can I describe the feeling? I can't. Those of you who ride know what I'm talking about. Next, power walking, which brings me to my second concern - the clutch. First power walk completed, though I'm the slowest in the class. I'm struggling to find the friction zone as my hand strains and quickly starts getting sore. I manage a couple of sloooow power walks and by this time my fear of balancing while the bike is in motion is gone.

The trainer encourages me to go a bit faster and get my feet up. Nope, still can't find the friction zone (the point where you're letting out the clutch and the engine catches hold), and as I fight a losing battle with the clutch, I forget about the throttle. I give it a little gas, feel the engine staaaaaart to engage, then my clutch hand slips and, to my great surprise, I'm zipping along at maybe 8 to 10 mph but it felt like lightspeed!

There wasn't time to be scared. It was more like, "What the...? Oh. Let off the throttle, retrieve the clutch. Oh, and braking would be handy!" I get it stopped quickly, hit the kill switch and sit there for a minute to assess. Yeah, I know what happened. Still, I'm not really scared, just a bit startled. The trainer comes over and laughs, and cheers me back to the starting line. Okay. One more time. No more clutch slipping, but I still can't find the friction zone and I turtle across the range, straining with my left hand at the clutch. The I fought with it, the less my throttle hand cooperated.

Still raining. Oh, and I can't seem to get the bike from first to neutral without accidentally popping into 2nd. Balky gear shift, or rider ineptitude? At this point, hard to tell.

Meanwhile my clutch hand is getting increasingly tired and sore, and it's only been an hour since I started the engine. It's clear that my learning curve is going to be way too wide for this class - which by this time have all mastered power walking and are waiting for me after every revolution. After yet another of countless stall outs, I signaled the trainer and withdrew. My hand wasn't going to make it through the five hours ahead of me.

I sat down to watch the rest of the session. I held back tears for a few minutes, mainly because I'd wanted to ace the class in memory of my Dad. But as the class wore on I knew I'd made the right decision. I learned tons just by watching. It was fun to watch the beginning riders' faces light up and grins get bigger as they mastered each step.

At the end, both trainers told me that I was the first person who'd ever actually stayed to watch the rest of all-day session after withdrawing. They could see I'm determined and encouraged me to try again. A couple of the more experienced students in the class also talked to me and gave me advice, which was really nice. They all said I could work on my hand strength, but they thought might do better on a scooter, which doesn't involve a clutch. At least to build my confidence until I'm ready to look for that elusive friction zone again.

So, the bottom line is, by charging head-on into doing something that scares the crap out of me, I put a few unfounded fears to rest. And I'm confident that someday soon, I'll finally feel the wind in my face under my own power.

It was a pretty awesome day. :)

Carolan
www.carolanivey.com

Special shout-out to my new friends at VTwinMama.com. You ladies rock!

Celtophile Monday

2010-08-30T19:50:00.004-04:00

The World Pipe Band Championship is complete! Click here to read Scottie's diary and photos of the event.

For full results, visit the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association's web site.

View Scottie's slide show, set to music by Moira Kerr, on Youtube.

New photos up on my site!

2010-08-26T02:34:00.001-04:00

Hi gang,

I've been a bit AWOL this summer, haven't I? Well, you can see what I've been up to on my web site - travel pictures! Enjoy!

Win a Nook!!

2010-07-29T16:14:00.002-04:00

The Long and the Short of It Reviews is celebrating its third anniversary in style -- by giving away THREE Nook eBook Readers that come with $50 BN.com gift certificates AND are already pre-loaded with dozens of romance and juvenile fiction eBooks.

How to win? They're having a scavenger hunt that runs from August 2-29 and culminates in a two-day chat that final weekend in their Yahoo groups, during which they'll be announcing the winners.

Good luck!!

Spotlight: SJ Willing

2010-07-06T07:43:00.002-04:00

(Note: This is a cross-post from the Beyond the Veil blog.)

As our way of saying thank you for the amazing, wonderful, fabulous response to Beyond the Veil’s Save Our SJ fund drive—and to give you a taste of what all the fuss is about—today we’re posting the jacket copy and an excerpt from SJ’s newest release, Dante I. Thank you again from all of us, and especially SJ!

Their love could save the planet—or blow it all to hell.

PIACT Undercover Agents, Book 3

Two years on the Separatist-controlled planet of Dante I, and undercover PIACT agent Tomas Valcino is no closer to contacting the underground rebellion. As if imminent mission failure isn’t bad enough, he can’t shake his lust for the prefect’s beautiful daughter, Yumi Rebyj. The distraction must not tear him away from duty.

Every time Tomas’s eyes find her, Yumi’s insides melt like the molten planet below them. But she’s got her hands full leading the rebels, caring for her sick father, and fending off the Separatist leader’s advances. Plus, she already knows that Tomas isn’t who he says he is. She just isn’t sure whose side he’s on.

An assassination attempt drives Tomas to take Yumi into hiding. In close quarters, all is stripped away. Secrets. Lies. And clothes.

Then the discovery of a new technology drives the Separatists to step up their campaign of cruelty to expose the rebels, once and for all. Tomas and Yumi’s connection is Dante I’s only hope—but it could be too little, too late.

Warning: Hunks, Heroines and major warfare in close quarters—and locked cells. Ahem. We won’t forget the pair of panties that bravely gave its all in the making of this novel.

Chapter One

Yumi Rebyj closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the man beneath her. Tomas Valcino, a special metals consultant, had arrived on Dante I a mere two years ago. He’d driven Yumi crazy every day since, simply by being around. It must be illegal the way his muscles rippled as he moved; just watching him made her shiver with lust. When he gazed at her, those pale blue eyes never failed to send a tingle running through her body. Still, none of that could compare to having him in bed. Now that was—

“Would you like me to put it in now?”

Startled, Yumi opened her eyes and peered over the railing. Lying on the floor below the catwalk, long black hair splayed against the steel floor, Tomas poked amongst the circuitry of the Secondary Mining Terminal. In his free hand he held a datacard loaded with clean datacubes. His puzzled look as he watched her made her blush. What would he think if he knew the daydreams she had about him? Not that they would be anything other than daydreams. Between running the Bolgër—the resistance forces—managing Dante I’s constant flux of mining skippers, and Tomas’s very obvious lack of interest in her, Yumi very much doubted her dreams would come true.

Suppressing a sigh she leaned back, staring up for a moment at the rock above her. Living in an asteroid circling the molten planet below had a lot of advantages, but unfortunately being able to see anything other than rock wasn’t one of them. Forcing her heart and mind to calm she looked down again.

Tomas still looked at her, expecting an answer to his query.

Yumi glanced over to the main control panel. Zshanna stood there, a curious smile playing over her lips as she waited for Yumi’s directions. Damn. Yumi knew from that smile she’d just told Zshanna far too much, given away too many thoughts. Zshanna, a Poseidian by birth, may be one of the most proficient data operatives Yumi had, but the tech’s psyche abilities could be embarrassing as well as extremely useful. Zshanna had filtered out almost all of the Separatist infiltrators who attempted to worm their way into the Bolgër. Without her abilities the resistance would have been crushed years ago. Of course, it also meant Yumi barely held a secret she could call her own.

There had been only two people Zshanna couldn’t get a fix on. Both were natural Melds with thought patterns so stubbornly fixed and immutable Zshanna was unable to single out anything but the most basic thoughts. The first, five years ago, had turned out to be a Separatist spy who eliminated several of the Bolgër cells and the Federation agents assigned to them, before he was discovered. The second was Tomas, a man with an ironclad history woven in the Ultranet. A history that was a little too perfect. There were also the odd things he did now and then, almost as if he were looking for the resistance forces. The Bolgër kept a careful eye on him, taking no chances that he might be a second Separatist spy.

Still, after one intense session where Zshanna attempted a Meld breakthrough she determined, other than personal things, Tomas’s absolute hatred of the Separatists. The images had been enough to satisfy Zshanna that Tomas posed no threat to the Bolgër. They knew too little to invite him into their fold, and enough not to be concerned about his poking around, so the surveillance on him was light. This was great, not only because of his good looks, but he’d also turned out to be one of the best damn SpecMets Yumi had ever known. In the two years since Tomas arrived he’d improved the special metals extraction and purification process by almost two hundred percent. Incidentally saving a few lives at the same time by meeting the absurdly high Separatist quotient demands. Personal feelings aside, Yumi, and the colony, couldn’t afford to lose him.

She couldn’t afford to lose Zshanna either. If the Separatists ever discovered Zshanna’s abilities the Poseidian would be in the grunge tank, brain dissected, faster than a plasma bubble burst. Yumi would die before she let that happen.

“Ma’am?” Tomas asked again.

“Yes, just a moment, Tomas,” Yumi blurted out, amazed he didn’t show even a trace of impatience. She became too easily distracted nowadays, maybe because the uprising was so close. “Zshanna, how are the multiplex Riener circuits doing?”

“Around seventy-five percent optimum,” Zshanna answered, grinning back. “They’ll hold if the Secondary burns out again.”

“Okay, Tomas, you can put it in.” Yumi almost cursed, blushing bright red again. Fortunately Tomas had slipped under the unit and couldn’t see her embarrassment. She definitely needed a break from Dante I and the oppressive Separatist culture. Time away, with someone really sexy—like Tomas.

They were rewarded when the Secondary hummed gently back to life. Yumi relaxed a little. It wasn’t a vital piece of the colony’s systems since it mainly worked as a backup in case the Primary failed. Experience, though, had taught Yumi not to delay repairs even on the secondaries.

“Well done everyone,” she congratulated them. “Repaired in less than five hours and we didn’t have to call the Techs in. Good work!”

Her own work had begun though. The Secondary had been sabotaged and she had to find the saboteur before the occupying Separatists did. She’d already set several cells of the Bolgër on the task. It certainly wasn’t the work of the underground resistance themselves. The sabotage had been sloppy and the Secondary of too little importance to destroy. This had been something personal against the Separatists, through a relatively easy target.

She watched Tomas edge out from under the terminal, and the familiar feeling of lust coursed through her. When this was all done, maybe…

“Ah, I see you have it working. Good.” Colonel Marcus Saeger walked up to her smiling. “And I have several pieces of good news for you.”

Yumi grimaced. Good news to a Separatist colonel wasn’t normally something people wanted to hear. Not that she had much choice nowadays. Ever since her father’s illness—losing the supply of Federation anti-aging drugs had finally taken its toll—she’d been called in more often than normal lately to represent him on matters of colony policy. Not for the first time she wished Father hadn’t surrendered so easily to Separatist rule. Yes, they probably would have all died trying to stem a Separatist invasion. Surely, though, it would have been preferable to dying like this, one day at a time.

With a shock, Yumi realized this was the seventh year of Separatist occupation in the Dante system. During those years she’d seen their population steadily decline despite a steady influx of workers. Only seven thousand now lived in The Rock, instead of the nine thousand there used to be. She’d heard rumors the losses were even greater on Dante V, or The Fiver, as her people called the frozen planetoid that spun in the lonely fifth orbit. All the losses, it was pretty obvious to everyone, could be traced to Marcus’s administration, his treatment and frequent execution of Dante’s colonists.

“You know I’m always interested in your good news,” Yumi lied. As she spoke she walked toward the Prefect’s office—officially her father’s office though Yumi would be inheriting it soon. She tried not to think about that too often. “So what’s happened?”

Marcus brushed a hand through his hair. The shocking red color, like the dusky red tone to his skin, had been genetically induced to increase his natural resistance to solar radiation. Marcus’s home, Stallas VI, was one of the nine foundation worlds of the Separatist Dynasty. Its people had been engineered to survive on the planet surface in the high radiation system.

“Well,” Marcus said. “We found your saboteur last night. She was trying to stow away on a shuttle flight to The Fiver.” Marcus spoke loudly, making his presence felt amongst the nervous Control Room staff. “One of your Techs, Stela Magrow, seems she had some complaint with our policies.”

Damn! Yumi swore at herself. She should have seen this happening. The policy Stela felt unhappy about occurred five months ago. The distraught Tech had filed charges against five Separatist soldiers who’d spent one night raping her—simply because they were bored. The charges were instantly dismissed by the Separatist legal system as trivial. The Separatists even refused to undergo tests to determine the father of her unborn child.

Yumi, like every other Dantian, hated the Separatist policies that left Separatist soldiers free to terrorize the colonists. She knew she’d been stupid, but now it was too late. She should have smuggled Stela out of system months ago to one of the Federation-owned safe quarters the Bolgër maintained. Then again, there’d been no physical contact with the Federation for almost five years and no radio contact for almost two. Getting Stela to safe quarters, which had more than likely been compromised, would have killed everyone involved.

Yumi was left with the task of rescuing Stela from the grunge room and hiding the poor woman from the Separatists somewhere in the belly of The Rock. Probably with the small Bolgër army she had in The Crypts. God knew how they’d managed to maintain their forces there for so long without anyone noticing.

Yumi turned into a small tube-like corridor. Here the walls were highly polished, indicating the tunnel had been cut by the V.T.M., the superbly efficient Vinder Tunnel Drill. A few more yards down and she stopped in front of the Prefect’s office. Marcus, with that damned superior smile on his face, stopped with her. Short of taking a small tank into the heart of Separatist territory there was very little she could do for Stela. Unless, and it was rare, Zshanna could find a bribable guard.

“I’m glad you found her.” Yumi smiled as the doors automatically slid open. It was a lie, of course, but she daren’t let him know how she truly felt. “We need more manpower on the ore-smelting line. She can join the other prisoners there. It won’t take more than a few days for her to regret her actions.”
Yumi walked into the outer office, passing Vhal and Melindra. The two assistants sat behind their desks busily working on the latest ore shipment and mining figures. Their desks, like most of the furnishing in Dante I, were fabricated from crushed rock obtained from the tunnel drills. Here and there within the highly polished surface of the dark-gray stone was the sparkle of silver, copper and gold.

“I’m afraid Stela can’t join the line,” Marcus said. Yumi’s stomach twisted, anticipating his next words with dread. “She died an hour ago while under questioning.” Marcus made sure Vhal and Melindra heard everything he said.

Stiffly, barely able to keep her temper, Yumi walked the last few steps to the inner office in silence. Touching her fingers to the lockpad she stepped back and let the door slide open. Once inside, with the door closed, she turned to face Marcus. Only sheer determination prevented her from shouting at him.
“I wish you would refrain from this continued depletion of our personnel resources.” She spoke calmly in spite of seething with every word. “We’re twelve percent undermanned as it is and we’ve had no replacements from The Fiver, or out of system, for over six months.”

Marcus, unruffled by her words, simply sat on the edge of the desk and looked at her. A knowing smile pasted on his face. A stupid, aquiline face she wanted to slap silly.

“The second piece of good news,” Marcus continued, “is your father has given us permission to marry.”

“Father has what!” Yumi held onto a tall cabinet next to her. Weakness washed over her. What had he done to her father! No. Doctor Lasky ranked as Second Lieutenant in the Bolgër. He’d never let a Separatist, even a colonel, near her father. Not while her father remained too ill to care for himself. Walking carefully to the desk, Yumi went behind it and sat in her father’s chair. She refused to show her fear to this murderer. “I understood Dr. Lasky’s orders were no visitors,” Yumi said. “I’m surprised he let you in.”

“Dr. Lasky is in the infirmary.” Marcus’s face held a look of, Yumi assumed, mock sympathy. “Several members of the Bolgër assaulted him last night. He’ll be lucky to survive.”

Yumi shook her head sadly. It wouldn’t be the first time Separatist soldiers had disguised themselves as resistance fighters, just enough of a disguise to confuse the few witnesses who’d see the attack.

Marcus’s men always made sure there were reliable witnesses to make the Bolgër unfavorable to the frightened colonists. “I took the liberty of assigning Dr. Krog to your father,” Marcus added. “He assured me a short visit wouldn’t tax your father too much. Just long enough for your father to understand my arguments for a strong male leader in the colony. Appreciating that, he agreed to our wedding.”

“Ah.” Yumi nodded. In other words Marcus’s men hospitalized Dr. Lasky so Marcus could install his favorite toady, Dr. Krog, in Lasky’s place. Then Marcus had the freedom to torture her father until he agreed to the wedding. It had to have been torture. Yumi knew her father enough to know he’d never go against Dante I’s deeply ingrained custom of Prefect inheritance. Neither would the workers accept non-family inheritance—which was why Marcus forced her father to approve of this marriage.

Seriously concerned for her father’s safety, and that of the colony, Yumi shuffled the papers on the desk. Trying to calm her nerves, she filed the unneeded ones in a drawer—she’d sort them later. For now she daren’t allow her thoughts to wander through dangerous assumptions. She needed to think clearly. The stakes in this deadly game of occupation and resistance had suddenly tripled.

“So when is the wedding date?” Yumi continued as steadily as she could. “How long do I have to get the wedding dress ready?” By how much did she need to accelerate the rebellion preparations?

“Three weeks,” Marcus said, looking way too smug. “My Procurer is already working on your wedding chains.” He took the remaining papers from her hand and scanned through them as he spoke. “You should be proud. General Tarug himself will be arriving on the Ultimate tomorrow. He’s decided to stay for the wedding.” He extracted a couple of the reports, folded them and put them in his pocket, then dropped the rest on the table.

Damn. She’d have to see if Vhal and Melindra could work out which reports were missing and duplicate them.

Obviously deciding business was over, Marcus leaned forward. He grasped her around the back of her neck and forced a hard, unwelcome kiss on her. Stunned, Yumi couldn’t react immediately because Marcus stepped away before she could brain him. Being out of reach and unable to cause him physical damage was, in itself, probably a good thing.

“I’ll call on you later,” he told her as he stepped toward the door. “I’m going to start organizing this colony the way it needs to be done.”

Organizing the colony? Chains? For her wedding?

Yumi shuddered. The chains meant Marcus planned for a typical Separatist ceremony. Yumi couldn’t let it happen. She refused to be given to his best men the night before the wedding then dragged to the ceremony the following day—bruised, beaten and very naked. In a true Separatist marriage the woman became little more than a slave.

Yumi gritted her teeth. Thanks to the Federation’s anti-aging drugs she’d had seventy-three years to learn how to control what her father called her hair-trigger temper. Somehow they’d accelerate the rebellion by three weeks. The only trigger Yumi intended to pull then was one that blasted a bullet through Marcus’s heart…

Ahem. Dying to read more? You don’t need to go quite that far. Simply click here to order the book from My Bookstore and More.

A Very Special Thursday 13

2010-07-01T16:51:00.005-04:00

Thirteen Reasons to SOS - "Save Our SJ"

Click here to go to the Beyond the Veil blog. We are, literally, in a race against time. Thank you!

(Picture: Theresa, SJ and I at RT 2008)

Time Travelling With Music

2010-06-30T16:36:00.004-04:00

I stood in the center of a small, round, high-ceilinged room. Indentations on the floor marked the place where an altar once stood, leaving enough room for only one, maybe two people. The rough stone walls, which were probably once whitewash-clean, bore signs of many years of candle soot. Soft sunlight filtered down from narrow windows above my head.

Somehow, amid a sea of tourists, I had ended up alone in the hushed chapel of Conwy Castle. I closed my eyes and imagined it as it might have been in the past. A woman kneeling at the altar, praying for a loved one off at war with the rebellious Welsh.

For though it’s located in Wales, Conwy is very much an English castle, one of Edward I’s “iron ring” designed to intimidate the locals into submission.

Glancing furtively over my shoulder to see if anyone was near, I quietly tested the acoustics with a passage from a Schubert mass I had recently performed, a simple, pure melody that still sticks in my memory today.

The echo that floated back down to me from the domed ceiling sounded so unlike me, I stopped and listened. The tone seemed to split and reform into someone else’s voice. A voice from the past, answering my kyrie with his eleison? It must have been a he…the only women trained to intone the sacred words would not have lived in this place.

The hair stood up on the back of my neck and I hurried out to find where my husband had wandered off to. Blinking up into the sun, I found him pacing the top of the walls like a knight assessing the strength of the castle’s defenses.

That was years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. It occurred to me recently to me that every time I pick up a piece of music, I am in a sense putting myself in that composer’s place for a short space of time. Whatever was in their heart at that moment – pain, loss, love, joy, spiritual ecstasy – that moment is reborn in the vibration of my throat, the push of breath from my lungs. Pulled forward through time, through my body, into the present.

Music is a silver thread that connects us to the past. Have you ever heard small children chanting the same playground tunes that you sang at that age? Did you stop to wonder where they learned it – because you yourself hadn’t sung it for decades. Kinda spooky, when you think about it.

These days, I perform regularly with an Early Music ensemble, singing music from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque eras of Europe. Wearing authentic clothing and accompanied by historically accurate reproduction instruments, it’s easy to close my eyes and imagine myself in a candle-lit chapel or smoky hall of some castle, providing music for lords, ladies and knights gathered for a feast.

For that moment, suspended in time, we are an unbreakable link to the past. And, somewhere, a composer with ink-stained fingers is smiling.

(Cross-posted from the Samhain Publishing blog.)

Off to home ground next week...

2010-06-17T21:40:00.003-04:00

Next week I will return with my mother and sister to my childhood stomping grounds of the southern North Carolina Coast. Of course, I'm already searching for spooky legends of the area, among them the Maco Light.

We'll be staying up the road from Fort Fisher, a fort that saw key action in the Civil War. Ghost investigations that have been done there confirm that the place is, indeed, haunted. Here are some videos of a local paranormal research group conducting an investigation. Enjoy!

Susie's Miracle

2010-05-29T10:09:00.007-04:00

Today I'm so proud to call myself a Tarheel. These are "my people" - Guildford Countians who pulled together to save a horribly burned puppy and pursue tougher animal cruelty laws.

Beautiful video, but if you don't have a strong stomach, don't watch.

AdoptShelterPets.org
Donate: Susie's Miracle Fund

Contest! Win a bag of RT swag!

2010-05-11T10:03:00.005-04:00

Hey gang,

Want a chance to win a tote bag stuffed with RT loot? Easy - sign up for my newsletter list! Everyone who signs up is automatically entered in all my prize drawings.

Don't worry, it's not another chat list you have to keep up with, and I promise not to spam you with silly stuff. Plus, it's a closed list so no one else will get ahold of your info to spam you, either.

(Small print: You must set your membership to at least Special Notices. "No Mail" members are ineligible. U.S. shipping only - non-U.S. winners will receive an alternative prize.)

Click here to sign up! Winner will be announced June 5, 2010.

Celtophile Monday

2010-04-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

"Faun"atical in Scotland
Scotland is increasingly marketing itself as Europe's leading wildlife destination, and with an incredibly diverse range of habitats hosting dozens of top quality projects and experiences, it's an idea that's becoming plausible. Home to vast expanses of protected ground and two spectacular national parks, rural and marine Scotland are awash with wildlife-watching opportunities, from bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth to golden eagles on the west coast or sailing among seals and puffins in Shetland. Read more

Scottish Lochs Slide Show

Landscapes of Scotland
Gorgeous landscape photos from David W. Robertson. Check out the "Glasgow Smiles" section - fun!

Gearing up for RT 2010!

2010-04-23T09:29:00.008-04:00

I may be a bit scarce next week (I know, don't everyone applaud at once!) as I'll be at RT 2010 in Columbus. Look me up at the Friday eBook Expo and at the Saturday Book Fair. Otherwise, I will be kind of an Author At Large, sampling as many RT delights as possible. Within proper lines of decorum, of course! o_O

The Beyond the Veil authors and I have put together a fabulous gift bag full of goodies and BOOKS! Here's a sneak peek:

(click on the photo for a clearer view)

Da Goodies:

Exclusive, custom designed BTV INK PEN! ;)

From moi:
New-with-tags Vera Bradley backsack in Java Blue
Autographed copy of "Love and Lore" anthology
Beaded book thong
Music CD
Pen

Jody Wallace:
Books: "Survival of the Fairest" and "A Spell for Susannah"

Meg Allison:
Book: "Dream Walk"
Dragon charm book thong

Sharon Cullen:
Book: "Obsession" from her Love on the Edge series

Jean Marie Ward:
Brass/mother of pearl bookmark, "Fantasy Girl" key chain

Diane McEntire: Bath & body set

Hope to see you there!!

Ghost Story Time!

2010-04-17T09:57:00.002-04:00

Check out my blog over at Beyond The Veil for a couple of spooky tales fresh from the Tarheel State. Enjoy!

Contest coming up!

2010-04-15T08:54:00.005-04:00

Excerpts and prizes galore! Don't miss it! I'll be giving away a $10 MBaM gift certificate. Click on the graphic for more info.

Celtophile Monday

2010-04-02T10:54:00.002-04:00

Thought I'd share a couple sites that feature some gorgeous photos. Enjoy!

iReporters capture castles in Scotland

National Geographic
Scotland Photos
Photo of the Day (verra cool time lapse)
Wales Photos
Ireland Photos
England Photos
Drive of a Lifetime: Cornish Coast

20% Discount on Ebooks at MBaM!

2010-03-30T12:49:00.002-04:00

To celebrate the shiny new website, MyBookstoreAndMore.com is offering a 20% discount on your ebook order. Just enter shinynew for the coupon code!

Sweet (?) Smell of Spring

2010-03-22T11:22:00.002-04:00

Ah, spring. The time when bulbs are sprouting, young love is blooming, and the air is filled with the sweet perfume of...exhaust.

My husband is bringing the Harley home from its maintenance checkup this afternoon, and I can’t WAIT to get out and get some bugs in my teeth! Okay, not so much the bugs. I usually wear a bandanna over my lower face to keep my sensitive skin from turning beet red from windburn.

There’s something very Zen about being the Hot Babe On The Back. Um, okay. Just the Babe On The Back. All right, all right! Just On The Back!

We have a cruiser-type bike, which means the rear seat is cushy and wraps around my hips and lower back, so it’s easy to relax without fear of falling off. The only thing to worry about is smacking my helmeted head against the back of DH’s if he hits the brakes without warning. Yep, it’s happened.

The steady roar of the engine (okay, a hum – I wear ear plugs), the scenery rolling by, the sun warming my winter-cold carcass, classic rock on the radio. It takes a few minutes, but soon I feel myself draw a nice, deep breath as if I’m easing into meditation.

It’s amazing how many knotted-plot solutions come to me when I’m on the bike. Invariably I return refreshed and eager to get back to the keyboard.

I’m only one of many authors who’ve found a way to wrap a story around the shiny chrome of a motorcycle—and its bad-boy rider. Wildish Things combines two things I love dearly—Ireland and a Harley. Topped with a bad boy with a heart of gold, the story pretty much wrote itself.

Now you’ll have to excuse me. I have a sexy man in black leather calling my name. Happy spring!

(cross-posted on the Beyond the Veil blog)

Celtophile Monday

2010-03-15T00:02:00.000-04:00

5000 Year Old Westray Wife Tours Scotland
A Neolithic carving found in the Orkney Islands last year is to go on tour around Scotland. The 5,000-year-old figurine, known as the Westray Wife, was discovered in the Links of Noltland on the Orkney island of Westray and is the only Neolithic carving of a human form found in Scotland. Measuring just 41mm by 31mm and made of sandstone, the Venus figure will go on tour around Scotland before returning to Orkney for the summer. Source: Culture24.org.uk

Scotland During World War II
What was life like during the second world war in Scotland at home, at school and on the street? Click here for student and teacher resources.

Ginger Hair Due To Bad Scottish Weather?
Scotland’s notoriously bad weather appears to be behind why more of the country’s population appeared to be blessed with ginger hair, new research has claimed. Read more

Read An Ebook Week 2010!

2010-03-08T19:40:00.004-05:00

Click here to learn all about this year's Read An Ebook Week celebration, including links to FREE and reduced-price ebooks!

Join Samhain Publishing authors on the Samhain Cafe for a full week of chats, contests and free stuff. Have fun!

Celtophile Monday

2010-03-01T00:26:00.009-05:00

Ran across this nice page of Scottish lighthouses. This is Bell Rock, one of many designed and built by the Stevenson family. Author Robert Louis Stevenson belonged to this family. This is a good book about them: The Lighthouse Stevensons.

Also Irish lighthouses.This one is Hook Head, which my husband and I visited a few years ago on rare, clear October day. Some sort of beacon has existed on this spot since about 450 A.D., making it one of the oldest (if not the oldest) lighthouse sites in the world!

Related site: Commissioners of Irish Lights

And here we have beacons in Wales. This one is Porthcawl.

Cornwall, of course, has its share! This one is Tater Du, near Penzance on the south Cornwall coast.

Celtic Ogham Divination series

2010-02-21T14:30:00.003-05:00

I've posted a new addition to my series on Celtic Ogham divination over on Beyond the Veil. Enjoy!

Kilts - Not Just for Scotsmen!

2010-02-15T00:00:00.002-05:00

Piper in an Irish military kilt:

Piper in Irish tartan kilt:

IrishKilts.co.uk

Irish National Tartan:

Irish National Tartan:

Links:
Irish Kilt Club
Jakes Direct

Okay, not an Irish kilt, but darned cute:

CONTEST! Romance Junkies Trivia Contest

2010-02-12T09:05:00.009-05:00

The Romance Junkies' Valentine's Day Trivia Contest is live!

I'll be giving away a print copy of the Love and Lore print anthology, which contains my sexy novella Wildish Things along with two other smokin' hot stories by Gia Dawn and Sela Carsen.

How to win? "Stroll" with your mouse through the charming shops and cafes of RJ-ville. Roll your mouse through each location to find live links to participating authors' contest pages. Read an excerpt, answer a trivia question correctly, and email it. Each email is an entry, so the more correct answers you send in, the more chances to win.

Here are the official rules:
To enter contests for the newsletter:

You must send an email to entercontest@romancejunkies.com with the author's or publisher's name in the subject line.
Answer the trivia question and please include your mailing address so if you're chosen, we can email the author immediately.
Each prize entry must be a separate email sent with the above information.
Contest ends March 31st, 2010.

So click here to get started! Have fun!

Kilt Candy

2010-02-11T14:57:00.012-05:00

Loading Scottish music onto my mp3 player got me in the mood for....KILTS!

Should have pulled a book cover move and lopped this guy's head off. His face does nothing for me but hoo-eee, that chest!

I've seen several pictures of Gerard at this event but never one quite this...uh...phallic.

Not sure who this is, some actor, but he's a cutie.

The facial expression makes this picture. :)

Quite the bonny lad...

Another bonny lad...not sure what he's doing toting a pair of skis around in midsummer. But who cares?

Not sure I'd like a guy with hair prettier than mine... lol

*speechless due to overabundance of drool*

Just a guy walking down my street. Uh huh. As if...

This gentleman might be a little on the rough side, but his outfit is awesome. Ever since we brought the Harley home, I have a thing for leather...

And finally...

Celtophile Monday

2010-02-08T08:59:00.002-05:00

Scottie from Rampant Scotland made this slide show of photographs from the recent Glasgow Green for the World pipe band competition. Music by Moira Kerr. Enjoy!

Celtophile Monday

2010-02-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

Find more videos like this on Our Scotland

Celtophile Monday

2010-01-25T00:00:00.009-05:00

Wigtown: Scotland's Book Town
Not that many people may have heard of Wigtown, but this small town in Galloway has many book-related businesses, including the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland. Read more

Unique Dune Habitat May Be Under Threat
‘Machair’ is a Gaelic word, usually taken to refer to an area of low-lying fertile land. Over the years it has come to be used by ecologists to refer to a specific coastal habitat, related to predominantly west-facing coastal areas backed by sand dunes, which is found only in some areas of northern and western Scotland and western Ireland. Read more

Cold Maintains Grip on Scotland
Forecasters have said temperatures in Scotland will remain very low over the weekend, with little let up until next week and more snow likely. Overnight temperatures into Saturday were higher than the previous night, with a low of -14.9C recorded at Dalwhinnie in the Highlands. However, fresh snow fell on several areas of the country, and forecasters have warned more snow is on the way. Ten Scottish Cup fixtures were postponed due to the icy conditions. Read more

Wales in Pictures
Recent reader-submitted pictures from around Wales.

Scotland in Winter White
Scout Out the Legendary White Stag
Scotland By Sled Dog
Watch Video of Seal Pups

Talisman's Mountain Diary

Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highlights...

2010-01-21T14:51:00.005-05:00

In German, but the video quality is great. :)

Blogging Today on the Samhain Blog

2010-01-16T09:00:00.005-05:00

I'm blogging today over a the Samhain Author Blog. Come on over and give me a holler!

A little dreaming on a winter's day...

2010-01-11T19:13:00.000-05:00

Scotland Within The Gridlines

2010-01-08T14:02:00.003-05:00

Stumbled across this amazing site this week - GeoGraph. Click anywhere on the map to zoom in to a treasure trove of photographs! Dare you to click just once!

(Photo: Torwood Castle, near Fallkirk, Scotland. Nigel J C Turnbull)

Gearing Up For Romantic Times 2010

2010-01-06T10:22:00.003-05:00

Every time I go to RT, I end up so tired I swear I'll never do it again! But here I am again, conference fee paid and scrounging for fun promo ideas.

The Beyond the Veil blog authors will be putting together a basket of books to give away, so I'm covered there...

My hand-beaded book thongs always go like hotcakes, so I'll be doing another batch of those...

So, readers, when you attend conferences and get handed your goodie bag, what do you like to see in them?

Personally, I don't keep a lot of paper products like bookmarks and cover flats, however I'm aware many readers collect them so I always keep them on hand. Things I keep: pens and pencils, notepads, emery boards...in other words, anything useful. :)

What about you?

Happy New Year, and a recipe!

2009-12-31T20:36:00.003-05:00

My Mom made this recipe tonight to New Year's Eve. If you observe the eat-blackeyed-peas-for-good-luck on New Year's, and you like a little kick of heat in your food, this is for you!

Source: AmericanProfile.com
Submitted by Joyce Gates, Clovis, NM

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 pound Polish sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
2 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas with jalapenos
1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild green chilies
1 to 2 medium jalapeno chilies, seeded and chopped (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and onions and cook until beef is browned, stirring frequently. Drain excess grease.

2. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover tightly. Simmer 45 minutes.

3. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Reheat before serving. Serves 8.

Tips: Browning the sausage before adding it to the pot adds flavor. To reduce fat, try using turkey kielbasa.

Nutritional facts per serving: 360 calories, 20g fat, 21g protein, 23g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 1210mg sodium.

~Carolan
www.carolanivey.com

A bit of happy news, and a video!

2009-12-29T10:14:00.004-05:00

Hi friends,

It's been a busy holiday season, so I apologize for the lack of recent updates! I hope everyone had fun hunting for clues in the Raven Happy Hour contest - I'll pass along who the winner is as soon as I hear.

UPDATE: The winners have been posted! Click here

My bit of holiday cheer comes in the form of a new review for A Ghost of a Chance - 4.5 stars from Romantic Times Booklovers Magazine! Since Beaudry's Ghost got 4 stars, I've been holding my breath on this one, hoping AGoaC would do as well. :)

Before I take off for God's Country (aka North Carolina) for New Year's, here's a video from Rampant Scotland - a recent Parade of Clans in Edinburgh. Get ready to hoot and holler for your favorite!

Welcoming the Crone Years

2009-11-28T00:24:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I turn 50. And you know, the more I think about it, the wider the silly smile on my face gets.

Tomorrow I will be eligible to join the Red Hat Society.

Tomorrow I will be allowed to sit at the virtual "adults table" with my friends at O.B.O.D.

Tomorrow I can begin calling myself a crone.

Far from a wizened, terrifying hag depicted in stories designed to keep little children shivering under the covers at night, the crone of the ancient Celts is Annis, the keeper of wisdom and the old ways.

She is Badb, an Irish shapeshifting warrior goddess, guide through the cycles of birth and death, of inspiration.

She is Ceridwen, keeper of the cauldron.

She is the Cailleach, the Scottish goddess of seasonal rites and weather magic.

She is Macha, the Irish wild woman who battles against injustice to children and women.

She is Nicneven, goddess of Winter.

And she is the fearsome Morrigan, the Celtic crow goddess who understands the nature of Death.

This has been a year filled with transitions. A daughter who returned home to temporarily roost until she attains the degree that will help her fly the nest. A son preparing to leave high school and navigating the stormy waters of first love. A new mother-in-law to take part in our family traditions and introduce us to a few of her own. And a father who passed from this life to the next.

Turning 50...just another transition. A good one. I figure every birthday that arrives and I'm still breathing is a good birthday! Since I was 5 and diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, every birthday where I'm still on my own two feet and able to flip the proverbial bird at this disease is a victory. :) Even if it does take a small medical army, a cocktail of modern medical pharmaceuticals, and a few spare parts to keep this body moving, I'm grateful.

I think that's the big thing. To arrive at this age grateful, unbowed, unashamed to show my grey hairs, laugh lines, and most of all, the scars life's battles leave behind.

This is a great age to be. In my 40s, the need to care about what others think of me began to drop away. In my 50s, I expect I'll lose it altogether. Hee! This is going to be fun! I know I'm supposed to be older, wiser, more mature...but in a way I'm returning to the freedom of the very young. Shedding the trappings - and traps - society has placed me in as a woman.

Now excuse me while the Morrigan and I go lift a few pints. We have a glorious battle to plan. :)

The Crone Years
by Judith TreeCrone

Contrary to the sanctions of a culture
that worships and glorifies youth
The crone years are not simply
the interlude between life and death
Oh no!
These are her omnipotent years
These autumnal years
when her womb is fallow
but she continues to give birth
from her fruitful creative self
Her nurturing spirit comes not from hormones
but from her wisdom of choosing to live fully
Both her inner and outer vision see new possibilities
Her awareness of her connectedness
to all of creation
is enhanced
She cherishes the poignancy of the sunrise
on the horizon of each new day
She embraces the quiet of the darkness time
when she shares her harvest of life stories
This is the legacy she bequeaths
Be who you are
Trust who you are today

Kilt Candy

2009-11-23T13:18:00.005-05:00

Just a little something to brighten up your Monday!

Celtophile Monday

2009-11-09T08:34:00.006-05:00

It's here! Rampant Scotland's annual Scottish Pictorial Calendar! Best of all, it's free! (Too many exclamation points for a Monday?) Click here to view and download

Meet the Cybraphon
Edinburgh based art and music collective FOUND have been hard at work over the past few months creating the monster that is Cybraphon. Taking inspiration from the 19th century player piano, the band have created a modern day equivalent, an autonomous music machine, built to create music without the need for any human interaction. Read more by Paul McFadyen

Scotland Outdoors
Spectacular pictures from the 2009 Etive River Race. I like to kayak, but you won't catch me launching myself over a waterfall! See more

Scotland Outdoors - Online Games
Test your skill in Rockface Rescue or Navigate Scotland. Play here

Scottish Teen is Youngest to Conquer "Unclimbable" Mountain
A 16-year-old boy from Kinross has conquered what has been described as an 'unclimbable' mountain in the Himalayas. Calum Macintyre is the youngest person to have climbed Ama Dablam, which at 22,525ft (6812m) is five times the height of Ben Nevis. The young mountaineer was raising money for the Teenager Cancer Trust. Calum's father and sister have both been treated for cancer in the past three years. Read more

All Things Dylan Thomas
Visit this site for a comprehensive overview of the life of Dylan Thomas. Includes fun stuff like a random poem generator. Click here

Blog of the Week:
Bluegrass Ireland Comprehensive and up-to-date news of bluegrass and old-time music events in Ireland

Halloween Photo Fun

2009-11-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. I usually post on Halloween, but I knew last night was going to be a blast so I waited so I could share some pictures with you. Last night we went to the first honest-to-god costume party we've been to in ages. Maybe since college! It was held by (deep breath, long-winded explanation coming) our son's girlfriend's parent's neighbors, who bought and are restoring the old farmhouse the girlfriend's father's grandfather owned.

Anyway, the owners were kind enough to invite my husband and me, and I wish you could have seen how much pleasure they took in decorating. Literally no part of the house, barn or outside property was neglected. Everywhere you looked it was like stepping into a macabre version of Disney's haunted mansion. Here are just a few pictures from last night:

Starting off the evening right -- my husband scaring the snot out of little children.

I hurried to snap pictures of the fabulous food and decorations before the party-goers devoured everything. Here we have lady's fingers, bones, and globs of unidentified organ meat. (All cookies and nut clusters)

Eyeball cookies and zombie cake.

I thought the reduced fat Ritz was a nice touch. I'm not normally squeamish, but if that was cheese dip in the body cavity, I didn't try it!

Just one of the amazingly creative decorations. Note the glowing eyeballs in the photos. The skeleton at right was doling out cheese dip from his coffin.

The previous photos were taken out in the barn, where the main party was held, but the hosts' home got equal treatment in decorations. I wish I could show you everything but there isn't room for 500 photos - no part of the house was untouched. They even put Halloween dresses and masks on their doll collection! You had to duck underneath low hanging "spider webs" everywhere. This was the coffee table in their TV room.

Outdoors, each area of their several-acre property was a different scene. I didn't get a good photo of the cemetery in the front yard (complete with a zombie with fog pouring out of its mouth). This is their koi pond, which had a skeleton floating in it. (I'm sure the koi were not amused.)

A screaming banshee bride wails underneath a giant oak tree near the barn.

Me, partaking of a lady finger. Yummmm!!

Hope you had a great weekend! Me, I'm a little, er, rough this morning. But it was worth it!

Carolan
www.carolanivey.com

Celtophile Monday: Happy Celtic New Year

2009-11-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Celtic New Year
For the Celts, Samhain marked the start of their new year. The hard word of summer growing and fall harvesting is over, and it's time to celebrate - and hunker down for the cold winter ahead. The Living Myth site offers a nice overview. Click here

Sea Power May Cut Scotland's Carbon Emissions
Opening up the Pentland Firth to wave, tidal and offshore wind projects would cut Scotland's carbon emissions by 30%, according to Scottish Renewables. The energy trade association said this was equivalent to taking more than 4.5 million cars off the roads. The Crown Estate said on Wednesday it plans to allow companies to produce "green" energy in the sea between mainland Scotland and Orkney. Wave and tidal devices could be generating power by 2020. Read more

FREE Audio Walks Around Historic Scotland
The Open University in collaboration with the BBC have created a series of audio walks around historic locations in Scotland, with narration from Neil Oliver and input from local experts. You can download them and take them with you on your mp3 player. A new walk will be released each week. Read more

Scotland's History
Interactive maps help you explore early chapters of Scotland's history. Click here

Win Free Stuff from The Romance Studio!

2009-10-27T20:05:00.005-04:00

It's the great Thirteen Days of Halloween Contest! Sign up to win free books.
Click here.

Celtophile Monday, Halloween Edition

2009-10-26T00:07:00.004-04:00

Cassandra the Village Witch

Backyard Quidditch
A great game for a Halloween party! Click here

Traditional Scottish Halloween Recipe
Cloutie Dumpling
A traditional Scottish recipe for a steamed pudding, steamed in a cloth or 'clout', which is normally served at celebrations such as Christmas, New Year, Halloween and also other special occasions. Click here for recipe.

Traditional Halloween Legends and Lore
Interesting article from mysteriousbritain and scotland.org Click here and here.

Scottish Ghost Stories
How and where Mary Shelley was inspired to write "Frankenstein"; dastardly doings at Greyfriar's Kirkyard, and more. Click here

Halloween Horrors of Edinburgh
Things that go bump in the night on the Royal Mile! Click here

Ghost Cams
Craig-y-Nos Castle, Powys, Wales

Spiritfinders Scotland
TAPS in kilts? What's not to like? Click here

If You Can't Get Jiggy With This...

2009-10-20T23:33:00.001-04:00

...there's simply no hope for you. :) Thanks to my friend Vaerna for the link!

Celtophile Monday

2009-10-12T10:50:00.003-04:00

Something To Make You Smile on a Monday!
Scottie, the master of RampantScotland.com, was kind enough to share some photos from his son's recent wedding on the shores of Loch Lomond. Men in kilts, lovely ladies in love. What could be more romantic? Thanks, Scottie!

Scottie writes: "In the last email to subscribers I mentioned that the Culzean feature had been delayed in part due to my son's wedding and the slide shows I created as a result of it. Of course, I have had requests to let readers see some of Martin and Nicola's wedding photos and I've created a short slide show in response. The wedding took place at Luss parish church on the banks of Loch Lomond and the reception was at Ross Priory, also at Loch Lomond. The weather was dry but misty, as can be seen in the photos. Nicola is from Wales - hence the Welsh and Scottish flags. Martin and most of the ushers wore kilts for the occasion - the one exception had a good excuse - he had flown in from Texas to be there. Included in the slide show is also a picture of "Cariad" - a Welsh love spoon made of chocolate." Click here for video!

Celtophile Monday

2009-10-05T19:40:00.005-04:00

Some of the Lewis Chessmen which were found on a beach in the Western Isles more than 150 years ago are being reunited for a tour of Scotland. A total of 30 of the 93 pieces will go on display at locations including the island of Lewis, where they were found. They are thought to have belonged to a 12th Century merchant who visited Lewis as he journeyed from Ireland to Norway. Read more

UK Mammals Have "Celtic Fringe"
DNA tests on British populations of small mammals show a genetically distinct "Celtic Fringe", say scientists at The University of York. Voles, shrews, mice and stoats in northern and western areas have different DNA from their counterparts in other parts of the British Isles. The paper, in Proceedings B journal, says the different populations arrived at the end of the last ice age. The authors say the work sheds light on the origins of the Celtic people. Click here for complete article by Judith Burns

Scottish Families Set 50-Mile Food Target
An experiment is under way in the Scottish Borders which will see 50 people try to source all their food from within a 50 mile radius of home. The Tweedgreen initiative centres on Peebles and will last throughout the month of October. Organisers hope it will show how eating local food can help to do "the least possible damage" to the environment. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/south_of_scotland/8282846.stm

Writer Says Scots Fiction Stifled by Mediocrity
A row has broken out among Scotland's leading authors on the state of fiction north of the Border. James Kelman, the influential Glasgow writer, accused the literati of favouring populist offering such as JK Rowling's Harry Potter, and detective novels, such as Ian Rankin's Rebus, over encouraging new innovative talent. Mr Kelman, who won the Booker Prize in 1994, derided Potter as "upper middle class" at the Edinburgh Book Festival and accused Scotland's literary establishment of rewarding mediocrity. He also accused it of failing to encourage contemporary literature by being anglocentric. He said: "Praise and position is given to genre fiction in Scotland. If the Nobel Prize were given to a Scot, it would be given to a f****** crime writer, or a children's writer who writes middle-class books about a child magician." Read article by Fiona MacLeod

All Things Whisky!
The Scotsman's definitive guide to uisge beatha, Scotland's national drink. Read more

Test Your Knowledge of Scotland
How well do you know Scotland? Put it to the test with this quick quiz from the website www.scotland.org. Click here

McNappy Tartan
In a bid to get more parents to "switch from bin to pin", Real Nappy supporters came together last week to launch the McNappy Tartan diaper. Click here for story by Kirsten Johnson

Sea Eagle Numbers in Scotland Soar to 150-Year High
The number of sea eagle chicks hatched in Scotland has reached its highest level in 150 years, according to the RSPB. The charity said that 36 chicks were successfully hatched in 2009, eight more than last year. Two new breeding pairs of the sea eagle, the largest bird of prey in the British Isles, were seen during its annual survey. Click for more

Wales Photo Galleries
Digital photographs of Wales submitted by BBC Wales readers. Click here

Kilt Candy

2009-10-02T16:30:00.007-04:00

Please join me and other Beyond the Veil blog authors on the Samhain Cafe from 7-9 tonight for a chat and book giveaways! Click here.

And now, the real reason you're here. Something to start off your weekend! These are from kiltmen.com. Most of these guys are just normal men who love their kilts, and it shows. Who can resist?? Enjoy!

Kilted paintball, anyone?

Yup, just normal guys...why don't they live on MY block??

Love the shirt (it says "men in kilts do it better")

Is that a horn in your sporran or are you just happy to see me??

A man and his dog...

With a bit of a gladiator flair...

Chestnuts roasting on an open fiiiire...Jack Frost nipping at my-- uh, never mind.

Red-shirted guy: "I told you we were underdressed."
Suit: "Shut up and smile for the camera."

Semper fi!

Have a good weekend!

Celtophile Monday

2009-09-28T08:27:00.008-04:00

What Glass Ceiling?
Founded in 1908 by three women who were denied access to male-dominated climbing clubs, the LSCC has been going strong for over 100 years. Among their accomplishments are first ascents of several rock climbs in Glencoe, and the first all-female expedition to the Himalayas in 1955. Click here. Related site: Mountaineering Council of Scotland

For My Fellow Horse Lovers
All things horse are explored in articles and video on BBC Scotland. Horses at work, play and show and the people who love them! Click here.

How's That Again?
Let Scottie of RampantScotland.com lead you through the twisting of the Gaelic tongue in this lighthearted look at how to pronounce Scottish place names. Suffice to say what you see definitely isn't what you speak. Click here.

Scotland Above and Below the Waves
Diver Helen Hadley;s photographic tour of Orkney and Shetland. Click here.

Weatherman Walking!
Derek Brockway's blog about his travels and observations of the natural world of Wales. Click here.

Ireland's National Archives
Are you a history or genealogy nut? This site is a treasure trove of historical documents, with a searchable online database. Click here.

Annual Bulwer-Lytton Contest Winners!

2009-09-24T00:01:00.002-04:00

It's here! It's here! The one contest that makes me proud to be a writer. The only contest where bad is good, and worse is better. Enjoy!! Click here

**Disclaimer: Not responsible for damage caused by spewage. :)

It's here! It's here!

2009-09-22T16:43:00.003-04:00

Celtophile Monday

2009-09-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

Scotland's Earliest Face Found
A carving believed to be Scotland's earliest human face, dating back thousands of years, has been found on the Orkney island of Westray.

Scotland's Storytelling Tradition Resurges
Listen to radio story or read transcript here. Visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre here.

Walkhighlands!
Free, detailed descriptions of walking routes across the Scottish Highlands, including maps, GPS locations of waypoints, 3D Virtual Highlands tours, downloadable tour apps, and photographs taken along the routes. Plus a whole lot more. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

Thanks to Inez Kelley for pointing me to this video:

Highland Diary
Explore the natural world of the Highlands with BBC natural history specialists. Click here

Castle of the Week
Fatlips Castle Okay, yeah, I picked it for the name. :) That, and it's an unusual looking edifice - looks like a stone cottage perched on top of a tower.

More haunted places in Scotland

2009-09-07T00:06:00.002-04:00

I figure it's time to add to this list. :)

Dunrobin Castle
Ancestral home of the earls of Sutherland, this castle is purported to harbor the ghost of the 14th earl's daughter, Margaret. She fell to her death while attempting to climb down a rope to run away with her lover, a stable hand by the name of Jamie Gunn.

Rait Castle
This 800-year-old Nairnshire hall castle is said to be haunted by a ghost in a blood-stained dress and no hands. Legend has it that the Cumming laird invited a delegation from clan MacIntosh in the guise of making amends; the real plot was to kill their enemies. The laird's daughter, whose lover was among the party (it's always about a girl and her lover, isn't it?), found a way to warn him. The MacIntoshes were saved, but the girl's father, enraged, chased her down and cut off her hands. She leapt to her death from a tower window. From that night, no one has inhabited the castle.

Loch Ashie
Situated between Inverness and Culloden Moor, a silent, spectral army is said to appear on the shores of this loch on the 1st of May. It's thought to be the site of a battle between Highlanders and invading Norwegians.

Have time for some video? Check these out!

Have a good week!

Carolan

Kilt Candy

2009-09-05T14:18:00.001-04:00

I think the smile does it for me on this one. :)

Vacation pictures - Colorado

2009-09-01T15:45:00.010-04:00

A small selection of the hundreds of photos I took on our recent family trip to Colorado. Click the pictures for a larger view. Enjoy!

Hallett Peak above Nympth Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

One of several species of trout in Emerald Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

Lightening-struck tree, RMNP

Marmot, RMNP

Chipmunk, RMNP

View from Sprague Lake, RMNP

Trees and sky above my writing spot along Glacier Creek, RMNP

Cloud formations above a ridge along Trail Ridge Road, RMNP

Moose, Kawuneeche Valley, RMNP

Mule deer, Kawuneeche Valley, RMNP

Elk, Trail Ridge Road just after sunset, RMNP

Tree bark (pine?), RMNP

An August full moon, Estes Park, Colorado

Garden of the Gods, near Colorado Springs

Kiva, Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Medicinal wildflower, Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Pike's Peak, the morning we drove to the top

My personal NatGeo moment! It took me half an hour and several tries to catch this mama bird feeding her chick as it stuck its head out of a hole in the chimney of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument visitor center.

Loading 7 people in the phone-booth-sized elevator for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine tour in Cripple Creek. Note the sign!

Wildflower outside the Garden of the Gods visitor center.

View through the windows of the magnificent Air Force Academy chapel.

Celtic Music Break!

2009-09-01T11:49:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Bob Midden for the heads-up on this new band, Runa. They're coming to my area in September - can't wait!

RIP Ted Kennedy

2009-08-29T17:54:00.003-04:00

1932-2009

Mint, marvellous mint

2009-08-25T14:25:00.007-04:00

So as I'm sitting here, once again laid up with post-surgical restrictions (nothing major, no worries), I'm looking at the herbs I potted this past spring. Most of them have done incredibly well, despite my black thumb. Herbs are the one type of plant I can't seem to kill - most of the time!

In a huge galvanized wash tub I've got at least three different kinds of mint. Spearmint, chocolate, and I think apple. (I wanted orange mint, couldn't find it this year) I'm grateful for the recipes that hit my email box from care2.com. Last year, thanks to care2, I used up a bunch of mint and lemon balm making jelly. Since my family isn't much into jelly, though, I gave most of it away and still have a few jars left. I need some fresh ideas. Anyone? :)

Mint has been used in cooking, ritual magic, and for healing for as long as animals have roamed the earth. Legend has it that the beautiful nymph Menthe used it liberally, which made Persephone so jealous she turned Menthe into a plant. Her husband, Pluto, couldn't undo the curse, but he could give the new plant its lovely fragrance.

Raspberry Mint Punch
3 sprigs fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup water
1 1/2 quarts lemonade
Fresh mint for garnish
Bring water to a boil, add mint leaves and steep for five minutes. Strain and cool. Stir in berries and add mixture to the lemonade. Chill for at least two hours to allow flavors to blend. Serve in tall glasses with ice, garnished with a mint leaf. Serves 6-7.

White Grape & Mint Salsa
4 cups seedless white grapes
2 tablespoons chives (or green onions), chopped
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime (or a couple key limes)
2 tablespoons spearmint, chopped
1 whole jalapeño, diced (remove membranes and seeds for less heat)

Combine ingredients in food processor and barely pulse blend, or chop by hand. Mix and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. (HerbCompanion.com)

Mojito
1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 sprig spearmint
Juice of 1/2 fresh lime (or 1 key lime)
2 ounces rum (preferably white)
4 ounces club soda
1/2 cup crushed ice
1 sprig fresh mint

In a glass, use a muddler to combine and bruise the herb and sugar. (blunt end of a wooden spoon works, too) Add lime juice, rum and club soda, mix lightly, then add ice and mint sprig for garnish.

Grilled Chicken with Mint
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons cooking oil or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Grated zest from 1 fresh lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped spearmint leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a one-gallon plastic bag, add all ingredients except chicken breasts. Combine well then add chicken breasts, close bag, and let chicken marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove the breasts from bag (discard bag and marinade). Grill over medium heat until chicken begins to brown. Turn chicken and reduce heat to low. Cook slowly until seared on both sides, turning often, to avoid burning. Should take about 20-25 minutes to cook.

Resources:
Celtic Teas with Friends
Celtic Breakfast Tea
Scotland's Love Affair with Tea
Tea Ettiquette

Crab Cake!

2009-08-16T09:49:00.002-04:00

My friend Lynelle, who lives in Louisiana, sent these pictures to me. :) She writes: "Thought you folks might enjoy these photos of a basket of crabs - it is a cake! It was made for a post rehearsal party dessert and the crabs, corn, and yes, even the Old Bay are made of white chocolate. The entire $700 cake was edible!"

Kilt Candy

2009-07-29T00:31:00.000-04:00

Celtophile Monday

2009-07-27T10:16:00.005-04:00

Welcome back to Celtophile Monday! All sources credited.

Virtual Tour of the Scottish Isles
Thanks to Scottie of Rampant Scotland for this material. It makes me want to book a flight right now! Click here for article.

St. Kilda and the Hebrides
Travel writer Vivien Devlin writes about her recent Scottish islands cruise on board the "Hebridean Princess." Here is her account of the trip.

For a complete index of places to visit in Scotland, courtesy of Rampant Scotland, click here.

History Debate on BBC
This week: "Culloden: A romantic tale of bonnie princes but little more. Was the 1745 Jacobite Rising an irrelevant footnote in Scottish history?" Click here

Extra Protection for Scotland's Battlefields
A list of the country's most important battlegrounds is being drawn up and is expected to be complete by 2011. Councils will then have to consider a site's history when deciding planning applications, although building on battlefields will not be forbidden. The scheme was officially unveiled on the 320th anniversary of the Battle of Killiecrankie, the first major battle of the Jacobite Risings. Read more

Highlands & Islands in Pictures
Click here

Homecoming Scotland 2009
Held last weekend, it was a massive event celebrating (among other things) the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth. More than 8,000 members of 125 clans walked the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, and participated in what may be the largest clan gathering and Highland games in several centuries. Wanna see Sir Sean sing? ;)

Kilt Commercial
Pretty bad accent, but still funny...

And finally...

Kilt Candy

2009-07-22T17:20:00.003-04:00

How cute is this??

Aaaaand how awesome is THIS?

Thanks, Frank.

2009-07-20T11:34:00.000-04:00

RIP Frank McCourt. Writer. Teacher. Inspiration.

CONTEST on the Beyond the Veil blog!

2009-07-19T14:38:00.003-04:00

Check out SJ Willing's new contest! Leave a comment and you could be chosen to be the next PIACT agent, complete with your own ID card and customized short story! Click here.

Highland Games pictures, as promised!

2009-07-16T15:05:00.013-04:00

A sampling of the bonny kilted men of the 2009 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Disclaimer: Because I'm a weenie about asking men if I can take their picture, most of these are rear views. LOL)

Proof that no matter what size and shape, a man who knows how to wear a kilt is sexy. Period.

Kilted guy, species Stageus securitum, subspecies dontmesswithme.

Kilted guy, species Marineii homeonleaveus.

Kilted guys. Left: Kiltus traditionalis. Right: Kiltus lurvemycamoii

Kilted guy (my sister's personal favorite), species Tallbootius cavalrii.

Ibid. No, we were NOT stalking him. Okay, maybe a little. Who can blame us for noticing the nice, er, swing of his plaid when he walked? At one point he wore a Civil War kepi but I didn't manage to snap a picture of him wearing it.

Two kilted guys, traveling in pairs for safety from marauding women with cameras. :)

Torchlight Calling of the Clan ceremony. At first it was so foggy on the mountain we could see nothing but the eerie glow of the torches floating in the thick mist. Toward the end it lifted just enough to pick out the silhouettes of kilted men around the torches.

Kilted guy, species Securitum plantmybootinyourarseii.

Kilted guy, species Shawneus backoffladies-he'smarriedii

Kilted guy, a rarely seen subspecies called Cellphoneus waterbottlii.

Kilted guy, species Haha caughtyoutakingmypictureus

Kilted guy, species Competitorius bagpipeii

Not a kilted guy. Has no one heard of Photoshop??

Kilted guy, species Indianajoneus wannabii.

Another rare species, known as Nerdicus sonyii, distinguishable by the camera mounted on the head of his staff. (Um, that sounded kind of dirty, didn't it??)

Kilted guy, species Singingtooloudicus annoyinglii. (They had him set up next to the author tents.)

Kilted young 'un, species Toocuteus forwordsiana.

Species Takeoffyourshirticus prettypleaseii.

Never too old to appreciate a couple nice sets of shoulders!

Highland wrestling, teen division.

Kilted guy, species Romancecover modelii.

Hope you enjoyed! Next year maybe I'll work up the courage to ask for frontal shots. ;)

Abhainn's Kiss reviewedy by Joyfully Reviewed!

2009-07-13T22:36:00.002-04:00

Thanks, Chris! Glad you enjoyed the story. :)
~~~

Carolan Ivey’s tales do not fail to delight, particularly if you’re into Celtic and Otherworldly legends. Abhainn’s Kiss falls nicely into that category. Combine that with the lovely and tasteful artwork by Anne Cain and you have a match made in Avalon. Ms. Ivey’s portrayal of an ex-soldier (and how refreshing that he’s not a Special Forces, ex-CIA, ex-FBI, Green Beret, or commando dude) coming to terms with a magical world is especially amusing. Abhainn’s playfulness and childlike innocence adds levity to a world painted as poisoned by man. Abhainn’s Kiss is definitely slated for my virtual keeper shelf. Well done again, Ms. Ivey.

To read the entire review, click here!

Happy July 4th!!

2009-07-04T00:34:00.001-04:00

Guest Blogging Today at TRS

2009-07-03T09:02:00.001-04:00

Click here to read about the friends who have my back -- even if it's only to deliver well-timed kicks to my butt. :)

Summer Color

2009-06-30T12:02:00.003-04:00

From my flower bed this morning. :)

Celtophile Monday

2009-06-22T07:22:00.002-04:00

Welcome back to Celtophile Monday! All sources credited. (Photo from a past Grandfather Mountain Highland Games - which I'm attending this year! Woot!)

Scottie's Diary
Following is a link to the first of hopefully many intallments of Scottie's Diary. For many faithful years, Scottie produced RampantScotland.com's Scottish Snippets newsletter, from which he graciously allowed me to glean stories for this weekly feature here on my blog.

Health problems forced him to give it up last year, but luckily for us, he is feeling better and will now be sharing gems about living in Scotland! This week he shares his experience at the Heart of Scotland Air Show.

Scottish Social Networking
Recently discovered Scottish social networking sites:
http://www.scotster.com
http://www.ourscotland.me.uk

I've already connected with some fab authors and musicians through these sites!

Are You Ready for Rock Ness?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/music/rockness/2009/

More Music Links:
Reel Blend - The very best traditional music and song, from classic 78s to brand new releases, as well as fascinating features on Scottish life.

A' Mire ri Mòir - Traditional Celtic Music and Song

Celtic Zone - The best of Scotland's young trad musicians.

Caithream Ciùil - More Celtic music!

The Funny Bits
Bringing you what made Scotland laugh this week...

All Burns, All The Time
Celebrating Scotland's Bard's 250th birthday.

Walk Through Scotland's History
Traveling to Scotland this summer? Download these MP3 audio walking tours to your iPod or MP3 players!

Irish Walk of the Week
Slieve Gullion, Co. Armagh

Ridley Scott Filming New Robin Hood Movie in WalesClick here for behind the scenes photo gallery. Starring Russell Crowe!

Wales Nature Photography on Flickr
Click here!

Wales 360
Panoramic views of some of Wales' most beautiful places.

Miss you, Daddy

2009-06-20T00:00:00.008-04:00

Photo: Copyright David Cation, posted with his kind permission.

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

Al Bennison, 1928-2009
(Photo taken sometime in the early 1980s)

Why I'm No Longer In RWA

2009-06-19T10:59:00.005-04:00

And that, my friends, is all I'm gonna say about that.

(Photo: Pickled Cupid)

Celtophile Monday

2009-06-15T00:35:00.006-04:00

Discovered this band on the Our Scotland social networking site. Without further ado, The Skunnered! Enjoy!

Samhain Blog Post: Do You Believe?

2009-06-08T11:08:00.001-04:00

Click here to read my latest post on the Samhain Blog. Enjoy!

Celtophile Monday

2009-06-08T00:17:00.002-04:00

Watch live video from ourscotland on Justin.tv

Lori Foster Readers & Authors Weekend!!

2009-06-04T20:06:00.005-04:00

Woo hoo! One of my fave cons starts tomorrow, the annual Lori Foster Reader/Author Get Together in West Chester, Ohio. I hear it's going to be bigger and better than ever this year and I can't wait to go hang out with all my peeps.

If you're in the area, the book signing this coming Saturday (June 6) is open to the public from 2-4 p.m. in the main ballroom of the Cincinnati Marriott North. I'll be there signing books, and I hear it's okay to bring your own books from your collection for your favorite authors to sign.

Some of my Beyond the Veil blog buddies have put together a goodie basket that'll be raffled off for charity. Called the "Spellbinding Summer Reading" basket, it'll be stuffed with books (of course), TWO bottles of wine, a snazzy mug, some other small trinkets, and a hand-beaded bookmark. My musical genius friend Vaerna will be giving away free sample CDs of her fabulous electronica music.

Hope to see you there!

Romance Novels Thriving

2009-05-29T12:57:00.003-04:00

Well...DUH! [grin]

Click here for story about how romance novel sales continue to be strong in tough economic times. Interesting read!

Saying Goodbye

2009-05-22T09:14:00.003-04:00

Sorry for my recent absence. My family and I are in the process of easing my father into the next life, with the help of Hospice.

A friend of mine sent me this bit of verse from Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar", and it's a fitting tribute for Dad:

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.

Spring Pretties

2009-05-11T20:26:00.007-04:00

Two years ago I bought a single little pot of sweet woodruff to plant in the middle of my little stone circle made up of hunks of granite from my beloved home state of North Carolina. This spring you can't see some of the stones for the mounds of green and white!

My stone Dachshund is barely keeping her head above "water"!

Woodruff is a lovely ground cover, but be aware that it spreads! :)

Women and the Ebook Revolution

2009-05-07T08:26:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Angela James for the link.

Angela (Samhain Publishing), Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Malle Vallik of Harlequin and Kassia Krozser of Booksquare, and their panel "Smart ~~Bitches~~ Women Read Ebooks" at the recent Tools of Change conference.

Celtophile Monday

2009-05-04T00:00:00.004-04:00

Photo Feature: Endangered Scottish Butterflies
RampantScotland.com has a great photo catalog of many of Scotland's 32 butterfly species, many of which are endangered due to habitat loss, changes to farming methods (factory farms, anyone?) and global warming. Click here for the feature page!

Robert Burns' Life - The Musical!
In the year of Homecoming, a new musical on the life and loves of Robert Burns is premiered at Dumfries Theatre Royal by the Dumfries Musical Theatre Company. Willie Johnston talks to the co-creators of "Red, Red Rose", the celebrated Burns actor John Cairney and composer Geoff Davidson. Click here for video: BBC.com

Villagers Demand Brighter Outlook
A small Highland community has attacked the BBC over "inaccurate" weather forecasts, which it says is putting off tourists and threatening livelihoods. Villagers claim Carrbridge, which is situated in the Cairngorms National Park near Aviemore and protected by mountains, has its own weather system. Click here for full story.

Dance Champion Gets Medal - 65 Years Late
A former dance champion has been presented with her winner's medal, 65 years after her victory. Josephine McKeen, then nine years old, won the All England Sunshine Dancing Competition with her cousin in 1944, as World War II raged. But because all available metal was required to make armaments for the war effort, she never received her prize. Then living in Liverpool, she visited military hospitals to entertain soldiers despite ongoing bombing raids. Mrs McKeen - known as Jose - now lives in Irvine, Ayrshire, with her husband. She was presented with the medal by her local MP, Brian Donohoe, at a special ceremony in Irvine. Read more

Welsh House Discovered to be Bursting With History
From a cursing bowl to a house-full of oak furniture a Bangor building is bursting with history. Situated right in the centre of Bangor the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery is a bit of a 'hidden gem'. It was saved from closure - at least until 2012 - earlier this year, and the museum's curator Esther Roberts is on a mission to put the place on the map. And part of that is an exhibition which has just opened charting the 125 history of the museum itself. The museum building is substantial and the former Canon's house in the city. The grand proportions and high ceilings lend themselves well to displaying items, while attic rooms create more intimate display areas, and the cellars ideal storage. It all began 125 years ago, when Bangor University decided to put together a 'handling collection' for use by students. The whole collection ranges from geology, zoology, botany, history and antiques, and objects bearing a Welsh history. Read more

Irish Walk of the Week: Dolmen Loop
Glen of Aherlow, County Tipperary. Christopher Somerville describes his hike with local Michael Moroney: "I've rarely seen so much enthusiasm for a well-loved landscape, or so much energy and good humour packed into one human frame." Read more

Dawn Chorus: The Secret Language of Birds
IrishNews.com writer Jenny Lee's essay untangles the threads of bird calls on an Irish morning. Read story

Megalithic Photo of the Week: Engelsberg Keltenwall
Located in northern Bavaria, Germany. Read more

And finally...

Celtophile Monday

2009-04-27T16:10:00.004-04:00

I heard this song on Thistle & Shamrock yesterday and could not move myself out of the car until the last note died away. It reminded me of the way I felt standing amid the giant redwoods and sequoias of California. Enjoy!

Click here to listen to track on Rhapsody

Muir and the Master Builder
Words and music by Brian McNeill (as sung by Dick Gaughan)

I asked the Master Builder, why did he make John Muir
From the seed of a man so hard and unforgiving?
A father who tried to use the Gospel to ensure
That his son's life would never be worth living
And the Lord's voice whispered on the high Sierra wind
From the mountains where the clear waters lie
Saying "Hold the bravest heart above the gravest of sins
And I'll show you how to make a hero rise"

"Leave Calvin and the Bible to the parish of Dunbar
Give a blind man back his eyes to find the brightest of the stars
And lead him to the altar of a better God by far
In the vale of the Redwood Cathedral"

I asked the Master Builder how did he find a way
To put the man in the mountain and the mountain in the man?
How long did he search to find the uncommon clay
That he needed for his Master Builder's plan?
And the Lord's voice came down from the high Sierra skies
Saying, "Take a heart of hard Scottish stone
Plant the seed of a wild place deep down inside
And I'll show you how to call a hero home"

As I stand by the thunder of the roaring mountain falls
And I hear California call you saviour
I cannot help but wonder had a different fortune called
Would you have done the same for Scotland the Brave
Your home and your father's?

God lives above the redwoods so they say
Looking down straight and true at the best of all his treasures
And if a man should stand among them to pray
It's against them the lord will take his measure
And who grew straighter than long Johnny Muir
A redwood of flesh, blood and bone
Filled by the Master Builder with a passion so pure
For the mountains that no one can ever own

I'm a guest of MeanKitty today!

2009-04-27T10:37:00.002-04:00

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Click here!

Temporarily distracted by Facebook!

2009-04-21T08:47:00.003-04:00

If I've been a bit MIA lately, it's because I'm still catching up on work after vacation, and I'm busy figuring out Facebook.

Um, does anyone ever REALLY figure out Facebook? Seriously?

Once I've pummelled my Profile and Fan Page into the shape I want them, I'll be back here. :) Mainly I'm trying to get blog and Twitter feeds set up for there's a one-stop place for readers on FB to keep up with me. (Which isn't really that hard...I don't move that fast!)

There's also a new Fan Page for the Beyond the Veil blog, so if you're on FB regularly and would like a little ping when there's a fascinating new post to read, click here and be a fan!

Samhain Spring Fling! Contest and Free Ebooks

2009-04-19T14:02:00.004-04:00

News fresh of the Samhellion Blog ticker:

Calling all readers!

We decided it was time for a celebration. Winter is over, summer is on its way and spring...is, well...a little anti-climactic isn't it?

Not anymore!

At Samhain Publishing, spring is getting a makeover! This week we're holding contests, chats on the Samhain Cafe and giving away free ebooks. So dig out your favorite pair of shorts and turn on that sun lamp because its time for some fun!

Contests - There are seven contests, each beginning at 12:01 EST from the 19th through the 26th. Each contest will be released on the Samhellion Blog and the post will contain a link to the current contest.

Contest Rules

One entry per household.

Void where prohibited.

Only complete, correct entries will be entered into the drawing.

There are more than forty prizes up for grabs.

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Chats - Samhain authors will be chatting on the Samhain Cafe chat loop on Wednesday 4/22 through 4/26.

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Free ebooks - We will have a free ebook for you each day this week! They will be announced on the Samhellion Blog and ultimately end up in our library.

New BtV blog post: The Snake Pit

2009-04-18T15:49:00.001-04:00

Hop over here for impressions left by a recent trip to Mexico. Enjoy!

Back soon...

2009-04-10T16:02:00.002-04:00

I'm on a short hiatus for spring break with the family. See you in about a week!

~Carolan

Celtophile Monday

2009-03-30T10:06:00.017-04:00

This issue is in honor of Scottie, who after many, many years has had to suspend production of the amazing Rampant Scotland weekly newsletter due to health reasons. Thank you for providing such a valuable service, Scottie! Rest well and feel better.

Scottie was kind enough to pass along his list of online resources he used for the newsletter, so I will do my feeble best to glean interesting tibdbits as time permits. Enjoy!

Castle Figure Wins "Ghostly" Competition
An eerie picture of a figure in period costume at the window of a Scottish castle has won a competition to find the world's most convincing "ghostly image". The picture, taken in May 2008, appears to show a man or woman wearing a ruff, looking through a barred window at Tantallon Castle in North Berwick, East Lothian. No mannequins are used at the castle, and there are no costumed guides. Three photographic experts have confirmed that the photograph was not manipulated. Christopher Aitchison, a visitor who took the photograph said: "I was not aware of anyone or anything being present in my picture, only noticing the anomaly when I got home. I did not notice any nice old ladies wearing ruffs walking around the stairs!" Read More

First Ladies to Get Tweed Wraps
US President Barack Obama's wife Michelle and France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozi are to be presented with garments made from Harris Tweed. Wraps and scarves have been specially made for the two women and the other spouses of world leaders gathering in London for a G20 summit. Heriot-Watt University graduate Helen Finlayson, 22, was commissioned to design the pieces. They were made by Harris Tweed Hebrides on the Western Isles. The gifts were the idea of Chancellor Alistair Darling's wife Margaret. Read More

Nutt House Overrun by Squirrels
A woman in Northern Ireland says her home has been over-run by grey squirrels. Oonagh Nutt, from Moira in County Down, says the animals first came into her garden from an adjoining park six years ago, but in the last 18 months they got too close for comfort. "I thought it was lovely, I called one of them Hazel but then the next thing they'd got into the house," she said. Mrs Nutt says the squirrels have caused serious damage: "They chewed their way through my roof in several places, they tunnel through the cavity walls, they live under the floor boards, they go to the toilet in the attic. "Up close they are quite frightening - they look like puppy dogs with big hands, they growl and bark at you, they're vicious things. They'll go for you." Read More

Scotland in Pictures Last Week
Click Here

Footage Reveals U-Boat Secrets
Underwater footage from the wreck of a German U-boat sunk more than 90 years ago has been released. The vessel - the U-40 - was recently discovered by divers off the coast of Eyemouth in Berwickshire. It is thought to have been among the first to have been lured by a decoy trawler and then torpedoed by a British submarine during the First World War. It is the second such discovery in the waters off the Scottish Borders after a similar U-boat find in January 2008. The U-40 was discovered by a team of divers from Eyemouth-based Marine Quest about 40 miles off the Berwickshire coast. It was sunk on 23 June 1915 with the loss of 29 German sailors. According to Iain Easingwood of Marine Quest it took a lot of preparation to pinpoint the location of the U-boat. "Given the history and amazing story behind the U-40, this is probably our most significant find to date," he said. "There are so many other wrecks out there in the North Sea and we will be on the lookout for another exciting find." Click here for video

Satellite Tracks "Super Whoopers"
A project is under way to track the migration of 50 whooper swans from Britain to Iceland and back again. The birds have been fitted with GPS satellite transmitters in order to monitor their progress. A website has been set up to follow the journey from centres at Caerlaverock in Dumfries and Galloway, Martin Mere in Lancashire and Welney in Norfolk. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust said it helped to build a "fascinating and complete picture" of the migration. See Satellite Tracking

Highlanders Celebrate Bridge's 200 Years
Europe’s last remaining private army went on the march at the weekend, to commemorate the bicentenary of a Perthshire bridge. The 100-strong Atholl Highlanders marched across the Telford Bridge, at Dunkeld, on Saturday. The 11th Duke of Atholl’s private regiment donned their full regalia for the occasion. Their presence was in honour of the fourth Duke of Atholl, who had provided financial assistance to see the bridge completed back in 1809. Until then, people at Dunkeld had relied on two treacherous ferries to cross the River Tay. Read More, See Pictures