I though I’d share with you the one Tarot deck I own and love. I am new to Tarot reading and picked this one “The Mystic Dreamer Tarot” just because I love the artwork. As I became more and more into reading (A simple one card draw and following meditation), I realized that this deck made a strong connection with me. I was glad when I read that my Tarot expert friend Arwen gave this deck a high review.

I chose here to show the interpretation of the artist as opposed to the explanation on the actual Lewellyn deck which I like a lot as well.

The Lovers

symbolisme : men and women, 2 trees one with 12 flames representing the 12 signs of the zodiac and the other the tree of knowledge, guardian angel ( changed it into a face in the moon)

the men represents the consious mind, and the women the subconscious mind. guardian angel represents the higher self in ourselves

the lovers means a choise we will have to make, a choise between “following your heart” and “and what make sense” The Lovers remind us that we cannot attain our full potential with our conscious, rational mind alone. We must marry it to our subconscious, representing our emotions and intuition.

SONG OF THE DAY: Die Another Day by Madonna

STATUS: wrote 27 pages on Steam Witch last week! Quite a productive week! Off to my summer holiday this afternoon!

Here is a nice little text from the late Scott Cunningham from his Standing Stones Book of Shadows. I really like to read and reread this.

THE NATURE OF OUR WAY

                   * As  often as possible, hold  the rites in  forests, by the
          seashore, on deserted mountaintops or near tranquil lakes.  If this is
          impossible, a garden  or some chamber shall suffice, if  it is readied
          with fumes of flowers.

                    *Seek outwisdom inbooks, rare manuscriptsand crypticpoems if
          you will, but seek it out also in simple stones and fragile herbs  and
          in the cries of wild birds.  Listen to the whisperings of the wind and
          the  roar of water if you  would discover magick, for  it is here that
          the old secrets are preserved.

                    * Books contain words;trees contain energies andwisdom books
          ne’er dreamt of.

                    *  Ever remember that the  Old Ways are constantly revealing
          themselves.  Therefore  be as the  river willow that  bends and  sways
          with  the wind.    That which  remains  changeless shall  outlive  its
          spirit, but that which evolves and grows will shine for centuries.

                    * Therecan be no monopolyon wisdom.  Thereforeshare what you
          will of our ways with  others who seek them, but hide mystic lore from
          the  eyes of those  who would destroy,  for to do  otherwise increases
          their destruction.

                    * Mock not the rituals or spells of another, for who can say
          yours are greater in power or wisdom?

                    *Ensure that your actions are honorable, for all that you do
          shall return to you three-fold, good or bane.

                    * Be waryof one who would dominate you,who would control and
          manipulate your  workings  and reverences.    True reverence  for  the
          Goddess  and God occurs within.  Look  with suspicion on any who would
          twist worship from you for their own gain and glory, but welcome those
          priestesses and priests who are suffused with love.

                    * Honorall living things,for we are ofthe bird, thefish, the
          bee.  Destroy not life save it be to preserve your own.

               * And this is the nature of our way.

excerpted from:
WICCA  A Guide For The Solitary Practioner
 PP. 111 – 187
 1989, Llewellyn Publications
 ISBN 0-87542-118-0

SONG OF THE DAY: All The Right Moves by OneRepublic

STATUS: Lots done today including 1200 words added to Steam Witches and the backstory of another character: fallen Victorian lady Lady Clara Lowell

(Note: I wrote most of this post for the romcom blog)

I am quite sad I have missed  The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on the big screen. I know that Nicolas Cage’s track record varies a lot, but ever since Wild at Heart, for me he can do no wrong.

I love everything magic: wizards, sorcery, witches, you name it. I love Merlin, Gandalf , Morgan, Samantha of Bewitched and every character who can cast a spell. These days I’m even addicted to watching the Wizards of Waverly Place with my kids.

I think my love affair with sorcerers started when I was a kid and read (and reread) a French historical series called Angélique by Anne and Serge Golon. Set in the 17^th century, the series featured a heroine whose one true love was her first husband, a count and alchemist who was left limping after a brush with the inquisition and that she believes dead for a big part of the series until she is reunited with him after many adventures. He was older and wise and yes, very sexy.

Later in my teen, I fell for a powerful wizard from the first Dragonlance series written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. This wizard, called Raistlin Majere, is physically weak but extremely powerful. And maybe that is why I love wizards and sorcerers so much, it’s their powers that make them so alluring.

There is a great scene in one of the Harry Potter movie where Snape dramatically enters the classroom, his robes billowing behind him as he closes the window shutters with one flick of his wand.  I love that scene. So much power! How can I not fall for Snape there! I know, he’s a little creepy, but I always liked the underdog. When Harry Potter screams his Patronus charm –yells Expecto Patronum in the dark forest — in yet another very intense scene of a Harry Potter movie, I can see how enticing he will become as a grown wizard.

It’s no wonder I chose to make ANCIENT WHISPERS heroes sorcerers. Not only they possess this incredible magical power, but these modern wizards are also tall, strong and extremely handsome. Most were warriors in their time and learned magic as they became immortal in order to find their lost soulmates who are now reborn in modern time.

Replacing wizard’s robes with long coats that hide the magical components needed for their spells and the enchanted dagger that cuts through various dimensions, these sorcerers are everything I always dreamed of: strong, sexy, and powerful, very powerful. They make a woman want to hide in their arms, absolutely protected from anything within the safety of their coats, their masculine scent enveloping them like an overwhelming yet enticing shadow.

And since I like sexy, I had to think of how magic could be used for seduction. And I’m not talking love spells of attraction here. I’m talking full use of magic “within the moment”.

When I started to write about my sorcerers, each deadly, haunted by a tortured past, I hadn’t read any modern romance with wizard, sorcerer or alchemist hero. I am sure they exit and I’d love to find more. Just last month I discovered Jim Butcher’s series the Dresden files. When I read on the book cover that it was like a wizard Robert B Parker book, I knew I had to read the series (I’m a Robert B. Parker addict). I bought the first one and wasn’t disappointed. I’m waiting impatiently for the next ones in the series which I just ordered. And now it looks like I have to wait for the DVD to be able to lust over Baltazar Blake.  I know some critiques haven’t been kind but for me, Nicolas Cage… in a big long coat, casting spells! What’s not to love!

SONG OF THE DAY: Just Dance by Lady Gaga

STATUS: Doing a whole lot of writerly things today including over 2000 words on Steam Witch and writing the backstory of my hero Captain Asher Blackmore.

I watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with the kids yesterday and we couldn’t remember what this spell did.

It didn’t take long to see it in action.

Sectumsempra:

(from wiki)

Description: A dark spell that creates large, blood-oozing gashes on the subject as if said subject had been “slashed by a sword”. Invented by Severus Snape.

Seen/Mentioned: Used by Harry in 1997 against Draco Malfoy, and then later against both the Inferi in Lord Voldemort’s Horcrux chamber, and Snape used it against George Weasley (was unintentional; aimed for a Death Eater that tried to curse Lupin) in the Order’s flight from Privet Drive. Harry learned it in Snape’s old Potions textbook. In 1998, the spell is said to be Severus Snape’s “signature” spell.

Etymology: Latin sectum, “cut”, and semper, “always”.

Notes: The spell can apparently be used against any object, but was not effective when used against Inferi because they could not bleed. The movement of the wand seems to affect how someone is cut, suggested by the erratic patterns of slashes left on Draco Malfoy’s face and chest, produced by Harry Potter’s wild wand-swings while using the spell against Draco. Wounds caused by this spell can be healed as proved by Severus Snape who after Harry hit Draco Malfoy with this spell he healed Draco’s wounds and told him to go and get treated with dittany at once so that he would even avoid any sign of any wound. However it seems that it depends on the caster’s magical abilities because Molly Weasley could not heal and restore George Weasley’s ear that was cursed off by this spell.

“Blood spurted from Malfoy’s face and chest as though he had been slashed with an invisible sword. He staggered backward and collapsed onto the waterlogged floor with a great splash, his wand falling from his limp right hand. “No —” gasped Harry. Slipping and staggering, Harry got to his feet and plunged toward Malfoy, whose face was now shining scarlet, his white hands scrabbling at his blood-soaked chest.“

Song of the Day: Hello Seattle by Owl City

Status: Learnd great time management tricks from Kerri Nelson in her Celtic Heart-RWA online class. Had a chance to write a few pages on my heroine’s journal. Maybe her backstory, her past.

Here is a good question for tonight (or today depending on where you live).
Have you faced at least one of your fear? We all have enough courage deep down inside us to do just that. Today, tomorrow, be bold, be brave, and face one fear!

Song of the day: Paper Planes by M.I.A.
Status: Starting a class on improving writing production with fellow Dorchester author Kerri Nelson!

Liliana's Caress - Magic The Gathering Card

Today, I am again taking inspiration from one of my kid’s obsession: Magic The Gathering.

This is Liliana’s caress, an echantement spell. Awesome artwork  by Steve Argyle.

In the game, whenever an oponent discards a card, that player looses 2 lifes.

In their words: “If you don’t fight so hard, it might hurt less, but I doubt it.”

SONG OF THE DAY: Learning to Fly by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

STATUS: Steam Witch up to Act 2 part 1 is done! Moving on to more and I think the plot is tight.

Often I find myself totally disconnected from real life, from seasons, from the turning of the wheel.

It’s made harder by the fact that everything is open at all time, Internet defy time and space and we can obtain pretty much anything from anywhere at any time, provided we got the cash to pay for it and get it shipped.

I’m grateful that a small farm stand has put shop at the bottom of my hill right in the middle of Seattle. Their offerings are small (you need to get there early on the day before they sell out) and in season (strawberries in July, blueberries and rasberries in August, I was promised marionberries next week.)
Even better, they are cheap!

That small step of walking there, choosing my flats and walking home munching on rasberries is what makes my life worth living.

It’s sad I tend to forget, rushing here and there, getting stuff done. Magic can be as simple as eating those berries, knowing where they come from, and saying a simple though of thanks for this fleeting seasonal abundance.

My kids are really into Avatar: The Last Airbender and they told me about lightning bending yesterday, where a really high level Firebender could channel lighting through his body. The hard part, the kids told me, was to channel the lighting while avoiding the heart. Very difficult.
I though that was a pretty clever spell so here is more:

Bending Ligthing:

(From wiki)

Also known as “the cold-blooded fire”, certain powerful Firebenders are able to generate and manipulate lightning. Lightning is considered the most powerful Firebending technique, and the use of lightning is available only to a select few Firebending prodigies and masters.

Lightning generation:

Lightning generation is the ability to generate and direct lightning. It requires a complete absence of emotion and peace of mind. Only three Firebenders in the series have shown the ability to use it: Azula, Iroh and Fire Lord Ozai.

Lightning redirection:

Iroh, in a technique developed after observing the energy re-directing techniques of Waterbending, is able to redirect the course of lightning strikes by absorbing it through one arm, guiding it through his stomach, and out his other arm. Only he, Aang, and Zuko have shown the ability to redirect lightning.

Iroh is the only known Firebender to perform both techniques.

——-

Song of the Day: Fireflies by Owl City

Status: Still doing a lot of writing planning and regular life planning. I’ve done a lot of brainstorming again to get deeper into my characters, their conflict. I’ve taken the good old Dond Maass workbook to test my conflict and characters. They do need work!

ERECURA

(from Wiki)

Erecura (also found as Herecura, Aerecura, Eracura) was a goddess worshipped in ancient times, often thought to be Celtic in origin, mostly represented with the attributes of Proserpina and associated with the Roman underworld god Dis Pater. She appears with the latter in a statue found at Oberseebach, Switzerland and in several magical texts from Austria, once in the company of Cerberus, another, probably, with Ogmios.

 A further inscription to her has been found near Stuttgart, Germany. She may originally have been an earth goddess, associated with such attributes of fertility as the cornucopia and apple baskets.

(1) Song of the Day: Life is a Highway by Tom Cochcrane

(2) Status: No writing again today as today was a late start. But planning, planning and more planning. It’s nice to know where you’re going!

A image of Quan Yin to remember to breathe and find joy in the moment.

1) Song of the day: Cherry Bomb by Joan Jett

2) Status: Another day of not being able to write and too much obsessing searching the web for solution to things I can’t change. Writing is indeed not for sissies.