Early spring...please?

Early last year, I got a story idea that wouldn’t leave me alone. Don’t you love / hate when that happens? The idea required me to stretch my writing wings and dabble in a new-to-me genre, but I was up to the challenge. I was also sick unto death of the global situation (you know what I’m talking about) and needed a huge distraction. And so I ventured into paranormal women’s fiction.

I’ve been intrigued by witches (the real kind, not the fairy tale kind) since childhood and set my story in that world. My basic plot and characters blossomed as I wrote, but my knowledge of witchcraft was sketchy at best. I began my research. (I like to imagine the librarians in my small, local library getting more and more curious as all my requested books arrived, tee hee.) Anyway, I’ve learned a lot about the beliefs and practices of modern witches, be they Hedge Witches, Kitchen Witches, or Elemental Witches. One concept central to many is the Wheel of the Year. We’ve all heard of Samhain (Hallowe’en) and Yule (shortly before Christmas) but there are other, less familiar special days.

Which brings me to today. February 1 is the start of Imbolc (in the Northern Hemisphere) or Feast of Brigid, halfway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. In Irish mythology, Brigid is the fire goddess, and on Imbolc, the arrival of longer, warmer days and the early signs of spring are celebrated.

Brigid is also goddess of back-smithing, death & rebirth, poetry, spinning & weaving, and domestic animals – a multi-purpose deity! 

Early signs of spring are difficult to find in my neck of the woods, buried under a foot of crusty snow, but I can plant seeds in a pot and celebrate the tender shoots as they appear.

And Bruno will appreciate the fresh cat grass.

Rather than build a bonfire to mimic the heat of the sun - too cold and windy for that - I can light a candle  to symbolize the longer, warmer days.

Imbolc is the perfect time to start spring cleaning. Cleanse your space, clear out clutter, and sweep away dust and negative energy.

When Christianity arrived in the pagan Celtic world, Brigid became St. Brigid, the patron saint of babies, mariners, Ireland, poets, and poultry farmers. And Imbolc became Candlemas, the day for blessing church candles.

broom - Photo by Gabriel Lenca on Unsplash

candle - Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash 

seedlings - Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash 

crocus - Photo by Luka Savcic on Unsplash 

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, one spoiled cat, and five hens. 

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads 

He Who Shall Be Praised

By Robin Weaver

Without a doubt, Voldemort is my favorite villain (at least this week).  While he’s in good company – Mr. Hyde, the Jaws Shark, Becky Sharpe, Alexis Carrington, Jeanine from Divergence—the Dark Lord easily edges the competition into trivial backstory. I mean, come on, the man (critter, snake, demon) has it all. He possesses every single characteristic of a good villain:

A.   First and foremost, The Dark Lord has a great backstory.  Who can’t sympathize with a poor little orphan whose mommy croaked and Muggle dad, despising all things magic, ran for the hills? Even with the humblest of beginnings, Voldey (aka Tom Riddle back then) excels at Hogwarts Academy, becoming, Head Boy and receiving a Medal for Magical Merit. One could successfully argue if Dumbledore had given Tom the same support he heaped on Harry Potter, Voldemort might have been the hero of the story—of course there’d been no story, but that’s another…em, tale.

B.   He’s both handsome… And butt ugly.  As Tom Riddle, he’s a real cutie, but as He Who Stays Alive Via Horcruxes, he’s more terrifying than anything on Alien, the Body Snatchers, or even the Exorcist.  And don’t we secretly love to be terrified?

C.   He Who Shall Not Be Named is a worthy opponent. Seriously, it took eight books to defeat him. 

D.   He’s clever, or more specifically, a downright genius. If we’re honest, Voldemort is much smarter than our boy, Harry—although Hermione might give him a run for his money.

E.    He has many of the same characteristics of the hero, but they’re misdirected.  Harry and Voldemort are literally joined at the…brain.  You don’t get more similar than that.

F.    He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants.  Let’s be real. This dark wizard keeps going, even when he’s just a parasite on the back of Quirrell’s head.  Don’t know about you, but if I had to live as covered by a turban, I’d probably pack it in.

G.   He’s persuasive and inspirational.  Just look at all the followers the Dark Lord inspired.  Among the most notable is the fiercely loyal Bellatrix Lestrange, whose name is Latin for “female warrior.” This in-your-face, psychotic witch wasn’t afraid of anything, anybody, any spell, or even the Dark Lord himself. Her crazier-than-crazy antics never failed to drop jaws.  She escaped prison, killed the noble and almost unstoppable Sirius Black, and she tortured the Longbottoms.  How can anyone portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter not be a villainess we love to hate? Admit it didn’t you feel a bit regretful when Molly Weasley stuck-it-to-her?  I better stop now or I might change my mind about my favorite villain.

When all is written and “the end” is embellished, Voldemort’s true evil was being me-centric (yes, I made up that word).  Harry P. had friends, a group of witches and wizards who cared about others, even Muggles.  Friends who cared enough to die for the greater good.  The Dark Lord had only had followers—a band of evil-doers who put self-interest above all else.  And isn’t “me-first” at the core of all the world’s evil?