Everyday sort of magic

Justine's Journal #36

52 Weeks 500 Words

This is how it began: Justine (not her real name) decided to write 500 words (or as near as), anything goes, per week for 52 weeks. She would then submit it for anonymous posting, via me, her friend. Perhaps a pattern will emerge from her words, but at this stage it’s more an experiment I have agreed to share in. I’ll attempt to draw conclusions at the end of this. Stay tuned if this resonates with you.

Week 36

"Change is something that comes to all of us. Sometimes change is mighty and really upsets the status quo we believe we live with, and sometimes it’s in the small things that serve to tweak the way we think.

In the many journal entries I have now shared with you, you may have come across this sate of being. In every post there was something that spoke of change. Big ones, yes, like the stalker I prefer not to dwell on, and meeting and reconnecting with my brother (and the concept premonition, which I’m still working with before I submit an entry to this journal). Small ones, too, in every entry, such as watching kids playing and realising how we see people with our perceptions, rather than with objectivity, or realising a set of Lotto numbers is not luck, and so forth.

My point is change happens almost all the time. Generally we are unaware, sometimes we take note, and at other times we actually examine it. Take this, for example. You wake up and the sun is shining. You plan an outing to the local park with your kids, and you prepare a picnic and pack your car with blanket and basket. And then it starts to rain, but you have just pulled up at the park and you don’t want to give up on a day out. What do you do? Maybe you pop into McDonald’s or a pizza place, or you go watch a movie instead. Your day changed, did it not? Yes, we know these accidental changes happen to us all the time, the expectation of it is part of the normal routine, and yet it remains change. Perhaps you then had a laugh with your kids across a table in restaurant, rather than lying alone on your blanket watching them on the swings, and that is something you didn't foresee in the morning while looking out into a sun filled day.

Many of us are cautious of change. We prefer things to stay exactly as they are, for then we are able to control our surroundings and our feelings. If we’re happy, why mess with it, right? I put to you we learn and grow if we acknowledge what is new, different, altered, difficult, strange and so forth.

Imagine your daughter telling you over her fries that she would like to start a vegetable garden out back, when you didn't know she loved to see things grow. Or your son says he liked the program about mountains, when you thought only his computer interested him. You learned something, and it is change. Now you will go forward knowing their horizons begin to broaden and you are able to nurture it.

Do not be afraid of change, even when it hurts, even when the lessons are painful, for when you emerge on the other side you are made new. Those experiences create you daily, and that is real life. Expecting everything to remain as is can never be real."

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Justine's Journal Update

Due to internet problems for both Writing World and Justine, we couldn't upload Saturday's entry. When Justine is available later today, she will email it and then hopefully we can do so this afternoon.

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What's happening with Reaume?

Many of you already know the Lore of Reaume series follows on from Lore of Arcana, four volumes to each. Below is a post about the progress of Arcana, and now I'd like to tell you what's happening with Reaume.

All four books were contracted to Thorstruck Press, but unfortunately a great publisher has now closed doors. In the weeks following, The Kallanon Scales and The Nemisin Star were re-released as both ebook and paperback, and doing so caused a delay in the new release of The Sleeper Sword.

I am happy to share The Sleeper Sword is now published and available as ebook!

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Everything is ready to release it too into paperback, but I will do so once the final two Arcana books are available.

The final volume in the Reaume series - The Dreamer Stones - will be released simultaneously as both ebook and paperback. Release Date to be confirmed, but keep an eye out around July/August!

Fan Photo - The Kinfire Tree

Thank you, Monique, for sharing! 

Awesomeness!!

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What's happening with Arcana?

I'm sure by now you might be a bit confused as to where and what the Lore of Arcana series is doing? This post is to clear it all up!

It began like this: In 2012 and 2013 the four volumes comprising the Lore of Arcana series was taken up by Wild Wolf Publishing (Thank you, Wild Wolf!!!) and released as ebooks. Based on symbols I sketched, brilliant designer Peter Fussey created awesome book covers for the series.

The time has now come for the Lore of Arcana series to go into paperback, and with the help of the genius of Poppet, we have updated the covers for these new releases.

Both The Infinity Mantle and The Kinfire Tree are now available in paperback.

The Drowned Throne and The Dragon Circle will be along SOON!

All links are in the sidebar ;)

Justine's Journal #35

52 Weeks 500 Words

This is how it began: Justine (not her real name) decided to write 500 words (or as near as), anything goes, per week for 52 weeks. She would then submit it for anonymous posting, via me, her friend. Perhaps a pattern will emerge from her words, but at this stage it’s more an experiment I have agreed to share in. I’ll attempt to draw conclusions at the end of this. Stay tuned if this resonates with you.

Week 35

"Last night I had the clearest dream of winning the Lotto. Not a dream about receiving a phone call out of the blue – ‘You've won! – sort of thing, but the winning numbers.

During the dream I didn't realise they were meant as Lotto numbers, but this morning I awoke with these digits floating around in my head. I wrote them down.

*******

In fact I just typed them in here, from memory, they are that seared into my mind, although I won’t be sharing them in the post. This is not because I want to hold onto them, but because I do not trust to this type of luck and neither should you.

What do I do with this, I ask myself? Take a chance and enter them for the next draw? Do nothing, and sit back and possibly see these numbers flash up on TV and then scold myself to hell and gone for not using them?

Do you see the conundrum? A right emotional knot. And what is it based on? The possibility of wealth, only a possibility. It is wishful thinking, the easy way out. Sure, it would be great to win a million, even in our weak currency, but to rely on it as a means to relief from ever-present anxiety about money? I think not. That kind of reliance is foolish.

Also, there is the disappointment factor. So I have these numbers, I play them, I win nothing, because, guess what, it was only a dream. In a way even my logic cannot fathom, this will be highly disappointing. If I choose to follow a prompt, I want it to work out as seen, not so? It’s not so much not winning money that will disappoint me – it’s not dreaming true that will.

The last time I took a random chance and entered numbers was over ten years ago, and never have I missed it. I am not this kind of gambler, and I don’t intend to start being one now. So I don’t win, but next draw, I enter the numbers again, hoping my timing was off? And again and again? I don’t think so; it’s soul-destroying.

I prefer to gamble on myself. What I have to offer is wealth. What others share with me is wealth. Numbers that connect my phone to my brother’s is wealth. My mind is my wealth, as is my heart and soul.

Random chance isn't luck. We make our own fortunes.

To end this. What will I do with these numbers? Nothing. I won’t even check the winning draw."

Kinfire!

Two of the Lore of Arcana are now in paperback! This has been quite a journey for me; while the ebooks have been available for a while, I have always wanted to see the Arcana series in print. It is happening!

The Kinfire Tree is now live :)

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The Infinity Mantle, FYI ;)

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Coming real soon, The Drowned Throne and The Dragon Circle 

A Gypsy Writer ;)

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Justine's Journal #34

52 Weeks 500 Words

This is how it began: Justine (not her real name) decided to write 500 words (or as near as), anything goes, per week for 52 weeks. She would then submit it for anonymous posting, via me, her friend. Perhaps a pattern will emerge from her words, but at this stage it’s more an experiment I have agreed to share in. I’ll attempt to draw conclusions at the end of this. Stay tuned if this resonates with you.

Week 34

"Friendship is the greatest intangible construct conceived by the heart, mind and soul. We love our families, we adore our children, and yet it is true these are connections created by blood and genetics and time. We would absolutely not function as whole beings without our family connections, but friendship is about choice. We choose to love a stranger and the stranger becomes ‘family’. And it doesn't end there. We do this again and again throughout our lives – we make connections with strangers and wonder how we ever did without them in our lives.

Some friends fall away, often due to circumstance or geographic changes, and we remember them fondly.

Some friends, of those moved away, remain true friends forever. If by chance we meet again, it is as if no time has passed. The connections are still in place.

Others may become something else, having made a decision or taken on a belief we can’t comfortably accept. We do accept their changes, but gradually our connection stretches into distance and we move apart, although we live mere houses apart. We still greet, but the closeness is missing. On the flip-side, we may make the decision or choice a friend can’t deal with.

Friends made in childhood often don’t travel into adulthood with us, and we keep only the memories of good times.

And some childhood friends remain friends for absolutely ever!

Sometimes people are thrown together, such as in a work place, and we become friends. Some of these friends become part of our lives and we connect outside of working hours, but often we are merely accommodating and nice to each other in that environment in order to function as a team, and we don’t see each other anywhere else.

And then there are those we have never met in person and yet connect with daily in the virtual world. We connect and find much in common. Are these friends? Absolutely. But if we do meet, the truth is there is a 50-50 chance of that friendship translating into the real world as well. We may or may not connect with that person face to face, but it doesn't mean the time spent sharing online via email and Facebook isn't a connection to be treasured.

Sometimes a family member becomes a true friend. This is a connection that goes beyond shared genetics. A cousin, for instance, can be the best friend ever.

Sometimes we connect with members of the family we married into. A sister-in-law or brother-in-law may become a true friend. We are family, but there is no shared genetics. Even if the marriage that enables the family connection falls apart, we remain friends.

My point is, friendship is very special and takes many forms. Treasure friendship, reach out for the connection that speaks to us. However long it lasts, we learn from each other and we create memories and moments we may place in our little treasure chests we carry around in our hearts."

When it all comes together

Many of you know my first four books - The Infinity Mantle, The Kinfire Tree, The Drowned Throne and The Dragon Circle - have been available as ebooks for a while. I am currently in the process of a final edit for each as they go into print at last - absolutely over the moon they will finally be available as paperbacks!

You may have noticed (because of course I have shared it here) The Infinity Mantle is already available! Just check the sidebar :)

Below are three of the completed front face covers for the Arcana series, with only The Dragon Circle still being worked on. Soon enough all four will be tangible books, yay!

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The Craziness of a Writer