Welcome! This post is part of the Broad Universe Full Moon Blog Tour! To find out more about the 30 authors included in the tour click here:
and the three prize packages of ebooks and gift vouchers, please click on the Broad Universe photo! (Enter via the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of this post.)
What is it about the full moon, madness and magic? Maybe it’s how otherworldly everything looks by moonlight, or how strange it is to have light at night.
We’ve been intrigued with the moon for all of human history, speculating about its course in the heavens, linking it to the gods, making it the personification of the goddess, ascribing supernatural power to it and its light. The full moon is, of course, traditionally the bane of werewolves and all were-creatures, since it calls forth their inner magic as an irresistible compulsion. Interestingly enough, we always seem to think of the moon as female.
Pretty cool for something that’s really a very large rock. I’ve always been especially intrigued by the way the moon factors into magic. Directions for many spells indicate that they should only be done at certain phases of the moon. According to practitioners, the moon is instrumental in a wide spectrum of magic, from divination to clearing negativity, from spells for wealth and love to healing. More on that here and here.
Of course, in more primitive times, the connection of the moon’s cycles with tides, planting and animal/bird migration must have seemed miraculous–or magical. No doubt that’s one reason the moon figures so prominently in religion and folklore. Even the faces of the goddess in her Maiden/Mother/Crone aspects are linked to the phases of the moon. And whether or not science can substantiate it, we ascribe all kinds of odd behavior to the full moon.
Depending on who you ask, people will swear that there are more drunken brawls, more emergency room visits, more crazy behavior during a full moon. They say coyotes howl more and lions are more dangerous. Don’t get me started on werewolves and vampires. Even the concept of menstruation has long been linked to the lunar cycle, giving it the old name of ‘moon days’. There’s some pretty interesting research showing that life on earth is deeply affected by moonlight.
Birth and death, fertility and fear–all of it tied up with the silvery light in the sky. If you’ve ever been camping during the dark of the moon, you get an idea of how our ancestors must have valued moonlight. Beyond the reach of electric lights, it’s really, really dark. (Yes, I know that’s somewhat obvious, but dark in a city doesn’t compare to dark in the middle of the ocean or dark in the forest when there’s no moon.
Without moonlight, the darkness seems to be alive, a smothering, dangerous entity. Just you and your puny little candle or lantern, against the big, bad darkness. Boo!
Now about the giveaway drawing for those gift vouchers and ebooks….Here’s the link to enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway
What’s Halloween without some Trick or Treat goodies?
Book swag is the new Trick-or-Treat! Grab your envelope of book swag awesomeness from me & 10 authors https://on.fb.me/1h4rIIe before 11/1!
Trick or Treat! Excerpt from my new urban fantasy novel Vendetta set in my Deadly Curiosities world here https://bit.ly/1ZXCPVS Launches Dec. 29
More Treats! Enter to win a copy of Deadly Curiosities! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/160181-deadly-curiosities
Treats! Enter to win a copy of Iron & Blood! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/160182-iron-blood
Spooky stuff from Broad Universe member Jean Marie Ward Cooking Up a Storm https://jeanmarieward.com/books/excerpt-cooking-up-a-storm/
And another from fellow Broad Danielle Ackley-McPhail’s Yesterday’s Dreams https://www.sidhenadaire.com/books/YesterdaysDreams-EX.pdf
My Days of the Dead blog tour runs through October 31 with never-before-seen cover art, brand new excerpts from upcoming books and recent short stories, interviews, guest blog posts, giveaways and more! Plus, I’ll be including extra excerpt links for my stories and for stories by author friends of mine! You’ve got to visit the participating sites to get the goodies just like Trick or Treat! Details here
