It is my pleasure to share a guest post by author Rayna Noire, who shares with us...
Would You Make a Good Druid?
by Rayna Noire
In the story, Glimmer,
Meara’s father is a Druid. Whenever someone mentions Druids, people think of
bearded old men in white robes with horns on their head. While there are some
bearded old men who happened to be Druids, it’s not a requirement.
1. Druids have no dietary restrictions. They
can eat anything. Some might choose to fast before a ceremony or even reduce
their intake of a particular item such as salt. This is a choice, not a
requirement.
2.
Holidays.
Druids
celebrate all the fire festivals including Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasad.
Who doesn’t love an excuse for a good bonfire? Many Druids celebrate the
equinoxes (when you have the same amount of day and night) and the solstices,
which acknowledge the longest day and night of the year.
3.
Sex. Druids can be male or female.
4.
Church. While
being a Druid is a recognized religion, they do not worship in buildings, but
prefer the outdoors. A group of Druids is called a grove.
5.
Deities.
As
a Druid, you can believe in one deity or many. Most pick a Patron God or Goddesses
such as Brighid, Lugh, The Daghda, The Morrigan, Anu, Danu,
Diancecht, Miach, Airmid, Goibniu, and many others. Druids believe every living
thing has an energetic essence. They reach out to departed ancestors and
spirits from the Otherworld.
6.
Modern
Druids never sacrifice animals (or people) in their worship. They
may use fruits, vegetables, flowers, poems, and songs as an offering to their
deity (deities.)
7.
Ritual Space. Rituals are conducted outside near water, trees,
and preferably a large rock. A cauldron
of water and a fire complete the ritual space.
8. Solitaries. Individuals
can be a Druid without being part of a group.
9. Garb. On special occasions, a
Druid might don a white robe, kilt, or other Celtic garb.
10. Mistletoe. The
plant most associated with kissing is sacred to the Druids. It’s associated
with fertility, life, and peace. Kissing someone under the mistletoe meant you
were friends and bore each other no ill will. It also served as a primitive
marriage rite and was an entreaty for children. This might make you think twice
before you kiss someone under the mistletoe.
Want to
know about Druids?
Check out Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Druidism – Isaac Bonewits or Druid Mysteries – Philip Carr-Gomm
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE: Historical Fantasy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
For
seventeen years, the convent walls kept Meara Cleary from the secret of her own
parentage. A bearded stranger claims she’s his niece and promises to take her home.
Before he can, a cataclysmic event thrusts her into a war-torn world.
Meara vows to journey to Ireland to find her uncle, unaware of how perilous a journey it will be. Her Druidic father guides her through dreams, explaining her magical heritage. Her dead parent can’t help her with the intricacies of village life, especially when she catches the eye of the very engaged Braeden.
A whirlwind composed of equal parts menace, romance, and revelation sweep Meara across the continent while gathering allies and enemies with equal speed. Her intent to return to her family turns into a fight to survive her own destiny.
Meara vows to journey to Ireland to find her uncle, unaware of how perilous a journey it will be. Her Druidic father guides her through dreams, explaining her magical heritage. Her dead parent can’t help her with the intricacies of village life, especially when she catches the eye of the very engaged Braeden.
A whirlwind composed of equal parts menace, romance, and revelation sweep Meara across the continent while gathering allies and enemies with equal speed. Her intent to return to her family turns into a fight to survive her own destiny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Meara glanced back the way she had come realizing nothing
looked familiar. How far had she’d wandered from the path. The rustle of
movement and the snapping of nearby sticks sped up her heartbeat. A week ago,
she’d panicked, sure, someone had followed her only to have a deer wander into
the clearing, but this time two large shadows grew out of a nearby underbrush.
People. She hadn’t expected this. Could they see her? One gestured in her
direction and said something in a guttural language she couldn’t comprehend.
The other answered in the same tongue. By the time, it took her to realize the
men were after her, one had slipped behind her and grabbed her arm, pinning it
painfully behind her back.
He spoke, as his companion reached out for her hair.
"Kriegsbeute“
Meara twisted, knowing at an instinctual level she needed to
get away from these strangers. The man holding her captive laughed, then
muttered something before releasing her arm. She stumbled away recognizing an
opportunity. A quick glance back showed the two of them being attacked by the
bobbing lights. An occasional yelp assured her the attack was painful. They
must be some type of glowing bees.
One hovered in front of her. Follow me. The musical voice
sounded in her head. Besides the strangers behind her, there was no one else
here. Certainly, no one with a voice as clear and bell-like that it reminded
her of a raindrop or dew glistening on a flower. Somehow, this bobbing light
placed the voice inside her own head. Her impulsive foray into the woods had
landed her into a situation she didn‘t know how to handle. The shimmering light
blinked, indicating a need to hurry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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