Flying is not nearly as easy for the Magas as it is for Serafina Pakkala. (Nor, for that matter, is it as easy for them as it is for Harry Potter and his friends.) It requires integrating the power of the staff of High Magic with the magic of flight found in a particular kind of fir tree. The fir's capacity for flight, in turn, is released by brewing together special herbs and a mushroom that appears only in spring, called white magenta. The process is described in detail in Chapter 15 of Eolyn, when the young maga prepares to return to the land of her birth, after many years of growing up in exile and isolation.
I'd love to be able to simply snatch a branch off a tree and lift up into the air, but me, I need a jet plane to fly. Which isn't a bad way to do it, really. This weekend I'll be getting on a jet plane and travelling to Europe to visit friends and family, and to pay my last respects to my maternal grandmother and all the wonderful memories she gave me during her long and fruitful life. I'm not sure how consistent my internet access will be during my travels, so you may not see a post here for a couple weeks; say, between now and December 1.
However, there will be a lot of exciting things happening over Thanksgiving -- some, in fact, happening right now -- that I want you to be aware of.
This week on Heroines of Fantasy, Terri-Lynne DeFino has us writing a collective story about Maia and the magic/horror of light. Come join the fun; read the crazy twisting tale we've crafted so far, and add your own five lines as the muse inspires.
Speaking of Terri-Lynne DeFino, the Kindle edition of her wonderful novel FINDER is being offered for a special price of $2.99. This is a limited time offer, so take advantage of it while it lasts. The sequel to this book, A TIME NEVER LIVED, will be available next summer, which makes now a great time to read the first book, if you haven't already.
During the week leading up to November 29, Hadley Rille Books will be celebrating its birthday with special offers on all its titles, and even giveaways -- yes, you understood correctly, FREE books -- for selected novels. For regular updates on this great event, you can friend Eolyn on Facebook, or check in on the Hadley Rille Books website. You may want to start browsing some of Hadley Rille's titles now.
Next Monday on Heroines of Fantasy, author Kim Vandervort will be up with her regular monthly post. Then, on Monday November 28, we have some very special guests: Carlyle Clark and Suki Michelle, co-authors of the awesome sci fi and fantasy adventure, THE APOCALYPSE GENE.
That should be enough to keep you all busy and entertained while I'm out of town. I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving week next week, and I look forward to seeing you back on this blog in December.
