Randomness Friday

April Kelley and I are starting something different, instead of blog swapping we will be answering questions along with sharing bits of our research into 2nd BonyDee Press challenge; click name for rules

Please, after reading below, go and check out April’s Post

Here’s the thing, I think it’ll be too hard for April and I to do something specific to this challenge each week. It’s too much, especially since we have others things--(okay, April has other things. I should have all 4 written by the end of this year)--To do through the year and coming back to this every week could be too much. So instead, we’ll take a day out of the month in order to focus on this. to answer questions about researching and the challenge as a whole if you have any you wish to ask.

What First?

The first thing that caught my eye when I was researching was Walpurgis Night, which isn’t quite….Beltane and yet it’s just not the Celtic version of May Day, which in the Celtic countries they call it May Day.

It’s called “Witches’ Night” which really how could I not jump at the opportunity. It happens a little earlier on the 30^th of April and is believe to be the night the witches’ meeting on the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains. A range of wooded hills in central Germany between the rivers Weser and Elbe^.[source]

This is about all I know of it as I haven’t really done deep research. But it made me excited. It gave me a reason to start the series. To have them be there. To have it be paranormal.

I’m not going to go deep into the heritage of Walpurgis Night. oh, I’ll research it, but I’ll be having all my MC’s come from deep Celtic roots and therefore are just using this night, this site because they need it in order for B1 MC needs it.  

yeah i know sideways

Because we must deal with the Holiday in general I’ll be going deeper into Beltane, because I’m not really sure I can call in May Day being as in the southern hemisphere this joyous day happened the first of November.

Saying this I am second gen Irish, Northern Irish. If I remember correctly my grandfather’s family came from a direct line of Celtic, it’s a reason I have my pixie ears. I remember, when I was younger, that my family would celebrate May Day. We’d go to my uncle’s house, all the family and we’d have a massive bonfire. I have good memories, even if they aren’t solid of this yearly event. Thinking on it, I believe we had to stop this more because of our countries strict fire laws as a no fire ban generally goes into play at the beginning of October.

I, for obvious reason, won’t be staying too strict to this myth, as it’s kind of hard to do when you’re on the wrong end of the seasons. even if I choice to have them fly over to Germany it wouldn’t be the same because once I went into the northern hemisphere the season changes as it isn’t Beltane anymore it’s Samhain. It will honestly be one of the big challenges I will face.

Lastly I’m going to leave you with this. as I want to remember it, but am too lazy to write it done, lol

Historic Beltane customs

Beltane was one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Samhain (~1 November), Imbolc (~1 February), Beltane (~1 May) and Lughnasadh (~1 August). Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the "symbolic use of fire". There were also rituals to protect crops, dairy products and people, and to encourage growth. The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane (as at Samhain)and the goal of many Beltane rituals was to appease them. Most scholars see the aos sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits. Beltaine was a "spring time festival of optimism" during which "fertility ritual again was important, perhaps connecting with the waxing power of the sun"

SHAMELESS PROMOTING

The Way Life Turns by April Kelley & Bronwyn Heeley

(A BonyDee Press Challenge)

Contemporary Romance

What happens when two men are in very different places in their relationship?

Almost from the start of their relationship, Jonah was in love with Scott. Scott doesn’t share that same sentiment. Jonah finds out exact how Scott feels about him the hard way, when he sees Scott in a compromising position with someone else. How they react becomes the challenge two authors have set out to solve. Will there be forgiveness or misery as Jonah reacts to what Scott has done?

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