Chrysalis: The Butterfly Fields - Official Release!

Chrysalis: The Butterfly Fields is now available on Amazon.com in e-book format. The paperback can be purchased at createspace.com, an Amazon company.  The Butterfly Fields is book one in the Chrysalis trilogy.

Read the prologue here:

Darkness shrouds the encampment where Máire sits by the fire that burns with the flames of the ancient days. Wrapped in a wool blanket, she beckons the clan to gather around, “Come, come and sit about the fire that I may tell you the tale of Wishing Woman and Dances with the Butterflies. It is the tale of the fiercest battle ever fought within these Lowlands we call home, never to be forgotten.”

Máire’s visage bears the passage of time and her body aches with the age of its years. Her now white hair pulled tightly in the traditional twisted knot at the nape of her neck. Even in her aged state, she is the favorite among the children. It is she who tells the legends and lore of the family, the clan, and the tribe.

Huddled together the clan folk take their places upon the logs, their faces aglow in the light of the crackling fire, anxious to hear this tale of which they had not yet been told. “Oh, do tell, Máire, do tell us of Wishing Woman and Dances with the Butterflies!” a cheery faced young maid exclaims as she sidles up next to the old storyteller.

When the listeners are settled, Máire leans in close to the fire as though to watch the story play out before her very eyes as she speaks. Máire takes a deep breath, resting heavy against the cheery faced maid beside her as she falls deep into remembrance of the story. “In the years after the great clan wars, the McCormick Clan reigned all the Lowlands as far as the eye could see from the great manor known as Bainsford. The ruins lie just there beyond the hill,” she starts, her boney finger pointing off into the distance. “Within the great walls of Bainsford lived the two sisters. It was they who brought the war between He Who Created All Things and He who Rules the Land of Eternal Flames upon the lands,” Her gray eyes smile in the firelight as she looks from one to the other to ensure each is attentive to the details of the tale she is about to begin in earnest.

“It is said that long ago, on the northern most edge of the canyons, carved by the Great River, where the sun strikes the sky in a glorious display of burnt oranges and deep sapphires lay the village of Johnsport. It was a village filled with quarrels between the original people, the Daoine Réalta, and the interlopers from the land across the great sea to the east; our people, the na hÉireann, men of science and discovery. The na hÉireann held fast to their belief in He Who Created All Things, yet partook in the sciences of creation; an abomination according to the Daoine Réalta.

The Daoine Réalta, translated to the common language as Star People, came upon these lands millenniums ago with no accounting for the means of their arrival. In appearance, they were a simple folk following the traditions, culture, and beliefs of the ancient days. Yet, deep within the keep of their fortress they kept a secret. It was a secret so valuable, so ancient, even they themselves were unable to lay eyes upon it…lest the guardians lay them low.

As the story goes, a stone’s throw downstream of Johnsport, amongst the mighty oak, silver ash, and cottonwood trees, where the gentle breeze brushes the tall bristles of wheat grass, intermingled with the occasional petals of tiger lilies, crocuses, and wild roses, were freedom, safety, and sanity…The Butterfly Fields.”

Monday Musings: The Chrysalis Series



Some of the greatest writers of all time were indeed mocked, hated, and most assuredly misunderstood. They endeavored to convey their deepest thoughts and emotions onto the page, resulting in the purest forms of criticisms. Some were reclusive, eccentric by nature, melancholy, or overtly happy. At that time, they were giants among men. These writers were respected for their thoughts on everything from everyday life, to the current events of the world. They were deep thinkers. They were big spirits expanding into the world in the form of the written word.

Despite the public respect, they were often chastised behind closed doors, criticized for their boldness, questioned of their motives, and the list goes on and on. They were lifted onto the world stage for all to see, and then had the tomatoes of criticism relentlessly hurled at them. However, the world loved to hate them. The world continued to purchase and print their prose, because they were masters of their craft.

I have been working on "The Chrysalsis Series" for about six months. I have been learning and growing in the craft of writing. The mechanics of writing are important. I remember the elation I had felt when I first discovered I could publish books as an independent author. It was as though the world became my oyster. I did not need to seek out an agent, or even an editor. I could do it without the help of anyone. So not true. If you never read another word of what I write, remember this: Editors are the Godsend of novel writing.

"The Chrysalis Series" is something that is near and dear to my heart. It is important that the words are chosen carefully. The subject is sensitive, and great care is required to convey the deepest thoughts and emotions that compel the story forward. We have all had our Butterfly Fields of youth. It is the place of wonder, where games of intrigue and imagination are afoot. It is the place where the disappointments, hurts, and realities of the world can never reach.

Book One: "The Butterfly Fields" follows young Elsie McCormick and her older sister, Annalicia, as they navigate life in a world of treachery and deceit. It is a world where people speak not of the truth, as is common in the village of Johnsport when it comes to matters of personal loss or gain. Following the belief of He Who Created All Things, the na hÉireann clans live harmoniously with the Daoine Réalta, who have lived on these lands for millenniums, with no accounting for their arrival. Outsiders are neither welcome nor wanted in Johnsport.

The na hÉireann clans have come to Johnsport from the land across the great sea to the east. They are men of science; a science that will bring the village and the clans to their knees. The clans are divided. The Daoine Réalta, following their ancient ways, desire no understanding of the science. They only watch. They watch and wait for that which is sure to come - the end of all things. They wait for the days when the darkness will find its way into the world; the days when the battle of Good and Evil will wage its war in the canyons, on the Great River, and in the village of Johnsport itself.


I am truly excited for The Butterfly Fields to be released. The cover is currently in the process of creation, the editing almost complete, and the suspense of a confirmed release date is killing me. I am grateful for all those who have stood by me, encouraged me, and especially for the editor who has not only corrected grammar and punctuation, but re-taught me the fundamentals of writing. 


Watch for it! The Butterfly Fields coming to an online retailer near you!