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 Butterfly Fields - A Summary

I have never been beyond the road's end. I know not what it is that lies over the horizon. Elder Morton has traveled many lands throughout the world over and tells many tales. These are the things I must know; I must understand.

My fingers have turned the pages of near ev'ry book upon the shelves in the library of Johnsport. It is the Great Library of Alnae which holds all that my heart desires. All the most learned men and women of the world have studied at Alnae. I too wish to attend the College of Alnae, yet I have ne'er been beyond the road's end. It would be the most wonderous occasion of my entire life to see this magnificent city of Alnae with all the treasures it keeps. Mhathair must let me go.

My dear sister, Annalicia, has created such a beauteous land of imagination and wonder just beyond the manor gates that lead to the canyons. Many happy days have been spent among the butterflies and creatures of the meadow. Princess Aria and Annalicia the Lovely have escaped near ev'ry scoundrel and bandit to ever dare embark on such an endeavor as to plunder The Butterfly Fields. Nay, not one has e'er conquered these fields of butterflies; no darkness has ever creeped within the boundaries. Nay, not even the men of science have laid eyes upon our land. It is here we escape the atrocities of Johnsport. It is here we find freedom, safety, and sanity.

It is said in the worship house of Johnsport that He Who Created All Things is a great and wondrous God. But of this God, I have seen no miraclous deeds of mercy, or compassion; only misery and death. There is naught in Johnsport that evidences the concern of He Who Created All Things. The men of science have left their marks upon the children without regard to the will of He Who Created All Things. I, myself, bear these markings, and it is only a matter of time before they come for Annalicia. She shall be safe in The Butterfly Fields. They know not where to find these fields of butterflies. They shall ne'er know. They shall seek until the end of days, yet the entrance they shall ne'er find. 

It is just there beyond the road's end where He must be found. If He is not to be found there then He is not to be found at all. With Annalicia safely hidden in The Butterfly Fields, I must travel this road alone. I shall make search of He Who Created All Things and save us both; perhaps Johnsport itself. Mhathair and Seanmhathair must release me of the family obligations that I might make journey to the College of Alnae. A library with holdings as such the travelers have told tales must be magnificent. In this library of all the world, the answer is surely to be found. He Who Created All Things is surely to be there among the books. I shall return for Annalicia only when I have found that which we have searched for our entire lives. The very thing which shall save us both. 

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I hope you have enjoyed this week's preview into The Butterfly Fields. 

The cover design for The Butterfly Fields is finished. I'm pretty excited about that. I have to make the final finishing touches to the manuscript before publishing. Until then, I will continue to publish teasers here to satisfy your curiosity. These are not actual exerpts from the series. They are summaries.

The Chrysalis Series is a triology. Book One: The Butterfly Fields; Book Two: Torn Wings; and Book Three: Monarch.

After the departure of the former muse known as Cowboy Bob, the titles of the books were reconsidered and changed as appropriate. :)

Character Assassination

Character assassination - a topic nobody likes to talk about, but a very necessary act sometimes. Those of us who write novels oftentimes find ourselves in the awkward position of playing the role of an assassin.

No matter in what person we choose to write, we, as the author, have the omnipotent knowledge of everything that has happened in the past, is happening in the present, and will happen in the future. There are characters that live in our stories that we dearly love and then there are those who are integral pieces of the story, yet they are only destined to one end; an assassination orchestrated by their creator. 

This is the difference between human beings and diety when it comes to creation. Mercy for a fictional character is not relevant when it comes to the end of the story. We are willing to 'off' our characters at a whim, just because we want to; or sometimes it's a case of needing to for furtherment of the story.

I, as a reader, have found myself deeply disturbed or even horrified at the author assassination of some characters in the books that I have read.  Somehow, I will have developed a relationship of connection with each character in a story and find myself emotionally affected by the death of a one of these characters. This happened while reading one of Marion Zimmer Bradley's books in "The Mists of Avalon" series. I won't say which book because I don't believe in spoilers.

As I continue to write "The Malakai Chronicles", I keep in mind the reader's connection to characters and I am being very conscious of how eliminating any one of them may affect a reader. The characters in "The Malakai Chronicles" are rich with a lot of thought in their creation.

Are we Gods / Goddesses in our title of author? No, not really. We are creating ficitional stories; a reality that only exists in the imagination of the reader. How we respect the readers' emotional connection to their own imagination is the real test of character assassination.

I am excited and looking forward to summer of 2011 when "The Malakai Chronicles" is scheduled for public release.