My BUZZ GUEST today is award-winning author, teacher, and creator of the dark epic fantasy series THE RHENWARS SAGA. 

 In M. L. Spencer’s own words, “Welcome to the Rhenwars Saga, a darkly epic fantasy series that chronicles the turbulent battle between two conflicting ideologies of magic and the moral imperatives that drive them.” 

Wow!  I don’t know about you guys, but she had me at ‘epic fantasy series’ and ‘magic’!!

Book Two DARKMAGE of THE RHENWARS SAGA series is available on Amazon right now! 

 M. L. Spencer’s book DARKSTORM is the prequel to DARKMAGE and is listed as COMING SOON.  Can’t wait! 
 
M. L. Spencer has carved out some time for us to get to know her better by answering a few questions: 

1.   What drew you to writing?
I was always writing from a very young age. When I was in elementary school I wrote little books.  I wrote my first novel-length manuscript when I was thirteen.

2.   How long did it take you to create your first book?
I wrote the first draft of my novel Darkmage in forty days. It was insane. It just poured out of me. I was working full time as a middle school teacher and had two children under four. The novel was 230,000 words, so that’s averaging over 5000 words a day! I still can’t believe I did that.

3.   How long did it take you to create the last?
My last novel, Darkstorm, took me about three months.

4.   Do you prefer creating short stories, or novels?
I don’t do short stories very well. I don’t have short ideas. Which is really too bad, because it has handicapped me that my ideas don’t usually fit in industry-recommended lengths.

5.   What kind of books do you enjoy reading? 
I love reading mostly fantasy with a dash of horror. I am also a sucker for literary fiction and nonfiction.

6.   Do you have a favorite author(s)?
Robert Jordan will always be my favorite author and my greatest inspiration.

7.   Where is your favorite place to read?
In bed!

8.   You’re dressed to attend a Cosplay event.  What are you wearing? 
I would totally Cosplay any of my various MMO avatars. I am way into MMOs!  Love Warcraft and GW2 the best!

9.   When you were a child what did you always want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a fantasy author. Seriously. I had no other aspirations until high school, when I started thinking that perhaps I should do something that would pay the bills.

10.  Do you work well under stress? 
I work very well under stress. I do not write well under stress, but then I never consider writing work.

11.  What hobbies do you enjoy?  
I love playing MMO games, playing music, painting and being outdoors in nature.

12.  Pick 3 books and tell us why you loved them. 
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan – Jordan’s world is so expansive, vibrant and gripping. Truly one of the best world-builders that have ever lived.
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls– Had a huge impact on me as a child, and continues to inspire. Never have I encountered another work of fiction that could so thoroughly reduce me to tears.
The Shining by Stephen King – Just the name Stephen King creeps me out. His writing is viscerally wrenching. And yes, that is supposed to be a compliment.

13.  Who is your favorite Superhero? 
Wonder Woman. She is my spirit animal.

14.  What magical place that you’ve read about would you like to visit?
Xanadu. Always wanted to check that place out!
 
Thank you M. L. Spencer for sharing with us today.  I really enjoyed your answers.  Just a question--does anyone else have the WONDER WOMAN theme song stuck in their head right now? 
 
You can find M. L. Spencer at: 
Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/Rhenwarssaga/
Website -> http://mlspencerfiction.com/index.html
Twitter -> https://twitter.com/MLSpencer1
 
 
LET'S GENERATE A BUZZ! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/
 
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My BUZZ GUEST today is MORPHEUS, INC! 

THE VIVID DREAMER by MORPHEUS, INC. is seeking representation at the moment.  In Morpheus, Inc.'s own words “THE VIVID DREAMER is a complete novel in and of itself, but there are short stories that are dream sequences within the overall novel.”      

You can find MORPHEUS, INC., at:
Twitter/Instagram -> @MorpheusWriters
Facebook -> https://www.facebook.com/MorpheusWriters/

MORPHEUS, INC., has taken the time to answer some BUZZ GUEST questions: 

1. What drew you to writing?  Kurt Wagner: I couldn’t help it.  Characters and stories kept leaping around in my mind and wouldn’t quiet down until I put them on paper. Suzanne: I stumbled onto it. I loved writing songs and spoken word poetry (but that was before I even knew what Spoken Word Poetry was) and that passion grew into stories. Now, I can’t seem to turn it off. I’ll be in a random place and have to stop to furiously write down a new twist or an entirely different story idea; Jason: When I was really young I was obsessed with my favorite books, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, etc. I read them over and over and over again until the books were worn out and well-traveled. When I got older, I thought about creating my own stories to see if I could replicate that same magical infatuation that I had for my favorite books. I wanted to help other readers get hooked on the creativity and beauty of a story. Sean:  Stories. I was raised a film buff. I always liked to hear stories that other people had and I loved telling them myself. That drove me into journalism, where I worked at a paper for a bit. I eventually found myself drawn to the fantastic tales I consumed in my youth and began the path of the fiction writer.

1. What have you learned in between? Kurt Wagner: I am more aware of techniques for improving the pacing while maintaining the integrity of the story. Suzanne: Community is so important and social media is a great way to connect with other artists and authors so we can mutually support each other. Jason: I have learned that nothing you first write is perfect, and it shouldn’t be. You have only started your story when you finish a first draft. Afterwards, through hours of meticulous and tedious work you need to edit, revise, and change your story so that the end product is something amazing. Only then am I satisfied with my creation.

 

1. Do you prefer creating short stories, or novels?  Kurt Wagner: I write both.  The Vivid Dreamer is a novel made up of dream sequences, each of which is its own independent short story. Suzanne: I create both. The Vivid Dreamer is individual dream sequences that are held together by an overarching theme and story of its own. Using short stories as a catalyst for creating and finishing content was a great way of tricking myself into completing a novel. The Vivid Dreamer is the first piece of writing I’ve finished, but it won’t be the last.  Sean: That's a real toss-up. Growing up with fantasy and sci-fi, I've always been drawn to huge worlds with expansive histories, something that the novel can do very well. But also growing up as a film enthusiast, I admired poignant tales told with brevity. So I like both. Lately, though, I've been into short stories, as I've had a lot of ideas bouncing around my skull.

1. What Genre do you write and why? Kurt Wagner: My default is fantasy, sci-fi, but I’ve been working to explore other genres and add to my “tool belt” of writing styles and techniques. Suzanne: I currently write science fiction and fantasy, but I have a wonderful outline for a young adult fiction novel with a dash of post-apocalyptic and dystopia. I write science fiction and fantasy in general because I believe that truly anything is possible and the worlds I create reflect that wonder. Jason: I usually write stories pertaining to adventure and fantasy because that is what I love to read. I want to make a story that can pull readers away from reality and enable them to let their imaginations loose.  Sean:  Typically, I write sci-fi. It's my favorite genre in many aspects. But like the others, I've been making attempts to grow as a writer and explore other categories. Though honestly, I think there should be more blending of genres. Why can't speculative sci-fi and literary fiction exist in the same space?

 

1. Can you pick a favorite line from your latest work (or the work being highlighted) and tell us why this is your favorite? Kurt Wagner: "Dreamers are gods of their own realities.  While they sleep, they create, shape, and destroy entire worlds in a fraction of the time it took the gods of old.”  I like this line because it reflects my own philosophy of our lives and our reality.  We have a great deal more control over our world than most of us realize.  It is up to us to make it what we want.  Suzanne: “This proved to be far more challenging than previously estimated because, for some inexplicable reason, many of the thought organs thoroughly objected to being removed from their various shells.” Universal Brain Trust of The Vivid Dreamer. This is my favorite because of the tone and the ridiculousness of the situation. This is one of our more High Sci-Fi dream sequences and it allows so much freedom of thought (no pun intended).

1. What is next on your current writing agenda?  Kurt Wagner: I actually have several projects in the works.  I have a feature-length screenplay that I’m very close to completing, two young adult fantasy series that are outlined, a mystery/thriller/suspense novel that I’ve started, and a dystopic trilogy. Suzanne: What isn’t next might be a better question. We’re trying to find the right Literary Agent for The Vivid Dreamer and in the mean time we’re editing and revising (some more). We’re also finishing up a script for Sun Dance Film Festival. We’re all signed up for theprose.com to continue improving our poetry skills. We also have our own individual novels that are outlined, just waiting to be fleshed out. Sean: I have a host of works that I'm making progress on. Though my current goal is to work on my short stories so that I can explore multiple ideas and concepts as they come to me.

 

1. What kind of books do you enjoy reading?  Kurt Wagner: Most books- love fantasy, sci-fi, fiction, classics, satire, comic books; Sean: Speculative sci-fi, satire, parody; Suzanne: I love YA novels, as well as fantasy, dystopia and apocalyptic (BUT NO ZOMBIES). 

1. Pick 5 books and tell us why you loved them. Kurt Wagner: Fight Club – Wonderful exploration of man’s struggle for freedom against the walls he has erected for himself.  It questions personal, social, and corporate/governmental conventions and makes the reader think about those conventions for him/herself; Perks of Being a Wallflower – A great look at an ordinary teenager and the trials he endures while growing up.  The story is very real and very down-to-earth, but the feelings and emotions are deep and touching.  You reflect on your own friends and your own childhood and you just want to reach through the pages and hug these characters; The Handmaid’s Tale – Wonderful female protagonist, who challenges authority and questions societal norms.  She is strong with a rich backstory and enduring character; Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – A nonstop ride through the ridiculous nature/ ego of man and his place in the universe.  The writing is witty and quick and funny.  The story aims a mirror at humans and makes us recognize our foibles so we can laugh at them, hopefully examine them, and maybe make a few changes; A Spell for Chameleon – This was my gateway drug into the world of fantasy.  I love the quirky characters and the pun-filled world of magic.  It is irreverent and poignant.  Suzanne: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon because he made me fall in love with the magic of Barcelona and these tragic characters that your heart just breaks for. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho for his vivid imagery and philosophy that really makes you ponder your own philosophies.  The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams because the characters are so honest and real and relatable and wacky. They pull you into their story. It’s unfair to add an entire series, but The Harry Potter Series because of the depth of characters and the ability of JK Rowling to have subtle morals and themes in a Young Adult novel, and have it affect at least 2 generations in such an enormous way. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, one because she’s got a great name, but she captured the way some women view their survival and their feelings.

1. If you could invite any 7 people (cartoon character, famous person, rock band, poet, artist, living or dead) for a day out, or a meal together, who would they be?  Kurt Wagner: Socrates, Hitler, Athena, Dumbledore, Superman (but only if he brought gold kryptonite so I could copy his powers), Lucifer, Mark Twain/ Kurt Vonnegut (both Twain and Vonnegut if Superman is a no show).  Sean: God, Satan, Socrates, Joan of Arc, John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, George Carlin; Suzanne: Minerva McGonagall, Nikola Tesla, Bill Gates, Tony Stark (Iron Man is not invited), Emma Watson, Anne Hathaway, Frida Kahlo. 

1. Are you a positive person, negative, or realistic?  Kurt Wagner: I have my head in the clouds and my feet rooted in reality, which makes me both and neither positive and/ nor negative.  Suzanne: I’m a positive person, that needs reality checks every once in a while. Jason: I would like to think I am a positive person. I believe in order to be happy you have to have a mindset that looks for the good in life.  

 

1. What is your favorite hot beverage? Kurt Wagner: Jade Citrus Mint green tea; Sean: Hot Chocolate Suzanne: Hot Chocolate; Jason: Hot Chocolate

1. What is your favorite meal?  Kurt Wagner: Whichever one I’m currently eating.  Probably my mom’s lasagna; Sean: Pasta; Suzanne: The meal in the afternoon, I eat at weird times, but food always tastes better when the sun’s up.

 

1. Favorite Color? Kurt Wagner: Black; Sean: Blue; Suzanne: Orange; Jason: Green

1. Do you work well under stress?  Kurt Wagner: I hope so since I’m pretty regularly stressed.  Suzanne: Yes, the thrill of beating the deadline and also being creative is exciting instead of stifling. Jason: I do my best work under the right amount of stress.

1. How do you de-stress?  Kurt Wagner: I’ll let you know if I can figure it out. Suzanne: I’m an introvert, so I hide from everyone in my room and Netflix or Pinterest. Jason: Anything from hot showers to stretching to taking a nap.  Sean:  Having a relaxed get-together with a couple friends usually helps me. No pressure, no obligations, just enjoying each other's company.

 

1. Do you enjoy Chocolate? Kurt Wagner: Not so much on its own.  If it is mixed with other things, then I do in small doses.  Suzanne: Yes, please. Jason: Of course!

1. What season most inspires you? Kurt Wagner: I’m a summer creature.  Represents freedom and the height of human possibility to me; Sean: Winter because it’s a time of holidays plus everything is cold and dead.  It’s a great dichotomy. Suzanne: Autumn. Even the name evokes mystery and adventure. Jason: Fall

 

1. What motivates you in life? Kurt Wagner: The quotes - “Life begins when you leave your comfort zone.” “I am the master of my fate.  I am the captain of my soul.”  “If you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” Suzanne: I want to always be growing and changing and pushing myself and others to become more of themselves. Sean:  My own dreams and the dreams of others. I feed off good vibes, working together, and the company of others.

1. When you were a child, what did you always want to be when you grew up?  Kurt Wagner: a ninja or spy…I’m still holding out for that.  Suzanne: I was sure I wanted to be a Veterinarian. My first animal science class cleared that up really quick. Jason: Zookeeper.  Sean:  What did any child too excited about Jurassic Park want to be? A paleontologist.

1. Which Harry Potter house would you belong to? Kurt Wagner: on the online surveys I always wind up perfectly split between Gryffindor and Slytherin with Ravenclaw following close behind. Suzanne: Gryffindor or Ravenclaw with a dash of Slytherin. Jason: Ravenclaw.  Sean:  These tests are inherently not very good. But probably Ravenclaw.
   

 
Thank you Morpheus, Inc. for being today’s BUZZ GUEST!  And I too, in my heart of hearts, would like to be a ninja or a spy when I grow up.  Hold onto that dream! 
 
 
LET'S GENERATE A BUZZ! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/
 
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My BUZZ GUEST today is Bea Cannon author of eighteen publications! 
Bea lives in Charlotte, NC.

In addition to writing science fiction and fantasy (and a smidgen of horror) she enjoys a good read, working crossword puzzles, walking, drawing, and painting.

She is a retired electronics technician and admits to having worked at a variety of other jobs during her life, including being a dishwasher, a busgirl, a house maid, a motel/hotel maid, working in a fast-food joint, a telephone operator, and a store clerk. There have been other, not-so-glamorous jobs, including picking cotton.

She also daydreams a lot.  (Me too Bea!  Me too! :))

Bea just finished writing the third book in her SPACESHIPS AND MAGIC series called “TURNER: UNEXPECTED CHANGE”.  I don’t know about you folks but I LOVE that Bea has mixed two beloved genres into one.  Being a sci-fi and fantasy fan I don’t see how a storyline that combines those two genres could be anything but exciting! 

Bea has taken time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for us:
 
1.  What drew you to writing?  I like making stuff up.
 
2.  How long did it take you to create your first book?   That’s kind of hard to answer.  I began the book in 2006 and worked on it off and on for two or three months.  I laid it down because I was still working at the time and putting in a lot of overtime on the job.  I retired in 2009 but didn’t pick the book back up until 2011.  I worked on it for a couple of months, got sick and didn’t begin work on it again until the following year when I realized that it was ‘way long for one book.  I then split it into three parts and published the first part as “Boucher’s World: Emergent” in the latter part of 2012.  So, you could say it took six years total, or if you only count the actual work, it took about ten months.
 
3.  How long did it take you to create the last?  I have yet to create my last!  However, the last book finished was “Turner: Unexpected Change” and it took six months.  It’s book 3 of my Spaceships and Magic series.  I do have another book coming out that is pre-released for June of this year, called “First”, but it’s not exactly finished since it’s waiting for the final edit.  I’ve worked on that one for four months.
 
4.  What have you learned in between?  I’ve learned that the more I write, the more I want to write.
 
5.  Do you prefer creating short stories, or novels?  I don’t have a preference.  I’ll use whatever it takes to tell the story.  I have eighteen publications; eight are novel-length (between 77,000 and 162,000 words), three are short novels or novellas (between 30,000 and 41,000 words), three are novelettes (more than 12,000 but less than 20,000 words), and four are short stories of less than 10,000 words.  I have used five hundred words or less to tell a story (have also written some one hundred word drabbles).
 
6.  What genre do you write and why?  My current series is what I call scifantasy, which is, as the term implies, a combining of science-fiction and fantasy.  I have written a few that could be classified as paranormal, and my first book is mostly science-fiction.  I’ve also got a couple of very short stories that are kind of horror stories and one of my published short stories could be called black urban.  As to why, well, I grew up reading fairy tales and fantasy with a good dollop of science-fiction thrown in, so I write what I enjoy reading.
 
7.  Can you pick a favorite line from your latest work (or the work being highlighted) and tell us why this is your favorite?   It’s kind of hard to choose a favorite.  I’ve written a lot of lines over the years.  However, here is one I enjoyed writing from “Turner: Bitter Change”.  The MC, Juri is having what she thinks is a nightmare but is actually a vision:
 
I stood looking at a blighted, stark landscape filled with shadows, littered with the rubble of a broken realm.  A cold, harsh wind mourned across the scene, blowing tendrils of smoke and pieces of debris through the bleak land.
 
8.  What about your life influenced your drive to write?  Having the time to do it.  Being retired has helped a lot.
 
9.  What is next on your current writing agenda?  Well, as I stated before, I’ve pre-released a novel for June of this year which is still awaiting its final edit, but I’m also working on the first draft of book 4 of my Spaceships and Magic series which I plan to release in the fall.  I’m also working on another book which I hope to have ready by the end of the year, and another that I’d like to publish by spring of next year.  In addition, I’m working on a new story in my Boucher’s World series and one in my werewolf short series (Cady and Sam).
 
10.  What kind of books do you enjoy reading?  I enjoy reading fantasy and science-fiction, horror, paranormal, and anything funny.
 
11.  What are you reading now?  Right now I’m not reading anything since I find it difficult to do so while working a first draft.
 
12.  Do you have a favorite author?  Too many to list them all, but a here’s a few (and in no particular order): Andre Norton, Octavia Butler, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Douglas Adams, Jim Butler, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Zenna Henderson, Alice Walker…I could go on forever!
 
13.  Do you have other work experience?  What in?  I’ve worked lots of different jobs through the years.  As a child, even though I lived in a city, I had the glamorous job of picking cotton (don’t laugh - it paid for my fourth grade dictionary and bought me a pair of shoes every year until the fifth grade); as a teen I graduated to dishwasher, bus girl, maid; later I worked on an office clean-up crew, and as a cashier and store clerk.  After hiring on at the telephone company (BellSouth but by the time I retired it had become AT&T), I was a telephone operator, accounting clerk, network clerk, testing technician, and I spent my final fifteen year or so as an electronics technician before retiring in 2009 (I spent thirty-seven years there - some of my other jobs ran concurrent with that one).
 
14.  Are you a positive person, negative, or realistic?  I’m kind of a positive realist.
 
15.  What is your favorite hot beverage?  Coffee, of course!
 
16.  What hobbies do you enjoy?  I like to work crossword puzzles, read, walk, draw and paint, and of course, write.
 
Thank you Bea.  I really enjoyed your answers.  I like to make stuff up and daydream too!  :)


You can find Bea at: 
Website -> pcannon16.wordpress.com
Twitter -> @pbeacannon

You can find Bea's other books at:

My BUZZ GUEST for the conclusion of Mother's Day weekend is poet, Reiki Master, and Chakradance facilitator SANDRA MACLEAN.

Here are Sandra's concluding thoughts on the matriarchal ladies from her family. 

Sandra's mom. 

IRONY
 
I find it ironic that I started writing these blogs coming up to the month of May. The month this all began. Grams day I am referring to.

The 27th of May the day Gram passed over. Then my using both my grandmothers as the pre-empting to my personal story. My other Grandmother passed over May 9th, 1986. Two days before Mother’s Day.

Then I realize what a bizarre ‘twist of fate’(?) that I honour and celebrate the 3 wise women’s deaths in the same month. You see, my Mother passed away May 2nd, 7 years ago. To think they all passed over in the same month which is the month WE ALL celebrate Mother’s Day.

I call them the 3 wise women as that is what they were. I spoke of the ways in which my Grandmothers were spiritual. I find myself groping for the ways in which my Mother was.

Then all of a sudden the little things she used to say to me start jumping around in my head. Like when I would misplace something, she would say “The fairies hid it”. Those darn fairies hide everything on me.
But fairies do like to play games with us. I believe in fairies, I do, I do!

I also believe in magic. Enjoy my poem about magic….
 
MAGIC HAPPENS
 
Bridges burned
Lessons learned
Passages earned.
 
 
Gates open
Relationships deepen
And magic happens.
 
Bridges lifted
Lessons sifted
Passages gifted.
 
Hearts open
Love deepens
And magic happens.

 
Thank you Sandra for sharing your lovely family ritual of “Grams Day” and all of your memories of them and their influence on your life.  This was a truly beautiful share for Mother’s Day weekend. 


LET'S CREATE A BUZZ! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/


#FWPub #WitchonParole #paranormal #scifi #poetry #amreadingfantasy #books #bookworm #AmWriting #novels #mothersday #reiki #chakradance #urbanfantasy #fantasy #amreading

Click on the button below to enter a #GoodReadsGiveaway contest hosted by #FWPub Fantasy Works Publishing. 
Contest runs from May 3rd to May 10th, 2016. 

My BUZZ GUEST today is Sandra MacLean.  Sandra spoke yesterday of her family's tradition of "GRAM'S DAY".  

Today Sandra will share a few things about her paternal grandmother on this Mother's Day weekend. 

GRANDMOTHERS
 
Both my maternal and paternal Grandmothers were spiritual in their own ways. Both having similar yet different ideas what that meant.
 
My paternal Grandmother talked about numerology. When I was about 12 she figured out our numbers using the day, month and year we were born. She didn’t give me the meaning of them. However, it set a precedence for my spiritual journey.
I remember us having discussions about a ride range of things. One being our connection when she passed over. She talked about buying us each identical necklaces. When she died I was to take hers and wear it and put mine in her casket. She felt this would help her to come and visit me.
Unfortunately, she never did buy those necklaces, however I have felt her presence on many occasions and dream about her often. The last dream she looked me in the eye and told me she loved me.
Now, my maternal Grandmother who you have been introduced to as ‘Gram’, well she was another story.
Until next time…

Thank you Sandra for sharing your grandmother with us. 

You can find Sandra at:
Her Facebook Page – Awakening Healing Hearts
https://www.facebook.com/Awakening-Healing-Hearts-359265950940076/
Or on Twitter - https://twitter.com/SandraAwh44

BUZZ NOTICE:  Sandra will be back tomorrow to talk about her matriarchal grandmother whom she called “Gram”. 

LET'S CREATE A BUZZ!
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/
 
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Click the button below to enter a #GoodReadsGiveaway contest to win a copy of Ismael Manzano's  #Soulless, Book One of the #SoulBroker series.  #GoodReadsGiveaway only lasts from May 3rd - May 10th, 2016. 

My BUZZ GUEST for Mother's Day weekend is Poet, Reiki Master, and Chakradance Facilitator SANDRA MACLEAN! 

Sandra's family have a very special way of remembering the matriarchs in their family.  When she told me about it I asked her to share with you their family ritual of "Grams Day". 

Here is Sandra's story of how "Grams Day" began and continues: 

Family Traditions
 
For most of us, family traditions revolve around happy occasions like celebrations and holidays. I’d like to share a family tradition we started because of a death. What I like to call a celebration of life.

11 years ago May 27th, the matriarch of our family passed over to the other side. She was 89 years old. Gram to us all. She was strong willed. And she loved to laugh.

I remember during an interview I was asked who I would like to be for a day and why. I said her because I wanted to be inside her head to know what kept her going. May be so I could see how she got her strength.

Knowing she was the glue that kept us together and sensing a dis connect because of her death, ‘Gram’s Day’ was erected. My immediate family being a 2-hour drive away drove that feeling home.

Each year on a weekend as close to her death as we can arrange, the girls’ get together for lunch. At first it was at her favourite restaurant. Swiss Chalet. We would have lunch and gather after at the cemetery to place carnations on her gravesite. Carnations also being her favourite.

As the years have progressed we have changed it up. We now do a potluck at one Aunt’s after visiting Gram. This year my Aunt asked if after over ten years did we still want to continue it.

My sense of disconnect settled in again and I said for sure. We need an excuse to get together. As we all know life is busy and if we don’t go the extra mile to make family matter, well I don’t need to explain.

Here’s to you Gram. For still being the glue.


Thank you Sandra for sharing your special “Grams Day” ritual.  Such an awesome idea and a beautiful way to remember those that have passed and those that are still with us. 
 
BUZZ NOTE:  Check back over the weekend as Sandra talks about her special “Grandmothers” and the ways that they have influenced her daily and spiritual life. 
 
LET'S CREATE A BUZZ! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/

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Today's BUZZ GUEST is poet SANDRA MACLEAN here to share another life story with us. 

As part three of our Mother's Day Weekend Sandra has agreed to share with us some memories of her matriarchal grandmother. 

GRAM
 
Now for the other story. Gram. She was a Christian. Strong in her faith. Went to church every Sunday.

But she loved her ‘Ouija’ board. She had TWO of them. She used to freak us out a little when we would play with her. She didn’t even have to have her fingers touching that thing and it would slide across the board like a gust of wind had blown in. Trust me, no wind, no anything, but the energy was real.

She used to live her life by that thing. My Aunt finally took both of them away as she felt my gram had a problem.  I experimented with the board in my teens and spooked myself. I decided it was not something for me.

Gram also taught us the art of using a pendulum, with a needle and thread. I bet this conjures up memories for a lot of you.

At a very young age I already had a sense that there was more out there. I had an out of body when I was in Grade 3 while my teacher was reading us a story. So having the Grandmothers that I did enabled me to keep that door open. So many of us lose it.

This all helped me evolve to the spiritual being I am today. A little of my journey to come.

 
Thank you Sandra for sharing memories of your “Gram”.  It was so interesting. 

BUZZ NOTE:  Join us tomorrow for the conclusion of Mother’s Day weekend where Sandra will share some thoughts and a poem.  Can’t wait! 
 
LET'S CREATE A BUZZ! Urban Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-Fi Authors Artists Poets if you would like to be a BUZZ GUEST on FAE AND WITCHES AND GHOSTS—OH MY! Please DM me on Twitter https://twitter.com/kay_latour or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kaylatour/

#FWPub #WitchonParole #paranormal #scifi #poetry #amreadingfantasy #books #bookworm #AmWriting #novels #mothersday #reiki #chakradance #urbanfantasy #fantasy #amreading

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