Blog Tour: Clay and Blood by Rebekah Jonesy

Today the blog is part of the tour for Clay and Blood, Book 2 in the Mab’s Doll series, by the talented Rebekah Jonesy. I have a spotlight on the fantasy novel, plus a great guest post by the author on Dryads.  Enjoy.

Clay and Blood by Rebekah Jonesy

Gillian Gilchrist has no time to rest after completing her first missions for Queen Mab and the goddess Danu. There is still the cleanup to do, and that’s how she finds herself following the trail of devastation left by a rogue fae.

Somehow this one moves through the trees without leaving any trace of its passing, except for the tattered and bloody clothing of its victims.

In the dark woods Gillian can’t tell if the culprit she is tracking is insane, sick, or simply acting out its true nature, but she knows that the only way to find out is to track it, capture it, and question it.

Unfortunately, that means following the scent of the victim’s blood soaked into the soil.

Available from

Books2Read Universal Link

Goodreads

Dryads won’t leaf me alone!

Dryads are a type of nature spirit or elemental that lives in trees. Often dryads are classified by the type of tree they are paired with. Originally the word was used to describe a tree nymph that lived in an oak tree or forest but the mean grew to encompass all trees.

Originally depicted as shy they would run and hide from humans, and most others. But in later stories, after they were described as being tied to their tree’s life, they would work to protect themselves. Whether that meant leading woodcutters away or crying to the gods for help. Dryads were seen as protectors and caretakers. There are several myths about them even raising children for the gods. Rarely was a dryad depicted as violent. After all, how could a tree be violent?

In my story Clay and Blood, I turned that line of thinking on its ear. My dryad is still protective, and cares for children, however she takes a more proactive approach to it. She kills the people that harm her trees, and uses their bodies to enrich the soil. Ensuring a strong network of her trees and the future of her progeny. Blood is rich in nutrients and she no longer has the patience to wait for the humans to die on their own time schedule.

Gillian Gilchrist has no time to rest after completing her first mission. There is still the cleanup which leads her to a trail of devastation left by a rogue fae.

Somehow this one moves through the trees without leaving any trace, except for the tattered and bloody clothing of its victims.

Pitch and Gillian can’t tell if the culprit is insane, sick, or simply acting out its true nature.

If you would like to read more about this and the others characters and legends I have written about please check out my book Clay and Blood
books2read.com/u/mqZk6v
And please join me on the rest of the stops on my book release blog tour for Clay and Blood. I did a lot of fun interviews, different flavor for each one. I also wrote character spotlights and articles that I thought were a lot of fun. So check out ourwriteside.com for those links or my blog http://rebekahjonesy.blogspot.com/ for the list, that’s also where I post glowing reviews on all of JD’s works so far. I will also be posting the links on my reader group on Facebook where I let my geek flag fly proudly and talk about my books and writing. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1214371635362864

Scath Oran Blog Tour: The Banshee

Today, the blog is a stop on the Scath Oran book tour and I have a guest post by author Stacy Overby on one of my favourite subjects, the Banshee. I also have a look at Stacy's new poetry book, Scath Oran, so enjoy.

The Banshee

Banshees. They’re the quintessential mythical creature when it comes to creepiness and death. Many movies and stories include them, but what—beyond their shriek—do the stories tell about banshees? That question drew me to explore the myths surrounding banshees when writing Scath Oran.

Banshee Origins

The origins of the banshee are somewhat clouded, but one drew my attention. It is said that the banshees came from women who died during childbirth. These women-turned-banshees roamed, portending death, until they reached what would have been the end of their natural life. None of the myths talked about what happened from there, but the implication is that they passed into their version of Heaven or paradise. Other legends talk about banshees being created from women who were murdered. It seems that, regardless of the method, legends say banshees are created from women who meet tragic ends.

With this origin myth, the banshees would presumably appear as young women. While that was sometimes the case, it did not always hold true. This is one place where the Celtic belief in Maiden, Mother, Crone shows up. Just as often as the banshee appeared young, she also would appear as an older woman to an old “hag”. Another image from Scotland painted of the banshee was a woman washing bloodied clothes at the ford in a river. The one who saw her there washing the bloodied clothes would soon die.

The Banshee Cry

The keening and wailing of the banshee is perhaps the most classic aspect of the banshee, and the one most often thought of when the banshee are mentioned. Most legends agree that this cry is about warning someone of impending doom. Some legends say the banshee only cry at the death of a true blood Milesian Irish. Others talk about the number of banshee keening signified the greatness or holiness of the person who died.

Scholars believe the wailing of the banshee stems from a different Irish tradition. At funerals, the Irish would hire keeners to wail laments at a death. The better the keener, the more in demand she was. With this association with death and funerals, it is easy to see how this tradition crossed the line to become something more in legends.

The Fairy Connection

Another interesting aspect of banshees is that some Irish believed the banshee was a fairy woman who would bear the news of a loved one’s death. This held true even when the person died far from home and family. Thus, the banshee would be the herald bearing the news of the death before any human messenger could bring the sad tidings.

Also Known As

The banshee had multiple other names as well. She could be known as the bean chaointe, or keening woman. Bean nighe, or other variants, meaning little washerwoman or washer at the ford, is a Scottish variation to the banshee myth. The hag of the mist was yet another variation of the banshee stemming from Welsh legends. Which name was used depended on the region in which the story originated.

Other Facts

The intentions, and dangerousness, of the banshee also varied depending on the legend being studied. Some banshees were said to be closely tied to their families and their cries were sorrowful laments of the loss to the family. Other banshee legends talked of angry and vengeful female spirits who frightened and tormented those who heard her cries. A few even speak of the banshees causing the deaths they sang of, rather than just reporting them.

One of the most intriguing pieces of information on the banshee I found was about the beliefs in banshee. For many centuries, not believing in banshee was blasphemous in the British Isles—Ireland in specific. While this has waned in modern times, there are still those who believe in the existence of banshees as something more than myth and legend.

So, there you have it, a brief history of the banshees. They are featured several times in Scath Oran, including a story about how one banshee came to be. Scath Oran is available on Amazon and Draft2Digital. You can find me at www.thisisnothitchhikersguide.com.

Scath Oran: poetry from the Otherworld by Stacy Overby 

The Wee Folk. The Fae. Fairies.

Whatever you may call them, they have whispered secrets in this collection of poetry plucked from the halls of Tír na nÓg. But, be forewarned, not all is as it seems on a journey through the shining realm. Come, take a step into the fairy ring as songs of the Fae drift on the damp night air. 

Scath Oran: poetry from the Otherworld

releases September 22nd, 2018 and is available at

Amazon

Draft2Digital






For more stops on the tour check out the list: Scath Oran Blog Tour

Moss and Clay Book Tour: American Legends and Urban Fantasy

Today we are a stop on the Moss and Clay (Book 1 in the Mab’s Doll Series) book tour. I spotlight this new release (out May 26th), a mythological fantasy novel by Rebekah Jonesy, as well as present a guest post by the author. Enjoy.

Moss and Clay (Book 1 in the Mab’s Doll Series) by Rebekah Jonesy

Moss, clay, and blood--that's how Gillian began.

A doll, crafted and given a mission by Danu. Given life by human and Fae blood.  First daughter of Mab, Queen of the Fae, Gillian must track down the rogue fae in the Americas and bring them back under Fae Law with only a volunteer kelpie to travel with her.

And no one knows what they’re in for. Not even the gods that sent them.

Get the free prequel story here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/g7cjknwe9p

The book is available at: Amazon Kindle
on pre-order until May 26th 2018 when it goes live.

And now for the guest post

American Legends and Urban Fantasy

America is a crazy, mixed up, wild combination of everything. And I love it. From the food to the language to the legends and ghost stories; America is a tossed salad of everything.

https://pixabay.com/photo-2756467/

And like American salads, that isn’t always a healthy thing.

Because what happens when you run into a four legged creature that stands taller than your car, has rows of sharp teeth, sounds like it has hooves, and is being chased by a thunderstorm? Do you cover your ears? Do you make the sign of the cross? Do you offer it three drops of blood? Or do you make sure you do not make contact of any kind?

Well that depends on if it is a bäckahäst, a kelpie, a nøkk, or a nix. In a land of mixed cultures like America is, it only makes sense that all of their monsters and legends should follow. But if that holds true then how is anyone supposed to know how to identify and protect themselves from the complex variations of imported or domestic legends?

Because of course, America had its own legends and myths before the Europeans came sailing in. What if the four-legged creature wasn’t a creature at all. But was instead a Navajo witch called a skin-walker?

https://pixabay.com/photo-1637646/

Let’s just hope it’s a werewolf instead. We all know how to deal with those. Right?

Right?!

But America has a thousand such stories. Some very similar to each other. The White Ladies and La Llorona. Hasn’t everyone heard the ghost story of the local woman that drowned and still walks the river looking for her child? Some of those stories say that if she notices you she will start to scream and wail and you’ll be frozen in place, just like the banshees of Scotland.
We’re Americans though, so we don’t just stick to the old stories. Instead we make up new ones. The black eyed children that have to be invited in to do God knows what to you. The Slenderman myth that took on such a brutal life of its own when two girls committed murders to appease him. The Rake that sits at the foot of your bed and steals your ability to move and possibly even your life force. The black dog that chases down truckers and is an omen of imminent death. These are all new legends, birthed by Americans themselves. We have so many now that we even created a new term that covers all of them. Creepy Pasta.

It’s a crazy, mixed up, wild combination of everything. And I love it. Which is why I started a new urban fantasy series to address as many as possible. I’m not just relying on myself, though. I’ve started a Facebook group where we can all tell and share the stories we know and love. And I would love it if you would join me. Share your stories and read mine. Cause how else are you going to learn the difference between a pooka and a nix?

About the Author

Rebekah Jonesy knows stuff about things and isn't afraid to talk and write about it. Outside of the literary world, she is a mad scientist cook, gardener, Jill of all trades, and military spouse. Inside the literary world she is a devourer of books, publisher, and mentor.

“Rebekah has the best kind of rabies”- JD Estrada You can follow author Rebekah Jonesy at Twitter, Facebook, join her reader’s group, or her blog Heart Strong.

You can sign up for her newsletter here: Newsletter 

Or check her out on Amazon, Goodreads or Smashwords 

And of course you can find her books here for the free prequel to Mab’s Doll or grab your copy of the first book of the series, Moss and Clay 

And check out the other awesome stops in the Moss and Clay tour.