And that means…that his beautiful paintings will be the very thing which will take your breath away.

Jean-Luc is a visionary artist who has lived in the Pacific Islands for the past 40 years.

He has spent thousands of hours immersed in the holographic undersea world of dolphins and whales, sharing his vision and wisdom through his art.

I was overwhelmed when I first saw his work in the 1980′s, but even moreso to see it transformed into a video called Transmuteo.

The world that he has created reminded me of the world I describe in my novels, so I approached Jean-Luc and received his permission to share this exsquisitely beautiful creation on this site.

I now have his permission to share his paintings as well and they are, as you will see, absolutely amazing.

Mukal

Starmatrix

Aquatheater

Cocoon

Starlink

Tulom

Mercasa

ET Angel

Starseed Child

Isle of Perfums

Timeless

These and many more can be found at this link… http://www.jeanlucbozzoli.com/Paintings.html

or at http://www.eyewithin.com/

The link below is only a 2 minute sample of the video Transmuteo, not the full-length version, but it is a visual feast and a feast for the senses in every way.

BRGZp5Rq3tc

We can’t see it, we can’t touch it and we rarely ever talk about it, but it is always on a permanent state of alert, just waiting to be activated.

Your brain is your processing plant, but your mind is the generator of thoughts and ideas which have never before seen the light of day.

We are constantly venturing out there, playing around with energy in one form or another, developing potential thoughts and ideas which are just waiting to be used.

Where is the realm of the imagination and how do you access it?

It’s not really out there at all…it is within…factored into your DNA…just like every other component that makes you unique.

You don’t even have to call upon it, but the very moment you get into creative mode, it comes alive and ideas trickles down…little by little…or sometimes all at once…

So…the next time you’ve got writer’s block or something even worse…do not despair.

You can try to visualise that great cosmic playground in the your mind…if that helps…but if it does not…

Just take a break from what you were doing…or maybe even take three deep breaths and…hey presto…the very idea you’ve been looking for will appear from out of the blue.

That’s how the imagination works.

And before you go…drift away into the imaginary realm of an inspired artist, Jean Luc Bozzoli, who is the creator of this beautiful painting, Earth Sea.

Earth Sea

Jean-Luc’s work can be found at http://www.eyewithin.com

After a while…you are drawn back to have one more look…and then you find things you never noticed before.

They are like living creatures…eternally searching for everlasting perfection.

After all, they will outlive their creator and go on into the future as everything does.

That is a reassuring thought…isn’t it?

This magnificent creation is called ET Angel and it is by  an inspired artist…Jean-Luc Bozzoli from http://www.eyewithin.com

Sometimes we need a visual reminder of the bigger picture…

This particular game has the ability to recreate the thoughts in a players mind and, in this case, it just happens to be Dheago’s.

Their task is to accumulate credit points and in Chapter 6, they stumble upon a recreation of Dheago’s family home, but it is somewhat different from what they remember. If they are to get out of this maze in one piece, they will have to battle it out with a series of unidentified opponents.

Click on the link below, but remember to duck and dive…here and there…as your life may depend on it.

CHAPTER 6 OF THE LABYRINTH OF FIRE

THE CITADEL OF FIRE.

This is the second book in the series.

Addric and Dheago are preparing for a battle of a very different nature. They have arrived at the heart centre of their world, along with several new friends and are discussing the pros and cons of universal energies with Slinkfoot Sam…aka…Slinky…an uncommonly thin garden gnome of a character who they have only just met. Slinky has an inquiring mind when it comes to most things…including the numerous, as yet, unidentified aspects of universal energies.

Read a sample chapter from my second book.

Click on this link and discover the wonderfully quirky Slinky and his delightful son Barclay.

CHAPTER 109 OF THE CITADEL OF FIRE

THE SANCTUARY OF FIRE

The third book in the series.

Addric and Dheago and their accomplices are under the impression that they are heading off for a pleasant afternoon sailing trip on Jolariel’s crystal powered ship, but as they very soon discover, the captain of this vessel, Yusef, has an agenda of his own.

Read a sample chapter from my third book.

Click on this link and see what trickery Yusef has up his invisible sleeve…

CHAPTER 23 OF THE SANCTUARY OF FIRE

The painting featured on this site is called Stargate by Jean-Luc Bozzoli

Go to www.eyewithin to see more of Jean-Luc’s beautiful artwork.

Stargate

One such book, published in the 1990′s was called ‘Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.’

It was a best seller, but it had nothing to do with that idea at all. It was about gender relationships, based on the premise that men and women are fundamentally different.

But, it’s an interesting idea, isn’t it, that we really might originate from some other planet in some other galaxy.

And if we did…why do we now live on Earth?

I can think of all sorts of reasons why this is the planet of choice of over 6 billion souls that have taken human form.

If you had to choose between any of the planets in the Solar System, Planet Earth would get your vote without a second thought.

Why? It is without a doubt the most beautiful planet in the known universe.

There is every possibility that there are many other inhabited planets out there and possibly a few which are equally as beautiful, but the dazzling beauty of Earth alone can’t be the only reason why we’re here.

I for one do not believe that we are a random event on an isolated planet on the outer edge of the universe just waiting for something exciting to happen.

Something exciting is happening and has been ever since human beings appeared on this planet. It may not seem like it when you think about it in terms of your day-to-day life, but there’s a good reason for that…all is not as it seems.

As many of us know instinctively, there is so much more to human beings than what we can see, but we all want to know more and we would like a few clearly defined answers, wouldn’t we?

We would love someone to tell us that our mundane lives are of vital importance in the grand scheme of things, that we chose to live on this planet because it is equally vital to the future of everyone in the universe and that we are making a difference.

And that is possibly so…but you will have to wait a little while to find out just what it is.

Think back to last year. We were all waiting anxiously to see if the prophecies of the Mayan calendar would come to pass, whether we would live to see another day.

None of us wanted the universe turn on us for reasons which had never been revealed and neutralise us with thunderbolts and lightning or any other form of cosmic energy.

As it turned out, the information in the Mayan calendar was not a prophecy at all, but a prediction related to one of the major cycles of the universe. It was simply pinpointing a date when one 26,000 year cycle would end and another cycle would begin.

But, unbeknownst to most of us, there were other things going on. The Mayan calendar was referring to a grand alignment in the heavenly realms, one that had been coming for a long time and one that had been bringing changes of another kind altogether.

Whether we are aware of it or not, the universe has its periods of growth and transformation, it is not static and unchanging and never has been, but it is during these times that great changes often take place.

When those changes do happen, they can affect everything in one way or another. Mostly, they are so subtle that you never notice anything at all and then there are other times when we experience distinct changes of one form or another.

These are often periods of turbulence which are usually followed by periods of enlightenment.

THE NEW AGE PHENOMENON

The period known as the 1960’s on Planet Earth, was just such a time. After centuries of bloodshed, violence and warfare, many people knew instinctively that a change was coming. It triggered a response at a ground roots level at first, a clarion call that many people heard and responded to.

Commonly known as ‘the sixties,’ this was the beginning of the era known as the New Age…an era that had been prophesised centuries before but had never been clearly explained.

Its imminent arrival had been described by many of the prophets of days gone by in metaphorical and symbolic terms.

The New Age phenomenon was never obvious but its energy had been creeping along at a snail’s pace, its message carried along by a host of individuals over time.

It came to the attention of the younger generation in the 1960’s who expressed the philosophy which has since been characterized by two of the most powerful ideas ever to appear in this part of the cosmos; love and peace amongst all human beings.

Before the 1960’s had passed into history, those very same people were still spreading the word twenty years later,

The Age of Aquarius or the Age of Enlightenment as it is also known, had arrived.

A new spiritual energy had appeared on the Planet and was revealed in many different forms, including a growing interest in the beliefs of Eastern religions, meditation, metaphysics, transcendentalism, astral projection, holistic health and one other even more interesting development.

INSPIRED IDEAS

Channelling was not a new phenomenon; it has always been with us, but in the 1980’s it took its place in history. At one level it is considered to be the domain of mediums and mystics and those who consult with the spirit world, but there is so more to it than that.

Creative people use this option every day of their lives and so does almost everyone else. Some refer to it as inspiration or even divine inspiration, but it really is a part of our daily routine.

It happens when we are lost in thought or daydreaming, contemplating our navel, looking out the window or thinking about something that’s going on in our lives.

Anyone who has ever sat in front of a blank page or a blank canvas waiting for an inspired idea to pop into their head knows exactly what it is.

When it does happen…the floodgates open and you are off and running. In computer terms, you would probably refer to it as downloading, but whatever you want to call it, most of us do it all of the time…we just don’t realise what it is.

A LITTLE BIT OF ANCIENT HISTORY

In the 1980’s, channelling opened the floodgates of the heavenly realms to reveal the existence of a host of ascended masters who were ready and waiting to share the message of the New Age.

Many of these enlightened beings spoke through a human channel and became famous for the knowledge, advice and the wisdom they shared as to the true nature of existence, why we exist, why we are here and even our potential as human beings.

One of those whose became justifiably famous during the 1980’s was Ramtha, an ascended being who had lived the life of a human being 35,000 years before.

He had once been a mighty warrior from the fabled civilisation of Atlantis, the general in charge of an army of hundreds of thousands of men which had ravaged the Earth during a time of geological upheaval.

After losing one major battle, he retreated to a life of meditation and ten years later, he ascended to the heavenly realms on a wave of golden light, vowing that he would return with a message for all mankind.

THE GODS OF SPACE AND TIME

As usual, that very longwinded introduction is my way of introducing yet another chapter from one of my stories.

I have used this period in Earth’s history, the 1980’s, as the background for my fourth book, The Gods of Space and Time.

Addric decides to visit his brother Dheago who has been living in a fictitious village north of London with his girlfriend Elisabeth. They had absolutely no idea that any of this was going on behind the scenes, but in this story, they learn about it in a fun and interesting way.

Book four has a high powered emotional element. Addric discovers the secret of travelling back and forth through time. This becomes the reason for the primary problem in the story. Dheago’s girlfriend Elisabeth is accidentally sucked into a portal and back in time.

Her spirit abandons her body and her life now hangs in the balance. She is in a coma and her spirit is wandering freely, but if they are to save her at all, they have no choice but to track her down.

In an effort to do so, Addric and Dheago are sucked into a time vortex and find themselves lost in a non-temporal realm, a place commonly referred to as the astral plains.

It is here that they encounter Maya, a woman who was once a Princess of Atlantis. Maya is one of many people whose task it is to care for lost souls in a place known as the Pearl Garden.

In this extract, she responds to an emergency from one of the newer patients in her care, one who, as it turns out, just happens to be Dheago’s girlfriend, Elisabeth.

Unfortunately, Elisabeth’s visit to the Pearl Garden is short lived and in an effort to track her down, Maya suggests they consult with higher powers. She proves to be a font of knowledge and on the way to visit the Elders; she updates Addric and Dheago on the secrets of Planet Earth.

As usual…Addric is the narrator.

THE PEARL GARDEN

Dheago would have demolished the door there and then if it had not been for Maya. The very second she saw the look in his eyes, she held up her wand and he stepped back, knowing that she meant business.

‘Even you, my Lord, are not permitted to interfere in this situation.’

I was aware of the power of love and how potent it was as a force in my life; I had experienced it on so many occasions, but the intensity of Dheago’s love for Elisabeth had only deepened since the day he first set eyes on her; even Maya was aware of that.

‘There is nothing we can do Dheago, if this is your beloved, all we can do is allow her the freedom to make her own choice as to what she will do.’

Maya explained that a souled being had the right to make their own decisions. When they do decide to transition, it is both private and personal and beyond anything else, it is a very beautiful and very sacred experience. In most cases, they simply move on, but for some there is unfinished business.

‘If you don’t mind me asking,’ Maya said, ‘how did a woman from the 20^th century end up in Ancient Rome?’

‘That is a most unusual situation indeed.’

Maya had a right to know and as we related the sequence of events leading up to Elisabeth’s unfortunate accident, we were keeping a close eye on the developments in her room.

The light radiating from the luminous sphere above her bed was on the verge of doing something unusual, but what it was, I had no idea at all.

‘What you are looking at is the final stage of the process,’ said Maya, ‘and we will know in a few moments what choice Elisabeth has made.’

To Dheago’s horror; however, she did have a warning.

‘We can only protect Elisabeth while she is here, but for a limited period of time she will be in a very vulnerable situation, her spirit will be free to roam and it is during this period that she could be in danger.’

‘I don’t understand,’ he cried, ‘what sort of danger?’

‘It depends on what path she takes,’ Maya said. ‘The Pearl Garden is surrounded by other realms, some of which are above and some which exist side by side.’

‘If Elisabeth is drawn to the light, she will be safe, but if she comes to the attention of the lost souls of the underworld, they will try to draw her into their net and, if that happens, she really will be lost for all time.’

Dheago was mortified, his eyes glued to the ever expanding light. It was then that it started to shimmer, and in a flash, Elisabeth had gone.

‘Where is she,’ he cried, ‘I must find her Maya, please tell me how.’

Maya was momentarily stunned by this request, but she was also very aware of the intensity in Dheago’s eyes.

She took a long deep breath and said, ‘there is a way to track Elisabeth’s movements. It is not dangerous and as far as I know, it has only ever been done once before.’

‘If we are to find out anything at all we will need advice.’

‘Follow me please,’ she said.

As we sprinted through one corridor after another, I wondered why a Princess of Atalanta had chosen to devote her life to such a curious place. There was obviously a reason, but I would not find out until sometime later.

I was even more amazed to discover that there were literally hundreds of other attendants like Maya and they all resided in one of the many domed structures which peppered this realm.

With her light wand in hand, she opened one door after another until we were out in the open and racing through the gardens.

‘Where are we going?’ Dheago cried.

‘To visit the Elders,’ she informed him. ‘There is an enclave beyond this garden, one that we refer to as the Citadel; it is the only way in which we can find out anything of value.’

We made our way up a stone path which wound its way through a forest and eventually arrived at a massive archway of solid stone. It was the centerpiece of a rock wall, surrounded on both sides by huge pillars into which images had been carved.

On one side was a depiction of a very old man with a long beard holding a lantern, but on the other there was a depiction of a woman holding what I presumed to be a light wand.

To gain access, Maya held up her wand and a doorway opened as magically as every other door had done so far, but beyond that I could see very little at all except for a pathway weaving its way through the mist.

Only moments later, we were racing through the forest and eventually arrived at a ridge overlooking a valley. It was then that I saw the Citadel and felt that all too familiar energy rippling up my spine, a message I had received so many times before.

This could have been an enchanted palace in a fairytale world for all I knew, but my instincts were on high alert nevertheless. The Citadel was a shimmering column of pure energy with windows at different levels. It was approached by a massive stairway flanked by huge pylons and in anyone’s language; it was massive, soaring beyond the visible sky line as if it was a beacon with its eye posted on each and every development.

‘That is not where the Elders live,’ Maya informed us, ‘this is a portal.’

As we moved on, she explained that those like herself who lived and worked in the Pearl Garden were expected to visit the Elders at least once a year.

‘It is compulsory and an important part of our training,’ she said.

She was a fountain of knowledge and as we wandered down the hillside, she filled us in on some of the secrets of this remarkable world.

‘In a time which is now long gone, before this planet was inhabited by human beings, another race of beings occupied this world. Where they came from I do not know, but they were sent here by the celestial hierarchy to prepare this planet for habitation.’

That task according to Maya took hundreds of thousands of years as the Earth was a very different place then.

It was to have a singular honour, one which only a few heavenly bodies had ever had before. The Earth was to become the garden in which non-souled beings such as those from the houses of the great angelic families and beings from other star systems could incarnate in human form.

‘Is that important for some reason?’ Dheago asked.

‘It is indeed Dheago,’ she replied. ‘This is not just any planet; both the Earth and its inhabitants are participating in one of the grandest and most extraordinary endeavors in the known universe.’

‘What do you mean by that?’ he asked.

We listened with interest as Maya provided us with a simplified version of what she described as the overall plan. For a place like this to operate effectively, numerous energetic structures had to be set in place and they had to be tested over a long period of time.

Some of those structures are still in place today, one being the magnetic grid system of the planet, but it is only one element of a complex array of systems.

‘Several others were required to support a race of beings, who it was hoped, would be here for a very long time into the future.’

‘In eras long gone, many other civilisations once existed on this planet. Some were successful and have remained, but those that were not, were disbanded.’

‘That decision is not the in the hands of the celestial hierarchy; that decision is the domain of the being which inhabits the Earth.’

‘That would be Gaia,’ I said.

‘Yes Addric, if a species of any description has passed their use by date, to use a familiar phrase; the energy which supports them is gradually withdrawn.’

‘Obviously, life on this planet is no accident,’ I said.

‘Indeed not Addric, it is anything but that and in the form in which it exists today, human beings, while they have the freedom to make their own decisions; however, there are other aspects of their composition which are as important as the physical.’

It was then that Maya embarked on an element of the story with which we were familiar.

‘Every person on this planet has an intrinsic connection to the whole through one element of their being.’

‘Human consciousness is a pivotal factor in that equation as is another element, that which is known as the human energy field.’

‘Now that is something with which we are familiar,’ I said.

‘I was aware of that when I first saw you,’ Maya said, ‘your energy fields are not unsimilar to that of the Elders you are about to meet.’

She had used that word several times now and I was now very curious to meet them. She went on to explain that life on this planet is both a physical and a spiritual experience and places like the Pearl Garden is just one of many realms which exist for the protection of those for whom the experiences of life are too difficult to endure.

‘Then, there are other places like this,’ Dheago said.

‘Yes, but they function for other reasons.’

‘Such as?’ he asked.

‘Some are what you would describe as retreats or service centres, places to which the human spirit can withdraw in times of stress or illness or…when they are about to die.’

‘I am very glad to hear this,’ I said.

‘What do you mean Addric?’

‘Where we come from, people are considered to be special, and even though I understand a little of the way in which our system works, I am blown away by the scope of the system here on Earth.’

I had to admit that ever since I had my first ever glimpse of this planet, I could not get it out of my mind.

‘This is third time we’ve been here,’ I said, ‘but the second time round, Dheago and I ended up in the civilisation of Lemuria.’

‘That is interesting,’ said Maya, ‘in that case, we have something in common.’

‘And how might that be?’ I asked.

‘Atalanta or Atlantis was once my home and existed at the same time as Lemuria, but sadly, it too eventually went the same way.’

‘But why,’ I wondered, ‘was there something wrong with Lemuria? If there was, I was not aware of it.’

‘In fact, I still cannot believe that such an incredible civilisation simply disappeared without a trace and no one has even heard of it.’

‘Let us just say Addric, that there were issues which could not be resolved in terms of the greater plan.’

‘So that’s all it was, Lemuria was just a C class civilisation and not worthy of a future.’

‘Oh, they were worthy in so many ways as I can attest to,’ said Maya, ‘but if you really want to know the details, then the Elders will be able to tell you so much more than I can, as many of them were there on the day that Lemuria disappeared.

‘So were we,’ said Dheago.

*************************************************************************************

This is just one of many adventures that Addric and Dheago have in The Gods of Space and Time. My initial idea was that this story would take place deep inside the planet…and some of it does. However, a good story has to be engaging, it needs a reason for being and of course, it has to be interesting.

If you like what you’ve read so far…come back and visit soon…there’s a lot more to come.

My next post will be for visitors who have been asking about blog writing. I’ll do my best to make it interesting, humorous and even share a few secrets on where my ideas come from. And it won’t cost a cent.

But before you wander off into cyberspace…take a look at this wonderful painting, Starseed Child by Jean-Luc Bozzoli.

Starseed Child

And if you want to see more of Jean-Luc’s beautiful artwork… go to http://www.eyewithin.com

This information is not exclusively for the youngsters who have been visiting this site…it is for anyone at all and of course, the best way to explain my ideas is with a touch of humour and a sprinkling of imagination.

Addric Sharano is one of the two stars of my stories. He is a Yumi Master of the Third Order, a young man with a thirst for knowledge and a taste for adventure and he has volunteered to participate in this exercise.

He was on the way to visit his girlfriend, but decided to stop off at the Cosmic Bookshop for a quick drink and a chat with his old friend Zubia Lembossa.

Addric is in no hurry to get to his destination as he knows the secret of physical relocation and as such he is very well aware that he no matter how long he takes; he won’t be late for his upcoming date.

*********************************************************************************

Swathed in flowing veils and a headpiece fit for a queen, Zubia looks as exotic as her infamous establishment, the Cosmic Bookshop. Zubia originates from Kaziopea, a planet in the Darvelian Sector and both she her legendary restaurant is universally famous as a stop-over on the way to many other, equally wonderful destinations.

As Addric knows so very well after many years as a happy customer, the Cosmic Bookshop is one place in which you can zoom in on your cyber scooter, plop yourself down and have a much needed rest.

“Greetings Addric,” Zubia says, “it is so wonderful to see you again.”

It has been some time since they have seen each other and after a little chat, she invites him to take a seat in a place of his own choosing.

“And while you are here, you might even want to order an inter-stellar cocktail,” Zubia suggested, “if that is to your liking.”

“That is an excellent idea,” said Addric.

“As you know,” Zubia said, “we also have a wide range of material on topics such as universal energies, portals, teleportation, the human energy field, nature spirits, and a particular favourite of yours Addric, energy manipulation.”

“In that case Zubia,” he said, “I am glad that I stopped by. I have heard that there are one or two new developments in that domain that I have yet to catch up on.”

The Cosmic Bookshop is renowned throughout the length and breadth of the galaxy as the very best in its class because it offers customers a wide range of options to choose from.

Addric had long ago given up planning his inter-dimensional adventures in advance. As a Yumi Master of the Third Order, he could do such things with ease. A fleeting visit to the Cosmic Bookshop was just one of the many places he often visited, as was a quick visit to a neighbouring galaxy such as Planet Earth, a place he had fallen in love with a very long time ago.

He thanks Zubia and then wanders around looking for a comfortable place in which to relax.  A table with a view is his preference as it is for so many others. Only minutes later, he finds the perfect spot, situated, like so many other tables along the outer edge of a revolving glass wall and to his delight, it just happens to have a classic view of the Bubble Nebula.

Zubia appears only minutes later, carrying a tray high above her head, advertising her latest creation for all to see.

The Bookshop is alive with activity and even those who are not even remotely human in appearance automatically turn their heads when they notice a very exotic cocktail in a very long glass steaming away like an active volcano.

Addric is very impressed indeed.  “Ooh, this looks incredible Zubia,” he says “but what exactly is it?”

“This,” she informs him, “is one of my newest creations Addric, the grand-daddy of all cocktails, an el supremo, appropriately named a Lightning Conductor.”

“Woo, that sounds interesting,” he says.

“Yes, it is a combination of three different forms of distilled cosmic energy, static electricity as you can see; three nips of high voltage electrons and for the piece de resistance, a handful of luminescent magnetic filings.”

“That ought to put a little oomph in your engine,” she says with a flourish.

He takes an exploratory sip of the cocktail and gives Zubia the nod of approval.

“Absolutely delicious,” he says.

The Lightning Conductor lives up to its name in more ways than one and while it is predominantly lime green in colour, it is alive with fluorescent pink bubbles and even though it has a distinctly metallic aftertaste, it is exactly what the doctor ordered.

“That could propel a rocket ship to Mars and back,” he quips.

Zubia agrees and before she wanders off to attend to her many customers, she activates the Zilmo tag. It is a miniature device in which information is stored holographically.  The Tag as it is generally known has many uses, especially for those with busy lives and little time in which to catch up on the latest news and developments.

It is one of the reasons Addric decided to drop in. This version of the Zilmo Tag is the latest development in hi-tech communication and he is eager to see what it does.

“This wonderful little device offers you the opportunity to visualise whatever it is that you would like to experience,” Zubia says.

“It is a voice-activated system,” she explains, “all you have to do is hold it in your hand and an option menu appears magically in front of your eyes.”

“Once you have chosen your area of interest, the holographic screen offers you a series of options. If you wish to peruse an idea at your leisure, it is possible to do so. You can participate in the experience in different ways and at different levels or you can fast-track an inquiry by simply touching the item of interest.”

Addric touches the tag a little hesitantly and the menu appears at first as an aberration in the atmosphere after which, it promptly adjusts itself to suit his particular energetic resonance.

As he knows from experience, it is no longer necessary to read a book or listen to the latest news as an audio replay anymore, but you can still do that if you so choose.

After exploring a few of the tag’s options, he decides that it would be interesting to participate in a live experience and without a second thought; he selects the personal experience mode.

An automated voice advises him that what he is about to experience will be an energetic approximation of the thoughts in his mind. It will have all the features of the original and even events and places will feel both authentic and familiar.

To navigate back and forth, he can use the touch screen or simply express a command verbally. He has the usual options at his disposal, he can revisit a place or time, move forwards or backwards or pause and come back at a later date and continue at his leisure.

The very moment that Addric utters the word activate, he is drawn into a world with which he is very familiar. His decides to revisit a few familiar places and experiences.

It is not the fastest ride he has ever had, but as a means of arriving at your destination, physical relocation or travelling at the speed of light from one point to another is an exhilarating way to travel.

Addric’s first port of call is to visit his old friends the Krugwah. They are the one and only permanent residents of the world known as the Khavala. They are nature spirits in visible form that he has known for ages and not long after he first met them, they invited him to take a ride in a Krugwah portal.

It was essential at the time so that he could get a closer look at the interior world of the Khavala.

The Khavala as his galaxy is known is the heart and soul of his universe, an energy field of immense scope and power, the one place in which the finite and infinite, the known and the unknown exist as one in the boundless expanse of the universal mind.

A Krugwah portal is not the standard mode of transport in the Khavala, but it is an interesting way to travel nonetheless. Flying is second nature to the Krugwah, but if they have to get somewhere in record time, energy highways are an equally good option.

A Krugwah portal is an energetic life form and in appearance, it resembles a long luminous throat with an open mouth. There is a secret to controlling a portal of this nature as Addric discovered the hard way. He now knows that they respond to the thoughts in a user’s mind and as such it is essential to have a clear idea of your destination, otherwise you could end up anywhere.

Krugwah portals rarely travel at a moderate pace, but this was not to be an out-of-control joyride, this was an official expedition. That particular trip was not only exploratory in nature; it was also a learning experience. To understand the nature of the world in which he lived, a closer look at the hidden secrets of the Khavala was essential.

What Addric saw through the walls of the Krugwah portal had been a revelation. For the first time ever, a human being was offered the opportunity to see the hidden world of the Khavala, revealed in all of its glory.

The Khavala as he now knows is not a vast empty space populated by thousands of semi-transparent structures and floating landforms; it is a world of ever-moving energies.

Energy is an intelligence in its own right, a vast reservoir of cosmic soup in a sense, each aspect having a clearly defined purpose. It is not possible to see its true nature, not unless you have been offered the opportunity to do so, but when it does come into focus, it resembles a symphony of light and colour undulating along instinctive trails, like ribbons blowing gently in the breeze.

One of the many undiscovered secrets of the Khavala is a phenomenon called energy highways. They crisscross the Khavala from one end to the other and their sole purpose is to allow the intrepid traveller to navigate a long distance in a very short time.

If Addric had known about this feature on his first experience, that would have been useful information, but he did not. For many reasons as he later discovered, they are the perfect way to travel.

At various intervals, they are intersected by equally awe-inspiring structures called energy bridges. These are massive structures with both a lower and an upper deck which float independently in in mid-air.

Inter-dimensional highways are rarely visible to the naked eye but they do exist and to the initiated, they serve a valuable purpose.

The upper deck of a bridge is also the perfect place from which to survey the details of this strange new world.

The Khavala is a dimensional realm, a world within a world, an essential component of an ancient universe. On first inspection, it appears to be composed of cosmic dust and stars, but as Addric now knows that is only its outward form.

One of the mysteries of the Khavala is that it is populated by a vast range of barely visible structures. Hundreds, possibly thousands of ghostly forms stretching away to an invisible horizon. Some have spires and domes and others yet again resemble exotic temples and palaces, and they all float quietly, like sparkling jewels in a spectral mist.

Addric’s powers of observation are his greatest asset and his first experience of an energy highway may have been worse than it was, if he had not worked out that they too had their secrets.

At various intervals, energy highways have exit points, not all are visible or even accessible, but through sheer perspicacity, Addric had worked out that they respond to an individual’s energetic signature.

They open momentarily and allow access to yet another energy highway, some of which travel deep into the unexplored realms of the Khavala, but some do not and if you were to follow one of those, you would eventually disappear off the radar and never be seen again.

The outer shell of a highway is a semi-transparent film which resembles a membrane. It is so fragile in appearance that it looks as if it might dissolve at any given moment.

Being somewhat curious on his first encounter, Addric had decided to take a closer look and he was surprised at what he found. For purely scientific reasons, he had poked at it, somewhat tentatively of course and it had responded in a most unusual way; glistening as if it was aware of his presence.

It was on that day that Addric discovered something about the world in which he lived, that even though the membrane appeared to be composed of minute pearls of reflected light, it was a conscious entity, a living thing in its own right.

The idea of stepping into such a thing and ending up in another world was a little daunting, but Addric did so and not long after, he did find himself somewhere else altogether.

Universal energies as he had discovered can be as lethal as they are beneficial and on several occasions he had experienced their destructive power for himself. The first time was when he had seen over two hundred highly trained warrior angels turn on a Volkori, a black rider as they are known.

It was about to kidnap a defenceless child, but within seconds, an entire phalanx of angelic warriors had engulfed it in a blistering white light. The power they harnessed was also universal energies and it did not just stream from their fingertips; it flowed from every cell of their body, glowing like white hot metal.

As a Yumi Master, Addric had only used universal energies for destructive purposes once in his life, but because of that, he was aware of the power he had at his disposal.

As he had discovered, a harmless island floating peacefully around the Khavala could be reduced to dust simply by raising his hands.

To know that he could do such a thing was a lesson in humility.

He had studied Energetic Healing at school and knew that universal energies were equally responsive to those who called upon them for gentler reasons.

Universal energies as he knew can be used to change the status of an existing situation and when energy is applied to something over a period of time; they elicit a remarkable effect on behaviour.

You cannot control this form of energy, but you can call upon it for assistance. One of the secrets; however, is to be both courteous and gracious when working with such a beautiful force as universal energies.

They always respond when called upon, but they appreciate a simple kindness from the user. They cannot be used by just anyone. To work with energies for a higher purpose, an individual must achieve a level of mastery.

It was less than a year ago that Addric had a reason to call upon them to do just that.

In an effort to neutralise a destructive virus, he had called upon the energy of sound. The universe is a vibrating energy system which reveals itself in many different forms, some of which appear as light and colour and in other physical and non-physical formats, but in this case he chose to use the energy of sound.

By saturating a river which had been infected with a virus, he was hoping to change its vibrational frequency so that it could return back to its original, peaceful state.

Before becoming a Yumi Master, Addric was required to make a solemn and sacred vow promising that he would not use his powers for evil deeds or wicked purposes. If he did, the Quadron, the golden clasp which was attached to the robe he wore as a Yumi Master would immediately become his jailer and his life from that moment onwards would be a living hell.

He has found himself in dicey situations numerous times over the last few years, but his vow was always in the forefront of his mind.

Addric once had a reputation for being the most annoying kid it was possible to meet. He had all the qualities of a dysfunctional teenager but once he understood who and what he was, he changed overnight.

A new energy entered his life on that day. It had always been there, but he had never known to call upon it. It was the very essence of who and what he was, but it was only visible to those who knew what they were looking at. Like all undiscovered treasures, it was hidden away behind a cheeky grin and camouflaged by a playful spirit.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of some of the ideas I have used in my stories. This is what you would call a collage, a selection of several different chapters which I have adapted from all three of my books.

The Cosmic Bookshop or the Zilmo Tag has not yet appeared in any of my stories…but they soon will. They are ideas just waiting for a workout.

Don’t go away just yet…take a close look at this beautiful painting.

Trans Helix

  Many thanks to Jean-Luc Bozzoli for allowing me to share TransHelix on this site.

See more at  – www.eyewithin.com

It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to activate a wand of that nature…a few marks on a canvas or a few words on a page will open the doors to an idea which has never before seen the light of day.

All you have to do is start the creative process…sit down and make a mark…write a few words and hey presto…a door to an unexplored world opens before your eyes.

I have been doing that very thing over the past few months as I wanted to start work on my fourth book, so I just sat down and started writing…having no idea what it was going to be about…but I continued to peck away and it is now half finished and even though I have no idea how it is going to end…that’s half the fun of exploring new territory.

That’s how I prefer to work…and in a way, it is like playing with potentials. I did exactly the same thing with my first three books.

The only idea that I had in my mind when I started book four was that the narrator of my stories, Addric, wants to spend a lot more time on Planet Earth.

Even though he is human, he is also an alien and just about everything he encounters in our culture is mind blowing. That idea allows me to have a little fun as I am developing the introduction, but one thing leads to another and before you know it…Addric is in the middle of yet another adventure.

As well as having a few off-beat moments…book four has a high powered emotional element.

Addric discovers the secret of travelling back and forth through time. This particular element is the cause of the primary complication in this story. Dheago’s girlfriend Elisabeth is accidentally sucked into a portal and back in time. It was in every way both unexpected and very traumatic, Elisabeth’s spirit abandons her body and her life now hangs in the balance. She is in a coma and her spirit is wandering freely, but if they are to save her at all, they have no choice but to track her down.

The secret of writing a good story is that it must be believable, the reader has to engage from the first page…but another secret is to introduce a complication not long after having introduced the story.

Providing your character with difficulties and maybe even life-threatening situations to which he or she has to find a solution is what really keeps a reader wanting to know more.

Universal energies are one of the primary elements which run through my stories. This story also revolves around universal energies. I didn’t plan it like that…well, not consciously at any rate…words appeared on the page and I just went with the flow…but this time a new series of intriguing elements have appeared…one of which is the magnetic grid system of the planet.

As Addric and Dheago are flying over the north east coast of Scotland, they are sucked into an energy surge and end up in one of the near Earth realms…but this diversion is no accident…it is here that they find out so much more, but as well as that, it offers an opportunity of a life time…one which any Earthling would love to have.

My original inspiration for wanting to write this story was the idea that they would travel deep inside this planet and this is where they must go to find Elisabeth…or so they believe.

That domain is not new territory in story writing terms; it has been visited before by writers such as Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs and many others.

But this is the 21^st century and from my perspective, it is not just time for a revisit, it is time to do it a little differently. If there is something deep within this planet, Addric and Dheago will find out what it is.

So, stay tuned for the next exciting episode of, The Memoirs of a Yumi Master…and as usual…expect the unexpected.

I will keep you posted and let you know when book four is available. It is an entirely new series and I am pleased to say it has an equally intriguing title…The Gods of Space and Time.

Hang in…there is yet more to come…

Look at this extraordinary creation.

It is the work of a very talented artist Jean Luc Bozzoli.

Isle of Perfums

Go to www.eyewithin.com to see even more.

You’ve been sitting in front of your laptop all afternoon, waiting for the blog fairy to smile on you. Well, she will, but maybe not in the way you expect her to.

Creating a blog can be difficult, and if you don’t know how to start, there are a few tricks of the trade that any blogger should know about.

Blogging has become a global past-time in the 21^st century and everyone wants to get in on the act. Blogging is a way of saying your own thing, but don’t agonize if you don’t have a brilliant idea for a blog.

The secret is that you don’t have to go looking for an idea…they come looking for you…and they usually appear in a way that you least expect.

Like all good ideas, they often appear as a passing thought and most people don’t realise how valuable they can be, but when one does pop into your head, grab it with both hands and run with it.

Latch onto those first few words. Train yourself not to overlook them. Passing thoughts might be random, but they are gifts in a way…little seeds just waiting to be cultivated.

Your best ideas usually appear when your mind is a blank…and a blank canvas is a very good place to start. Mostly, a few words will pop into your head, but that is all you ever get and in most cases, that is enough to get you started.

In the blogosphere, words are the magic wands of creative people and they have the power to take you on a journey, but to get that blog happening is a major effort and at first, it might seem a little daunting.

Don’t dilly-dally when an idea does appear. Write it down immediately or you might forget it and then start playing around and see where it goes. Getting that first sentence right is the trickiest part of the writing routine. It tells the reader what they are in for.

It might take a while to get it into shape…but you must be prepared to play around with it, over and over again in most cases, before you have any idea what it is that you are going to write about.

Be brutal. Push them around until they begin to take on a life of their own…

So…let’s say that you have done that…and you are sitting at your laptop an hour later, waiting for it all to make sense…but still, nothing is happening.

Nothing will happen unless you add a little fuel to the fire. You have the skeleton of an idea but you must keep at it. Don’t give up in despair, continue to play around with what you’ve got. You really do have to fiddle around as I said, again and again and again in most cases…it is the only way to make it work.

But, most of the action takes place on the keyboard. Peck away at those half-finished sentences. Edit out the rubbish. Rearranging what you have is essential. It adds depth and it allows your idea to expand.

The best way to get that inspiration flowing is through your fingertips. Your fingers, believe it or not are like little athletes and they are just waiting for a seriously good workout, waiting for you to get that ball rolling.

A good blog can take hours to write. The first draft for this one took most of the evening. It was a response to a request from a few visitors to my website on how to create a blog. I didn’t know what I was going to write about at first…but the internet fairy came to my rescue and whispered an idea into my head.

I eventually finished it and posted it on WordPress before I went to bed. When I took a look at it the following morning, it was a mess…so it was back to the editing room. I had to sit down for a few more hours to rework it and then re-posted it with a completely different title.

I didn’t know what I was going to write about at first, but it was the result of a few random words that popped into my head…a helpful hint, a starting point, a suggestion as to what I might do.

In reality, a story has an energy of its own and it knows where it wants to go. It is essential that you understand this little secret and follow the clues that it dictates and the routine it has set in place.

The secret of a good blog is that it must not only engage you…it must engage the reader as well. In a book, it is essential to grab a reader’s attention and keep them reading.

It doesn’t matter whether it is a blog, a book or a movie…your blog has to sound credible and it is a good idea if it travels along interesting or unusual lines.

A good story has complications; a character might be confronted by a difficulty or maybe even a life-threatening situation to which he or she has to find a solution. That is the primary element that keeps a reader wanting to know more.

But a blog is a little different…it doesn’t have to have a complication or a main character, but it does help if it is a little bit interesting or humorous or even a little quirky, and the good thing is that it doesn’t have to be brilliant.

Once you have finished your masterpiece and are comfortable with what you’ve created… post it on the web; other people will read it and tell you whether or not they approve.

Remember…all you have to do is engage the reader for a few passing minutes and if they like what they read…hopefully…they will let you know and if you are lucky enough, they might even become one of your followers.

If that is all you set out to achieve…then writing a blog is worth the effort. After all, they connect you to people you have never met before and are never likely to meet, but…you never know…life is a strange and interesting experience with elements you cannot foresee.

If it does nothing else…a blog is a challenge and getting it right does wonders for your self-esteem.

So, to wrap this little routine up…in the words of this blog writer…there is one similarity between a good blog and a delicious chocolate ice cream. We all love our treats and chocolate ice cream is one thing that titillates our taste buds…but some blogs are tastier than others.

Why…they have that secret ingredient that keeps us going back for more.

So, the next time the blog fairy rings the midnight bell, invite her in to enjoy the most recent treat from the depths of your unexplored pantry.

She will be happy to pop back in and help you whip up a new idea or two.

She’s like that!

She is the Blog Fairy after all…

____________________________________________________________

Hang in there. Don’t go anywhere until you have taken a close look at this painting called Hana by Jean-Luc Bozzoli

Hana

To see even more of Jean-Luc’s artwork – go to   – www.eyewithin.com

So…what is this blog all about you might be wondering…a few pointers on how to  juggle five coloured balls or how to walk a tightrope…or something else entirely?

In  a way, it is both…in a manner of speaking.

That’s because most of things we do involves either one or the other. So…here is a clue.

If you’ve seen any of the videos on the making of a movie like The Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit you will realise what a juggling act it is to create anything at all, let alone something as phenomenal as that.

But creative people like Peter Jackson and millions of others worldwide…do it all of the time.

Movies are just one of the many ways in which we tell stories…in the 21st century.

Books have been doing it for centuries…but as a storytelling medium, they have a lot of fierce competition and are slowly being elbowed out by the internet.

For over a century, filmmakers have been finding ever more amazing ways of delivering a story in visual form. Music and song has been doing it for a lot longer than that and so has modern dance…and they all have one thing in common…they are all forms of storytelling.

You knew that…didn’t you?

Storytelling has been with us in one form or another since the beginning of time and the interest has never waned, but the way in which they are packaged and presented is always changing….thanks to creative people who are always pushing the envelope just to see how far they can go.

That’s reassuring news…but how did it all start? Where did storytelling come from?

The Oral Tradition

The oldest form of storytelling was word of mouth, an idea which is known as the oral tradition and thankfully, it still exists today. Way back in the mists of time, people would sit around a campfire and listen as a master story teller transported them into a world of gods and demons as a means of explaining the great mysteries of the universe, the meaning of life or just about anything at all.

The art of telling a story, of bringing it to life requires some level of skill, a little bit of imagination of course and more than a little confidence, but it is also useful to know a few tricks of the trade.

Tricks of the Trade

Creating any form of art is a juggling act and to get it right involves walking a fine line between so many different variables.

A storyteller must draw his audience in from the very beginning with an engaging idea, set the scene, introduce the hero and/or the villain…establish the central problem, add a little drama on the way, but most importantly, it is essential not to lose the audience before it has even started. That can wreck everything.

A good story must wriggle its way through a knotty problem, and it must work its way to some highpoint or pinnacle; however, there is no rule that says it has to be resolved by conflict. The hero does not have to die or suffer until the end of time…but the villain should get their just deserts in one way or another…and if you are in charge of this operation…make sure s/he is get what they deserve.

The art of storytelling is a waste of time if the audience is not satisfied with what you have created…not just with the progression of the story…but also how it ends.

The old style of storytelling is not nearly as popular as it was 5-6ooo years ago, but parents and teachers are some of those who do carry on this ancient tradition. Little children are an attentive audience and they will happily sit around, wide-eyed with expectation listening to a story before they go to bed or take an afternoon nap.

The Goddess Emphora

That is a roundabout way of introducing you to just one of the classic characters from my first series of books. Over the coming year, I will showcase many more, but I will start with one who plays a prominent part in the lives of Addric and Dheago.

(If you are new to this website, Addric and Dheago are the heroes of my stories…or to put it another way…they are the stars of the show.)

One particular character who has always had a part to play in some form or another is known simply as Emphora.

Emphora is a woman of insight and power…but beyond anything else she is a goddess with a heart of gold, a very human face and a sense of humour.

The Backstory

One of the tricks of the trade when delivering a story is to fill it in with a little bit of backstory at various intervals.

So…before I introduce a master storyteller, I will fill you in on a little of the backstory to the Citadel of Fire…but not much.

In this chapter from my third book, Emphora and a band of over two hundred intrepid adventurers have crossed over from one realm into another in an effort to track down a threat to their world.

One of the many children in their care, a little boy called Barclay barely survived an attack on his life by a creature known as the Volkori. At this point in the story, they are under the impression that the Volkori are the enemy as they have spent centuries crucifying the most innocent of all creatures in their world, the New Soul Children…for reasons they do not yet understand .

Also known as dark riders, the Volkori would have sucked the life-force from Barclay’s body if it had not been for the immediate response of a band of warrior angels.

As a consequence, they have no choice but to continue their journey and venture deep into an enchanted forest and get as far away from the Volkori as possible.

As their caravan travels onwards, Emphora realises that they are not alone. When she just happens to mention that they have company, Slinky, the ever curious father of Barclay just happens to overhear what she says and wants to know what she means.

Emphora is a master of many things and storytelling is just one of them.  She uses this as an opportunity to keep their minds off the problem at hand…and in the process, Slinky discovers that the world in which he lives is much more interesting than he ever realised.

This chapter is called…

A Tonic For Troubled Times

and as always, it is narrated by Addric.

The last thing we wanted to see was the Volkori menace making an unexpected assault. We were in a vulnerable situation and a place like this would be perfect for an ambush. We were surrounded by the giants of the forest, thousands of trees which were as old as time itself; a domain in which everything had an eerie bluish tinge.

We were on a state of alert nevertheless, peering into the undergrowth and monitoring every little thing we saw and heard. This was new territory and even the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves was enough to make us jittery.

We had all the protection we could ask for, gods and warrior angels, two Yumi Masters, one of whom was Lezula and two other equally powerful women, Felicity Originalis and the Countess Demetra, both of whom are wizards of the highest order.

The ever vigilant Krugwah were our constant companions. They are the most gentle of all nature spirits, but they also have a dark side. When the lives of friends and loved ones is ever at risk…you can depend on the Krugwah; they are always close by and, to our relief, they were flying one way and another, scanning the environment with unequalled precision.

If you didn’t know any better, you would never have given Emphora a passing glance as she has the ability to act as if she is completely anonymous. To the people of my world she is easily identified, dressed as always in a classic silken gown and veil.

She is a goddess like none other, her strength and power is not something that she willingly displays, but it is there and she will use it in extreme circumstances.

Compassion is one of her most obvious virtues as is a fixed and resolute gaze, and for those who have had the honour of being in her presence, it is her eyes that they always remember. As a kid, I had heard about them so very often and even from a distance, they sparkled like crystal, but they could never disguise her countless years of inexpressible concern.

Emphora is not one to be trifled with, especially in times of danger, as she has proved on numerous other occasions, but even to her eagle eye, it was apparent that this was something more than just an uninhabited forest.

‘We have company,’ Lezula whispered to Emphora.

‘We do indeed,’ Emphora replied, ‘and they have been keeping a close eye on us ever since we entered this domain.’

Slinky was within earshot and cried out immediately, ‘What manner of creatures are you talking about Emphora?’

Slinky was a resident of a little town called Ditafarago. The only road of any importance passed by and disappeared into a deep and mysterious forest to the north. Ditafarago was barely even a dot on the map, a sleepy hollow where time stood still; but to those who knew better, it was a most peculiar place with a collection of even stranger inhabitants.

Its days of anonymity; however, did not last. Its fame spread far and wide after two most unexpected developments. Even though they occurred simultaneously, the townsfolk agreed that both events were completely unrelated; the appearance of the Portal Bridge, a doorway to the world beyond just happened to be one of them.

In appearance, Slinky resembled an uncommonly thin garden gnome; he was a scrawny character with an angular face and a long pointed nose, beady but intelligent eyes and rather visible eyebrows, both of which had been trained over time to curl into a stylish twist.

Slinky was renowned for having an uncommon interest in his appearance, but he was always to be seen in his best garden greens, a little button-up waistcoat and knee-length pants, green leggings and a pair of overly large shoes; each of which sported a glistening polished brass buckle.

‘They are elementals and nature spirits,’ Emphora said, ‘creatures which inhabit an enchanted forest such as fairies, sprites and elves.’

‘Tell me about elementals,’ Slinky said. What are they?’

‘They have existed since the beginning of time,’ said Emphora, ’they are the caretakers of nature and they come in many shapes and forms. ‘

‘The great spirits of nature are called devas and even though they are not visible to the naked eye, they are there nonetheless and, if you could see them, you would be most amazed.’

‘They are quite beautiful and powerful in their own right, Slinky, as you would need to be when your domain is a forest or a river.’

‘In a place like this, they attend to the details of an evolving world, making sure that everything is in its place and that all living things, whether they are fledgling plants or field mice get the nutrients and care they need to survive.’

‘Nature spirits inhabit every living thing, including the very ground we walk on,’ Emphora said, ‘every rock and stone and especially the water.’

‘Then, what are these fairy creatures that you mentioned,’ Slinky asked, ‘and what being their job?’

He had been listening attentively to every word that Emphora had said and he now wanted to know more.

‘Well, fairies are very small Slinky and some are not much bigger than your fingers,’ she said. ‘They have gossamer wings and fly from one flower to another, just like bees. Most glisten like fireflies at night and if they are good fairies, they can be most helpful to a traveller who has lost his way.’

‘And then of course, there are sprites as well,’ she added with an evil glint in her eye.

‘Sprites,’ Slinky cried, ‘they sound like mean little critters to me.’

‘They can be, sometimes,’ Emphora said, ‘but not always. They have a bad reputation in some places, but nevertheless, they have a part to play, as we all do.’

‘And elves you said, what being they?’ he asked.

‘Elves, now that is a good question,’ Emphora replied. ‘I haven’t had much to do with elves, but I do believe that they are quite industrious little characters.’

‘They are often found close to where people live, offering a helping hand to those who need it the most.’

‘An enchanted forest,’ said a pensive Slinky, ‘I used to think a forest was just a forest and a field of vegetables was just a field of vegetables, and if it hadn’t been for Felicity, I would never have believed it could be otherwise.’

‘And then of course,’ Emphora added, ‘there are other creatures yet again, such as those grand and imperious centaurs which currently surround us.’

‘Where,’ Slinky cried, ‘where are they?’

‘If I am not incorrect,’ said Emphora, ‘there is one behind every single tree that we have passed so far.’

‘And what being them?’ Slinky cried.

‘Now, they are very unique creatures indeed,’ said Emphora. ‘They are half man and half horse.’

‘Oh, you be making that up,’ said Slinky, ‘nobody could be half and half of two different things.’

‘Centaurs are, and in some worlds that I have visited,’ Emphora said, ‘I have seen equally curious creatures. Some of them live in the depths of a real ocean, in a world of total darkness.’

‘One that I know of is a very strange looking fish indeed, it has a face like an angry dog and so that it can see where it is going, it has a blazing lantern hanging from a hook attached to the top of its head.’

‘Now, you are pulling my leg,’ said Slinky.

‘Not at all,’ said Emphora. ‘Why, in those very same oceans, there are fish as big as a mountain, and it is said that they even communicate with the cosmos.’

‘Why being that?’ said Slinky, ‘if it be true.’

‘Oh, it is my friend. They are called whales and they have a most unusual style of singing. Can you still hear that beautiful music?’

‘Yes Mam, I can,’ he said, ‘it be sending tingles up my spine every single minute. A most extraordinary sound it is. Touches me to my soul, it does.’

‘Well, the music of whales sounds very much like the music of the spheres.’ Emphora said.

‘Some people have a theory that they transmit essential information to the universe for one reason or another.’

‘Now, isn’t that amazing, Slinky.’

‘It is indeed,’ he replied, ‘but, is there anything else that I should be knowing about, any other unusual or ugly creatures or anything at all for that matter?’

‘If you look up there in the sky, Slinky, you will see a horse of a very different kind. If you are lucky enough to spot one, it should be white and have enormous wings.’

‘No, Emphora, you are not saying that there is such a thing as a flying horse, are you?’

‘Yes Slinky, I am and if you ever have the opportunity to encounter one, you will be amazed by its magnificence, but if you are clever enough to catch one, they have to take you for a ride, but it is not always easy to do that.’

‘Well, I never,’ he said, ‘in all my living days. Flying horses! What next you will be telling me about.’

‘Well, there are quite a lot of very strange animals in this universe of ours, but in one world I have visited, there are thousands of them. Take a giraffe, for example.’

‘A giraffe!’ he exclaimed. ‘You may not be believing this Emphora, but I be knowing what a giraffe is. I have seen one for myself.’

‘So then,’ she said, ‘why shouldn’t there be things such as unicorns, centaurs, gryphons and flying horses?’

‘I give up,’ said Slinky. ‘You win. I am convinced you be telling me the truth.’

‘But,’ he added, ‘what is this gryphon thing?’

‘Oh, it is a very noble creature indeed,’ Emphora said, ‘I used to have two of my own once. They have the head of a bird, the body of a lion and wings like an eagle.’

‘I not be knowing what any of them animals are at all,’ he said.

Slinky was so astounded by Emphora’s stories that he did not realise that he was not the only one glued to every word she said. Over a dozen New Soul Children in the rear of the covered wagon were equally as entranced and enraptured by what she had to say.

‘And, do you know anything about the New Soul Children?’ Pluto asked.

‘I do, my little darling.’

‘Oh,’ he said, somewhat surprised. ‘Tell us please, I’d love to hear a story about us.’

Those within earshot of the covered wagon were equally amazed to hear that Emphora knew so many things about the mysterious creatures which inhabited the secret world of an enchanted forest.

As our cavalcade made its way through an ancient wilderness, listening to Emphora was the perfect way to keep our minds off of our problems.

Emphora knew this instinctively. From the moment she started, she realised that telling a story was the perfect opportunity to work a little magic of her own.

She was a master of many forms of enchantment and particularly good at the fine art of storytelling. It was one of the oldest of all tonics in the universe and as she knew from her vast experience, stories have a magic of their own.

‘Now, there are several items of interest that I know about the New Soul Children,’ she said. ‘Some believe that you are nature spirits and that is possibly true.’

‘Nature spirits come in many forms, like the adorable Krugwah for example, but the New Soul Children, who are equally adorable in every way, have a very special place in the scheme of things.’

‘We do!’ said Queroladis.’

‘Indeed,’ said Emphora. ‘Of all the creatures which inhabit this universe of ours, you have one of the most special jobs of all.’

‘Tell us more,’ said Sipitarcha.

‘At night, when people are fast asleep, they dream,’ said Emphora.

‘Secretly, they dream of the good things which might happen, but sometimes they need a little helping hand to make them come true.’

‘In dreams, people see familiar faces, friends and family and sometimes strangers; most dreams are complicated for one reason or another, but during that time, they have the opportunity to be whatever they want.’

‘Many of the strangers they encounter in their dreams are really New Soul Children in disguise.’

‘Really,’ said Barclay.

‘Yes,’ said Emphora. ‘I once heard a story of a little boy who dreamed that one day he would wear a crown and that he would be king for a day.’

‘Little did he know that the stranger in his dream was actually one of the New Soul Children. That stranger had revealed one of his greatest desires. He had an opportunity during that dream to let this little boy know that one day, this would happen to him.’

‘I wonder who she’s talking about,’ Conrad asked.

Pluto, Sipitarcha, Conrad and Queroladis were just a few of the New Soul Children on this journey. Little did they know how important they were, but in every respect, they were typical of their kind.

‘I wonder too,’ Emphora replied, as she winked at Barclay. ‘It is probably someone you even know.’

‘We never get to meet those people, really,’ said Pluto, ‘never.’

‘Well, I know it is against the rules to tell you this,’ said Emphora, ‘but that little boy is sitting right beside you.’

‘Barclay!’ they gasped.

‘Yes,’ said Emphora. ‘Isn’t that true, Barclay?’

‘Every word of it, Emphora,’ he replied.

‘I could tell you all about that beautiful day if you wish,’ he said.

‘Oh, please do,’ said Pluto, ‘start at the beginning.’

Over the next few hours, more than a few of us shed a passing tear. Our journey passed without incident, but once or twice, Barclay felt a slight twinge in his right shoulder.

The New Soul Children instinctively sensed his pain and rather than miss out on a moment of his story, they would touch his shoulder or pat him gently on the back of the neck.

They knew that Barclay was indeed a very special friend and they were not about to lose someone like him, not to those nasty Volkori creatures.

They had lost too many of their special friends over the years and when they saw what the Volkori almost did to him, they could not believe it.

‘That was a beautiful story,’ said Pluto. ‘Do you think you could tell it again?’

‘Okay,’ said a now very weary Barclay, ‘but, just once more.’

‘Now, one night…’

Not All Stories Are Equal

Storytelling is an interesting form of communication and getting it right really is like walking a tightrope. An engaging story must have all of the necessary ingredients so that the audience won’t lose interest after the first 10 minutes.

A blog is a bit like a short story and can be about anything at all, passing thoughts, a snapshot in time, but they don’t necessarily have to follow the rules.

A Tonic for Troubled Times is just one of many chapters in the Citadel of Fire and even though it is an essential part of the overall story; as a blog…it has to stand alone.

But to present it on the internet…you have to make a few adjustments. For one thing…it must have an interesting introduction so that your reader won’t lose interest before they get started.

So…stay tuned and check in every now and then and I will introduce yet another extraordinary character. Some are odd and strange, one or two are downright evil. An interesting character is just one of the essential ingredients of a good story, but they should have a few secrets and should not be as the reader expects them to be. A good story should have quite a few interesting twists and turns, especially of the unexpected variety.

The art of storytelling is alive and well on the internet…social media and blogs have seen to that. People all over the world are doing it in one form or another and the best part is…that there is someone out there that you have never met and probably never will…who just happens to like your work.

Now that has to be a bonus…

Doesn’t it…

If you want to find out more about my books…

Check out

An Interview with the Author

or

just go to

the Bookshop

both of which are on this website…

Thank you to Jean-Luc Bozzoli for the beautiful painting which accompanies this post.

Mercasa

Even more like this can be found at his website….

http://www.eyewithin.com

It happens all of the time…but it is not an uncommon experience. Most of us are not aware that we daydream on regular occasions… several times a day sometimes …and in one way it is not unlike stepping through a portal and crossing over from one dimension to another.

It is an opportunity which is freely available to everyone, but why does it happen…you might be wondering?

Perhaps we really do step through a portal. Apparently they do exist and there are many different types. Some are man-made and some are natural events, energetically active zones found at different locations around the Earth.

Some are well known tourist attractions like the Great Pyramids of times gone by or the ancient mountaintop city of Macchu Picchu in Peru and others yet again are invisible…but apparently they are there all the same.

You could say that reading a book or watching a movie is like stepping into a portal. There is no doubt that the internet is a multi-dimensional portal as it has doorways to almost any possible place you could imagine.

But the internet is not the only portal to which we have access.

Our thoughts are like portals, doorways which open when we least expect them to. We have thousands of thoughts passing through our minds on a daily basis and some do take us to other places and more often than we realise.

For a few sacred moments…your mind wanders off and without even realising it…you find yourself adrift in another world.

This is an opportunity for all sorts of reasons…to commune with the universe…to visit a place that you might have seen in your mind…or even to play around with that inspired idea which has been rolling around in your head for the last two years.

That is a long winded way of introducing Part Two of my novel…The Labyrinth of Fire…where you will meet a beautiful young woman called Grania…to whom things like this happen all of the time.

Up until this point in her life…portals had allowed her the freedom to come and go as she pleased…but not this time. This time she discovers that she is trapped and has no idea what to do…even worse…she is trapped in a deserted dimensional realm that resembles a rocky desert.

It is here that she will eventually meet Addric and Dheago who, along with their companion Reuben, has also ended up in this deserted dimensional realm. They were swept off course by the cosmic winds, which in this world are known as the Black Titans. This happened moments after  they set off on their well-planned journey and as a consequence…their lives now hang in the balance.

Before she meets the boys however…Grania encounters a curious old woman called Mumpha…whose task it is to transform her from what she is into what she will become. And…like most stories of this nature…very little goes to plan……Grania’s new adventure is riddled with anxiety and uncertainty from the moment it starts.

Please note…this is not an entire chapter…it is an abbreviated version of several chapters, but…hopefully…you will still be able to follow the plot.

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Grania had learnt to identify the presence of energetic doorways by the way in which the atmosphere shimmered like melting glass. They only lasted a few minutes or so, just long enough for her to step through and investigate, but no matter where she looked, she could see no sign of one.

‘There’s not a bird in sight, no birdsong and even that breeze has gone,’ she said. ‘Well, some very strange things have been happening lately, but this must be the strangest of them all.’

She was about to sit back down when she was startled by a rustling sound in a nearby thicket.

‘Is there someone there?’ she asked hesitantly.

‘Questions easily asked,’ an unfamiliar voice replied, ‘and just as easily answered.’

Grania spun around, only to be confronted by the most curious-looking creature she had ever seen in her life.

She stepped back uncertainly as she had not yet come to terms with where she was or what was happening, but the last thing she expected was to see an old woman in a broad-brimmed picture hat forcing her way through the undergrowth.

‘Mumpha will not harm you,’ she cackled, ‘no she will not.’

Grania’s instincts were on full alert nevertheless. Who was this unusual-looking creature she wondered.

‘Here now,’ the old woman said as she waddled over to a prominent rock, ‘sit thee down, dearie.’

Mumpha took a long deep breath, after which she withdrew an old cloth from the pocket of her dress and wiped the perspiration from her crinkled brow.

She then removed a small silver flask from another pocket, gave it a little shake and then took a tentative sniff, inhaling deeply as she did so.

‘It’s medicine of a sort, would you be liking some,’ she asked.

Grania was entranced but politely declined, all the while trying to come to terms with just who or what she was.

It was obvious that she was a very old woman indeed, but how old Grania could not decide. She had a face like soft pliable dough, she was short of stature, barely five feet at the most, round like a ball and of stocky but solid build, as if she had spent her life tending goats, sheep and cows, tilling the fields and chopping timber for the winter fire.

‘Ooh, that be a very long climb for someone like me,’ she said. ‘Mumpha be way too old for climbing hills. Why you not wait down there like all of the others, huh?’

This was the inimitable Mumpha, a woman both old and wise and one of the most powerful women in her world as Grania would soon discover. She had no idea that Mumpha’s unexpected appearance would signify great changes in her life over the next few days.

‘Sit thee down dearie; much is there that I need to tell thee before training does start.’

‘Training for what,’ Grania asked, ‘what are you talking about?’

‘Yumi thou will be of course. Have ye not worked this out yet?’

‘I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, Mam.’

‘Ah ye do, ye do indeed,’ said Mumpha. ‘Thou hast always known.’

‘Teacher she will be,’ she said curiously. ‘Yes, Mumpha be teacher for Grania.’

It seemed to Grania that Mumpha had been rattling on for hours and when she did eventually take a breath, she decided it was time to go.

It was then Grania happened to notice a dust storm in the distance. She might not have given it a second thought, if it had not been for the fact that it had a most unusual bluish tinge.

‘What do you think that thing might be?’ she wondered.

‘Ooh,’ said Mumpha, her curiosity suddenly activated.

He hand disappeared deep into her bag and she rustled around until she found what she was after. She withdrew a pair of very old glasses, wiped them carefully with her cloth and then flipped each of the many lenses back and forth until she found the correct exposure.

She then plopped them on her nose and peered into the distance.

‘I think it be a caravan,’ she said, ‘but it looks like a very slow moving caravan, if it is. Stopped it has, I think.’

‘But what it be doing here, I not know. Best we investigate this condundrum.’

‘Dis most curious,’ she mumbled, ‘most curious indeed.’

‘I think it might be an old fashioned hearse,’ Grania whispered as they got closer. If it was, it looked very foreboding indeed.

‘I be thinking it is,’ Mumpha replied. ‘Best we investigate.

They examined it from every angle, noting its similarity to a hearse of a bygone age, one from the days of the old Rishani Empire.

This was not just unexpected; it was most unusual in every way, but what they wondered was it doing way out here in the desert and so far from civilisation.

It was apparent that it was most definitely a caravan, but this was not just any old caravan. It had the distinctive barrel-shaped roof of a covered wagon from a sideshow, but even more curiously, it was decorated with mysterious signs and symbols.

It had been pulled across the desert at a very respectful pace by two very placid but very tired-looking animals; their beautiful white coats and soft velvety horns now covered by a thin layer of desert dust.

‘Climb up the ladder dearie and see what’s inside,’ Mumpha suggested.

Grania opened the tailgate, released a drop-down ladder and did so rather hesitantly. Clearly visible beneath a woven blanket she could see the distinctive outline of three male figures.

Whether they were alive or not, she had no idea and she was not all that eager to find out. She braced herself nevertheless, took a long deep breath, tentatively took hold of the nearest edge of the blanket and pulled it back ever so carefully.

‘Oh my goodness,’ she cried, ‘they’re still alive.’

She stepped back, horror struck. Beneath the blanket was a sight she had not expected to see.

‘Who be alive,’ Mumpha asked, ‘and what being wrong with them?’

She clambered up the three retractable steps and shuffled in beside Grania. Very few things had the capacity to distress Mumpha, but a spectacle of this nature obviously did.

‘Oh dear, dat be a very bad case, if ever I see one.’

‘What’s wrong with them? Grania asked.

‘They come far too close to those nasty killer winds,’ Mumpha explained.

She recognised the tell-tale signs immediately, bodies covered in irregular blue bruises. It was common knowledge that anyone who was unfortunate enough to encounter the Black Titans fell into a deep sleep and not long after into a coma.

While she had the opportunity, Mumpha decided to make a closer inspection, checking their vital signs and moving her hand over various parts of each body as if she was a physician undertaking a medical examination.

‘With the correct medicine,’ she eventually decided, ‘they will survive.’

‘Two boys and a young man,’ Grania said curiously. ‘I wonder who they are.’

‘They must be of some importance, otherwise they wouldn’t be here. Only get sent here if absolutely necessary.’

‘Most curious indeed,’ said Mumpha.

The task of moving the almost lifeless bodies of three young men from the caravan to the house proved to be far too difficult. Mumpha’s solution was to unbridle the horses, move the van around to the rear of the house and then manoeuvre it into the kitchen.

To Grania’s surprise, Mumpha lived in a grand but rambling old house constructed from roughly-hewn blocks of a deep brown stone.

This was a house as she could clearly see which was fit for a noble lord. It was a masterpiece of engineering, perched on an outcrop of rock with a commanding view of the desert from every angle and surrounded on all sides by a colonnaded terrace.

To Grania’s great relief, it was a welcome retreat from the warm desert sun. A cool breeze wafted down the valley from the high mountain plains on a regular basis and in through the back door.

After she had had a look around, Grania decided that this was not just the house of an old woman. This was definitely the home of someone much grander indeed. She did not know and did not have the courage to ask, but she had a suspicion that in her earlier days, Mumpha must have been someone of great importance.

Every room in the house had panelled oak walls, high ceilings and massive display cupboards decorated with mythical creatures and each one was bulging to capacity with artefacts and bottles full of exotic herbs and strangely coloured liquids.

The kitchen was the most interesting of all, an immense underground dungeon with a soaring vaulted roof and an equally enormous fireplace which took up one entire wall.

Hanging from the ceiling and scattered around on stone benches were some of the most unusual implements Grania had ever seen.

Over the next few hours she did her best to care for her patients, but it was a wearisome task. Mumpha had her running back and forth, attending to one little thing after another and by about midnight, Grania was almost on the point of collapse.

‘Best we give them some of this,’ Mumpha said at long last.

She had spent hours in the kitchen, tending an iron pot over an open fire, distilling a concoction of aromatic ingredients into a powerful essence.

‘Dat should get them back on their feet, event-ually,’ she said as she administered the first few drops.

‘What is it?’ Grania asked curiously. She had been watching Mumpha closely as she laboured over the steaming pot.

Mumpha held a vial of murky green liquid up to the light. To Grania’s mind, it did not look inviting in the least, but it did have a distinctly medicinal aroma and that she knew had to be an advantage.

‘It be magic elixir mostly, like plants and things from garden. It may take a few days, but it will work.’

Grania was not familiar with the world of medicinal plants and herbs. She could only hope and pray for the sake of their patients that it would work.

‘Do you have any idea why they might be here?’ she asked.

‘Suspicious-nesses only,’ Mumpha replied. ‘Will let you know if I be finding anything out.’

The following morning, Mumpha’s placid demeanour had vanished. When Grania stumbled out of bed, she was surprised to see her running around the house, gathering up all sorts of odds and ends and dumping them onto the kitchen table.

‘We be going on a journey,’ she said unexpectedly, ‘there be no time to waste, this be most important, most important indeed.’

Grania had no idea what this was about and she wanted to ask why, but she could see by the look on Mumpha’s face that this really was serious.

‘Empty the larder and bridle on the horses,’ Mumpha cried. ‘It is urgent that we leave and soon.’

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If you are hoping to read more, please stay tuned because Grania will be back in the not too distant future and her intriguing story will continue.

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Many thanks to Jean-Luc Bozzoli for his permission to use his beautiful artwork on this site.

This painting is called Tulom

Tulom

If you want to see more of Jean-Luc’s work…go to www.eyewithin.com