The Release of The Library an Opposites Novella By T.M. Smith

The O'Raven Chronicles is so very proud to present this special post about The Library an Opposites Novella By Author T.M. Smith

Book Series Spot-light; 

Opposites; 

The First Post about Opposites

The Second Post about Opposites

The Third Post about Opposites

The Library; 

Cover Reveal Post for The Library

Author Spot-light; 

T.M. Smith; 

A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. She now calls Texas home from her small town on the outskirts of the DFW Metroplex. Most days you can find her curled up with her kindle and a good book alongside a glass of something aged and red or a steaming cup of coffee! 

At 42 years young, she’s decided to enter the next phase of her life by adding the title of “author” to her list of accomplishments that includes single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Her two eldest kids and gay best friend were the inspiration for her book series, Opposites.

Author Links: 

Author's Website / Blog

Author's Facebook Page

Author's Goodreads Page

Author's Smashwords Page

Opposites Smashwords Page

The Library Smashwords Page

Author's Amazon Page

Opposites Amazon Page

The Library Amazon Page

Character Couple Spot-light; 

Tanis and Raven: 

                                                                       TANIS

                                                                      RAVEN

Another Post about Raven

Author's Character Interview with Raven

Raven's Facebook Page

Raven's Wood: 

An Excerpt from Raven's Wood, out of The Library... 

Tanis slammed into him from behind and he had his hands wrapped around Raven, pants unbuttoned and unzipped before Raven even knew what had hit him. “What the hell Tanis?!” Raven barked. “I have to have you! Right here, right now.” He spun Raven around and slammed him back against the tree. Raven’s mouth was open, a question or complaint forming when Tanis shoved his tongue in. He ground his groin into Ravens hip as he growled into his mouth. Raven forgot how to speak, much less think from that moment on. Tanis had his leg in between Raven’s and had his hand shoved into the front of his pants, a steel grip wrapped around Raven’s cock and he gasped. Tanis shoved his tongue deeper into Raven’s mouth since it was wide open and kissed him. The kiss was deep and commanding as was the slow pull on his cock. Tanis drug his hand from root to tip and back down in slow, steady motions. Raven began moaning into Tanis’s mouth and rocking his hips up to meet each twist of Tanis wrist as he jerked him off.

Rafflecopter Giveaway; 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Author Spot-light; Jayson James

Author Bio; 

Jayson James graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in Education. He was born and raised in Washington State, where he currently lives and teaches. The farthest off the west coast he has ever been was Nevada and Arizona. Whenever Jayson has the time (and money), he likes to travel, hoping to see most of the United States over the next 5 years.

After much prompting from his friends "Finding Our Way" debut in September 2012 as Jayson James first published novel. A couple months later, he wrote and released the follow-up novel "Tormented Discovery" and thanks to his dedicated editor and friend, the book released in early 2013. Jayson has at least one more book releasing later in 2013 with the same characters. Much to his delight, fans are eagerly waiting to read what happens next with Justin, Derrick and the rest of the gang.

When Jayson is not writing he enjoys reading a variety of books from different genres. He is an avid supporter of fellow Indy authors and does whatever he can to support them. Although he often denies it when asked, he also likes to draw, mostly cartooning and sketching using pencils and oil pastels. He also loves listening to music and watching movies, one or the other is constantly playing every time he is writing or drawing and even sometimes when he is reading.

Although his first published works are of the gay new adult and gay young adult genre, he plans on publishing books of other genres at some point. Such as a children's book he has been contemplating for many years.

Book Series Spot-light; 

Finding Our Way book series: 

Book Synopsis for each book in the series; 

FINDING OUR WAY 

Derrick Wilson and Justin Parker have been the best friends since middle school. They are both 17 and in their junior year at Chandler High School. Derrick is feeling distant and tired of his own much too perfect family. Justin has become the invisible son in the midst of his parents failing marriage. A drunken night of passion awakens feelings neither ever knew they had. 

What happens when two best friends cross the boundaries of friendship in drunken passion? Are they able to be happy together? How can keep their secret from their friends? Will they be able to hide their relationship from their parents? To complicate things even further they girlfriends. Being a teenager can difficult. Being gay can be tough. Imagine being both 

TORMENTED DISCOVERY 

Justin and Derrick have a secret that they revealed only to their closest friends. They are gay and are now a couple. The story of Justin and Derrick continues as they learn more about being a gay couple in their senior year of high school and the complications that arise from it. Some friends will have their backs while others simply stand on the sidelines. Other friends will be accepting and others will ridicule them. 

Sometimes love is almost not enough to save a relationship and both Derrick and Justin begin to have their doubts as they watch relationships around them rise and fall. Justin and Derrick both want to have new experiences, new choices and make new friends, which leads to them questioning their own relationship. They soon discover that some of the people they consider friends have their own secrets, some darker than others. The couple begins to see how people react towards homosexuality and just how people want to deal with it and them. 

DRIFTING 

Derrick and Justin have been a couple since High School and have been through a lot. They both stuck together even when their friends and family found out about their relationship. When their school found out about them. Struggling with challenge after challenge they have finally made it to College. Living together is a whole new world and being open with their relationship is even more new. 

As the couple begin to spend every day together they begin to learn about their differences more and more. Can their relationship survive the differences? Can it survive new friends and new romances? Will they begin to find their way together or will they have to find their own ways again?

Drifting Excerpt; 

Derrick

“I hate this.”

“So do I.” Whole-heartedly I did. We talked on the phone all of the time, emailed and even were using

Skype, but it was not the same as seeing each other in person. Justin Parker, my boyfriend, was sitting

next to me on his bed, staring and giving me a pouty face. I bit my lip and stared back at him for a

moment. “What are we going to do about it?”

He sighed, “One of us is going to have to change schools.”

I knew this was coming. I admitted, “I applied to the University of Washington my second week at

Western.” He looked at me surprised. I grinned, “They accepted me. So I guess I’ll be changing

schools.”

Justin laughed, “I got into Western Washington University. I applied about the same time.”

We both laughed. Justin pulled me close and we kissed and snuggled.

“Where does that leave us?” My mind was preoccupied with this question.

Justin shrugged, “I like UW, but I love you Derrick Wilson.”

“I feel the same way about Western.” I bit my lip as I hoped he would tell me he would make the

change. I had my room to myself since my roommate dropped out before the winter break. I could not

bring myself to make the suggestion.

The doorbell rang. We had been so wrapped up in ourselves that we forgot we ordered pizza. Justin

stood up and quickly pulled on his pants and shirt. I did the same.

Justin stated, “So much for fucking around before the pizza got here.” I agreed. We both darted down

the stairs as the doorbell rang a second time.

Justin opened the door as I stood back. His eyes got very big as he looked back at me. It took me a

moment to figure out what this was all about. The delivery person was Janie, the girl I had been dating

when Justin and I progressed to being boyfriends a couple of years earlier. Without realizing it, I bit my

lip and stood feeling uncomfortable. Janie looked like she could not drop off the pizza fast enough and

get out of there. She was friendly and cordial, although as her face turned red. Justin paid her and she

darted away before the door was even closed.

“That was awkward,” Justin whispered as he held our pizza and sodas in one hand and locked the door

with the other. I nodded my head in agreement. He went on, “She had to know that she was coning to

my house.”

*********************  

Author sites; 

Author's Blog

Author's Facebook

Author's Amazon page

Author's Goodreads page

~Random Musing on Death Rites~

With Samhain just having past the subject of death has been on the minds of many, including my own. I often look at funerary rites and wonder... Did we humans create death rites because we were worried we would forget the dead; or did we create the death rites because we were worried the dead might forget us?

The Caprion's Wings Cover Reveal

The Cover Revealed...

Caprion's Wings By T. L. Shreffler...

A novella of The Cat's Eye Chronicles.
Release Date: January 31st, 2014

Book Synopsis; 

By the age of nineteen, all Harpies know how to fly—except Caprion. He has yet pass the test of the Singing and gain his wings. His family has disowned him in shame and people are beginning to talk. Now an evil voice haunts his dreams, taunting him, drawing out his worst fears—that he will remain wingless forever.

Caprion decides to find the root of this insidious voice, no matter what it takes. He journeys to the secret prisons of the Harpy underground, where he meets a young slave named Moss. In those sunless, decrepit cells, a forbidden friendship is formed. Can Caprion and Moss find the source of the voice? And can Caprion save Moss from a terrible fate?

Join young Caprion as he journeys down, down into the earth, finding his wings and forging a friendship that will change him forever.


*This is a novella of The Cat’s Eye Chronicles. If you are new to the series, you can download the first book, Sora’s Quest, for free!


Download Sora's Quest for FREE (The Cat's Eye Chronicles, Book 1)
Amazon +  Barnes and Noble + Kobo Books + Smashwords + iTunes
OR Buy in Print!

About The Author; 

T. L. Shreffler lives in Los Angeles, CA. She loves diversity, fantasy, romance, iced tea, long walks, philosophy, and thrift store shopping. She recently graduated with a BA in Badass (Creative Writing) and her poetry has been published consecutively in Eclipse: A Literary Journal and The Northridge Review. She is author of The Cat's Eye Chronicles (YA/Epic Fantasy) and The Wolves of Black River (PN Romance). For more info on this author, visit her website.

The Giveaway; 

Shreffler is giving away an early ebook copy of Caprion's Wings and a Cat's Eye necklace to one lucky winner! Jess and I will be giving away a swag pack that includes a one of a kind keychain made with tender love and care by Jess herself.

*US/Canada only*

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Samhain Interview with The Great Donna!

A truly awesome Lady and Author asked to do an interview with yours truly lol! So here is the link...hope all of you get as big a kick out of reading it as I did when being Interviewed. If you want to know more about me, I am pretty candid here. I never thought I would ever have an experience like this but it was most interesting. Thank you Donna and Blessed Samhain to all of you!

http://earthtothoeba.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-halloween-treat.html

On The Care and Lore of The Besum;

Besum or Besom; 

(Pronounced several ways depending on dialect; I personally learned to pronounce it as bay-shum. The most common pronunciation is probably bee-zum or be-zoom. What I believe about the way I was taught is that it is southern slang from a particular locale. Historically however it is usually besom pronounced bee-zum.) 

The Besum is the ritual broom. It is commonly used to cleanse both sacred and mundane space. Sometimes used to sweep across front door stoops to cleanse the way for good and bar the path of evil.

 It is used to aid in astral flight many times. It is thought that during the burning times as witches call the era from the European inquisitions till the end of the American inquisition, that the bristles of the besum hid the power staff of ritual practitioners.

Brooms have been used ritually all over the world. The three primary cultures that truly perfected it’s ritual use in ancient times are The Hebrews, The Africans, and The Europeans…though these are not the only cultures to have used the besum whatever it may be called in other cultures.

 It is thought that if you use the besum and sweep from east to west traveling the same path as the sun in it’s cycle that you will block evil from entering whatever space you are trying to cleanse and protect. The broom is now used in both Celtic and African wedding rituals to cleanse the first steps of the newlyweds, and this usually involves the couple jumping over the broom together; this is called jumping the broom...though sometimes it is just a step over the broom instead of a leap.

There are many beliefs surrounding most of the ritual tools. These beliefs are called Lore. This simple poem offers part of the Lore of The Besum.

                                            ~Besum Lore~

When a broom falls to the floor expect a knock upon your door.

To keep unwanted guests away, hang your broom; with bristles facing where heavens lay.

To keep evil things at bay over your door your broom should stay.

Sweep your circles thrice about, to keep that which is unwanted out.

Sweep your space from east to west, a Sunwise path doth banish best.

Sweep your space in Widdershins sway, to send negative things away.

Cleanse your space good and clear, and cleanse your broom year after year.

Fly them high and fly them low, and cleanse the sky where you may go.

Sweep your tracks good and clear; when in Spirit-flight hold to no fear.

Thus the broom does much for thee, a tool to clear your path so none may see.

A ritual teaching poem adapted by Rev. Loush O’Raven

This version was written in the year of our Lord 1996

Educational notes;

for those that do not know, the term Widdershins means to work backwards or counter clockwise in order to banish negative energies. Also in my tradition which differs from many ritual traditions…Nemetons or sacred ritual circles are cast counter-clockwise and not clockwise. Part of the idea of creating a ritual circle is to create a space outside of mundane time or ordinary time; and ordinary reality. The goal is a shamanic one…to enter into what has been called Non-oridnary reality, and Non-oridnary time or rather a place of eternity where there is no liner time. Most things seem to move in a clockwise pattern of motion. So how can one truly step out of time energetically speaking if one is creating space moving in the usual or mundane direction? It seems to me that one can not. So in my tradition circles are created using a counter clockwise pattern, and when we want to end the circles we move in a clockwise pattern thus bringing us back into ordinary time.

Astral flight for those that do not know is a ritual form of astral projection. Sometimes ritual practitioners use the visualization or riding or carrying a broom for the purpose of hiding themselves energetically when in astral form. This is because it is believed that on or within the astral plains there are all sorts of beings. Not all of them are good or benevolent. Some are malicious. During the burning times when witch hysteria was running rampant it was believed that witches flew in this manner in order to appear to only their supposed intended would be victims; so that only their victims could see them. In the case of the Salem witch trials this was very prominent. Many of the young idiot girls involved in the trails would scream and claim to see visions of the accused “witch” or person coming or flying at them, or appearing to them and no one else. Of course this may also have been a case where demons took the forms of familiar people in order to spread the evil hate, and fear, and get innocent people murdered by these  pseudo-christian puritans.

The broom is hung or moved or placed in different ways in order to accomplish different purposes. Many times the broom is placed in the corner of a room and if it falls by itself then it is believed you should get your house clean as quickly as possible because company is coming. Sometimes this means spiritual company and sometimes physical company. The broom falling is a message to “Get your house in order”. This is why sometimes in ritual speak when someone is dying or passing over as it is commonly called, it is sad… “Your Broom has fallen”. I have witnessed this occurrence before several times first hand and it always amazes me how it happens. I have stood there and had a broom fall in my house and twenty minutes later someone showed up unexpectedly. I have also seen this in the house of several friends. Once it was a warning about a spiritual visitation. Sometimes two brooms are crossed as a stronger ward against evil. Sometimes nemetons are formed using brooms so that around thirteen brooms or so form a ritual circle.

It is a good idea to keep your broom clean even if it is mundane. If it is ritual it just makes sense to clean all of your tools so that certain energies are not carried from one ritual usage to the next. In the mundane world if you do not clean your brooms you often just end up endlessly spreading around dirtiness which renders the act of sweeping pointless. Cleaning the ritual broom usually involves smudging it. Many ritual practitioners keep two or three brooms. One that is a ritual only besum, one that you bless and use to keep your house swept, and one to bless and then sweep outside with.

Often the broom is used in place of a staff in ritual. It can also hold the east corner or the place of air. Usually if it is used as an air tool than it has feathers attached to it or bells.

There are many styles of besum including short hand brooms and often these are used in place of feather smudging fans to do smudging on people. Smudging for those that do not know; is the act of using sacred smoke from various ritual herbs to cleanse the energies of a person, object, or space. It is not unique to any one culture. Almost all cultures have a version of smudging and almost all religions that I am aware of have a similar type of ritual. The Hebrews did it in the old testament temple of God with cedar, frankincense, and later christians used frankincense, myrrh, rose, spikenard, and other various oils, herbs, and plant substances. Catholics use incense which is common in other religions and cultures as well. Pagans are particularly fond of this as are “Native Americans”, druids, shamanic practitioners, and it is gaining popularity among yoga and reiki practitioners as well. Native Americans as they are now being called use white sage and sweet grass and many ritual practitioners have taken on this habit. Celts and druids used and still use Juniper, Lavender, and other various plant substances. Many times herbs are put onto or into the besum to make it more powerful. For the same purpose other items might be put onto or into a broom.

During a certain part f history it is said that Witches used Parasols and Umbrellas instead of Brooms to fly and also to conceal their tracks and Identities. The exact era this is supposed to have been popular in legends about witches is debated. I have heard the Victorian ear quoted many times. It may have been this idea that inspired a unique aspect of the famous literary and film character Mary Poppins. A wonderful depictions of witches using this method of flying can be found in the film Practical Magic.

Well I hope you enjoyed learning a little about this fascinating ritual tool. Perhaps you might even get yourself one to use, even if only to sweep out the dust from your house and cleanse your personal space like the Hebrews of old.

http://www.hodsons.org/Oliveroots/jesuslamb.htm

http://www.jewish-history.com/minhag.htm#tanz

http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Spring_Holidays/Pesach/Preparations/preparations.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/treasury-of-david/psalms-84-10.html

 Just remember…If you see someone fly by you through the air on a broom…ask them how they learned to do that because I for one sure want to know! lol

I found a neat article written by a witch on broom lore and I thought it was relevant and that I should share. So here is the link;

http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/tools/broom-lore.txt