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Marie Judson's books:
Fantasy
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Braided Dimensions Series
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Sci Fi
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Not yet available, coming in 2022
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Callisto's Song Newsletter #5
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In the newsletters this year, I'm covering beliefs around the world on the sacredness of Earth and nature. Every part of our world has celebrated and cherished the animals, plants, water, and skies.
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This edition is about the East, in particular, India.
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In Hinduism, Prithvi or Bhumi (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी, pṛthvī, also पृथिवी, pṛthivī) is regarded as "Mother Earth," also called "The Vast One," the Sanskrit name for the earth as well as the goddess, in Hinduism and some branches of Buddhism. As Pṛthvī Mātā ('Mother Earth') she is complementary to Dyaus Pita ('Father Sky') and is associated with the cow, similar to Fehu in Nordic runes.
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In the Hindu Puranas, Varuna is the god of oceans. His vehicle is a Makara (crocodile) and he holds a Pasha (looped rope). He is also guardian deity of the west. In some texts, he is the father of the Vedic sage, Vasishtha. Varuna is found in Japanese Buddhist mythology as Suiten.
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Aranyani is a goddess of the forests and animals. Kalpavriksha, the divine tree, belongs to her. She is elusive, fond of quiet glades in jungles, and unafraid of wilderness places. One might call upon her when wanting fearlessness. She can be heard by the tinkling of bells on her ankles. She resembles forest deities like Bonobibi in Bengal and Vanadevata in South India. There is still a temple dedicated to her in Arrah known as the Aranya Devi Temple.
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Vayu (Sanskrit वायु,) is a primary Hindu deity, the lord of the winds as well as of breath. He is the spiritual father of Hanuman and Bhima and is also known sometimes as Prāṇa ('the life force').
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Indra (Sanskrit: इन्द्र) ancient Vedic deity, is king of Svarga (Heaven) and the Devas (gods). He is associated with lightning, thunder, storms, rains, and river flows. Also, like the Indo-European gods of weather Jupiter, Zeus, and Thor, he is sometimes associated with war, and in that vein, is celebrated as the one who kills the great evil Vritra who obstructs human happiness with his deceiving forces. In that way, Indra brings back rains and sunshine as the friend of humankind.
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I see my passions for both the ancient and the future (science fiction), as creating a continuum for our beloved Earth. Fantasy often enfolds and interweaves time periods, as in my Braided Dimensions series. By both honoring and imagining. we might stretch our minds to answers needed for saving our planet right now.
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Current Free eBook Promos
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Portal to Fantasy - Oct Book Fest
Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / LitRPG, and Young Adult / Fantasy
Portal to Fantasy - Free Fantasy Oct 2021
Wild Worlds of Fantasy
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Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy
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Fantasy Touched with Mystery
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Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Mystery & Suspense / Paranormal, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy
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October: Free Fantasy Books
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Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy
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Enchanting Fantasy
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Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Urban Fantasy
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Epic Worlds Fantasy Giveaway
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Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy
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Fantasy Reads + Paperback Giveaway!
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Genres: Romance / Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Fantasy, and Young Adult / Fantasy
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SCI-FI in the House
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Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Science Fiction, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Space Opera, and Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Steampunk
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Fantasy/Paranormal Exclusive Freebies!
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Genres: Romance / Paranormal, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult / Paranormal
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From Marie Judson's blog:
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When is writing most exciting?
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There are a few general times when I find writing most satisfying and even thrilling. One is when a sentence comes together elegantly—not necessarily from a literary point of view. A single word, or restructuring of a sentence, can achieve a plot element powerfully, or capture the build-up of a character's emotion. Phrasing might flow into place describing a scene …
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Waylaid by a gas leak
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As soon as I got home today, I started hunting for photo albums among the boxes in the garage, hoping to find the pics of the old Long Beach, and maybe, by chance, Gramma's old sewing machine. I did find a box full of slides. My dad was an avid photographer and labeled them all. There's also an old viewer. …
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Old Woodcut Illustrations
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I've always loved old woodcut illustrations. They transform what would be a prosaic instruction manual into something I want to hang onto forever. Here's the cover of one from a Singer sewing machine that must have been a very early Singer in my family. The fact that it actually says "Electric Sewing Machine" hints that it was among the first. …
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Follow up - Anchor Bay
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For this post, I braved parking at the top of the hill and walking down the narrow roadside far enough to photograph from above the mobile homes and RVs to show how they extend all the way from the road (Highway 1) to the cove. Cars raced by, inches from me as I clung close to the guardrail. This photo …
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Follow Up - Druids of California
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Here's the Pt. Arena Druid's Hall I started writing about on Tuesday. I mentioned that it's the furthest north branch in California. But that wasn't always the case! A reader sent me this photo (left), explaining, "This steel sign was dug up inside Fort Bragg city limits by a friend about 25 years ago," he wrote me and said a …
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Druid's Hall
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On one of my early trips through Pt. Arena, I was intrigued by a Druid's Hall there. It has the appearance of an Elk's Lodge or Masonic establishment. Druid's? My pagan side wondered what might be its history, so I did some digging. The Ancient Order of Druids was founded in 1781 at the King's Arms Tavern, Poland and Oxford …
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The Center
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I found out what the cute blue building in Pt. Arena is. From another angle, further up the street, I could see that it says, "The Center." It's the Action Network: "Creating community wellness and strengthening families." I had occasion to contact someone there, to provide resources to a family in trouble, not knowing that the Bilingual Family Wellness Specialist …
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Surprising plants
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When we first moved here, there were a few plants left by the previous owner. They mostly had very little soil, dried to a crisp so that any life was astounding. This included a couple of amazingly vibrant poinsettias, as well as dozens of dying succulents in the back yard, and the houseplant pictured above. Not attracted to the leaves, …
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Am I here?
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Mist moves by Without a whisper Encompassing my domain As I try to reconcile My new existence Rural coastline Desired By visitors as Locals watch The comings and goings Am I coming, am I going? Am I fully here? Educator, I dip daily into mired troubles, Get to know ragged edges, and murky centers Daily I drop Into the arms …
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Homesteading
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Well, sort of! This weekend I moved the woodpile from one side of the house to the other, determined to widen the side enough to push a wheel barrow along it. I started without a wheel barrow, carrying armloads. Next morning, I discovered I have access to a wheelbarrow! It made the job a lot easier, let me tell you. …
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RURAL SCHOLAR PRESS
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