I'm participating in the August Blog chain at AbsoluteWrite. The prompt is: If you had to pick one color, and one color only, for an aspect of your writing, which one would it be and why?

The color I would pick is hazel, as it appears as in eye color.

Why? Hazel is something all its own, that is hard to describe in exact terms because different people have different opinions of it. Like my writing, it's hard to put into any one category. If hazel was green or brown, it would be called green or brown. But it can be both simultaneously, or neither. It has to have its own name. Hazel.


I also chose hazel because of the connection to eye color and eyes. Eyes, the window to the soul. Everything I write is a reflection of myself in some way. My characters all have a piece of me, good or bad, big or small, common or unique. Each plot and the way I write reflects who I am and life experiences, small truths twisted into metaphors or mostly fantastic scenarios. A blend of reality and the surreal. Like a blend of colors. Like hazel.


Other August Color Bloggers!
Aheïla: and direct link to her post
Ralph_Pines: and direct link to her post
AuburnAssassin: and direct link to her post
semmie: and direct link to her post
Anarchicq: and direct link to her post
CScottMorris: and direct link to his post
PASeasholtz: and direct link to his post
LadyMage: and direct link to her post
orion_mk3: and direct link to his post
DavidZahir: and direct link to his post
aimeelaine: and direct link to her post
FreshHell: and direct link to her post
sbclark: and direct link to her post
Bettedra: and direct link to her post
Guardian: and direct link to her post (YOU ARE HERE!)
M.R.J. Le Blanc: http://libraryofandunien.blogspot.com/
Alpha_Echo: http://writersramblings81.blogspot.com/
laffarsmith: http://www.craftingfiction.com/

Cast the circle thrice about, to keep unwelcomed spirits out.

I'm doing this analysis entirely apart from the book.

First of all, this sentence can be exactly what it means. Circles can be an important part of ritual magic practice. They are often recommended to be cast before a spell. I'm writing this entirely from memory so take it with a grain of salt or anything else you like. ;)

The purpose of a circle: Circles can create protection from negative energies or spirits, as stated in the line. Circles are also cleansed when they are cast to rid the spot of pre-existing negative vibes. This spiritually cleans the spot so that a spell starts with a fresh slate, or the same just for meditation, etc. While the circle is cast, the chosen spot, inside or outside, is sacred.

How to cast a circle: There are probably a large variety of ways to do this, so I won't bother to specify things to say or even pretend that this IS the way to do it. I'm not saying it is, but again this is what I remember. :) Variety is the spice of life, so take from it what you will.

Circles are generally recommended to be 9 feet in diameter. The perimeter can be marked if you like, with stones, crystals, or herbs. Do whatever seems right. (Note that different herbs have different properties, so depending on the nature of what your circle is for, specific herbs can aid you. I recommend Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. For protection from spirits, salt is a catch-all.) At large, I've heard that casting a circle is largely a spiritual thing that can be done with an athame or your power finger/hand. Focus on drawing your energy and visualize it creating a circle drawn by your hand. Drawing this three times is recommended. You may also want to align yourself with the directions, North, East, South and West.
The next part, to be honest, I'm not sure if it comes before drawing the circle or after. This is the part of sweeping out any stray energies. You can use an actual broom to do this, and visualize the energies being swept away so that your circle is clean and blank, ready to be powered by your own energy and intentions. What you do with the circle afterward is up to you.

For more ideas about spell casting, check out my post "Spells That Rhyme".


The number Three.This is what I really want to analyze. Three is EVERYWHERE especially in religions. The Triple Goddess, either a trio of goddesses or one goddess that is recognized in phases: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. They represent a cycle of life. The waxing phase of the moon corresponds with the Maiden. When the moon is full, it is the Mother. When the moon is waning, it is the Crone.

Three is even important in Christianity. The Holy Trinity is the best example in my opinion: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Notice how similar this is to the Maiden, Mother, and Crone, but masculine?

The triangle, the three-pointed and three-sided geometric figure, is considered the strongest geometric shape for construction. Unlike a square, a triangle is very hard to distort. It's so simple, but so strong. I'm sure you can think of many other things that are related to three.

There is also the superstition that things, especially bad things, come in threes. (I hear this one very often. It was especially kicking around the internet when Ed McMahon, Michael Jackson, and Farrah Fawcett died within 3 days of each other in 2009.) There are many other superstitions that involve threes. Hearing three knocks can foretell death.

You don't have to take my word for it, though. You can look it up yourself. ;)

Well, I didn't want to update on my step-dad until I knew whether or not he has lung cancer. He's being tested for that on the 18th. He is home now, but barely got a few days in before new things came crashing down.

My brother's fiancee, Anna, took off to North Carolina with their two sons, ages 1 and 2. She said she was only going to take care of some sick family member for a week. The claim is still that she's coming back on Saturday, but we have a lot of reasons to believe that she isn't coming back. She left huge bills for my mother and brother to pay, and wasted all of her own money before taking most of my brother's money "for gas" before she left. She was starting to work whenever she felt like it (not like her), blew money on a tattoo, and left without giving her job any notice or quitting. My brother found messages to her ex-boyfriend about how she wanted to be with him. She told my brother she would call him when she got to NC. It's been about 5 days and my brother has called every phone number he can find but her friends and family who know where she is will not tell him anything or give him her number. I think that even qualifies as parental kidnapping, but I think my brother is just going to call social services and get them to remove his sons from her custody, and take her to court to get custody. We have no idea where she is, so that might be hard. I don't think we can really do anything until Saturday goes by.

My step dad has had an increasingly hard time walking. Right now he needs assistance or he will fall down. He has to drag his left foot when he walks. He described it like there was a pressure cuff cutting off his circulation. He went to the ER because of the pain and numbness a few days ago. The doctor said he didn't want to "deal with cramps" and only peeked at his leg and told him to go home. My mother took him back to a different ER the next day and THOSE doctors told her his leg didn't even look right. When they did tests they found that his arteries are blocked up very badly, so there is next to no blood flowing to his legs. They wanted surgery ASAP to put stents in, but then found that the blockage was worse than they thought so they didn't do anything but scheduled more tests. He was supposed to get those tests today but that was canceled because they found something wrong with his kidneys. Might have something to do with the drug they insisted he take that nearly caused kidney failure last time he was on it, but they insisted. '

My mother is pursuing legal action against the doctor who told Harry it was just cramps. We can't afford a lawyer so we can only do so much.

I wish I was making this all up. :(