Tag: Crystals

An Introduction – M J Mallon – Sisters of The Fey – Spiritual Sisters

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Hi, I’m Marje, otherwise known as MJ.

Who am I? Which spiritual sister am I? I have never had a sister, sigh, but now I have Colleen, Debby, Adele Marie, myself, and Annette. Isn’t that wonderful? We are the Spiritual Sisters.

I’ve always had a fascination with the alternative, a curiosity about the paranormal, an interest in the zodiac and the like. For a time I worked as an alternative therapist specialising in Aromatherapy and Reflexology. I even did a short course in Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT.) It fascinated me, but in truth, I didn’t have a lot of clients. I hadn’t discovered the power of blogging or social media yet. Perhaps, if I had it might have been a different story.

During my time as a therapist, I became quite intuitive and I developed an interest in crystals, auras, and chakras. My first crystal purchase was a malachite.

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I believe the malachite marked the beginning of my transformation!

In this new feature – Spiritual Sisters – which was originally posted on our collaborative blog The Sisters of The Fey, I hope to explore crystals and their properties, the paranormal, and perhaps drop in a few zodiac posts too (I have a particular interest in the Chinese zodiac.) I’ve partially written an MG story set in Edinburgh about a girl and a dragon at Chinese New Year, which I hope to publish in the future. I also hope to share with you my magical connection posts about the wonder of nature, trees and spirit animals.

For the moment I would also like to share with you a focus on protective stones as I believe there is an unexplained presence in our house. There have been some very strange happenings that the female members of our household have noticed. My husband seems to be oblivious!

Including:

  • A disturbing strange vision we saw in the garden.
  • A force (a powerful air draft) pressing against the front door when I leave or enter the house. This is even apparent on a still day with no wind.
  • When I am alone in the house I tend to hear loud noises such as doors slamming, or objects falling which can be very creepy. My daughters and other visitors to our house have noticed this too.
  • My daughter saw a strange ghostly image crouching on the stairs leading to the attic and heard whisperings.
  • There have been unexplained fingerprints on the windows and more disturbing, two bird wingspan marks an equal distance from each other on the back patio doors. I took this photo of one of the sides. Ok, I added some Instagram effects to show you how it made me feel…
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The other day at work I noticed this black shadowed bird-like apparition on a tree… which a friend of mine said is a BOOBRIE –  ‘a shape-shifting bird from the mythology and folklore of the Scottish Highlands’. I’m not sure if this is the case as I work far away from the Scottish Highlands and there are no lochs nearby, but…

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Read more about the Boobrie here: https://intothewonder.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/the-boobrie/

All of these events have happened since a strange black cat appeared in our garden.  He became my cat character Shadow in my book….

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Image courtesy of my good friend, cat and crystal lover, Samantha and her son Alex Marlowe: https://samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com

It’s not surprising that I wrote about a curse…

The Curse of Time… which is on #free #promo for one day only Friday 21st February 2020.

Universal buying link: http://mybook.to/TheCurseofTime

https://mjmallon.com/2020/02/21/free-promo-the-curse-of-time-book-1-bloodstone-ya-fantasy/

 

I hope you enjoyed this post, cheerio for now from Marje – Spiritual Sisters.

Look for Our Future Posts on our blogs:

Adele Marie Park Author & Personal Blog: Firefly465

Annette Rochelle Aben Author & Personal Blog: Annette Rochelle Aben

Colleen M. Chesebro Author & Personal Blog: Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry colleenchesebro.com

Debby Gies (aka, D. G. Kaye) Author & Personal Blog: D. G. Kaye, Writer

Marjorie (MJ) Mallon YA/Paranormal Author: mjmallon.com

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The Heart of Red Jade – Light and Darkness #Crystals #Writing #Inspiration #Self-harm #Anxiety

 

Red Jade is one of many intriguing crystals in my debut novel. Of course, the crystals in my novel are extraordinary gems, magical crystals conjured up by my imagination! They represent the light, or potential happiness of the protagonists within, whereas shadows represent darkness, deception and sadness.  The Curse of Time is a novel of light and dark, so be prepared for both if you decide to pick up a copy. I do not shy away from difficult topics as reviewers on Goodreads have highlighted in their comments:

‘The story bravely tackles issues of mental health and self-harm, but in such a sensitive way that it can only help improve understanding.’ Book Review – Author Richard Dee.

 

‘There is a multi-layered mystery to be unravelled, spiced with supernatural hints and mixed with some very current issues such as family dysfunction and self-harming.’ Book Review – Blogger Samantha Murdoch.

Here is a short excerpt highlighting the light in the form of the red jade crystal.

‘There are so many delightful ones. How do I decide which one to choose?’ I turned in a circle trying to take in the dazzling gems as they spun before me.

‘Many of the stones have healing properties, but you must follow your instinct and find one you know is right for you. The defenders of the Cottage will guide you.’

Again, I wanted to ask about the defenders of the cottage but left the words unsaid, and they remained stuck in my throat. A jumble of incoherent sentences tumbled around in my thoughts.

Unsure of how to proceed, I followed Leanne’s advice, running my fingers up and down the crystal wall, caressing the gems. I felt a warmth generating from the crystals as my hand brushed over them. I stifled a giggle when they tickled my fingertips. Eventually, a crystal responded to my touch by easing itself from the wall to find a new home in my palm.

Mesmerised by the experience, I realised that above all else, the feeling of the stone on the wall had guided me to choose it. I sensed that the gem belonged; it spoke silent words of encouragement as if it claimed me. I relished the feeling of power that emanated from the crystal as it radiated a warming light that caressed my skin, hugging me like a dear old friend.

‘Wonderful choice my dear. The Red Jade is a lucky crystal. It is the most passionate and stimulating of the Jade stones. It will urge you to go beyond your comfort zone, to be courageous.’ Leanne beamed a bright smile and stared deep into my eyes as if she would find an answer to some unanswered question there. With an abundance of confidence in her voice, she continued. ‘There are those amongst us, corrupt souls who will try to follow you into the cottage. So, you must take care. The cottage will rise up to greet you but you must not encourage others to enter, or terrible things might befall them, so beware.’ With those words of warning ringing in my ears, Leanne turned back to tending her birds, dismissing me without a final goodbye.

I knew this was my cue to depart, so I moved toward the door. Placing a foot outside, I felt the beginnings of an earth tremor beneath my feet. I jumped as far as I could, dreading that I might fall to my death in the crack that appeared. There was no way I could have leapt so far and yet somehow, I had. The magic that bound me to the cottage lifted me high in the air and ensured my safety. In a blink of my eye, the cottage drew back, claimed by the depths far below. Nothing remained of the old ramshackle building apart from a few loose pebbles scattered on the ground where the cottage had stood only moments before.

© M J Mallon

To read about the properties of the Red Jade crystal do pop over to the Sisters of The Fey blog: https://sistersofthefey.com/2019/04/14/crystals-the-heart-of-red-jade-light-darkness-writing-crystals-properties/

Hope you enjoyed the excerpt. If you would like to find out more please leave a comment or follow the following links:

A magical blog of books, writing and inspiration

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

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Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 80, GATHER & SOFT, #SynonymsOnly

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I received a lovely gift from my dear blogging friend, Samantha Murdoch

It was a lovely letter, a bunch of crystals (amethyst, rose quartz, red jasper, obsidian, carnelian, jade and of course a Bloodstone, as Sam said in her letter, ‘ the piece as featured on the spine of your novel,’ plus two cute cat napkins! Such a wonderful gift.

So, of course what better way to thank her than to write a Tanka!

 

For gather I shall use collect,  and kind for soft.

Tanka Crystal collection,A kind gift from a dear friend,So very lovely,Two sweet napkins too,It made my day. Purr, miaow (1)

Couldn’t ask for a better friend, Samantha is such a diamond. 🙂

To join in with Colleen’s weekly Tanka Tuesday do follow the link:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/04/17/colleens-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-80-gather-soft-synonymsonly/

Bye for now, a very happy Saturday to you.

Much love, feeling very blessed to have such lovely friends.

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Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com

Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time

My Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

 

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#BlogTour #Giveaway The Curse of Time #1 Bloodstone #ABRSC

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My paperback release blog tour continues this week with a fabulous tour organised by Jennifer Marston. Please do support the tour and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway to win a cash prize by visiting the blogs mentioned above in the Tour Schedule. Today, Sunday 22nd April is the last day to enter!!!!

Here are the links to the first two posts:

http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2018/04/ya-fantasy-qa-m-j-mallon-the-curse-of-time.html

https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com/guestpost-curse-of-time-mj-mallon/

and a 4 star review: https://powisamy.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/blog-tour-curse-of-time-by-marjorie.html

Another excellent review: http://thisnortherngal.co.uk/books-2/review-the-curse-of-time/

Guest author post: https://lynseyjames.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/the-curse-of-time-by-m-j-mallon-guest-post/

Yeah another Book Review: https://anoceanglimmer.wordpress.com/2018/04/19/book-review-the-curse-of-time/

Author interview on Whispering Stories: https://whisperingstories.com/writing-life-marjorie-mallon/

Review: https://wrongsideoffortyuk.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/the-curse-of-time-by-majorie-mallon/

A Q and A and review: https://thehufflepuffnerdette.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/the-curse-of-time-book-blitz-qareview/

 

An excerpt https://jenniely.com/curse-time-excerpt-blog-tour/

An excerpt: https://libreriabeppe.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/blog-tour-giveaway-curse-of-time-mj-mallon.html

A wonderful 4 star review from Sarah Louise Blogspot: https://sarahlouisewrites.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/the-curse-of-time-review.html

https://twitter.com/sljmcgrath/status/988115270446338048

A Q and A post: http://www.littlenovelist.com/blog/blogtour-mjmallon

You can follow the tour via twitter: @NeverlandBT and @Marjorie_Mallon.

A big thank you to all the Author Blogger Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC tour hosts that helped me with the fabulous pre-release and release tour –

Beginning with – keen crystal and cat enthusiast – the lovely Samantha Murdoch who started off the tour with this wonderful review post:  https://samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/30/review-the-curse-of-time-book-one-bloodstone-by-m-j-mallon/

 

Do pop over to these wonderful blogs to see the posts and to support and acknowledge the work of these wonderful authors, artists, and bloggers.

Carolina Russo: https://yesterdayafter.com/2018/04/02/characters-illustration-a-collaboration-with-author-mj-mallon-1st-stop-blog-tour-abrsc/

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Adele Marie Park: https://firefly465.wordpress.com/2018/04/03/blog-tour-the-curse-of-time-book-one-the-bloodstone-by-marjorie-mallon/

Ritu: https://butismileanyway.com/2018/04/04/m-j-mallon-the-curse-of-time-paperback-book-release-blogtour/

Craig Boyack at Lisa Burton Radio: https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2018/04/05/the-curse-of-time-on-lisaburtonradio-2/

Debby Gies: https://dgkayewriter.com/blogtour-marjorie-mallon-celebrating-paperback-release-curse-time/

Sacha Black: https://sachablack.co.uk/2018/04/08/prologues/

Gary Jefferies: https://fictionisfood.com/2018/04/10/author-spotlight-marjorie-mallon/

Colleen Chesebro: https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/04/11/abrsc-blog-tour-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone-book-one-by-m-j-mallon/

Christy Birmingham: https://whenwomeninspire.com/2018/04/12/marjorie-mallon-paperback-the-curse-of-time/

Rachael Ritchey: https://rachaelritchey.com/2018/04/13/mjmallon-interview/

Esme Slabs: https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/blogtour-guest-post-paperbackrelease-for-the-curse-of-time-book-one-bloodstone-m-j-mallon/

Special thanks to Vashti Vega for hosting me on her blog after having surgery! I had no idea she was about to have a procedure. I do hope she is fighting fit now.  Here is the link to her lovely post: https://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/blog-tour-the-curse-of-time-by-m-j-mallon/

Thanks for all your kindness supporting a debut author.

Much love,

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Kyrosmagica - black on white

Logo design by Allie Potts: https://alliepottswrites.com/

Buy Book link: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Do come and see our fabulous group on Facebook…

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Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com

Collaborative blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time

My Facebook Authors/Bloggers Support Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

Tumblr: http://mjmallonauthor.tumblr.com/

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MEDIA KIT: The Curse of Time – M J Mallon #YA #Fantasy #Paranormal #Horror #Writer #Poet

I am an author who has been blogging for many moons at my lovely blog home Kyrosmagica: https://mjmallon.com. My interests include writing, photography, poetry, and alternative therapies. I write Fantasy YA/Paranormal novels, Horror/Ghost Short stories and micro poetry – haiku and tanka. I love to read and have written over 100 reviews: https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-z-of-my-book-reviews/

My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheroes! I was born on the 17th of November in Lion City: Singapore, (a passionate Scorpio, with the Chinese Zodiac sign a lucky rabbit,) second child and only daughter to my proud parents Paula and Ronald. I grew up in a mountainous court in the Peak District in Hong Kong with my elder brother Donald. My parents dragged me away from my exotic childhood and my much loved dog Topsy to the frozen wastelands of Scotland. In bonnie Edinburgh I mastered Scottish country dancing, and a whole new Och Aye lingo.

As a teenager I travelled to many far-flung destinations to visit my abacus wielding wayfarer dad. It’s rumoured that I now live in the Venice of Cambridge, with my six foot hunk of a Rock God husband, and my two enchanted daughters. After such an upbringing my author’s mind has taken total leave of its senses! When I’m not writing, I eat exotic delicacies while belly dancing, or surf to the far reaches of the moon. To chill out, I practise Tai Chi. If the mood takes me I snorkel with mermaids, or sign up for idyllic holidays with the Chinese Unicorn, whose magnificent voice sings like a thousand wind chimes.

Books by M J Mallon:

The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone

Blurb:

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger.

With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness.

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NEWS!!! THE CURSE OF TIME HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY PUBLISHER – NEXT CHAPTER PUBLISHING. MORE DETAILS SOON.

ORIGINAL Title DETAILS:

The Curse of Time Book 1 – Bloodstone
Kindle Publication date: 27th August 2017
Genre: YA/Paranormal Fantasy
Pages: 237
ASIN: B074CDJPY9
Buy Book (Original Title,) updated republished version coming soon: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Paperback Release date – 2nd April 2018
Genre: YA/Paranormal Fantasy
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9781999822439
Book Design: https://wendyannedarling.wordpress.com/
Photography Credit: Dr John C Taylor, OBE: http://www.johnctaylor.com/
Illustration: Paperback includes additional material – two black and white illustrations by Artist – Carolina Russo: https://yesterdayafter.com/
Edited by Colleen Chesebro: https://colleenchesebro.com

Buy Book (Original Title): myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

Latest author interview: http://fiphillipswriter.com/2020/05/11/author-interview-with-m-j-mallon/

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone

Blurb:

Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who’s imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house. When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden pathway where she encounters Ryder, a charismatic, but perplexing stranger.

With the help of a magical paint set, and some crystal wizard stones she discovers the truth about a shocking curse that has destroyed her family’s happiness.

My poetry, prose and photography collection released on February 16th.

Mr. Sagittarius is available in kindle, full colour paperback and free in Amazon Kindle Unlimited.

Blurb:

Who Is Mr. Sagittarius?

And what is his connection to twin brothers, Harold and William?

When Harold dies he leaves a simple memorial request

Will his sister Annette honour it?

Or, will the magic of the garden ensure that she does.

A magical story expressed via poetry and prose with photographic images.

 Buying Link: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius

Amazon UK Kindle links:

Amazon USA kindle link:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Sagittarius-Poetry-Prose-Mallon-ebook/dp/B084DQV3HW/

Horror Anthologies: 

I am a participating author in Dan Alatorre’s anthology: Nightmareland with my story Scrabble Boy.

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From the creators of the #1 bestseller The Box Under The Bed horror anthology and its #1 bestseller sequel Dark Visions, comes Nightmareland
A best-selling horror anthology with 23 stories from 14 authors.

I am a participating author in Plaisted Publishing House’s Ghostly Anthology 2019 with my short story Dexter’s Creepy Caverns.

Free Universal Buying Link: https://books2read.com/b/mv2Vvz?fbclid=IwAR1QxHsgD-ahPT4jhydWid7IC5bfpmSoV4N34XjEZXeEazQ-s5QJcX4A21k

Please note, it is showing as 99p on Amazon, which take a little longer for it to recognise its free elsewhere.

Dexter's Creepy Caverns (4)

I’m contributing two poems to Plaisted Publishing House Ghostly Writers short story collection. Ghostly Romance Anthology Volume 1 is now FREE on Amazon:

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I also contributed to Plaisted Publishing House Ghostly Writes Anthology 2018 with my story Ghostly Goodbye.

Ghostly Goodbye by M J Mallon

Ghostly Goodbye is a paranormal love story about a young woman called Iris who can’t get over her husband’s death. She is mourning him so much that she feels dead inside. Her husband Ed sends her a ghostly message from beyond the grave via an old forgotten garment in her wardrobe. She responds by dragging herself from her tomb-like bed and he draws back the curtain of death to visit her in a most unusual way.

Reviews needed! Please support us.

Available on Amazon, Apple, Nook, Kobo, Scribd, 24S, Playster, Indigo, Angus & Robertson, Mondadori Store: Universal Buying Link

Articles:

https://lightboxoriginals.com/difficult-times/
https://lightboxoriginals.com/lollipop-leaves/
The Magic of The Dragonfly: Poetry in Motion
To prologue or not to prologue that is the question… with @Marjorie_Mallon #Sundayblogshare

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-j-mallon

Collaborations:

The Spiritual Sisters are:

Adele Marie Park Author & Personal Blog: Firefly465

Annette Rochelle Aben Author & Personal Blog: Annette Rochelle Aben

Colleen M. Chesebro Author & Personal Blog: Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry colleenchesebro.com

Debby Gies (aka, D. G. Kaye) Author & Personal Blog: D. G. Kaye, Writer

Marjorie (MJ) Mallon YA/Paranormal Author: mjmallon.com

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Samantha Murdoch kindly allowed me to use the following images in my publicity and on the spine of my paperback of The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone.

The Bloodstone

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and images of her cat Lily (who is very like the black cat Shadow in my book, The Curse of Time.

Characters Illustration – A Collaboration with Author MJ Mallon – 1st Stop Blog Tour! #ABRSC

Carolina Russo has created two wonderful portraits of my characters which feature in my paperback. Below is the full colour version, the paperback images are in black and white.

The Creature ©Carolina Russo_Online Use
Esme And The Mirror ©Carolina Russo - Online Use

These images of Esme and The Creature are Copyright ©Carolina Russo: https://yesterdayafter.com/

Fun facts about Marje:

1. I wish I could be wonder woman or MJ from Spiderman
2. I adore crystals, alternative therapies, the unusual and the strange. I’m a qualified Aromatherapist, Reflexologist, (I no longer work as a therapist instead I devote my spare time to reading, writing, blogging and reviewing.)
3. Some say that I am a white witch…my blogging friends confer and have included me in the Sisters of The Fey, a writerly collaboration.
4. My husband can’t remember asking me to marry him and neither can I. He suspects I cast a spell on him!
5. I have travelled to many foreign destinations, including: Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Caribbean, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Rome, Venice, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Portugal. I would love the funds to travel some more!
6. I currently work as a receptionist for a private sixth form in Cambridge. In quiet moments I observe peoples’ mannerisms, listen to snippets of gossip and dream up new story ideas.
7. I love food! Asian food and anything spicy, yum…My mother is Malaysian and my father is Scottish so I grew up with a very varied diet.
8. My motto is to do what you love! Stay true to your heart’s desires, remain young at heart, and inspire others to do so, even if the odds are stacked against you like black-hearted shadows.
9. I studied Communication Studies at University, (marketing, media studies, public relations, etc.) My degree is coming in mighty handy now.
10. I love cats but don’t own one (my husband and daughter are allergic,) so I adopted a virtual black cat called Lily who looks like my black cat character Shadow in my book: https://mjmallon.com/2017/05/17/shadow-welcomes-lily-the-cat-to-kyrosmagica/
11. I have so many writing projects and so little time! I am a writing butterfly so this pains me greatly!
12. I am an original! I have been to every single Bloggers Bash until now. http://sachablack.co.uk/annual-bloggers-bash/
13. I have met the inventor of The Corpus Christi Chronophage clock – Dr John C Taylor, OBE who kindly gave me permission to use his images in my book. http://www.johnctaylor.com/the-chronophage/
14. I enjoy interviewing my fictional characters on my blog. Currently you can meet
Shadow: https://mjmallon.com/2017/05/11/my-interview-with-shadow-a-black-cat-character-with-a-past/
Amelina: https://mjmallon.com/2017/08/20/mj-interviews-amelina-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone-sundayblogshare/ 

Ryder: https://mjmallon.com/2017/07/02/mj-interviews-ryder-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone/

1st Prize Winner of The Bloggers Bash Blog Post Competition 2018: https://mjmallon.com/2018/03/21/the-bloggers-bash-blog-post-competition-2018-the-queens-dress-down-day/

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Winner of Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge no. 7 with my murderous flash – Mr Blamey. https://carrotranch.com/2017/12/19/winner-of-flash-fiction-contest-7/

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Colleen’s Weekly 2018 Tanka Tuesday Challenge No 70 – Destiny and Challenge

 

Such a lovely find,Could be serendipity..Writer, cat lover,Kindred spirits, crystal souls,Art animates fantasy.•%2

Since I have been writing and blogging there have been so many cases of serendipity, discovering like-minded souls who share similar interests. My lovely friend Colleen Chesebro, fellow writer, chief sister, (blog originator,) at The Sisters of the Fey, loves crystals, fairies and all things magical. Colleen helped me enormously with my manuscript The Curse of Time. She went way beyond a beta read and I am so indebted to her for her kindness, helping me achieve my dream to publish my first book.

Carolina Russo who blogs at Yesterday After  (my illustrator,) also has a crystal connection! She makes crystal jewellery and has created two wonderful pieces of art to illustrate my book, which I will be sharing in a special feature on my next blog post on my main blog – https://mjmallon.com so keep an eye out for that!

And the lovely Samantha Murdoch, who loves cats and crystals kindly emailed me lots of photos of her beautiful black cat Lily to promote my cat character Shadow, as well as an image of the Bloodstone which graces the spine of the paperback.

Lily with Buddha

I would also like to mention, Irene who fashioned this beautiful necklace promoting Colleen’s YA novel The Heart Stone Chronicles – The Swamp Fairy https://colleenchesebro.com/category/the-heart-stone-chronicles/the-swamp-fairy/ which I adore wearing. You can order it and other pieces of Irene’s jewellery via her Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/480852170/black-silk-necklace-with-silver-wrapped

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My friend Wendy Anne Darling had a magical challenge too, to transform Dr John C Taylor’s brilliant images of the Corpus Christi Clock into a magnificent book cover. She did a fantastic job. Do pop over to Wendy’s blog, and check out her book design service.

Oh, and did I mention that Dr John C Taylor, OBE, inventor of the Corpus Christi Chronopage clock is a keen geologist, loves crystals and of course clocks too…

Such is the power of serendipity! Would you believe it?

I truly believe that The Curse of Time and all these wonderful connections were meant to be.

Have you ever had a similar experience, when everything came together in such a magical and mysterious way?

Do comment I’d love to hear all about it.

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My links:

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Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club – Facebook

https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time

https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

To join in with Colleen’s weekly poetry challenge follow the link:

https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/02/06/colleens-weekly-2018-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-70-destiny-challenge-synonymnsonly/

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Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 66: DESTINATION & GUIDE (#SynonymsOnly)

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The party begins,

The prompt words this week are destination, and guide. I chose to use the synonyms haven and guiding spirit.  I created the above Tanka which leads to a short, but oh so relevant excerpt…

 

An excerpt from my YA/Paranormal Fantasy the Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone.

A hazy image materialised into a multitude of glistening sparks which transformed into a vibrantly glowing object. I heard the pounding hearts from each of us becoming louder and more distinct as we gazed at the object. The sparks coalesced, no longer separate entities they’d joined to form a spirit or a ghostly apparition. The specter sparkled like a million candle lights, speaking to each of us, in a wisp of a voice that drifted like the wind.

The spirit addressed me, knowing I possessed the gift to understand the crystals. ‘You have called me forth to open your heart to the truth. You must accept who you are and not be afraid. Embrace your true self. Encourage others to do the same. Then you will be a truly magical person, able to rekindle your family’s happiness. Beware those who want what you possess.’

The spirit turned and pointed at Joselyn. ‘Joselyn, you must move on from your past and accept the challenges of the future. Don’t be fearful. Your confidence will grow the more you follow your dreams.’

The phantom floated above us on invisible currents and pointed at Ilaria. ‘Ilaria, you have no more to fear from the children who taunted you. Your laughter protects you from their wickedness. Heed my words and use your skill wisely.’

Jade was last, and the spirit hovered near her face. ‘Jade, you possess the skill and craft of working with animals. You must cherish and nurture it. Be faithful to your friends, and most of all, beware of those who may lead you astray.’

When the spirit finished speaking, the ghostly form drifted toward the candles and hovered above them. Slowly, the flames were extinguished one after the other, and we found ourselves sitting in total darkness. The phantom had vanished. No one spoke. We were shocked into a stunned silence. Ilaria switched on the light, and with one glance, we all knew things between us would never be the same again. That night signalled the beginning of our own personal voyages toward self-discovery.

© M J Mallon 2017/2018

https://colleenchesebro.com/2018/01/09/colleens-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-66-destination-guide-synonymsonly/

Hope you enjoyed the Tanka and excerpt.

Bye for now,

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My social media links:

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Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook

Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club Read and Review on Goodreads

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time

Instagram

Facebook

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Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge: Harvest of Hope

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Here’s my story for Charli’s Flash Fiction Challenge at Carrot Ranch.com.

September 21, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a ostory about what it is to gather a harvest. You can use the phrase or show what it means without using the words. Go where the prompt leads.

Respond by September 26, 2017, to be included in the compilation (published September 27). Rules are here. All writers are welcome!

Harvest of Hope

Mimi knelt on the soil, her bare knees were muddy, her eyes wet with tears. Before her was one tiny shoot. Nothing moved no creature, no human, alone she remained. The earthquake had done its worst. Her hands encircled the milk bottle of water, half full.  She placed healing stones around the shoot in a circle. Her precious crystals, calming rose quartz, cradle of humankind to heal mother earth, flint to stabilise, amethyst for hopelessness and red jasper for isolation. She cried, her tears mingling with the water, the shoot twitched, and the promise of a new harvest began.  

© M J Mallon 2017

 

I found the resource below very helpful regarding the choice of crystals:

http://www.judyhall.co.uk/miscellaneous/be-a-thriver-not-a-survivor-crystals-to-heal-trauma-and-create-inner-peace

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MJ Interviews Amelina – The Curse of Time – Bloodstone #SundayBlogShare

Today, it is a great pleasure to introduce you to the image of my main character – Amelina, modelled here by ….. my daughter’s friend Elise Hackney.

Today, I am interviewing using my author nickname MJ, tribute to my favourite superhero Spiderman’s Mary Jane.

MJ: It’s a pleasure to talk to you about your role in The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone.

Amelina: Thanks for the invite.

MJ: So who is Amelina in The Curse of Time?

Amelina:  I’m a teenage girl stuck in the worse situation. My life sucks in a spectacularly non-normal way.

MJ: Sorry to hear that, I didn’t set out to write your character into such grief. It just happened.

We pause for a moment lost in our thoughts.

MJ:  What’s your thoughts on my creative process?

Amelina: I think you must have had an odd turn! Or, you’d been guzzling a crate of booze the night before. Who knows? One morning you jumped out of bed and a bunch of ludicrous ideas poured out of you. An unstoppable, unstructured fountain of crazy unleashed imagination.

MJ: Ha ha! That’s so true it hurts! I became Obsessive, didn’t I? You know like in the kids books… Forget about Little Miss Bossy, or Little Miss Chatterbox, I became Little Miss Obsessive!

Amelina: Yeah, you became a first rate burn the kids dinner mum. Not just that, you were hell bent on listening to your teenage daughters and their unsuspecting friends to get ideas for dialogue. You’re the noisiest person on this planet, a total eavesdropping ninja.

MJ: Guilty as charged! My daughter accused me of that recently. In fact, she begged me to be scarce if her friends come round! Can you imagine? I’m such an embarrassment.

I laugh, and Amelina rolls her eyes.

MJ: Tell us about your life…

Amelina: Oh, do I have to? Sigh. My life sucks. My day to day existence has changed and not in a good way. Forget the standard tribulations of the nuclear family. Our family is peculiar. We are four humans, one cat, and a house that behaves like a demented being. My dad has undergone some weird time shift, (no spoilers,) my mum is miserable, (and it’s not just menopausal hot flushes and night sweats.) Then, there’s this girl called Esme (a sister of sorts with an impressive lot of problems,) who lives with us in captivity and a weird black cat who visited and never left.

MJ: Sounds like some household! I must have been on the super strength vino to come up with that!

Amelina: Ha ha. Yeah, you must!  It really is on a par with the Addams Family without the horror aspect.  I swear even the foundations of our house are freaked out by our weirdness.

MJ: It can’t be all trauma and escalating problems, please tell me there are some positives?

Amelina: Yeah. I  hang out with my friends, play music, write songs,  do creative stuff: I write poetry, paint, collect crystals… (no spoilers!)

MJ: Crystals play a huge part in the novel, could you tell me a little about that?

Amelina: Yeah, crystals were the starting point for the novel. The huge inspiration – encouraged by Jupiter Artland – The Crystal Grotto by Anya Gallaccio. The novel was originally entitled The Krystallos Cottage – from Krystallos in the Greek meaning Crystal. Then, to keep it simple it became The Crystal Cottage. Then, time winged its merry dance into it and the story changed. That’s when the title of the novel changed to The Curse of Time. The Curse of Time became a series, with The Curse of Time – Book 1 – Bloodstone, followed by  (the unedited – still to be released) The Curse of Time – Book 2 – Golden Healer.

MJ:  That’s a lot of changes! But one special ingredient remained throughout the creative process. Magic. What part does that play in the novel?

Amelina: A huge part. When the promise of magic came, a sense of much needed hope started to grow, but with light and hope there is always opposing darkness.

MJ: Opposing darkness, that sounds exciting… I’m drawn to the dark side! Ha ha…

Amelina: Yeah, it’s a yin and yang, opposites kind of story. There’s light and darkness, seriousness and humour, deception and truth, various themes which appear throughout the novel. Oh, and there’s a touch of romance too, but not in a conventional way, The Curse of Time avoids boring love triangles or instant love. This story digs deeper than that.

MJ: I’ve heard there’s a cute guy in the novel?

Amelina: Oh, yes. Perhaps two,  depends on your type! Kyle is fair, Ryder’s dark…

MJ: And friends?

Amelina: It’s strong on friendships, but jealousies play a part too.

MJ: It sounds such a mix. What an extraordinary amount of themes!

Amelina: Masses. Time plays a huge part, as do crystals representing light, shadows, (darkness) and deception.

MJ: I believe there’s scope for so much more – in book two?

Amelina: There might even be a Book three. This story has a long way to go. Time is ticking… and where it will end – who knows?

MJ: Thank you for accepting my invitation to talk to my readers about The Curse of Time.  You are my first character, my principal leading lady, the starting point. I love Ryder, Shadow, the Grasshopper and the subsidiary characters too but they came into being after you. So dear Amelina you mean a lot to me.

Amelina: Aww, thanks! No problem.

MJ: I mustn’t keep you. You’ve been a very helpful interviewee, I can’t say the same about Ryder.

Amelina: Huh, no surprise there!

MJ: Ryder has become one of my favourite characters too. Somehow he has that effect on people. But, he’s difficult to figure out.

Amelina: Yeah, I get that,  he’s fit as can be but he’s a mystery.

MJ: Never a truer word said.

Hope you enjoyed my latest character interview, find out more about my other characters here:

https://mjmallon.com/2017/07/02/mj-interviews-ryder-the-curse-of-time-bloodstone/

https://mjmallon.com/2017/05/11/my-interview-with-shadow-a-black-cat-character-with-a-past/

https://mjmallon.com/2017/07/23/sundayblogshare-mj-interviews-the-grasshopper-the-curse-of-time/

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Photos courtesy of:

Dr John C Taylor OBE – photographs of chronopage and grasshopper.

Georgina Mallon – photographs of female model E. Hackney posing as Amelina, male model, J. English posing as Ryder.

Alex Marlowe, via https//samanthamurdochblog.wordpress.com – bloodstone crystal, and black cat model Lily – my character Shadow.

Don’t forget to pop over to my launch party on 26th August here on my blog, Facebook, and social media. Can’t wait! 

On-Line Book Launchfilled with

Bye for now, time to hang out on my crystal chandelier….

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My social media hang outs:

Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support Club

Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon
Twitter: @curseof_time
Instagram
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Fellow Administrators of our Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club #ABRSC on Facebook, myself, my good friends Colleen Chesebro and Debby Gies.

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MJ Interviews Ryder: The Curse of Time – Bloodstone #SundayBlogShare

 

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Hi Ryder,

Welcome to my M J Mallon author blog otherwise known as Kyrosmagica.

Today, I am interviewing using the initials MJ – (my author nickname and tribute to my favourite superhero – Spiderman’s Mary Jane.)

I have started doing a series of character interviews. Now it’s your turn Ryder…. Previously, I interviewed my black cat character: Interview with Shadow. 

Come out of the shadows,  Ryder, and let’s chat about your role in my YA novel The Curse of Time: Book 1 – Bloodstone which I intend to release in August. But, before we begin let’s put out the fire….

MJ: That smoke is troubling me.

Instead of answering Ryder lifts his head and blows smoke in my eyes….

 

So I resort to another tactic… I ask him about himself.

Continue reading “MJ Interviews Ryder: The Curse of Time – Bloodstone #SundayBlogShare” →

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