All Hallow's Eve approaches....

We call the event Halloween, the Irish, Samhain, or La Samon. The Druids referred to it as Feast of the Sun, one of four ‘Fire Festivals’. They celebrated this festival on the first day of November. But since the ancient Celts marked their days from sundown to sundown, All Hallow’s Eve began with the setting of the sun on October 31st. 

The Fire Festival... The Druids built the only permissible fire on this particular day. Those who needed a hearth fire (and that included just about everyone) had to obtain a start from the sacred burning alters of the Druids, for a donation or a fee of course. After all, a Druid has to do what a Druid has to do to survive.

To the Romans, the time was called the Feralia and set aside for sacrifices, oblations, and prayers. This celebration, adopted by the Church in Rome, was a day to honor the dead and bring them peace. Originally held in February, the church moved the observance to November 1^st.

Calan Gaeaf is the Welsh name for the first day of winter. They call the eve of Calan Gaeaf, Nos Calan Gaeaf. At this time, spirits converge upon the land. Those honest in heart will avoid churchyards, stiles, and crossroads, as they believe these are the places spirits gather.

Having Fun With the Liebster Award!

I had the pleasure of being nominated for the Liebster Award by the wonderful Mae Clair. Mae’s book, WEATHERING ROCK is a fabulous read and one that I highly recommend!

So how does the Liebster Award work? Here are the rules:

Thank the person who nominated you (thank you, Mae!).
Post eleven random facts about yourself. Answer the eleven questions asked by the person who nominated you. Think of a new set of eleven questions and nominate eleven others to answer them.

Sounds like fun!

So, here we go:

Random Facts:

Ghosts of Oak Alley Plantation...

Imprint on time, vivid imagination, or do ghosts really haunt our nation’s antebellum mansions?

Take Oak Alley for instance, the very mansion that graces the cover of “Spirit of the Rebellion.” According to witnesses, this plantation home, facing the Mississippi River in Vacherie, Louisiana, is a place where supernatural events are commonplace.

The list is endless. Lights turn off and on, and rocking chairs rock by themselves. Unseen hands touch guests and employees alike. Some have heard the mournful sounds of either a woman or a child weeping. A lady in black paces the length of the widow’s walk, and at times, meanders beneath the shade of the mighty oak trees. A man dressed in gray, wearing boots, haunts the kitchen. Many have heard the distinctive clip-clop of horses alongside the sound of approaching wooden wheels. Yet, the phantom carriage never arrives. The pleasant odor of lavender permeates the room that once belonged to the lady of the house. Shadows lurk in the corners. And did I mention the candlestick that flew across the room during a tour?

Balmoral Castle, Queen Victoria and the ghost of John Brown...

Queen Victoria never fully recovered from the untimely death of her husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. Nonetheless, she found solace in the companionship of John Brown, who acted as the queen’s personal servant. Whispers concerning an improper relationship abounded and to this day, no one knows how deep that relationship truly ran. The 15^th Earl of Derby, Edward Stanley, reported that they slept in adjoining rooms “contrary to etiquette and even decency.” Victoria’s own daughters, in joking manner, referred to John Brown as “mama’s lover.”

So, were Queen Victoria and John Brown star crossed lovers, separated by Royal birth and class, or did they simply have an honorable friendship besmirched by those with a mean, jealous, malicious streak?

Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Chickamauga

Since the release of “Spirit of the Rebellion,” I have received a lot of questions about a great many things in the story. So, today I thought I’d address one of the questions concerning the Battle of Chickamauga. Readers wanted to know if Rosecrans really received faulty information on that battlefield. Did he truly create a hole in his line that the Confederate army promptly exploited because of that information? And if so, what, if anything, happened to Rosecrans since the battle ended in a Union defeat? Although fictionalized to some extent in the book, (I am a novelist, see the disclaimer...) let me give you some of the facts.

In late 1863, President Lincoln desperately needed some good news. In fact, he was desperate for a substantial Union victory. Opposition in congress from moderates who wished to end the war, rioters in New York who opposed the draft, foreign policy breakdowns and facing the election in 1864, weighed heavy on his mind. Needless to say, Abraham Lincoln had his worries. He wanted a win at Chickamauga.

Battle of Chickamauga

The Battle of Chickamauga was indeed, a Union defeat, but this battle ultimately led to the demise of the South. How can defeat be a good thing? Set backs are usually followed by change. The Union general, William Rosecrans’ Army of the Cumberland had recently defeated General Braxton Bragg of the Confederate Army of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Rosecrans was a competent leader, a good strategist, and his career was on the rise. But even the best make mistakes. However, Lincoln was in no position or mood to tolerate mistakes.