Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Thankful Author 2017- Judith Sterling



Why I’m Thankful

I’ll get right to the point and say I’m thankful for the otherworldly help I’ve received my entire life. Call it what you will: angels, benevolent spirits, or positive energy from the unified field of unlimited potential. It’s powerful stuff, and I could give you hundreds of examples. But I’ll stick to one that’s short and sweet.

When my identical twin boys were one year old, we moved into a newly constructed townhouse. We spent the majority of our time in the living room, where my husband, Dan, had set up a fenced play yard. Directly above it was a huge, heavy ceiling fan. The boys were well acquainted with such fans; the three places they’d lived previously (yes, three!) each had at least two.

During our first three weeks in the townhouse, they stared up at said fan with unusual frequency, sometimes independently, sometimes as one. Whether on or off, it continually drew their attention.

They giggled. They laughed. They beamed up at it, countless times in countless ways for 21 days straight.

Morning dawned on the 22nd day. It was 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday, and we were still abed when...

THWUNK!

Dan and I jumped up and ran to the boys’ bedroom. They slept soundly in their cribs.

Our security alarm hadn’t made a peep, so an intruder was unlikely. Nevertheless, we hustled down the stairs to the living room.

The ceiling fan had crashed to the ground with such force that two of the blades had broken in half. It was beyond repair.

First thing the next morning, two electricians and the builder’s representative investigated the scene, and their conclusions were chilling. The screws securing the fan to the ceiling hadn’t been anchored in the ceiling joist at all. They’d been driven into a gap between the joist and a narrow strip of plywood. Only the tiniest indentations on the side edge of that plywood proved the screws had ever touched it.

The fan hadn’t been mounted to anything solid. In effect, it had been fastened to empty space.

The pasty white faces of every man present said it all. None of them could fathom how the fan stayed up for a single day, let alone three weeks. The builder paid for a replacement fan and installed it the following day. Even though it was an exact duplicate of the previous version, the boys ignored it from that day forward.

The copy didn’t command their attention. Why should it? The force (or helpers) which held up the original had moved on…though not so far as to prevent helping us on numerous occasions since. I trust that help will always be there—for my family and yours—and I’m grateful for it every day.

                        

BLURB:

The Cauldron Stirred (Guardians of Erin, Book One)

Ashling Donoghue never dreamed moving to Ireland would rock her perception of reality and plunge her into a mystery that brings legend to life.

At seventeen, she’s never had a boyfriend, but she feels an immediate connection to Aengus Breasal, the son of the wealthy Irishman who’s invited her family to stay at his Killarney estate. For the first time in her life, a guy she likes seems attracted to her.

But Aengus is secretive, with good reason. He and his family are the Tuatha Dé Danann, ageless, mythical guardians adept at shifting between this reality and the magical dimension known as the Otherworld. Evil forces from that world threaten the Breasals, the Donoghues, and all of Ireland. Ashling must open her heart, face her fears, and embrace a destiny greater than she could ever have imagined.

BUY LINKS:





BIO:


Judith Sterling’s love of history and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the Raven and Soul of the Wolf are part of her medieval romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book in her young adult paranormal series, Guardians of Erin. Written under Judith Marshall, her nonfiction books—My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives, Present Stories—have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit, she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and their identical twin sons.

24 comments:

  1. I got a chill as I read your post Judith. And I enjoyed your excerpt. Seems you and your family have a connection with the things that go bump...Happy Thanksgiving.

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    1. Oh, there's a definite connection! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post and blurb. Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving, too!

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  2. So glad your boys were safe from the crashing fan. How scary.

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    1. Thanks, Debra. It was interesting, to say the least!

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  3. Thanks so much for sharing, Judith! You had a special "Guardian" during those three weeks. All the best!

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    1. Thanks, Mary! I know you're right. And you know I wish you all the best with everything!

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  4. Chilling story - and yes, I totally believe in angels, spirits, or guardians, whatever you want to call them. They're there. And thank goodness for it.

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    1. Yes, thank goodness they're there! Wishing you all the best, Katie!

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  5. Wow. That's quite a story. Thankfully, your boys were safe. Thank you for sharing. xo

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    1. Thanks, Veronica, and you're welcome! We've had lots of close calls over the years, but things have always turned out fine. Thank goodness!

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  6. Having had many similar disasters avoided like yours, I feel we have guardian angels--thank goodness! When a tornado hit our house we moved to the basement. The ceiling to baby daughter's room fell on an empty crib. Just one example. Your book sounds amazing and I love the cover!

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    1. Thanks, Susan. I'm so glad you and your family are safe. Tornadoes are scary! Glad we all have guardians!

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  7. Fascinating story. Just goes to show you that we certainly don't know the universe.

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    1. Thanks, Lin! Yes, as Hamlet said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." It's a strange, wonderful world, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

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  8. So interesting! Thanks for sharing. Claire Marti

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  9. Yep, I believe in angels, guardians, God. And I am grateful every day. Thanks for sharing your story. Love your cover! Best wishes!

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    1. You're welcome, Sandra. Thanks so much. Best wishes to you, too!

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  10. Wow! Your post gave me chills, Judith. After a frightening experience like the ceiling fan falling, you would have to believe in a higher power. So glad no one was hurt. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Quite a story with a happy ending! And it's a nice reminder of the little helpers who show up from time to time.

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  12. Thank heavens for that protection. I definitely believe in those guardians, too, Judith. And fascinating that the little ones' attentions were caught--makes me wonder and, maybe, wish for better vision myself! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You're so welcome, Barbara! Yes, my boys saw so many things when they were little. Not as much now that they're older, but it's been an adventure every step of the way!

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