It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. - Seneca

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Excerpt from GLANCING THROUGH THE GLIMMER ...

In a twenty-first century Ireland ruled by the heirs of High King Brian Boru, a homesick girl meets a prince in disguise, and both run afoul of the fairies . . .

 The excerpt below is set on the magnificent cliff walk in Howth, Ireland. It’s a perfect spot for Janet and Liam’s first date.

Or is it?


* * * *



The first time Liam slipped and fell, he cursed the rain-damp grass. He blamed his second tumble on his haste to catch up with Janet. What on earth had possessed the girl to run off like that? She couldn’t possibly want to find music that badly.

Music only she could hear.

The third time he lost his balance, he’d swear someone had pushed him, but no one was there. He landed on his hands and knees and cursed again. He might not be a muscleman, but he was far from a clumsy dolt. A lifetime of sports and outdoor treks had surely left him fit enough to climb a scrubby little hillside.

Something strange was afoot.

I’m being ridiculous. The breeze must have kept him from hearing the music she heard. She’d likely gone after the owner of whatever was playing the tune to learn its name.

Yet the Nose of Howth seemed deserted. How odd for a sunny Sunday morning. Even if Janet had gone off seeking the source of the music, no amount of rationalizing could explain why she’d left so abruptly. The chilling sense that she was in danger had Liam’s heart thumping high in his throat.        

Should he call his cousin? If Kevin was still on the pier, it would take him a while to get here. And practical Kevin would surely think Liam astray in the head.

Maybe he was, but something told him he had to find Janet, and fast. Keeping close to the ground as if he were dodging radar, he clambered monkey-like up the hill. This time he reached the top of the rise. Lumps in the landscape surrounded him, clumps of rock and rolling masses of heather and gorse that encircled the level spot where he stood. He knew the place well. Except for the curious lack of weekend hill walkers, nothing seemed amiss.

 “Janet!”

He listened hard. A seagull cried in the distance. Otherwise, all was silent. No, wait! Music drifted toward him, a plucky harp tune he might have enjoyed under different circumstances. Was that what Janet had heard?

Where was it? He turned in a circle, squinting in the sunlight, scanning, straining to hear. When he returned to the spot where he’d started, a jolt of fear set his pulse racing.

A round stone hut had appeared on the highest part of the clearing. Its low thatched roof rose to a ridiculously high point. It resembled a roundhouse, the sort of dwelling that belonged in a prehistoric ring fort.

Or a fairy fort.

Liam swallowed hard. He’d seen replicas of such huts in Ireland’s folk parks. He’d also viewed ruins of the original ring forts, all that remained of the structures built by the mysterious peoples who’d lived and died in Ireland thousands of years ago.

Where had this one come from? Why was it on the Nose of Howth? Liam had never seen it before, nor had he heard of any gimmicky tourism plans for the cliff walk. Of course, he didn’t know everything. Convincing himself that he’d failed to see the hut at first because the sun had blinded him, he ventured toward the structure.

He spotted a doorway and relaxed. Janet was there, speaking to a woman wearing a period costume, medieval or older. That’s what it was, he thought: tourism come to tarnish Howth. How could Uncle Peadar have allowed such nonsense?

Liam called Janet’s name again, but neither she nor the woman showed any sign that they’d heard him. The wind must have carried his voice away. He stalked toward the roundhouse. As he approached, the costumed woman placed a necklace over Janet’s head.

The roundhouse flickered, faded, and reappeared. Alarmed, Liam stopped. This was no tourist gimmick. As his thoughts scrambled for an explanation, the woman grabbed Janet’s arm and pulled her into the hut.

“Janet, no!” His ferocious roar proved useless. Unbelievably, the roundhouse began to dissolve. No longer doubting his horrified senses, he dove at the hut and charged through the disappearing door.     

The world around him melted away.

Purchase Glancing through the Glimmer

Visit Pat on the Web- www.patmcdermott.net

*Pat will be giving away an E-copy of Glancing through the Glimmer to one lucky commenter! Please leave your E-mail address with your comment! No E-mail address, No entry!!! Winner will be chosen at Random once the SPOTLIGHT is over on March 23, 2012* 

Good Luck!

Tomorrow our SPOTLIGHT wraps up with the official trailer for Glancing through the Glimmer!


17 comments:

Brenna Ash said...

Great excerpt, Pat. And I love the title!

Pat McDermott said...

Thanks, Brenna. Glad you enjoyed it. The title is a phrase from an old Irish poem called The Fairy Thorn, by Samuel Ferguson. I like it too :-)

Vonda Sinclair said...

Very intriguing excerpt! I love the paranormal aspect and ancient stone buildings.

Pat McDermott said...

With glimmer, any kind of buildings are possible, Vonda :-) Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sky Purington said...

Super excerpt! Great cover too! :-)

Chicks of Characterization said...

Love the excerpt Pat!

Andrea

Conda Douglas said...

Excellent post and I'm looking forward to seeing the trailer!

Pat McDermott said...

@Sky, thanks, and I agree, the cover is great. The artist did a wonderful job.

@Andrea, you're a fabulous cheerleader!

@Conda, I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I hope you like the trailer too!

Thanks, everyone!

Linda said...

What can be better than a prince in disguise in a fairy tale? Hey! That's a line from the opening song in Beauty & the Beast sung by Belle!

thumbelinda03@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Pat McDermott said...

@Linda, I agree. Don't know the song you mentioned, but I like princes in fairy tales.

@Tore, you're entered.

Thank you both for coming by, and good luck with the contest!

Tina B said...

This excerpt is very intriguing! Thank you for the opportunity to read your story.

I love the castle on your cover.

Wendy said...

I have this book. I've read it and it lives up to all my expectations and much more. What a wonderful imagination you have, Pat. And the setting - Ireland in all her regged beauty, wow! Janet and Liam go so well together, too, and those troublesome fairies well... :)
Whoever wins this book will be truly blessed, like I was with this enchanting story.


this enchanting story.

Pat McDermott said...

Tina, thanks for dropping by, and good luck with the contest!

Pat McDermott said...

Shucks, Wendy. Thank you so much for the kind words!

Anonymous said...

oOOOO....I've never heard of the poem, but can't wait to read it. I'm a total sucker for a good fairy tale! :)

Congrats! OH...and I want to live in either castle...the crumbly one or the cover one.

Karen

Pat McDermott said...

Hi Karen. Here's a link to the poem: http://www.bartleby.com/250/65.html BTW, the fairies in sequel, Autumn Glimmer, live in an underwater castle. I think I'd like that! Thanks for stopping by.

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