Tales from the Emerald Isle

I've always loved the stories and the music that come from Ireland. And though I'm definitely an American girl, I feel a strong connection to the Emerald Isle - it's magic and it's mythology. There is a magnetic pull that happens when I hear the lilt of an Irish harp, or "see" Irish tales spinning upon the pages. They mystify me. They enchant me. And there's nothing a fan of fantasy likes more than to be swept away from where we live, into a land where faeries fly through fields of dazzling green, and selkies swim in the deep blue waters of the sea. Where brave warriors, Kings & Queens battle supernatural gods & goddesses, druids & sorceresses in the Mists of Avalon. Where leprechauns & pookas play nasty tricks, and faeries swap human babies for changelings. 

Ireland is a land of great beauty, great art - but it has been also a land of darkness & suffering. We see this through the rich history of tales that have been left behind & passed down through generations. Because the mythology and folklore of any land was originally shared orally, the written tales we read now may differ slightly - but the overall messages and magical creatures in them, and their emotional stories remain mysterious and magical.  These stories are deeply rooted to the land they come from, and the Irish people who believed in them - or still believe in them today. 

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Dragon Kingdom & The Wishing Stone, Book 3 of the Dream Chronicles, is inspired by the mystery & magic of Irish mythology, folklore & fairy tales. It isn't the first time I've been drawn to write something Celtic inspired, though it will be the first time I'm using Celtic & Irish themes and magical creatures to create an entire book! It's a daunting but also fascinating process, and I can honestly say that I am enjoying the research as much as the writing. In fact, I feel that at the end I just may need to book myself a trip to the Emerald Isle!  

These two books are written for young audiences. Perfect for kids at middle-grade reading level who are interested in Irish fairy tales, mythology & folklore:

• Magic Tree House Research Guide: Leprechauns & Irish Folklore by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce (A Nonfiction Companion to Leprechaun in Late Winter) Random House NYC 2010.
• The Mystery and Magic Series: Magicians and Fairies by Robert Ingpen & Molly Pelham, Chelsea House Publishers, 1996 -This book is a dictionary of fairies, magical creatures & mythical places, and is also sprinkled with a few famous tales, including The Fairy Nurse from Ireland.

Listed below are classic collections of Celtic tales written for audiences young & old, including two of the many collections of tales available by famous Irish writers Oscar Wilde & W.B. Yeats.

• The Lilac Fairy Book, Edited by Andrew Lang. Dover Publications, Inc. NYC. 1968. Originally published in 1910, this collection includes (among others) tales from Ireland, Scotland & Wales.
• The Complete Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde. Signet Classics.
• The Celtic Twilight: Faerie & Folklore: W. B. Yeats. Dover Publications.

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I hope you've enjoyed today's trip to the Emerald Isle! I'll be sharing more looks into my writing and research process for Dragon Kingdom & The Wishing Stone in future posts.

Thank you for visiting my Author Blog. Have a magical day! -Stacie