Flirt Squad Challenge Week 3: Where Would Reyna Send You?

Hiya!

As you guys can tell by the title of this post, this is going to be another Flirt Squad challenge to promote A Tale of Two Centuries, the second book in the My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century series by Rachel Harris.

This week it's all about time travel, since that's a HUGE theme that runs through the novels. Reyna is the gypsy girl that has the power and pizzazz to take your hearts desires and make them come true! So, we were asked to think about where we'd want Reyna to send us!

I had a hard time thinking about this one, and then I remembered that it could be a temporary trip. So, with that in mind. I decided I want to go back to 13th/14th century Scotland.

The scenery, the kilts, the bagpipes, the accents, the castles... the bloodshed. Ok, that last one I'm not looking forward too as much, but I'm hoping that my trip would come out to be less bloody than some of the stories I hear about Scotland.

Every year here in my state of Connecticut we have a few Scottish festivals and it almost feels as if I travel back in time for those. I haven't been to one in a few years but I'm hoping to go again this year.

 Now, as for that time period - I've always liked it. I like the ruggedness, the fact that countries were still being discovered that traditions weren't THAT blended (compared to today.) Everything was more raw, more original. I want to see the roots of where people come from.

Eilean Donan Castle

Cute furry cows

Glencoe, Scotland.

Castle Ruins

The coast of Fair Isle, Scotland.

Here's a little historical video about Scottish dialects. :) 

And here's a little shout out to my favorite two Scotsman: Zachary Moore and Martin Connelly! It was Martin's birthday a few days ago so go wish him happy birthday! 

So - where in the world, or rather WHEN in the world would you have Reyna send you? I can't wait to hear about it! 

A Tale of Two Centuries (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2)
Rachel Harris
Entangled Teen; August 6th, 2013
Paperback; 320 pages.

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

And the wonderful author!

 Rachel Harris!

As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.

She grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with her grandmother and staying up late sneak reading her mam's favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

She homeschools her two beautiful girls and loves watching reality television with her amazing husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult Fun, Flirty Escapes, and LOVES talking with readers!

 

Coven VS. Solitary Practice

So, I'm a few days late in this Thursday Pagan Blog Prompts thing, but real life has been throwing a few lemons at me. However, I checked in on PBP's site and I see that the topic is about Coven study vs. solitary study in your pagan/wiccan practice.

Here's the actual prompt text.
"Please forgive me if this prompt has been done, but coven vs. solitary practice is something I have always been interested in. I practice in a coven myself, but spent a many good years doing my own thing as a solitary, so I have felt first have the benefits and drawbacks of both situations.
How do you all feel? Do you practice in a group or solitary? Which do you prefer? If you chose one over the other, why do you feel that way? If you are a coven member, would you ever go back to being solitary? If you practice alone, would you ever join a group? Just something to think over. :)
I look forward to reading your thoughts!!"

Right now I like to think of me as both a Coven member and a solitary witch. I do have a coven and, actually the prompter that wrote this post is a Coven sister of mine. Love you, Ivy! 

But, I also do a lot of practice on my own. I've been on this path for 4 years going on 5 I've read a lot of blogs, articles, websites and the like about Wiccan practice (since that's how I identify - as a Wiccan.) Many people seem to think that once you start practicing in a Coven, if you ever do, then you have to do all of your practice with your Coven. Not so. I think that practicing with your Coven for a majority of the time, say for the Sabbats and for some Esbats are ideal, but you can't do ALL of your practicing with the Coven. 

Unless you all live together in a huge house, which would be cool, you can't share all your magickal moments together. Like drinking your morning cup of tea while feeling the cool breeze on your front porch. Or practicing your visualization skills while you take a morning shower (tropical waterfall in the amazon where there are no bills to pay anyone?) Or how about that extra moment you take to look up at the sky and wave to the moon when you take out the trash at night? 

These moments are just as magical as the ones you have in Coven circle time, if not more so - because they are intimate, they are yours and they are your moments with the Divine. In a way I prefer my solitary moments over Coven time. Yes I love my Coven to bits and I'd do anything for my girls. I can't imagine not having them in my life and the moments we have are so special. However, I also cherish those moments that I have alone, where I know that I'm right in my ways, where I'm not nervous as hell that I'm going to cast incorrectly or what have you. 

I guess I'm in the air. 50:50. I guess it's a good thing I'm a Coven member and a solitary witch. :)

~Ristoria.