Romance Reviews Giveaway

I am SUPER excited to be having a giveaway on The Romance Reviews website!  I will be giving away one paperback copy of my book "Prophecy of the Guardian,"  and also one e-copy of the same book.

There will be more than 300 participating authors and publishers with more than 400 prizes up for grabs during the entire event. Grand prize is a $100 Gift Certificate!

In order to enter the contest you will  need to register and be logged in at TRR before you can play the game. Registration is free and easy. Please click the link below to enter:

http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php



Good luck, and many blessings!

Wicked After Dark Blog Hop

Hello, fellow blog hoppers. I assume you've “hopped" here as a result of the “Wicked After Dark Halloween Blog Hop," put on by Nikki from Close Encounters With The Night Kind, and her co-host Natasha Blackthorne!  Many thanks!  :)

After my short commentary about Halloween, there will be details on how to win the entire ecopy set of my "Guardian of the Seventh Realm" series (all five ebooks!). 

...but for now, lets talk about Halloween!

I often wonder about the mythologies of Mankind. For instance, how exactly did the tales and literature come about? Man’s imagination is definitely a key element among many, but I highly doubt that every “mythology” from the past is pure fantasy.

Personally, I believe mythologies contain a lot of Truth--more than just imagination or stories told for symbolism only. Take for example the stories about "Giants," such as the Nephilim from the Old Testament of Judeo-Christianity, or the Cyclops in Greek and Roman mythologies; and even the possibility of Mermaids, Dragons and Unicorns. What if these creatures once existed?  If so, I gather their biological make-up could be explained in a scientific manner. Sounds crazy, I know, but I like thinking about it.

You're probably thinking, "What's that got to do with Halloween?"  Frankly, nothing, but it asks the question: what kind of creatures does the Universe really contain, besides what we know about on earth?

In a sense, the point to my introduction was this: (quoting from the all wonderful Wikapedia):  "Historian Nicholas Rogers, exploring the origins of Halloween, notes that while 'some folklorists have detected its origins in the Roman feast of Pomona the goddess of fruits and seeds, or in the festival of the dead called Parentalia, it is more typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, derived from the Old Irish Samuin meaning "summer's end." '  Samhain was the first and the most important of the four quarter days in the medieval Irish and Scottish calendar and, falling on the last day of autumn, it was a time for stock-taking and preparation for the cold winter months ahead.  There was also a sense that this was the time of year when the physical and supernatural worlds were closest and magical things could happen. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on Samhain eve. To ward off these spirits, the Gaels built huge, symbolically regenerative bonfires and invoked the help of the gods through animal and perhaps even human sacrifice. In the Western Isles of Scotland the Sluagh or fairy host was regarded as composed of the souls of the dead flying through the air, and the feast of the dead at Hallowe'en was likewise the festival of the fairies."

Halloween also has some Christian roots in it, but...I'm not writing a history lesson here.  :)

I've loved Halloween ever since I was a child. I have so many fond memories of the holiday, beginning with Trick or Treating. That feeling one gets when dressing up as something else, you know, disguising yourself for the big journey of the night, collecting "treasures," the treasures obviously being candy! It was exciting to see the other kids' costumes as well, or even selfishly think to yourself, "Mine is scarier than his!" And then, after you got home, you'd plop yourself on the couch, feed your face with chocolate, lollipops or candy apples, and turn on the television set to watch "Charlie Brown's the Great Pumpkin," or my personal favorite, "Garfield's Halloween." (The Ghost Pirates still give me the creeps!).

Anyway, now that I'm older I have developed a deeper understanding for Halloween, at least in my own mind. With all the tales behind "All Hallows Eve," and the thinking that goes with it, I often wonder if spiritual activity increases in the U.S. for that one evening.  I do believe we can draw spirits to us--good or bad--by our feelings/emotions and specific beliefs. Without getting into that statement too deeply, I just want to mention that I've read cases where spirits are drawn to certain individuals for their overwhelming presence of love, or dire anger, and even deep sorrow.  Therefore, I also think the energy we create by our thoughts and feelings, when it comes to Halloween, can very well draw out many spirits for that night. Note: when I say spirits, I don't necessarily mean "ghosts," as if to say the spirits of human beings. It could be though, but what I'm talking about are the types of creatures that exist in mythological tales, or creatures that perhaps only exist in a spiritual energy-like state that science cannot measure as of yet. This could include Demons or any particular dark entity, perhaps even entities that we humans are unaware of, but may in fact exist, such as…yes, Vampires!

One of the creepiest books I’ve read on this subject is “Real Vampires, Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Darkside,” by author Brad Steiger. In that book there are numerous accounts of unexplained events, accompanied by strange encounters with unknown and, more than likely, non-human (“human” from our understanding) creatures. I think one of the scariest stories is “The Mysterious Lady in Black,” a female entity who draws psychic energy from men who dare approach her as she wanders through the city streets. Supposedly, up until the twentieth century, this female spirit had been going from body to body ever since her unwilling sacrificial death hundreds of years prior. When you actually read this story, and the accounts of the witnesses, let me tell you, this is one creepy arse story! Other such chapters in this book that really make your skin crawl, and that are great to read around this time of the year are “Haunted by the Dybbuk,” “Black-eyed Beings,” Vampires from UFOs, and “Ghosts that Bite.” I HIGHLY recommend this book.

There are so many mysteries in life; the journey makes it incredibly fascinating, and sometimes torturous, because if you're like me, I really want to know whether or not these creatures exist.

Aside from all of this, when it comes to women, Halloween has presently become much sexier. Ever go to an adult Halloween party? The "outfits" women like to dress up in are…dear lord…SMOKING HOT! I just love to see a woman as a sexy witch: black lipstick and violet eye shadow, knee high boots with stiletto heels, a kinky tight little black and purple dress--hey…I just described my wife's outfit from last Halloween!

And let's just hope we do not test the Witch's wrath, otherwise...

What a way to go...  LOL

Just my interesting ramblings about Halloween.

Now, if you'd like the chance to win my epic/dark fantasy series "Guardian of the Seventh Realm" in ecopies, please just follow and comment on my blog, and leave me your email address.  If you're uncomfortable with leaving your email, just send it to me personally at: jwbaccaro@yahoo.com.  But please at least comment.  Winners will be announced November 3rd.

Any "likes" on my facebook fan page would also be highly appreciated.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JWBaccaro/184531844916499?sk=wall/

I will also be giving away a paperback copy of the book I mentioned earlier in my post, "Real Vampires, Night Stalkers, and Creatures from the Darkside,” by author Brad Steiger.  I think that goes well with the Halloween theme.

To end this blog of mine, I'm going to leave all of you with an excerpt from the third chapter of my first book "Prophecy of the Guardian."  The chapter is titled "The Dream Assassin," and the reason I am sharing the excerpt is because I've received a lot of great feedback on this chapter. There are no spoilers; it's a section most fitting for Halloween:

Excerpt from chapter three of J.W.Baccaro's "Prophecy of the Guardian"

* * * *

Later that night, when Darshun lay in his bed, he kept thinking about the stories Damacoles had shared with him, wondering if any truth dwelled in them. A sacrificial goddess of fire? A mischievous god of theft and murder? Surely such tales were legendary, meant to scare children into behaving. For it was never a good thing to play with fire, or to prowl the outdoors during the dark hours. No wonder the elders would conjure up such stories.

These thoughts were cut short when Darshun heard nois-es outside his window. They sounded like stones hitting the house and a rustling of leaves. He wondered if Mirloth was there, creeping around stealing belongings, or anything that was "precious" to him. Then came the worst of it yet: a voice, coming from under his bed, whispering—hissing his name twice: "Darshun...Darshun." Then, there was an impish laugh. Darshun closed his eyes, covered his ears and remained still, shaking, sweating—praying it would go away! His fists were clenched so tight he could feel the veins popping out of his fo-rearms. Then, after a while, when the noises had stopped, he felt ridiculous, thinking himself to be a fool. "They are just tales." He laughed. "And I am scaring myself into hearing things. Heh, yes..." Sleep began to take hold, his eyes feeling heavy. "They are tales...that’s all. Just...tales..."

* * * *

A clutter of loud noises outside Darshun’s window awa-kened him. It sounded like colossal boulders rolling across the ground and hitting the side of the house. He lay in bed, trem-bling, not daring to see what it was, remembering the same business earlier in the night. Then the noises stopped, and he heard heavy footsteps trotting away over the fallen leaves. "Someone’s out there." He climbed out of bed and walked to the window, peeped outside and saw nothing. It was pitch black. That’s strange—a few hours ago there was a full moon. There came another crash in the distance, but this time it was crackling, furious, like the stone castle collapsing. Darshun leaped away from the window, sinking to the floor in dark-ness. "What is going on?" he said, panting. "I better wake up Father."

Stepping across the room in shadow, he grabbed a candle off a stand and set it ablaze, then made his way down the short hall and to Mirabel’s room. But when he got there his bed was empty, the blankets lying on the floor. "Ah, Father. Where did you venture off to
now?"

Not wanting to be alone, he decided to go outside and look for him; and he hoped he would find his father before whatever else was lurking within the city found
him. He grabbed his sheathe and sword, along with a dagger, slipped into his brown leather ankle boots and cloak, then ventured outside. The darkness was so thick he couldn’t see two feet in front of him. "Where in the world could he be? Perhaps at Uncle Seth’s."

Suddenly there was a scream, a horrible sounding scream, like that of a frightened young girl. It echoed from every di-rection of the city. Then there were crackling noises and a rustling of leaves in the woods, like someone or something running through the brush. Darshun stopped, pulled out the sword. Seconds later the noises went silent and a wet wind came. Lightning flashed, followed by bangs of thunder. "Fa-ther!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the night-shaded city. "Where are you?" A second flash of lightning lit up the sky for a few moments revealing much of Loreladia, and dur-ing this time he saw something that sent chills down his back: about a hundred feet away there was a creature that stood at least eight feet tall. A set of horns rose off its skull like a bull; it had unnaturally long arms, dagger-sized claws, three wide legs—the third extending down where the groin would natu-rally be, a swaying tail, dark red skin and yellow eyes; the eyes were terrifying, glaring at Darshun with hatred. And the stench it carried was indescribable. His heart raced. But when another wave of lightning split the sky, the creature was gone. "Di-did I imagine that?" Suddenly the storm elements struck a tree, bursting it into flames. The fire lit up the surrounding area, and when Darshun turned around he witnessed the crea-ture again, this time standing about ten feet away! Its eyes flashed. He screamed and ran, and the creature chased after him. It moved like a large puppet, unsteady and off balance, probably due to its additional leg, which made the thing all the creepier.

"Help me!" Darshun shouted, but no one came to his aid. He continued to run through the dark city until he reached Uncle Seth’s house, staggering into the yard. He banged on all the doors and all the windows. There came no answer. Every-one seemed to have vanished. Kicking open the back door, he ran into the house and looked around for a candle, blindly touching the small round tables in the living room. Instead he discovered an oil lamp, recently put out, its smell spreading through the house. He ignited it and searched for Seth and Mi-rabel, scurrying through every room, and still they were no-where to be found. Quickly Darshun blew out the wick and stood still, listening to the rain beating down on the house, praying that the creature wouldn’t find him; then he felt a warm liquid hit his face and drip down his cheeks. Curious, he relit the lamp and looked above, witnessing fresh blood that had been splattered completely across the ceiling, along with intestines driven into cracks, dangling to and fro. Darshun screamed, then put a hand over his mouth, realizing his stu-pidity. "Oh no," he whispered.

Suddenly, as though waiting for this precise moment, the creature crashed through the front door, kicking the wood apart, tightly grabbed his arm and tossed him across the room like a doll. He hit the wall and fell to the floor. The creature walked over, its stench unbearable, like a rotten corpse. Adrenaline rushing, Darshun quickly stood up, drew his sword and struck the creature in its left leg, hacking off a chunk of flesh, then ran to the nearest window and jumped through it. He tumbled onto the muddy ground, smashing his jaw and dropping the sword. The creature reached through, grabbed his leg and began to pull him back in. Its claws dug in-to his skin, piercing to the bone, and he screamed in agony. Punching the thing in its face didn’t seem to faze it either, on-ly hurt Darshun’s hands. Then he remembered the dagger he had brought. He took it off his girdle and stabbed the crea-ture’s hand; terribly it roared, saliva shooting out its mouth. It released him. Darshun picked up his sword and ran into the woods as fast as his little legs would take him. He ran and ran until he was a long way off and found a thicket of bushes to hide under. He was soaking wet, and the temperature had dropped so much that his breath now showed. Trying to calm down, he rubbed his sweaty face and wounded leg, which was beginning to swell with severe pain. Soon he would need medical attention. But these thoughts vanished when he heard a crackling of sticks. Something was coming toward him. Dar-shun gripped his sword and remained still. The noises stopped; nothing now except the rain. Perhaps it was an animal?

Suddenly lightning struck a tree near by, and in fear he quickly climbed out of the thicket. The fire burned high, giv-ing off much light, and he knew he had to abandon that area fast. Then, as if things weren’t bad enough, he felt a cold breath on the back of his neck, and shivers of fear ran down his spine. Slowly he turned around, and there the creature stood, face-to-face with him. It grabbed his throat, lifted him off his feet and slammed him against a tree. The face was hideous—cut, mangled as if it had been mutilated, and decaying with disease. Darshun vomited onto it, the vomit dripping down its bloody cheeks.

"My father?" Darshun asked, tired and weary. "Where is my father?" Grinning, the creature pointed up in the trees, and Darshun widened his eyes. Hanging by two ropes tied to their legs were Mirabel and Seth. Their bellies had been torn open and their throats cut, blood oozing like a river. Hideous-ly the creature laughed and rose up its other hand, extending blood stained claws.


After the loss of his loved ones, nothing else mattered, nothing except justice, or perhaps revenge. An uncontrollable desire began to overtake him. Dramatic emotions of hate, love, desperation, and madness surged within, and a sleeping beast began to awaken. "Father...Uncle Seth..." Suddenly, it happened. "
Noooo!!!" he screamed in rage and fury as a red fire exploded around him, blowing the creature off its feet. The fire surrounded Darshun’s entire body. Even his pupils con-sisted of flame. At first, he didn’t understand what was hap-pening; his anger had ignited, awakened or unleashed some-thing inside of him, perhaps lying dormant, and the energy was magnifying. He felt the bodily change in every pore, a sensation within the eyes, a tingling throughout the hair. His body was different—he was different, transformed. The crea-ture, now terrified, desperately ran for its life. Darshun raised both hands, naturally understanding what to do, and shot two streams of blistering red flames out of them. Burning through every tree in their path, the flames struck the creature and disintegrated it. Darshun awoke to yellow light shining all around him. He screamed, crashing his head to and fro, confused, disoriented, unaware of his surroundings, until the light vanished and he saw Mirabel. "Fa-father?" he said.

"Yes, son, it is I. Everything is going to be all right."

"It was a dream...only a dream," he said and collapsed, out of energy; and within moments he fell back to sleep.

Upon seeing the flames many Loreladians rushed over speedily, standing in the middle of the street, gazing upon Mi-rabel’s house, nearly ash. Seth Caelen was there too, having sensed the disturbance in Darshun.

"Good heavens," Mythaen said, running up to Mirabel. "Are you and Dar all right?"

Mirabel glanced over, then fixed his eyes back on Dar-shun. "Fine," he answered.
"What happened?"

"A candle fell."

"A...candle?" he asked, confused. For not only was it highly unlikely for Mirabel to make a mistake like that, but candle fire burns a beautiful orange-yellow, where this fire was a blistering red. "Are you positive?"

"Yes! It was a candle, a molding of wax!" Mirabel said, his words sounding more like a growl. He sighed, and then fi-nished in a calmer tone. "Just an accident started from an old Wizard’s candle. Everything is fine now."

All right, that made a little more sense. He was after all a keeper of magical souvenirs. "Well, if you like, you and Dar can stay at my place tonight," Mythaen offered. "Or perhaps in the castle?"

"You can stay with me!" Elwin blurted out, wishing to be with Darshun. "Mother won’t mind."

"I appreciate the offer, but I will pass." He picked up Dar-shun and held him in his arms. "The danger has passed; the fire is out. You can all return home now." Quickly he turned to Seth, speaking almost in a whisper. "Accompany me for a short time?"

"Of course."

They walked out of the city and into the woods, abandon-ing the perplexed crowd. Mirabel ventured only a short dis-tance then stopped, setting Darshun down on some soft leaves. Quickly he made a fire.

"That was no candle accident, was it?" Seth asked, though he knew the answer.

"No, it was Darshun. Come here, look! They’re still visi-ble."

Seth gazed and saw claw marks around his neck with trickles of fresh blood. He also saw the wound on Darshun’s leg and shadow-like markings across his face, arms, and chest that were beginning to fade, like ghostly hands releasing their grasp. "Is it possible?"

"Yes. A Dream Assassin attacked him."

"Sorcerer Dream Assassin spells are difficult to achieve. They must have the blood of the one they intend to kill. Dar-shun has either lived in Loreladia since we rescued him or been with you."

"I know, I know. It doesn’t make sense. But whoever cast
the spell must possess a bit of his blood. Someone wants him dead."

"The Northern Cullach?"

"I was thinking the evil ones in command of them. Re-member what Deloth had spoken? That Darshun had to be sa-crificed because he was a creature of the Light, and if he lived, disaster could fall upon them."

"I remember, but what does it mean?"

"Seth, tonight I felt a power within Darshun that even I fear. That is what awoke me earlier. The very house trem-bled. I heard him scream, and fire shot out everywhere. He unlocked his element in his dream, his element of Fire, and at only age twelve, something no Nasharin has ever achieved. His inner power was so strong I could barely contain him. Then I carried him into the street and shielded his fire. Everything within the house was gone, everything except that...golden ball. Somehow it rolled into the street and stopped at Dar-shun’s side, and once again, it was glowing!"

"What are you saying?"

"The Prophecy of the Guardian and the Second Great War could be upon us."

Seth stared at Darshun in amazement, thinking about the signs: the golden ball, the extraordinary power of this boy, the threat of the Dark, Darshun’s dreams and the presence of the Archangel. "Yes, the pieces do add up. Incredible!"

"I am not certain of it; nevertheless, for now I will re-main in the forest and continue to train him. He needs to learn how to control his element and strengthen his mind, lest
another attack come."

"All right. Don’t fret about your house. I’ll build anoth-er."

"Thank you, my friend. And please, until I understand for certain what is going on, do not tell anyone about this."

Seth nodded, and his eyes darkened, taking on a more se-rious approach. "Mirabel, if the prophecy is at hand, then you know what kind of evil shall threaten not only us, but
all of the earth!"

Mirabel sighed. "I know. Our only hope shall be this little Nasharin."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!



What I Like Read...

A lot of fans like to know what their favorite authors read.  I thought I’d take a few moments to explain myself for anyone out there who is a “Guardian of the Seventh Realm” fan.

"What do you read, J.W.Baccaro, tell us what you read...?"

All right...

I write fantasy, but personally, I don’t read a whole lot of fantasy. Of course one of the King’s of fantasy for me is the famous J.R.R. Tolkien.  His “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” just touched something inside of me and also inspired me to create my own written adventure.  Then there is C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which was a much faster pace (and sometimes more exciting) kind of story than Tolkien’s Middle Earth.  But I love both worlds.  And to be completely honest, probably the only other medieval-like fantasy adventure that I have read and loved is Madeline Howard’s “Rune Of Unmaking” saga.  I'm still waiting on the third book, Mrs. Howard.  :)

After those three worlds, my attention has only been drawn to Urban Fantasy stories like Susan Cooper’s “The Dark Is Rising,” or Dark Erotica like Joey W Hill’s “Vampire Queen" novels.  And of course, there are a few kick-arse science fiction stories that I love—my favorite being Octavia E Butler’s “Wild Seed.”  Occasionally I’ll try out a new fantasy (urban or medieval), sci-fi or dark erotica book, but many times I find myself growing bored with them. Perhaps I’m just not a fanatical reader.  But in regards to the books I have read and enjoyed, I, in every way, have loved them!

Any other authors out there who are like-minded?

Writing for me is also like therapy.  I’m a deep thinker, and to some extent, a philosopher.  When I’m not reading fiction, I’m reading non-fiction books about spiritualism, the universe, and/or the beliefs of many religions such as Christianity.  Lately I have been finding myself heavily interested in Near Death Experiences, and I have so many questions I would one day like answered.

In my books I try and filter out my beliefs, reasons for evil, and some of the “whys” we all ask in life.  But I also focus on morality, and doing the right thing—especially when it is projected from one’s heart, instead of vanity.

Just my thoughts for the day.

Awakening After Death?

Lately I have been heavily into NDEs and the Truth behind them.  I have never had one, but I must say, those who do always sound sincere when talking about the experience, and in almost all cases, they become “better” people in the fact that they live for morality and love.

I’m going to share something by an amazing author and also one who has had a NDE. His name is Rene Jorgensen.

“Is the Near Death Experience evidence of life after death? Well, just the fact that people with no breathing, no heartbeat an no pulse come back from death and tell the same story is pretty extraordinary. But also the scientific evidence in support of near death experiences is in fact pretty strong.

We can predict scientifically that about 20 percent of people with cardiac arrest who are successfully resuscitated will have a near death experience. And the hardest piece of evidence is that near death experiences have been reported in clinically dead patients who had no brain activity whatsoever.

That near death experiences are reported during a state where the brain is completely inactive strongly suggests that these experiences are neither hallucinations nor any other kind of explanation that involves brain activity, because during flat EEG (no brain activity) clear conscious experience should not be possible.
Thereby no skeptical theory can explain away the near death experience and this scientific evidence from these experiences beyond death is not only evidence of life after death but also of the realm of God. 

Between 80 - 90 percent of people who have a near death experience are convinced there is life after death and the most compelling evidence is the depth and sincerity of their testimonies. Most people who have NDErs do not see themselves as being near to death but actually in death, and because of the power of the experience, there is seldom any doubt of its reality.

The other side or realm is convincing beyond any doubt due to the sheer power of experiencing it and most NDErs call the experience ‘hyper-real;’ more real than anything in this dimension. One study found that 96 percent of NDErs said that the experience was not a dream but real unlike anything they had ever experienced in this world.

Another fact that strongly suggests that the NDE is not a dream or illusion is that the experience has a very powerful positive life changing effect. Studies continuously find that most people who have NDEs report that their life has been affected in a profound way. Since both dreams and hallucinations do not have this same effect on people, the life-changing effect of the NDE is strong evidence that the NDE is very real to the experiencer and not something that we can simply disregard.”

Quite interesting in my opinion, and I am looking forward to learning a lot more about these experiences.

The "King" of all Pumpkin Beers

"All Hallows Eve is a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent. It is thought that we can harness this magic to brew our powerful pumpkin ale. Not so, but it is with great respect to the magic of their trade that our brewers produce this fine beer. Take a whiff of this complex ale and your journey has begun. At first sip, a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds, yet another victim enraptured by the Pumking."

This is my absolute favorite beer to drink and enjoy for the season of Autumn.  There are many types of pumpkin ales out there, but notice this brew is called “Pumking,” meaning, it is the King of all Pumpkin beers—and I totally agree! The taste of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, accompanied by sweet pumpkins makes this brew taste like a liquefied, fermented pumpkin pie! Oh yeah, baby!

I love sitting by a bonfire this time of the year with a pumking in my right hand, my electronic cigarette in my left (chocolate flavored), and relaxing to the warmth of the dancing fire.  I also have this style of beer featured in my fifth book, “Rise of the Guardian,” during an autumn festival. Good ole Mythaen sure knows his brew, thanks to his Uncle Alaric.

Cheers!

Cyclops...They're Going To Get You!

I came across a website today talking about the Cyclops.  I'm sure just about everybody knows what these one-eyed "monsters" are, and have probably seen them in animations or old sci-fi flicks.  Well, as you read on, not only does the website talk about the mythology of the Cylops, but it also mentions the possibility that "Cyclops-like" humanoids (like Hobbits), perhaps did exist at one era. After all, there are tribal folklores about giants that once roamed the plains of Central and Northern Mindanao.  Check out the photo below, a skull archeologists discovered in the hinterlands of Bohol:

...or, perhaps this was just some poor dude with an extreme high heel boot fetish, and he was impaled by the stiletto heel of a Dominatrix's boot!

(Wait, the hole in the skull is too wide, guess it wasn't the work or execution of  a Mistress, but I was being silly anyway).

I LOVE information like this!  For so long has it made me ponder about how much (if any) Truth there is within Mythologies of all sorts.  I also like to write my novels in such a way.  They are "fantasy," of course, but still, they do possess some elements of sci-fi, or the possibility that such things could have been real at one time. That even "magic," is not truly unexplainable, in regards to science.  Who knows what scientists will discover among Quantum Mechanics/Physics 100 years from now?

Perhaps it's all silliness, but I do enjoy these exciting ideas.  ^_^

The website, if anyone is interested:  Bringing Myths and Legends to Life

" 'Eye' sees you..."

 

A Review of "The History of Hell"

Beautiful, awesome, kick-arse book! I was impressed with the level of knowledge behind the author. She sure did her homework, to the max.

This book takes you back as far as the Mesopotamian and Egyptian beliefs in Hell, or Hades, or the Great Below, and brings you all the way up to the modern day Hell of Christianity, (I think my only disappointment was that it did not cover the Islamic Hell, which is also quite interesting). There's also a great deal of illustrations from artists dating back to the Dark Ages.

Although this book mostly deals with the Hell of Christianity, it can show how the Jewish religion (preferably the Jews from 200 to 100BC), and early Christians could have very well adapted, or adopted those same ideas into their theology, but with more of a sadistic theme behind it. As you read, you get to "visit" every age of Christianity's past that had to do with Hell, the millennium that followed the fall of Pagan Rome up until the Renaissance or rebirth of the classical approach to learning, (a thousand years sometimes refered to "the age of visions."), to the time of popular Mystery Plays, and of course, the infamous divine comedy "Dante's Inferno.” But there is so much more!

If you're interested in learning about Christianity's Hell, and also earlier accounts of “The Great Below” from older religions, and if you love colorful and authentic illustrations from the past, you have GOT to read this amazing book!!!

 

P.S. I personally do not belive in Hell, at least not the way it's been described through Orthodox Christianity (no pun intended), but I do enjoy the "mythology" of it, very fascinating.

Review of "Animals and the Afterlife"

I adore this book! It is such a blessing to read, especially when one is dealing with the loss of an animal. I came across this book about a month after my beloved Meira (german shepherd/husky mix) had passed away, and it was very heart warming to read, and full of great and intellectual information. In my youth, I also, like the author, used to be a skeptic, but that mindset has long since gone extinct.

I highly recommend this book if you're dealing with the loss of a pet, or even for an interesting read,

P.S. My wife and I also just recently lost our beloved cat, Kaylis. And though it is hard, dealing with the deaths of two beloved members of our family within a couple of months, I know where their spirit now dwells, and having Kim's wonderful book to revisit will always be a big help.

5 stars all the way!

A Little More Personal with J.W.Baccaro

As I look back at these last thirty-four years of my life, remembering all of the different “stages,” it sometimes feels like I have been alive forever.  Strange, huh?  Some of my earliest memories are of my mother and I, walking around the city, collecting the autumn leaves that had fallen to the ground.  We’d take some home and paste the beautiful rustic-looking leaves onto wax paper.  I also recall times of wandering around the shores of the Hudson River with my father and older brother, looking for soda deposit bottles (glass bottles, in those days), to return to the store.  My father was the only one working, while my mother stood home to raise my brother and I until we were old enough for school.  So, any means of extra cash was helpful.  And then there was the time when my older brother and his buddy influenced me into picking up a half empty bottle of motor oil (that had been tossed into the woods), and pouring it onto the railroad tracks.  Honestly, I don’t know why I did it, because after I did, both of them suckered me into believing that the very next train that would come by would derail after gliding over the oil.  So, of course, a little frantic me started to cry, not wanting the responsibility of killing a trainload of people.  I took off my shirt, and wiped the oil from the hot rails, and my brother and his friend started laughing at me.  Kids, huh?

Though simple, these memories (and of course a dozen more I could share), have always stuck in my mind.  They were like a first “stage” in my life, and it seems I have gone through many stages, or periods, which, in some ways, differentiate from others, like “chapters” in my life.

Looking back, I can pick out all of the little elements that foreshadowed that I’d one day become not just an author, but also a creator.  I used to draw my own comic books, create my own little adventures while playing outside by myself, spend hours upon hours playing with my He-Man, Thundercats, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys—sometimes pretending they were not the icons that they had been modeled after, but each one his or her own individual character that I would create for my own personal “adventure.”  There was always so much fighting, just like in my novels.  *laughs*

While we’re on the subject, let me talk a little more about fighting here.  Growing up, there was nothing I enjoyed more than turning on the television set and slipping in one of my many VHS tapes for a couple hours of hard pounding action. (No, not pornography, in case anyone’s mind is slipping into the gutter.  Ha!).  I've always been fascinated by a good battle—preferably a battle between two monstrous powers, like Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris, King Kong vs. Godzilla—Godzilla should have won that!  There was just something about that feeling of, “whoa, this adversary is bad arse!  How on earth is the hero going to beat him?”  Or, “when they clash it’s going to be a great battle, because both of them are so ridiculously powerful!”  Then, they’d meet eye to eye, on the battle grounds, just like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris met in “Way of the Dragon,” and the lightning-fast kicks to heavy pounding punches to a hundred graceful moves of the martial arts would begin.  Oh yeah, baby, did that used to get my adrenaline pumping, it still does!  ...maybe it's a guy thing?

Cartoons were big for me as well. Thundercats, Silverhawks and Mask; Gobots, Transformers, He-Man...anything that had something to do with a transformation of form or power really caught my attention.  Oh!  And least I forget, She-Ra!  I must admit, She-Ra was the first woman who made me feel powerless, or “crushed,” if you know what I mean.  I was head-over-heels in love with that Princess of Power!  And I blame She-Ra for my...sometimes overly obsessive...high-heel boot fetish!  Here she is, posing in her cute white skirt and those calf-high sexy brown boots:

Oh yeah!  *laughs*

Then, when I was twenty-one years old, I saw the greatest action cartoon in perhaps the entire universe, Dragonball Z!  All right, I admit, it’s the easiest cartoon to poke fun at, especially whenever the warriors are “powering up.”  It sounds like they’re constipated.  But the flashy colors of their chaotic energies, and the thunderous battles (accompanied by an epic soundtrack), caught my attention immediately.  At the time, I had already been working on “Guardian of the Seventh Realm,” though it had no title; just a "baby chick freshly hatched."  So, I wanted to “upgrade” the characters I was creating, and engage them in battles of a similar setting: transformations, the raising of energy, flashy colors, chaotic explosions, feelings of desperation when the adversary has you beaten, etc.  Of course, all of this means nothing if your characters are dull, but it set the stage for the way I would play out battle scenes in my Epic Fantasy. 

That’s where my Nasharin Race comes from. Akira Toriyama (creator of the DBZ Manga), is by far the biggest influence for me when it comes to battle scenes and warrior transformations.  J.R.R. Tolkien, and my own personal beliefs on spirituality, is where the rest of my influences stem.  Although now-a-days I have developed an interest in Urban Fantasy and Dark Erotica.

As for Nasharins, they are definitely the most interesting class of warrior in my series.  Being half-wizard/half human, lusting after energy like a vampire thirsts for blood, and having the ability to evolve or transform into figures of extravagant power and beautified form, my hope was that many readers would find them highly interesting, exciting and colorful, and to my joy they have, so far.  And I hope that enjoyment continues.  It is a blessing to pour your heart out into something you truly cherish, and get some great feedback on it.  I have poured my heart out into “Guardian of the Seventh Realm.”  And in case anyone is wondering, no, it’s not all about fighting, but rather, finding the Truth of “the way,” coming to peace with one’s self—sometimes only after one faces a hardship.  That’s another thing I am highly thankful for, a lot of readers have commented that my series is quite easy to relate to, involving elements every one of us faces on our journey in life.

All throughout my life I have always loved to create in some fashion or another, and after I had read my first few novels, J.R.R. Tolkien’s “the Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” I finally knew what I truly wanted to do—even beyond my electric guitar playing and love for music.  I wanted to create my own epic adventure and see it in writing.

During the ten years of the Guardian of the Seventh Realm’s creation, that decade seemed like the largest and most “enlightening” chapter in my life.  I had just gotten my very first dog, Fawn (who I still have today.  She is now eleven), I entered into the study of Christianity, and other religions, (though I must admit for the longest time I favored Christianity because of how it was presented to me and what I was learning about it, and how it made me feel through my own meditations).  I met my wife—she crashed her car into mine when she ran a little intersection.  Yes, people, that’s how my beloved Melissa and I had met.  I had Fawn in the back seat of my 1986 Chevy Caviler, and the first thing Melissa says when she gets out is, “Is your dog okay?”

Would you like to answer that, Fawn?  :)

After getting to know one another we began dating, (which for her, getting to know me was about two hours.  By then she had already decided that I was hers.  I guess I played “hard to get,” because I took my time before asking her out officially.  I wasn’t really looking for a spouse at that time, for I was deeply involved in Spiritual elements and meditations.  But...when I witnessed the blissful love in her heart, I soon enough fell for her.  I wasn’t attracted to her because she always wore dresses, and cute little sandals, or her pair of sexy black boots—which I go crazy for on females; it was truly the love in her heart that pulled me to her.  If any of you know my stories, my character Kelarin is almost entirely based off of my wife Melissa).

Anyway, after I had finally gotten the five installments of my Epic Fantasy series published, it feels like this last decade is another finished “chapter” in my life, especially since the passing of Meira—our beloved nearly ten year old Husky/Shepherd mix.  Meira was with us from just about the beginning of this “chapter.”  Now she has moved on to the next life, whatever and wherever that may be.  And it feels like something else is now beginning; what that is I don’t know, but I interpret it as another "chapter."

If anyone is finding out about me for the first time due to this blog, and you'd like to learn more or purchase my books, just follow this link: Guardian of the Seventh Realm: Ebook and Paperback

In closing, I’d like to mention one final thing about “Guardian of the Seventh Realm.”  Some people have asked me if there is a Christian message behind it.  To be blunt, no; rather, the message is a message of finding Truth, overcoming the darkness one might have within him or herself, finding peace, and above all, the journey of life—which, usually, always includes both blessings and hardships.  On the other hand, there is a great deal of Christian mythology in it (mythology as I see it, and I believe there is Truth in every type of mythology).  The Faith, or religion, or whatever you want to call it, has always held me in fascination from the time I first began learning about it with an adult mindset, even the whole concept of Hell, and all of the stories and “visions” we’ve heard about it throughout Christianity’s history, but not only that, even the “Hells”  of the ancient Mesopotamian stories and Egyptian mythologies.  I’m not Christian, either, in case anyone is wondering, at least not anymore.  Although I hold a great deal of respect for Christianity (and also many other faiths), and see much beauty in it, especially the Beatitudes of Christ, the writings about St. Francis of Assisi, and the way of the Amish people.  At the same time, there are ideas or “doctrines” that, to me, personally (no pun intended, for I understand each of us has our own beliefs) seem too far fetched, and embedded in negativity and even darkness in order for me to accept that it is the only way, or the absolute true way to God—or the Truth, (ironically, the Dark in my fantasy saga typically holds that idealism, while the Light is more concerned with making peace, and standing in harmony with nature).

I do believe in God.  I do believe in an afterlife, and I believe the further advanced in technology the human race becomes, the more open this idea will become.  I believe, when the time arrives, there will be an actual “science” to the afterlife.  Perhaps it has something to do with the whole concept and mystery of Quantum Physics, and the energy of the universe?  Or perhaps I’m saying this because I’m still coming off of the “high” from reading Bruce H. Lipton’s awesome book, “The Biology of Belief.” *laughs*  I don’t know, but whatever the case, yes, I do believe.

Thank you for reading, and as always, journey on!

P.S.  Okay...since I had talked about She-Ra, I figured I'd throw in one other image of her.  Here she is, putting Wonder Woman in her place.  *laughs*  Go Princess of Power!!!  :)

Wonder Woman...OWNED!!!  :D

Fun Facts About J.W.Baccaro (ME!) :)

Author J.W. Baccaro Fun Facts

"Thanks Jason for all the cool pics that you sent! The readers are really going to have fun with this. It's great getting an up close and personal look at the writer. Again, congratulations on your series 'The Guardian of The Seventh Realm'! And thanks for being a guest author at
The Wytch's Mirror." 

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My wife and I posing for the annoying (no pun intended) camera man, about an hour before we were "married."

  

We were now married and allowed to "legally" kiss.  :)

Cutting the cake.  A friend of mine randomly shouted out, "smear it in her face!"  My wife gave me "the glare" and I naturally submitted, which made the same friend chuckle.  Ah, the Dominance of the Female.  ^_^

  Posing yet again for the camera.

Okay, I'll admit, this one came out beautiful!
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I am NOT the new Scarface!

Yeah, I was pretending to be Darshun Luthais.  :)


My wife all dolled up for a night out.  Of course she thought her look was a bit too flirtatious, but hey, I'm male, so I loved it!  :)


Milo and I.  He's long passed on, but he was one of the best cats I had ever known.

Me at 15 years old.  A little metal head punk.  :)

I debated throwing in this picture, but then I thought, "hey, why not?"  Yes, it's my wife stepping on me, putting me in my place.  Okay, not really, but it was fun.  :)

My German Shepherd Dominic. He's now four and a half, and still beautiful!

A Scary me.

Me at 15, headbanging as I played my first guitar.  It was a right handed Stinger with the strings swtiched around for a lefty, like myself.

Me in my wig, and wearing my sexy shades.  LOL
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Our first Christmas together! "Guardian of the Seventh Realm" was in it's early roots in this era.  :)


Me being a goofball again, and I'm not sure if my girl Fawn was "digging it."

Kelarin and her "babies" from "Siege of Darkness."  :)

My wife holding a squirmy young Meira - our Husky Shepherd mix.

Dominic and I posing for the camera.