CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

Environment & Environmental Fantasy_616 wc

Seems like my May silence-speechlessness-on the subject of the current environmental disaster has reached its conclusion a week ago. Nowadays I spend my online time researching, looking at “both sides” of the issue (is this REALLY a two-sided issue?), seeking information, and posting here, thither, and yon, links and my outspoken thoughts. You, Gentle Readers, are not the only ones whose ears are burning with my thinking. Is anyone reading me?





I have several links to offer this morning on the subject of:





marine life


environment





Warning on this one: queasy stomachs need not apply: this article has photos and horrifying news about the dearth of sea turtles, those five precious endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico:


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-turtles-20100613,...





Here's one that offers, if not hope, at least activism for all of us:


http://www.care2.com/greenliving/be-an-armchair-oil-spill-activist.html





And a list of twelve animal species in danger:


http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-animals-threatened-by-the-oil-spill.html





Yes, Gentle Readers, I have posted these at two Facebook accounts, I am commenting on others' reports, I am reading both the FB BoycottBP posts and the posts from that profiteering bugaboo British Petroleum. I also read everything President Obama posts on his page relating to the SPILL. Then, intentional pun, I sift everything I read with a grain of sand.





         I think what broke the silence of my speechlessness was a series of dreams that occurred early in the morning of Saturday, June 5. All my life I've been concerned that my dreams will turn out to be prophetic (hey, it worked for Daniel!) and I hope and pray with all my might that these WON'T. But that morning I began an entirely new novel, dropping my current projects, in an entirely new niche, Urban Fantasy-it's turning out to have elements of straight fantasy too, but what I'm categorizing it as now is “Environmental Disaster Urban Fantasy.” From the first sentence it was clear that the environmental disaster is just as important in the novel as is the clue which is found in the title: “Finding the Abandoned Child.” I realize now that this is my soul's way of working out my tremendous fears and anxieties about the SPILL. I truly believe this is the end: the beginning of the Apocalypse, the end of life as we know it, and the world ending with a whimper and not a bang.





Yes, how well I know I sound just like a Grade-B Science Fiction movie out of the 1950's. Well folks I feel like I should drop all my other current reading and start on the post-apocalyptic genre again:


James Axler's wonderful and extensive DEATHLANDS Series (95 books);


William Johnstone's ASHES Series (34 books), even scientifically-trained Larry Niven. I'm feeling it, deeper than I feel most events.





http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/j/william-w-johnstone/





http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/james-axler/





         On this note, I'll treat you to a peek at the new novel, so you can begin to see the scope of the environmental disaster occurring to this city:





         From

Finding the Abandoned Child  (13+) An Environmental Disaster Fantasy inspired by a Dream Series June 5 2010 #1679697 by Cobwebby Space Reader Reindeer

“epigram:


“All the rivers flow into the sea,


Yet the sea is not full.


To the place where the rivers flow,


There they flow again.”





         Not quite sure how that was applicable, I continued to stare at the sea, washing over the Harbour and the fishing sheds on the wharf, or where the wharf should be. Fishing boats and small craft dotted the high waves, bobbing as if nodding to us.





         Of the fishing sheds on the wharf, and of the homes and huts of the fisherfolk, we could see nothing. We could only hope they had been given some kind of warning, by the noise, as had Pastor Janns, who, awake, had recognized the sound of danger and had alerted Mamma, myself, and the cousins, so we could leave. So now we knew of danger, knew the identify of it, and had left our homes, but now where could we go.


…..


         “The natural disaster which had overtaken our city had been a terrifying and destructive event, yet thinking back, all of us-excepting the fisherfolk and shippers, whose homes and livelihoods had been destroyed-realized that the consequences could have been far, far worse. As of this morning, when I had found the baby, no loss of life had yet been reported-or not up to the point I left the Gymnasium following mother; only diminishment of the entire Harbour, the Wharf, and of course loss of the fish and marine life in the Harbour and in the nearby sea. So the fisherfolk, although still alive, were in serious danger now of having no livelihood whatsoever, as were the ship outfitters and chandlers. The shipowners who lived up on the hills on the NorthWest side could probably survive readily, unless they had gone heavily into debt. Ships, after all, could eventually be rebuilt. It was the lower class-the fisherfolk who survived on their daily catch-and the middle class-ship craftsman and outfitters-who would suffer right away.”