Betrayal of Lancelot
Oh dear gods the hits just keep coming. The last book broke my heart. This one has shattered my soul. We come to Lancelot 600 years after Camelot is gone, apparently unable to die. He’s lived multiple lives, married and had children that have long since died. He can find no true happiness without Tancred. He’s reverted to old habits. War and sex are all he knows. But fate won’t leave him alone, and neither will the gods.
*Spoilers*
Carnwennan is somehow thrust into the modern era as well, apparently on a task to get Lancelot back to Albion. She has no memories of anything after Lancelot left, and at one point they were lovers but apparently that soured. Now she has a way back and found a man she claims could be Merlin’s descendant, but is actually housing the spirit of Merlin inside him. And Tancred is sent into the future as well. He has the same problems and less time to adjust to the world. But the two are reunited and Albion needs Lancelot. There’s always a twist.
Lancelot’s wife, Morgana, had a child with Arthur, Mordred. True to the original myths, Mordred is power hungry. But he doesn’t want Camelot. He wants Albion. But he’s stuck in the modern era as well. He needs Lancelot in order to return.
Want more problems? Lancelot slept with a guy in the beginning of the book named Fox. Fox ends up on the journey with him. At first, Tancred hates him. Then, he warms up to him. The attraction is there and I knew full well that this would suck all the fun out of my life as I read. I was right. The attraction leads to Lancelot more or less being forced to accept Fox into his relationship. Not into his bed again, but clearly Tancred takes that part.
The return to Albion causes Lancelot and Tancred to team up to revive Arthur. Arthur, having matured, still has no intentions of laying claims on Lancelot. He wants Lancelot happy. Tancred’s insecurities come to the forefront, despite having married Lancelot in the modern world. And when Lancelot admits to having slept with Arthur after leaving Tancred, the shifter snaps and lashes out. This is my ultimate heartbreak in this story. Tancred not only lashes out, he sleeps with Fox and is seen by Lancelot. Then he tries to kill himself. When that fails, he throws the ring back at Lancelot and tells him to give it to Arthur, and then adds the real killer of telling him he’ll have Morgana seperate their souls when he is well again.
I can’t quite wrap my mind around that, and the ending with Rhea and Raton is great, but I’m quite pissed with Tancred, my favorite for the past several books. I need book 8 ASAP
Lancelot’s Curse by Sarah Luddington
My word this book has hurt my very soul. Finally, I was able to delve back into the world of Lancelot Du Lac, and our poor hero catches no breaks. As the story opens, he and his crew have recovered the mystical items Tarranis needs to defeat the Titans. But they are on the run because the gods have decided that they want Rhea’s death, except for Balar, however, who thinks to supplant his father by using the power of the Titans. Lancelot has Tancred, Rhea, Carwennan, and Nimue along for the journey and Nimue reigns as the most powerful and perhaps the most helpful. Tancred is fighting against perceived responsibilities to his shifter people and most importantly against Carwennan, who is quickly becoming a woman scorned and everyone knows it. There’s also the added conflict of Nimue’s sexual appetites, as sex actually fuels her power.
The group is moved from place to place, trying to find a way to bargain with the gods. Balar, however, steals the items, leaving no bargaining chip. They try to regain the items and face far more heartbreak along the way. Nimue proves herself a changed woman by nearly giving up her life to save Rhea. Her power bails them out of many tight spots, as well as her wealth of knowledge. Even when facing her own people, from whom she is outcast, she proves her worth time and time again. But the real heartbreak comes later.
*spoiler alert*
Lancelot is forced to make a deal to save the lives of all he cares about. Taranis will help him, keep him safe, and make Tancred’s shifting easier in exchange for Lancelot agreeing to walk away from everyone when the time comes. Lancelot agrees, and boy do we all regret it. Balar lures the group in and captures everyone. Lancelot discovers he cannot fight against a god, no matter how powerful he has become. The biggest heartbreak so far comes with Nimue’s rape and degredation by Balar. But the pain doesn’t stop, as Balar forces Lancelot to kill her, and she begs him for it. Balar, as a god, stopped her ability to feed off of sex, so he really and truly raped her and turned her into a victim. Lancelot struggles, but in the end, he does kill her. When at last Taranis intervenes it is too late. Nimue is dead and Lancelot bears a guilt he’s not felt before. For the first time, he has murdered a friend. Balar makes things worse, as in order for him to halt his rising against his father, he asks for Lancelot’s banishment. And though all try to fight against it, in the end, Lancelot promised Taranis he would walk away when the time came. So in order to save his friends, Albion, and Camelot, Lancelot must leave everyone behind.
What really gets me is Tancred’s heartbreak. If possible, I think I love him more than Lancelot, because he has been through nothing but pain. He’s the sweetest soul and deserves happiness, but no one will give it to him. Lancelot tries his best, but in the end, to save everyone, both he and Tancred must suffer. This is the worst of all, knowing that according to Taranis they can never see each other again despite clearly being destined for each other. There’s no end to the heartbreak. I should probably take a small break to grieve before reading the next one.
Updates: New Beta team assembled, Reviews, next books, new series
I have so much to speak on right now. Things are going so swimmingly well these days. For starters, I’m working full time again and have an interview for another job I want. But that’s not what I’m here to speak on. You want to know what’s going on with my writing, right?
First, I’ve finally got a beta team. Three beta readers, and they are efficient. The first has already read all three books plus what I’ve written up so far on the fourth book. She reviewed them, so that’s always a plus. And she sent back a very detailed list of things needing to be fixed. Some simple typos, some grammatical errors, and some I just don’t know how the hell I missed. But they’re on top of things. It makes me happy. This time around, my books will be fully edited by other eyes than mine, and multiple eyes at that. It’s amazing how well this is turning out. I’ll be reloading the files once I have all the corrections so anyone on Kindle will probably get a notice about an update to the book. It’s just grammatical stuff. Nothing in the story is changing.
I’ve got quite a few more reviews than before on all of the books. People seem to be enjoying them by and large. What’s more, a couple of bloggers reviewed the book so they’re getting their fans in on it and I’m making more on the books. I love checking reviews personally so I brag on any good review I get. Now if only everyone that reviewed it posted it on more than just goodreads, that’d be great.
Heir of Mjolnir needs quite a bit of work before it’s finished, but I’m fairly confident it will be finished. This one is far less romance, and more action. Most of what’s left of the book will be action and the character Vax growing. The Three Fates immediately follows this book as the war of the heavens comes to a head. I just got to start the final battle between Zeus and Cronus and just talking about it makes me excited. Brandon seems to have taken the forefront in this book, as his problems with Phil are rather ridiculous but necessary to address. Demun isn’t too far behind, as Vic has returned and he’s old enough to know and confront the truth. It’s fun because the twins are so opposite in this. Brandon is quite clearly in love and trying to prove it to a reluctant werewolf, while Demun is fighting with everything he has against his obvious connection and attraction to Vic. And amidst all this, they still have to take down two of the Titans and prepare for the threat on the horizon, Lucifer’s siblings. I’m not sure who will get the book after this, so there may be a long break when it’s done.
But, not to worry. I have another series planned in my head. This time, I want to play on my pagan roots a bit. I intend to focus less on the fantasy elements and more on the people and the faith itself. It will focus on a single coven and it’s members. I want this one like my own, so with very diverse pagans. So some will just identify as pagan, some as wiccan, some as witches, shamans, mystics, priests, and priestesses. The ages will vary, the sexuality will vary, and so will the issues they face. I can’t wait to get to work on them actually. It’s still forming in my head, but the writing on it will begin very soon.
Now, I’m off to make changes to the first four books to get them the way they should be.
Meet the Indies Blog Tour with Amy Miles and Danielle Bannister
I’m quite pleased to be the second stop on the blog tour for these two amazing authors. This stop on the tour is as much of a learning experience for me as it is for you. I was so excited to do this that I put down my own writing to organize this blog post. So to start, we have some interview questions. Below there’s a bio for the two authors and the schedule for their blog tour. I also included some book covers and some links to their work so you can get started or continue reading.
Amy, you’ve always wanted to be a writer, while Danielle came into the writing world a bit *cough* later in life. Do you recall the first thing you wrote?
Amy: I sure do. I began writing in grade school and had dragons attacking a fair maiden, who of course was later swept off her feet by a dashing knight. Kissing always ensued.
Even at a young age, I was obsessed with danger, adventure and torturing my main characters. My writing did eventually progress into writing my own version Nancy Drew Mysteries and then into the fantasy realms when I was in high school, but my passion for make-believe began long ago.
Danielle: The first real thing I wrote, honestly, was the first chapter of Pulled. I went to school to act, not write. Once I caught the writing bug though, I was hooked. It does mean, however, that I’m behind the curve in terms of learning about the craft so I’m trying to play catch up!
At what point did you start feeling it was okay to call yourself a ‘writer’?
Amy: Calling myself a writer was never hard. Thinking of myself as an author was a different story. At what point are you considered an author? When you write “The End” on your first rough draft, trudge through countless edits, and finally hit publish on Amazon Kindle? Or is it when you complete your second book? Third? A series?
I think this question is answered differently for every writer. For me, I didn’t feel like an established author until after my third book recently came out. Probably had a lot to do with the fact that I take great pride in Defiance Rising, because it was technically my first book. Now, I feel proud to tell people that I am a full time indie author.
Danielle: It took me awhile, actually. I was enrolled in the Maine branch of the National Writing Project, and I still couldn’t call myself an author. It wasn’t until I got in the mail a little white cup that said ‘Writer’ on it that I actually felt like I had the right to call myself a writer. So lame, I know!
Can you bring us back to the first book you published on Amazon. What was it and what was that experience like?
Amy: Oh my, it was a nightmare! Probably not what you expected to hear, huh? Seriously though, it was pure torture to figure out how to properly format a book, upload a book cover and do everything in-between.
People sometimes get the idea that being an author is glamorous, and trust me it has it’s great moments, but learning how to publish a book for the first time is not one of them. I distinctly remember wanting to bash my head against a brick wall for days on end as I tried to wade through the complicated jargon. I’m not exactly your most computer savvy person!
My first book I released was Defiance Rising. It had a different cover and a completely different storyline. It didn’t take long for me to realize that what I thought was a good book was far from marketable, so I pulled it off, did some more research and began writing FORBIDDEN.
It was a great lesson to learn and I’m thankful I learned early on.
Danielle: Mine was Pulled. I didn’t know Amy at the time. I actually met her by asking her to review my book on her blog page. We became friends on fb after that and started chatting everyday. But I digress; publishing for the first time on my own was terrifying! I really had NO clue what I was doing, to be honest and it took several months of tweaking Pulled before I was happy with the final product. I have learned a ton since that first publishing and will continue to learn with every book I write! There is a great support among Indie Authors who are, for the most part, eager to help new comer so that they don’t need to feel as lost as they did. At least, that’s how I’m seeing things.
With several novels between the two of you, what is some advice you might give those just starting out as an Indie Author?
Amy: The best advice I can give is to write what you love. Yes, it’s important to know your market, but you don’t have to follow the money train to stand out. Be yourself. Do your thing and people will notice.
I learned a hard lesson with FORBIDDEN on the importance of hiring an editor. In the beginning, I didn’t have the money to pay for an editor so I figured I’d do it on my own. Big mistake! Editors don’t just look for typos, they look for character development, holes in your plot and inconsistencies that you are too close to see for yourself. Find an editor that gets you and gets what you’re trying to accomplish and you will be thankful you did.
Another crucial point is your book cover. Pick something that captures the feeling of your book’s theme or character. I have met my fair share of “book whores” and they will be the first to tell you they only buy a book if the cover appeals to them.
Danielle: The best advice I ever got was summed up by writer Ron Carlson, who said that want-to-be-writers are often ‘distracted by things they put in their own way, all day, all the time: leaving the room to get coffee, checking the mail, get coffee, walk the dogs, go to the bathroom, get coffee, look something up, get coffee. The writer is the one who stays in the room.’ I never knew how hard just being at the computer and actively writing actually was until I had to do it!
Between the two of you, you have a pretty large fan base. What would you say is the ONE question they want answered most, and are you willing to answer it here?
Amy: There are several burning questions that I hear quite often. Will Gabriel and Roseline end up together? Does Sadie live? Will Bastien return in the sequel to Defiance Rising? Am I Team Bastien or Team Eamon!
If you have read my books, you know that I don’t make romance easy for my characters. Life happens, people get hurt, hearts get broken. I love a happy ending just like the next gal, but I also like realism. If my characters are going to be happy in the end, they are going to go through some tribulation along the way. Also…I hate to be predictable.
Danielle: I think most people want to know if Pulled Back Again will finally deliver the happily ever after ending they are looking for. All I can say is…maybe? Ha!
If you were trapped on a desert island with ONE of your characters and ONE endless supply of one type of food, what would they be?
Amy: Oh dear. How do I choose? My characters are all so much a part of me that it would be hard to pick just one, but I think if forced to I would choose Bastien. He’s hard core but compassionate. He makes sacrifices when he must for the woman he loves. Plus he’s H O T!!! Yeah, I would go with him. Food…oh goodness me. I would totally go with Ranch Doritos. Those suckers are worse than Chinese food filled to the brim with MSG! Oh phooey, now I’m craving Chinese food! Do you think they deliver?
Danielle: This is so not an easy question! I guess I’d wanna be stuck with Etash, so I’d have a warm body to snuggle up against! As for food…hmmm…I suppose wine doesn’t count as food, so I’ll have to go with egg salad. Love that stuff!
Are you happy that you chose to self-publish or do you think you should have gone the traditional route?
Amy: I love being an indie author. I love the fans, the other authors and the overall sense of wanting to help each other succeed. I’ve been asked many times if I would someday look for an agent and I can honestly say that I have no plans to do so. If I were contacted I would consider an offer but I love having the freedom to choose my editor, design my covers and write exactly what I want.
Danielle: No. I like being in control of how I handle my books. How they look, what to price them, where to market them, when to release…full control. Sure it’s a TON of work, but it’s worth it for me.
What drives you to write?
Amy: I fully believe that writers are born, not created. Just like painters are born to move beyond stick figure people (which I have not!) or chefs are moved to create culinary excellence. The gift is within you. Sometimes it can take years to unearth it, but the talent is still there.
I write because I have to, I yearn to. Sound a tad dramatic? Trying living in my head. Haha. I’ve got four books worth of characters fighting to be heard at the same time!
Danielle: The tiny voices in my head of course! Seriously, I ache to make people feel something. Maybe that’s the actor in me, but there is something satisfying in making people react internally to something you’ve written. It’s magical.
How do you handle criticism?
Amy: Plug my fingers in my ears and hum? Haha. Um…criticism is something that can be both fantastic and destructive for a writer. I love getting constructive criticism. Emphasis on constructive. If you love my book great, but I want to know why. If you hate it, then give me all of the gory details of how I butchered a perfectly good plot.
Without those details, authors can’t grow. I thrive off critiques now but there were some days in the very beginning that I shed a few tears on some of the nastier comments. It’s all part of the writing industry. You aren’t born with thick skin, it’s developed over time.
Danielle: The way I look at is that the one star reviews aren’t who I write to. They picked up a book that they were bound not to like. I personally never give one star reviews for exactly that reason. It’s not their fault I wasn’t their target audience.
Are your characters based on a real person?
Amy: Yes and no. I have never chosen a specific person to emulate, but I have used phrases, facial expressions and quirks. I typically hop on google, select an image that calls to me and begin to hear their specific voice before I even write the first word.
*Disclaimer* If you think you resemble anyone in my books, I can assure you that it’s completely accidental, but we should totally be friends!
Danielle: Perhaps shadows of people I know. None of my characters are dead on in terms of people I’ve met, but I might pick up a characteristic or hair style or some small tid bit of a person I’ve met before.
Do you believe in love at first sight or a slow burning love?
Amy: I’m a slow burner, all the way! I like building tension, making readers squirm just a tiny bit, but I also like to hold back on the sultry romance. People see and feel love in different ways. For me, I love security, affection and sacrifice, so that’s what I write about.
Danielle: Um, romance writer here! Love at first sight AND slow burn!
Do you believe in soul mates?
Amy: I honestly believe that each of us are created to be with one specific person. Someone molded to fit you, to become your partner in life. That doesn’t mean they were created to bend to our will though. Haha. Love in real life is all about give and take. Compromise. Sacrifice. Learning and growing together. I wake up each morning beside my soul mate, but that doesn’t mean we are without faults.
Danielle: Since my novels are about soul mates, guess I need to say yes, right? Ha!
Do you relate in any way to your main character?
Amy: Roseline (Arotas Trilogy) and Illyria (Rising Trilogy) are both very strong gals. They make the decisions that are necessary, even when it seems to cost them everything. They love, fight, survive and are fiercely loyal. Both of them have attributes that I have. I always joke around about how Illyria is my alter ego.
Danielle: My characters, unlike Amy’s are typically weaker at first and work to find their strength. I think a lot of people have felt weak or unworthy at some point in their lives, especially at a younger age when you’re questioning everything.
Bios:
Amy Miles: 
Amy Miles has been a carbaholic since birth and is hopelessly addicted to Dr. Pepper. When she’s not chatting with fans on Facebook she can be found goofing off with family, traveling or stomping her husband at Scrabble. She is an obsessive writer and an avid reader and loves to chat about all things books.
Her teen paranormal romance books, Forbidden and Reckoning, have been on several of Amazon’s Top 100 lists as well as best seller lists in both America and the UK. Her highly anticipated final book in the Arotas Trilogy, Redemption, is due out 2013.
She is currently hard at work on two new series, The Rising Trilogy and The Remnant Trilogy.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyMiles.Author/info
Website: http://amymilesbooks.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Miles/e/B005G37E9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5152709.Amy_Miles
Covers: 
DANIELLE BANNISTER:
Danielle lives in Mid-Coast Maine with her two children and husband. She holds a BA in Theatre and a Masters in Writing and the Teaching of Writing. She has two novels currently out, Pulled and Pulled Back and is working on several others, including Pulled Back Again, releasing soon, and Netherworld which she is co-writing with author Amy Miles, which is due out in December, 2014. She also has a collection of short stories, brilliantly entitled, Short Shorts, and her work is also featured in several anthologies: GooseRiver Press 2012 Anthology and the Maine Writing Project’s anthology, Writious. Both titles are available on Amazon. When not writing, she can be found pouring her heart out on the stage.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BannisterBooks
Twitter: @getpulled
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5114859.Danielle_Bannister
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Danielle-Bannister/e/B005G7PJNU/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1367477270&sr=8-1
Website: http://daniellebannister.wordpress.com/
Covers: 
check these out for giveaways and more neat stuff from the authors
Chivalry and Malevolence (Nine Realms: Alfheim) by Rae Ryans
Here’s another review request from a new author, Rae Ryans. Very interesting read. Bit short, I kinda want more. But good writing all the same.
I find this book interesting, as its gods are that of the Norse or Viking people. That is amazing in and of itself as they are a personal favorite mythological pantheon. Anyway, this story focuses on Princess Morgana of Alfheim, a walking pity case to some but to me a source of immense inner strength. Her mother, the Queen, is the worst type of person. She’s a high strung prissy elf queen with an incessant need to belittle and punish her daughter, resulting in Morgana being so scarred she always wears a veil. Her father and brother don’t even know the extent of her injuries. only Drust, the dragon she is betrothed to, has seen the damage and it is the reason he asked for her hand in marriage. Though dragons are not monogamous beings (kinda weird to me as a dragon lover but alright I can work with it), he loves Morgana and wishes to save her from the wrath of her mother. It’s touching.
However, he’s not who Morgana loves. She can’t love someone who needs more than her to be satisfied. Enter the human knight, Thomas. He stumbled into the realm by accident and the elves seem to punish humans by death whenever they encounter them. Elves have an over-inflated sense of self worth. They value perfection, not understanding that no one is perfect. Humans have a tendency to destroy what they don’t understand and they age much quicker than the other races of the nine realms. And apparently the elves hate anyone that doesn’t have pointed ears. Weird flaw but it all works together nicely.
Morgana seems to be one of the few with a real sense of justice and aids Thomas to escape. She gets aid from Drust and finds her real power buried beneath years of abuse and self doubt. The series is interesting to me and I definitely want to read the rest.
Bio:
Rae Z. Ryans currently resides in Tumbleweed, Alabama, with her four demons (cats), three lycans (dogs), three sprites (kiddos), and her “normal” mood-shifting husband. She has lived all over the east coast and was born in Fairbanks, Alaska. Contrary to popular belief, Rae has never lived in an igloo.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RaeZRyans
Book Links:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/290046
Pagan Journeys: Tarot Cards and Meanings by Sabrina Calligan
We have another guest post from the lovely Sabrina Calligan, further expanding on the subject of tarot cards with their meanings.
Although the original Tarot Cards were to keep secret records of history they have evolved over time to other uses as well. These days they are most popular with divination. The Tarot Card has also recently been used for playing games and gambling. They are also potent in casting spells. The more experienced will use the Tarot Card for casting spells, while others use the Tarot Card in paintings, gifts and even for decoration. There have spawned many different styles of the Tarot Card over the years with the most popular still being the Rider Waite Tarot card deck.
STRUCTURE OF TAROT CARD DECK:
There are 78 cards to a tarot deck. This is made up of 22 major arcana and 56 minor arcana and the fool. Arcana is the plural form of the Latin word arcanum, meaning “closed” or “secret”.
The fool is numbered 0. The major arcana which represent the original tarot deck are numbered 1 to XX1.
The minor arcana are made up of 4 kings, 4 queens, 4 knights, four aces, and the cards numbered 2 to 10.
Tarot Cards have originated from various countries. In the traditional Italian card, there are Swords, Batons, Coins and Cups. In more modern tarot card, the Batons are called called Wands, Rods or Staves. The Coins are called Pentacles. Because these days the Tarot Card serve many purposes there are a large variety of Tarot decks.
The exact origins and beginnings of the tarot card are unsure. There is no factual evidence that shows these beginnings. Most of this evidence was long since destroyed during the times of the inquisition and religious persecutions of the times. What we do know, is what was the original purpose and meaning of the tarot card. The tarot card were originally a way of recording the true history of the Celtic church and bloodlines of Jesus. It must be realized that during these times to say or do anything that was against the beliefs of the church would see you tortured and killed. Just being in possession of tarot cards would mean death. The church knew the people were using tarot cards as a form of recording history and as such During the inquisition were people were tortured, burned and killed. As the church rewrote the history of Jesus and the Celtic church to suit their purpose the people kept the true history alive through such things as tarot cards. Famous painters such as Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci painted hidden messages in their paintings recording the truth of the bloodlines of Jesus. The earliest date attributed to the tarot card is seen in European museums is 1390. But the actual origins of the cards is thought to go back far earlier. King Edward the 4th in the 15th century banned the importation of tarot cards. However, many people did keep the Tarot cards, especially the nobility. With the eventual collapse of the inquisition times, freedom swept Europe, and as it did, tarot cards became the fashion. The fact that gypsies subsequently used the tarot card for divination was quite incidental to there original purpose. The meaning of the Tarot Card in divination is vastly different to the meaning of the tarot Card in History.
The major arcana represent the original deck of tarot cards. The minor arcana were added much later to the Tarot Cards. The major arcana are made up of 22 cards in the Tarot pack which are numbered 1 to XX1. The major arcana are the most important cards in a Tarot Card Meaning spread and the minor arcana are built around them. Each tarot card has a name, number and symbol which can be traced back over hundreds of years.
The minor arcana consists of 56 cards in the Tarot deck. It consists of four suits – wands, pentacles, clubs, swords. The court cards consist of king, queen, knight, page and ace. The court cards usually represent people. The aces are the beginning of the sequence of the ten cards of a Tarot suit of the minor arcana. Their meaning may also represent the different seasons. The other cards of the minor arcana are the situation cards which are numbered 11 to X in the Tarot deck.
Rider-Waite Tarot Card Deck:
It was in December 1909 that the first deck were published. The Pictorial Key to the Tarot by A.E. Waite was published in 1910. Since then the Rider-Waite tarot card deck has been used all the world over. When one looks at the tarot card you may sem to think that the images are very simple in nature. But this is in fact very deceptive of their true value and the information they contain. When one looks more closely at the tarot cards you will soon find vast amounts of information. The tarot cards of the Rider-Waite deck are in many ways still similar to early tarot cards. What Waite has done with his deck of tarot is tone down some of the Christian influence. We can see that the Pope card has changed to the Hierophant.
Tarot Card Meaning:
It should be noted that there are three basic meanings to the tarot card. The first is the Symbolic meaning of the tarot card. Both what the symbols on the tarot card mean individually and also as a collective symbol. The second is the divinational meaning of the tarot card. That is the divinational meaning of the individual card in a reading or as part of a tarot card layout. The third is reversed. When the tarot is reversed in a spread the meaning becomes very different. Usually it will indicate the negative or opposite of the upright card. For example when the lovers card is upright it means Faithful but when it is reversed it means unfaithful. Another example may be the magician card, which when upright may mean talented but when reversed may mean no talent. The reverse meaning helps establish the line of direction the inquirer is headed for.
The Major Arcana
0 – The Fool
Innocence, optimism, blind faith, risk. Carefree, foolish, indiscreet, vague. This card represents inexperience. It is the direction of the unknown. The wallet tied to the wand over his shoulder carries the four magic symbols he will need to learn. The fool is about to pass into a path of life that each soul must journey. Divination Meaning – the subject of the reading is a dreamer. They must be very careful in their decision making. Reversed – Thoughtlessness, gambler or gambling, mania a warning to look before you leap.
1 – The Magician
Creativity, control over worldly events, a powerful person. Skill, diplomacy, will and confidence. Masculine, talented, creative, gifted. The magician stands before a table on which are the Wand, Sword, Cup and Pentacle, which represent the minor arcana. He is about to draw power from the universe. The magician represents man’s will in union with the divine in achieving the power and knowledge. Divination Meaning – Has the ability to take power from above and direct it through desire into manifestation. Indicates organizational skills. Strong ability to take charge and organize. Reversed – Negative use of power, magus, depression, stopping and starting some activity.
2 – The High priestess
Secrets, mystery, intuition, psychic powers, a virgin or widow. Feminine, secrets, confidant, mystery. The High Priestess sits between the two pillars of the Temple of Solomon. Boaz, the black pillar represents the negative life force while, Jachin, the white pillar, represents the positive life force. The High Priestess has on her lap a scroll of esoteric wisdom. Divination Meaning – When this card appears in a man`s reading it indicates the perfect woman he dreams of. In a woman`s reading it may indicate she can find such values in herself. Hidden influences here at work. This person may have talents in the area of art, music or poetry. Reversed – Hidden enemies usually female, superficial people.
3 – The Empress
Mental and physical fertility, sensual, abundance, maternal, fruitfullness and domesticity. Feminine, motherly, fertility, creation. The Empress is the Earth mother. The Empress hair is bound by a wreath of myrtle. The heart shaped shield has the symbol of Venus. She wears a crown of twelve stars. The Empress is the Goddess of love, Venus and the symbol of universal fecundity. Divination Meaning – Represents the mother or sometimes the grandmother. Reversed – Loss, lack of money, a difficult pregnancy or miscarriage.
4 – The Emperor
Ambition, organization, leadership, a successful man. Masculine, fatherly, advisor. The Emperor sits in a throne commanding and stately. In his right hand he holds an Egyptian Ankh and in his left hand is the globe of domination. The Emperor is the active father force. Divination Meaning – The fruits of toil, the results of action. Represents the father or figure of authority. Reversed – Weakness, lack of power or direction.
5 – The Hierophant
Convention, religion, education, ideas. Marriage, union, relationships, blessing, consent. The Hierophant sits between the two pillars of the Tree of Life from the Kabalah. The capitals of the pillars are decorated with mystic symbols of sexual union. The Hierophant is the ruling power of external Religion. Divination Meaning – Indicates religion, ceremony and ritual. Sometimes indicative of the star sign Taurus. The importance of social approval. Reversed – Eccentricity, rebellion, desire for freedom.
6 – The Lovers
Love and romance, sexual attraction, a choice between two distinct paths. Lovers, partners, union, relationships. We find Raphael pouring down cosmic benediction on the man and woman. Divination Meaning – The struggle between sacred love and profane harmony. Refers to love and relationships. Reversed – A warning against any new relationship, infidelity, a difficult patch with a partner.
7 – The Chariot
Travel usually associated with work, success through hard work and personal effort, News from abroad. Transportation, movement, journey, progress. Signifies victory for the triumphant king who has conquered on all planes. The chariot stands for the human personality. The symbol on the front of the chariot shows the wings of inspiration. Divination Meaning – Decisions to be made as the enquirer is being pulled in two different directions. May indicate travel. Mental and physical powers should lead to fulfillment. Reversed – Overwhelming ambition, scattering of energy.
8 – Justice
Balance, harmony, fairness, a court case or legal matter. Legal, balance, justice, equality. Justice is seated between the positive and negative forces. Her sword is lifted in defence of justice. Divination Meaning – Justice will be done. Indicates some sort of legal activity. Whether it is favourable will depend on the follow on card. Reversed – Unfairness, indecisiveness, problems with decisions.
9 – The Hermit
A helpful wise person, the need to be alone, silence is golden, roguery, corruption, treason. Solitude, guidance, thinking, reflection. The Hermit stands isolated on a snow covered peak. He holds a lantern to guide those below. This is the lamp of truth. Divination Meaning – A journey may be necessary in order to gain knowledge. A chance meeting will guide the seeker on the right path. Reversed – Refusing to listen to good advice, unable to settle down.
10 – Wheel of Fortune
Unexpected good luck, a sudden turn of events, a fresh start. Destiny, direction, future, change. The Wheel of Fortune carries destinies up and down. The Sphinx at the top of the wheel is Wisdom, suggesting that we are not always governed by chance or fate, and that we have the ability to change our lives. Divination Meaning- Success and good luck. Fate is about to make a change in your life for the better. Reversed – Delay for hoped for changes, difficulties that are outside your control.
11 – Strength
Triumph over the negative, courage, working with nature, power, energy. Fortitude, strength, energy, vitality. A women covered in flowers who may be opening or closing a lion`s mouth. Above her head is the cosmic lemniscate of eternal life. She is showing spiritual courage. Divination Meaning – Indicates willpower to overcome adversity. Love over hate. Spiritual power overcoming material power. Reversed – Fear, doubt, loneliness, abuse of power.
12 – The Hanged Man
Rebirth, restriction followed by a change of heart, wisdom, discernment. Restricted, stopped, limited, suspend. A young man is suspended by one foot from a T-Cross of wood. To an extent the Hanged Man is still Earthbound. He has attained a measure of perfection but not yet complete freedom. We see in the Hanged Man the dependency on the Cosmic Tree of Life. Divination Meaning – A pause in one’s life. Material temptation is conquered. Reversed – Taking the easy way out, refusal to learn, selfishness.
13 – Death
End of a chapter, new beginnings, major changes. End, finish, final, cease. A skeleton in armor tramples over a fallen king. Death carries a banner which is the symbol of Mars and the Life Force. The river in the background indicates the constant circulation of the Life Force into materialization and out again. Divination Meaning – The end of a situation. Birth of new ideas. Reversed – Boredom, stagnation, lethargy.
14 – Temperance
Peace or the need for it, the countryside, team work, moderation, frugality. Temperate, balance, control, moderate. Represents the archangel Michael. He is pouring the essence of life from the silver cup of the subconscious into the golden cup of the conscious. This shows the entry of the spirit into matter and the influence of matter upon spirit. It also shows the flowing of the past through the present and into the future again. Divination Meaning – A period of peace and harmony. Working in harmony with others. Reversed – Quarrels, difficulties at work or within the family.
15 – The Devil
Money worries, difficult situations, depression, lust, scandal. Anger, violence, jealousy, selfishness. He has a goat`s face and horns. He has donkey ears suggesting materialism. He sits on a half cube indicating half knowledge. In reality there is no Devil, just in man`s creation. The chains around the neck are loose and can be removed at any time. Divination Meaning – Be warned in regards to money and love. Wrong use of force. Bondage to materialism. Reversed – Freedom from care, release, fulfilling and meaningful sexual relationship.
16 – The Tower
Unexpected upheaval, sudden change out of your control, disruption. Destruction, loss, ruin, breakdown. The tower of ambition that is built on false promises. Materialistic thoughts fall from the building. Streaks of lightning come from the Sun and destroy that which is evil. Divination Meaning – Loss, bankruptcy and disaster. Not a good card. What will follow depends on the follow on cards. Reversed – Inability to welcome change, trying to alter things without success, lies.
17 – The Star
Hope, light at the end of the tunnel, a need for rest and relaxation. Prospects, hope, destiny, opportunity. A beautiful maiden kneels with one foot balanced on the water of the subconscious. She is the Empress and Mother Nature pouring the waters of life onto the material Earth. Divination Meaning – Good health. Love will be given and received. Reversed – Longing for the unattainable, stress, negative thoughts.
18 – The Moon
Illusions, dreams, depression caused by blocked imagination. Caution, beware, moody, risk. The Moon in three phases watches over the land. A crayfish appears symbolizing the early stages of conscious powers. The wolf is natures untamed creation. Divination Meaning – Night will be of importance. Mystic dreams. Reversed – Nothing is what it seems, read the small print, having to put something (a dream, relationship or idea) on ice for the time being.
19 – The Sun
Joy, success, happiness, energy, a much loved child. Success, happiness, abundance, productive. A child rides a white horse and holds a banner. The horse is solar energy that needs no control. The child represents perfect control between the conscious and the unconscious. He holds the banner in his left hand to to show that control has now has now passed from the conscious(right hand), into the subconscious(left hand). Divination Meaning – Holidays and success. A happy reunion. Happy marriage. Reversed – Happiness in small measure, a warning about going over the top.
20 – Judgement
New ideas, fresh vitality, a positive decision. Renewal, change, transfer, alter. The angel Gabriel emerges from the heavens blowing on his bannered trumpet. This blast from the trumpet is the word that liberates man from his limitations. The cross on the banner is the solar symbol of the balance of forces. The coffins float on the sea of cosmic mind stuff. Divination Meaning – A life well lived, a work well done. Legal judgement in one’s favour. May also indicate a funeral of someone close. Reversed – Failure, not seeing the heart of the matter, carelessness.
21 – The World
Perfection, completion of a cycle or project, harvest, stability, fame, worldly success. Carefree, foolish, vague, indiscreet. A dancer clad in a scarf, with an oval wreath that surrounds her figure. The wreath symbolizes the mystery of creation. Divination Meaning – Overseas travel or change of residence. Success yet to be won. Reversed – Old habits die hard, difficulty in finishing something properly. Mental, physical or emotional exhaustion. Success blocked by inertia or shyness.
Pagan Journeys: Choosing and Priming Your Tarot Cards by Sabrina Calligan
Because I’m beginning on this path, I thought it would be nice to have some fellow pagans guest post in areas they have a strong knowledge in. It’s nice to have a place where we can all share. Today, Sabrina Calligan, a truly beautiful pagan friend, is lending her expertise on the Tarot. This will be a two part piece, so tomorrow she’ll share meanings of some of the tarot cards.
I would suggest that you start to learn tarot cards with a deck that is easy to read and understand. The Rider-Waite deck is excellent for this. However it may not be your cup of tea, as everyone is different. When you start to look around for your chosen deck, if possible go to a shop that sells lots of different decks and ask to be allowed to hold them. The cards almost choose you. You will feel drawn to a particular deck and often it is not the one you thought you would choose.
Once you have got them home you need to cleanse and charge them.
Cleansing is done with either salt crystals or incense. I recommend the incense and a clearing visualization. Incense represents air which is the element of wisdom and knowledge and also psychic powers.
Charging – This is done by shuffling and holding them until they feel part of you. I recommend sleeping with them for a few nights until when you pick them up they do not feel cold or alien but instead like something you have owned for years and has your personality stamped on to it.
Keep them wrapped in silk or velvet. Some say that energies are lost if you use man made material but I personally feel that unwrapping them from rich material gives a special feel to the cards and makes you feel you are opening a gateway into another world.
Do not be afraid of your tarot cards. You are not doing something forbidden or evil. They are after all just made of paper and paint. It is the intent in which they are used that make them what they are.
Before you use them ground and shield and ask for only positivity and needed information to be given. Surround your cards with an image of a golden sphere of protection. Do not pass on negativity or unpleasantness. Keeping your cards positive will ensure positive messages come through.
