For Fear of the Forest

This wet and windy Monday morning finds me writing the October 2018 blog for my children's book, with only a week to go until it is released. It contains over 46,000 words and, therefore, it is not a short story. Then again, it is not The Lord of the Rings, which I first read when I was eleven years old, and it remains my favourite book. I love the films and I have all of them on DVD but, in my humble opinion, the book is better. It sets the imagination on fire, and I hope that For Fear of the Forest does the same.

The mighty elf prince Ainmire and the huge White Mountain wolves

When the Elfin Queen thwarts the goblin raid she puts an everlasting protection spell on the Greenwood forest, with the help of Fire, Water, Air and Earth:

She spoke in an ancient tongue to Old Twisted Tree and the creeping weeping willows, and they formed a circle around her. She raised her right hand into the air and a bright white light radiated from it. Then she raised her left hand and said

"My good friends Fire, Water, Air and Earth

Make this forest a sanctuary and a haven for rebirth

Of every bird, every animal, every tree and living thing

For I am the Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring"

When the everlasting protection spell is cast the elves believe that nothing evil could ever get into the forest or Greenwood castle again but Durg-Baulder, the Black Sorcerer, and his immense armies of goblins, trolls, ogres and terrifying swamp ghouls believe the end of the elves is close at hand.

Order 'For Fear of the Forest' by Tony Kearney from Amazon.