I'm in Spain with Saints who demand flowers - by Rolynn Anderson

I enjoy being the first-of-the-month blogger for Roses of Prose…like an MC opening the curtain on each new month.  November 1 is extra special because it’s All Saints Day and I happen to be in Seville, Spain, where this day has special meaning.  Here I am at the nexus of the clash of religions, Christian vs Jews vs Muslim.  Add the Celtics to the mix with their Samhain celebrations.  I won’t go into these bloody thousand year old battles (which sound anti-religious to me!), but my husband touches on the history of this region in our blog: https://stevena48.wordpress.com  Do take a look if you need to remind yourself of the background.

Anyway, it’s because of this mash-up of religions both conventional and pagan, which led to eclectic dance (Flamenco), art, and architecture here in Seville.  All Saints Day is an eclectic holiday, as well.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day   Spirits of the dead are the focus on this special day.  Honor them or appease them?  Depends on your religion.  Some celebrate the dead who went to heaven purified; others commemorate those who haven’t quite reach a purified stage, urging them to new heights.  Still others use the occasion to remember the deceased, especially infants and innocents (the focus in Mexico). In Spain, the occasion is celebrated this way: http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/dia-de-todos-los-santos    Besides attending church services, Spaniards decorate their cemeteries with flowers.  Flowers are gifted to the living, as well.

Three of us will be buzzing through the ‘white’ hill towns around Seville on October 31^st and November 1.  I’ll let you know if the spirits are aroused on these special sainted days.  I may carry flowers in case they need appeasing

I’m pleased to announce FEAR LAND is now everywhere.  I’ve taken the book off KDP Select; Smashwords has spirited the story far and wide.  You don’t need to send flowers; a Yippee will do.

This is FEAR LAND:

Tally hates to hear rants from people’s brains.  What does she do when those mind-screams threaten

the man she loves?

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Tally Rosella, an acclaimed psychiatrist who helps children fraught with anxiety, avoids adults because their brains rant at her.  But the chance to start a second child study and connect her findings to PTSD, sets her squarely among devious colleagues at a big California university.

Army Major Cole Messer, Tally’s new neighbor, won’t admit that trauma from combat tours in Afghanistan, destroyed his marriage and hampered his ability to lead.  As a teacher of college ROTC and single parent, he’s focused on enrolling his highly anxious son in Tally’s study and getting back to active duty.

Someone is dead set against Tally’s presence at the university, and blowback from her battles with co-workers put Cole and his son in jeopardy.  Watch what happens when people struggling with shades of anxiety collide with corrupt, revengeful foes.

FEAR LAND on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B012JE75ES