Brain to Books Blog Tour

Fast Facts

Author: Mary R. Woldering

Genre: Epic Heroic Fantasy

Books:

Voices in Crystal (Book 1 of the Children of Stone Series)

Going Forth By Day (Book 2 of the Children of Stone Series)

Bio

I’m Mary Reynolds Woldering, author of the Children of Stone epic fantasy series. I’m an artisan, art historian, devoted wife of Dr. Jackie Woldering, mother of two and grandmother of three. The idea for this series first came to a friend and me when I was in college. Over a few years we meditated, thought, told tales, drew and wrote segments of story from a long ago world. Much later, I began to write these notes in story form, adding speculative history and new ideas to the mix. I wanted my readers to “be there” walking with my characters. And It just MOVES! It entertains, it romps, It leaps, IT HOWLS and it’s just plain fun. An alien race of gods, wizards, shape-shifters, heroic mortals, and immortals; palace intrigue, murder, madness, confusion, bizarre twists and plot turns…dangerous hookups, evil geniuses, punk sorcerers, traitors…
Join me as I tell you a beautiful story.

Accomplishments

First Indie published at age 65. when most are slowing down, I’m just getting started. I will also make costumes and my own “meditative swag bookmarks”. I’ve had a TON of mystical and paranormal experiences, many of which became part of my stories.

Blurb for Voices in Crystal

“We are children made of stone

Tiny voices are as grains of sand

Come to us, Marai

Man of Ai

Man of the sand”

ISBN-13-9781490924069

When Marai. a shepherd living at the foot of Mt. Sinai in the third Millennium BC sings to his goddess one night, he sees a falling star. Tracking it, he discovers a strange vessel containing crystalline entities resembling earthly stones and gems: the Children of Stone. The Children delight in this simple shepherd and his songs of love. They ask him to host their intelligence; to bring them to the sages and priests who have spent their lives seeking the wisdom of the stars. when he agrees, he is transformed into a godlike being. Still a passionate shepherd at heart, Marai gathers others, like lambs to his fold. His journey to the wise men of Kemet won’t be easy. Things hidden, that wait in darkness, are always there. Book 1 begins the journey.

Blurb for Going Forth By Day

Shu lifts me up,

the Souls of On set up a stairway for me in order to reach the Above

and Nut puts her hand on me

just as she did for Asar on the day when he died

…Pyramid Texts, inscribed on the walls of King Unas tomb 5th dynasty c. 2345 BC

Marai, a former shepherd who discovered a fallen ‘star’ and was gifted with amazing abilities by the unearthly Children of Stone, has been separated from the women he loves. Kept apart by forces seeking to control all of them, the women must independently grow to understand their own powers while continuing their journey to wisdom. But what of Marai? Will the women be reuinted with him? Will those who care for him survive without his guidance and love?Will he rise up and begin to Go Forth By Day?

Book 2 Going Forth By Day is the story of Marai’s companions, Ariennu, Deka and Naibe-Ellit. Through their involvement in the lives of the royalty of ancient Kemet, new Alliances form, loyalties shift, and the comfortable lives of some are shaken to the core.

Book Reviews:

“I could not put this book down. You are on the edge of your seat reading this, it is that enjoyable. The emotional journey you take reading this book causes you to realize just what is at stake and ho I could not put this book down. You are on the edge of your seat reading this, it is that enjoyable. The emotional journey you take reading this book causes you to realize just what is at stake and how history weaves itself around this story. This is a MUST READ book. I would like a copy of this as an audio book cause this is just the type of story you want to hear again and again. Well done Mary! This is a series everyone should buy for your personal library, it is that good. I loved the concept of the “fallen star” and what it really means (don’t want to spoil it for everyone). Peggy-SuperMommy
5 of 5 stars

Book review written by Kathy Magee on May 6, 2015 for Going Forth by Day (Book #2 of the Children of the Stone Series)

[Going Forth by Day] is a wonderful adventure filled book for the wives of Marai. I loved it! I enjoyed seeing the wives characters emerge with strengths and weaknesses that caught me off guard. The beginning grabs you and you keep reading, enjoying and you don’t want the book to end, but alas it does and I am anxiously waiting for the next book. This is a great series in the making! 5 of 5 stars14.

Interview with Mary Woldering

Tell us a little about yourself. (How did you get started writing? What do you do when you’re not writing?

Mary Woldering: I think I wrote poetry in elementary school. My first “novel” was in 10^th grade and was a mystery romance. I’ve forgotten the name. It had a caged boy, a female mad scientist and a girl who rescued him. I don’t think I could redo it as a YA. As for what I do when I’m not writing, I sell junk on e-bay, try to keep my house from devolving into filth and chat with my beloved and my adult kids. The kids live far away now.

Is this your first book?

Mary Woldering: Going forth By Day is the second of the Children of Stone Series. Voices in Crystal was the first.

What genre do you enjoy writing the most and what is this book about?

Mary Woldering: I write a different kind of fantasy. It’s part historical, part mythological, deep, multi-layered and intensely emotional as well as spiritual. It’s NOT light reading.

I write them because I’m driven to do so…to get my thoughts across; to teach and to do so in an entertaining manner.

This book is about: Marai: a humble, goddess-worshipping shepherd who becomes a god!

Remnants of an alien race of gods, wizards, shape-shifters, heroic mortals, immortals, slowly transform into the gods of ancient days. Like ancient superheroes, they wander through the reality of legend, RESHAPING myth and history.

What inspired you to write this book?

Mary Woldering: I got them all from dreams, regressions, meditations and spiritual/paranormal encounters…from channeling most done in the 1970’s. Friends and I used to do this. At first we thought we were looking at each others’ past lives, Then we saw each other and more people we had not yet met. We did drawings and created scenarios of what if’s. Gradually they evolved into our own personal mythologies and then into these stories.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

Mary Woldering: The song by the Doors “Crystal Ship” had meaning to me so it became an inspiration for the first book. The series came from the E.E. Cummings poem, “Children in Stone” because it made me think of lost races that may have inspired the intelligence of our own people. The second title was lifted from the Pyramid Texts, because it is about death and resurrection.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it?

Mary Woldering: Createspace artists. I gave them free reign with the first cover. The second, I insisted needed to be a tomb.

If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

Mary Woldering: Marai bin Ahu = Jason Momoa, Naibe-Ellit, (I hate to say it, but …) Kim Kardashian in looks only. Deka might be a younger version of Iman Bowie, Ariennu of Tyre would be tough as would the other characters… I don’t see a lot of movies in order to keep up with who is hot and who is not.

I would definitely cast the Egyptians as black people, perhaps lighter skinned black. It’s a personal issue with me. The Kina group would be darker middle-easterners.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Mary Woldering: When I was a sophomore in High School and was in a Creative Writing club

Where do you write?

Mary Woldering: My office…a glassed in sunroom, or in my living room when it’s cold.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

Mary Woldering: This is really tough. The minute I name one, I realize I like all of them, even the villains. I’ve given birth to all of them and made each one GREAT.

If you could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be?

Mary Woldering: Make it even harder to put down…. No slow spots.

What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?

Mary Woldering: MARKETING. I wish my books could sell themselves.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

Mary Woldering: Spread the word and get my book into more hands.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Mary Woldering: A spirit named Raemkai (put him in my book as an anti-hero)

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Mary Woldering: Editing so that the story flows when read aloud, but is still grammatically correct. Or if you mean challenging for the reader some of the vocabulary & place names.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

Mary Woldering: It very likely won’t make me rich or famous.

What literary character is most like you?

Mary Woldering: I AM Ariennu of Tyre with a few dozen more layers of good sense, political correctness and sobriety. She is my inner WILD CHILD.

What is your biggest fear?

Mary Woldering: Being forgotten

If you had a supernatural power, what would it be?

Mary Woldering: Like Ari, I would be invisible & be a spy and secret keeper.

What books have most influenced your life most? a mentor?

Mary Woldering: Joseph Campbell’s Power of the Myth

Is there one person past or present you would meet and why?

Mary Woldering: Count Prince Hordjedtef…the real one. I want to see if he is anything like I made him in my books.