Bestselling and
award-winning author Theresa Crater brings ancient temples, lost civilizations, and secret
societies back to life in her novels and short
stories. Learn more about Theresa and her books at
her website.
The
Power Places series is all about setting. Certain sites in the world have
caught the imagination of humans throughout the ages. Myths and legends have
sprung up about them. I like to take those stories and bring them into the
present day. I try to visit these sites as often as I can, although I can’t
always get to each place.
Under the
Stone Paw is
set in Egypt. After inheriting a crystal necklace from a mysterious aunt, Anne
le Clair begins to have dreams and visions related to the stone. Turns out,
it’s one of six keys to the Hall of Records. Many legends have it that there
are ancient artifacts beneath the paw of the Sphinx. Some say
they’re from the ancient civilization of Atlantis. Others that they’re from a
pre-dynastic civilization that built the pyramids and communed with the stars.
Tantalizing. So I used a lot of those ideas and opened the Hall of Records in
this book. But Anne and her new love Michael do not find what they expect.
My
husband leads tours to Egypt, and I’ve gone with him four times. I loved
sailing the Nile and visiting the ancient temples, eating
exotic foods, shopping in the shouk. Here’s a link to the Souk al Fustat, which is in
Cairo and is quite an adventure to walk through. Yes, I even rode a camel near
the pyramids. All those sights, sounds, smells, and tastes went into this book.
The
second book in the series, Beneath the
Hallowed Hill, is set in Glastonbury, the site of ancient Avalon. Avalon
has so many myths and stories attached to it that I couldn’t possibly fit it
all into one book. The famous Tor is the home of Gwyn ap Nup, king of
the fairies. From the Tor run the twin springs, famous for their color, the Red and White Spring. Each has a
goddess attached to it, plus more stories. The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, torn down by
the infamous Henry VIII, is said to be the burial site of King Arthur and
Guinevere. Joseph of Arimathea, the uncle of Jesus, stuck his staff in the
ground when he landed on Wearyall Hill, and it
sprouted over night. Descendants of that tree still grow around the town. It
blooms twice, a year and a blossom is delivered to the queen. William Blake’s
famous poem “Jerusalem” is based on the story that Christ himself accompanied
his uncle to Avalon and studied with the Druids and priestesses there. The
lines go like this:
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon Englands mountains green:
And was the holy Lamb of God,
On Englands pleasant pastures seen!
It’s England’s second national anthem. Click
here to listen.
I’ve
visited Glastonbury three times now, and although it’s not as different from
American culture as Egypt is, it still has quite a lot of charm. The sites in
Glastonbury are filled with peace, and it’s easy to wile away an afternoon
wandering Chalice Gardens or climbing the Tor and sitting on the side, watching
the green countryside or enjoying a sunset. And then there’s cream tea. Yum.
My
next Power Places novel, Return of the
Grail King, explores Arthurian legends in a unique way. Then, I’m writing
about Cambodia’s ancient sites. I went there last December to experience the
beauty and mystery of Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple, the South
Gate into Angkor Tom known as the Bridge of Heaven and Earth, and the
literally hundreds of temples near Siem Reap. Plus, there was the Buddhist monk
photographing the monkeys. Wonderful. And the coconuts. Just cut off the top,
insert a straw, and enjoy.
When
I discovered my ancestors taught sexual equality and sacred sexuality in the
1740s, well, I had to research that. The Moravians are a small Protestant group
that started one hundred years before Luther in Prague. They were followers of John Hus,
who is famous in Prague. Then, after the Hundred Years War, they resettled in a
tiny town they founded, Hernhutt, Germany. After hearing about it all my life,
I finally got to go. Then I wrote The
Star Family, pretending that those teachings that I found very contemporary
and liberating, had been continued into the current time.
Come
travel with Anne and Michael as they uncover arcane secrets and combat sinister
occult forces.
Under the Stone Paw
A forgotten family legacy.
Six crystal keys.
One shot at unlocking the
secrets beneath the Sphinx.
Anne Le Clair, a successful, young attorney, has always
managed to remain free from her family’s gothic past—until now. When she
inherits her eccentric aunt’s antique necklace though, she finds no escape from
its secrets. Anne is immersed in a crash course of forbidden wisdom, secret
societies, and her family’s own legacy. She soon discovers that her aunt’s
necklace is one of just six powerful “keys” that, when combined with the other
five at the appointed time, unlocks the legendary Hall of Records. However,
another group, the shadowy Illuminati, is working behind the scenes to uncover
the same powerful secrets—and make them their own.
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