Several of us (Jennifer Walsh, Laurie Smith, Jerry Willman, Mercedes Christesen, Kristi Hopkins, Scott Chester) on Facebook are planning on an internet radio show on Passionate World Radio to raise awareness for neurofibromatosis.  I’ve talked to the station owner and all systems are go.  We have guests, possibly music, and everything in line for a 2-hour show.

All we need now is $200 to buy the air time.  Passionate World Radio has a huge built-in audience from 150 countries, so this venue is ideal for us.  The station owner is giving us a really good deal on airtime and will help us publicize the event.

Donations can be made via PayPal.  http://www.paypal.com/ Send whatever you can, $5, $10 . . . whatever to lillian.caudwell@gmail.com via PayPal.  Be sure to put NF AWARENESS in the notes so she knows the money is for our show.  Any excess funds will be donated to the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

If you prefer to donate with a check or money order, please send to:

Passionate World Radio, Inc.
PO 2344
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-2344

I hope you can help out with a few dollars, and please, please, please spread the word!

Thanks so much!

Jacquie

Jacquie’s Website * Twitter * Facebook
Faery Special Romances * Royalties go to Children’s Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research
Coming July 2011: Much Ado About Marshals

By Jacquie Rogers
Copyright © 2009 Jacquie Rogers

The Chinese Moon Festival is an ancient festival over 3,000 years old, and is celebrated in autumn, the 15th moon day of the month of the Chicken. It’s the night of the full moon, of abundance, the festival to honor family ties and romantic relationships. Families, even those divided by oceans, try to come together during this time. But if a family or a couple is unable to unite, separated by hundreds or thousands of miles, they can still share the moon on that night and be together.

Legends

There are four legends primarily associated with the Moon Festival: the story of the lady, Chang Er (or Chang’e); of the man, Wu Kang; of the hare, Jade Rabbit; and of the Moon Cake.

Chang Er was the wife of Hou Yi, who shot down nine of the ten suns that were scorching the earth. As a reward, Hou Yi was given the elixir of immortality for himself and his wife. When villains tried to steal it, they killed Hou Yi, and Chang Er swallowed the elixir so the bad guys wouldn’t get it. Turned immortal, she flew to the moon, where she lives to this day. There are many versions of this story, one of the nicest told on Laputan Logic, where links to several other versions are given as well.

Wu Kang‘s story is also about immortality. He was a man who sought challenges, and hopped from job to job to find new adventures, until he decided the greatest adventure of all would be immortality. He headed for the mountains to study under an immortal. Not one area of study could hold Wu Kang’s interest, though, so the immortal got frustrated and told Wu Kang to chop down the cassie tree, and he couldn’t return to earth until he did. But the cassie tree grew back to its full size if it wasn’t felled by sundown. Since the job couldn’t hold his attention, Wu Kang never did keep on task to fell the tree in one day, so to this day, he’s still on the moon, chopping on the cassie tree.

The Hare didn’t fare so well, but is well-remembered. A hungry old man needs food. A monkey, an otter, and a fox, hoping to do a good deed, each offer the man some food, but the hare, knowing he has nothing to offer but himself, throws himself into the fire and cooks himself. The old man was really a monk, and in gratitude, gave the Jade Rabbit immortality on the moon, where he serves Chang Er even now.

Moon Cakes are the newest legend of the Moon Festival. It is said that in the 14th Century, when the Chinese were ruled by the Mongols and assembly was illegal, that those who fomented revolution passed their plans and instructions to the people inside moon cakes. On the night of the festival, the people revolted and thus began the Ming Dynasty.

Celebration

The festival is at harvest time, a time of bounty, and celebrated by a family feast similar in spirit to the modern Thanksgivings of Canada and the USA. Moon cakes, filled with bean paste, meat, lotus seeds, or a few other popular foods, are both given and traded. It’s a time filled with joy. and the children love getting to stay up until the wee hours during the lantern parade–and are especially delighted if they get to carry a lantern in it.

I’m using the Chinese Moon Festival as a ticking clock in my novella, “Faery Hot Dragon.” It’s a time for lovers to sit on hilltops gazing a the moon. And perhaps other things. A perfect opportunity for a romance novel!

Whatever the season, have a happy one!

Jacquie

Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta) * Jacquie Rogers * 1st Turning Point * Myspace * Twitter * Facebook * Faery Special Romances Book Video * Royalties go to Children’s Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through research.

By Jacquie Rogers

The
snow blows nearly sideways as it blankets the range. Ranch hands hunker
down in their saddles, scarves over their ears and their Stetsons
protecting them from the fierce wind. They dream of a warm fire and hot
buttered rum. But they have livestock to save from freezing and
starvation, so they ride on.

It’s Christmas on
the open range. Miserable for man and beast. But it isn’t just another
day at the office, so to speak. They whittle gifts for one another,
sing a few carols as they sit around the campfire warming their hands
and feet. Cook gives them a hot meal–the finest beans with maybe some
meat thrown in. And with a little luck, Cook would bake an apple pie.
Life couldn’t be better and they thank their lucky stars for a sound
horse and solid tack.

(Yes, I know these cattle are a modern breed and very fat, but it’s the only picture I could find.)

It’s the 1860′s in Silver City, Idaho.
The Festival of Lights has been celebrated in the West since the
beginning of frontier settlement, but not like their counterparts back
East who have a warm and dry place to worship with their families. A
menorah can be lit anywhere, and the Jewish silver miners do just that.
They pray, play a little dreidel, and think a lot of home.

The
picture to the left is the oldest continuously used synagogue west of
the Mississippi. It’s located in Boise, Idaho, and was built in 1896 by
the Beth Israel congregation, now called the Ahavath Beth Israel congregation. Very beautiful.

Everyone
has chores to do every day. Cows needs milked, livestock needs watered
and fed, eggs need gathered, and the barnyard needs to be tidied (to
use a gentile term). So after the chores are done, the family can
gather together and celebrate Christmas
with what meager resources they have. If they don’t have evergreen
trees to spare, they might decorate a sagebrush with popcorn and
berries. They make ornaments with precious bits of paper and scraps of
cloth. Peach tins make nice ornaments, too, and they shine in the
firelight.

Their
celebration might be more humble than those in the eastern cities, but
they have a grand time, nevertheless. The women cook for days. They’re
resourceful and whatever they have available will do for a fine pie or
stew. The Christmas feast could consist of chicken, venison, or maybe a
ham, along with homemade rolls, freshly churned butter, potatoes and
gravy, and pies–maybe one made with dried apples and a vinegar pie.
Each family member has made modest gifts for the others and even the
smallest child has labored over precious gifts–maybe a drawing or a
doll made of sticks. They sing carols, maybe read the Bible, and if
they’re close enough to town, maybe even go to church.

For most
Christian families, Christmas is a day for family togetherness and to
show their love and appreciation for one another, as well as
celebrating the religious aspect of the holy day.

The
saloon owner brings small gifts for the working ladies, the bartender,
the resident gambler, and a few of the regulars. A few cowpunchers
bring gifts for their favorite girl. They might have a nice meal
together before they open for business, and even then, the customers
are few. It’s one night they can relax.

***

Enter the IWOFA Winter Holiday Contest.  Lots of great prizes and it’s fun!