Our Featured Book for May 2025
Eleven are chosen from the entire community. Eleven souls willing to enter an unknown world in search of the secret that defines who they are. The youngest is only 12 years old. The oldest, his father, is 35 years. Two are parents. Three are women and eight are men. They have known each other as neighbors. Now they will share an adventure filled with dangers and unknown challenges in a new and unknown world. None knows if they will complete their mission, but all have dreams of reaching its end. They are not everyday folk, they are Turquins and discovery of their secret could change your life.
Story behind the book
As near as I can figure, I discovered The Turquins about 1986. Why uncertain? The Turquins was begun for my bride, as were many of my tales. The original files were lost and I did not date the printed stories. Anyway, I wrote about half a dozen short stories featuring these wonderful friends before I realized that they had a much greater, more adventurous story to tell. This grande adventure was started in December, 1991, and apparently shelved until August of 1997, then again until July, 2004 then AGAIN until March, 2019. Why did it take so long to get this work underway? Quite simply, I had a lot of trouble wrapping my head around where this adventure was taking me. One reviewer, J. Lewis, puts it in a league with: The Iliad and the Odyssey, Indiana Jones. The Goonies, Twilight Zone, and The Sound of Music, among others. He also said, "... most of all, the 15 Lessons which should be printed and handed out to every school child, every protestor, every counselor, and every politician." There is an awful lot packed into this one little story.
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Other conjurings from this old author
I am currently working on two projects, a "rom com" and the third book of Vrenessbith. When we finished Vrenessbith - Catharrachd, we added a post-epilog which included a bit of news that Marian had been in contact with Belinda. For those not familiar with these characters, Marian is a young lady living in the states while Belinda is Comleidh on the hill above Loch Ness. "V3" titled "Return" opens with a review of the close of "Catharrachd" brought forward 1,500 years to today. Marian has been called back to the Highlands to help Belinda, Vrenessbith, and her grandparents deal with an ancient evil. Fitheach is back and preparing to rebuild her sisterhood.
I completed about 190 pages before restarting this work with a writers' group. Groups tend to move slowly and my mind kept slipping to the end, not whatever section we were working on, presently about page 57. So I elected to resume writing, but I couldn't recall everything I had written. Old age is setting in. To rectify this malady, I went back and reread everything I had done. Excuse me but I LOVE THIS STORY! Yes, I do say that about almost every story I write, but this one is a lot of fun, unexpected action, twists, turns, and it isn't even finished.
What are you working on?
Beyond Books -
I don't know that I want to write all day every day. I do shift between two or three active projects, but even that gets old now and then. So what else is there? Folks who have read Vrenessbith might understand, or have guessed, that I am a piper. I play the Great Highland Bagpipes and am not too bad, for a street piper. Recently I have played in church several times, for special Sundays and a funeral, then Easter processional, but more than that I am working on recording several sets for personal pleasure and my ultimate funeral. You want something special at the event celebrating your life? Make sure others know and set it up while your brain is working. Uh oh, I may have already missed that one.
Tidbits of lost information
While employed by the NC Department of Justice (and after I left) I piped the processional for the NC Department of Justice Peace Officers' Memorial; a total of ten annual services between 1995 and 2006. During that time I got to know some of the officers and honor guard and in 1998 I wrote the processional that I used through 2006, and several years with the Durham Peace Officers' Memorial. The link below is this piece recorded at Duke Chapel on May 10, 1999. As May is the month of memorial I am offering a tribute to all our First Responders, especially those who have paid the ultimate price in service to others. Peace Officer's Prayer and Skye Boat Song. I hope you enjoy.
Next month's featured book: Treasured Adversaries
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Copyright 2025 by E. Gale Buck
May3,2025