First novel: Chantry of the Hierophim

Most people who know me, know that I've been working on a number of novel ideas over the years.  Some have coalesced more than others.  I've been working on this particular one for about two years.  I've now made enough progress on it that I can announce this work will be my first publishing effort in the realm of fantasy fiction.

Please enjoy this excerpt from Chantry of the Hierophim (Copyright © 2019, E.J. OakLore, all rights reserved):

Hours later, Manu and I were still pouring over books, journals, and loose scrolls.   Having found nothing helpful so far, we had moved our search from the parlor to the study, where the rarest and a great many unmarked volumes were kept.

“Ugh,” I said, resting my head against a bookshelf.  “There must be a thousand unmarked books here.  How are we ever going to find what we’re looking for in time ... assuming it’s even here?”

“There’s only one way I know of,” Manu said.

“What’s that?”

“Keep doing what you’re doing,” he said with a smile, glancing my way.

Though I sighed heavily I was smiling inwardly.  I couldn’t help it.  It was the effect of his smile that did it to me.  Manu and I had known each other for many years.  In all that time I never really thought I’d have a chance with him.   He was so ... magnificent ... so talented ... so good-looking ... so intelligent!  Dare I admit I have always had a crush on him?  But I never acted on it, for I always felt I knew where I stood with him, which was nowhere apart from a plutonic acquaintance ... or friend, maybe?  Certainly not a romantic interest, though.  No, his attentions would certainly be drawn by a more spectacular specimen than me ... certainly a more magickal one.   Yet in the past day or so ... I find myself wondering, is he sending me signals?   He couldn’t actually be interested in me, could he?   I shook it off for the moment and pushed away from the bookshelf, resuming my search.

As I flipped through yet another volume written in yet another language I could not understand, I heard a familiar shuffling behind me.   I turned to see Seamus there, shuffling into the room.   His eyes were glazed over, almost zombie-like.   I’d never seen him quite that ... blank.   I’m guessing he must have just woken up.   “We haven’t found anything useful yet, Seamus,” I said, turning back to books.   “Can I get you something?   Coffee?   Tea?   Something to eat?”

Seamus did not respond.   He seemed to be standing still for the moment.   Perhaps he was thinking.   Or perhaps he was disoriented.

I turned around just in time to see Seamus produce a kitchen knife from his robe and lunge at Manu.  “MANU!  LOOKOUT!” I shouted, as I dove to grab Seamus’ arm.   Seamus and I tumbled to the floor.  I had the arm he was holding the knife with in a death grip.  Suddenly, with the other arm, Seamus took hold of my throat.  I looked into his eyes ... and I saw ... pure evil!  “GARETH!” I shouted with what breath I had left.  “Get out of him you MONSTER!” It was of no use.  Seamus--or Gareth--tightened his grip on my throat, and was able to bring his other arm closer to threaten my face with the knife.   With my other arm I began to lift him by the collar of his robe and slam him back to floor as I brought my knee up and planted it on his pelvis.  “Seamus!” I called, struggling for breath, “You’ve got to fight him!  Get him out of your head!  You can do it!”

“Foolish cowan!  You will never know magick!  You will never be worthy of Lilly’s legacy!” Gareth rasped.   

“Neither will you!” I managed to say, rage building up inside me.   With a sudden rush of adrenalin, I twisted his wrist effectively causing him to drop the knife.   With my other hand I grabbed his other wrist--the one at my throat--sank my fingers in and twisted as hard as I could.   Before I knew it, I had both his hands pinned beside his head, and the rest of him pinned with my legs.

Manu, ever one for perfect timing, had been knocked off his feet and, I assume, temporarily incapacitated.  At last regaining his faculties, he rushed over to us.  He sat up on his haunches, extended his hand over Seamus’ head and began chanting something in ... I don’t know ... Latin?

Gareth shook Seamus’ head violently.  “NOOOO!” he howled.

Manu kept chanting, undaunted.

“I...” Gareth said, struggling hard against whatever Manu was doing to him, “...will kill...” * huff * puff * “...you all!”

“Always good to know where you stand with people,” I said, bobbing my head with a wink and a smile.

Manu kept chanting, and suddenly Seamus passed out.

“Is he free?” I asked.

“He’s free,” Manu said, breathing heavily.

“I thought we were safe from this sort of thing here?”

“Evidently,” Manu said, wincing and short of breath, “Gareth has found a way around Seamus’ wards.”

“Then, we have to find a way to reinforce them.  And quickly!”

Manu took a labored deep breath and let it out slowly.  “Agreed,” he said, his upper body swaying from side-to-side.

“Manu?” I said, worried. 

He went side-to-side one more time, then, head down, he went forward, unconscious, landing on Seamus.

“MANU!” I shouted, shaking him.   Worry turned to horror, and the horror tore through me as I noticed the blood pouring from his back.   Seamus’ blade had found purchase!

An important holiday message about pet adoption

Huffington Post debut: "The fight for our national character"

I am tremendously excited that my writing career has just been taken to the next level. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned in this blog having pitched an article to a major international news outlet. I am happy to announce that yesterday I was officially invited to write for The Huffington Post. My debut article, "The fight for our national character", is a critical examination of the response of social media to President Obama's Memorial Day weekend trip to Hiroshima, looking at it as a microcosm of the larger war of ideals being waged in America.

Guest Post: An open letter to Bernie Sanders

By Heather Hewitt Chowdhury

Dear Bernie,

I know, man. It sucks. I get it, believe me. I was really holding out hope that you would somehow just slay all the polls yesterday. But I guess this country just isn't ready for you yet, like it arguably wasn't ready for a woman yet, eight years ago.* Progress is slow. Still, you did a fantastic job at getting people motivated and getting some more folks thinking about what is wrong with this country. That being said, there is a larger threat now, and we need to unite against it.

At best, Trump would make us the laughingstock of the civilized world (he already kind of has, but we can still be redeemed, at this point), and at worst, and perhaps most likely, he will destroy us as a country. It's like he forgot that the word "United" is even in the name of this place. But you haven't.

We need to unite now, Bernie. Our country depends on it.

You ran an amazing campaign, and you went from being virtually unknown to becoming as much of a household name as the other two candidates left in this race. But there's no way to win it now, Bernie. Others were saying this prematurely, but now I think most of us will agree on this point. I'm sorry.

I understand wanting to take it to the convention, believe me. I'm one of those people who always has to have the last word in an argument, too. And I'm stubborn as hell, especially when I know that I'm right. So I'm asking you, as one passionate, hard-headed person to another, please think about the greater good, now. (And, if that's not enough, consider the looming evil.)

Love,

Heather

* While I personally think Obama was the better candidate (in 2008), I am sure there were people who just didn't want to vote for a woman.

---

Editor’s note: Heather Hewitt Chowdhury is an actor, singer, freelance editor, and works professionally promoting the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons. This open letter to Bernie Sanders was originally posted on her Facebook page. My sincere thanks for her gracious permission to publish it here. The decision to publish this letter here should not be taken as an indictment of the "Bernie or Bust" movement, nor should it be understood as inviting criticism of those who continue to support Bernie's candidacy. Rather, I felt it presented a thoughtful and well-stated alternative point of view.

Celebrating LGBT Pride Month

Ah, June – also known as LGBT Pride Month.  It's the time of year when that most iconic LGBT sigil – the rainbow flag – becomes the central motif of our summer celebrations. It decorates our homes, our businesses, our cars, our bodies, hell, even our pets!

A friend of mine once remarked of me that for a “relatively straight-acting gay man” (don't even get me started on that blatantly oxymoronic turn-of-phrase) I had more rainbow-clad gear than anyone he knew.

I've never understood how displaying pride gear engenders the expectation of other stereotypical behavior, but, whatever.

For my part, I think it's just about wanting to make the world around me as colorful as the one inside my head.

I have never been too much the flamboyant type. ...Okay, that's a lie – a giant, blatant, big, buggering falsehood! In truth, when I first came out of the closet back in 1997, I came crashing out!  I must have embraced every stereotype out there: the effeminate behavior, the "swish", the catty attitude, the fashion sense, hell, I even did drag – and I was pretty damn good at it, too, I don't mind telling you!

As I got older and became a somewhat more spiritually-focused person, I grew out of most that.  ...Oh I still fit into the gay stereotype in a lot of ways, they're just less obvious now.  Having said that, even still, it is freakin' hilarious to me when someone, such as a co-worker or outside observer, is surprised to learn about my orientation.

Some thoughts about self-hating gays

A few years ago, during my now infamous and mercifully brief foray into restaurant management, a co-worker – indeed a very lesbian co-worker – told me the rainbow button I wore on my hat “bothered” her.  “It’s hard enough for gay people to get ahead in this world,” she told me. “It’s even worse in small town, rural upstate New York.  I think it is unprofessional be so ‘out there’ with our sexuality in the work place.  It places us at a disadvantage because of people’s unspoken prejudices.”

Never mind that this little nugget of wisdom, fully soaked in her own self-righteousness, comes from the mind of a woman who openly admits contempt for the LGBT community, which, in my humble opinion makes her the worst kind of gay person: a self-hating one! ...But, I digress.

Listen, I don't agree with everything that goes on in the LGBT community – especially among gay men. And I, too, have wrestled with what seems to be the inevitable self-loathing that comes from getting older in this community. But sometimes you've got to look at the larger picture. Motivational Speaker and Life Coach Joel Readence wrote a wonderful piece on this in The Huffington Post. He writes, "This community’s fight for equality and real acceptance is far from over. But we don’t stand a chance of reaching our goal if we destroy ourselves from the inside out."

Silence is deadly, unity is hope

Personally, I believe silence does us a greater disservice – even now, when LGBT people know more acceptance than ever before, and the rights of LGBT people are at the forefront of our national conversation. We have seen – especially recently – what happens when we become complacent and fall silent: eventually the bigots find a champion, and the march of progress comes screeching to a halt.

Nothing to me is more sickening than using the preservation of one person's rights as an argument for taking away the rights of someone else.

So bring on the rainbow flags!  Show your colors, gay America!  We are, after all, in the month set aside for that.  LGBT Pride isn’t just about celebrating ourselves individually, but the strength of who we are together.

...Wait what?  ...A united LGBT community?  Hell, that is worth celebrating!

There's the windup ... and here's the pitch!

I've been writing professionally off and on since 2007, and I've had work published in some substantial places. I've even had work appear in some pretty major media outlets. But this will be the first time I've ever actually pitched an article to an international news outlet.

I was moved to this by the recent vitriol I've seen thrown at President Obama over his visit to Hiroshima last Friday. Seeing what I've seen on Facebook and other social media, I could not help but think that this Memorial Day weekend has served as something of a microcosm of a larger war of ideals.

I needed to speak my mind.

And with the recent revival of my professional writing career this seemed the ideal motivation to approach a major news outlet. I have entitled the piece, "The fight for our national character: How four days in May showed us the best and worst in American culture".

Here's hoping!

Senate Republicans to veterans: your future not as important as ours

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell at a legislative press conference.

Shrewd politics or business as usual?  Senate Republicans have said unequivocally that it is more important to them to deny Obama a legislative victory before an election, than it is to do the right thing for our nation’s men and women in uniform.

S.3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012, was a $1 billion jobs package that proposed the establishment of a veterans jobs corps that would have put up to 20,000 veterans to work in their local communities over the next five years.

The bill, which came up on the senate floor for a vote on Wednesday, September 19, called for job openings to be created in “conservation, resource management, and historic preservation projects on public lands and maintenance and improvement projects for cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the National Cemetery Administration; and as firefighters and law enforcement officers.”

Acting in true form, however, senate Republicans, many of whom had spent the better part of the Republican National Convention touting the importance of job creation and veterans’ benefits, voted rank-and-file against the bill, merely to deny President Obama a legislative victory before the general election in November.

Just what are we telling the some 800,000 unemployed veterans in this country?  What message are we sending to the next generation?  That it is okay to place politics ahead of the needs of our nation’s defenders; the men and women who sacrificed and bled bravely for our country?  Need we even be reminded of how many of these men and women never came home?  Is their memory and the honor, courage and sacrifice of those veterans who did make it home not worth the commitment of our government to do the right thing, partisan politics aside?

What about all these politicians who spend so much time saying that caring for America’s veterans is our country’s “most sacred duty”?

“The fact is, it’s a national disgrace that veterans’ unemployment is 14 percent,” said Sen. John McCain, directly to the face of veteran and citizen journalist Meg Lanker-Simons at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, “That’s a national disgrace. And we’ve got to try to find more ways and better ways to hire veterans. And that has got to be our highest priority.”

Right on, Sen. McCain!  Well said!  Few people in this country would disagree.

So why then, a few short weeks later, did you vote to kill the Veterans Jobs Corps Act, right before you voted yourself and your fellow senators on vacation for the remainder of the election?

“We already have six veterans’ job-training programs, but what the heck? Let’s, ah, let's have another one,” said McCain in a sarcastic tone on the floor of the United States Senate.  I wonder, where, then, was all this “national disgrace” impetus that characterized his remarks to that veteran at the RNC?

“Instead of meeting us halfway, we have been met with resistance. Instead of saying yes to the nearly 1 million unemployed veterans, it seems some on the other side have spent the last week and a half seeking any way to say no,” said Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington.

And there we’ve hit the proverbial nail right on the head, haven’t we?  From as far back as 2009’s rise of the Tea Party to Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s now infamous remark that “our top political priority over the next two years ought to be to deny President Obama a second term,” Republicans have held the progress of our nation hostage merely so that they can attempt to win back the White House, and get themselves re-elected.

Repeatedly they shoot down legislation intended to bolster the economy and create jobs, so that they can stand on their soap boxes and point their fingers at President Obama for his “failed economic policies”. 

Make no mistake folks, the failure is not President Obama’s.  The failure is with the party that sabotages the political process in order to accuse a President of failures that are not his own, but are instead failures of the party. The failure is with any politician who puts political ambition or the party line before the job the American people elected them to do; that which is in the best interest of the country and its citizens.

In an effort to get re-elected as well as to deny President Obama a second term, senate Republicans have said to the electorate that their political future is more important to them than our veterans.  But this should come as no surprise.  They have repeatedly said that their political future is more important to them than middle class families, civil rights, balanced budgets, healthcare, or jobs.  Why should our nation’s veterans fare any differently on their list of priorities?