by

Falling Moon

falling-moon

In my fantasy world, the Falling Moon welcomes a world of pattering rains and burnished leaves fluttering in brisk winds. The wilderness twirls and tumbles and the forest floor blazes in a coverlet of color. The land softens and patchworks of umber and gold quilt the hillsides. It’s a time of frosted breath and morning ice, of warm fires and falling light.

The Falling Moon shines over the world on October 16th

Excerpt from Eye of Fire,  Dragon Soul Quartet (Book II)

That night the travelers celebrated their safe arrival with the village. Lamb sizzled on spits over two cookfires in Phelan’s trampled gardens, and the women of Taran Leigh served the season’s last greens, seeded bread, and tart pies sweetened with clover honey. The men uncorked jugs of dark ale and passed them around the gathering, making for a jovial evening.

Taran Leigh’s cooper carted in a drum fashioned from an old cask and settled his bulk near the cookfire’s light. He thumped a rhythm as steady as a heartbeat as Torin brandished his wooden flute. The pair of them played a tune for the village, for the food and ale, for the fire’s embrace, for the freedom and Belonging spilling from the sky like starlight. Ceridwen sang, and the villagers joined in as if their songs too would break free of their bodies and soar. Conall hugged Treasa to his side and pointed up. Earlin raised her eyes to the night. The moon hovered, as round and shimmering and close to a golden coin as any of them would ever need.

93 thoughts on “Falling Moon”

  1. waterdove says:
    February 4, 2017 at 8:07 am

    Love this… the words shine.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. domainofshane23 says:
    November 21, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    Extremely well written. The detail is awesome. I love when a fantasy story can make something as simple as food come alive to where you can almost smell what’s being cooked

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Khaya Ronkainen says:
    October 17, 2016 at 6:14 am

    Lovely images and inviting world you create. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  4. mother wintermoon says:
    October 16, 2016 at 10:37 pm

    I fell in love with this falling moon tale. 😊Another fine job of word weaving. I enjoyed being wrapped in the experience. ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Steven Baird says:
    October 15, 2016 at 4:30 pm

    Beautiful, Diana.

    Liked by 2 people

  6. reocochran says:
    October 15, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    The fourth moon in your series, Falling Moon, was such a great way to celebrate a new season, Diana.
    You set the scene with living characters, delicious homemade food, ale, dance, and song. Diana, it was such a wondrous way to describe it all, too.

    Liked by 2 people

    • D. Wallace Peach says:
      October 15, 2016 at 1:17 pm

      Thanks, Robin. I think this is number eleven of the moon posts…I think (lol)…almost a year. I’ll have to think about what I do next 🙂 Thanks for your wonderful comment as always, my friend. ❤ ❤

      Like

  7. Christy B says:
    October 15, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Wonderful writing in celebration of the falling moon!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. inesephoto says:
    October 15, 2016 at 9:36 am

    Pieter Bruegel is a great inspiration for fantasy. As a young kid I could stare at his images for hours 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  9. anotherfoodieblogger says:
    October 15, 2016 at 9:31 am

    I love your seasonal change in background again, and of course your writing is always music to my ears!

    Liked by 2 people

  10. penneyvanderbilt says:
    October 15, 2016 at 6:44 am

    Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Mary J. McCoy-Dressel says:
    October 15, 2016 at 6:22 am

    The excerpt allowed us to be a part of the celebration, as if we were all there enjoying the moon and goings-on right along with your characters. (Speaking for myself, of course.) 🙂 Have a fantastic day, Diana.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. Ali Isaac says:
    October 15, 2016 at 12:59 am

    Beautiful armospheric writing. Felt like I was there. Some of those names are quite Irish. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    • D. Wallace Peach says:
      October 15, 2016 at 10:18 am

      I used UK names for this world, Ali, and tried to pick less common ones with meanings that were relevant to the characters. These days I just make up names, but this series was my first and having a consistent framework for over a 100 names was helpful. Thanks for the visit and comment 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Annika Perry says:
    October 14, 2016 at 10:25 pm

    Diana, it is always with joyful anticipation I sit down to read your excerpts, knowing I’ll soon be enveloped into another world, hugged tight with the sensory descriptive writing, meeting your characters. How true this time – I’m there with Conall and Treasa, watching the moon, listening to Torin’s music. I feel embraced by Autumn and will try and welcome it with the same soulfulness as your characters. Lovely background to your blog too, Diana – very atmospheric.

    Liked by 2 people

    • D. Wallace Peach says:
      October 15, 2016 at 9:55 am

      Thanks, Annika, on all counts 😀 I hope we all have moments reminescent of this scene – good friends, firelight, food, and music beneath the stars, perfect times when that feels like all we need for happiness. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  14. C.E.Robinson says:
    October 14, 2016 at 9:23 pm

    Lovely words, Diana! Think the moon wil be fully appreciated in Southern Cal. Know the PNW weather can be harsh starting this month. So sorry! My family is there too! 💛 Christine

    Liked by 2 people

  15. dgkaye says:
    October 14, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    A fitting excerpt for the season Diana. And I love the way your prose almost sings a melody. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  16. Sue Ranscht says:
    October 14, 2016 at 3:17 pm

    I’ve just started the series. This taste of things to come is exciting. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  17. Christine Valentor says:
    October 14, 2016 at 1:38 pm

    Lovely, lovely, lovely!! I felt like I was sharing the meal, music and moon with them 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  18. balroop2013 says:
    October 14, 2016 at 11:38 am

    I love how you celebrate seasons here…the background picture is looking awesome Diana.
    Rain has been predicted here till Monday…hope the falling moon tries to fall out of the cover. 🙂
    Thanks for sharing the excerpt, it is as magical as the full moon.

    Liked by 2 people

  19. cindy knoke says:
    October 14, 2016 at 10:51 am

    Beautiful, evocative imagery in your writing, and I love Breugel, both younger and older!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. sonshinegreene says:
    October 14, 2016 at 9:44 am

    Awesome post Diane. Hope you’re keeping warm in the storms here in the PNW

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Meg Sorick says:
    October 14, 2016 at 9:32 am

    All clear on the East Coast for the 16th. Perfect night for a fire and a hot toddy under the Falling Moon. Wonderful and mood-setting excerpt from the story!

    Liked by 2 people

  22. Joanne Sisco says:
    October 14, 2016 at 9:19 am

    Not sure our skies will be clear enough to see the full moon this weekend, but I hope so. I do love the full moons and I’ve enjoyed being introduced to the moons in your fantasy world. Each one of them makes so much sense.
    Happy Falling Moon 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Morgan says:
    October 14, 2016 at 8:36 am

    I Always love learning more about the realm of your books through these posts Diana 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  24. Susanne says:
    October 14, 2016 at 7:14 am

    What a vivid, happy picture you paint with words! I’d like to be in that village, in that room, letting the drum take control of my heartbeat. Oh, the enchantment of it all!

    Liked by 1 person

  25. confabler says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:41 am

    details are wonderful in the excerpt. And I love the line ‘of frosted breath and morning ice, of warm fires and falling light.’

    Liked by 2 people

  26. http://www.salpa58.wordpress.com says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:36 am

    A wonderful excerpt from “Eye of Fire”. I must put this one on my list. :o)

    Liked by 2 people

  27. babbitman says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:32 am

    Funnily enough, I read that passage a few days ago. Back with Morgen coming clean to Treasach at the moment…
    🙂
    PS I don’t suppose you want some typos for your 1st revision? 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  28. Julie Holmes, author says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:21 am

    Wonderful snippet, Diana! Thank you for sharing!

    Liked by 1 person

  29. nonsmokingladybug says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:14 am

    What a treat. Thank you

    Liked by 1 person

  30. The V Pub says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:03 am

    Autumn does sound like the perfect time for story telling. It’s laced with magical skies, and colorful forests. I can almost hear Taran’s rhythm echo through the night.

    Liked by 1 person

  31. petakaplan says:
    October 14, 2016 at 6:03 am

    Beautiful.
    I am excited about the falling moon on the 16th which brings positive change for all….
    Peta

    Liked by 2 people

  32. Richard Ankers says:
    October 14, 2016 at 5:38 am

    Enjoyed that. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.