Kersten Hamilton
Books (YA):
- Tyger Tyger (November 15, 2010)
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Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures--goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty--are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.
Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right.
The goblins are coming.
Summary from Goodreads
Aingeal and anam cara in Tyger Tyger
I loved researching Celtic myth, legend, history and literature for Tyger Tyger. The Celtic worldview seeped into almost every aspect of plot and character.
The ancient Celts built no walls between the natural world and the supernatural, the secular and the sacred. They had a very high regard for all the creatures of creation—seen and unseen. When Christianity reached Ireland, it was not the institutional religion we think of today. It didn’t trace its roots to the authority of St. Peter, but to the love of St. John, the young disciple who leaned his head against Jesus’ chest at the last supper.
For the Celts, this was an image of the believer listening for the heartbeat of God. And hadn’t they been listening for the heartbeat of the Creator of creation since before the dawn of time? The Almighty was present with them as a friend to be talked to in every moment of life, and it was no surprise to the Celts that aingeal walked among them, brushing shoulders with the Green Man and others of the Invisible World.
But the biggest cultural shift in Tyger Tyger is not the acknowledgment of an invisible world all around us. It’s the Celtic understanding of friendship and community.
In our culture, we make the hero a loner and a rebel. But in the Celtic tradition, no one makes a hero’s journey alone. The Celts believed that we are meant to journey in companionship and in community. Everyone needs at least one anam cara—soul friend—to stand beside them. An anam cara can be older or younger, male or female. There is only one requirement—that you can trust them with the deepest secrets of your heart. If all the world fell down, your anam cara would still be standing with you. Rudyard Kipling (whose mother’s maiden name was MacDonald—another literary Celtic family!) was speaking of an anam cara when he wrote the poem The Thousandth Man:
“One man in a thousand, Solomon says,
Will stick more close than a brother.
And it's worth while seeking him half your days
If you find him before the other.
Nine nundred and ninety-nine depend
On what the world sees in you,
But the Thousandth man will stand your friend
With the whole round world agin you….
…His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men's sight --
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot -- and after!”
Teagan has a very Celtic community and more than one anam cara in Tyger Tyger, and she will need them, because her journey will take her halfway to Hell.
Thanks so much Kersten for stopping by!!
As an added bonus Kersten had donated a KINDLE for one lucky winner! What do you have to do to win? Follow the Tyger Tyger Tour (you can find all the tour stops here) ... at each stop look for the "letter reveal" (each stop will reveal a letter, unscramble the letters to form a word that relates to Kersten) once you have the correct word, fill out this form!
My letter for the Kindle Giveaway is: N