Clarissa Johal: Tree Spirits
Showing posts with label Tree Spirits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tree Spirits. Show all posts

Friday, July 6, 2018

Whispers in the Wood by Clarissa Johal #paranormal #darkfantasy #newrelease

Book Details:

Title: Whispers in the Wood 
Genre: Paranormal Dark Fantasy 
Author: Clarissa Johal 
Editor: Frank Moore
Publisher: Faeriemoon Press

ISBN-13: 9781721036677
ISBN-10: 1721036679
ASIN: B07F9TBTNS









About Whispers in the Wood:

It all began with an acorn.

There are some places you shouldn’t disturb, places where history lingers. When Rowan travels to England, she finds a remote village, hidden in the shadow of an ancient forest. Vague warnings from the local people aren’t enough to stop her from venturing into the trees, or from picking up a single acorn. It seemed a simple action. But when a stranger emerges from the forest claiming the acorn belongs to him, Rowan finds herself pulled into something both centuries old and deadly.


Excerpt from Whispers in the Wood:

Stars dotted an inky sky and the moon cut a path across the pastures like water. It would have been a beautiful night in other circumstances, one where she would have been happy to go for a midnight walk. But tonight, her senses were on edge and she startled at every sound. Rowan’s feet made sloshing sounds in the wet grass as she hurried towards the church.

The standing stone reflected the moonlight like a beacon. The churchyard beyond it appeared empty, its gravestones pointing like accusing fingers towards the sky. The silence was oppressive and she resisted the urge to whistle. She stole up the steps to the church itself, hoping the teens would be inside.

Pressing her ear against the door, she breathed the pungent scent of burnt wood. Hesitant, Rowan tried the handle. The door gave way and opened with a long, drawn-out creak.

A giggle sounded behind her.

Whipping around, her gaze swept the darkness. The sound was coming from the graveyard itself. A shiver trailed down her spine like icy fingers. “Hello?”

A low whisper drifted with the breeze, followed by another giggle.

“Fiona? Will? Jennifer, Jonathan? C’mon, you guys. Not funny.” She waited for the teens to show themselves. “I’m not going with you to the forest, by the way. I don’t think you should go either.” She walked to where the sound came from and steeled herself for a ‘gotcha’ moment.

Expecting to see the teens hiding behind a gravestone, she was surprised instead by scattered flowers, left like offerings. She picked one up and twirled it in her fingers. The flower’s petals reflected alabaster in the moonlight like finger bones. Freshly picked, the scent of the plucked stem was still strong. Rowan began to toss it aside when she was hit with an icy gust of wind. Her vision clouded and she felt a jarring shift in her surroundings.

She kicked up debris as her feet pounded the forest floor. The trees were a wild blur, as were the smells. The strong scent of greenery mixed with the scent of blood. Her blood. Heart pounding, she saw a bright spot in the distance. Escape. The bright spot grew larger and larger as she tore through the overgrowth towards it. Suddenly, she was jerked off her feet and dragged backward. A scream ripped her throat and everything went black. A sharp pain cut through her spine. Unable to move her arms and legs, she tried to take a breath. Panic welled in her throat like bile.

* * * *
Buy Links:

Available via Kindle Unlimited


About the Author:



Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of paranormal novels, Whispers in the Wood, Poppy, The Island, Voices, Struck and Between. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing, taking pictures of gargoyles, or swinging from a trapeze. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters, and every stray animal that darkens their doorstep. 



Find Clarissa Online:




Friday, October 14, 2016

#OctoberFrights Blog Hop - Whispers in the Wood by Clarissa Johal #paranormal #darkfantasy #giveaway


Welcome to the 2016 October Frights Blog Hop! 
You're in the right place, so pour yourself a cup of coffee, and read on...

Today, I'm treating you to an exclusive (unedited) sneak-peek
of my paranormal dark fantasy, Whispers in the Wood
Coming in 2017

If it strikes your fancy, the Rafflecopter to win a RELEASE DAY ecopy (ePub, mobi, PDF) & a Starbucks $10 gift card is at the end. 
*INTERNATIONAL PRIZE PACKAGE: EBOOK & STARBUCKS EGIFTCARD
Winner will be announced on October 16th

Enjoy! 


About Whispers in the Wood:

It all began with an acorn.


There are some places you shouldn’t disturb, places where history lingers. When Rowan travels to England, she finds a remote village, hidden in the shadow of an ancient forest. Vague warnings from the local people aren’t enough to stop her from venturing into the trees, or from picking up a single acorn. It seemed a simple action. But when a stranger emerges from the forest claiming the acorn belongs to him, Rowan finds herself pulled into something both centuries old, and deadly.

Excerpt:


Stars dotted an otherwise inky sky. A full moon shone overhead, surrounded by a luminous fairy ring. She ran down the footpath towards the woods and realized she’d left her jacket behind. In spite of that, Rowan didn’t feel cold. She skirted the edge of the trees, eyeing the orange glow from the campfire, burning like a beacon. 
Rowan picked her way quietly through the underbrush. The moonlight was quickly swallowed by trees. The deeper, wild scent of forest soon overpowered the grassy scent of pasture. Forest animals darted from her path, startled from their nocturnal activities. A lick of flame ahead split the murky darkness. She soon came upon a small clearing.
A haze lay over the area like a blanket, though there was no scent of wood smoke. Burning wood crackled from an unattended campfire. Off to the side, an immense oak tree overlooked the glade like a sentinel. Scattered saplings grew at it’s base.
Rowan's heart thumped madly in her chest. The fire's fevered intensity beckoned to her and she approached it. She held out her hands. 
   "No heat," she murmured. "What the hell?" Firelight danced across her skin. 
Rowan.
She whipped around, searching the forest with her gaze. “Hello?”
Silence. The forest was still.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” 
A small whisper came from behind the oak tree. Two green spots flashed within the darkness. Slowly, Firth emerged from shadows. The fervent green of his eyes caught the firelight. “We meet again.” 
  She let out a shaky breath. “You scared the crap out of me.”
 "Apologies." He stepped forward with a half-bow, his shoulder-length hair glowing a red-gold.
“Are you allowed to camp here?” 
“These are my woods.” His voice held a slight edge.
“Your woods?” Rowan kept her eyes fastened upon him as he circled her.   
“My. Woods.”
“What did you do to my tattoo yesterday?”
A smile touched his lips. “What do you mean?”
“It’s healed. Look at it.” She pushed up the short sleeve of her T-shirt. “It was still a red gash when we met at the churchyard. You brushed against it when I passed you, and now it’s healed.”
 “And you feel I did this, do you?”
 She paused, unsure. Okay, I have another question, then. Have seen a young man with dark hair? He went missing last December.”
"You are a curious little nettle. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Did you have anything to do with his disappearance?”
“I repeat, why would you ask such a thing?”
“No reason.” Rowan backed away, ready to flee.
“She’s a smart lassie, is what she is,” he said softly. “This doesn’t concern you. Unless you choose it to.”
“Grace is worried sick about her son. Is he…around?”
“He is around.”
Her stomach did a flip-flop. “Can I see him?”
"Perhaps." Firth narrowed his eyes. “Why are you frightened, little nettle?”
“I’m not frightened,” she lied as she backed away. 
“Do you wish to see him, or not?”
A stab of fear hit the pit of her stomach. This was a bad idea. “Forget it—”
Moving with preternatural speed, Firth grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the oak tree. He crushed her against its trunk. Gasping with fear, an incongruous scent invaded her senses. It wasn’t the scent of an oak tree, it was the scent of aftershave.
And it was coming from under the bark.

_____________

Coming in 2017 

                                   *INTERNATIONAL PRIZE PACKAGE: 
                                    EBOOK & STARBUCKS EGIFTCARD


Don't forget to enter my other October Frights Giveaways  

Giveaway #1 - a signed copy of Poppy & a Starbucks $10 gift card
Giveaway #2 - Struck is FREE from October 10-14th. 
Giveaway is for a $10 Starbucks gift card
Giveaway #3 - an ecopy of Voices & a Starbucks $10 egiftcard
Giveaway #4 - signed paperback of The Island & a Starbucks $10 gift card


Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of paranormal novels, Poppy, The Island, Voices, Struck and Between. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing, taking pictures of gargoyles, or swinging from a trapeze. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters, and every stray animal that darkens their doorstep. 


Find Clarissa Online:


Keep hopping!
                                                 Hosted by Clarissa Johal




Thursday, May 26, 2016

#FolkloreThursday - Kodama (Tree Spirits) #Japanese

"Kodama" (木魅) from Gazu Hyakki Yagyō by Toriyama Sekien
Kodoma are spirits in Japanese folklore that inhabit older trees, similar to the dryads of Greek mythology. Some kodama are said to have the ability to move through the forest, while others are rooted and reside in a specific tree. It is thought that when a tree has passed a hundred years of age, a divine spirit would come dwell inside it. Any person attempting to harm this tree would become cursed and suffer misfortune.

In appearance, the kodama was either invisible or looked like an ordinary tree. Forest echoes and the sound of a falling tree were said to be the cries of kodama.

Around the Edo period however, kodama became less of a nature god and more of a yokai (supernatural creature). They were humanized, and stories of kodama falling in love with humans and taking on a human form were common. 

In popular culture, kodama make an appearance in Princess Mononoke, Megami Tensei and The Legend of Zelda.