Before I get into my Sunday “usuals,” I want to say thank you so much for supporting Gunn’s Mission! I woke up to see that the story was sitting at this ranking among the millions of books available in Amazon. I’m more than pleased. Thank you, again!

Another quick note: AUTHORS, I am looking to host more of you in November and December. If you have a book to promote or an older story you want readers to notice, contact me at delilah@delilahdevlin.com!

Sunday Tarot

I have never, not once, pulled this card before. It’s not a “me” card. But it does present some interesting possibilities for the week after last week’s dismal divination. I did try to fight The Devil’s temptations, but in the end, I gave in. This card gives me a chance to turn that around.

This is The Magician. It’s Hermes, the Trickster, son of Zeus (he fathered a ton of children, the horny bastard) and Maia, Mother Night. He is a master of all the elements — earth, air, fire, and water. I see all the “suits” of the tarot deck represented here — cups, swords, pentacles, and wands. So, I read that as meaning that this week is open to all possibilities. Notice he’s pointing up and down — it can go either way. As well, that “either way” theme is represented in the background — rocks and sandy pathways.

Since I’m a cup half-full lady, I’ll choose the more positive route. I’ll set a plan and maybe accomplish half of my To-Dos and be pleased.

What does The Mythic Tarot book say? “A risk of some kind is required, a willingness to jump into the unknown.” I just love that ambiguous language.

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: It’s beginning to look a lot like…Halloween! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Celebrate Dictionary Day! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
3. Word Search: Animals in the Arctic (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Flashback: Brotherhood Protectors — Guarding Hannah (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Sweetest Day Celebration! — Win an Amazon gift card!

This is the card I pulled when Hard Knox was about to come out. And this week, I have Gunn’s Mission releasing on Tuesday. What I thought the card meant the last time was exactly how my week went. Of all the cards to pull! 🙁

The card isn’t “The Devil.” It’s Pan, the half-goat/half-man, playing his reed flute while holding the chains of two humans (with horns, why?) who are dancing to his music. It also appears that they are inside a deep dark cave, which, to me, indicates Pan is trying to hide something—or maybe that he’s playing for them while he draws them into the deep abyss. When I look at this card, I think it’s telling me I’ll be captured by a mood or temptations that will keep me doing things I shouldn’t.

And yes, the last time, I was tempted to F-around. Temptations came from everywhere—and I allowed myself to follow the many things (family, pleasure) pulling me away from what I needed to accomplish. Can I fight destiny this time around? Do I even want to try? Hmm…

Open Contests

1. Gabbi Grey: Rock Star Books — Axe to Grind (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle Contest — Cuddly Stuffie on a Rock — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Word Search: Types of Handbags for Handbag Day (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: It’s beginning to look a lot like…Halloween! — Win an Amazon gift card!

So, keeping in mind that I have a book to complete THIS WEEK, and I have an art festival to get ready for this coming weekend, I asked the cards how my week would go and got this!

Oh, boy! Just looking at the card, I know it’s going to be rough. There are twin warriors with their swords raised riding on the back of a horse that looks ready to charge into battle against a very stormy sky. Whew. Yes, I have two obstacles to overcome, so it makes sense I’d draw Queen Leda’s twin sons, readying for battle. Funny how that works. I think the card means I have a fighting chance to get to where I need to be, if I remain focused on the battle to come.

Queen Leda’s twins are an interesting story. She was Queen Leda, Queen of Sparta. Zeus saw her and being the horny bastard that he was, he pursued her, but she refused his advances. Miffed, he turned her into a swan and then raped her. Yeah, Zeus did a lot of raping. And apparently had no qualms about raping a bird. She was already pregnant by her husband, but gave birth to two eggs. One with two human children by her husband, and one with two demi-gods by Zeus. The twins were born out of both eggs, so one son, Castor was his father’s son; the other, Polydeuces, was the immortal son of Zeus. The were called Dioscuri, the Warrior Twins.

The Mythic Tarot book says when I see this card, I should be “prepared for sudden changes which break apart the ordinary patterns of life.” The battle will be internal. So, that’s vague as hell, but falls in line pretty much with what I read in the card. It’s going to be rough ride this week.

Open Contests

1. Puzzle-Contest–Let’s Celebrate National Coffee Day! — Last day to enter! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. September into October (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Word Search: Celebrate Taco Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey: Rock Star Books — Axe to Grind (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday Puzzle Contest — Cuddly Stuffie on a Rock — Win an Amazon gift card!

It’s Sunday—and the beginning of a new month! So, I pull this card before I begin adjusting my plans…

Oh, what does this mean? I do know who the two characters on the card are: Daedalus, who is the father of Icarus and a very clever and talented guy, and King Minos of Crete. See the bulls depicted in the art on the walls behind them? That’s a huge hint at the king’s identity. Now, I’m remembering how these two were entwined in mythology… Daedalus and his son built the labyrinth that housed the minotaur—you remember, the half-bull, half-man? The minotaur was the progeny of Minos’ wife and a bull (not her fault at all—this was Poseidon’s revenge for Minos cheating him of something). The minotaur had a taste for human flesh, so Minos served him men and women every nine years to keep him satisfied.

In the picture, it looks like Daedalus is begging Minos for the gold he’s holding (the six pentacles), but that can’t be right. Minos would have paid him for building that fantastic, huge maze, so maybe this is just how you get paid—on your knees before the king.

What does this mean for me and this week/month? I can hope it means I get paid for my efforts. Good sales, maybe?

I’ll consult the book… Yay! We’re in sync for once. The Mythic Tarot says the Indvidual is “the recipient of another’s generosity.”

Whew, all that to say I have a payday coming up.

Open Contests

1. Word Search: Attributes of a book hero… (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday-Puzzle Contest: Fall is here! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Sarah Boone – An Improver Not Just an Innovator (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Word Search: Types of Pancakes for National Pancake Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Puzzle-Contest–Let’s Celebrate National Coffee Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. September into October (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

It’s Sunday again, and time for me to lock down my schedule for the week. First, I’ll pull a card to see if I can get any inspiration from the tarot.

Hmmm. Seven of Wands. And this is Jason of “Jason and the Argonauts” fame, chasing after the Golden Fleece. What do I see in the card?

Two kings, so he must be fighting the King who possesses the Golden Fleece. Can’t remember his name… Ah, good old Wikipedia… It’s King Aeetes of Colchis, and yes, he has the fleece. So, two kings fighting. Four warriors helping them. Perhaps evenly matched. A battle. What does this mean for my week? I have no clue. Two kings… Perhaps it’s the classic devil and angel sitting on my shoulders, pulling at me to be good or be bad? I have a LOT of work on my plate this week, and sometimes, I see a huge page count and think, Who cares if I finish this? What does it matter in the big scheme of things? I can easily see myself shrugging off work for a movie marathon or a trip to a flea market.

What does the book, The Mythic Tarot, say about this card? It “augurs a struggle with other people’s creative ideas — stiff competition.” The person needs to learn the value of his or her ambition…” Okaaaay. Whatever. I like my interpretation better. 🙂

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest, Plus a Bounty Hunter Poll! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. 9-11, a Remembrance, and a Poll (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: Single Parent Books — Xavier (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. What’s leaving Kindle Unlimited soon?! (Contest) — Win a FREE download!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest — Let’s celebrate National Collect Rocks Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!

Before I pull my tarot card, I just wanted to remind you that Hard Knox will be released sometime after midnight tomorrow! Have you preordered your copy yet?

Sunday Tarot

Grrr. The card isn’t actually “The Devil.” That’s Pan, the half-goat/half-man, playing his reed flute while holding the chains of two humans (with horns, why?) who are dancing to his music. It also appears that they are inside a deep dark cave, which, to me, indicates Pan is trying to hide something. When I look at this card, I think it’s telling me that I will be captured by a mood or temptations around me this week that will try to keep me doing things I shouldn’t.

When I check The Mythic Tarot book, it tells me that I can free my “creative power” by gaining knowledge to face “my own darkness.” Okaaaay. I like my interpretation better.

In any case, I will have my work cut out for me to get anything done.

Open Contests

1. FREE READ! “Ripples” from SILVER SOLDIERS! Download now! — This giveaway ends very soon! Get your FREE copy now!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Word Search: Businesses you find in a small town… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest, Plus a Bounty Hunter Poll! — Win an Amazon gift card!

I have to admit, when I saw this card, I had to consult my book to remember who this scared guy in the middle was. I recognized Apollo (that sun-crown was a dead giveaway) and the three scary females could only be the Furies. But to figure out who the guy in the middle was, I pulled out my mythology book for a bit of refresher.

So, you remember the Trojan War, right? Paris, beautiful Helen, the Trojan Horse, poor Achilles, blah-blah-blah, right? One of the kings who converged on Troy to lay siege was King Agamemnon of Mycenae. Before Aggie sailed away from his Queen Clytemnestra and kids, he sacrificed one of his daughters to Artemis, the goddess of war, to ensure his ship would arrive safely at Troy. Fast forward, and Agamemnon returns victorious only to have his wife and her lover murder him. (Can’t say I blame her. Killing a daughter would’ve done it for me, too.) Clytemnestra’s new man is now king. Her daughter Electra fears for her brother, Orestes, and secrets him away to a neighboring kingdom, where he is raised to adulthood.

Then of course, he has to seek revenge. He goes to the Oracle at Delphi (Apollo’s oracle) to ask what he has to do to avenge his father, and naturally, the oracle tells him to kill his mother and her lover. He does, but then because he’s committed the sin of matricide, he is hounded by the three Furies. There’s so much more to the story, but that’s all you need to know, for now, about this card.

Here, you see Orestes, after he’s killed his mother and her lover. He’s caged in by eight swords. The three snake-haired Furies are on his left, ready to punish him for his sin, but on his right is Apollo, ready to defend him.

What does that mean for me? Well, it does not look good. It tells me I have a problem (likely one of my own making—Orestes got himself into his predicament!) but I am held in place, unable to decide what to do, with fear on one side and resolution on the other.

When I consult the book, it says I’m “unable to act” because of a fear of consequences. And I’m clueless because I can’t think of anything right now that has me afraid. Hmmm. Hopefully, this isn’t about something in the near future, because I’m going to my sister’s place for a visit this coming weekend!!! 

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest–What is happening here? — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. One-Word Movies (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Susie King Taylor – A Teenager Who Became A First Among Firsts (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!