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Jan 31, 2014

The Mythology of the Schattenreich: Brighid (Brigit)

Tomorrow is Caitlin Schwarzbach's birthday (see list of characters)!

Her birthday also coincides with the Celtic holiday of Imbolc, which is sometimes in Breton referred to as Gouel Varia ar GouloĆ¹ or The Festival of Light and also celebrated as St. Brigid's day.

To celebrate this important Celtic holiday, we're offering Primary Fault at 99 cents on Amazon worldwide through Monday, February 3, 2014 (outside of the U.S., this is converted to the local currency and may be a weird amount!) (amazon.com, amazon.de, amazon.ca, amazon.co.uk, amazon.com.au, amazon.it, amazon.fr, amazon.es, for example) If you don't have a Kindle and would like to obtain a copy, please contact me via the email address for this blog or on my website contact form.

A recent review (thank you!) from portiabridget on her blog on portable pieces of thoughts (and also posted on Fantasy Barn (@Anachronist) had this to say about Primary Fault:

Reamer has created an intricately webbed reality where science and magic dance in a semblance of chaotic order. If you enjoy the occult, paranormal adventure, romance, police procedural, suspense, murder and many mixtures of each, this is the work you are looking for. I can hardly wait for more.

And now, about Brighid:

 Brighid, is one of those malleable Celtic figures, a deity, indeed one of the those truly worshipped as a triple goddess (in Irish mythology, the daughter of the Dagda) and equated (interpretatio Romana) with Minerva. According to John T. Koch in Celtic Culture, A Historical Encyclopedia, Saint Brigit of Kildare, a real personage who lived in the 6th century, and, although it seems this cannot be confirmed, was apparently co-opted by the Catholics and syncretized with the mythical Birgit (sometimes better to co-opt rather than demonize, right?).

According to Koch, she was a fertility goddess, patron saint of poetry and crafts and of livestock (especially ewes and cows). She is also associated with fire and light, hence, my appropriation of her as one of the Aspects (upcoming post) shared by the von der Lahn twins (they control Brighid's Flame as a part of their Schattenwerk arsenal). In the Schattenreich series, the congruence of Caitlin's birthday as being on the same day as the goddess Brighid is not lost on the von der Lahns.

 Here are some nice images of Brighid and symbols of her day! Here is a nice description of Brighid from the Official Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids with lovely pictures and poetry. And a place to start with exploring Brighid and Celtic goddesses on Wikipedia.


 Brighid's Day is a time for the lighting of candles. The dark times are waning!

a wreath and candles for celebrating Imbolc




photo credit: ToobyDoo via photopin cc

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