Jill Whalen – författare

Celtic heroes seize the moment and revel in life. Join them in their struggles and triumphs.

What makes a man? Is it his age, or his size, or his mettle? Meet a man of seven years that thousands of men swore sword fealty to. A prophesy about honor is fulfilled by a boy who found a signet ring and returned it to the McLeod clan. A boy dreaming of honor, riches, and glory in far off lands gets more than he bargained for. Find out about the sword that only belongs to heroes.

These Celtic people lived exciting lives. For a little while step into the past of your ancestors. Be a part of the daring with a sword and a brain.

Celtic sea people come in as many varieties as there are people. Some are born to the sea; it is in their blood, like the Vikings. Some have the seafaring life cast upon them, like the men who are pressed into service with a hit on the back of the head. Others are running from life on the land, or cast into the sea through no fault of their own. There are merchants, pirates, privateers, and raiders.

They trade if they can, but take what they want.

Celtic traders and raiders have their swords and axes sharpened to go and fight the enemy. Their women have feminine wiles. The men don''t stand a chance.

Join their anguish, happiness, anger, and passion as they find their true love. Why was mead invented by a woman scholar? Who were the first citizen and citizeness of the Swiss?

The Celtic men and women were exciting and sometimes ruthless people who lived on the edge, but all of them looked for love just like we do. Step back in time and put yourself there.

Scotia in the old language means scavenger, one who makes the most of the materials at hand. Many people think Scots are tight. Scots think they are thrifty. Read about some of the Scots who made it into Celtic folklore. Travel with them to the foreign wars; join the caravans; sip coffee at Lloyds where the big deals were made. Find out why a warrior loaded with loot would choose to live in a cot and eat oatmeal.

Not all warriors had swords; some of them went to battle with a stick, or a knife, or a quarterstaff. They usually left the battle with an assortment of loot including swords, armor, chain mail, horses, and gold.

Join the Celtic clans as they migrate around the globe. Put yourself in the shoes of the harried, hungry, and sometimes frightened people who, for one reason or another, were seeking a new home. You will trudge through the desert, walk across the frozen ocean, sail on ships, and ride horses.

The stresses and strains of migrating bound them together and tore them apart. Find out how the Beautiful People sowed the seeds of their own destruction. Meet the ugly man that Persia was named for. Migrate with Scythia, Luxor, and Media.

Take yourself on these journeys; become connected to your past.

Bold Celtic warriors show their mettle in the game of life. Some lead thousands; some lead just themselves.

In these short stories you will see the human side of daring men as they try to make their place in the world.

Find out why The Khorassan Road was set up. Travel to Samarkand with Timur. Conquer the desert scorpion. Be in the Golden Horde with Mulcha, the Circassian son of Genghis Kahn. Go around the world with a bard. Go to Peru and see the garden of jewels. Find out how a man crippled at two made a fortune. Who was the founder of Tyre? Was Ateea the most feared man on the continent?

These stories will connect you to a time of simpler living when the bold ruled over what they wanted out of life.

Who doesn''t long for a little adventure in his or her life? These short stories bring you in touch with Celtic people as they charge through life. Join the boy whose best weapon was a soup ladle. Find out where the name Mongol originated. Be in France during the French Revolution and in many other places and time periods.

One thing Celts do not do is give up. Whatever the situation, whatever the time period, these people grab the nearest weapon and charge right into danger. It is in their blood. You might think you have outmaneuvered them today, and even tomorrow, but sooner or later they will get what they want out of life. Join them in their adventures; go back in time for a little while and connect with those who came before.

The continent of North America was known to the ancient Celticclans as Gall, where the bitter man went. Meet some possibleancestors of Kennewick Man. Feel the excitement of the ice dambreaking to form the Columbia River or the horror as crop landdisappeared under water and formed the Gulf of Mexico. Horseswere forbidden; who brought them? Find out how they madebubble boats and teepees. They fought the elements, the buff alo,and the shave-head warriors. Learn about the destruction of themound cities resulting in the formation of the treaty land.

Celtic clans came from all over to settle here. Join them in theseshort tales.

JILL WHALEN is a graduate of Millikin University and a memberof Mensa. She writes the family folk tales from her home in thebeautiful Missouri Ozarks.