Read Spiral: Book One of the Spiral in Time Online
Authors: Judith Schara
Come Visit and Say Hello!
Judith has a new website where she hopes to master the intricacies of blogging and talks about the research, the Celts in prehistoric Europe and England, and the many threads that combined to weave the fabric of Spiral. She would love to have you visit:
Her website and blog at
http://www.judithschara.com
You can also follow her on Facebook or send her an email at
[email protected]
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THE PEOPLE OF
SPIRAL IN TIME
Those noted thus * are acknowledged by historians/or living
Prologue
Mick Aston, Druid, pub owner and new Grand Druid of The Ancient Order of the British Druids
Jemmy Aston (James), Mick’s younger brother and ex-Special Air Services soldier
Ian, shovelbum and antiquities thief
Robbie, Ian’s tag-along friend
Merlin Fitzwater, former Grand Druid of The Ancient Order of the British Druids
Part I: Germaine 2006 AD
Germaine O’Neill, an archaeologist of Celtic History
Jack O’Neill, her father and a noted archaeologist
Aunt Edie, Germaine’s guardian and Jack O’Neill’s sister
Nigel Mallory, Dean of School of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley
Moira McKenna, an anthropologist at University of Dublin
Sir Aubrey Clarke, Germaine’s mentor and surrogate father
Julian, Germaine’s ex-husband
Conan Ryan, owner of Brittania, Ltd, a rescue archaeology company
*Dr. Bryan Sykes, author of
The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry
Nicholas L. Greenwood, Director of Tavistock Farm, a reconstructed Iron-age farm
Lord Dorset, Charles Peregrine Sackville, 15th Earl of Dorset
Part II: Sabrann, 5
th
Century BC
Duro ap Durot, original Àraid (chief) of the Durot clan
Vivienne, his first wife
Derbhorgill, her daughter
Ramach, a Druid who serves Derbhorgill
Elen, Duro ap Durot’s second wife and mother of Caradoc and Cathbad
Caradoc, current Àraid (chief) of the Durot clan and King of all the Durotriges
Cathbad, Druid and Caradoc’s twin brother
Lady Moigh, foster mother to Caradoc
Broicsech, a soothsayer woman
Sabrann ap Durot, daughter and heir of Caradoc
Sirona, Sabrann’s mother, a former slave and Caradoc’s wife
Rosmerta, Sirona’s sister and Druidess of Brigantu
Maigrid of Tamar, Elen’s cousin and Sabrann’s foster mother
Glas, Maigrid’s son
Culain, a smith, and Maigrid’s husband
Lorc cù-luirg, Gaesatae warrior
Talan, a fisherman on the Tamar River
Part III: The Astarte
*Lord Himilco Mago, Admiral of the Western Seas and of the
Astarte
Captain Adonibaal, captain of the
Astarte
Carloi the Navigator, an old Tartessian seaman
Akmu-en-Swnw, an Egyptian and physician-priest of the goddess
Sekhmet
Isis, rowing master and sometimes cook
*Hero, aka Herodotus of Halicarnassus, scribe, storyteller, and political refugee
*Midacritus, a fisherman from Massalia
Part IV: At the Venetis
Vodenix, king of the Veneti tribes
Mailart, trader and Vodenix’s brother
Mor, queen of the Veneti and Vodenix’s wife
Part V: On the Ocean
See Part III – the
Astarte
Part VI: Carthage
*Himilco Mago, Admiral of the Western Seas and the
Astarte
*Hanno Mago, Himilco’s half-brother and Admiral of the Eastern Sea
*Gisco Mago, Himilco’s half brother and a noted lawyer of Carthage
*Hamilcar Mago, Admiral and father of the Mago brothers
Jezebaal, mother of Hanno and Gisco
Lavinia, Himilco’s mother, an Etruscan
Rab-Kohamin, High Priest of Carthage
Elissa-Maris, 14
th
Queen Elissa of Carthage
Elissa-Ayzebal, 13
th
Queen Elissa of Carthage
Tawe, a prostitute in Astarte’s Temple
England, 2006 AD
Dr. Ramachandra, a neurologist
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It might seem enough to give heartfelt, verbal thanks, which I have, but written declarations like the following live on beyond mere spoken words. I sincerely hope so, for this story would not have become the book in your hands without the help and support of these people.
First of all, to Bryan Sykes, Genetic Archaeologist and Professor of Human Genetics, University of Oxford, for his generous permission to be included as a character in
Spiral
, and whose book,
The Seven Daughters of Eve
, opened my eyes to the world of mitochondrial DNA and women’s role in tracing our genetic ancestry. His work provided critical elements that added shape and depth to my story of a Celtic Druid girl and her modern-day descendant.
To Juliet Waldron, author and supportive mentor to a novice who “just wanted to write historical fiction,” and had yet to learn the craft and travel the long road from first idea to finished novel—thank you for all your patience and advice over the years.
To my wonderful daughters whose faith in me is unending—Renata, who
always
encouraged me and learned more about Druids and Iron Age England than she ever wanted to know, and Clari, who never once questioned my wisdom or sanity in choosing this path, even as it continued for years without any apparent end in sight.
To Diana Alrich, for enduring all those early morning phone calls (and many others) where I talked endlessly about people who existed only in my head.
To Abbie Cotrell, for always gently reminding me what was most important was the process.
To Dr. Nicolle Hirschfeld, Nautical Archeologist and Assistant Professor of Classical studies at Trinity University, who graciously provided early encouragement and research sources as I searched for information on 5
th
century BC Phoenician sailing ships.
And to the extraordinary members of my writing group: Linda Shuler, John Green, Doris Townsend, Barbara Smith, and Florence Weinberg, for wise and kind-hearted critiques.
Finally, a much deserved thanks to Cindy Vallar who edited this tale from its unruly beginning to the final end, and gave such excellent advice. Any errors that remain are, of course, my own and, hopefully, forgiven.
Spiral
Copyright © 2013 by Judith Schara
Adapted excerpts from
The Seven Daughters of Eve
by permission of the author, Dr. Bryan Sykes.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the Publisher.
Cover Design
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Formatting Lisa DeSpain
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