The bookstore was at least as old as Granny. As she opened the door, a bell tinkled somewhere in back. The smell of musty, dusty used books filled the air. Donning her bifocals, she headed to the cooking section. It didn't take long for her to find something. "Recipes of the Auld Sod". The book was ragged and dog-eared, just like her.

"I'll give you a quarter for this book, sir,” her thin voice quavered as she called to the shopkeeper. He looked at it and nodded his approval. She paid for the book and hastened home as fast as her arthritis would allow. Sitting in her little living room, she thumbed through the pages, eagerly looking for something to bake. Suddenly a handwritten recipe wedged between the pages fluttered out, ‘Lucky Irish Pound Cake,’ it read. She nodded and smiled as she read it.

Each cake had a silver dollar embedded in it for the lucky recipient. ‘Good thing I have a collection of silver dollars.’ she thought. ‘This is wonderful; I’ll make it for Jilly and Benny.’ She baked every weekend and put the cakes and cookies out on the kitchen table, hoping that her son Jerry and his family would drop by. They never did. Every Sunday evening her loneliness and depression grew just a bit more intense. Each Monday she gave the cookies or cakes to the children’ home a block away.

As she read the recipe, one ingredient didn’t’ seem to fit. “Four cups of flour, two cups sugar, two cups butter, two teaspoons baking powder, one-half teaspoon salt, one shamrock leaf, six large eggs, one teaspoon
flavoring extract and one silver dollar."

Shamrock leaf? What on earth for?

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To Thirst the Water - Part #26 (Chapter 25)

Cate Torres

It was so easy to slip into the fluid water. Entity made the transition from water to spirit without difficulty in this world. The other worlds were more conducive to earth, air and fire than this one was. This water source that It found Itself in generated fresh existence from the ground, it was unmarked water. The Loneliness realized it left a trace of Itself where it was within the water, polluting it.

The girl that stood over the spring awoke the Entity with her desire to see the truth that lay within the spring. Her mind opened to It and welcomed It in. This new world unwillingly opened itself with all of its being to It. As if it was being welcomed by the world’s neglect and nonchalant acceptance of its existence.

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To Thirst the Water - Part #29 (Chapter 28)

Cate Torres

Gently and softly the Loneliness glided across the landscape. Although the morning light would soon effect its ability to maintain its translucent form, It still felt the need to track the ancient one. The Emptiness wanted to know what the ancient one knew.

It had not forgotten its anger at the other three, but they were more careful now of their minds. The Emptiness had left its trace in the water they drank, but those three seemed to always bless their thirst before their lips touched the receptacle. Now they were all in the presence of a Table and with other idea makers who understood how to use their ideas. But the ancient one traveled alone into the forest. Angus traveled a path opposite of his ancestors.

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Contest Winners:

Short Stories:

The Golden Rule

Gary Beharry

Contest Info:

Contest Information for February 2009

Catherine Balachowski

Enter the Contest for next month by submitting your work HERE.

In This Issue

Editorial - Part #12 (Spring Writing)

Welcome readers. It seems as if Spring is actually going to make an appearance on the North side of the Hemisphere. Such wonderful creative ideas come to us in the Spring and this month’s edition of Fantasy Gazetteer is no exception. Creative stories are found within.

Our other contest winner is Heather Kuehl’s story Redemption. Ms. Kuehl story is one of quest. An effort to rectify an action her main character takes to save the life of her sister. Her leading lady steps up to the plate to take responsibility for her actions. But what will those dragons do?

Do forget to read our weekly additions of to Thirst the Water. The Entity continues its quest to suck the life out of the people of Europe and Hesperia. And it would seem as if the Lycians in the Tan Forest also have been attacked. This first week of March includes the story of the coming of the Entity to the Tan Forest.

Welcome oh beautiful Spring, may the joy of the season bring green leaves on to your trees and the promise of prosperity into your lives.

Our feature story is one of Leprechauns and riddled with Irish / Celtic mythos, Granny O’Toole’s Recipe. Gene Alvin the author has done a marvelous job of telling this tale and bringing his characters to life. They are full of emotion and integrity and Mr. Alvin makes his stories believable.

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