The New Year And World Cultures

I’m sure you’re aware that the earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit, and the starting point of that orbit is arbitrary. Different cultures celebrate the start of their new year at markedly different points of the cycle. What we in the West call “Chinese New Year” begins in late January and is celebrated through many Asia countries as the Spring Festival. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins in September, as does Enkutatash, the Ethiopian New Year. The Islamic New Year falls in August. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. The Gregorian calendar in use by large parts of the world in our current era is far from universal, especial among cultures that consider the start of the yearly cycle a religious and spiritual occasion.

Imbolc

Thus after many years of suffering through mandatory New Year’s fun on often the coldest and most hazardous evening of the winter, I’ve picked my own start to my own year. Since I live in the northern hemisphere, and my cultural roots are European, I settled on February 1. Imbolc, the first day of spring on the old Celtic calendar is also celebrated as St. Brigid’s Day (or simply Brigid’s Day). February 2 being Groundhog Day sealed the deal.

Marking the turn of the year as one season changes into the next makes sense to me, and winter into spring is all about fresh starts and new beginnings. If February still seems like winter, open your senses for a closer experience. The days are noticeably longer than in December. Birds’ chatter has a different tone, snow geese migrate north, and owls already nest with a clutch of eggs. Buds swell on the earliest blooming plants, and if you cut forsythia branches and bring then inside, they will flower for you in a vase of water. Here in the middle of the USA, we generally get a thaw about this time of year. I can smell promise and hope in the air.

We teeter on the brink of spring. Happy New Year!

Spring Cleaning

Spring and the fresh start of a new year are both excellent reasons for housecleaning.  I’ve taken some time out to upgrade my online home as well as refocus my approach to my brand and set writing goals for 2020. In addition to the stories I aim to publish in 2020, I’ve included objectives in education, marketing, and promotion to help me reach my publication goals. So, how about a tour of that revamped website?

Web Page Upgrades

The first thing a frequent visitor to the blog will notice is I now have an actual landing page and that page has new art for the header. The image is an old family photo; the young man on the right is my grandfather. The picture says “speculative fiction with a historical twist” to me; I’d love to hear what you think! Email me with comments at brown.kathy.L@gmail.com, or sends a message via Facebook (@kbKathylbrown) and Twitter (@KL_Brown). 

Here I’ll post news about upcoming publications and events, a few fun facts about favorite books and other media I enjoy, and useful links for readers and writers. The landing page also features links to my mission statement and bio with author photos.

I’ve added pages for each published story’s special features, photos, and research for readers who’d like some behind-the-scenes insight into how I build story from the ground up. (Link to The Resurrectionist special features page. Link to Water of Life special features page.)

And Now a Word From Our Sponsor

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And, of course, I’m selling books. Check them all out at Amazon.com. Order my new novella, The Resurrectionist, here.

 If you’ve enjoyed one of my books, tell the world! Consider leaving a short review at Amazon or Goodreads. The direct link to review The Resurrectionist on Amazon is here and for Water of Life, here. Thanks in advance.