New Release: The Light by Marcia Meara #WakeRobinRidge

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Banner ad for The Light, Wake Robin Ridge book 4 by Marcia Meara

I’m thoroughly jazzed (chuffed if you’re on the other side of the pond) to have my good friend, Marcia Meara, here today with her new release The Light. She’s sharing a super cool post about wake-robins which figure into the series title, Wake Robin Ridge.

Confession time: this yankee thought wake robins were birds. Duh! Fortunately, Marcia is here today to set me straight and educate me about The Wake-Robins of Wake-Robin Ridge.

Thank you so much for letting me visit with you and your followers today, Mae. I’m pretty excited about the release of my latest novel, The Light: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4, and hope folks will be curious to learn more about this book and the preceding three:

Wake-Robin Ridge
A Boy Named Rabbit
Harbinger

Happy New Year to You All!

Many readers have asked me how I came up with the name of my first novel, and the answer is very simple. In fact, it’s staring at everyone the minute they pick up any of the four books in the series. I did mention it at the very start of the first book, but many people either miss it, or have forgotten it by the last page of the story. It all comes back to my beloved North Carolina mountains and the trillium erectus, or wake-robin.

Anyone who has ever walked through the woods in the Appalachian Mountains knows that bluebells, bird’s foot violets, and trillium carpet the forest floor in early spring. Beneath the evergreens, dogwoods, and redbuds, these low-growing wildflowers spread in every direction and are a delight to behold.

As you might imagine, bluebells are blue, and bird’s foot violets are violet. Trillium, on the other hand, are usually white. Except when they aren’t.

Scattered here and there among those snowy white trillium are a few that are a deep, wine red. Those would be the ones commonly called wake-robins. The splashes of red amidst the usual sea of white draw the eye immediately, and I’m certain I’m not the only one to find them beautiful. In fact, I love them so much, before I’d written one word of my first book, I knew I wanted to name my fictional mountain ridge after them. I loved the idea of Mac’s secluded home on top of a sparsely-populated mountain being surrounded by wildflowers every spring, with the wake-robins popping up just often enough to warrant being the namesake for the entire ridge—and my newly conceived series, too.

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The next time you have an opportunity to walk through the wooded areas of the northeastern part of the country, keep an eye open for bluebells and violets on the forest floor, and search every patch of snow-white trillium for the splashes of dark red that mark the wake-robins.  I hope you’ll enjoy spotting them as much as I do.

BLURB FOR THE LIGHT:

Book cover for The Light by Marcia Meara shows young boy standing on a rock with hand extended toward a floating orb of lightThe Magic is Back!

For Robert MacKenzie Cole—or Rabbit, as he’s known to all—the chance to accompany his family to see North Carolina’s infamous Brown Mountain Lights has him nearly dizzy with excitement. And what better night to watch this unexplained phenomenon unfold than Halloween?

But when the entrancing, unpredictable lights show up, Rabbit gets far more than he bargained for. He’s gifted with what folks in the Appalachians call “the Sight,” and it’s this extrasensory perception that enables him to spot the one light different from all the rest.

In his biggest challenge to date, Rabbit—aided by his daddy and his newest friend, Austin Dupree— begins a quest to learn more about the mysterious light. Their investigation unveils a web of cons and corruption none of them expected and exposes a brutal murder along the way.

Throughout all, Rabbit is unfaltering in his commitment to do whatever it takes to understand the truth behind the glowing orb and to determine how he can help it. After all, it followed him home.

Intrigued? I can vouch for all of the books in this series. I rated each one 5-stars, with The Light earring a five star glittery review. If you missed it, you can find it on my Tuesday Book Reviews.

PURCHASE HERE

About the Author:
Author, Marcia MearaMarcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years, four big cats, and one small dachshund.

When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she’s good with that.

Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it’s never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish a book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?

Marcia has published seven novels, two novellas, and one book of poetry to date, all of which are available on Amazon:

Wake-Robin Ridge
A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2
Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3
The Light: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 4
Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel
Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2
That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3
The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella
The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody
Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love

Find Marcia at the following haunts:
Marcia’s Amazon Author Page
You can reach Marcia via email at marciameara16@gmail.com or on the following social media sites:
The Write Stuff | Facebook | Pinterest
Twitter: @marciameara

Are you hooked? You should be. Rabbit is one of the most unique characters I’ve encountered in fiction. Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Light HERE, then drop Marcia  a line in the comments below.

And, on another note, I am visiting with friend and Story Empire colleague Harmony Kent today, sharing a new excerpt from my current release. Eventide. If you’ve got a spare moment, I’d love for you to pop over and say hello! 🙂

 

80 thoughts on “New Release: The Light by Marcia Meara #WakeRobinRidge”

    • Hi, Jacquie and thanks! I’m pretty excited about this one, for sure, and of course, it’s always fun to be writing about Rabbit. He’s one of a kind, I think.

      Wake-robins bloom throughout most of the northeast. I used to see them in the woods in Pennsylvania, for instance. The Appalachian mountains do cover a large portion of the northeast, but the flowers aren’t restricted to the mountains.

      Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to say hello. If you get a chance to read this one (or the entire series, which is how they’d work best), I’d love to hear your thoughts. 🙂 ❤

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      • They bloom in PA? This Keystone resident was clueless. I’m going to have to look for them. Although it’s been a long time since I went hiking on PA’s Appalachian Trail!

        Liked by 1 person

      • Any deep woods in PA will work, but only for a short time in the early spring. Not necessary to be on the Appalachian Trail, though that’s always a great place to hike! 🙂 Good luck! ❤

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  2. I must admit, I thought wake-robins were birds too. We have robins, tiny little birds with huge personalities that find their way on to numerous Christmas cards and we adore them.
    Your wake-robins are special too, and very beautiful. The perfect addition to your book titles, Marcia.

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    • HI, Jaye! We have robins here, too, but they aren’t the same as the European robin. Early colonists were reminded of your birds because ours has a red breast, as well, though it is actually a thrush and a much larger bird. And the wake-robins bloom so early the name suggest they wake up our avian robins each spring. 🙂 I guess I should go back and make that little definition at the top of the prologue a lot larger. 😀 Or maybe give it its own page. Hmmmm. *takes another sip of Earl Grey and ponders the idea* 😀

      Thanks for stopping by this morning! 🙂 ❤

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    • Those robins sound adorable! 🙂
      And now when I think about it, Marcia has those pretty red flowers on the cover of her Wake Robin Ridge books. I am batting 100 in the “doh!” department today, LOL!

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    • *ahem* It’s possible I’m slightly biased here, but yes, I think you definitely, absolutely, positively should read this series, Priscilla. Yep. I’m pretty sure that’s what you should do. Soon. Straight through, one after the other! 😀 😀 😀

      Okay, I’ll admit that was totally and utterly biased and a shameful effort to guilt you into reading my books. In the interests of being a bit more fair, I’ll just say I hope you’ll give the series a try when you have a chance, and that if you do, when Rabbit comes along in Book 2, you’ll see exactly how he usurped my Romantic Suspense series. It would be great to hear what you think of it when you have time to check it out. 🙂

      Thanks so much for stopping by today and taking a moment to comment. Rabbit reckons it was “real good you done that.” 😀 ❤

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    • That’s awesome, Priscilla! Rabbit doesn’t come into his own until book 2, but his adoptive parents Mac and Sarah are introduced in book one. And that little boy just stole my heart–and the heart of a lot of other readers–when he showed up in book two!

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      • Thanks for that, Mae. I’m always amazed at how many readers have taken him into their hearts. 😀 And to think he lives in my head ALL YEAR round! 😀

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    • Ah. Fear of the TBR Pile, a syndrome many of us are all too familiar with, Harmony! Personally, I think my series would be the perfect way to conquer it. Yes, I’m sure of it. Go for it! 😀 😀 😀

      Seriously, my friend, I hope you’ll enjoy the series when you are able to check it out, and I fully understand why that might not be this very afternoon, no matter what I try to talk you into. 😀 And when you get to Book 2, I hope Rabbit speaks to your heart. He’s got a habit of doing that, I’ve heard. 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by today, and for taking the time to comment. I’m pretty excited about The Light and really want to get the word out. 🙂 ❤

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  5. Thank you so much for having me as a guest this morning on your fabulous blog, Mae! I’m really happy to be here, and super pleased with the video you made of the wildflower photos I sent. What a great idea!

    One little thing I should admit, embarrassing though it might be. I am so used to how folks speak in the areas where trilliums grow that I usually use the same plural form they do, which is to say, none. While there is some controversy over the correct pronunciation for more than one trillium, most agree it should be trilliums. A few hold out for trillia, since it’s a Latin name, but ” trilliums” is preferred. And it definitely should not be a “field of trillium” any more than one would say a “field of rose.” 😀 So there you have today’s minor lesson in horticultural grammar.

    No matter how you say it, trilliums are beautiful wildflowers and wake-robins are named because they bloom early enough to beat the first avian robins of spring to the area. Yes, we have birds called robins too, so named because their red breasts reminded early colonists of the adorable European robin some of you have mentioned. They aren’t related to those though, being a member of the thrush family. Ooops. Now you have a lesson in ornithology going on. Stop me, please, before somebody gets hurt! 😀

    Just know that we do have robins, and then we have the flowers named for them, wake-robins.

    And I wrote all of this without even a sip from my first cup of Earl Grey! But I digress(ed). 😀 The bottom line is that I’m beyond delighted to be here this morning, sharing the news of Rabbit’s latest adventures! And though I’ll be out for a couple of hours this afternoon, I’ll be checking in as often as possible to chat with anyone who comments. Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart, my wonderful PenderPal! You ROCK!!! ❤ ❤ ❤

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    • BTW, I just found a range map for trillium erecta or red trillium/wake-robin. The range covers a much larger area than I realized, growing as far west as Indiana and well into eastern Canada. I knew I’d seen it in Pennsylvania and New York, but didn’t realize it was as wide-spread as it is. Just a wee bit more info on the subject for those who like that kind of stuff. (I can’t be the only one, can I?) 😀

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    • I am getting such an education today. Not only did I not realize that wake-robins weren’t birds (before a certain PenderPal enlightened me), now I know about trillium, too (another term I was unfamiliar with). Best of all, I think it will be forever stuck in my head that those beautiful red flowers are named thus because they bloom and wake the robins into returning (at least that’s how I’m looking at it).

      It is always a pleasure to have you here, Marcia. You know how much I love your work–all of it! But, I do have a special place in my heart for that charmer, Rabbit!

      Wishing you a ton of sales for The Light!

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      • Somehow I missed this one earlier, sorry. Thanks so much for your well wishes, and for liking Rabbit as much as you do. It makes my heart glad! And sharing a bit about trilliums and wake-robins is a small price to pay for such a lovely visit with you and your readers today! It’s been GREAT! 🙂 ❤

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
    I have the extreme pleasure of being a guest on Mae Clair’s lovely blog, From the Pen of Mae Clair, today, and boy, has Mae done a bang-up job on this one! Please stop by and say hello, and while you’re there, learn the truth about wake-robins. (Hint, no they aren’t birds!) And check out the lovely slideshow, too. Spring is in the air! What a great start to the day. Thanks so much, Mae, and thanks to you guys for sharing this one far and wide. Hugs to ALL! 🙂 ❤

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    • I’m so happy to host you, Marcia! And thanks for getting the word out far and wide. I’m glad you’re happy with the way the post turned out. I love the topic, and–of course–you know I love the book! 🙂

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  8. Well, color me educated. I also thought they were birds, Mae. I just assumed and never really thought about it, but the flowers are beautiful and I can see why Marcia chose the name for her fictional town. Congrats on the new release, Marcia!

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    • I do define wake-robins at the opening of the prologue, but then I suppose events take over and that little tidbit goes right out of everyone’s mind. I should probably add it to the beginning of each prologue in each book! 😀 The mountain ridge is one I carefully inserted into an area where no other already named mountains exist in North Carolina, so I wouldn’t plop it down right on top of a mountain folks were already familiar with. 😉 Wake-robins are one of my favorite wildflowers, and they seemed perfect for the mountain where my reclusive character built his dream home, his escape from the world.

      Thanks for stopping by today, Teri, and for the well wishes with this newest book. 🙂 ❤

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      • I do remember that prologue at the beginning of book one, now that you mention it, Marcia. But like you said–it went right out of my head. Especially as the series progressed.

        You created such an awesome place for Mac, Sarah, and Rabbit to live. I love your fictional ridge in those beautiful mountains!

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      • I just created the exact spot where *I’d* like to live, Mae. That’s why I can see it in my mind’s eyes so clearly. Writing about these books is always a trip to my beloved mountains. 😀

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    • Now that I know we have wake-robins in Pennsylvania, I’m going to have to look for them, Teri. I’m also going to have to show off my new found knowledge that they’re not birds, LOL.
      Thanks for visiting to cheer on, Marcia!

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    • Thanks, Judi! Rabbit’s gift has grown stronger with each book, and has changed the lives of everyone he’s touched. In this instance, as in all others, he takes his ability to help others very, very seriously, and he won’t quit until he can figure out what he’s supposed to do. Hope you’ll check the book out when time allows, but as usual, it’s always best to know the back story, especially in the case of a little boy as extraordinary as Rabbit. If you get a chance to read about Sarah, Mac, Rabbit, and Branna, I’ll be eager to see what you think. 🙂 ❤

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    • I love the Brown Mountain Lights. I did a Mythical Monday feature on them in the past. I may have to trot that one out for Wednesday Weirdness–with a link to Marcia’s latest book. It’s a very cool fit with the legend.

      Thanks for visiting, Judi. I love this series and I loved learning about Wake Robins from Marcia!

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    • Thanks, Tessa! I’m glad you’re drawn to the story. Rabbit’s evolution from a little boy alone in the mountain wilderness to the remarkable little champion he’s become has been an amazing journey for me. Each book can be read as a standalone, but I do try to let folks know that Rabbit’s backstory, as told in WRR 2 and 3, is the foundation for all he’s become. But whether you read The Light alone, or as the fourth installation of the series, I hope you’ll enjoy meeting him. He’s been a trip and a half to write. 😀 ❤

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    • Nature. It’s what I do. 😀 Seriously, I’ve been involved in birding and wildlife all my life, including a stint years ago at what was then the Florida Audubon Society. Most of my local presentations are about Central Florida’s fabulous wildlife, and I try to incorporate habitat and wildlife in all of my books, to one degree or another–especially the elements I love most. In the mountains, that would include the amazing array of wildflowers popping up each spring. Glad you enjoyed reading about wake-robins, Craig. And thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! 🙂 ❤

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    • Glad you enjoyed it, John. I can never get enough of nature, and learn new things all the time. I’ve know about wake-robins for years and years, but there is ALWAYS something new out there. And I believe learning something new every day is what keeps us young, so I’m happy to share when I do. 😀

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  14. Congrats on your new releae, Marcia! This series is on my TBR list:) I love the flowers in spring, especially in the forest. Thanks, Mae for sharing.

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    • Thanks, Denise. I hope you enjoy the stories when you have a chance to check them out. Be sure to let me know your thoughts. And thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to comment, too. 🙂 ❤

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    • Glad you enjoyed it, Bette. I love trilliums (pluralized correctly now!) and the mountains in the spring. Of course, I love them in the summer, and fall, and winter, too. But spring is special, because of the wake-robins! 😀 Hope you’ll enjoy the books if you get a chance to read them.

      Thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to say hi! 🙂 ❤

      Liked by 1 person

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    • I loved the botany lesson as well, Bette, and learned so much. I’m delighted you dropped by to check out Marcia’s post. Thank you for sharing, and I’m thrilled you’re looking forward to her stories!

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      • Yeah, Bette–what Mae said! 😀 I can see we need to have a big ol’ gathering down here and go on some field trips! 😀 I’ll take you out on the river and teach you everything I know. It won’t take all that long! 😀 😀 😀

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  17. I learned something new here today! I did not know about wake-robins, but they must really stand out in the landscape to garner this much attention. How wonderful to have Marcia as your guest today, Mae. This book intrigues me. especially after your review!

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    • Marcia’s post has been quite educational. It seems most all of us got an education in nature today, Jan. 🙂 I’m sp glad you dropped by to visit, and also that you’re intrigued by the book. I definitely recommend it! 🙂

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      • See? Be careful what you ask for. 😀 You wondered about wake-robins and now you know more than you ever wanted to! 😀 Seriously, they are lovely flowers and when you finally see them one day, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at. And all because of a “woods weenie” like me. (That’s my husband’s name for someone who can’t take a hike anywhere without constantly consulting field guides to ID some bird or plant. :D) I promise I’ll never mention wake-robins again after this post wraps up. No, really. I mean it. (Well, maybe now and then since they ARE the name of the series and all.) 😉 ❤

        Liked by 2 people

      • I can just see you on the hiking trail with field guide in hand! 🙂

        And after this post, I may just be chattering about wake robins to everyone I know. Er, and of course, I’d mention a certain series, too!

        Liked by 2 people

    • Glad you learned something new. I’m convinced that doing so every day keeps us young! (If that’s not true, don’t tell me, because I spend a LOT of time trying to learn new stuff! 😀 ) Seriously, I just love to share what I’ve learned from others and hope it’s of interest to a few more. And Mae asked about wake-robins, so there ya go.

      They do stand out in a field of white trillium for sure, little splashes of crimson here and there. (Crime writers would love them.) But truly, the book isn’t about them at all. They get mentioned once in a while as part of the scenery, but the story isn’t very botanical. Honest. 😀 Hope you’ll get a chance to check it out and will enjoy it. 😀 ❤

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    • Sorry I missed your comment until now, Jessica! Thanks so much for your well wishes, and Yep, you can combine wakes, and robins, and get a flower. Who knew? (Besides me?) 😀 I love sharing anything about nature, which is what all my local wildlife presentations are about. They keep asking me back, so I reckon they learn some new stuff from them! 🙂 ❤

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  19. Pingback: Wednesday Weirdness: The Brown Mountain Lights | From the Pen of Mae Clair

    • I hope you do get a chance to read them, Julie. I’ll be eager to hear what you think if you do. BTW, I believe the red trilliums are a variation (like a sub-species) that just aren’t as prolific as the white ones. But whatever the reason, they stand out like drops of blood on fresh snow. (Okay, now I’m getting ideas for a new spooky story. Hahaha.) Thanks for stopping by, and sorry it took me a while to find your comment. But I appreciate it just as much! 🙂 ❤

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