Size: 9"X7" Portrait
[ Hardcover - 978-0988453791 ]
[ Paperback - 978-0988453784 ]
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Legends of the Grail is a collection of ancient Irish myths, and the missing or untold stories of Goddesses told in first person. I begin the book by thanking my husband John Patrick Sullivan, who not only encouraged me to find my inner Goddess, but who found and integrated his own divine feminine. So this is not just a book for women, but also a book for all people seeking love and wholeness.
When a woman discovers the Goddess within her own nature, she becomes whole. She becomes an embodiment of the Grail, the vessel in which the divine light can dwell. This is also true for men. They also become much more attractive to women. If you listen carefully with the ears of your heart, the Earth speaks to us. Myths and legends are etched into the landscape.
A few years ago, dreams visited me in which Celtic mythological figures came to me and spoke. They were insistent that we remember the true essence of the feminine, for in doing so we heal and the Earth thrives. I recorded the stories they shared in dreams, meditations and deep contemplation. One of the stories is eight thousand years old, yet each Goddess in the book was demonized in some way.
When each Goddess re-tells her story, she frees herself of centuries of misunderstanding.
In the book I also offer practices that can allow us to untangle and free ourselves of stories that no longer serve us. We have the opportunity to align with the Grail, a symbol of our wholeness, our personal essence. The Goddesses remind us that we each have an unquenchable fire inside.
Winner of x10 Awards
Reviews:
Lauren Tannenbaum
An incredibly beautiful book that is empowering from the first line. A wonderful companion to those on a journey towards deeper understanding of their relationship to the ancients.
John Flanagan
Great read, Love the way Ayn writes. Having grown up in Ireland it re-kindles the many stories and legends of this mystical land.
Ramiro Mendes
Beautifully written book bringing to life a vast collection of Irish myths and legends. This is a great contribution on the author's part to keep these ancient myths and legends alive so they may live again
This is a unique book that is not only beautifully written but transforms you into a magical world. Ayn Cates Sullivan has wrapped you in a fluffy blanket and handed you our favourite cup of tea before taking you on a journey of discovery.
Size: 9"X7" Portrait
[ Hardcover - 978-1947925045 ]
[ Paperback - 978-1947925083 ]
Heroines of Avalon - Legends of the Grail Series. Any nation or tribe that remembers and re-tells the stories of their people carry a torch of light and insight that continues to pass hope from one generation to the next. Heroines of Avalon includes a round table of inspiring women, including well-known Welsh deities and almost forgotten Arthurian female Grail Knights and landscape Goddesses. In this collection of British myths and legends, each heroine re-tells her story, often freeing herself from centuries of misunderstanding. These feisty women are inspiring role models.
The book also includes practices that can help the reader journey to the deity and integrate the heroine’s life affirming qualities. This is the second volume in the “Legends of the Grail” series, which focuses on the Grail as Goddess. The series is designed to help us restore and embrace the qualities of the feminine that have been lost in most cultures and religions. As the age of violence and domination ends, we look to the feminine archetypes to heal us both individually and collectively, so the planet can be restored. It is a book that invites wholeness and peace.
The purpose of the book (and the entire Legends of the Grail series) is to help women and men remember their wholeness.
We are at critical turning point in our planetary history. It is time we remembered to care for one another and this Earth. These are stories date back, in some cases, as far as 8,000 years, yet the wisdom is timeless. We need tales of light and hope so that our children have a future to live into!
WINNER of x6 Awards
Reviews:
Liliyana
If you’re interested in the goddesses of British and Welsh lore, you will absolutely love this book... this is the perfect mix of lore, honoring the goddesses, and their untold stories... Throughout all is the common thread that the Goddess lives within every woman, and without the divine feminine, the world cannot prosper. Not your typical reference book, more of a book to feed your soul.
Sarah Drew
"The Heroines of Avalon" are initiations and portals into remembrance of the Celtic mythic landscape and the Goddess revealed in her many forms. Within these pages are stories and activations of a mystic mythos long lost and finally re-membered, rewoven and activated, an elixir and medicine for our tumultuous times. Highly recommended.
Audio Book Version
SacredGeometryBlogI
’m very impressed with the Heroines of Avalon. It’s the kind of book you feel like savouring... Reading the book feels like connecting with nature, its elements and immense creative power, and mainly the ancient goddesses and heroines whose presence can be felt throughout the read.
Ann O'Brien
I would not normally read Celtic mythology, but being a fan of Ayn Cates Sullivan’s poetry and children’s books, I picked up Heroines of Avalon. After reading just the first story, I felt the spiritual presence of the Celtic deities in the days to follow.
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Size: 9"X7" Portrait
[ Hardcover - 978-1947925199 ]
Nimue: Freeing Merlin
To discover what is true about ourselves, we often have to take a quest and undergo initiations that test us to the core. In this Celtic Heroine’s journey, a young modern-day woman, through a series of mystical events, realizes that she was a Lady of the Lake in a previous life. Believing she is a normal person just like any other, Nina has no idea of the mysteries that await her in Britain. She was, as it turns out, 5th century Nimue, the one responsible for sealing Merlin up in a tree until the hour of his return. Now, she is the only one who can find him, and the world depends on it. Traveling back in time to Ynys Witrin, the Isle of Glass, she discovers more than she ever imagined possible.
Nimue: Freeing Merlin is a stand-alone novel, and also part of the Legends of the Grail series. The books do not need to be read in order, but all of the legends and folktales interrelate. The earlier books in the series focus on Celtic Goddesses and Heroines. Like the other books in the series, there are Celtic rituals, mystical practices and visualizations for the avid reader who wishes to delve more deeply into Celtic and Arthurian mysteries.
Reviews:
Aideen Gleeson, Irish editor pre-release
"I loved your story. I was able to live inside the story and everything from the world around me faded away, a good sign of great sorry telling.”
Leslie Sloane - Creator of the Auracle Cards
A Most Wonderful Journey Into The World of Magick. The most beautiful stories are those which move and uplift the Soul, touching it so deeply and profoundly that one cannot help but feel changed inside. This is a true gift, and Ayn Cates Sullivan is a master at creating such stories. Nimue: Freeing Merlin, is a wonderful journey in which you will be drawn into the world of Creation, Magick, Enchantment, Wisdom, and above all, Love. You will be transported into ancient Celtic lands, hearing the whispers of those who were keepers of what was and still is, Sacred to humanity. And you will become witness to a Love story between Merlin and Nimue which is boundless and eternal. Your Heart will be ever transformed. Thank you Ayn for writing this beautiful story, reminding us all of the Love, Light, and Magick we hold inside…that anything is possible.
Joyce van der Lely - Host of the “All of You” virtual talk show and author of Mindset Monsters
In her latest book Nimue: Freeing Merlin, Ayn Cates Sullivan takes us on a magical path to more of the Legends of the Grail.
Nimue connects magic, myth and musings with the here and now. Soul connections come to light and previously hidden powers are revealed. Through the descriptive use of her written words, Ayn makes nature come alive and it is as if we can smell the flowers and touch the trees.
An accomplished writer of beautiful stories that truly read like Fairy Tales, Ayn knows how to blend traditional myths and legends with empowering Heroine stories. Her Legends of the Grail series is becoming a real must- have for those that love Celtic tales of Goddesses and Heroines. There is knowledge and power in her writing. She pulls the wisdom through the ages and makes it accessible to all of us. As a proud owner of quite some of Ayn's books already, I am super excited about Nimue and highly recommend it.
Peggy Jo Wipf for Readers’ Favorite
Nimue: Freeing Merlin by Ayn Cates Sullivan takes a teenage girl back many lifetimes to remind her of who she had once been. Nina Liber and her mother Diana take a trip to Britain for a healing vacation. Diana wants to reconnect with her roots and to shed the years of dealing with her husband’s illness. Nina learns her boyfriend from the United States is missing and she may have a way to find him, but she must walk a path she has forgotten. At a time when Merlin held her heart, the Lady of the Lake still appeared to kings, and magic was not forgotten but was heavily relied upon. There are times Nina feels her destiny is already chosen and her freedom to choose is impossible.
From the beginning, you can feel the love Ayn Cates Sullivan has for metaphysical or supernatural fiction as she weaves it deep into her medieval novel, Nimue: Freeing Merlin. It is a chilling love story that spans centuries as her characters live many lives. Nina was once a mage, Nimue, that trapped Merlin in a hawthorn tree, but the events that led up to this point are told in a mystical and thrilling way that keeps the reader engaged and mesmerized. This novel has strong female roles that show the strength and guidance of women in an enchanting world. Overall, this novel is well written, with much study and imagination entwined. The author leaves you feeling as if you stepped back in time to a world where fairy tales and magic are just around the corner.
K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
Nimue: Freeing Merlin is a work of fiction in the fantasy, adventure, and romantic drama sub-genres, and was penned by author Ayn Cates Sullivan. The work is intended for the general reading audience, and contains mild romantic scenes with no graphic content, making it suitable for more sensitive readers. Our protagonist is Nina, a seemingly ordinary seventeen-year-old girl, who only begins to discover something unusual about herself whilst on a visit to Britain with her mother. Once there, Nina is shocked to discover that in a past life, she was the sorceress Nimue, and only she can find and recover the sorcerer Merlin from the tree in which she bound him centuries ago.
Author Ayn Cates Sullivan has crafted an imaginative and atmospheric work of fiction with plenty of thrills and unique insights to offer readers. One of the features which I found particularly impressive about this piece was its commitment to the female voice and perspective. It’s clear that the author understands the patriarchal nature of the old narratives of the time of Arthur and Merlin, and seeks to subvert and represent the female characters of that time in a refreshingly free style. Add to that the excellent coverage of action and dialogue, and the deep development around Nina’s personality and inner strengths, and what results is a superb work of magical adventure fiction in which readers of all kinds will find value. Overall, I would highly recommend Nimue: Freeing Merlin to fans of female-centric fantasy fiction, classic Arthurian literature lovers, and epic fantasy fans everywhere.
Samantha Gregory
Nimue: Freeing Merlin by Ayn Cates Sullivan is the story of a young woman called Nina who discovers that she was once Nimue in a past life, the Lady of the Lake from legend, and the woman responsible for placing Merlin's body in a tree until he was needed once more. She sets out to find him and release him, learning more about herself and the legend on the way. She lives in America in the beginning but soon returns to her ancestral home. England is a brand new experience for her and it awakens old memories in her as she works toward figuring out who she is or was in the past.
Ayn Cates Sullivan has written an entertaining book in Nimue: Freeing Merlin. I love Arthurian myths and this story was very interesting. Rather than focusing more on Arthur, like a lot of books do, this book focuses on Merlin and his relationship with Nimue. There are a lot of legends about the two of them and this story adds a new element to that. Nina is a great character and I loved how the story unfolded. She starts off oblivious, with only weird dreams to guide her, before she discovers the truth and her destiny. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Celtic myths and Arthurian stories or even just epic fantasy tales. I think it will do well on the market, although there are plenty of books on the subject. I would recommend it.
Book Review by KirKus Indie can be found here
https://www.infinitelightpublishing.com/post/nimue-freeing-merlin-review-from-kirkus-indie
