Hi all,

If you’re like me, you found yourself this season contemplating or actually purchasing a gemstone of some kind for someone you love. Even if you didn’t, you’ve probably enjoyed the glitter and sparkle of well-cut gems.

If so, you are in good company. A recent archaeological find on the edge of the Kalahari in South Africa reveals that we humans have long had a fascination for stones that flash with luster. One hundred and five thousand years ago, someone carried twenty-two calcite crystals over a mile and half to the Ga-Mohana Rockshelter, which was a place where our ancestors performed sacred rituals.

In every culture in the world, precious and semi-precious gemstones have been surrounded by rich symbolism and mystery. Their capacity to reflect and refract light has been seen as a manifestation of the divine. Religious specialists and social elites the world over sought to control access to these divine substances. The more lustrous items they controlled, the more social and political power they were able to wield.

It is no accident that sparkling objects, such as gold, silver, pearls, amethyst, diamonds, emeralds, etc., have long been associated with the wealthy and elite. Only recently have laboratory-created gems made them accessible to the general population.

Still, all gemstones were thought to possess mystical powers to heal or to harm. The Romans believed wearing diamonds would protect against insanity. Amethysts were thought to cure drunkenness. Emeralds could blind serpents. Opals could grant invisibility but could also bring bad luck. Turquoise was thought to reflect the life force of the wearer and would lose its color as the person grew sick and died. People regularly ingested powdered gemstones in the hopes of healing things like ulcers and cancers. One on the most interesting uses of gemstones was as talismans on swords.

Between about 300 and 800 AD some swords in Europe were associated with special crystals or semi-precious gemstones, such as agate, amber, amethyst, aquamarine, jade, jasper, or onyx. These stones were called “lifestones” and are often found in graves from the period. They were round amulets about the size of a golf ball and were secured to the scabbard by a strand of leather. These stones were regarded as magical, and it was thought they could heal any wound created by the sword to which they were attached.

In my new series, Heirs of Anarwyn, I have drawn on this rich history and symbolisms of gemstones to create a magic system called lithomancy, which hinges on the use of gemstones to harness the power of the Anarwyn. My main character, Cam, is given a life stone with his sword that complicates his life and sets him on a path he would rather not follow.

The first book, Torn, is still on sale at the special pre-order price for $2.99. The sale will expire in late January, so get it now!