'The Cry of the Sebac', new novel by Irish writer Anthony Murphy, has just been published on Amazon Kindle

It gives me great pleasure to announce that my new novel, 'The Cry of the Sebac', has just been published on Amazon Kindle.

I am the Sebac Gaoth,
the Hawk on the Wind,
one who has lived beyond memory.
I have listened to the tune of the earth
since before time began
but the music of the world grows sad.

A 12-year-old boy called Fintan meets a mysterious talking bird who claims to have lived forever. The bird, who describes himself as the Sebac Gaoth (the Hawk on the Wind), wants to warn the boy about the danger facing mankind, and to bring him to a fantastic revelation about his own origins and destiny.

The Sebac is a manifestation of ancient wisdom. In the Irish mythic tradition, the hawk appears as a shamanic presence, a voice from the ancient world. The boy represents innocence, but Fintan is about to come of age, and his experiences with the Sebac mark an initiation of sorts, a transition from ordinary mortal to the heroic figure of salvation that mankind desperately needs.

But what can one boy do in the face of such tremendous adversity?

As he journeys through mind and spirit and cosmos, the boy meets several of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Prophecy says they will help man in one final battle against darkness. But the Dananns have their own ideas about who the Samildánach (the Many-Gifted) is, and they want to reveal the one who will shine light into the darkest places and battle to prevent the fall of mankind.

You can purchase the novel on Amazon.com here:
http://www.amazon.com/Cry-Sebac-Anthony-Murphy-ebook/dp/B01DE75Z50/

And on Amazon.co.uk here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cry-Sebac-Anthony-Murphy-ebook/dp/B01DE75Z50/

You might also want to check out my author page on Amazon, and indeed my other books:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B001JOY804

The book has its own website which you can view here:
http://thecryofthesebac.blogspot.com

Caoineadh Cú Chulainn - a lament for the Newgrange ancestors

This is a very soulful piece of music written by Bill Whelan for the Riverdance album. It's a lament, and is here played in honour and celebration of the builders of Newgrange and the Boyne Valley monuments. The piece was originally played (with an otherworldly brilliance) by Davy Spillane on the uilleann pipes. It is here played on a low D whistle.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones free wallpapers

Feel free to download and share these free wallpapers featuring quotes from my new novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones'.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones printed copies arrive

Having already been published on Amazon Kindle, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones' has arrived at my home in printed form! I received copies from the printer in Dublin on Friday evening. The book will be launched in The Barbican Centre, Drogheda, next Friday, November 29th at 7.30pm. The launch is being performed by Róisín Fitzpatrick, 'The Artist of the Light', and there will be music by renowned traditional musician Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin. I look forward to seeing you there.

For the above photograph, I decided to compare my new novella (yes, it's my first work of fiction!) with my two big non-fiction books, 'Island of the Setting Sun' and 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality'. I think they are three striking and well-designed covers. They are also quite vivid, and the three colour schemes vary quite a lot. After the launch, printed copies will be available through www.mythicalireland.com

In the meantime, you can learn more about Land of the Ever-Living Ones on its official blog page. You might also visit my author page on Goodreads, and you can also visit the new book's Facebook page here.

Modern technology versus Stone Age technology

Above is a short video with some thoughts and reflections upon modern technology and a comparison with the technology of the Stone Age world of Newgrange. Recorded while driving home from Newgrange in the Boyne Valley.

My new book, Land of the Ever-Living Ones

I am making my first foray into the world of fiction, with my new novella, 'Land of the Ever-Living Ones', which is being published in November 2013.

The cover of my new book, Land of the
Ever-Living Ones, a work of fiction.

Land of the Ever-Living Ones is an extraordinary dialogue between an old man and a young boy that reaches into cosmic and spiritual realms. In one fireside conversation, they explore the universe with discussion about many different things, including natural phenomena, the mysteries of life and the question of what happens to us when we die.

The old man (sean-draoi) has gained much knowledge and wisdom during his life, and readily imparts it to the eager young boy, who is full of questions.

Tír na mBeo (Land of the Ever Living Ones) was an ancient Irish name for the otherworld, the home of deities, spirits and ancestors. It was believed to be a place where there is no sickness or old age and where happiness lasts forever. In this wide-ranging conversation, the man takes the boy on a journey into his own ancestral past, and through lesson, metaphor, story and dream, creates for him a stunning insight into his spiritual existence and his quest for eternity.

The journey is a magical and powerful one, evoking both ecstasy and melancholy, for lost ancestors, for the frailties of mankind, and for the sometimes harsh lessons of worldly life. However, it is an optimistic tale, one that stirs up great hope for the eventual destiny of the boy, and for all his kin.
Its central message is one of hope – a reminder that light will always emerge out of the darkness, and that all our struggles on this earth are not in vain.

The book will be published in printed form and also as an eBook on the Amazon Kindle platform. Because I am publishing this book myself, there are obviously considerable costs attached to that. If you would like to make a donation to help me bring this work to the public it would be appreciated greatly.

Time lapse video of Newgrange

This is a short time lapse video showing clouds moving over Newgrange, Ireland. It was shot on a Nikon DSLR camera by 'Newgrange: Monument to Immortality' author Anthony Murphy.