Song of the Spirits

Did you ever wonder what happened with Nessaba and the ogres that is mentioned so many times throughout the Forest Spirit series? The short story, Song of the Spirits, sheds light upon the drastic action taken by the human witch to stop the ogres’ destruction and preserve the Forest to become what it is when we finally enter into the world through The Falling. In this short story, we not only get to know Nessaba and her relationship with the Controllers better, but we also meet a few ancestors of the beloved Forest Spirit characters. We meet Balfour, whom Hawthorne descends from, as well as Garmon, who is a few generations above Garmon from The Haunting. We are also introduced to Flora, Balfour’s wife, another Hawthorne ancestor. One of the comments that T receives the most from readers is that they want more Hawthorne, and that the wise and lovable salamander is a favorite character of many. Hopefully Balfour quenches the desire for more Hawthorne in everyone’s lives!

T. Damon is hoping to create more books and short stories pertaining to the Forest Spirit series, especially involving Hawthorne and providing more information about the salamanders, their relationship to the Forest, and their unique magical qualities that allow the species to transcend between the Fire and Earth Realms. For it is a true indicator species that enables the rest of the world to see what is and isn’t working in an environment through, sadly, its own demise. We can apply this sentiment to real life, as amphibians are known for being the first animals to disappear in a toxic, polluted ecosystem. Since they breathe partially through their skin, amphibians absorb everything that surrounds them—good and bad. Therefore, seeing an amphibian like a frog, toad, or salamander in one’s yard is a positive indication that the land is clean and free of pollutants. Clean water, clean air equals more salamanders, so let’s keep our environments healthy. If not just for them—for us and our future generations as well.