Tuesday 7 April 2015

#AtoZChallenge - Every Witch has a Familiar

As we progress through the Redcliffe novels and learn about Jessica Stone’s hidden heritage as a witch, we begin to learn more about her new position in the world, and what it means as she fights to maintain a relationship with her vampire lover. It is a very passionate embrace with Jack one night that brings forward Jessica’s animal Familiar, Suri, an ancient and magical snow tiger.


Traditionally, animal familiars are believed to be in the spirit of the domestic black cat, but I believe this may be a very old literary invention, although I cannot be sure. Anyway, I had always believed that a witch’s familiar was a physical, living animal. I now know that is far from the truth. A familiar can also be a spirit animal, a ghost-like creature that is intelligent and powerful, and that lives in an ethereal other world accessed directly by the witch. Perhaps they take the physical form of their animal kin on occasion, and perhaps this will happen with Suri at some point, but I am still getting to know Jessica’s animal familiar, and she is an unpredictable and proud creature.


 Jessica finds it hard to believe that a being as powerful as Suri could have remained hidden and undiscovered for nearly thirty years, but perhaps she will find the answers as we continue reading about her adventures. Certainly, book 4 in the series, my current work in progress, Eye of the Tiger (A Redcliffe Novel), is all about the snow tiger and her power games with Jessica’s boyfriend and his brother. Suri is excited to be free after such a long imprisonment. She is full of energy, and she wants to cause mischief in the Redcliffe wolf pack.


 If you are interested in seeing other participants for the #AtoZChallenge, check them out on the official website. We have everything from book stuff, to cooking, to photography, to travel, and a whole lot more. Happy April! 


*Witch and her familiar image found on Pinterest

8 comments:

  1. I love everything about witches, including their familiars! That's almost the best part. Great post :)

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I am developing a 'familiar fascination' myself now that I have met Suri... ;)

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  2. I'll have to google familiars. I'm still not sure about what they are or do. Very interesting, but now I wonder if I have a familiar.

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    1. Maybe you do! I mean, a familiar is basically an animal that we feel a connection to. Mine is my dog, Baxter. Sometimes it could be a wild animal, like a bird or hedgehog that seems to visit your garden or show itself to you regularly. Or it could even appear in a recurring dream. The possibilities are endless!

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  3. What a great way to meet this challenge! New follower here. I'm stopping by from the "A to Z", and I look forward to visiting again!

    Sylvia
    www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Sylvia, great to meet you and thanks! See you around the challenge.

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