Much to Celebrate!

Happy birthday to milkybarbiatch and early birthday to gilda_elise and gryphonrhi. May all three of you have a wonderful birthday, a fabulous year, and many more to come!


Today also is the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of Dwarves and Elves and all of Middle-Earth, who was born this day in 1892. I hope everyone will participate in The Tolkien Society's International Birthday Toast for 2008. Thank you, Professor, for your words!


Last but definitely not least, happy birthday to The Shire's Virginia Lórien, a.k.a. Virginia, the world's most beautiful Boston terrier and our very best friend, who was born this day in 2002. We love you, Sweetheart!

Here is the picture with which she won the title of Cutest Pet of 2007 at Lenoir-Rhyne College; they added the crown to the photo after she won, and then they hung it in the Student Center for the entire fall semester.



More pictures of Virginia are here.


The quote for the day is from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, and one of Virginia's favorite songs (because, after all, it mentions part of her name):

"Gandalf's Song of Lórien"

In Dwimordene, in Lórien
Seldom have walked the feet of Men,
Few mortal eyes have seen the light
That lies there ever, long and bright.
Galadriel! Galadriel!
Clear is the water of your well;
White is the star in your white hand;
Unmarred, unstained is leaf and land
In Dwimordene, in Lórien
More fair than thoughts of Mortal Men.

Personal News Update

I'm trying to get my ducks in a row for 2008. Here's the latest from my world...

1. My forthcoming book, Tecumseh: A Biography, is now available for pre-order directly from Greenwood Press and from Amazon.com.

2. Pop Thought has just conducted a new interview with me (published Jan. 3, 2008) about the book. You can read it here.

3. Also today, a new review of my Past Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C.S. Lewis book went up at Sword of Gryffindor here.

4. I will be interviewed on Woodland Star New Radio (which is accessible via computer here) on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 6:55pm EST for approximately 40 minutes about my scholarly work regarding J.R.R. Tolkien. The show is entitled "An Afternoon of Wandering with Frodo and Dr. Amy H. Sturgis through Mirkwood Forest." Listeners can email questions before the interview (woodlandstar@hotmail.com) or call in live to ask questions during the interview.

( Read the 'Next Guest' information posted about my interview. )

Thanks for letting me share this news with you, my friends! May you have a wonderful day.


In honor of J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday today, here is Tolkienian goodness from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the song of Beren and Lúthien:

The leaves were long, the grass was green,
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.
Tinúviel was dancing there
To music of a pipe unseen,
And light of stars was in her hair,
And in her raiment glimmering.

( There Beren came from mountains cold, )