It Ain't Easy Being Green

Welcome to the St. Patrick’s Day Blog Hop. Over 120 bloggers today are telling anything they can about being Irish, celebrating the day, wearing green, drinking green beer... pretty much anything!

Each author will be giving away a prize. Like a swag pack, gift cards, ebooks, print books, and so much more. On THIS blog, the prize is a $10 Starbucks gift certificate.

PLUS there will be TWO Grand Prizes for TWO different winners!

Grand Prize 1: Winner's Choice of a Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
Grand Prize 2: Winner's Choice of a $90 Amazon or Barnes&Noble Gift Card

There are over 120 bloggers participating. Comment on as many as you want. The grand prize winners will be chosen at random from the commenters from ALL the blogs - meaning you can comment on EACH blog - meaning 120 entries to the grand prize.

Click on the links at the end of the post to visit the other blogs.

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Maybe I shouldn’t admit this, but before I wrote this blog, the only thing I know about St. Patrick’s Day is that it’s on March 17, it’s an Irish holiday, and it’s an excuse to wear green, eat corned beef and cabbage, and drink beer.

So, I thought I’d do some quick research to find out the origin and meaning of SPD.

According to Wikepedia, it’s a cultural and religious holiday that commemorates Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), a patron saint of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland.  It was made an official feast in the early 17^th century and has become a celebration of Irish culture.

It is a public holiday in Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Montserrat. In North America, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated since the late eighteenth century.

So, who exactly was Saint Patrick? He was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century. At 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland as a slave. He fled captivity and returned to Britain and joined the church, studying to be a priest. He was a Catholic Saint credited with converting the island to Christianity. Irish folklore tells that he used the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people.

What is a shamrock? It's not used just for Lucky Charms and Shamrock Shakes, but it’s actually a three-leafed plant. A white clover. It was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times. 

Why wear green? Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was blue.  Over the years, the color green became associated with the day. And, of course, shamrocks are green. Ironically, in Ireland, there is very little reference to green—it’s more of an American thing. I mean really—you don’t want to get pinched, do you?

Speaking of, why do we pinch people not wearing green on March 17? Apparently, the tradition of pinching started in the U.S. in the 1700s. St. Patrick’s Day celebrators thought wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, who would pinch anyone they could see. Because everyone knows leprechauns can’t see you if you’re wearing green.

Why corned beef and cabbage? It’s considered a traditional Irish meal, but apparently in Ireland today, the serving of corned beef is primarily for tourists, and many Irish in Ireland don’t identify the meal as native cuisine. I’ve also heard that corned beef was the only meat that Irish immigrants could afford when they came to American, and that it’s now a reminder of their immigrant past.

And why is it called corned beef? The term comes from the treatment of the beef with “corns” of salt.

Why green beer? Really? You really need an answer for that? I didn’t think so.

So there you have it. A brief explanation of St. Patrick’s Day. Now don’t forget to wear green tomorrow. You don’t want those pesky leprechauns to see you…

After leaving your comment here, for a chance at a $10 Starbucks gift card, visit the other blogs linked below for your chance at their giveaways, and for a chance at the grand prizes!

The first five sentences of... PERPETUAL LIGHT

April 11, 1667

The Abyss hovered, waiting to take me.

More time, I need more time. He’s coming.

The raspy sounds of my own breathing filled my ears. With each jagged gasp, pain shot through my body straight to my core.

Genre: Paranormal romance, urban fantasy
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Amazon|Barnes & Noble

Available now!

FUN FIRST FACTS ABOUT JORDAN

1. Who was your first love?

His name was Richard and we were in kindergarten together. He had a little buzz cut. We used to hold hands on the playground. I went to full-day kindergarten and for part of the day we played in this giant playhouse. We were always married.

2. Tell me about the first novel you ever wrote? What ever happened to it?

Perpetual Light is my first novel. I’ve been very blessed with this book. It took few years, but it’s published and I couldn’t be happier.

3. What was your first date with your significant other?

So this is a debatable answer. The first time we went out together was for coffee after work. I asked him for coffee. He did pay, but I asked. Then the following weekend he asked me to dinner and took to a very nice restaurant and then for a drive along the sea wall where we stopped and talked. However, I firmly believe that if I had not asked him for coffee, we’d have never gone on that first dinner date. Thus, the first date was the coffee. He feels otherwise and swears he was going to ask for my number but I asked for coffee before he could get to the number. I’m not buying it!

MORE ABOUT JORDAN

After trying her hand at many, many things- from crafting and art classes to cooking and sewing classes to running her own handbag business, Jordan finally figured out how to channel her creativity. With an active imagination and a little encouragement from her husband she sat down and began to write, each night clicking away at the keys with her black Labrador, Dino curled up under the desk.

A few short years later she’s entered the publishing arena with no plans to ever turn back.

Jordan’s a member of Rhode Island Romance Writers, as well as RWA National, and the New England (NEC), Connecticut, and Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FFnP) Chapters.

Her first book, Perpetual Light, is available on Amazon’s Kindle from Crescent Moon Press.

GIVEAWAY!!!

From Jordan: I’d like to offer a $10 gift certificate to Peet’s Coffee and Teas for one random commenter. To increase your chances of winning connect with me via one or more of the social networks listed below.

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/#!/JordanKRose

Like me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jordan-K-Rose/307285709309992

Friend me on Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5751865.Jordan_K_Rose

Follow my blog via the networked blog button on my site. http://www.jordankrose.com/blog/

Everyone who comments is entered into the grand prize drawing for an eReader- Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch.

THE NEW YEAR BLOG HOP

1st Grand Prize is a Kindle Fire

2nd Prize (to a second winner) is an $80 Amazon GC

Everyone who comments on THIS blog is also entered into a drawing to win a $10 Starbucks gift card. (Make sure you leave your email addy so I can contact you if you win!)

Over 60 authors are participating in this blog hop. Each blog will offer a prize. And everyone who leaves a comment on any of the blogs will be entered to win one of the grand prizes. If you comment on each blog, that's 60+ entries into the grand prize drawing. See the links at the end to travel to the other blog sites.

What do I like best about ringing in a new year? A new year brings so many exciting possibilities. It’s a time to start over, to begin anew. January 1 is like opening the page of the next book on my TBR pile. I’ve read the back cover blurb, I’ve admired the cover, maybe I’ve read some reviews. I can’t wait to start reading. I start every new book hoping it’ll end up on my keeper shelf.

That’s how I like to begin my new year. I don’t really make resolutions, but I do journal and daydream about what I want to accomplish in the coming year.

Is every book I start reading my favorite? No. Sometimes, I don’t even finish. So it stands to reason that not every year is going to be as grand as I expect. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming big.

My favorite quote: “Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”  ~Les Brown

You can learn more about Rebecca at her website and her other blog, Once Written, Twice Shy.

Rebecca's available books are:

Her One-Night Prince

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookstrand

Borrowed Stilettos

Amazon|Barnes & Noble|The Wild Rose Press