Call the darkness down

by Dixie Tenny

Morfa Owen, an American studying at a college in Wales while searching for traces of her Welsh grandparents, receives a series of mysterious messages before realizing that someone or something is trying to kill her.

Genres: Fantasy

185 pages, Unbound

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

The first version of Call the Darkness Down was written because I ran out of books to read about King Arthur when I was a young teenager. Originally, it was a story about descendants of Arthurian characters in present day who have to battle ancient forces of evil. The manuscript of the book helped me win a National Council of Teachers of English award when I was a high school senior. After I sent the book to a local publisher the following year, I received a wonderful rejection letter; so encouraging and positive, but pointing out that the book shouldn't take place in the UK if I hadn't actually spent enough time there to create a real feeling of that location in my story. So I applied to Trinity College in Carmarthen, Wales, and spent an amazing semester there learning all about Wales, working on my novel, and unfortunately, contracting mono and hepatitis. After I came home I spent six months convalescing and completely rewriting my book. I submitted it to Simon & Schuster, and it was accepted! I can't begin to describe the shock and thrill of that experience. But in the end, the Arthurian aspect was (almost) completely taken out of the story.

Many years later, and after 30 years of working with people and their dogs, I wrote another book. How to Find Your Dream Dog is a labor of love. So often, what appear to be canine "behavior problems" are the result of a mismatch between owner and the dog they chose. This little book is intended to help prevent that, by educating prospective puppy and dog owners about how to find the right dog for them in the first place.

I always wanted to write more novels, but somehow it has never happened (so far!). I raised three children, who are now young adults embarking on interesting lives. I lived in Seattle for 16 years, then moved back to the Midwest - St. Louis - in 2001. My life centered on dogs for many of those years; I founded Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue in 1987 and ran it for 13 years; then I became a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior after moving back to St. Louis. I taught classes and worked with clients and their dogs in their homes for many years. I am currently retired and enjoy volunteering as a zoo docent.

I share my days with a Papillon (dog) and two cats.

Reviews

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ha ha!

Really I would only give this four stars, but since I wrote it I feel compelled to give it five.

[Ednila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned that my daughter has a very creative mind.