title: The Bright Lady and the Astral Wind: EXPLICATIO PARANORMALORVM - An explication of the paranormal
author: James Dunning
description: James Dunning, a writer of old Southern stock, has lived in Georgia and in five other states, and in Europe. He studied psychology, languages and linguistics, later receiving a doctorate in pharmaceutical research. He separated from military service in West Germany, remaining in Europe for years. He started work at age 12, and worked subsequently as a soldier, teacher, translator / interpreter, pharma researcher, archivist, administrator, editor, and a consultant. He speaks German, Russian, some Welsh, Modern Greek and Armenian, and odd fragments of other languages. The author has contributed Tolkien commentary to Beyond Bree (USA), Lembas (NL), Walking Tree Press (CH), and Parma Nol. As an illustrator he operated the website Dolmen Tree Art (www.dolmentreeart.com, now www.dolmentree.com) and was awarded the 2006 - 2007 Heren Istarion Imperishable Flame Award of the NE Tolkien Society for Tolkien-inspired creation. His art was featured in Beyond Brees 2011 Tolkien Calendar. He provided illustrations for Mark T. Hookers books A Tolkienian Mathomium and The Hobbitonian. He also plays Irish / Celtic music for passion, fun and profit. His 1980s Irish band Blackwater was immortalized by the late, great fantasy writer Tom Deitz in Fireshapers Doom. The Bright Lady and the Astral Wind is his first original imaginative tale in print and he also illustrated its cover. Today he lives a few miles outside Atlanta in a labyrinthine library cleverly disguised as a small house.
zlib_text: Into the Paranormal World: While regaining his strength, a horse shifter must accept the inevitability
  of change in order to dream of a brighter future.
   
   
  Baron and his friend plan a coup, staged in hopes of a better future, but it all goes horribly wrong. He
  is caught, and his friend is killed. When Baron refuses to rat out his buddy’s wife and daughter’s
  location, he’s tortured for his silence. Left hanging in his chains for several days, Baron expects
  death. Instead, he’s rescued by a stranger who assures him that his friend’s loved ones are well.
  Baron asks to be taken to them and ends up at the estate of a gargoyle clutch. Baron’s surprise is
  compounded when Conchlin walks in with his evening meal... and Baron recognizes the small, bright-
  orange gargoyle as his mate. While Baron wants the man, he doesn’t think he can give Conchlin
  everything he needs to complete their bond. Before Baron has even had a chance to heal and find out,
  Conchlin’s past comes back to haunt him, putting