Title: THE LAST ARAKAD
Author: Guillaume Wolf “Prof. G”
Book Description
Do you believe in destiny?
When sensitive Maya moves with her brother Thomas from Los Angeles to Paris hoping for a better life, she has no idea that everything is about to dramatically change.
What starts as an initiation into the age-old Arakad magical tradition takes an unexpected turn when a wave of brutal murders shatters her world. Caught up in an ancient prophecy, she finds herself at the center of a ruthless battle between good and evil in which humanity’s future is at stake.
When all hope is lost and she becomes the final target of a sinister clan, will Maya learn to trust herself and her own power? Or will her own fears prevail?
Excerpt from:
CHAPTER 10 — THE OLD ONE
Without saying a word, she stepped in.
It felt like being swallowed by a green monster. The wall of greenery had turned into a maze of tubes and tunnels. The sky above disappeared. As she walked deeper in, she felt as though she was leaving the world behind. She was growing distracted and tense, her legs getting scratched by the thorns. Like sharp blades, they cut through her clothes, making her bleed. The path was definitely not tourist-friendly.
After what seemed like an eternity, the narrow pathway led to an enclosure.
“Wow!” whispered Maya. “This is incredible.”
She’d finally found what she was looking for. There he was, eighteen feet tall, defying time. Looking magnificent and powerful, the Old One was standing in front of her. Maya was in awe.
"So . . . my friend was right,” said Thomas, as he arrived on the scene, “this is just an old stone!” His voice brought Maya out of her reverie.
Indeed, the Old One was a giant monolith, an ancient menhir, as they were called in Brittany. These mysterious giants abounded in this region of France and around England. No one knew who had erected them, why, or how. Some historians believed they had been set up in the Neolithic era around 9,500 B.C. Other scholars proposed they were even older, belonging to a forgotten time of legend.
“Thomas, isn’t he beautiful?” said Maya.
“Are you kidding me?” Thomas had had it. “No! This isn’t beautiful. And what do you mean ‘he’? You forced me to walk for hours in the rain and cold to see what? An old stone? And for what? Seriously, for what?” His face was flushed with anger, his eyes wide.
This wasn’t good. Maya knew that when Thomas threw tantrums, they could escalate very fast. She tried to calm him down.
“I see you’re upset and I know, I haven’t enjoyed walking around all day,” she said in a slightly contrived, positive tone of voice. “But we finally found what we’re looking for! We can stop walking. Valerie’s going to be impressed when we—”
“That’s my whole point!” cut in Thomas, “Valerie? Uncle D.? Why are you always so eager to please them? We’re not even related. They just keep pushing us around, telling us we ‘have’ to do this,” and we ‘have’ to do that. When does it stop? And why do we have to do what they tell us? The way I see it, they’re using us as distractions because they’re bored with their lives!”
“Thomas, please. You’re being unfair, it’s not—”
“Don’t you get it? I want to direct my own life!” yelled Thomas. He was in a frenzy. “I want to control my own destiny! I hate all this! I’m out of here!” He picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at the ancient monolith.
Pock! The rock hit the menhir. Thomas turned his back on Maya and left, still ranting.
Maya stood alone in silence. A cold, dark feeling began to rush up inside her, moving from her belly to her chest. Her eyes filled with tears. She held her breath, trying desperately not to cry.
As she finally opened her mouth to breathe, she burst into tears. She held her face in her hands, then looked into her pockets to see if she had a tissue. Of course, she didn’t.
“This is such a mess!” cried Maya. “I’m such a mess!” With her arms crossed around her chest, she was rocking back and forth. She sat down with her back against the monolith.
Her tears fell hot and fast down her face. Falling down . . . down . . . down . . . As they hit the ground, they splashed on impact like tiny, bursting water balloons. On a microscopic level, millions of water and salt molecules were rebounding into the air. And not far where Maya sat, at that exact moment, a dark wave broke onto the shore of the beach, itself splitting into billions of water particles. Water, salt, and earth—big and small—dancing together in one eternal dance.
The tears. The ocean. All was in perfect harmony. All was one despite the pain.
Suddenly, Maya felt a tremor in the earth. She stood up, fearing it might be an earthquake, a common occurrence back home in Los Angeles.
Nothing.
Next, she heard a humming. Everything started vibrating around her.
“Who is the little one crying next to me?” said a very deep voice.
Startled, Maya look around. No one.
“Who are you, little one?” insisted the voice.
As she slowly turned around, she saw that the giant monolith was glowing with what seemed to be an electric blue light, slowly pulsating.
Please join me in welcoming Guillaume Wolf “Prof. G” to The Avid Reader today. Thank you Guillaume Wolf “Prof. G” for joining us today. He is going to tell us a little bit about "The Secret Language of Symbols" .
The Secret Language of Symbols
Hi, this is Guillaume Wolf “Prof. G,” author of the newly released supernatural thriller, The Last Arakad. Before we start, I want to thank The Avid Reader for inviting me to guest blog; it’s a pleasure to be here.
So today, let’s talk about the secret language of symbols.
First I’d like to invite you to imagine your day. Let’s say you drive to work. What do you see all around you in the city? You turn on your computer; what’s all over the internet? Finally, you’re back home in the evening. In the kitchen, you grab food and prepare a plate, then you move to the couch to watch TV. What are you surrounded by? What are these things that constantly try to influence you without saying a word?
Symbols.
In our consumer society, symbols are called “logos” and they are part of the tools of advertising and branding. For better or (possibly) for worse; we’re surrounded by millions of these commercial symbols. These symbols all share the same agenda: “buy more of me,” they say. But that’s not all, symbols are also capable, by association, of creating emotional changes within ourselves.
Let’s say you decide to sign up for a gym membership. You put on a new pair of Nike shoes and the swoosh logo will immediately tell your subconscious mind to “Just do it.” The Nike symbol is designed to inspire your inner athlete to rise up.
But manipulating symbols is a tricky business as they can create different reactions in different people. Think about the McDonald’s logo (called ‘the Golden Arches’). For the fast-food lover, it evokes delicious tastes and good times. For the strict dieter, it can possibly generates negative feelings (despite the fact that the brand actually serves fresh salads).
Influential graphic novel author Alan Moore (creator of The Watchmen) connects the use of symbols with magic. He remarks: “Art, like magic, is the science of manipulating symbols, words, or images to achieve changes in consciousness.” But he insists, “Artists have accepted the prevailing belief that art, that writing are merely forms of entertainment. They’re not seen as transformative forces that can change a human being, that can change a society.”
As an author, and a teacher of communication design (the art of branding and logo design), I’ve given a lot of thought to this quote. I really believe artists are responsible for the impact they leave on the world. I remember, for example, being contacted a few years ago by a tobacco company who wanted me to help them create a new brand of cigarettes targeting the youth. I passed. I would never want to be a part of anything like this. But this is just one step. Can symbols be beneficial? Can they, as Moore claims, “change a human being”?
I’ve spent decades studying symbols trying the solve this riddle. This is a fascinating domain because symbols operate on a level of communication that bypasses the rational mind. They can, in the case of spiritual or religious symbols, elevate the soul—or they can inspire the worst in the heart of humanity—like the Nazi swastika (a misappropriated symbol originating from the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient India).
Symbols have their own life, their own mode of expression and language. They’re at the heart of every civilization; and as humans, we love to be associated with them because they help us make sense of the world. They infuse us with energy.
In my novel The Last Arakad, the main protagonist, Maya, comes in contact with a mysterious symbol called the Arakad, part of an ancient hermetic tradition. The Arakad becomes a ‘silent teacher’ in the story, as it helps Maya stay centered despite the numerous struggles she faces. The symbol helps her grow.
The novel is a supernatural thriller (with a villain you’ll love to hate), but it’s also a story about moving beyond your fear and claiming your own power. Now the question is, how does the Arakad symbol connects with the reader’s experience? Well . . . I invite you to read the story to find out for yourself : )
In your own life, what are the symbols/logos that inspire you? Please share your comments below.
Guillaume Wolf "Prof. G" is the author of the supernatural thriller The Last Arakad
and
reDESIGN: reCREATE,
a book on reinvention and creativity.
BIO
Born in Africa (Sénégal), raised in Paris, France, and currently living in Los Angeles, California, Guillaume Wolf “Prof G.” embodies the spirit of the 21st Century “global village.”
Guillaume has spent decades exploring the transformative power of symbols, archetypes, and creativity (and their relationship with the everyday world); and this passion inspires his writing.
Guillaume’s background includes among others: creative director; branding consultant; and teacher of communication design at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
He is the author of reDESIGN: reCREATE, a book about reinvention and creativity. The Last Arakad is his first novel.
Guillaume lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles, California.
To learn more about Guillaume Wolf’s books and discover additional content, collectibles, and behind-the-scenes bonuses.
Visit
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