A Note from Lucy by Mary Walerak

Hi everyone! This is Lucy, your favorite ladybug and guide through the magical land of Alineade. I know it has been a while since I shared the story of Charlie and the journey that she took through Alineade. What an adventure that was! I still go visit her regularly, andshe is really enjoying her time in middle school. It is amazing how many new and fun adventures she is having now that she is open to all of the awesome possibilities of which she is becoming aware.

There are some fun stories that I would like to share, but Charlie said she wanted me to tell you a little bit more about Alineade itself. She is right, of course. When you understand what you are learning about, it opens up a whole new way of thinking. Alineade is a magical place full of mystery and hidden lessons. It is a land filled with an underlying wisdom that is meant to be shared, and sharing that wisdom is a passion of mine.

There are stories to be told about how Alineade became a reality. It all started with a new idea. They say the best ideas come to life in order to fill a specific need, and the need for such a one-of-a-kind place was very strong. Everyone has the right to be safe, but when you are a magical creature, it is sometimes hard to fit in. The others around you can become fearful of what they don’t understand, and that can cause problems.

Alineade was created as a safe place for every magical creature. It felt wonderful to feel secure, but we really missed a lot of our “regular” friends. That’s when we came up with the idea to invite people from your world to come for a visit and show them what we had built. It’s a land that is built on a special wisdom that can help them grow and really blossom. The hope was that they would go home and share what they had learned, and our old world would start to understand that they have nothing to fear from us. Maybe then we would be welcome again.

Even though Alineade is a very special place, we do have our problems. Our biggest problem is a not-so-nice man who didn’t fit into your world either. His name is Aleric. Aleric means king, so I have a funny feeling it’s not the name he was born with. It is just a reminder of who he aspires to be. He moved into Alineade a few years back and has caused trouble ever since. Charlie met him when she was here, and she still cringes at the sound of his name. He did teach her one of her biggest lessons, though—some people just aren’t nice, they will never change, and it is best just to avoid them when possible. If you can’t, remember that you have friends.

The problem is that when a man like that is just left alone, he usually finds ways to make himself feel even stronger and more special. There are always those who are looking for someone strong who can make them feel less fearful and less angry. It is called finding strength in numbers. They will find that person who supports their fear and anger and allows them to justify it. That is how Aleric found a way to take over part of Alineade. That is a story in itself.

Hmmm… It sounds like there are three smaller stories here. How was Alineade born? Who’s invited to experience Alineade? And what do you do with the bully who moves in and wants to mess with a good thing?

Continue the adventure! Finding Alineade by Mary Walerak is available wherever books are sold online.