Do you remember Dr. Doolittle? The guy who could talk to the animals? While not the same as the good doctor, in The Gemstone Chronicles books, Maggie is able to communicate with different animals using the magical powers of the sodalite!
Sodalite:
What is sodalite? From a mineralogical viewpoint, according to our friends over at Wikipedia, sodalite is a royal blue rock widely enjoyed as a gemstone. The stone has characteristic white streaks in it and its poor cleavage planes can show up as cracks in the surface. Originally discovered in Greenland, a vast deposit found in Canada made it accessible for ornamental purposes.
What does sodalite look like? Below is a picture of the rough (stone in its natural form).
You can see the gorgeous blue color of the stone with the white streaks.
Use polished stones in a number of ways. Cabochons are common, as are beads. I included a picture of some sodalite beads.
Translucent sodalite, when faceted makes a beautiful jewel!
I know you must be wondering how these beautiful rocks allow someone to talk to animals. While researching the gemstones I would use in the books, I came across the idea that sodalite is a communication stone – and one that fosters calmness, serenity, and helps unify efforts. It is also considered a truth stone, much like the lapis lazuli. Since Maggie had to communicate first with the white stag, and then with a unicorn, it seemed a great stone to use.
I have found sodalites on some of our rock hunting trips. I tumbled some and they are gorgeous! One of them is my lovely and adorable bride’s favorite of all my tumbled stones.
If you want to know how Maggie used the sodalite and talked to the white stag and the unicorn, check out Book Two: The Amethyst or Book Three: The Emerald. When you do, leave me a comment or leave a review at Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords!
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I often talk to animals, but they rarely talk back :).
It is very cool how your research of gemstones patterned your writing to hold true to the legends of each gemstone. As a person that does not do any gemstone hunting, I would have never known the level of work you put into the research so it is cool to see that in your blogs.
All the best,
Steve Miller
I talk to animals, too, and, like you, they don’t talk back (or at least that’s what I tell people)! I think the research on the posts is the best part. I learn a lot each time I do one. Sort of like your posts on your blog, I learn stuff every time!
Thanks for the kind words and keep me posted on the 2-Hour Appreneur!!
Safe travels my friend!