sapphire

The Elven Bow and Elven Sword gemstones! The front covers of The Gemstone Chronicles books all have the same symbol on them. It is a sword laid across a drawn bow. The sword has four gemstones in the hilt and the bow has places for four gemstones on the upper and lower limbs. The first book The Carnelian, shows only a carnelian and empty spots for the other three missing gemstones. Notice that Book Two: The Amethyst has two spots filled and two unfilled. Do you see a pattern here?

Anyway, I thought I would elaborate on all the gems in the Elven Bow and the Elven Sword and what they mean in the books. So, we will start with the Elven Bow and the Carnelian! The Carnelian is the stone of courage in Book One: The Carnelian. Carnelians also have other magical and mystical properties. They have been used to eliminate toxins from the body, fight depression, stop anger, and calm nervousness.

Elven Bow Gemstones:

The Gemstone Chronicles Book Two: The Amethyst features the amethyst as the stone of happiness and joy.  Among its other properties, the amethyst is a stone of peace and has a calming effect. An amethyst beneath your pillow can ward off nightmares and insomnia. Preventing drunkenness is another alleged property. Many believed the stone could detect poisoning and illness. If the wearer was poisoned, the stone lost its brightness. If the wearer were ill, the stone would pale.

The third book of the series is The Gemstone Chronicles Book Three: The Emerald. Currently in the editing and revision stage, I plan to launch the book in June 2013! In The Emerald, the gemstone is the stone of healing. Emeralds restore spiritual balance, bring gamblers luck, and ensure safety to travelers.

Book Four: The Ruby is the final installment of The Gemstone Chronicles series. In the Elven Bow, the ruby represents love. Besides love, the ruby symbolizes royalty and power, dignity, and strength of the heart. Historically, people wore it to provide protection against natural disasters and fight fear.

Elven Bow Gemstones:

The Elven Sword gemstones stay with the sword the entire series. Already in the possession of the Dark Elves (or Drow), the Elven Sword gemstones begin to dominate the separated Elven Bow gemstones. Aquamarine is the first of the Elven Sword gemstones. In The Gemstone Chronicles, the Aquamarine is the stone of wisdom. In Book One: The Carnelian, Beebop and Maggie used the stone to help them escape a difficult situation (I can’t tell without spoiling). Sailors carried the stone to prevent seasickness and drowning. It also happens to be my (and Beebop’s) birthstone!

The second gemstone in the Elven Sword is the topaz. In the books, it’s the stone of truth. Topaz comes in various colors and many people are fond of the blue topaz. I chose the yellow topaz for the book. Believers say topaz reveals lies, deceit, and gives prudence and honesty to its wearers.

The third stone of the Elven Sword is the Garnet. The stone of justice in the books, garnet has a long history of magical powers. Once called the Warrior stone, combatants frequently carried it in battle to prevent injury and death. Believed to bring hope and luck to its wearers, the garnet could even help its wearers gain popularity.

The Sapphire is the last of the eight stones of the Elven Bow and the Elven Sword. In The Gemstone Chronicles, the Sapphire is the stone of Power. The sapphire is one of the most useful gemstones and has many magical properties attributed to it. Chief among them is protection against envy, authority, victory (for those pure of thought), and awakening a thirst for knowledge. It was thought to attract friends and repel enemies.

What do you think?

So, there you have it. All the gemstones in the Elven Sword and the Elven Bow. Want to know how I used them in the books? No spoilers from me, you’ll have to read them! I welcome your comments about gemstones and which are your favorites and why!