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WELCOME

to Traces of Magic

by

Rev. Patrick Dolan

Traces of Magic
Books by Rev. Patrick Dolan
(Available in audiobook, paperback and e-book)

Rustic characters use good magic and prayers to help unicorns and other creatures stop an assassin's guild from inserting a weather control spell into a pre-colonial Kentucky valley.

A spell book from an assassin sorcerer causes fear in the city and its destruction lets in a major devil whose very touch kills by fear.  Plans to heal the rupture begin.

Trapping that devil requires all members of the community (clerics, magic users, holy knights, druids, barbarians and rangers) to trick the devil back into hell and reweave the protection net.

After the devil is gone, the Assassins still hold the weather control spell and the characters seek to remove it from their power without damaging the valley.  

Click on any book to find out more information and see a sample of each on Amazon.

Traces of Magic - 1 minute Video Trailer

​Excerpt from the Kirkus review, where they mislabeled these "folklore literature" stories as fantasy:  "This first book in Dolan’s fantasy series has an intriguing premise, which the author discusses in some detail in the foreword; in it, he intriguingly notes that the inspiration for this novel came from his own speculation on what a Celtic-Norse community might have been like if, in the 12th century, it had settled in an uninhabited region of what’s now Kentucky."

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"Each book in the Traces of Magic series is a riveting magical adventure story so blended with reality that it will make you wonder if it really could have happened."   

--Dr. David Overley, MD, Louisville Kentucky

 About the author

 

Father Patrick Dolan is a retired US Army Brigadier General chaplain who served more than 25 years (including 4 times in Iraq)--concluding his duties with the National Guard, where he mentored all the state chaplains in the Nation, and also gave spiritual guidance to all National Guard Generals.  His experience there, as well as a PhD chemist and as a Catholic priest, flavors all the characters.

Contact info: 

Our Mother of Sorrows parish

747 Harrison Ave

Louisville, KY 40217  or

MUCL@hotmail.com

From an Educator: “Traces of Magic” is a truly epic, ingenious, imaginary journey not only across the clearly identifiable landscape of Kentucky, but across another landscape that reveals the profound impact our choices have to promote good or evil, fear or courage, love or hate. As a Catholic school principal, it is refreshing to read a book for young readers that is both adventurous and suspenseful while highlighting the importance of knowing and living the truths of our faith in a way that is transferable to real world experiences. To get the full impact, however, you must read the entire series; it is a landscape you will not easily forget!

Kathy Fehder, 

Corpus Christi Catholic School Headmaster,

Simpsonville, KY

Book of Poems: 'Vigil Light Echoes'
now available for free download
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Folks have asked for the book of poems and prayers that has just been completed. We are uploading it for free, and it can be shared with anyone interested.

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Click each to download for it, or a hard copy can be purchased from the printer, New Hope Publications, which has added it to their catalogue.

 

Blessings!

 

Fr. Pat

Colors of Spirituality

Spirituality for Beginners

Today's Blog:

​January 2026 is half over and my move from St. Stephen Martyr to Our Mother of Sorrows has been transported but not unpacked and settled.  However, activities and duties are sorting themselves out.  My radiation for prostate cancer starts next Wednesday and all the preparation for it is done.  Masses in various places are being scheduled reasonably smoothly, and tribunal work continues apace.

 

The New Years resolution of “limiting my trips up and down the 23 steps to the outside world” have been kept, despite the moving of several boxes each day.  That effort is complete (though not nearly unpacked), so I only go down the 32 steps to the basement exercise area in the early morning; I go out for duties, lunch and mail pick-up about midday; and sometimes I go out for supper or other sacramental duties as evening falls.  My guardian angel has helped me do this.

 

Years ago, I had no trouble with steps.  Like Gmelen and Patrick in the Traces of Magic stories, I could bound up the rectory steps in the Dennis-town rectory with no trouble.  Today, I have to ration my movements so as to still continue as much ministry as possible.  Help from others has been wonderful—especially by Sandy B. with the website, which now contains links to other oft-requested documents.  May you ration your activities (including eating and drinking) very responsibly, so that you can still function honorably and well.  Mid-January Blessings!

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