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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 a Catholic priest, flavors all the characters.

Contact info: 

St. Steven Martyr Parish

2931 Pindell Ave

Louisville, KY 40217

or

MUCL@hotmail.com

The Facebook posts each day are now being put on the lower portion of this page.  May you enjoy them here or comment on them there.

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

 

Blessings!

 

Fr. Pat

Last spring, cold weather followed a somewhat mild February and lingered quite some time.  The summer, despite a series of very warm days, was not horribly oppressive and its warmth has lingered now into early November.  Fall’s coolness is here this week, but summer flowers still bloom, along with the autumn ones, yet are rather gangly.  Many of the Halloween decorations have been taken down, and the tree colors are evident.

 

Fall is a time of change.  It is true also for the parish in which I rent a room.  The pastor, Fr. Peter, has been moved to Hodgenville, KY, with a second church and school in Howardstown.  It is a parish that has suffered, because their priest died suddenly this summer.  Now they will have a priest well-suited to that kind and style of parish.  It is also very good for Fr. Peter because the pastoral stress there is much less intense. 

 

Because of that move, the archbishop told me today that I have to move too.  This makes some sense, for whichever new priest comes in June may need to live in the rectory I rent a room in; but the thought of moving again is intimidating.  It becomes increasingly daunting the older I get—despite divesting myself of many items when I retired in 2019.  Life on earth, however, is not permanent and we are called to obedience here and to focus our lives on Christ.  May we all do that well daily, and always.  Early November Blessings.

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