Guest Post Fallen Star Dust

Please welcome Morgan Straughan Comnick to my blog, with a guest post during the book tour for her collection of poetry, essays, short stories, and more: Fallen Star Dust.

Guest Post: To Be One With the Stars

Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are?

We all know this enchanting, soothing melody with the lyrics that imprint on our hearts, inspiring us to look up into the mysterious night sky. As a fearful person by nature, one would assume that I would be scared of the darkness. But that is not the case. I respect the darkness that encompasses us like a blanket. Yes, the unknown is a scary thing and I am the planner type person, a jumpy soul. Still, the night sky has always allured me, making me gaze at its beauty as I peeked through my window. The reason for this is why I was trying to figure it out the luminousness that welcomed me into a dreamworld and filled my soul with creative spirit: my sister moon and most of all, my dazzling friends, the stars.

There was just something about them that appealed to me deeply. How stars could be millions of miles away, but they would look like I could touch them, catch them. How they returned often like old friends. I imagined them zipping, zinging in the palm of my hand, buzzing words of playful advice to me. The way stars could be actual planets I could see with my weak eyes, be my connection to the universe, or how they can make shapes, shapes that defined spirits immortalized is incredible. Stars are a map to home through a secret language for those on land and in sea, and the fuel for souls everywhere to express themselves and prove their love. Stars make wishes come true, ignite our belief to dream and hope. I know with stars there, I will always have someone spotlighting my dream and there for me, watching me during sad times, challenges, and nudging me forward with their fairy-like, but steady glow. They are also part of comedic gold from my favorite Disney film, The Lion King, being ‘balls of gas’ and all, proving science is amazing. For these reasons is why they are apparent themes in several of my writing works.

They have never let me down and never will.

My obsession with stars in media started in the seventh grade with my first, favorite, and most cherished anime and manga, Cardcaptor Sakura. In the second arch, Sakura (the heroine) gets a new wand that is transferred with her own light, the power of her star. All of the magical Clow cards she captured would be transformed under her star. After this, I was hooked. I remember my birthday that year and begging my mom to go to this local shop for teen accessories and the manager had all her star products on display for me when I arrived. I have a star comforter I love, star boxes, bowls…hence, obsession. Once I entered high school and began my journey to become a writer, I read the most gorgeous name that changed my life: Starry. And thus, my main character of my Spirit Vision series, Stary Moon, was born and I have adopted her, her light abilities, and her heart into my life, honoring my love for the night world of mystery, shining magic, and my loyal little friends that wink in the heavens above.

And now, I am apart of the shadows above, the comfort that cools me: my husband, for my wedding gift, bought me a star and named it for me. Now I can dance in the skies forever, shining my light for generations. But, for now, I will do that here, through my writing.

In my collection for this tour, Fallen Star Dust, you can see my tribute to the night with the title alone. This was the name of my first on-line blog that allowed me to share my life with others and make lasting friendships. But the title fit my book as well and I promise you will find star references in a handful (at least) compositions in this collection. When I was little, when I wanted to stars to play with me, I prayed that if one shot down, it would leave a trail of stardust behind, keeping me hopeful, young at heart, and looking up forever. And my wish has been granted. I will be one with the stars in the heavens and through my writing, shining my light, my reason for existing, and maybe guiding a few along the way.

So, go ahead and twinkle my little stars, I still wonder what you are, but now I know what you are to me.

Thank you for this chance to be on this tour spot. May all your dreams come true!

About the Book

Title: Fallen Star Dust

Author: Morgan Straughan Comnick

Genre: Collection (Poetry, Short Stories, and more)

When I reached the point where adult life began to make its presence known right after high school graduation, I looked to the sky. I hoped to see a shooting star that would light my way and I wished that it would leave a trail of star dust behind to remind myself to stay young at heart. Thanks to writing, the enchantment of youth has never left me. In the next chapter of my life, I began college to follow my dream of being an educator. I developed my career, found out who I was an independent being, stopped hiding my passions, figured out my role in my lifelong relationship with my now-husband, and realized that it was okay to question the world. There was darkness that needed to be seen as well as the light. The poems, short stories, scripts, essays, and other works in this second collection are my everything: the shoulders I cried on, my joys, my bravery when the road became too twisty or too safe. It led me to a waterfall of creativity. That fallen star dust gave me the drive to become who I am today: a teacher, an author, a nerd, and a person of morals, love, and magic.

Author Bio

Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her “bubbliness.” It is Morgan’s mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.