On Writing The Guardians of Earth by Oriane Livingston
by Oriane Livingston
The Guardians of Earth, Oona and the Luminous Beings is a middle grade fantasy novel celebrating the beauty of the natural world. It is a love letter to Earth filled with epic adventures beyond imagination, bringing children and teenagers closer to the magic of Nature.
It tells the story of Oona, an eleven-year-old girl who lives in a troubled household and feels very much alone. One night, her flower starts to speak to her, and she meets Eterna, a woman of extraordinary beauty who embodies the spirit of the Earth. Eterna reveals to her that humans are slowly killing her, destroying trees, polluting oceans, and hunting animals to extinction. Oona learns that, along with Nawal and Aqiwo, her fellow Guardians, she must retrieve a sacred crystal in order to reconnect the filaments of light that once united humans’ hearts with the Earth.
This book is the result of an expansion of consciousness that occurred while hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains whereby I realized the interconnectedness of all things and the underlying unity of our world. The miraculous beauty of Nature has struck me since then and I felt compelled to write about it.
I chose to personify Earth because I wanted her to appear as a miraculous living being, in all her splendor and fragility, and I chose the poetic form to render homage to its ineffable beauty. Earth has been personified in various mythologies as a deity, in particular a goddess. To the Aztecs, Earth was called Tonantzin—”the Mother”; to the Incas, Earth was called Pachamama—”Mother Earth”. The Algonquian legend says that “beneath the clouds lives the Earth-Mother from whom is derived the Water of Life, who at her bosom feeds plants, animals and human”, otherwise known as Nokomis, the Grandmother.
The Chinese goddess Hou Tu is similar to Gaia, the Greek goddess personifying the Earth. Interestingly enough, the holy texts of both eastern and western traditions share the emphasis on ‘Oneness,’ and the interconnectedness of all things. The Upanishads teach that all separation is illusory, and the Ultimate Reality is singular – referred to as “Brahman” in Hinduism, “Tao” in Taoism, or “Waheguru” in Sikhism.
For all of these civilizations, the respect of our Mother Nature was paramount to living in full harmony as human beings.
Also, what is more glorious than a woman to incarnate the beauty and generosity of Earth? Eterna was born in my imagination, with her ever-changing flowery hair, her eyes rimmed with lime-green lashes, and her translucent cape dotted with stars. Characters are the heart of the story and we need to fall in love with them in order to ultimately care about the story. The characters expand our consciousness and make us connect to a story. I felt that it was important for Earth – Eterna – to be one of the heroes of the story as the book invites us to honor Nature. It is both an ode to Earth’s beauty and a call to protect the environment.
In a world faced with increasingly complex environmental and social challenges, children’s literature plays a crucial role in raising awareness and inspiring future generations. From a psychological standpoint, it’s easier for children to understand information when it is part of a story, especially if parents read with their children, and The Guardians of Earth encourages young people to believe in their ability to make a difference.
The next generation is key to save the planet if we want our children to breathe clean air, have enough fruits and vegetables to eat, drink clean water and live in a healthy environment with lush vegetation and beautiful trees. Thus, it is crucial to educate children early to protect the environment. But the book remains first a heartwarming story for the young readers, filled with adventures and emotion. The book aims at showing that the desire to protect the environment arises spontaneously out of love for Nature, and not as an obligation that one imposes on herself.
Enjoying Earth’s beauty in family will naturally instill the desire to protect her in kids, while having fun, so I hope that after reading my book, children and parents will run outside to look at the stars, walk in the age-old forests, the mountains or by the ocean, honor animals and marvel at the miraculous beauty of Earth. That it will bring them closer to the magic of life and fill their hearts with hope and beauty.
Like the heroes of the story, everyone can become a superhero, protecting animals and Nature. Thus, I humbly hope that some readers will feel called to become a Guardian of Earth in their own way, whether by rescuing an animal, planting a tree, exploring meditation, becoming vegetarian or saving water. That everyone will realize that they can make a difference and be proud of their contribution, even the slightest one. Visit www.orianelivingston.com for fun family eco-friendly activities.
–Oriane Livingston is a critically acclaimed French American published novelist, filmmaker and environmentalist. A graduate from UCLA School of Law and a former attorney, her love for books and movies compelled her to embrace an artistic career. She studied screenwriting at the UCLA Film & Television School and the Fundamentals of Acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
Link: www.orianelivingston.com <http://www.orianelivingston.
THE GUARDIANS OF EARTH
“Celebrating the beauty of the natural world, The Guardians of Earth is a poetic and heartwarming fantasy tale filled with epic adventures beyond imagination. A love letter to Earth for our times.”
Oona and the luminous beings
Oona is not an orphan, but with a cruel father and an eccentric mother, she feels very much alone. On the eve of her eleventh birthday, Oona discovers that she can communicate with animals and feel their emotions. One night, her flower starts to speak to her, and she’s summoned into a parallel dimension by a magnificent woman: Eterna, the spirit of Earth.
Eterna tells her that eons ago, every human used to be connected to Earth’s heart by filaments of light. The planet was a paradise, and all lived in harmony with nature. The Dark Planet, jealous of Earth’s beauty, severed the luminous ties, slowly assassinating her. Only one child may activate the Supreme Crystal, infused with the light of a peaceful species far more advanced than humans, to restore the sacred cordons of light between mankind and nature.
To save Earth and mankind, Oona must accept her sacred mission as a Guardian of Earth: resolve the enigmas of the three keys and find the Supreme Crystal before the next solar eclipse. Oona, along with Aqiwo, and Nawal, her fellow Guardians of Earth, must navigate the pyramids of Giza and a mysterious monastery to retrieve the Supreme Crystal and fulfill the prophecy. Oona will need to gain self-confidence and learn that she deserves love to resolve the enigmas of the three keys and save the planet.
What if you were also a Guardian of Earth ?
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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing
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