Why Easter's Date Moves Around, + a #Giveaway! #Easter

I've had a busy spring, and I'm looking forward to seeing friends and family over our son's school vacation and Easter Weekend.  Plus, my college son will be home for Easter--yay!  My nephew's birthday lines up with Easter this year, so we'll celebrate that as well.  This is the first time this has happened in his life, so I'm reposting my blog on Why Easter's Date Changes (and how we find it!)...and I have a Spring gift for anyone who enjoys reading Romantic Suspense...and offer for 19 FREE books to fill your e-reader!  

With my usual disclaimer about being a novelist and not a historian, here's what I've discovered:  

According to documents from the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians relied on their Jewish neighbors to determine the week of the Unleavened Bread; the Sunday that fell within that week would be Easter.  Following the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the date of Easter was separated from the Jewish calendar and its computations for Passover.

Since then, Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the Northern spring equinox, which is based on an ancient ecclesiastical computation, and does not correspond to the astronomical equinox.  The church defines the spring, or vernal, equinox as falling on March 21st.  Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.  This full moon will occur somewhere between March 21st and April 18th, inclusive.  Therefore, Easter cannot be earlier than March 22nd or later than April 25th.  In 2008, Easter was particularly early, falling on March 23rd.  That hadn't happened since 1913, and will not happen again until 2160.

Of course, there are handy tables available to find the date.  But those tables are derived from something called "The Golden Number" and "The Sunday Letter".  The Golden Number is computed by taking the year, dividing it by 19, and adding 1 to the remainder.  For example, 2014 divided by 19 gives 106, with a remainder of 0. Adding 1 to the remainder gives a golden number of 1.  Finding the Sunday Letter involves determining the first Sunday of the year, with the choices ranging from A through G.  For example, if the first Sunday in January falls on the 1st, that year is an "A" year.

So...why not a fixed date?  The short answer, really, is that Easter moves around from year to year in order to maintain the connection between the astronomical events (the phase of the moon and the season) which would have occurred during the Resurrection and the annual date on which we celebrate this holiday.

Whatever spring holiday or event you celebrate, I hope it's filled with family and happiness.  Take some time to enjoy nature's resurrection--the new life, strengthening sun, and longer days that characterize this season.  And if the Easter bunny visits (that's a whole 'nother story...blog post for next Easter maybe?), remind him to put some new reads in your basket!

And on that note, as promised, I have a Spring Gift for Romantic Suspense fans!  Click on the event page below to visit the Sizzling Spring Romantic Suspense Giveaway, and find 19 free novels and 3 special excerpts up for grabs with author newsletter sign-ups.  My steamy second-chance romance Dangerous Currents is included in this promo, so I hope you'll grab your free copy and enjoy Dean and Malorie's story!  Happy Spring :)

*SIZZLING SPRING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE GIVEAWAY*

19 #FREE Romantic Suspense #Books! #amreading #Romance #Suspense #Giveaway

One fateful night tore them apart...will
they get a second chance before a
killer strikes?  Steamy second chance
romance filled with secrets & suspense...

Want to read my steamy second-chance romantic suspense Dangerous Currents for free?  How about 18 other full length novels and 3 special excerpts, all by different authors?  The Sizzling Spring Romantic Suspense Giveaway is underway, so you're in luck!  Check out the 22 offering on our event page, and download the titles that spark your interest!  It's completely free...this is a newsletter builder, so you sign up for the author's newsletter to get your free copy, but you are able to unsubscribe at any time from any of the newsletters.  I hope if you sign up for mine you'll stick around, though...I often have giveaways to announce (like this one), I keep readers up-to-date on my book news and events, and I offer gift card raffles and free books and free audiobooks.

Check out the blurb for Dangerous Currents below, and find the link to the giveaway as well.  Feel free to forward the giveaway page to a friend or share on social media--the buttons are at the top beneath the banner.  Thanks and happy reading!

N.N. Light's Book Heaven Reviews on Dangerous Currents

When a costly mistake ends Malorie Montgomery's career, she returns to Cape Cod in search of a fresh start. But her plans for a new--and quiet--life are quickly derailed when she makes a grisly discovery in the woods, and her screams bring the one person from her past she'd hoped to avoid. Dean Slater, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart in high school, now lives in the beachfront community that was supposed to be her haven...and he's just as hot as he was six years ago.

With his rough background, Dean always knew he wasn't good enough for the kind, intelligent beauty who claimed his heart, but somehow he'd believed their love was strong enough to survive anything--until the tragic night she turned her back on him when he needed her trust the most. Despite their painful history, Dean can't resist the instinct to protect her, especially when it becomes apparent there's a killer in their town.

Their former chemistry soon reignites, but Malorie has long accepted that her dark family secret has destined her to a life alone. And when she uncovers evidence that makes her the killer's target, a deadly confrontation threatens to destroy any possibility of a second chance.

A new novel of romantic suspense from USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kathryn Knight

Forget the Housework, I'm Reading Reviews on Dangerous Currents

visit the giveaway:

*SIZZLING SPRING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE GIVEAWAY*

Love #Books + #Giveaways? Play the Spring Scavenger Hunt! #giftcards #FridayReads #amreading

Join the Hunt!  Discover new authors,
win prizes...and be sure to tell a friend!

Spring is the sweetest time of year!  Join the Hunt and enter to win sweet prizes...including a See's Candy Gift Basket of treats valued over $100, two $15 Amazon gift cards, and 30 additional prizes offered by the authors along the way...mine's a $10 Amazon gift card.  Playing the game is easy and fun, and all you need to do is visit each author's FaceBook page to find their hidden image.

This event begins TODAY, April 5th, and runs through April 8th, so hurry!  Just visit the event home page to get started.  Please consider "Liking" the Author Pages as you search for images, and don't forget to check out the 30 bonus giveaways along the way.

Basket includes: Assorted Chocolates (1 lb); Springtime Truffles,
white chocolate w/ raspberry and lemon centers (5 oz);
Sweet Bouquet Keepsake Tin w/ milk, dark, and white chocolates (11.5 oz);
Chocolate Truffles (8 oz); Chocolate Buttercream Egg
w/ walnuts and candy flowers (7.5 oz); Peanut Brittle (10 oz);
Café Latté Chocolate Covered Krispys (8 oz);
and Non-Pareil Jelly Eggs (12 oz).

Participating Authors:  

Alex Gordon • Amanda Uhl • Angela Roquet • Angelica R. Jackson • Angie Wilder • Anna Durand • Anne McClane • Ben Westerham • Cailin Briste • Casi McLean • Christine Grabowski • CM Lally • Donna R. Mercer • Honey Phillips • J.M. Walker • Jacqueline Diamond • Jacquie Biggar • Jim Stein • Joanne Dannon • Judith Sterling • Katherine Gilbert • Kathryn Knight • Kerry Blaisdell • Kristine Smith • Lia Davis • Lisanne Harrington • Michelle Jo Quinn • Shae Banks • Shereen Vedam • Soraya Naomi • Stephanie Queen • Taylor Marsh • Viola Calvary • Zoe Dawson • Zoe Forward

CLICK HERE TO HEAD TO THE EVENT PAGE

~ SPRING SCAVENGER FACEBOOK HUNT ~

Feed your Kindle!

Why #Easter Moves Around Each Year ~ Finding the Date

It doesn't quite feel like spring yet here on Cape Cod, but Easter is almost here--a bit early this year.  Why does the date move around each year?  I'm pulling out my previous post on calculating Easter's date...but a little background first:  when my children were younger, I taught Sunday School (a passage from the Book of Genesis actually inspired one of my novels...Divine Fall is the story of the only surviving Nephilim--the offspring of heavenly angels and human women who roamed the earth before the Great Flood) 

As a Sunday School teacher, I was asked unusual questions, which I didn't always have the answer to.  Kids are unbelievably insightful sometimes.  Why, they wondered, was Christmas always December 25th, while Easter moved around?  Excellent question...and not a particularly easy one.

According to documents from the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians relied on their Jewish neighbors to determine the week of the Unleavened Bread; the Sunday that fell within that week would be Easter.  Following the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the date of Easter was separated from the Jewish calendar and its computations for Passover.

Since then, Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the Northern spring equinox, which is based on an ancient ecclesiastical computation, and does not correspond to the astronomical equinox.  The church defines the spring, or vernal, equinox as falling on March 21st.  Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.  This full moon will occur somewhere between March 21st and April 18th, inclusive.  Therefore, Easter cannot be earlier than March 22nd or later than April 25th.  In 2008, Easter was particularly early, falling on March 23rd.  That hadn't happened since 1913, and will not happen again until 2160.

Of course, there are handy tables available to find the date.  But those tables are derived from something called "The Golden Number" and "The Sunday Letter".  The Golden Number is computed by taking the year, dividing it by 19, and adding 1 to the remainder.  For example, 2014 divided by 19 gives 106, with a remainder of 0. Adding 1 to the remainder gives a golden number of 1.  Finding the Sunday Letter involves determining the first Sunday of the year, with the choices ranging from A through G.  For example, if the first Sunday in January falls on the 1st, that year is an "A" year.

There are more computations, explanations, and nuances surrounding leap years, but for the purposes of the kids in my class, my summation was enough to explain the phenomenon.  The short answer, really, is that Easter moves around from year to year in order to maintain the connection between the astronomical events (the phase of the moon and the season) which would have occurred during the Resurrection and the annual date on which we celebrate this holiday.

Whatever spring holiday or event you celebrate, I hope it's filled with family and happiness.  Take some time to enjoy nature's resurrection--the new life, strengthening sun, and longer days that characterize this season.  And if the Easter bunny visits (that's a whole 'nother story...blog post for next Easter maybe?), remind him to put some paranormal romance reads in your basket!

SILVER LAKE ~ A haunting, an old flame, 

and secrets from the past ~ #1 Kindle Bestseller 

GULL HARBOR ~ A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic Claire Linden in Cape Cod's Gull Harbor
#1 Kindle & Nook Bestseller, now on Audio too!

DIVINE FALL ~ Revenge, Romance, and 
a Rogue Fallen Angel 
(Award-winning YA Paranormal Romance)

HAUNTED SOULS ~ A damaged soldier, a secret baby,
and a haunting mystery ~ A Top 3 Read of 2016

Tips From Our #PuntaCana Trip #travel #vacation #majesticelegance

With our oldest son graduating this June, we realized this year might be the year both our kids would have the same week off for spring break. As hard as it was to wrap our minds around that, we did manage to set aside the disbelief long enough to try to pick a destination that would have something for everyone in our family--both the parents and two teenage boys, ages 15 and 18.

Majestic Elegance Punta Cana

Based on some friend recommendations, we decided on the Majestic Elegance in Punta Cana.  Clearly we weren't the only ones who had heard good things, because a friend who takes my fitness classes was there with her boyfriend, and we also met another couple there who were "friends of friends" (the power of social media!)


So I thought I'd dedicate this post to what we liked and what we'd do differently for anyone considering a trip to Punta Cana's Majestic Elegance!  If you're looking at this resort for your own vacation, you know it's all-inclusive in terms of both food and drinks, including alcoholic beverages, and it offers plenty of activities for all ages.

First thing I wished I'd known earlier was a piece of info I gleaned from my friend at the gym--there's a Facebook page dedicated to the Majestic Elegance, filled with tips and suggestions relating to this specific resort.  You can find it here, and you have to click Join to get approved.  Although I found out about this only right before our trip, I did find plenty of valuable information in the posts.  And, on the one cloudy day, I asked for thoughts on what to do and was immediately provided with tons of ideas (I chose Spa Day followed by drinks in the pool just like any other day!).

I also took a picture of the daily schedule while I was there and posted it for others when someone asked, which people appreciated.  So if you're on FB, definitely join the group and peruse the lists of things you should bring, tips on restaurants, the best activities, etc.  I won't list everything here, since it's already over there, but I'll say the things I saw suggested that I *didn't* bother bringing, that I wish I'd had brought, include a power strip (if you have a lot of people charging things, there just aren't enough in the rooms) and a Yeti mug (to keep the beverages cold or hot).  

My scuba diving lesson

In terms of activities during the day, we tried a couple of things, with mixed results.  There was a free scuba diving lesson in the pool one day, so we signed up for that.  It was really cool to try, as I'd never done it before (although my characters in Silver Lake do), but of course one 15 minute trial in the pool is not enough to be allowed on an actual open water dive.  They do offer a way to get certified while you're there, but we were not interested in devoting more of our time or money to it on this vacation.  So I'd say this is just something to try for the novelty if you have time, but not a "don't miss".

A Sergeant Major looking for more
bread ~ bring an underwater camera
if you want to take snorkeling pics!

We did pay for a snorkeling expedition, since we've all done it before and enjoyed it.  I can't say I'd recommend it unless, like us, you have some kids who really want to go.  The area the boat took us to was extremely crowded with boats and groups of people snorkeling, so getting a flipper in the face was a common occurrence.  You could see some beautiful fish, and we were given bread to feed them, which they ate of our hands, and that was cool.  But it was not the serene, peaceful experience I was hoping for.

On our way to the snorkel site, though, we spied a row of shanties on the beach, right up near the water, about a mile from our resort.  It's a bunch of rustic shops and bars, owned by locals, and so we decided to make that an excursion for another day.  We walked along the beautiful beach for exercise and did a little shopping.  The caveat is that this is not an area run by the resorts, so while it's cheaper in terms of prices, the vendors are a bit aggressive to get the business and earn a living. But we were glad to pick up a few souvenirs, and if you like jewelry (who doesn't?), make sure you bring home some larimar - a rare blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic.  I purchased a pair of larimar earrings and a ring with a larimar stone that also reverses to an amber stone (really cool), and the grateful shopkeeper also threw in a free beaded bracelet and two carved wooden pendants for my sons as a thank you.

The shanty shops along the beach

Our resort had a lot of crazy activities on the beach, which was fun for laughs, but if you're looking for peace and quiet, you'll want to find chairs further away from the beach bar and buffet area.  We enjoyed watching the various contests, and my husband and son participated in one competition on the beach which was billed as "soccer" but really just involved a soccer ball, two teams, and a bunch of relay races.  So, it wasn't what they expected, but it was hilarious to watch and everyone was having fun.  The entertainment staff does a really great job.

The staff also gets everyone riled up during the famous "foam party" in the pool.  Now, I'd never heard of a foam party when I first saw it on the schedule.  But I guess it's the thing to do now when you're on a tropical island drinking "free" drinks and forgetting the stresses of regular life.  I figured it would be a younger crowd and really had no intention of making a point to be there.  But my husband and I were walking back from the beach when it began, and we wandered over to take a look. People of all ages were dancing and drinking in the foam-filled pool as music blasted and foam continued to spray.  Very soon our plans to hit the gym before dinner were replaced by "When will we ever again have a chance to party in a pool full of foam?"  Just as we set our things aside and waded into the foam, I saw my friend from the gym and her boyfriend in there as well, and soon the four of us were dancing through foam and doing shots at the pool bar.  So, yeah, it turned out to be the right call in terms of a memorable afternoon!

The foam party!  I'm on the right, waving by the bar.  Fun!

The shows were another thing I underestimated.  But I thought they were excellent.  We watched both a cirque-du-soleil type performance and a tribute to the music of Micheal Jackson, and I thoroughly enjoyed both.  I was too tired to make the music of the 80s show, but I heard from our friends it was fantastic, and I'm disappointed I missed it.  

So, those are some of the things we fit into our whirlwind 5-day vacation in beautiful Punta Cana.  I wish we'd had more time to explore outside the resort, but we still did a lot and managed to leave time to do absolutely nothing but relax in the sun!  And don't forget some good books to have for the beach and pool ~ if you enjoy some steamy romance and/or spooky suspense, try one of my romance/ghost mysteries!  Safe and fun travels!

This was my favorite activity of all~
lying in the sun by the crystal clear
water, with my Kindle in my hand!

Why #EasterSunday Moves Around ~ #Easter #EasterWeekend

I enjoy learning about the reasons behind traditions and beliefs...for example, I've done popular posts on Why 13 is Considered Unlucky, The Origin of Halloween, and Why People Fear Black Cats.  As you may notice, these topics have a common element--the paranormal--one of my favorite subjects, as well as the inspiration for my novels.  My two #1 Kindle Bestsellers, SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR, as well as my new release, HAUNTED SOULS, combine steamy romance with spooky hauntings.

My Young Adult novel, DIVINE FALL, is a little different.  When my children were younger, I taught Sunday School, and a passage from the Book of Genesis inspired a new supernatural idea.  Divine Fall is the story of the only surviving Nephilim--the offspring of heavenly angels and human women who roamed the earth before the Great Flood.  

As a Sunday School teacher, I was asked unusual questions, which I didn't always have the answer to.  Kids are unbelievably insightful sometimes.  Why, they wondered, was Christmas always December 25th, while Easter moved around?  Excellent question...and not a particularly easy one.

According to documents from the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians relied on their Jewish neighbors to determine the week of the Unleavened Bread; the Sunday that fell within that week would be Easter.  Following the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the date of Easter was separated from the Jewish calendar and its computations for Passover.

Since then, Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the Northern spring equinox, which is based on an ancient ecclesiastical computation, and does not correspond to the astronomical equinox.  The church defines the spring, or vernal, equinox as falling on March 21st.  Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.  This full moon will occur somewhere between March 21st and April 18th, inclusive.  Therefore, Easter cannot be earlier than March 22nd or later than April 25th.  In 2008, Easter was particularly early, falling on March 23rd.  That hadn't happened since 1913, and will not happen again until 2160.

Of course, there are handy tables available to find the date.  But those tables are derived from something called "The Golden Number" and "The Sunday Letter".  The Golden Number is computed by taking the year, dividing it by 19, and adding 1 to the remainder.  For example, 2014 divided by 19 gives 106, with a remainder of 0. Adding 1 to the remainder gives a golden number of 1.  Finding the Sunday Letter involves determining the first Sunday of the year, with the choices ranging from A through G.  For example, if the first Sunday in January falls on the 1st, that year is an "A" year.

There are more computations, explanations, and nuances surrounding leap years, but for the purposes of the kids in my class, my summation was enough to explain the phenomenon.  The short answer, really, is that Easter moves around from year to year in order to maintain the connection between the astronomical events (the phase of the moon and the season) which would have occurred during the Resurrection and the annual date on which we celebrate this holiday.

Whatever spring holiday or event you celebrate, I hope it's filled with family and happiness.  Take some time to enjoy nature's resurrection--the new life, strengthening sun, and longer days that characterize this season.  And if the Easter bunny visits (that's a whole 'nother story...blog post for next Easter maybe?), remind him to put some paranormal romance reads in your basket!

SILVER LAKE ~ A haunting, an old flame, 

and secrets from the past

GULL HARBOR ~ A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic Claire Linden in Cape Cod's Gull Harbor

DIVINE FALL ~ Revenge, Romance, and 
a Rogue Fallen Angel (YA Paranormal Romance)

HAUNTED SOULS ~ A damaged soldier, a secret baby,
and a haunting mystery

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Finding #Easter Dates - Golden Numbers + Full Moons

I enjoy learning about the reasons behind traditions and beliefs...for example, I've done popular posts on Why 13 is Considered Unlucky, The Origin of Halloween, and Why People Fear Black Cats.  As you may notice, these topics have a common element--the paranormal--one of my favorite subjects, as well as the inspiration for my novels.  My first two novels, SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR, as well as my upcoming release HAUNTED SOULS, combine steamy romance with spooky hauntings.

My Young Adult novel, DIVINE FALL, is a little different.  When my children were younger, I taught Sunday School, and a passage from the Book of Genesis inspired a new supernatural idea.  Divine Fall is the story of the only surviving Nephilim--the offspring of heavenly angels and human women who roamed the earth before the Great Flood.  Divine Fall recently won the Reader's Choice Award in Young Adult Romance at The Romance Reviews, which was an exciting achievement...and it's a reviewer nomination for the upcoming BTS Red Carpet Book Awards, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

As a Sunday School teacher, I was asked unusual questions, which I didn't always have the answer to.  Kids are unbelievably insightful sometimes.  Why, they wondered, was Christmas always December 25th, while Easter moved around?  Excellent question...and not a particularly easy one.

According to documents from the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians relied on their Jewish neighbors to determine the week of the Unleavened Bread; the Sunday that fell within that week would be Easter.  Following the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the date of Easter was separated from the Jewish calendar and its computations for Passover.



Since then, Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the Northern spring equinox, which is based on an ancient ecclesiastical computation, and does not correspond to the astronomical equinox.  The church defines the spring, or vernal, equinox as falling on March 21st.  Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.  This full moon will occur somewhere between March 21st and April 18th, inclusive.  Therefore, Easter cannot be earlier than March 22nd or later than April 25th.  In 2008, Easter was particularly early, falling on March 23rd.  That hadn't happened since 1913, and will not happen again until 2160.

Of course, there are handy tables available to find the date.  But those tables are derived from something called "The Golden Number" and "The Sunday Letter".  The Golden Number is computed by taking the year, dividing it by 19, and adding 1 to the remainder.  For example, 2014 divided by 19 gives 106, with a remainder of 0. Adding 1 to the remainder gives a golden number of 1.  Finding the Sunday Letter involves determining the first Sunday of the year, with the choices ranging from A through G.  For example, if the first Sunday in January falls on the 1st, that year is an "A" year.

There are more computations, explanations, and nuances surrounding leap years, but for the purposes of the kids in my class, my summation was enough to explain the phenomenon.  The short answer, really, is that Easter moves around from year to year in order to maintain the connection between the astronomical events (the phase of the moon and the season) which would have occurred during the Resurrection and the annual date on which we celebrate this holiday.



Whatever spring holiday or event you celebrate, I hope it's filled with family and happiness.  Take some time to enjoy nature's resurrection--the new life, strengthening sun, and longer days that characterize this season.  And if the Easter bunny visits (that's a whole 'nother story...blog post for next Easter maybe?), remind him to put some paranormal romance reads in your basket!

SILVER LAKE ~ A haunting, an old flame, 

and secrets from the past

GULL HARBOR ~ A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic Claire Linden in Cape Cod's Gull Harbor

DIVINE FALL ~ Revenge, Romance, 

and a Rogue Fallen Angel

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Finding #Easter Day's Date + #Giveaway - Spring #LASRBlogfest #amreading

My post helps kick off the party
on March 30th!  Come join us!

Hop on over to Long and Short Reviews to celebrate the Spring Blogfest!  You'll find tons of spring- and Easter-related blog posts, along with giveaways and a chance to win a $25 gift card. My post gives some insight into why Easter's date fluctuates each year and how the date is actually calculated.  And if you leave a comment over there, you'll be entered into the drawing for a free e-copy of your choice of Gull Harbor, Silver Lake, or Divine Fall!  So come celebrate the season and enter to win all kinds of beach reads for those warm, sultry days ahead...they're coming soon, and I for one can't wait! Just click the link below to visit:

Finding Easter's Date Blogpost & Giveway on LASR

Treat yourself to some new reads this spring!
Steamy romance + spooky suspense =
page-turning entertainment!

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Finding Easter's Date - Golden Numbers & Full Moons

I enjoy learning about the reasons behind traditions and beliefs...for example, I've done popular posts on Why 13 is Considered Unlucky, The Origin of Halloween, and Why People Fear Black Cats.  As you may notice, these topics have a common element--the paranormal--one of my favorite subjects, as well as the inspiration for my novels.  My first two novels, SILVER LAKE and GULL HARBOR, combine steamy romance with spooky hauntings.

My lasted novel, DIVINE FALL, is a little different.  When my children were younger, I taught Sunday School, and a passage from the Book of Genesis inspired a new supernatural idea.  DIVINE FALL is the story of the only surviving Nephilim--the offspring of heavenly angels and human women who roamed the earth before the Great Flood.  DIVINE FALL will hopefully be released in 2015...please follow my author Facebook page for more info on this upcoming title!

As a Sunday School teacher, I was asked unusual questions, which I didn't always have the answer to.  Kids are unbelievably insightful sometimes.  Why, they wondered, was Christmas always December 25th, while Easter moved around?  Excellent question...and not a particularly easy one. 

According to documents from the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians relied on their Jewish neighbors to determine the week of the Unleavened Bread; the Sunday that fell within that week would be Easter.  Following the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, the date of Easter was separated from the Jewish calendar and its computations for Passover.



Since then, Easter Day is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the Northern spring equinox, which is based on an ancient ecclesiastical computation, and does not correspond to the astronomical equinox.  The church defines the spring, or vernal, equinox as falling on March 21st.  Easter falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.  This full moon will occur somewhere between March 21st and April 18th, inclusive.  Therefore, Easter cannot be earlier than March 22nd or later than April 25th.  In 2008, Easter was particularly early, falling on March 23rd.  That hadn't happened since 1913, and will not happen again until 2160.

Of course, there are handy tables available to find the date.  But those tables are derived from something called "The Golden Number" and "The Sunday Letter".  The Golden Number is computed by taking the year, dividing it by 19, and adding 1 to the remainder.  For example, 2014 divided by 19 gives 106, with a remainder of 0. Adding 1 to the remainder gives a golden number of 1.  Finding the Sunday Letter involves determining the first Sunday of the year, with the choices ranging from A through G.  For example, if the first Sunday in January falls on the 1st, that year is an "A" year.

There are more computations, explanations, and nuances surrounding leap years, but for the purposes of the kids in my class, my summation was enough to explain the phenomenon.  The short answer, really, is that Easter moves around from year to year in order to maintain the connection between the astronomical events (the phase of the moon and the season) which would have occurred during the Resurrection and the annual date on which we celebrate this holiday.



Whatever spring holiday or event you celebrate, I hope it's filled with family and happiness.  Take some time to enjoy nature's resurrection--the new life, strengthening sun, and longer days that characterize this season.  And if the Easter bunny visits (that's a whole 'nother story), remind him to put some paranormal romance reads in your basket!

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99

Easter moves around from year to year in order to preserve its relationship to the astronomical phenomena (i.e., the season of the year and the phase of the moon) that would have occurred at the time of the resurrection (traditionally reckoned as having taken place in 30 A.D.).

Read more at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/easter/easterdate.asp#5krS4XS2Tr3b6KP8.99