Answer: The runes were developed by the ancient Germanic tribes which were not a part of the ancient Celtic culture.
2) But aren't the runes related to ogham?
Answer: Ogham and the runes were developed independently of each other.
3) The last rune in a reading refers to one's fate, doesn't it?
Answer: The ancient Germanic tribes never beleived in fate or destiny. They beleived in Wyrd which is much like karma... the future can almost always be changed.
4) I have been told the ancient Rune Masters used stones to do their divination, is this true?
Answer: No, a runestone was a large stone monument with the inscription in runes (usually as a grave stone or memorial, occasionally boundary markers). Divination was always done using twigs from a nut bearing tree, or wood of some type. Even then the evidence for divination with runes in the ancient texts are circumstansial.
5) What do I use the blank rune for?
Answer: There is no need for the blank rune in rune reading. And they were not used in ancient times. In fact, the use of a 25th blank rune can ruin a reading due to the sacredness of the number 24 (3 rows of 8 runes). Use it as a spare in case you lose one.
6) Ralph Blum is the expert on runes, isn't he?
Answer: Blum's books are not a good guide for runic divination. He invents several things such as the blank rune, and overlooks important aspects of rune reading such as Wyrd. Still, some of his insights are interesting, but his books must always be checked against other sources.
7)Aren't there different kinds of runes? Goddess runes and so forth?
Answer: Such things as "Goddess Runes", "Hebrew Runes," and so forth are modern fantasies. There were however a few variations. There are three futharks of runes, but all of these evolved from the Elder Futhark, the original 24 runes. The other two futharks are the Anglo-Frisian which has 33 runes, and the Younger Futhark which has 16. All other futharks are a variation of these, and use the same basic symbols and meanings. And all are Germanic in origin.
8) Doesn't the word rune refer to the symbols?
Answer:
No, the word rune means "mysteries" and refers to the meaning behind
the rune name and symbol. There were also runic symbols outside
the futharks such as the sun wheel, and there are some hints that the
healing powers of herbs were also thought runic in nature (see the Nine
Worts Galdor). The word rune stave should be used to denote a symbol
when not speaking of the myseteries the runic letter symbolizes.