tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16123181460167582712024-03-15T18:11:14.828-07:00It’s All About Storyblack rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-6980086382719253942021-10-31T14:49:00.000-07:002021-10-31T14:49:22.577-07:00FAVORITE DARK FANTASY/HORROR BOOKS OF 2021<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581402575l/45046574.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="257" height="200" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581402575l/45046574.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><p><b>You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce</b></p><p>A mystery about a writer who narrates her imagined or not relationship with the faeries amidst an insidiously abusive upbringing. Loved it because this is some of the best and creepiest depictions of faeries I've read in a while.</p><p><b>The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones</b></p><p>Four young Indigenous men pay for an elk hunt gone horribly wrong as the spirit of a young mother elk twists up into a diabolical and malevolent entity that stalks the men and destroys them by using their own weaknesses against them. Terrifying and heartrending.</p><p><b>Bunny by Mona Awad</b></p><p>A dark academia of sorts. A young woman is menaced by a click of cuddlecore girls at a small and fancy college. The first half of the story is a WTF nightmare. The second half is poignant and beautiful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41dhvzYto9L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41dhvzYto9L._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><p><b>These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong</b></p><p>A Romeo and Juliet theme set in 1920s Shanghai? Genius. Starring a ruthless Juliet and a gangster Romeo, the story also features a gruesome monster straight out of Lovecraft.</p><p><b>White is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi</b></p><p>A haunted house book about legacy. A young woman and her twin brother live in a house infected by their ancestors, a house that becomes particularly unfriendly to anyone who isn't white. There is a bone-chilling mannequin scene and apparitions that made my skin crawl.</p><p><b>Black Light by Elizabeth Hand</b></p><p>I recently re-read this dark fantasy about a girl who ends up confronting a dark version of the Greek god Dionysius in the persona of one of her actress mom's infamous friends. Like her story The Erl King, this one is eerie and lushly entertaining.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qxrGbIiBL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="196" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qxrGbIiBL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><p><b>The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle</b></p><p>Set in contemporary Ireland, this is a tale about a family who are prone to strange accidents at a certain time of the year as the teenage protagonist tries to figure out the mystery of a strange, forgotten girl who keeps showing up in photographs.</p><p><b>The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White</b></p><p>This author excels at anti-heroines and Elizabeth is no exception. She is an orphan who is selfish and desperate, forges a grotesque alliance with the ruthless (and psychotic) son of the Frankenstein family.</p><p><b>White Fox by Sara Faring</b></p><p>Set on a contemporary but fictional island, this story is about twin sisters, daughters of privilege, who seek to discover what happened to their missing mother, an actress with a mysterious and possibly supernatural origin. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51+nkr8r35L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51+nkr8r35L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51+nkr8r35L._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><p><b>GodChild by Kaori Yuki</b></p><p>This is a manga, set in Victorian England, about a cold-hearted young man who solves occult mysteries and his mysterious butler/bodyguard. The hero's nemesis is his older brother and this manga is seriously Gothic.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-82601361986115150132021-06-06T15:09:00.000-07:002021-06-06T15:09:16.463-07:00THE STRANGE MYTHOLOGY OF BEARS<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nBDRfOV-Kb5Rfrw5EFCZPjbGklSIhV1vE_8rIlsAtE79bWD9Er8xT6D8bog8IMEGdhEwv2NfVxFK0G2wtYdmD0iq8ALcmUvs37Ez26ikhy5WYM-HUXpftpaDRiHXzX6sUH5PrgzgD0FD/s767/Bear1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="767" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9nBDRfOV-Kb5Rfrw5EFCZPjbGklSIhV1vE_8rIlsAtE79bWD9Er8xT6D8bog8IMEGdhEwv2NfVxFK0G2wtYdmD0iq8ALcmUvs37Ez26ikhy5WYM-HUXpftpaDRiHXzX6sUH5PrgzgD0FD/w200-h146/Bear1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p><i>Arctolatry</i>-bear worship</p><p>Bears may have been the first animals worshiped in the Paleolithic era, as evidenced by ocher-painted bear skulls arranged in Neandertal shrines, signifying the oldest human/animal relationship. If you've ever seen a brown bear walking upright, it's uncannily human-like in its stride. Bears were terrifying and shamanic figures in prehistoric times. They appear in numerous guises as gods, in fairy tales as heroes. In American Indigenous folklore, they are the king of the beasts, wise and moral. Inuit hunters learned patience from the polar bear, Tuurngasuk, the Great Spirit who devours the shaman and returns him whole and powerful and ready to aid his people.</p><p>In Ainu myth, bears are sacred. A young bear is captured and treated like a king for a year, before being sacrificed. In Korea, Ungnyeo is a bear who wanted to be human and was made so by a god. In Hindu mythology, Jambavana is the king of bears, created to assist the god Brahma.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWMm1AnGgOGmi0Q8X_ZDy9CxjODqoz2lSGKA&usqp=CAU" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="187" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWMm1AnGgOGmi0Q8X_ZDy9CxjODqoz2lSGKA&usqp=CAU" /></a></div><p>There are many bear goddesses throughout the world. Dea Arturio is the Celtic bear goddess. The bear is the sacred animal of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. In Greece, young girls would wear bear masks and act predatory in order to honor Artemis. The bear was also Ursa Major, the constellation, to the Greeks, named after the huntress Callisto, who was cursed into bear form by a jealous Zeus. In many ancient cultures, the bear is considered a Mother, a deity of resurrection and birth, of protection.</p><p>Ildiko is a Hungarian bear goddess. Mielikki is Finnish, and both are associated with forests. In Finnish folklore, bears seek to reincarnate through women, so women must keep away from a bear's funeral feast. The bear, the king of the forest, was never called by name, but referenced through euphemisms such as The Honey Eater, Golden Light Foot, The Fur Robed Forest Friend. Norse berserkers wore only bearskins into battle because the bear was sacred to Odin.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI04Ohbk2Po4D9J-WL_mjHSTpwyaO3XUxYpHKCMABkyGXKsDRBaDPg-pVICZCUHL1QR0wtFz-XHhcorCuHXqqrT5ShsqJOLRQ6x6xGvaY9e6uZhPS61ZhbVbu_cRAFYUwCK9ak_cEJwTgZ/s1570/Bear2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="928" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI04Ohbk2Po4D9J-WL_mjHSTpwyaO3XUxYpHKCMABkyGXKsDRBaDPg-pVICZCUHL1QR0wtFz-XHhcorCuHXqqrT5ShsqJOLRQ6x6xGvaY9e6uZhPS61ZhbVbu_cRAFYUwCK9ak_cEJwTgZ/s320/Bear2.jpg" /></a></div><p>In fairy tales,, bears are creatures of wisdom and savagery. In <i>East of the Sun, West of the Moon,</i> the bear befriends two sisters and helps them on their quests. Eventually it is revealed he is a cursed human. When one of the sisters falls in love with him, he transforms into a man. <i>Goldilocks and the Three Bears </i>is about a girl who colonizes the house of three bears and has the nerve to complain about everything.</p><p>In Fiction, Phillip Pullman's Iorek Byrnison is a standout, a polar bear in <i>The Golden Compass</i> who is a scarred, alcoholic warrior. /Who doesn't love Baloo, the mentor, from <i>The Jungle Book? </i>There is Bluebear from Walter Moers <i>The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear.</i> Katherine Arden's <i>The Bear and The Nightingale</i> has Medved, the evil bear. On a gentler note, we have the intrepid immigrant Paddington Bear. And, of course Winnie-the-Pooh. </p><p>Bears have been revered by many cultures throughout history, and mostly as a mother. They are the true queen of the beasts.</p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-197477444048903682021-03-23T15:00:00.000-07:002021-05-01T14:29:37.998-07:00TIME OF THE DARK BY BARBARA HAMBLY<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332072151l/176277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="283" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332072151l/176277.jpg" /></a></div><p>THE TIME OF THE DARK series, published in 1981, is one of my favorite fantasy series. Here's why:</p><p>Gil, a student of Medieval history, dreams of a strange world haunted by monstrous, shifting creatures called The Dark. She also dreams of the prince and the wizard trying to save this dream kingdom. When the wizard shows up in her kitchen one night, Gil--along with a motorbike-riding young man named Rudy--are dragged into a world in which they quickly need to learn how to survive, with swords and magic. It sounds cliche, but Hambly creates such fantastic, realistic characters, while vividly painting a world you could believe she visited. The devil's in the exquisite details. It's a dark, gorgeous,and intensely human story. Gil and Rudy's journeys are harrowing--he becomes an apprentice wizard and she becomes a soldier, nascent abilities made irrelevant in their modern lives--but they also find family in this terrifying and beautiful world.</p><p>THE CHARACTERS make the story. Ingold is the wizard, an old war veteran turned magic user who was a red-headed troublemaker in his youth. Minalde is the young queen and mother of the kingdom's infant heir and she's a Snow White who has to transform into a ruler, fast. Alwir, handsome and raven-haired, a warrior and an aristocrat, is her older brother and becomes a memorable villain. Ice Falcon is a cold-hearted young soldier from the White Raiders,a nomadic people who terrorize the borders.</p><p>AUTHOR'S HISTORY: Hambly has a Masters in Medieval History and it shows. She's also written about a band of mercenaries and a group of wizards, set in the same world, as well as a separate series about a free man of color who solves mysteries and another series about Victorian vampires.</p><p>WHY I LOVE IT: The interesting characters, pungent details, and tense plot.</p><p>FAV SCENES:</p><p>When Gil discovers Ingold the wizard sitting in her kitchen and offers him a beer, which he graciously accepts, figuring out how to open the can.</p><p>Rudy, learning how to control his latent magical abilities, tries to hide from the White Raiders by appearing as a dung beetle. The White Raiders instantly spot him, and, later, Ingold asks Rudy when has he ever seen a dung beetle in that world.</p><p>If you're looking for something to replace Game of Thrones, this rich, dark, portal fantasy is for you.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-54698347646396119112021-03-02T15:18:00.002-08:002021-03-02T15:18:57.327-08:00WHY IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BAD: WRITING THE FEMALE ANTIHERO<p><i>'Trickster dwells in the realm of shadow, but perhaps that is for our salvation.' </i>C.G. Jung </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouM-KfRn5X-eCvF75wqRAvpd5p0Ajv_pOt8gCNGk9UbSdhBsuIZcWUA7ecRUT1h2QOhtCPEf33Kk9IFs7yitQjbiZgZEIyp9EhIzpMGDiKuUy7utBXVKddKeidSxEzGtkgdM5kKqOGDq5/s1156/LilGirl.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1156" data-original-width="762" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhouM-KfRn5X-eCvF75wqRAvpd5p0Ajv_pOt8gCNGk9UbSdhBsuIZcWUA7ecRUT1h2QOhtCPEf33Kk9IFs7yitQjbiZgZEIyp9EhIzpMGDiKuUy7utBXVKddKeidSxEzGtkgdM5kKqOGDq5/s320/LilGirl.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The antihero. The trickster. Why are they so appealing? They toe the line between good and bad, but never commit any atrocities that would turn them into the villain. The outcome for them is usually redemption--but not always--and victories come at a cost that's bittersweet. Antiheroes aren't the White Hats, the knights in shining armor. They surprise and delight and sometimes disappoint in delicious ways. They're spiky, unreliable, always have a trick up their sleeve, and we never know what direction they're going to take. The female antihero isn't afraid to walk in the shadows, to do what must be done, and never considers herself to be the hero. She likes that she can be bad and people expect it of her. Or she's flawed and has no desire to be perfect. Being morally ambiguous, she can surprise us. Antiheroines have been dismissed as Bad Girls, but they're more than that. They're not heroes by any means, and would scorn being called one. They aren't in the story for the glory--they're in it for the mayhem. But, occasionally, instead of spiraling towards self-destruction, these ladies can rocket into a crazy noble orbit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2X-BDZSJLIxSgcBUkav9olUZfEqN4NtYxJdBDSChqXQMWlOJzvsFeed-mSzCxF-obqgG7WbLd8KRxC21_mt0icQMZe4fcSUasxo40NMPXKAmQvD-_tjEPdz3Ri1y0e42QY-4VaTIQAZ9/s1076/Circe.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="883" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2X-BDZSJLIxSgcBUkav9olUZfEqN4NtYxJdBDSChqXQMWlOJzvsFeed-mSzCxF-obqgG7WbLd8KRxC21_mt0icQMZe4fcSUasxo40NMPXKAmQvD-_tjEPdz3Ri1y0e42QY-4VaTIQAZ9/w164-h200/Circe.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Antiheroism used to seem solely a male domain, but folklore and mythology are peppered with female tricksters: Morgan le Fay, Circe, Lilith, Kali, Hecate, The Morrigan, the Kumiho. And it seems female tricksters are a lot scarier than their male counterparts. These ladies control dark magic and the elements of night or nature. They rule in the world of tempests and moonlight and are often associated with death.</p><p><br /></p><p>Classic literature brought another Renaissance of trickster girls. The most infamous are Becky Sharp in William Makepeace Thackeray's <i>Vanity Fair;</i> Emma Bovary in <i>Madame Bovary</i>; Catherine Earnshaw from Emily Bronte's <i>Wuthering Heights</i>; Emma Woodhouse from <i>Emma </i>by Jane Austen; Estella Havisham from Charles Dickens' <i>Great Expectations.</i> They are all young, supremely selfish, and devious. The characters who encounter them often regret doing so. But these ladies are fighting against the limitations of their eras, when women were considered useless and frivolous. They aren't going to settle for what society demands.</p><p>Some of my favorite antiheroes in books and film:</p><p><span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Harley_Quinn_Vol_3_43_Textless.jpg/250px-Harley_Quinn_Vol_3_43_Textless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d7/Harley_Quinn_Vol_3_43_Textless.jpg/250px-Harley_Quinn_Vol_3_43_Textless.jpg" width="132" /></a></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p><p><span> Harley Quinn (DC Comics)</span><br /></p><p><span><span> Villanelle (Killing Eve)</span><br /></span></p><p><span><span><span> Faith Lehane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> Beth Harmon (The Queen's Gambit)</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span> Lada Dragwyla (<i>And I Darken</i> by Kiersten White)<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span> Jude Duarte (<i>The Cruel Prince </i>by Holly Black)<br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span> Jame Kencyr (<i>Godstalk </i>by P.C. Hodgell)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><span><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Aqyv+0nZL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Aqyv+0nZL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></span></span></span></div><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span><p></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Mia Corvere (<i>NeverNight </i>by Jay Kristoff)<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Morgaine (<i>The Book of Morgaine</i> by C.J. Cherryh)<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Miranda (<i>Maledicte </i>by Lane Robins)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>We need more female antiheroes, more tricksters from people of color, women and girls whose venture into chaos shakes things up. Who are <i>your </i>favorites?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-38890470620997586592021-01-31T15:25:00.000-08:002021-01-31T15:25:06.910-08:00HOW TO KEEP YOUR SANITY AS A WRITER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHqY-BwS6J-PlWLSIVpnB8-L27rmcZc2CDgGYpQyWictZ2Qn0J93BkRFzp_dPpoqI_sF7_vbH1ydaT_EwrZtvtnjiIE54IOowULrNeJE9l7OlMYUlAmUJAh-B6w06ChjPUueOT0V1mV2d/s1191/write2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHqY-BwS6J-PlWLSIVpnB8-L27rmcZc2CDgGYpQyWictZ2Qn0J93BkRFzp_dPpoqI_sF7_vbH1ydaT_EwrZtvtnjiIE54IOowULrNeJE9l7OlMYUlAmUJAh-B6w06ChjPUueOT0V1mV2d/s320/write2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Here are a few things that help me to avoid the depths of despair:</p><p>NEVER forget why you write: Because you LOVE it.</p><p>INSPIRATION. This is the driving force. What gave you the IDEA? Another book? Pinterest images? Films? TV series? A song? Revisit what inspired you. For me, my inspiring idea usually becomes the book's THEME.</p><p>IMAGINATION. You have to feed your brain dragon. As above--books, films, TV series, magazines, music.</p><p>READ. Read writers you love so that you REMEMBER WHY you love to write. But also read books outside your comfort zone. Expand your interests. There are compelling non-fiction books. There are exquisitely realistic fiction books.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QpENRvfQ0fiADVQuHq8BnEQV5ZLXnrnpyYJLXIlEVsGHoJNJH-MlRXhELt7lC3E5eDIMUpL-sfLvHuVjiv4kCJMU_PApBDIcj2jKr-ADSPdn6YxU2XfJDPwknJOMVosfgLgA4oVWeny1/s1120/writer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1120" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QpENRvfQ0fiADVQuHq8BnEQV5ZLXnrnpyYJLXIlEVsGHoJNJH-MlRXhELt7lC3E5eDIMUpL-sfLvHuVjiv4kCJMU_PApBDIcj2jKr-ADSPdn6YxU2XfJDPwknJOMVosfgLgA4oVWeny1/w200-h144/writer1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>BLOGS. Visit blogs about writing for strategy. Visit author blogs for advice.</p><p>SELF-PUBLISH. Remember self-publishing and small presses are an option. Make sure you invest in the two most important aspects of your book--a professional EDITOR and a gorgeous COVER. Then you need to invest in a marketing campaign.</p><p>FUTURE PROJECTS. always have a list of books you're looking forward to writing. This means you'll finish the story you began and you'll already have a few plot lines and characters for future fun.</p><p>SUPPORT. Connect to other writers via social media or writing groups.</p><p>TAKE A BREAK. Take a nap. Take a walk. Get some tasks done. Get away from the story so that you can THINK about the story.</p><p>JOURNAL. Keep a journal of future ideas. This keeps your creative fires burning. Write down everything. Cool character names. Weird little sentences. Fabulous words. Gorgeous descriptions.</p><p>That's it! Happy writing:)</p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-48073493114176696372020-12-06T15:05:00.001-08:002020-12-06T15:05:21.281-08:00YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN: WRITING A QUEEN<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVF9-vHnxODzVSmWWjZ4H7zz5FKB0azA2LHIhLiVLCmJ_Z2rDqriVWUkTUv8pKMwr6FoCUhBbeqAQY3yuStFvXwvZ9Hox7IsBsSjSeshI3M6iolfR2v_g4Sg8MnHNOJix1xHIF7ZeLoXdw/s1281/queen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVF9-vHnxODzVSmWWjZ4H7zz5FKB0azA2LHIhLiVLCmJ_Z2rDqriVWUkTUv8pKMwr6FoCUhBbeqAQY3yuStFvXwvZ9Hox7IsBsSjSeshI3M6iolfR2v_g4Sg8MnHNOJix1xHIF7ZeLoXdw/s320/queen1.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Real queens' lives were chained to womanly duties and a future hinged on producing a male heir. So, writers of fictional queens probably don't want to follow the real-life rule book. Here are ten things a bad-ass queen does:</p><p>1.<span style="color: #800180;">POLITICAL NAVIGATOR: </span>Diplomacy. Monarchs deal with ambassadors and emissaries from other lands, as well as local leaders, guild lords, and the common people.</p><p>2.<span style="color: #800180;">COMMANDER OF ARMED FORCES:</span> She doesn't have to actually lead an army into battle, but she should know tactics, geography, strategies. Keep in mind she'll also have fleets, whether on the sea or in the air. (You know, airships).</p><p>3.<span style="color: #800180;">PROTECTOR OF THE PEOPLE: </span>She's the one in charge of disputes, local and foreign. Her word is law, unless she has a body of fellow politicians to advise her. Or keep her in check.</p><p>4.<span style="color: #800180;">HEAD OF STATE: </span>The Law. The queen decides who goes to prison. Who is executed or released. What laws are passed.</p><p>5.<span style="color: #800180;">MISTRESS OF SPIES: </span>The spymaster should report to her. Your queen can also be a conniving force if she is wed to a king and mingles with other royals, which brings us to . . .</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5tCoLkLGN27KZtlpz3u4E8vXrfmhDnlDugRbXEhv1EtCuZJHenAz9OGCaL4C_UQxPCnoErIz-JDi0cqWvyXdgNtRprLJ8g-1_SGIDqgFOOnYhCAwqX3GVElqebXtNR7U6p6k0gU5U-HF/s1140/queen2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="874" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu5tCoLkLGN27KZtlpz3u4E8vXrfmhDnlDugRbXEhv1EtCuZJHenAz9OGCaL4C_UQxPCnoErIz-JDi0cqWvyXdgNtRprLJ8g-1_SGIDqgFOOnYhCAwqX3GVElqebXtNR7U6p6k0gU5U-HF/s320/queen2.jpg" /></a></div><p>6<span style="color: #800180;">.SOCIAL BUTTERFLY:</span> She'll attend events that will solidify alliances. Balls and celebrations. She'll circulate only with those she's interested in. She can love this role or dread it.</p><p>7.<span style="color: #800180;">SPIRITUAL FIGUREHEAD: </span>Whatever religion is most prevalent in the realm--that'll be hers. She should be attending church/stepping into temples/performing rituals in the forest. She doesn't need to keep her spirituality a secret unless you want her to.</p><p>8.<span style="color: #800180;">FASHIONISTA: </span>She'll be inspiring fashions. So will her companions. Even kings are considered fashion plates, with the court echoing their rulers' wardrobes.</p><p>9.<span style="color: #800180;">MISTRESS OF THE HOUSEHOLD:</span> Mostly, your queen will be in charge of the staff who run the staff. But she'll know where all the secret places are, the hidden passages, concealed rooms, and oubliettes.</p><p>10.<span style="color: #800180;">SPORTSWOMAN:</span> Horseback riding, croquet, tennis, hunting. Whatever gets a queen out of the castle.</p><p>So give your fictional queen her duties. Present her with obstacles and goals that will enrich her character and drive the plot.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-65131929534509081342020-11-08T15:32:00.000-08:002020-11-08T15:32:01.406-08:0010 DYNAMICS OF CHARACTER<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7XdTo2i_T00ZKci4Tpm2UnU1DLmo7Q4PGHmTURA_JwKulCmYy3-O8Ukj10Or9xwRbTyb1Yw0wJ-4-LipSGFoViw2_dX4fdHZrzVYuAbdKTLylNUZoTnVgu_15vgvolO6jfZHW1RgPEvy/s878/write3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="878" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7XdTo2i_T00ZKci4Tpm2UnU1DLmo7Q4PGHmTURA_JwKulCmYy3-O8Ukj10Or9xwRbTyb1Yw0wJ-4-LipSGFoViw2_dX4fdHZrzVYuAbdKTLylNUZoTnVgu_15vgvolO6jfZHW1RgPEvy/w200-h141/write3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <div>I find these 10 rules helpful when I'm creating characters. Even if I don't use half the stuff that I journal, having these little bits and pieces helps with plot development, as well as character development.<br /><p></p><p>1.<b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">HOBBIES</span></b>: What does you character like to do in their idle time? Study butterflies? Play Scrabble? Listen to obscure music? Collect mouse skeletons? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gOl1yymVuM363ACPTcw9gVQhyphenhyphenwas4URqPo2bRWke_7dM83MS6bkY5PlxdQWMVtMR_LJlSrdgJnEhG3BtXZSwCngm4eKRdC1jJ2R9kgpzVV0yxJxmIMaeRcApwHoGTuXfP5Y-H17Jetv/s480/charac1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="373" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7gOl1yymVuM363ACPTcw9gVQhyphenhyphenwas4URqPo2bRWke_7dM83MS6bkY5PlxdQWMVtMR_LJlSrdgJnEhG3BtXZSwCngm4eKRdC1jJ2R9kgpzVV0yxJxmIMaeRcApwHoGTuXfP5Y-H17Jetv/w156-h200/charac1.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><p></p><p>2.<b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">HISTORY</span></b>: Scatter a few memories throughout. Preferably significant memories that made your character who they are. Landmarks that shaped them. Did her mom teach her how to use a Polaroid and now she's a photographer? Did he once run over a toad with his bicycle? On purpose? Accident? If, on purpose, he's a budding serial killer. If, by accident, maybe he becomes a herpetologist. Did she witness something terrible near a row of lilacs and now the fragrance of lilacs sends her into a downward spiral? </p><p>3.<b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">HABITS</span></b>: Gestures and dialogue. Does he use a certain slang? Does she scratch her nose when she's laying? Does he crochet while he's thinking over a case he's trying to solve? Give your character at least one habit out of type (but not too many, or they'll appear twitchy.)</p><p>4.<b><span style="color: #ff00fe;">DESIRES</span></b>: What the character wants. What do they yearn for? Does she want a beautiful cottage by the ocean? Does he want to rule a kingdom on Mars? Does she dream of becoming an author of a mythical atlas? It has to be something that will change their lives. Something they're willing to sacrifice everything for.</p><p>5.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>ACTIONS</b></span>: Is your character a hero or a villain? A trickster or an anti-hero? What path do you want this character to follow? Succeed or fail? Be solitary or have friends? His actions must always strive toward your ultimate goal for this character. She has to take action in every scene she's in. This ishow she carries the story, how she swims forward against the obstacles flung at her. She has to cross that bridge of teeth. He has to steal that rare book written by his grandfather.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_f1erFVx9g9Ol_f85aOdxaTUPXhP9491gX75c9WC9auwFFSLiXTyVxmGmYMNSxnBjwvx6oPRFCT4DuWokARm1XxEqep4JzxxVQP8EDm3httBySrtvPqUTDspMjS0HKWveozH-8eWSscx/s464/charac4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="424" data-original-width="464" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_f1erFVx9g9Ol_f85aOdxaTUPXhP9491gX75c9WC9auwFFSLiXTyVxmGmYMNSxnBjwvx6oPRFCT4DuWokARm1XxEqep4JzxxVQP8EDm3httBySrtvPqUTDspMjS0HKWveozH-8eWSscx/w200-h183/charac4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p>6.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>LIKES</b></span>: What are your character's favorite things? Mint jelly? Men in powdered wigs? <i>Charlotte's Web? </i>Peacock blue lipstick? Give them likes and dislikes.</p><p>7.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>ECCENTRICITIES</b></span>: Strange habits, weird thoughts, odd things that have happened to your character throughout their history. He only reads leather bound books. She picks her teeth with peacock quills.</p><p>8.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>SECRETS</b></span>: Everyone loves a good secret. It doesn't always have to be a tragic one. But a character's secret can result in a grand betrayal or an unexpected alliance. He lived in a haunted house when he was young. She grows poison plants. He's a doppelganger searching for his missing original.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMzB6_y98TtLn65tHvlTqScfI5TBSVf-1-ZjAGP4YsAFzK6SBG4E83sZnWgydKx0365o-h493mgQXbeMV83abeevYGzOrSrh4TyGDRVbwDKHWLxEVfLorrEAR55v4Z72K1cL750l3JvZD/s460/charac2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="388" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrMzB6_y98TtLn65tHvlTqScfI5TBSVf-1-ZjAGP4YsAFzK6SBG4E83sZnWgydKx0365o-h493mgQXbeMV83abeevYGzOrSrh4TyGDRVbwDKHWLxEVfLorrEAR55v4Z72K1cL750l3JvZD/w169-h200/charac2.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><p>9.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>OBJECTS/CLOTHING: </b></span>What they own. What they like to wear. Set decoration. A Margaret Keane painting of one of those big-eyed kids. A maple leaf with a name inked on it in gold. A corset embroidered with blue doves. A <i>naga</i>-handled <i>kris </i>dagger.</p><p>10.<span style="color: #ff00fe;"><b>FAMILY/FRIENDS:</b> </span>The people who surround your character. Your character's support system. These can be actual family and found family, who are usually friends. They can follow the roles of advisors, allies, adversaries, troublemakers, comrades-in-arms, sibling substitutes, parent substitutes, etc; These are the people who reflect your character's strengths and weaknesses.</p></div>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-90311745989747858542020-10-19T14:09:00.003-07:002020-10-19T14:13:32.467-07:0010 Scary Books Halloween 2020<p>I've included some classics, non-fiction,YA, mystery, and dark fantasy for this year's Halloween Reads Post:)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41rS6-HoutL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41rS6-HoutL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><p><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>1.The White People and Other Stories </b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b>by Arthur Machen</b></span></p><p>A classic of eerie horror. The title story is told to one man by another, and concerns a green book, the journal of a girl whose nanny had a connection with malevolent spirit folk. That nanny's influence might have sent the girl spiraling into madness. The Great God Pan is another disturbing tale with lovely bits of mythic darkness.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">2.The Call by Peadar O'Guilin</span></b></p><p>This was YA horror? Set in contemporary Ireland, it's a Hunger Games with Very Bad Faery Folk, the type that make living skin suits out of the teenagers they hunt for five minutes in faeryland. If you survive, you win. Very few survive. Death is preferable.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">3.The World of Lore: Dreadful Places by Aaron Mahnke</span></b></p><p>An entertaining collection of urban legends and haunted places examined by Mahnke, whose podcast of the same name is also fascinating. There are two other books in this collection--Wicked Mortals and Monstrous Creatures.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WhrTdmFHL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WhrTdmFHL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">4.Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter</span></b></p><p>Ksenia has to save her foster sibling Josh from Prince and his tribe, glamorous creatures disguised as teenagers, who lure young people into a mirror world to feed off of their emotions. Ksenia plays along with these soul-sucking creatures until she can find a way out--and the sacrifice she must make is heartbreaking. Also, the never-contented things are creepy.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">5.Coldheart Canyon by Clive Barker</span></b></p><p>An action star's plastic surgery leaves him disfigured, so he isolates himself by purchasing a mansion once owned by a Romanian actress who may have been a witch. He soon learns she and her disciples never left. The ghosts are disturbing, a crossbreeding of the phantoms of Hollywoood stars and the wraiths of a menagerie of exotic beasts kept by the witch.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">6.Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo</span></b></p><p>Alex is given a free ride to Yale University because she can see the dead. She becomes an apprentice to Darlington, the young man who teaches her the ways of Lethe House, which polices the Houses of the Veil--the secret societies like Skull and Bones, who actually practice magic. The ghosts are terrifying, as is Alex's stumbling alone through this world when she loses Darlington.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51M8r4Vht2L._SX300_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="302" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51M8r4Vht2L._SX300_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="121" /></a></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">7.HeartBeast by Tanith Lee</span></b></p><p>A werewolf story. Like all of Lee's writing, it's strange, lyrical, elegant, and brutal. Daniel, a beautiful young adventurer, becomes the victim of a horrific curse while traveling the world in what seems to be the early 19th century. and then he comes home . . . Striking imagery and fascinating characters.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">8.A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay</span></b></p><p>A reality show is following a teenager who is soon to be exorcised. The events are told in flashback by her sister, now a writer haunted by what took place. It's a chilling and absolutely disturbing story of what might be a demonic possession or horrific episodes of schizophrenia.</p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">9.In The Woods by Tana French</span></b></p><p>A pair of Irish detectives investigate the terrible murder of a young girl in the woods--the same woods where one of the detectives, as a child, became lost with two of his friends. He was the only one who returned. His friends were never found. and he has chilling flashbacks of an antlered man. Saturated with bits of what could potentially be supernatural--or not--it's a story of a damaged man determined to find justice for a murdered child.</p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gbjcfQtvL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="329" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51gbjcfQtvL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="132" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">10.The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan</span></b></p><p>A contemporary dark fairy tale/ghost story about a young woman named India, who suffers from schizophrenia, and whose relationship with a mysterious hitchhiker--who might be either a werewolf or a mermaid--leads to tragedy for one, and healing for the other</p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-43859353246810227352020-09-13T15:43:00.001-07:002020-10-15T19:44:09.605-07:0010 Classics That Aren't Boring<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51TlQH7kaaL._SX307_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="309" height="255" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51TlQH7kaaL._SX307_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b>Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte</b></p><p>Poor girl tells off rich gentleman. rich gentleman is brooding and has a dark secret. Jane is fierce. Rochester is a moody playboy. It's a Gothic tale with lovely dialogue that sizzles with innuendo. Jane Eyre herself is a changeling creature, challenging Rochester's dominion.</p><p><b>The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas</b></p><p>A gorgeous rendering of historical France. It's the swashbuckling tale of young d'Artagnan, who wishes to join the Musketeers, an elite group of guardsmen. The Three Musketeers are noble rogues. The villain is unforgettable--Milady de Winter. Though an aristocrat, Dumas's grandmother was an enslaved woman of African descent, and he served in the military, which lends this tale an interesting history.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61eIUn0Uo4L._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="321" height="255" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61eIUn0Uo4L._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="165" /></a></div><p><b>Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier</b></p><p>Mary Yellan is sent to live with her aunt. When she arrives at her aunt's inn,she meets her aunt's brutal husband and his young rogue of a brother, Jem. She realizes her uncle is in charge of a gang of wreckers, who deliberately cause shipwrecks to drown and rob the crew. Things get grimly Gothic from there.</p><p><b>Frankenstein by Mary Shelley</b></p><p>Perhaps one of the first horror tales written by a woman. the monster, a reanimated corpse, is described by his creator, Doctor Frankenstein, as beautiful--before the monster escapes into the world to wreak havoc because he's bitter about being rejected by his young creator. Some scenes from the monster's POV are terrifying.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51G1YwZKWxL._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="341" height="255" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51G1YwZKWxL._SX339_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><p><b>A House in the Country by Jose Donoso</b></p><p>The Venturas are a wealthy South American family whose lives are touched with elements of magic realism. The adults are distant. The children are the main characters and exist in a realm of their own, one that disturbingly mirrors that of the adults. they are oppressed by the brutal, cruel servants. It's a political allegory, but also a beautifully written tale, where even dandelion fluff becomes sinister.</p><p><b>Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte</b></p><p>A Gothic romance set on the British moors, a ghost story as well. Heathcliff is fascinating at first, described as a changeling when he's brought to live with young Catherine Earnshaw's family. they grow up together, but Catherine becomes less fey, and more drawn to the real world, as Heathcliff twists into someone monstrous due to mistreatment and bitterness. It's a tale scattered with bits of the supernatural.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/413UnPgvWYL._SX323_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="325" height="255" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/413UnPgvWYL._SX323_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison</b></p><p>A surreal fable about Macon Dead, a young man growing up amidst an eccentric cast of characters with fabulous names (First Corinthians, Guitar, Hagar). Macon 'Milkman' searches for identity and his longing to fly is symbolic of his life.</p><p><b>The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea by Yukio Mishima</b></p><p>A disturbing tale with gorgeous prose, the story follows the intelligent, but delinquent teen Noboru in the early 1960s and his obsession with his elegant mother's sailor boyfriend. The themes of honor and glory provoke a downward spiral for the teen protagonist and a grim fate for the sailor.</p><p><b>Great Expectations by Charles Dickens</b></p><p>With a young hero named Pip attempting to succeed in grim Victorian London, and Estella, a girl raised by a bitter woman left at the altar (a girl raised solely to destroy boys), this is a coming of age fairy tale with a cast of eccentric characters, told from the hero's POV.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NQ8gw5ieL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NQ8gw5ieL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><b>One Thousand and One Nights (Various translations)</b></p><p>A lovely collection of Middle Eastern fairy tales (any edition illustrated by Maxfield Parrish is a must-have). The framing device concerns Scheherazade, the bride of a ruler who kills his wives. She's attempting to distract him to hold off her death by telling stories. This is the origin of Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad the sailor, among others. It's also a great example of foreshadowing and thematic patterning, a story within a story.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-22559494794888820232020-08-18T14:54:00.000-07:002020-08-18T14:54:28.852-07:0010 Television Fantasy Series Characters You Need to Meet (2020)<p><b>Emma Larsimon </b>(Marianne) A horror writer who returns to her hometown which is being haunted by her creation, a malevolent witch. Brave and flawed, Emma is uniquely French, and was once a teen troublemaker. </p><p><b>Wei Wuxian</b> (Untamed) A rule-breaker in an immaculate society of magical cultivators, he's a trickster on his way to becoming a dark anti-hero.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.refinery29.com/images/9255703.jpg?format=webp&width=720&height=480&quality=85" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="246" src="https://www.refinery29.com/images/9255703.jpg?format=webp&width=720&height=480&quality=85" width="369" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>Rosa Steenwijk </b>(Ares). Shes a biracial young woman with a chip on her shoulder, who might throw away her humanity to be among the wealthy elite in a secret society.</p><p><b>Ava Silva </b>(Warrior Nun) An orphaned girl raised from the dead, she definitely has that Buffy vibe, European style.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/d8/images/methode/2020/06/04/fda2a75c-a4ac-11ea-8ea0-d7434be00753_image_hires_123001.jpg?itok=ilyGbooD&v=1591245006" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="262" src="https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1200x800/public/d8/images/methode/2020/06/04/fda2a75c-a4ac-11ea-8ea0-d7434be00753_image_hires_123001.jpg?itok=ilyGbooD&v=1591245006" width="393" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>Jo Yeong </b>(The King: Eternal Monarch) He's the captain of the king's guard, his unbreakable sword, loyal to a fault, stoic and movie-star glam, a stern demeanor only made more charming when he meets his goofy doppelganger in a mirror world.</p><p><b>Anansi</b> (American Gods) A tempestuous trickster god who speaks with an angry poetry and dresses like a vaudevillian gentleman. He speaks the funniest lines and the harshest truths.</p><p><b>Klaus Hargreeves </b>(The Umbrella Academy) A walking id with a heart of gold, he has a serious power--he can see and speak with the dead. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cursed-daniel-sharman-weeping-monk.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646&h=431&crop=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="646" height="276" src="https://decider.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cursed-daniel-sharman-weeping-monk.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646&h=431&crop=1" width="414" /></a></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>The Weeping Monk</b> (Cursed) Brooding and on the wrong side of the narrative, he's a mystery shrouded in a hood and hunting down faery folk.</p><p><b>Mrs. Coulter</b> (His Dark Materials) Her familiar is a golden ape. Despite her sophistication, she has a feral side that is terrifying when she's angry.</p><p><b>Yennifer </b>(the Witcher) A sorceress whose rise to mercenary is brutal but fascinating, the facets of her character both strong and compassionate.</p><p><br /></p><p>(Images courtesy of Netflix)</p><p><br /></p>black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-67597977618472633432019-12-30T09:35:00.002-08:002019-12-30T09:35:31.706-08:00ENSEMBLE CASTSA group of heroes on a quest. A gang of young criminals preparing to pull off a heist. A circle of friends confronted by a horrifying evil. A family discovering secrets either devastating or delightful. A gathering of suspects, one of whom committed a murder.<br />
For a writer, an ensemble cast is a challenge (and a whole lot of fun). Depending on the genre, the characters can be quick, eccentric sketches or fully developed. Ensembles are no easy feat. You don't want an upstart in the ensemble to usurp the protagonist or the antagonist. They serve as mirrors. A protagonist surrounded by fully realized characters who offer another view of your hero (or villain), actually make primary characters shine, bring out the best (or worst) in them, reflect strengths and weaknesses.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlLOYzfLlUk-bvhyphenhyphen91DRfgdp_eCGZu6BiwvYQp1aDPFA8tp9-3R39Jc3DGorhqtQ3JYidP-j8Fl8FyKNzZLOCZSUTeUCVzXfPU_UmLKR-KVc4vVEOVdMel7cz2_GItUQa7f1chPsWemHz/s1600/Faeone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="853" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlLOYzfLlUk-bvhyphenhyphen91DRfgdp_eCGZu6BiwvYQp1aDPFA8tp9-3R39Jc3DGorhqtQ3JYidP-j8Fl8FyKNzZLOCZSUTeUCVzXfPU_UmLKR-KVc4vVEOVdMel7cz2_GItUQa7f1chPsWemHz/s320/Faeone.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A collection of characters shouldn't be a challenge to the reader, but a fabulous discovery. An ensemble is a breeding ground for amusing or heartbreaking conflict, shattering betrayals, astonishing reversals, secrets, love, hate. While the reader must be invested in your main character (so make them interesting, the one who experiences most of the above), an even divide of attention for the cast is acceptable, as long as there aren't too many people. Each cast member should have a story arc that gracefully syncs with the protagonist's.<br />
Back stories are fun ways to keep characters interesting. Even though you probably won't use half of what you invent for your ensemble, a back story creates a unique person and can even trigger key elements in your plot. I keep a journal for every book I write, and fill it with place names, turns of phrase, sketches, character stories, letters, biographies, etc;<br />
For fantasy writers, ensembles turn us into ringmasters, because we really need to keep the three-ring acts moving and not let anyone outshine the main character. Tolkien's <i>Lord of the Rings</i> is a classic combo of characters, all with grudges against each other and back stories that are legendary because they're all connected to legends. Each of Leigh Bardugo's <i>Six of Crows</i> criminal gang has a story that explains how they've been damaged in some fashion at such young ages. And <i>Game of Thrones</i> has kings and queens, upstarts and commoners, all battling one another for one thing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QT83zjfpmgkH5LEZ7HX1qrQAZpWQ2Gut5USH-PKm8noy_3_sZnegl9rSv7hX4CwTZf79WdNuszttChHI3ccHXuNPkTSt5ycImvLyhxJTF5IDWGE_5xbBbJR1zbIQopBqWcXbSOSF8_Rr/s1600/JDuncan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1286" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QT83zjfpmgkH5LEZ7HX1qrQAZpWQ2Gut5USH-PKm8noy_3_sZnegl9rSv7hX4CwTZf79WdNuszttChHI3ccHXuNPkTSt5ycImvLyhxJTF5IDWGE_5xbBbJR1zbIQopBqWcXbSOSF8_Rr/s320/JDuncan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Everyone considers themselves the hero of the saga.<br />
There are other ensemble tropes: A group of friends are confronted by evil, usually in the form of a monster. Stephen King's collection of friends in <i>It,</i> for instance, grow up with psychological trauma caused by the monster and their own childhoods. The Pevensey family from C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia have the horrors of World War II to deal with before they step into a fantasy world where they each follow their own path. The Narnia books can also be considered a family ensemble. This trope plays out in mystery stories and in horror, as well, when a family has to deal with secrets and betrayals that will end them or make them stronger.<br />
Combining ensemble tropes is popular in fantasy. A murder mystery and a fantasy? Jay Kristoff's <i>NeverNight, </i>set at a school for young assassins, or Seanan Mcguire's <i>Every Heart a Doorway,</i> which takes place at an academy for young people who've been to other worlds, are fantastic examples of mixing ensemble tropes. Horror fantasy? Stephen King's Dark Tower series has horror elements surrounding a fabulous cast on a fantastical quest. And Barbara Hambly's Time of the Dark series has two people finding themselves in a different world, surrounded by a cast of characters at war with one another and Alien-like horrors.<br />
<br />
What does an ensemble cast offer?<br />
1) Diverse personalities to bring out unique elements in your main character or antagonist<br />
2) Individual character arcs that help drive plot<br />
3) Complications/help sources for the protagonist<br />
4) More characters to root for. (Or fear).<br />
5) A bounty of secrets, betrayals, love, humor.<br />
6) Other characters who see the protagonist in different ways and help to make the hero more three-dimensional.<br />
<br />
Ensembles are a fantastic way to create a complex world for your main character, keeping you from stereotypes and cardboard settings.black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-29453318033974039402019-10-29T09:58:00.002-07:002019-10-29T09:58:22.760-07:0010 Favorite Scary Books 2019<br />
<br />
<b>Night Film </b>by Marisha Pessl<br />
<br />
A horror film director's daughter suicides and a young journalist tries to figure out why, accompanied by 2 quirky proteges. Did something supernatural occur? Or was it just weird reality?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51bFcFdLxpL._SX360_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="362" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51bFcFdLxpL._SX360_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
<b>Sawkill Girls</b> by Claire Legrand<br />
What do you get when you cross Buffy the Vampire Slayer with The Babadook? This awesome LGBTQ horror novel with a twist.<br />
<br />
<b>Frankenstein</b> by Mary Shelley<br />
I just reread this and forgot how creepy and beautiful a story it is, with Frankenstein's monster a figure of tragic neglect.<br />
<br />
<b>The Creeping </b>by Alexandra Sirowy<br />
A scary, contemporary tale about a once popular girl who has undergone a childhood trauma in the woods and a geeky boy who's one of the most likable boy-as-a-friend-becomes-a-romance I've ever read.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Lwy1QGGjL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="334" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61Lwy1QGGjL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>The Good Demon</b> by Jimmy Cajoleas<br />
Chilling story of a teen girl's isolation in a southern town. The demon isn't as demonic as what waits at the heart of the woods in this creepy, atmospheric tale.<br />
<br />
<b>The House</b> by Christina Lauren<br />
A possessive house raises an orphaned boy. Then a girl comes along and the house gets jealous. And whatever it is, it can effect her even when she's not there.<br />
<br />
<b>Alabaster</b> by Caitlin R. Kiernan<br />
A tough, mysterious girl fights disturbing monsters in this anthology by a master of horror.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GQQEFVSTL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="303" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GQQEFVSTL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
<b>Reigning Cats and Dogs </b>by Tanith Lee<br />
Steampunk horror, with a romance between two young people trapped in a Victorian life of drudgery, elevated when each becomes possessed by the Egyptian gods Bastet and Anubis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Casquette Girls </b>by Alys Arden<br />
A unique and entertaining vampire story set in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. The heroine and her friends are likable, the vampires gorgeous and scary.<br />
<br />
<b>The Stress of Her Regard </b>by Tim Powers<br />
Weird and intriguing. Percy Shelley and other poets are persecuted by a terrifying muse who is actually a monster form ancient mythology. Original and astonishing.<br />
<br />
<b>The Vampire Lestat </b>by Anne Rice<br />
A lyrical, mythical, and horrifying story of vampires, starring a charming monster. Fascinating characters and historical settings.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61L1aFcVHTL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61L1aFcVHTL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>The Bloody Chamber </b>by Angela Carter<br />
An anthology of beautifully told, vivid tales of fairy tale horror.black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-88352146149695229712019-05-07T06:03:00.000-07:002019-05-07T06:03:39.024-07:0010 TERRIFYING CREATURES FROM CHILDREN'S LITERATUREWhile creating some monsters for my latest book, I thought about what terrified me, and most of what did were monsters from childhood stories. Here are some classics that gave me the willies.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ozwikia/images/6/66/45h.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20150813085239" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="300" height="200" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ozwikia/images/6/66/45h.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/300?cb=20150813085239" width="138" /></a></div>
<br />
The Wheelers (<i>Ozma of Oz</i> by L. Frank Baum)<br />
Half man, half bicycle, these nightmares make the flying monkeys look downright adorable in comparison. Watch the film <i>Return to Oz</i> if you have any desire to see these horrors in the flesh.<br />
<br />
Princess Langwidere (<i>Ozma of Oz</i> by L. Frank Baum)<br />
Yet another Oz creature, memorable because of her vain and psychotic desire to collect the heads of young girls to use as her own, a sort of mix-and-match. She kept the heads on shelves in her walk-in-closet. Like hats.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Scissor Man (German nursery rhyme)<br />
This vicious tailor is portrayed in some illustrated editions as an elongated, grinning fiend with scissor for hands. Beware, all thumbsuckers, Edward Scissorhands he is not.<br />
<br />
Jadis, The White Witch (<i>The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe</i> by C.S. Lewis)<br />
Seductive and icy (and played to perfection in the film by Tilda Swinton), this power-hungry witch is portrayed in one chilling illustration with a knife in one hand, preparing to stab Aslan the lion, bound and beaten and tied to a slab. I was nine when I opened this book for the first time to that illustration and hastily returned this book to the library shelf.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhDsUSehIwNJcWpXOGPSletnflWLu1TQqcL3hJ_xJrBgN_BSLhW4Hih573wyoANnjAlDhK9da0c7o5T1maryLgzDI4fOcEG7WvHXxeln1_c9PXYtggr3DDSI6c_6Q6_nkRGwux4J_50oG/s1600/tinker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="636" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhDsUSehIwNJcWpXOGPSletnflWLu1TQqcL3hJ_xJrBgN_BSLhW4Hih573wyoANnjAlDhK9da0c7o5T1maryLgzDI4fOcEG7WvHXxeln1_c9PXYtggr3DDSI6c_6Q6_nkRGwux4J_50oG/s200/tinker.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<br />
Tinkerbell (<i>Peter Pan</i> by J.M. Barrie)<br />
This tiny, pretty
fairy terrifying? She was a murderous, treacherous bit of jealousy who
tries to get the lost boys to kill Wendy and almost betrays Peter Pan. I
always imagined her with sharp teeth.<br />
<br />
Jabberwocky (<i>Through the Looking Glass </i>by Lewis Carroll)<br />
A nonsense poem about a monster read by Alice. John Tenniel's nightmarish illustration of this thing has it looking like a cross between a giant catfish and a frog, with big teeth and sharp claws. And it's wearing a vest.<br />
<br />
It (<i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> by Madeleine L'Engle)<br />
Okay, not the clown. Described as a giant, muscular brain, It is an intellect that only wants to rule and, if you've read the story, I'm sure you still fell a bit of unease whenever you see an anatomical model of a brain.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrPooOzHl__yMlJYjlIwaDnzQxf1xxV0cVa-6Q4fMlWj2elpsd8M8c-p0heuN0bZaZTypYifatjyF3KNmnUz9GBNOQS6pnE_YHHbMFdr4RdbG5kxy3a_q_e4vj6kvth3qpPewoOu18Ya3/s1600/littlemermaid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1004" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrPooOzHl__yMlJYjlIwaDnzQxf1xxV0cVa-6Q4fMlWj2elpsd8M8c-p0heuN0bZaZTypYifatjyF3KNmnUz9GBNOQS6pnE_YHHbMFdr4RdbG5kxy3a_q_e4vj6kvth3qpPewoOu18Ya3/s200/littlemermaid.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
<br />
The Sea Witch (<i>The Little Mermaid</i> by Hands Christian Andersen)<br />
slimy polypi, grass snakes,toads, and large, swampy breasts are the terms used to describe this hideous witch of the sea, who cruelly fools a little mermaid into giving up her voice and eventually her life.<br />
<br />
Shlamoofs (<i>The Neverending Story </i>by Michael Ende)<br />
Butterfly clowns. Yes. Butterfly clowns. comical, yet terrifying, as is the case with most clowns, and adding butterfly wings doesn't making them any less skincrawly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIJlwYQl8Eg_Qu-YWubjLfwBsHGcwboiYERnVAgXROd_qM7b-SH9Lzm9VIUZPg7ZE_4_1g1-lCLW-nvCCOPiPbiTggxIL1ndqbsRU2WQ9IB7u6RJKRaNsasWe5BnY-rPB_tVv4EeBhMcF/s1600/gollum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="449" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIJlwYQl8Eg_Qu-YWubjLfwBsHGcwboiYERnVAgXROd_qM7b-SH9Lzm9VIUZPg7ZE_4_1g1-lCLW-nvCCOPiPbiTggxIL1ndqbsRU2WQ9IB7u6RJKRaNsasWe5BnY-rPB_tVv4EeBhMcF/s200/gollum.jpg" width="113" /></a></div>
<br />
Gollum (<i>The Hobbit</i> by J.R.R. Tolkien)<br />
Grotesque, vicious, pathetic, insane, he is the creep in the dark.<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
And that's it, boy sand girls. what do you remember as terrifying in <i>your</i> storybooks?<br />
<br />
black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-26468635007422283982018-07-20T08:48:00.001-07:002018-07-20T08:50:18.112-07:00Quiet Heroines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_Kbmb6zSk6Iyzkf8sfWgF41T4h5Nh0Mg5j40Pn-86SGfp1DrXYa3x_ZurSLPZFwlzUgH2nrvELa3cU4RXycf3BLDJiVOWZsVOUpT7A5kByeVOw0DV_dIdw_ZHKgvY8cDcGzHTBbHEZbv/s1600/bookcross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="888" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_Kbmb6zSk6Iyzkf8sfWgF41T4h5Nh0Mg5j40Pn-86SGfp1DrXYa3x_ZurSLPZFwlzUgH2nrvELa3cU4RXycf3BLDJiVOWZsVOUpT7A5kByeVOw0DV_dIdw_ZHKgvY8cDcGzHTBbHEZbv/s320/bookcross.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
<br />
Among the ranks of kick-ass heroines armed with martial arts, swords, and revolvers are the women and girls who are descendants of Jane Austen's female protagonists and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Like Nancy Drew, they use smarts, and, like Alice in Wonderland, they use curiosity to negotiate their stories.<br />
Here are some of my favorite bookish heroines:<br />
<br />
<b>Ariane in <i>Moonwise </i>by Greer Ilene Gilman </b><br />
Set in the contemporary British Isles, this lyrical tale is about Ariane, a gawky girl who must navigate a faery-haunted woods nearby to rescue her best friend. Language is the primary weapon here, and it is used beautifully.<br />
<br />
<b>Kate in <i>The Perilous Gard</i> by Elizabeth Marie Pope</b><br />
In this Elizabethan fantasy, Kate, a handmaiden to the the exiled Princess Elizabeth, must use her wits to solve the mystery of a child's disappearance and rescue an arrogant boy she's reluctantly grown fond of from the faeries.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfC9xGxewK-_nsF70huHfGkRynEC10JhWhnzG9TODu-KvXP81filQEJznQO-HR0A1MwaQSDr6bE2r6BpC6O4E8CwyUupGidEQqXJo1ZZb3Z_AZy7RZF1fS7ND7M4VoOF_xQUG1vlo96bR/s1600/girlchair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfC9xGxewK-_nsF70huHfGkRynEC10JhWhnzG9TODu-KvXP81filQEJznQO-HR0A1MwaQSDr6bE2r6BpC6O4E8CwyUupGidEQqXJo1ZZb3Z_AZy7RZF1fS7ND7M4VoOF_xQUG1vlo96bR/s320/girlchair.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<b>Eddi in <i>War for the Oaks</i> by Emma Bull</b><br />
In contemporary Minneapolis, Eddi, a young musician, can see what she shouldn't. Like Kate, she must outwit the queen of an ancient race to save those she cares about.<br />
<br />
<b>Jenny Waynest in <i>Dragonbane</i> by Barbara Hambly</b><br />
This woman and mother is a half-taught mage and a female version of those wizards in fantasy novels. She is the center of the story, not her be-spectacled dragonslaying husband. Jenny finds another way to defeat a dragon.<br />
<br />
<b>Jane in <i>The Silver Metal Lover</i> by Tanith Lee</b><br />
In the future, sheltered Jane falls in love with a beautiful boy who happens to be an automaton. She must wage a futile battle against the establishment with a little help from her friends.<br />
<br />
<b>Wendy in <i>Winterlong </i>by Elizabeth Hand</b><br />
In yet another future, Wendy, struggling with mental illness, makes her way across a broken chemical-damaged landscape, seeking her possessed twin brother. Her only weapon is her intellect and the poison within her.<br />
<br />
<b>Blue in <i>The Raven Boys </i>series by Maggie Stiefvater</b><br />
Young Blue is a thoughtful, introverted girl raised by witchy women. Her friends are a group of unique boys. It is Blue who holds them together so none of them face some truly nasty characters alone.<br />
<br />
While the quiet heroine might sometimes use magic or other special abilities, she rarely takes up arms. She uses her wits. Despite having a touch of the introvert, she establishes loyal friendships due to her curiosity and compassion for others. And, although it sometimes seems as if she'd rather curl up with a good book and a cup of tea, she will forge onward, against dragons, faery queens, and corrupt governments, fearless.<br />
black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-82879564900625204822018-03-25T08:47:00.002-07:002018-03-28T09:08:24.609-07:0011 Fantasy Books For Young AdultsHere are some excellent fantasy books that could be considered crossover YA. All of them our favorites of mine:)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GUoG1X%2BvL._SX303_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51GUoG1X%2BvL._SX303_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>The Silver Metal Lover </i>by Tanith Lee<br />
In a decadent future, a privileged girl falls in love with a beautiful boy, who happens to be a robot. A poignant tale about what makes a soul.<br />
<br />
<i>The Perilous Gard </i>by Elizabeth Marie Pope<br />
In Elizabethan England, a brave young woman must rescue a bitter young man from his suicidal pact with the faeries, depicted here as a strange, beautiful, and primitive race<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>A Darker Shade of Magic</i> by V.E. Schwab<br />
With its multi-dimensional Londons and trickster hero, Kell, this imaginative series has charismatic protagonists and intriguing villains. Lila is a friend to Kell and a thief to be reckoned with. Add to the mix a decadent prince who is Kell's friend and an inventive magical system.<br />
<br />
<i>Archon </i>by Sabrina Benulis<br />
A Gothic fantasy set in a college for witches in a rain-soaked future. Angels, demons, djinn, and rebel priests become problems for troubled student Angela Mathers, who must maneuver through a terrifying landscape to save her soul. For anyone who wondered what a Slytherin college might be like.<br />
<br />
<i>Rusalka</i> by C.J. Cherryh<br />
In old Russia, a young rogue named Pyetr is friends with Sasha, a young wizard. On the run, the two stay with an old wizard, and encounter a magical, perilous world. Most perilous is a strange girl who claims to be the wizard's daughter, who was murdered some time ago...A fabulous series based on Russian folk tales.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1287523762l/69169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="292" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1287523762l/69169.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Godstalk </i>by P.C. Hodgell<br />
An anti-heroine who is a trickster and a killer when she needs to be. Set in a haunted, Gothic, maze-like city, amidst a college of thieves, this is a dark fantasy with complex characters and friendships and a villain named Bane, who is both seductive and horrifying, and perhaps related to Jame. For anyone who liked Sarah Maas's <i>Throne of Glass</i> series.<br />
<br />
<i>The Hound and the Falcon </i>by Judith Tarr<br />
The Elf Alfred has been raised as monk and a young man, but must journey into the Medieval world of knights and holy wars. With an excellent blend of history and fantasy involving King Richard, the Fair Folk, and Constantinople, it's epic fantasy with a fascinating protagonist who has to make agonizing choices.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51O-UfStslL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="303" height="200" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51O-UfStslL._SX301_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Time of the Dark</i> by Barbara Hambly<br />
A scholarly young woman and a biker-gang young man from the wrong side of town are thrown into a Medieval, Game of Thrones world where survival is key. Their only guide is a tricky old wizard (one of the best wizards written). Gil and Rudy must negotiate feudal battles, a race of wizards, and terrifying, carnivorous creatures called The Dark.<br />
<br />
<i>Moonwise</i> by Greer Ilene Gilman<br />
Ariane and Sylvie are best friends. When Ariane arrives to visit her friend in the woods somewhere in contemporary Great Britain, she learns that Sylvie has been lured away into the otherworld by trickster folk. Ariane follows to retrieve her friend. With lush, almost Shakespearean prose, this is a tale to get lost in.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rlFBtZ5LL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51rlFBtZ5LL._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Maledicte </i>by Lane Robins<br />
Miranda is a thief who has traded her soul to a dark divinity so that she might rescue her lover. But not all is as it seems, including Miranda herself, who takes to disguising herself as a male aristocrat to negotiate the decadent court that might have corrupted the man she loves. And to exact her murderous revenge.<br />
<br />
<i>The Bordertown </i>series by Terri Windling and other authors<br />
An anthology of stories about a future where Faerie has returned and the border between Faerie and mortals has become an urban refuge for runaways seeking magic. With its punk elves, artists, musicians, and desperate kids, and a cast of eccentric regulars, this is a brilliant series. <br />
<br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-32542801660229095502018-03-04T10:23:00.002-08:002018-03-04T10:23:20.736-08:0011 YA Fantasy Books You Should Read (If You've Never Read YA Fantasy)If you think YA fantasy is all about supernatural love triangles and dystopian futures, you'd be doing yourself a disservice. There's some fine fantasy in the YA section. Here are 11 of my favorites:<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Raven Boys (Blue Lily, Lily Blue, The Dream Thieves, The Raven King) </b>series by Maggie Stiefvater<br />
Five young people are on a quest in the rural south for a legendary Welsh king. The adults are interesting and add layers to the teen characters. The villains are fantastic and wholly original. In fact, everything about this story is pretty much weird and original, the protagonists journeys both fun and poignant. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Hallowmere </b>series by Tiffany Trent<br />
Set during the 1800s in America after the Civil War, this fantasy is about a group of young women who have been targeted by the malevolent faery folk. The faery prince, the villain, is seductive and terrifying, not the typical romantic antagonist. Each book features a different heroine and her struggle against these creatures. Unfortunately, this series was cut short by its publisher, but there are still 6 books: <b>In the Serpent's Coils, By Venom's Sweet Sting, Between Golden Jaws, Maiden of the Wolf, Queen of the Masquerade, and Oracle of the Morrigan.</b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XDGAP8E2L._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XDGAP8E2L._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Servants of the Storm </b>by Delilah S. Dawson<br />
Truly creepy and set in the contemporary south after a hurricane--which turns out to be a horrifying entity served by demons and other monsters that creep about in the ruined city. The heroine tries to save a dead friend's soul while discovering this underworld with another friend and a charming boy with a sinister secret.<br />
<br />
<b>The Golden Compass </b>by Phillip Pullman<br />
A race of good witches, martial and intelligent polar bears, animal familiars, and a tough young heroine and a hero who sacrifices for her make this an original fantasy for all ages.<br />
<br />
<b>Daughter of Smoke and Bone</b> by Laini Taylor<br />
A romance between an angel and a demon, but not what you think. The angels are a martial race who have tried to conquer what they feel as the inferior people--the Chimerae. Karou is a young woman living in Prague, raised by benevolent, if monstrous, Chimerae. When she meets Akiva, the angel, an ancient connection is revealed between them.<br />
<br />
<b>Tales of Beauty and Madness (Nameless, Wayfarer, Kin)</b> by Lili St. Crow<br />
There are darker shades of Once Upon a time in this fantasy series set in a contemporary world that has seen a magical apocalypse. The series is about a friendship between three girls who are Cinderella, Snow White, and Red Riding Hood. Yes, there are boys, but they don't matter as much as the girls' fierce support of one another.<br />
<br />
<b>The Winter Prince</b> by Elizabeth E. Wein<br />
A different and disturbing take on King Arthur, centering around Medraut, King Artos's eldest bastard son. His half-brother, Lleu, is their father's favorite. Artos's sister--Medraut's mother--is a truly unsettling villain. Themes of abuse and twisted family dynamics add new dimension to this myth, made all the darker because it's told from the anti-hero Medraut's point-of-view.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XkX98dC6L._SX359_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="361" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51XkX98dC6L._SX359_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>White Cat </b>by Holly Black<br />
Cassiel is a curse worker,a young man in this contemporary fantasy who lives, gypsy-like, in an alternative world of almost gangster-like magic. Curse work has some truly horrifying consequences and Cassiel might have to betray his family to save a girl he loves.<br />
<br />
<b>The Dark Angel</b> Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce<br />
Set in another world, on the moon, this strange and beautiful fantasy is about a girl named Aeriel who is stolen away, with her beautiful best friend, by one of the feared dark angels--heartless and lovely creatures who steal human girls to make their wives. He takes Aeriel as his servant because she isn't beautiful. His wives are all phantoms--he's a vampire. but Aeriel learns he's also captive to an evil witch.<br />
<br />
<b>The Silver Kiss </b>by Annette Curtis Klause<br />
Zoe is losing her mother to cancer. She's targeted by a feral and strange young man named Simon--whose enemy, a creature that pretends to be an innocent little boy, stalks him. It's an exquisite tale of defeating monsters and an acceptance of what it means to live and let go of those you love.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51iSWw2rpOL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51iSWw2rpOL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Six of Crows</b> by Leigh Bardugo<br />
This has shades of steampunk, set in a sort of Victorian world with shades of a Vermeer painting, with a dark anti-hero not expected in YA. Kaz is a teenage crime lord who must assemble a crew of young criminals to pull off a heist that might be impossible. Each character has a stake in this heist and failure means something different to each of them. The best scenes are when the young criminals are together, at odds, or saving one another.<br />
<br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-21585762598273991612017-12-04T09:36:00.001-08:002017-12-04T09:36:19.022-08:00WHY THE LURE OF FAERIE IS AGELESS<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASkMAwQyNRaKhlUsPJcUIgTfs0U5VXu67FjpzZfxDwYR9-yhzWH2cUdrgZ5LuTl0MZtrRpl_wfdopT2h0IPUG-mP693cp-YVH-qFHFe9-jfFSF5EgS3T1ztvpILm4KSybjl1I7n3lDjK/s1600/JDuncan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1286" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuASkMAwQyNRaKhlUsPJcUIgTfs0U5VXu67FjpzZfxDwYR9-yhzWH2cUdrgZ5LuTl0MZtrRpl_wfdopT2h0IPUG-mP693cp-YVH-qFHFe9-jfFSF5EgS3T1ztvpILm4KSybjl1I7n3lDjK/s320/JDuncan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Faeries were once called the Good Neighbors, the Hidden Folk, the Kindly Ones, the Strangers,the Gentry.<br />
Fascination with these liminal beings who take the shapes of our fears, our desires, and our whims resurfaces on occasion. The glamour and enchantment of faerie has been alluded to in fashion by designers such as Alexander McQueen and Dolce and Gabbana; in cosmetic brands ELF and Pixi. Faery wedding dresses are available. Faeries are a popular theme for children's parties and toys. Faerie has gone commercial with the artists Alan Lee, Jasmine Becket Griffith, Amy Brown, and the Frouds, who have created an entire faery universe all their own.<br />
The original faeries were not so tame. They were a terrifying race who mingled with the dead, strange and dangerous demons featured in ballads and folk tales such as 'Tam Lin,' 'Isabella and the Elfin Knight,' and 'Long Lankin.' In Celtic and Scandinavian mythology, they were the <i>Tuatha de Danaan </i>and the Alfar, people close to gods. Before electricity, they were considered creatures of the night, of dusk and dawn, beings to be feared--a common Irish cant against the faeries used to be 'May their backs be towards us, their faces turned away from us, and may God save us from harm.'<br />
The faeries first revival occurred during the Elizabethan era, with Edmund Spenser's poem, 'The Faerie Queene,' a lengthy satire inspired by Queen Elizabeth and her court. And references to the faery folk are scattered throughout William Shakespeare's plays. The faeries are represented by the ethereal Ariel and the bestial Caliban in <i>The Tempest,</i> and, not only are they given center stage in <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream,</i> but emotions to rival those of the mortals who fascinate them.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbK7S_gY6c0tnTxPnl6JR44Ai5pcRo8DfIhJYo75QMTp5rbR4tkD-grkXLPty8txMsHhLNgrA8svD6Isq3aXOkwiHiclxShwVDVP2Jkv-slD9vkFT-HH9JeV6yM6-lxUpfvPjrQXJxE3XB/s1600/faerone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbK7S_gY6c0tnTxPnl6JR44Ai5pcRo8DfIhJYo75QMTp5rbR4tkD-grkXLPty8txMsHhLNgrA8svD6Isq3aXOkwiHiclxShwVDVP2Jkv-slD9vkFT-HH9JeV6yM6-lxUpfvPjrQXJxE3XB/s320/faerone.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
The rendering of faeries as dangerous and seductive became the model in Victorian art and poetry. At the time, poetry was experiencing a Romantic period. 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' by John Keats and Christina Rossetti's 'Goblin Market' became popular. Pre-Raphaelite artists such as John William Waterhouse depicted the faeries as beautiful women who haunted watery places and dusky woods. In John Duncan's works, they were the elegant <i>Tuatha de Danaan.</i> Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham illustrated the faeries as either luminous ladies or grotesque creatures. Yet, at the same time, faeries also became tiny winged elements of nature, harmless and playful, a metamorphosis that influenced the famous fake Cottingley photographs that so bewitched Artur Conan Doyle.<br />
The early 1900s in Ireland produced the Celtic Renaissance led by the poet William Butler Yeats. While faeries appeared in poems and collections of folk tales, they were once again sinister, borderline entities with mysterious agendas, not anything one would want to encounter on the road home. <i>Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland </i>(1920) by Yeats's friend Lady Gregory is a fascinating collection of such faery encounters.<br />
The faeries re-emerged during the Sixties, appropriately during the Flower Power/Hippie era, as the Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien's <i>Lord of the Rings.</i> Resembling the Scandinavian Alfar and the divine <i>Tuatha de Danaan</i> of Celtic lore, these Elves, for all their strangeness, battled, loved, and grieved. And, in the end, unlike Faerie, they departed the mortal world forever.<br />
Yet another unlikely faerie Renaissance took place during the decade of New Wave and Preppy. Urban faeries were born in the rapidly expanding fantasy fiction genre of the 80s, most prominently in Charles de Lint's Newford series, where Celtic and Native American faeries vied for the attention of humans. Emma Bull's <i>War for the Oaks </i>and Terri Windling's Bordertown series introduced the punk elf. These faeries were inspired by the Gentry of Celtic folklore, the more civilized faery folk, who traveled the country in coaches while wearing fancy clothes. Faeries sloughed their shadows to become modern artists, musicians, motorcycle gangs, and people on the fringe. Faery love in these stories was a little less perilous than it had been in Victorian poems. Urban faeries were Mad Hatters and Cheshire Cats, tricksters with shady motivations. They were White Rabbits who led the protagonists into other worlds, and Red Queens who reflected the heroine's dark side.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbzfY7IA7CKIrlBy__w0Yi6ksNuMRtEb0RkGSMei1BQVqI5j7fJMqp-tTTUy2MNhahCzeDLqzYCfHCp1fizTZPSOSmTkt23woezhb3e8rBLWBsppRJhdd_wBc4dMwINMjXEihYCv_NEXw/s1600/faertwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="948" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGbzfY7IA7CKIrlBy__w0Yi6ksNuMRtEb0RkGSMei1BQVqI5j7fJMqp-tTTUy2MNhahCzeDLqzYCfHCp1fizTZPSOSmTkt23woezhb3e8rBLWBsppRJhdd_wBc4dMwINMjXEihYCv_NEXw/s320/faertwo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Faeries have infiltrated non-fantasy literature as well, becoming symbols of mortal fears: death, the shadow lover, the unknown, nature. A faery shapeshifter symbolizes the awakening sexuality of the protagonist in Graham Joyce's <i>The Tooth Fairy. </i>And, are they a cult, or, as Shakespeare describes, 'a team of little atomies' representing nature, in Joyce's <i>Some Kind of Fairy Tale?</i> The remnants of faerie live as a mysterious family in John Crowley's magnificent <i>Little Big. </i>In Sylvia Townsend Warner's dark satire <i>Lolly Willowes, </i>the faeries are synonymous with witches and devil worship, and haunt a spinster until she joins them. The Horned Herne the hunter might be a malevolent, murderous force in Tana French's thriller <i>In the Woods.</i><br />
Urban faeries are a perfect example of the old world adapting to the new. With the surge in YA literature, the faerie folk have been reborn again as demon lovers, monsters, the ultimate Mean Girl. Because they are border creatures, they're also rule breakers, and what teen doesn't love a character who shatters the rules and has no respect for an authority such as reality? The faery folk are danger, the thrill of the unknown. As Jung writes of fairy tales: They teach us to 'turn directly toward the approaching darkness without prejudice and totally naively, and try to find out what its secret aim is and what it wants from you.' Which is a perfect summary of faery encounters in YA or anywhere else.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDb6vCHVg2SNJ0P5pjgIWC7UI4IGKETWw1n2kDoanp0vui4dpYUnc2bP-Jhc5da583e_4zo09bOTzrhIFU6Gk6F6wfnEmr0IAvbqu5hu7X5CPbuj3Qu79XSqBAPAPXNe0mf_p6_tWWBNQ/s1600/F2King.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNDb6vCHVg2SNJ0P5pjgIWC7UI4IGKETWw1n2kDoanp0vui4dpYUnc2bP-Jhc5da583e_4zo09bOTzrhIFU6Gk6F6wfnEmr0IAvbqu5hu7X5CPbuj3Qu79XSqBAPAPXNe0mf_p6_tWWBNQ/s320/F2King.jpg" width="237" /></a></div>
Aside from that tiny granddame Tinker Bell, faeries have not fared so well onscreen,where goblins and other grotesques have been more prevalent. <i>Labyrinth, Legend,</i> and Guillero del Toro's <i>Pan's Labyrinth</i> have been the most successful in portraying the land of Faerie, combining all its wonders and terrors. With the exception of the Elves of <i>The Lord of the Rings </i>movies and Victor Jory's darkly luminous and eerie Oberon in the 1935 film <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream,</i> the faery folk themselves have been more elusive in a medium where fantasy must translate so literally to solid form. It is this elusiveness, this refusal to bond to any shape, which has intrigued artists and writers for centuries. The faeries are indeed ageless--and, by adapting to each era, have kept themselves forever alive in our imaginations.<br />
"For spirits when they please,<br />
Can either sex assume, or both, so soft<br />
And uncompounded in their essence pure,<br />
Not ty'd or manacled with joint or limb,<br />
Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones,<br />
Like cumbrous flesh; but, in what shape they choose,<br />
Dilated or condensed, bright or obscure,<br />
Can execute their aery purposes,<br />
and works of love or enmity fulfill."<br />
John Miltonblack rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-12320892189389453722017-08-21T11:08:00.002-07:002020-09-27T14:43:51.060-07:00Thorn Jack Instagrams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUvPQMZq9tcVw7jpuGTo5t85Buj26l64vX3pv6UTsyRt-LpFsv-lkgf_vcItY0fUgiYzD4Jj4Oct3EeI7Ib73uEAy3CJHi_r646DQAr7OkBDuMgajOVo01IBy1yjO9Pci50C2FrHvLWvp/s576/ThornJack_7_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUvPQMZq9tcVw7jpuGTo5t85Buj26l64vX3pv6UTsyRt-LpFsv-lkgf_vcItY0fUgiYzD4Jj4Oct3EeI7Ib73uEAy3CJHi_r646DQAr7OkBDuMgajOVo01IBy1yjO9Pci50C2FrHvLWvp/s320/ThornJack_7_3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Earlier, one of my fav writers did this for her characters, and I thought it was a great idea. So here are what 6 of my main <i>Thorn Jack </i>characters would post on their Instagrams.<br />
<br />
FINN: Piles of books she's reading. Interesting shots of the woods. Antique objects in moody lighting, casually staged.<br />
<br />
JACK: Random shots of his boots, rings, and sedan. Moody pics of nature. Pics of his cat Black Jack Slade being ruthless or lazy.<br />
<br />
CHRISTIE: Shots of his poems, handwritten in calligraphy. Pics of his favorite junk food. Artsy shots of his girlfriends' hair because he really loves their hair. And their lips.<br />
<br />
SYLVIE: Selfies of her artfully mascaraed eyes. Pics of crazy theater friends. Shots of chic shoes with chunky heels she can't afford, ever.<br />
<br />
PHOUKA: Pics of glittery things and anything elegant. Glamour shots of friends. Gorgeous pics of people and places that interest her in the moment.<br />
<br />
ABSALOM: Random pictures he's taken of strange people. Edgy shots of architecture and statuary. Ironic pics of heart-shaped things.black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-88226537984224670892017-06-27T08:38:00.004-07:002017-06-27T08:38:33.446-07:00The Character of Objects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTectNc4vz_FT1I2byGI5a-jeAIO6qIrrLDppL7gmedTmleyssVkqkwEacIfBh8HXGHtitNdu1VNosJQkPgiiDmSF0ouNVhFhFWIyFtcwyRSC8qXnoiri0B9yIFgEBdoTPK24QnIHl9GiY/s1600/obbracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1160" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTectNc4vz_FT1I2byGI5a-jeAIO6qIrrLDppL7gmedTmleyssVkqkwEacIfBh8HXGHtitNdu1VNosJQkPgiiDmSF0ouNVhFhFWIyFtcwyRSC8qXnoiri0B9yIFgEBdoTPK24QnIHl9GiY/s200/obbracelet.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Set design has always fascinated me. In film, the background can be a glorious experience: period pieces with sumptuous detail, majestic landscapes, fantasy worlds rich with history. Think <i>Harry Potter,</i> the <i>Star Wars</i> movies, <i>The Lord of the Rings, Avatar. </i>These are universes the audience becomes immersed in.<br />
But it's the little details that I love. Set designers not only create a world for the characters to inhabit, but a world created around the characters. One of my favorite films, <i>The Company of Wolves,</i> uses objects with an almost fetishistic symbolism. Lipstick, a baby doll, a white limousine...they're more than set decorations. They exist to convey meaning, or as a tool to create character. Objects not only seem to be characters themselves, but are used to convey characters' inner lives in Wes Anderson's films (<i>The Royal Tenenbaums.) </i>In <i>Beauty and the Beast, </i>objects such as candlesticks and tea pots actually <i>are </i>characters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPhB8rW9TPOc1FTcbWmLemmy5yC_McMs11nUTVeBDBepgHKYeKLF1AumEkKBML43Ziy1I3ltq75EAyjGHsLaBrJ8EqAZMy2IiJ3U_hA56Ap7i8RQRsq_Sp6r2sv9pQdG50ASEaGtqZp0Q/s1600/NKOffice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtPhB8rW9TPOc1FTcbWmLemmy5yC_McMs11nUTVeBDBepgHKYeKLF1AumEkKBML43Ziy1I3ltq75EAyjGHsLaBrJ8EqAZMy2IiJ3U_hA56Ap7i8RQRsq_Sp6r2sv9pQdG50ASEaGtqZp0Q/s320/NKOffice.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
<i> </i><br />
Objects became significant when our primitive ancestors began using natural things as weapons, toys, tools, and talismans. Anthropologist Daniel Miller describes objects/artifacts as being simultaneously material force and symbol. What a character carries on his/her person or what decorates their living space can pinpoint their personality and add a bit of history. Have you ever watched a film or television show again and looked at a character's living space? Notice the posters on the walls, the color scheme, the personal items. On paper, such things might seem superficial, but a few dashes here and there of a character's space can enhance their personality. Bright colors or dark? Antique or modern? Clutter or Spartan? If writing a fantasy, what kind of weapons does your character favor? How did they acquire the weapon? Do they carry talismans? Does a character carry a certain object that has special significance for them? Bedrooms are the best places to display personality. Even if you don't use the details in the actual story, envision a room for a character journal. What would Voldemort's bedchamber look like? Or Han Solo's? The first Queen Elizabeth's?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDID6sr5nwZSbAceFXvzYnR76gCLlx-x6E2p7Xuv6olHEqyIv-S7dYlDW6bNQySSqsWJodG44kOH7RoYX65N3KAtQJxNn7GkISwQfSVBrdlr39J69laJJ3FS8ofPvx0s4bPihqwzGDo3S3/s1600/obclip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="812" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDID6sr5nwZSbAceFXvzYnR76gCLlx-x6E2p7Xuv6olHEqyIv-S7dYlDW6bNQySSqsWJodG44kOH7RoYX65N3KAtQJxNn7GkISwQfSVBrdlr39J69laJJ3FS8ofPvx0s4bPihqwzGDo3S3/s200/obclip.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A well-read copy of a favorite book. A pair of favorite shoes. An heirloom hair clip. A battered laptop. Worry beads. A paperweight. What do these say about your character? Do they carry Gummi Bears in their pockets? Think Indiana Jones's fedora, Doctor Who's screwdriver, the wands in Harry Potter. As with any detail, deliberate and sparse touches can enhance the world you're trying to create, the sensory experience for the reader that either draws them into an exotic place or a nostalgic one.<br />
We choose what we surround ourselves with, as if we're building an altar, with each object selected for what it makes us feel, identify with, signify. Objects can be the altar that tell the story of your character's inner world, their psyche, how they see life.<br />
When I found a cow creamer like the one from Buffy's kitchen and the
monarch butterfly pillows from Willow's bedroom, I felt as if I'd found
pieces of the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like memorabilia or collectors' items, these took on an almost magical significance. No matter what your character is, human or not, from this world or not, the things they choose to identify with can add a subtle touch of personality to their story.black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-42207534938091976962017-05-09T10:35:00.004-07:002017-05-09T10:35:59.822-07:00Fantastic Fantasy Finds: Moonheart by Charles de Lint (1981)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51uhXAJC7xL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51uhXAJC7xL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the first fantasy books I ever read, this dark urban tale is set in Ottawa, Canada. And one of its main characters is a house. (I love mysterious, weird houses, from Shirley Jackson's Hill House, to Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves.)<br />
Tamson House takes up an entire block in Ottawa. Its residents are eccentric. Sara, a young woman who lives in the house, is used to all this.<br />
<br />
Then something evil arrives after Sara meets a young man named Kieran Foy. Kieran knows all about otherworldly things--such as the native spirits of the land. Sara soon finds herself in another world, meeting Taliesin, the famous bard, speaking with native spirits called <i>quin'on'a.</i> She and Kieran both meet faery lovers of a sort. But there's dissent among the native spirits, some of whom hate the immigrant faeries and anyone who isn't from the land. Kieran and Sara return to Tamson House in time to battle the dark thing invading it. As the evil seeks to take over Tamson House, the eccentric residents are
soon under siege, and some of them discover their own connections to the
otherworld. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxe8wUQ2NzJcOgzplWdQssU8f4EJwB2-_FkVTap6A1wF6oY_rBs8eDuw_deiMN6AqZcdrFBLR9sZ2rW8xUbuhw6xt_A62ZHkFj4N9oauN8-rk-qatwxPj-i5UN3cjnWMmEePykUXZyBSD/s1600/Moonheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxe8wUQ2NzJcOgzplWdQssU8f4EJwB2-_FkVTap6A1wF6oY_rBs8eDuw_deiMN6AqZcdrFBLR9sZ2rW8xUbuhw6xt_A62ZHkFj4N9oauN8-rk-qatwxPj-i5UN3cjnWMmEePykUXZyBSD/s200/Moonheart.jpg" width="190" /></a></div>
<br />
With a rich, original mythology of Celtic and native folklore, Moonheart is an urban fantasy touched with horror and filled with intriguing characters, its atmosphere one of dream-touched realism. This isn't exactly a fantasy find, since anyone who reads fantasy knows this is one of the best. If you liked American Gods, or urban fantasy, you'll love this one.black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-72033150018466043822017-04-01T08:31:00.002-07:002017-04-01T08:31:41.301-07:00THE NYMPH: The Original Lost Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpDvcNUx3FjIDifjyAZwFjhQWas5UqsOFEEuEq2dtpLIJUWO6i20DfeQ5QUE_he4YtIDT6eXo7J5W8cpz-XVVlZI_P20ya3bcPA4KfY22SwSgDGpGDEdvMz5YTDaQQ8Tj0cTX9-jMr8BK/s1600/Nympic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpDvcNUx3FjIDifjyAZwFjhQWas5UqsOFEEuEq2dtpLIJUWO6i20DfeQ5QUE_he4YtIDT6eXo7J5W8cpz-XVVlZI_P20ya3bcPA4KfY22SwSgDGpGDEdvMz5YTDaQQ8Tj0cTX9-jMr8BK/s320/Nympic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Nymphs have undergone quite a few metamorphoses. Female elements of nature, spirits of water, air, and woods, they frolicked with satyrs and the gentler fauns. In Greece and Rome, nymphs were treated as potentially dangerous. 'to be among the nymphs' was a double-edged sword--a paradise (Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides, for instance) but one was trapped there forever, like an insect in amber. It meant death. Nymphs were not the cute girls portrayed in books and Disney cartoons; they were in the category of vampiric <i>fauni ficarii,</i> phantoms and faeries that haunted the wild places. As with mermaids and the Russian <i>Rusalka, </i>(the water spirits of drowned young women,) the nymph's playful beauty concealed a sinister core. Being elemental and connected to nature, they were neither good nor evil, but in between. If not exactly <i>femme fatales,</i> they were nature mimicking human form; the invisible world, motives unknown, as a sentient being. A folklorist visiting Greece in the early 1900s wrote: "The Nereids are conceived as women half divine yet not immortal, always young, always beautiful, capricious at best, and at their worst, cruel. Their presence is suspected everywhere. I myself had a Nereid pointed out to me by my guide, and there certainly was the semblance of a female figure draped in white, and tall beyond human stature, flirting in the dusk between the gnarled and twisted boles of an old olive-yard. What the apparition was, I had no leisure to investigate; for my guide with many signs of the cross and muttered invocations of the Virgin urged my mule to perilous haste along the rough mountain path.' (J.C. Lawson, <i>Modern Greek Folklore</i>)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219-jW3rzGPkctd_A1spuMTPezwXkmmApgYSzI9cA8CzNwa7CFv2Yr43x6RPflwB4NTsPkevZDS9aLp8ZHW8hbrOoGmj06o-MfOmQkqomNzbAjrGjuPcAnv1tNdhnAnrw3zUwVxfh-Qmc/s1600/nympone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh219-jW3rzGPkctd_A1spuMTPezwXkmmApgYSzI9cA8CzNwa7CFv2Yr43x6RPflwB4NTsPkevZDS9aLp8ZHW8hbrOoGmj06o-MfOmQkqomNzbAjrGjuPcAnv1tNdhnAnrw3zUwVxfh-Qmc/s320/nympone.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<br />
Yet the Greeks call nymphs 'the kind-hearted ones,' 'the ladies,' 'our maidens,' 'our good queens,' and leave them milk and honey and ask for their blessings when children are born. They are faery godmothers and protectors of children. They grant men oracular powers.<br />
'Nymph' in Greek is synonymous with the stage between the larva and the adult insect, and bees, butterflies, and dragonflies are significant symbols representing the mysterious, diaphanous, and alien world of nature. Nymphs are girls on the verge of womanhood, forever stuck in that phase of their lives, without their own stories or the epics that drove Greek heroes. Forever barefoot to represent their connection to earth, free of any care because they are semi-divine, they are innocent, and only predatory when confronted by male power, whether that power stems from beauty or strength. As Diane Purkiss writes, "Like illuminations, nymphs brighten the edges of stories without reaching the middle. Why this terrible blankness? Because nymphs are young girls to whom nothing has happened yet, nothing that needs to be told." (<i>At the Bottom of the Garden</i>)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY91avLSLdq0M9qRZphaiBDSrJnwhjSjad6RGq6clr6E4EfBsX-aOmcwSiR-Fm9LkRkghEXvxun-JxxyOPtUYsy5X0GER1kPVvMdsGtqYkzRmfW4Ljaasv-Y8Bk8_KtxMHTr_5tR9UF17J/s1600/nymptwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY91avLSLdq0M9qRZphaiBDSrJnwhjSjad6RGq6clr6E4EfBsX-aOmcwSiR-Fm9LkRkghEXvxun-JxxyOPtUYsy5X0GER1kPVvMdsGtqYkzRmfW4Ljaasv-Y8Bk8_KtxMHTr_5tR9UF17J/s320/nymptwo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
In mythology, nymphs have names with meanings such as Brightness, Scarlet, Sunset Glow, perfect for fairy tales or suitable for exotic YA heroines (Calypso, Pomona, Syrinx.) They are long-lived but not immortal, capable of love forever.<br />
When Daphne runs from the gorgeous Apollo, preferring to transform into a tree rather than belong to him, it is because she doesn't want to change, to grow up, to give birth to a hero's story, never having had one of her own. And that is what nymphs will always be, beautiful insects trapped in amber, the Lost Girls.<br />
<br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-78452096382968606152017-02-10T08:55:00.000-08:002017-02-12T08:48:27.031-08:00Guest Interview: Jordanna Max BrodskyWelcome Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of the fantasy novel <i>The Immortals </i>(available now from Orbit Books) and the upcoming <i>Winter of the Gods</i> (February 14, 2017) to It's All About Story. You can find Jordanna on Twitter <b><span style="color: blue;">@JordannaBrodsky</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuPhU21bmBsEvf4YjycL8r-sNgEeVaRMIfJmIJLv4lk6u58BREZkbv0o8sNrqIBTRbsqluKenVac9kez7RcHsZrW-pp4qsYiwH-Vr8v1ZlRIMXy4TOmBBnlUt4d1nIzFMqmsmD1zNmPWB/s1600/Immortals+TP+official+high+res+cover+image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuPhU21bmBsEvf4YjycL8r-sNgEeVaRMIfJmIJLv4lk6u58BREZkbv0o8sNrqIBTRbsqluKenVac9kez7RcHsZrW-pp4qsYiwH-Vr8v1ZlRIMXy4TOmBBnlUt4d1nIzFMqmsmD1zNmPWB/s320/Immortals+TP+official+high+res+cover+image.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: blue;">Jordanna's website:</span></b><br />
<a href="https://www.jordannamaxbrodsky.com/">https://www.jordannamaxbrodsky.com/</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">Jordanna's Facebook Page:</span></b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JordannaMaxBrodsky/">https://www.facebook.com/JordannaMaxBrodsky/</a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">Jordanna's books on Amazon: </span></b><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Jordanna-Max-Brodsky/e/B017QDBBUG/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1">https://www.amazon.com/Jordanna-Max-Brodsky/e/B017QDBBUG/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1</a><br />
<br />
<i>1) Describe </i>The Immortals<i> in one paragraph.</i><br />
<br />
<i>The Immortals </i>follows Selene DiSilva, a private investigator in modern Manhattan who specializes in punishing men who abuse women, and who just happens to have lived the first two thousand years of her life as the ancient Greek Goddess Artemis. After so long without worship, her powers have faded. She lives a near-mortal life now, estranged from her Olympian family, and avoiding mortal entanglements. But when she finds the body of a young woman washed ashore on the banks of the Hudson, gruesomely mutilated and wreathed in laurel, her ancient rage returns. Selene starts regaining her powers, but at the price of the deaths of the very women she's sworn to protect. To hunt down the killers, she'll have to team up with a brilliant and charming male classics professor--quite a challenge for the perennially chaste goddess. And she'll have to seek help from her other least favorite source as well: the city's other Immortals.<br />
<br />
<i>2) What inspired </i>The Immortals?<br />
<br />
I've been a fan of Greek mythology since childhood, when my parents handed me <i>D'Aulaires book of Greek Myths.</i> I devoured each story, reveling in the adventure, romance, and epic battles. Then I got to the last page: "Everything must come to an end, and so did the rule of Zeus and the other Olympian gods. All that is left of their glory on earth are broken temples and noble statues." That always seemed both anti-climactic and terribly sad. I much preferred a world in which the gods still walked among us. So I created one of my own.<br />
<br />
<i>3) Was </i>The Immortals<i> your first work of fiction?</i><br />
<br />
Nope. But it is the first one I published! The publication road was quite long and hard, and there were several times when I felt I should just throw up my hands and abandon my dreams of a creative vocation. So for all those aspiring novelists out there, don't give up! (See my answer to question 12 for more on this.)<br />
<br />
<i>4) What song or music piece would you put on a soundtrack for </i>The Immortals?<br />
<br />
Anything by Ani DiFranco. She's my favorite folk singer-songwriter, and I spent most of my young adulthood listening to her lambast the patriarchy. She also lived in New York City for a while in her youth, and her songs perfectly capture the uniquely grimy beauty of the city that both Selene and I call home.<br />
<br />
<i>5) Which character in </i>The Immortals <i>was easy to write? Which was the most difficult?</i><br />
<br />
Theo Schultz, the Columbia classics professor who becomes Selene's partner in crime-solving, was both the easiest and hardest character to write. Easy because he is the most like me--talkative, curious, and not particularly physically adept. Hardest because the Theo who seems to flow most easily from my pen is a little <i>too </i>much like me. In first drafts, he tends to emerge as a nerdy weakling--not unlike myself. I'm constantly working to make sure he is a strong enough partner for Selene. He can never compete with her in the kickass department, but I've made sure he's always brave, smart, and funny nonetheless. At the same time, I've resisted making him too stereotypically "manly." He is, at heart, an intellectual. He fights his battles with cunning and wit, not brawn. I leave most of the kicking and punching to Selene.<br />
<br />
<i>6) What is your writing space like? Or can you write anywhere?</i><br />
<br />
I definitely have ridiculously specific writing-space needs. Ever since writing an over-long thesis in college, I've suffered from tendonitis in my wrists and hands, so if I don't have an ergonomic space, I wind up in a lot of pain. Often, I won't be able to type at all for days afterward, so I try to be very careful. I'm quite short and have small hands, and it seems normal desks and tables were made for giant men, so I've had to improvise. I've got two different desks in my apartment, one sitting and one standing, and I mix it up by also using a board on my lap while sitting on the couch or in the library. Sometimes I work standing at the kitchen counter as well. My only non-ergonomic concession is writing on the train or subway during my commute. Since the trip's never more than forty-five minutes, I can usually get away with it. And since there's no Internet available, the trip is often my most productive, distraction-free writing time. Otherwise, I use a vertical mouse, an external keyboard, and try to have my monitor at eyelevel.<br />
<br />
<i>7) Any odd writing habits? Rituals?</i><br />
<br />
Like many writers, I like to listen to music when possible while composing or editing. I can't deal with lyrics--unless they're in a foreign language--and I've found recently that I work best when it's just the same song over and over. It almost creates a trance state in which I can completely disappear into the story; I'm never distracted by thinking about the new song that just popped up.<br />
<br />
<i>8) George R. R. Martin describes 2 kinds of outliners, the Gardener (let it grow) or the Architect (plan it). Which are you?</i><br />
<br />
Depends on the book. In <i>The Immortals,</i> I started with the plan for a building, then diverted enormously along the way, wound up tearing everything down and turning it into a weed pile, then finally trimmed it back into a garden. My next book, <i>Winter of the Gods,</i> proceeded more smoothly from plan to finished product. I actually think the better metaphor for my process is a Sculptor. I build a basic armature in the correct shape, then I throw a huge, ugly mound of clay on top of it, creating something so malformed and hideous that it never deserves to be seen. That's the first draft. Bit by bit, I shave, mold, and shape the clay into something that actually resembles art. While I'm at it, I can bend the armature, too. It takes countless drafts and rewrites, but eventually I wind up with a finished sculpture.<br />
<br />
<i>9) What are some of your favorite world myths or fairy/folk tales? Why?</i><br />
<br />
Obviously, I'm a fan of the Greeks! Artemis, of course, is my favorite goddess, and my favorite myth about her goes like this: She's just finished hunting for the day, and she's bathing in a waterfall. Through the trees, she sees a young man watching her--the hunter Acteon, renowned for having the best pack of hounds in all of Boetia. But because it's forbidden for a mortal man to look upon the virgin goddess naked, Artemis metamorphoses him into a stag. His famous pack of hounds catches the scent and tears their own master apart. That's the sort of justice that Artemis believes in--the sort of justice my heroine, Selene, still wishes she could mete out. The story appeals to me because too often in world history, women have suffered the abuses and disdain of men without fighting back. As cruel as Artemis can be, she's defending her exclusive right to her own body. I think that's something all of us can sympathize with these days.<br />
<br />
<i>10) What is your favorite fictional world, one you'd want to visit?</i><br />
<br />
I've been an enormous George R.R. Martin fan since long before the television show, but I have absolutely no desire to visit Westeros unless I have Brienne there to defend me. Otherwise, I grew up on Tamora Pierce (who taught me girls could be warriors), Mercedes Lackey (who taught me to respect gay love before it was cool), and Juliet Marillier (who taught me that a great romance can bring you back to a book over and over) But let's be honest, I'd probably just pick the Star Wars universe, some time in the yet-to-be discovered future when the Jedi are back and peace rules the galaxy.<br />
<br />
<i>11) Who is your favorite fictional character?</i><br />
<br />
Well, if we're not considering the Greek gods as fictional, then I'd have to say Princess Leia. I was her twice for Halloween as a child. I still have the costumes.<br />
<br />
<i>12) What is the best writing advice you've ever received?</i><br />
<br />
An old friend of mine who happens to be a best-selling novelist once told me, "Everyone's writing a novel, but almost no one has written one." He always reminded me that there are plenty of people out there who write gorgeous prose or have phenomenal ideas, but very few who can actually sit down and finish the darn book. In other words, don't worry if you aren't a genius and every sentence isn't perfect. Just keep at it. Writing a novel isn't magic--it just looks that way from the outside. It's hard work. That may sound daunting to some, but I found it incredibly encouraging. If you persevere, you can do it!<br />
<br />
<i>13) In </i>The Immortals,<i> are there any hidden acknowledgments to friends, places you've lived, favorite writers, etc;</i><br />
<br />
For sure. The entire book takes place on Manhattan's Upper West Side, which is where I live. The same is true of the sequel, <i>Winter of the Gods.</i> The Natural History Museum, Central and Riverside Parks, and even the bookstore and Chinese restaurant are all places I frequent. The book is also full of names I blatantly stole from friends, which has occasionally gotten me into trouble. No one wants to be portrayed as a murder victim! I've learned my lesson. In the next book, I stuck to imagined names!<br />
<br />
<i>14) Can you tell us anything else about your writing experiences?</i><br />
<br />
You always hear the advice, "Write what you know." And in terms of my setting, I've done that. However, I also think it's perhaps more important to write what you WANT to know about, even if you don't already. I had a background in Greek myth, but not a comprehensive one. And I certainly knew nothing about specific Greek mystery cults or Ancient Greek language before I started working on <i>The Immortals.</i> Now, more than ever, we're lucky enough to have the world's libraries at our fingertips. If you're patient, don't mind research, and are willing to ask experts for help, I really feel you can write about anything you're passionate about. so don't be afraid to go outside of your comfort zone!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqVDVGPFCh867lCqSuzrx8N55V7K2Kk2qEpwdrWIzov7xJPv2c02CYf4441Jg7iql7PPRHTEbBgkZn-eYVqFQUS7ijh3HBfVKS-dK1iU-AGqshiwYtkcanyef0U_9RY76hkVEMLiokbKz/s1600/Winter+of+the+Gods+HC+official+high+res.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqVDVGPFCh867lCqSuzrx8N55V7K2Kk2qEpwdrWIzov7xJPv2c02CYf4441Jg7iql7PPRHTEbBgkZn-eYVqFQUS7ijh3HBfVKS-dK1iU-AGqshiwYtkcanyef0U_9RY76hkVEMLiokbKz/s320/Winter+of+the+Gods+HC+official+high+res.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>15) What do we have to look forward to after </i>The Immortals?<br />
<br />
Book Two of the Olympus Bound series, <i>Winter of the Gods,</i> is out in hardcover, e-book, and audiobook (read by me!) on February 14th. I'm already in edits on the third and (probably) final book, which will likely come out early next year. After that . . . we'll see!<br />
<br />
<i>Thank you, Jordanna! </i><br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-65431057028432557232017-01-05T09:43:00.000-08:002017-01-05T09:43:02.500-08:0020 Questions to ask your Main Characters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXM2tFm-K3ua0qFlmvHRbqJI1dm30DXzba_vWBc3BNiOKK-pR1-EAlwy9xqm5LB-CZ32rEVRMYwa708B-T10TPJMhvK3xavMwFm4IDGloOa-MIjrM5VpY0sgs8sIiiV-RFhW91NH7_hZU/s1600/FitzDreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXM2tFm-K3ua0qFlmvHRbqJI1dm30DXzba_vWBc3BNiOKK-pR1-EAlwy9xqm5LB-CZ32rEVRMYwa708B-T10TPJMhvK3xavMwFm4IDGloOa-MIjrM5VpY0sgs8sIiiV-RFhW91NH7_hZU/s320/FitzDreams.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Dreaming up characters...<br />
<br />
I've read ways to make your characters more unique, but I thought I'd share this list of what I ask as I'm creating their profiles. I don't even use most of it in the actual books, but it helps to make the characters more vivid to me. Some are ordinary questions, some are odd, and some seem to be about the end of the world...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1) What childhood toy do you remember the most?<br />
<br />
2) What is your spirituality?<br />
<br />
3) What physical activity do you enjoy the most?<br />
<br />
4) What animal species would you save at the end of the world?<br />
<br />
5) What childhood book made an impression on you?<br />
<br />
6) How are you feeling at this point?<br />
<br />
7) What is your perfect day or evening?<br />
<br />
8) What do you like to do when you're idle?<br />
<br />
9) What would your last meal be?<br />
<br />
10) What's your favorite movie?<br />
<br />
11) Science or the supernatural?<br />
<br />
12) Who's your favorite relative?<br />
<br />
13) What country would you most like to visit?<br />
<br />
14) Would you rather be a king/queen, general, ambassador, or revolutionary?<br />
<br />
15) What is your favorite sound?<br />
<br />
16) If you could make up a holiday, what would it be?<br />
<br />
17) Which famous deceased person would you most like to meet?<br />
<br />
18) Which 3 possessions would you grab if you had to leave in a hurry?<br />
<br />
19) What's your current grievance?<br />
<br />
20) Why should anyone be interested in/follow you as a main character?black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-12791817198988478722016-12-28T08:52:00.001-08:002016-12-30T10:30:14.727-08:00The Sinister Folklore of Trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAeppxY3szGy7n3A9GYzUdxxaOUT-u-kTEy9Z_H37yBd_kEJEm8pWhsYLWbx71GYvzRhYWtj4xNZAAD60B2RXw_C4vitJl8l_sz6AoxJY4yZtkxlGrpVdWaA5gC6r1kGaadcYsmHFkgY8/s1600/JunePics+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAeppxY3szGy7n3A9GYzUdxxaOUT-u-kTEy9Z_H37yBd_kEJEm8pWhsYLWbx71GYvzRhYWtj4xNZAAD60B2RXw_C4vitJl8l_sz6AoxJY4yZtkxlGrpVdWaA5gC6r1kGaadcYsmHFkgY8/s320/JunePics+001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Recently, a majestic oak on one of my routes was taken down. To be fair, it seemed to be diseased, but I couldn't help feeling sad, wondering how long it had stood there, with a neighborhood growing up around it. It reminded me of a Tanith Lee story, 'The Tree: A Winter's Tale', about a tree that was due to be taken down, but the family of the house kept reliving the same day over and over, and not in a funny, Groundhog Day kind of way either, so that the tree would stand forever. Recently, Peter Wohlleben's book, <i>The Hidden Life of Trees,</i> explained the nature of trees and how they communicate.<br />
<br />
So here is some folklore on trees you should be wary of.<br />
<br />
<b>BIRCH</b>: Witches' brooms were made from its branches. It is called the Lady of the Woods in Celtic folklore and walks at night. The birch spirit is feared and adored and causes death to those she touches. Check out <i>The Birch,</i> a great short film on YouTube. <br />
<br />
<b>ALDER: </b>Walpurgis tree. Associated with elves, water spirits, the Erl King and his daughter. Alder wood turns red when cut and resists decay. The wood was used for divining instruments. The tree often grows near Saints' wells. As for witches, red-haired ones loved it, and red dyes made from alder sap were used by Italian witches.<br />
<br />
<b>ELDER: </b>Threshold trees. Guard the home from evil. An elder wood walking stick will protect a traveler. Associated in Native American and Celtic folklore with the Elder Mother. Also with the Scandinavian Mother Hulda. It's friendly to humans. Fingernail parings, hair, and teeth were buried beneath it to keep from them from being used in bad magic. And don't forget elderberry wine!<br />
<br />
<b>ELM</b>: Another witch tree, but also a tree of the Goddess. The Romany made magic wands from its wood. Coffins were also once built from the timber. It dislikes people and is an entry into the land of the dead. In some folklore, it is said the first woman was created from an elm. It's also linked with Dionysus because it was planted in vineyards.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bDbACA8WfpgE4c6ZuNtBtdnra4OSNE7wZuIl2RqyLpfKdkVigdXCOZSnGGdObthKVEhm7J0FYDiKHhPmYM_egzRN7fLN9jHjWyshwlgMMaFqn8dAgqYyr8QfgGoN5vcos5i9TZ-9vtOG/s1600/treeone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bDbACA8WfpgE4c6ZuNtBtdnra4OSNE7wZuIl2RqyLpfKdkVigdXCOZSnGGdObthKVEhm7J0FYDiKHhPmYM_egzRN7fLN9jHjWyshwlgMMaFqn8dAgqYyr8QfgGoN5vcos5i9TZ-9vtOG/s320/treeone.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>FIG: </b>Inhabited in Greece by the <i>fauni ficarii, </i>the dusois, dangerous spirits that take the forms of nymphs and satyrs. In Sicilian folklore, fall asleep beneath a fig, wake up confronted by the figure of a nun with a knife. It's also a fertility tree. In Muslim myth, the tree is associated with knowledge. It's the tree under which Buddha received his enlightenment. In Africa, the fig houses dead ancestors. <br />
<br />
<b>HAWTHORN:</b> The May tree. A fairy thorn. The blackthorn is guarded by Lunantishee fairies. In Ireland, a road was re-routed in 1999 to avoid taking down a whitethorn said to be sacred to the Sidhe, the dangerous Irish fairies. Never bring a hawthorn blossom indoors because it causes bad luck. In Welsh folklore, it is associated with the malevolent chief of the giants. Also the tree of enforced chastity, hence the May tree.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG5cjsk1uRvLBQJquK6ZjameCo9PNcpTOFSqTEKrscEYyj8MbGAK_hJyy_wCiajN06IS4na_ACI7bW3mSiDI-iyRaP4GktuV_Y5fTCpEznoQPPwpB4FQBjAZ6dX43UPr9fLMq2yAdNhiI/s1600/treetwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKG5cjsk1uRvLBQJquK6ZjameCo9PNcpTOFSqTEKrscEYyj8MbGAK_hJyy_wCiajN06IS4na_ACI7bW3mSiDI-iyRaP4GktuV_Y5fTCpEznoQPPwpB4FQBjAZ6dX43UPr9fLMq2yAdNhiI/s320/treetwo.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>OAK</b>: Turn your cloaks<br />
For Fairy Folks<br />
Are in old oaks<br />
Tree of Zeus. It attracts lightning. It's the guardian of otherworldly doors--an opening between two oaks leads to Faerie. The sacred oak king became a sacrifice in some cultures. It is the Druids' tree and the dryads' tree. It's a protector. Acorns were worn by witches for protection against bad spirits. It's friendly to humans...well, except maybe the old oaks. In their case, watch your back.<br />
<br />
<b>WILLOW: </b>A fertility tree. A water tree. It wards off snakes. It's the Goddess's tree, associated with Persephone and Artemis. The Greek enchantress Circe had a grove of willow trees. It's a dangerous tree, said to walk during moonlit nights. Willow wands channel energy. It's bark contains salicylic acid, which is a natural painkiller and used in aspirin.<br />
<br />
<b>YEW: </b>A healing tree. It contains an element currently being used for curing breast cancer. It is Hecate's tree, a witch tree, and hostile to people (though perhaps not to women, considering). Some trees grow to be hundreds of years old and it is often found in churchyards. Its wood was once used for archery bows, shields, and spears.<br />
<br />
So walk carefully among these trees, and be careful of the ones that might strike out.<br />
<br />
Sources:<br />
The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes<br />
The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols by Adele Nozedar<br />
The Ultimate Fairies Handbook by Susannah Marriott <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1612318146016758271.post-81910060514922362872016-12-16T11:36:00.000-08:002016-12-16T11:36:32.557-08:00The Awesomeness of The Female Surrealists<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE6UDKCgvhY92QySQczo2yesw-8Bu7zjNAxo3gz7zxO7aoIvu3MVIyKHsfzjyKDVTOmkW0VK09nS68xMIilnGTvjd9YcOET0QUZwZYP_RfTdUr5GvRtcLsSlDfS-b7vFFh9fguN0qPz9q/s1600/Lcat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE6UDKCgvhY92QySQczo2yesw-8Bu7zjNAxo3gz7zxO7aoIvu3MVIyKHsfzjyKDVTOmkW0VK09nS68xMIilnGTvjd9YcOET0QUZwZYP_RfTdUr5GvRtcLsSlDfS-b7vFFh9fguN0qPz9q/s320/Lcat.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />
I love art as much as I love writing and music, but my ultimate favorite artists, aside from the Symbolists, are the female surrealists. You might have heard of Dali, Max Ernst, and Magritte, but a few of their associates, including the famous Frida Kahlo, were amazing artists in their own right. Mysticism, the Goddess, animals, nature, and feminist themes are predominant in their works, which are all deeply personal representations of their imaginations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUgXOUphGuevt5hp00hweP7Tp6QYnPWaWddCQiBvvC02ofKZB-hfC7_QlREgCRc6oSnY8CJWzhXFj8IHuRDwLyoHc2weUC5-aTHh-ZToL_XW0VeRkO7kd_euL-WvW3JgPLr41q9pH3AHe/s1600/LFiniOne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUgXOUphGuevt5hp00hweP7Tp6QYnPWaWddCQiBvvC02ofKZB-hfC7_QlREgCRc6oSnY8CJWzhXFj8IHuRDwLyoHc2weUC5-aTHh-ZToL_XW0VeRkO7kd_euL-WvW3JgPLr41q9pH3AHe/s320/LFiniOne.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>LEONOR FINI</b><br />
<br />
Born in Buenos Aires and disguised in childhood as a boy by her mother (to avoid being found by her father), Leonor moved to Paris in the late 1930s. She knew Max Ernst and Jean Genet. Sphinx-like and mysterious, she had an affinity for felines. She lived with two men at one time, both her lovers. Her paintings are ritualistic, fascinating, erotic, inspired by the Symbolists and the Pre-Raphaelites. They are fairy tales. There's even a song written about her by Katell Keineg.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjG93Eh29sRD9wtl2CGHYoVmu_tNeVR83kdvvalokp3IzXJSyr_jEii6KNrjajjUd0-8A0juWfYQ72j2CLtW0u0R5IjQ1fC_kvukSMn4qVZUOmicoLV30eMjkc5qjGTe1hzoQ3LDhG4ao/s1600/LCarring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjG93Eh29sRD9wtl2CGHYoVmu_tNeVR83kdvvalokp3IzXJSyr_jEii6KNrjajjUd0-8A0juWfYQ72j2CLtW0u0R5IjQ1fC_kvukSMn4qVZUOmicoLV30eMjkc5qjGTe1hzoQ3LDhG4ao/s320/LCarring.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>LEONORA CARRINGTON</b><br />
<br />
I love her self-portrait with a delicate black hyena and a white rocking horse. She had a fondness for Celtic and Mayan mythology and even lived in Mexico, married to Max Ernst. Most of her paintings are fantasy scenes of delicate, human-looking creatures, heavy with symbology. She also wrote Surrealist fiction.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzIijqChJJNfXbryHGe0QUrsJeTIIX6pZYARLCLJgBYiKDbBMZ0eyCPfLIOc7mZXSMVFObxLKwkukKcFfV0JcYPiUHhw2MyK3CvyC2Vf3-avXOL1wqNhyphenhyphenE2mUpAp8ifeAKxKdcD2OdrUF/s1600/DTanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzIijqChJJNfXbryHGe0QUrsJeTIIX6pZYARLCLJgBYiKDbBMZ0eyCPfLIOc7mZXSMVFObxLKwkukKcFfV0JcYPiUHhw2MyK3CvyC2Vf3-avXOL1wqNhyphenhyphenE2mUpAp8ifeAKxKdcD2OdrUF/s320/DTanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>DOROTHEA TANNING </b><br />
<br />
Her paintings are disturbing renderings of womanhood and adolescence. Born in Illinois, she read Alice in Wonderland and the Gothic authors to escape what she considered a boring, Midwestern life. She moved to New York, where she eventually met Max Ernst (He got around) and became his lifetime companion.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFz4cXZSSFygnvawfGRCvxChWW8PR2r8LonyoE_mK4Qy_rctkl5NL5KQwiyHe2fDbVgUiVfOxO_Xa31Fw_qALWxhFWYmGPtcoKL5_wVBg2zcKmokNCqTDpfwHKn8-Am0zr8GI5mJNoszv/s1600/RVaro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFz4cXZSSFygnvawfGRCvxChWW8PR2r8LonyoE_mK4Qy_rctkl5NL5KQwiyHe2fDbVgUiVfOxO_Xa31Fw_qALWxhFWYmGPtcoKL5_wVBg2zcKmokNCqTDpfwHKn8-Am0zr8GI5mJNoszv/s320/RVaro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>REMEDIOS VARO</b><br />
<br />
Alchemy, owls, and forlorn, attenuated people, were Remedios's totems. Her paintings are delicate and child-like. She was born in Madrid and eventually settled in Mexico. The spirit world lurks just beneath the surface of her paintings.<br />
<br />
Sources:<br />
Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement by Whitney Chadwick<br />
Surrealism and Women by Mary Ann Caws, Rudolf Kuenzli, Gwen Raaberg<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />black rabbithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05114743304954418282noreply@blogger.com1