Thirteen Random Birthday Thoughts About Writing…

…and life in general. It’s my birthday. I’m allowed! :)

1. There’s no great mystery to being a writer. A writer applies the seat of her pants to the seat of her chair, and writes.

2. First drafts are not the time to be careful. First drafts are designed to let you glop it all out, get the voices out of your head, unleash whatever beast that’s hounding you to get the story down on paper. It’s meant to be messy. Roll in it! Get your hands dirty!

3. Write every day. Even if all you can write is “I don’t know what to write,” do it. Over and over again. Fill pages with it. Eventually your brain will get bored and want to write something else.

4. Waiting for your muse to inspire you, IMHO, is just nuts. You want to be a writer? Siddown and get started. Your muse will just have to eat dust until it catches up with you.

5. Read. Widely and often. Never stop learning.

6. Observe.

7. Listen.

8. Don’t be afraid to try out any story idea. 100 pages that don’t pan out are still 100 pages of learning experience you never would have had if you hadn’t tried.

8a. Don’t be afraid. Period. I mean it. Just stop it right now. :)

9. All reviews are good. Really. So what if a reviewer hated your book. Did they spell your name right? Then it’s a good review.

10. On the other hand, learn to put aside your emotional attachment to your manuscript, and listen to constructive criticism. Your editor is on your side!

11. You’ll never make story perfect. There will always be a typo, a flaw, something accidentally left hanging. It’s possible to revise the life out of a story. Learn to let it go. (This is one I’m still working on—note the claw marks on my manuscripts where my editor had to tear them out of my hands!)

12. You will never please everyone. Write for yourself first, the markets second. Make the market follow YOU.

13. Learn to love your Shadow Self. She is the part of you that makes you—and your stories—fully human.

~Carolan
www.carolanivey.com
Now available: Wildish Things

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13 Reasons I Can't Wait For Dragon*Con

Eight more days to my favorite summer camp for wayward adults: Atlanta’s DragonCon. Yes, I’m counting the minutes. Here’s why:

13. The superior eye candy—James Marsters, Kevin Sorbo, Michael Shanks... (Oh yeah, they've got girls too—Vanessa Angel, Claudia Black, Lexa Doig, Gigi Edgley. Will they do?)

12. The chance to meet fellow Samhain writer Ally Blue.

11. More costumes per capita than anywhere in Georgia.

10. Concerts featuring the Cruxshadows, Emerald Rose, the Brobdignagian Bards, Voltaire and many, many more.

9. The DragonCon Parade.

8. Panels featuring fabulous writers like Kevin Anderson, Bob Asprin, Peter Beagle, Terry Brooks, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jody Lynn Nye and Margaret Weis.

7. Panels featuring meeeeeeee.

6. The Pirate Ball.

5. Going to the Pirate Ball in costume with the rest of the Press Room scalliwags.

4. Swordplay demonstrations by the Crossed Swords.

3. The Iron Artist face-off between Bill Stout and Tara McPherson.

2. The irresistible temptations of the Art Show, Exhibit Hall and Dealers Room.

1. Have I mentioned James Marsters and the Cruxshadows?

See you there!

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Thursday Thirteen: 13 Mythical Dogs

I go this idea from another TT about Mystical Cats! :) Enjoy!

1. Coyote - the Trickster in Native American lore

2. Cerberus - Greek/Roman three-headed guadian of the entrance to the underworld

3. Gram - Norse mythology

4. Eqyptians, Aztecs believed dogs guided souls to the afterlife

5. Fighting dogs of Hecate

6. Black Dog - Appears in many mythological canons including England, Scotland, Ireland, across Europe and elsewhere. In general, it is a large creature with a long black shaggy coat and bright fiery eyes; a harbinger of death.

7. Ce Sith/Cir Seth - A fairy hound found in the western Scottish Isles. It was the size of a two-year-old cow, and green in color. The cir sith had a long tail which was usually coiled on its back, sometimes braided like the straw rug of a pack-saddle. It was kept as watchdog in the fairy knowe, but did occasionally run loose. It moved swiftly, making a noise like a galloping horse, leaving huge footprints. It trailed travelers, barked three times, and at the third it overtook its prey and pulled him down. http://www.skell.org/explore/mythad.htm

8. Devil's Dandy Dogs - A pack of fire-breathing black hounds found in Cornwall. They had bright fiery eyes, and followed the devil over lonely moors on stormy nights. If they captured humans they tore them apart limb by limb. The only know way to deter these monsters was for a man to pray sincerely. http://www.skell.org/explore/mythad.htm

9. Gabriel Hounds - A spirit hound which hunted high in the air. It could be heard yelping overhead during violent storms. To hear these yelps was a presage of death.

10. Qiqirn - in Inuit mythology, a large, bald dog spirit. It is a frightening beast, but also skittish and foolish. Men and dogs run from it, and it runs from men and dogs. It has hair on its feet, ear, mouth and the tip of its tail. When people approach it, they suffer fits. One way to scare it away is to shout its name.

11. Bran - Fionn Mac Cumhail's hound

12. Laelaps - Greek mythological dog who never failed to catch what he hunted.

13. Fenris - wolf offspring of Loki and Angrboda in Norse mythology

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13 Scottish Myths and Legends

Thirteen Scottish Myths and Legends 1. Black Donald - the devil - who cannot disguise his cloven feet. 2. Boobrie - water-bird of the Scottish Highlands. 3. Brownie - good-natured, invisible brown elves or household goblins. The younger version of the "Girl Guides" in Britain at least, are called "Brownies" for that very reason! 4. Clootie - another Scottish name for the Devil. The name comes from cloot, meaning one division of a cleft hoof. 5. Fachan - one leg, one arm and one eye. 6. Fionn - Scottish/Pictish magician, warrior and poet. 7. Ghillie Dhu - a solitary Scottish elf. 8. Kelpie - a water devil. 9. Lothian - Lothian traditionally takes its name from King Lot and father of Mordred. 10. Monster of Loch Ness - mythical? Surely not.... First seen by St Columba in 565 a.d. 11. Red Cap - lives on the Scottish Border in ancient ruins of castles. 12. Scotia - a goddess but frequently portrayed as an old hag! 13. Selkie - a marine creature in the shape of a seal. 14. Shellycoat - a Scottish bogeyman who haunts the rivers and streams. He is covered with shells, which rattle when he moves. 15. Sidhe the Gaelic name for fairies in both Ireland and the Highlands of Scotland. Okay, so there's 15. Sue me. :) Rampant Scotalnd

Thirteen Fantasy Cliches

13 Fantasy Clichés

By now, we’ve all read a fantasy novel (I hope) at some point in our lives. Perhaps you can relate to some of these clichés we’ve all come to know and love-- clichés that have now become staples to the genre.
1.) At some point during the story, the characters will either meet and/or discuss battle tactics in a tavern.
2.) This tavern will also have an inn attached so the characters can stay the night.
3.) Hero/heroine grows up in a tavern/inn.
4.) Mysterious, dark riders will show up to heighten tension.
5.) Hero/heroine’s family will be killed, thus forcing them on a life-threatening adventure.
6.) Hero/heroine is already an orphan, thus forcing them on a life-threatening adventure.
7.) The unlikeliest, poorest, or least experienced person will become the hero/heroine of the story, and the fate of the world is in their hands.
8.) The fantasy plot will be nothing less than total annihilation to king and country if the hero/heroine should fail their mission.
9.) There’s usually only one last dragon left in the world, one last wizard who knows the secret magics, or one last person who can wield the Mighty Uber Sword of Destiny.
10.) Elves will somehow be involved.
11.) Hero/heroine will go through some hellish ordeals throughout their plot, and will no longer be the fun-loving happy-go-lucky character of Chapter One.
12.) In fact, hero/heroine will become pensive and moody and wish things could go back to the way they were.
13.) At the end of the story, hero/heroine will either BE royalty, or so highly revered they might as well be royalty.

And there you have it. Thirteen clichés of the fantasy genre, whether it be straight fantasy, or fantasy romance. :)
~~Becka
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com

13 reasons it'd be fun to be an evil witch

Nope, I'm not. Really. I'm NOT! Stop laughing ;)

Ok. Here are 13 reasons it'd be fun to be the (stereotypical) bad gal instead of the sweet heroine in a fantasy book.

13. You don't have to be a virgin like the heroine does.
12. When people piss you off, you can turn them into frogs.
11. You get some truly kickass dialogue. (usually offset by some really cheesy dialogue, but we're looking at the positive side of things here.)
10. Usually there's some prophecy to warn you of danger coming, so you should be able to get out of its way.
9. You're beautiful. And really, who doesn't want to be one of the Pretty Girls, at least for a little while?
8. Children are afraid of you. (I'm guessing this would make your neighbourhood the quietest one in the world.)
7. You have henchmen. Sure, they're usually ugly kiss-asses, but seriously, who couldn't use a henchman when the toilet clogs or some 'sweet little virgin' comes to dethrone you.
6. UNLIMITED POWER! (This really should count for two reasons. I mean, c'mon, who wouldn't want to fly or read minds or...something!)
5. When you're evil, your conscience doesn't keep you up at night. (take THAT Jiminy Cricket)
4. Hot evil men to 'join forces' with.
3. Everyone knows your name.
2. You can ride a broom. (*picks minds out of the gutter* you dirty thangs!)
1. Being an Evil Witch, you have the freedom to say whatever you want, to whoever you want. And really, that's a power I'd love to have. ;)

Girl Power Times Three

courtesy of Jean Marie Ward

If numbers have power, three qualifies as the 800-pound gorilla in the middle of the room. Everybody knows about the Three Kings and the Three Stooges--not to mention “Three strikes, you’re out”. But did you know it’s a power number for women--especially sisters? And these are women you don’t want to mess with.

1. Three Sisters (play by Chekov)
2. Three Graces (Greek & Roman Mythology)
3. Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash--the three main food crops of the Native American tribes in New England, which can be grown together for the benefit of all)
4. Three Sisters Islands (three islands in the Potomac River near Washington, DC)
5. Three Norns (Norse mythology)
6. The Three Sisters (three Irish rivers, all arising in the mountains of County Tipperary, which flow into the sea in the same bay southwest of Waterford)
7. Three Fates (Greek & Roman Mythology)
8. Drei Schwestern (a group of three mountains forming a natural boundary between Lichtenstein and Austria)
9. Three Witches (Shakespeare’s Macbeth)
10. Three Sisters (a single mountain with three peaks near Fernie in British Columbia)
11. Three Furies (Greek & Roman Mythology)
12. Three Gorgons (Greek & Roman Mythology)
13. Tri Sestry (a volcano in the Kuril Islands in Russia)

Thirteen ways to tell you're reading a fantasy book.

ThirteenWays to tell You're Reading a Fantasy Book 13. One of our names on the cover ;) 12. There is use of the word magic, majik, majyk, magyk, magyc, majick, or some other derivative thereof included inside the covers 11. Mages, magus, magi, magii, or any derivative used to describe a character with 'otherworldly powers' that you are NOT, under pain of death, to call magic. 10. Dragons, dragyns, wyverns, wyrms, or other winged, lizardlike critters. 9. Animals that talk *please note, this alone is not a valid test, as there are numerous books with talking cats. These are often not fantasy, but mysteries. I think it's done to confuse people. 8. It begins with Once upon a time 7. There is a prince, princess or king under a spell. 6. There is a quest to destroy the penultimate evil. 5. There is someone/something that represents penultimate good 4. Cover art with clouds, and a (preferably identifiable) lightsource shining through it. Even better if said lightsource is from a magic relic, character, or whatever else represents penultimate good in said book. 3. Names with apostrophes in odd places. 2. Names with more vowels than consonants...or better yet, no consonants The number one way to tell if you're reading a fantasy? 1. Elves. Or, a human like race of magical creatures who are taller than average, generally blonde haired and pointy eared, and live for a very long time...and are NOT, under pain of death, called elves.

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