What if?
What if
this is hell and what if
our minds protect us from
nightmares that gnash at
whatever keeps us sane?
What if
our dreams keep us safe from
the reality we cannot bear and
if our nightmares are real and
our minds snap over and over
under the weight of our terror?
What if
our name is not our name
and we are lost forever in
this dark and horrible place and
our thoughts are not straight but
we think they are to keep us safe?
What if
the love ones we hold dear are
a small fraction of those left
and we've forgotten the others and
they are lost too, but we don't know who
we are looking for and they need us?
Who will care for those lost souls of the abyss?
I will, she said,
and I wept.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Knight, Shadow, and others
Last week, I asked for stray readers to think about the characters they write about.
I am one of many writers that focuses on the characters to drive the plot. In most of the series of books I've written (Crimson Promises, Anatha's Light, Autumn's Passage, Inner Secrets, Fires and Spires, Matthew's Quest, The Warrior Mage) the plot doesn't look very similar, but they are all connected by two ancient souls that continuously live and die together. These two are the Knight and the Shadow.
The Knight and the Shadow are unique with each life they live; experience crafts the person to an extent, but their destinies are tied by the strings of the fates in a way that even the gods and goddesses cannot untie. In this realm of existence, there are many gods, but the souls of the Knight and the Shadow are so old that even the new gods have difficulty remembering the origin of the two.
The namesake is fairly new. These lovers were peaceful souls in the beginning when the first deity breathed life into them. They lived as farmers mostly and then pottery makers. They loved each other dearly with each new life they lived. The Knight was always boylike, naive, but courageous and righteous. He is sometimes bold and always seen as a loveable natural leader. The Shadow became cunning and resourceful; she was always independent and never suppressed by her eternal lover. They were two flames that gave each other even greater life, and their memories made them stronger and more devoted.
Then, in a horrible battle described in Anatha's Light, the Shadow was cursed by a demon. Even the Phoenix (a third and important soul as well) could not remove the curse with her immense light. With each new reincarnation, the curse would draw suffering on the Shadow for her transgression against the evil entity. This curse tries the two lovers in extraordinary ways and tests their eternal love. According to Queen Sara of Crimson Promises, the Shadow has tortured, betrayed, and even murdered her beloved Knight because of the curse. Though Ezra is not at all a reliable source, the Knight and the Shadow always meet in the midst of conflict.
The responsibility of the Knight and the Shadow exchange hands among the gods. The first noted Knight, Aeliot, is born to the fire goddess Elysia and bears the qualities of a fire-born knight. Lilith, the first Shadow to bear the curse, is born to the wolf god Lyro who watches over humans, though the water goddess Feya favored her as well. Elysia loved the Knight and kept him for many lifetimes until she finally gave him to the gods of light. The Shadow exchanged hands many times, though. In Matthew's Quest, she is born to the reckless calamity and thunder god, Za, and is a powerful mage for it. In Inner Secrets, she is born to Lyro but favored by the quiet light gods. She finally is born to the new fire gods in Fires and Spires and remains with them for several centuries, though she remains a powerful magician and retains some residual memory of her lives with other deities watching over her.
The third important soul and character that appears repeatedly in these books is the Phoenix. The Phoenix is extremely powerful and requires much rest after each life before being born again. The Phoenix is born of fire and light and can bring life where there is only death. She appears in Anatha's Light first, then Matthew's Quest, and finally in the last installment of Crimson Promises. The Phoenix is always close to the Knight and the Shadow.
The god Kadios plays an important role in each novel as well. He was once a strict, philanthropic, intelligent god that taught man to make machines, to farm, to make fire, and to build cities. He demanded little in return and was greatly disappointed when the humans failed to accomplish their goals. The humans demanded much from Kadios as he became more generous until they eventually demanded his death. It was Elysia and her twelve Knights that defeated Kadios and took the God Fire, but gods never die, and Kadios, betrayed by his beloved creatures, lives on in bitter existence. His influence can be felt across milennia as ambitious leaders hear word of a powerful dragon in the north that will grant power to those desperate enough to seek it.
The title of this blog comes from the fact that the Shadow maintains a certain look with most of her reincarnations. In the west, she has jet black hair, alabaster skin, eyes of moonless midnight, and a nimble frame. In the east, she is more wild usually has the characteristic brown hair of the region. The Knight takes on many forms and doesn't care for any physical attributes so long as he can be near his lover. The Phoenix is usually young when her power is realized and is late in reincarnating. She usually prefers to be born in stable times to stable, happy families so as to preserve her strength.
Another soul torments the Knight. She is the beautiful lover that always seems to choose to be born in the same time and place as him, and she toys with his heart, but she rarely commits to love the Knight. She prefers the more powerful men with influence. Nonetheless, these two souls meet, clash, and divide.
The Knight's dear friend also follows him, though he will travel far in his physical existence to find his friend. They will meet by chance if they must, but this lively soul is full of energy and loyal to the end.
The mage's soul is not to be mistaken for the Knight. The mage is born of light and for many centuries hibernates between life and death in self-imprisonment.
Without further ado, I shall introduce you to some of these characters that appear in this fantastical land and talk to me all day and knight about their journeys they travel:
The Knight
I am one of many writers that focuses on the characters to drive the plot. In most of the series of books I've written (Crimson Promises, Anatha's Light, Autumn's Passage, Inner Secrets, Fires and Spires, Matthew's Quest, The Warrior Mage) the plot doesn't look very similar, but they are all connected by two ancient souls that continuously live and die together. These two are the Knight and the Shadow.
The Knight and the Shadow are unique with each life they live; experience crafts the person to an extent, but their destinies are tied by the strings of the fates in a way that even the gods and goddesses cannot untie. In this realm of existence, there are many gods, but the souls of the Knight and the Shadow are so old that even the new gods have difficulty remembering the origin of the two.
The namesake is fairly new. These lovers were peaceful souls in the beginning when the first deity breathed life into them. They lived as farmers mostly and then pottery makers. They loved each other dearly with each new life they lived. The Knight was always boylike, naive, but courageous and righteous. He is sometimes bold and always seen as a loveable natural leader. The Shadow became cunning and resourceful; she was always independent and never suppressed by her eternal lover. They were two flames that gave each other even greater life, and their memories made them stronger and more devoted.
Then, in a horrible battle described in Anatha's Light, the Shadow was cursed by a demon. Even the Phoenix (a third and important soul as well) could not remove the curse with her immense light. With each new reincarnation, the curse would draw suffering on the Shadow for her transgression against the evil entity. This curse tries the two lovers in extraordinary ways and tests their eternal love. According to Queen Sara of Crimson Promises, the Shadow has tortured, betrayed, and even murdered her beloved Knight because of the curse. Though Ezra is not at all a reliable source, the Knight and the Shadow always meet in the midst of conflict.
The responsibility of the Knight and the Shadow exchange hands among the gods. The first noted Knight, Aeliot, is born to the fire goddess Elysia and bears the qualities of a fire-born knight. Lilith, the first Shadow to bear the curse, is born to the wolf god Lyro who watches over humans, though the water goddess Feya favored her as well. Elysia loved the Knight and kept him for many lifetimes until she finally gave him to the gods of light. The Shadow exchanged hands many times, though. In Matthew's Quest, she is born to the reckless calamity and thunder god, Za, and is a powerful mage for it. In Inner Secrets, she is born to Lyro but favored by the quiet light gods. She finally is born to the new fire gods in Fires and Spires and remains with them for several centuries, though she remains a powerful magician and retains some residual memory of her lives with other deities watching over her.
The third important soul and character that appears repeatedly in these books is the Phoenix. The Phoenix is extremely powerful and requires much rest after each life before being born again. The Phoenix is born of fire and light and can bring life where there is only death. She appears in Anatha's Light first, then Matthew's Quest, and finally in the last installment of Crimson Promises. The Phoenix is always close to the Knight and the Shadow.
The god Kadios plays an important role in each novel as well. He was once a strict, philanthropic, intelligent god that taught man to make machines, to farm, to make fire, and to build cities. He demanded little in return and was greatly disappointed when the humans failed to accomplish their goals. The humans demanded much from Kadios as he became more generous until they eventually demanded his death. It was Elysia and her twelve Knights that defeated Kadios and took the God Fire, but gods never die, and Kadios, betrayed by his beloved creatures, lives on in bitter existence. His influence can be felt across milennia as ambitious leaders hear word of a powerful dragon in the north that will grant power to those desperate enough to seek it.
The title of this blog comes from the fact that the Shadow maintains a certain look with most of her reincarnations. In the west, she has jet black hair, alabaster skin, eyes of moonless midnight, and a nimble frame. In the east, she is more wild usually has the characteristic brown hair of the region. The Knight takes on many forms and doesn't care for any physical attributes so long as he can be near his lover. The Phoenix is usually young when her power is realized and is late in reincarnating. She usually prefers to be born in stable times to stable, happy families so as to preserve her strength.
Another soul torments the Knight. She is the beautiful lover that always seems to choose to be born in the same time and place as him, and she toys with his heart, but she rarely commits to love the Knight. She prefers the more powerful men with influence. Nonetheless, these two souls meet, clash, and divide.
The Knight's dear friend also follows him, though he will travel far in his physical existence to find his friend. They will meet by chance if they must, but this lively soul is full of energy and loyal to the end.
The mage's soul is not to be mistaken for the Knight. The mage is born of light and for many centuries hibernates between life and death in self-imprisonment.
Without further ado, I shall introduce you to some of these characters that appear in this fantastical land and talk to me all day and knight about their journeys they travel:
The Knight
- Aeliot - Perhaps my favorite character of all. Aeliot is born to Elysia and is extraordinarily generous, forgiving, friendly, and romantic. He immediately falls in love with Lilith despite her constant betrayal. He is a powerful spellsword and is protective of his loved ones.
- Tristan - An honorable and faithful servant of the Pope King of Catsnia, Tristan faces perhaps the greatest challenge by the curse. The Knight is more stubborn in this lifetime, but his affinity for justice and his dear friend Anthony lead him on a journey to save his loved ones and his home.
- Matthew - Matthew's tale is more tragic because he never realizes his love for the Shadow. The curse is great in this lifetime because of the presence of Kadios and the unnatural power of the land of the undead that lingers over the shadow of the sea. Nonetheless, he is faithful and courageous, and his leadership shines when the land of the south needs a leader. Matthew is the first fire elemental Knight, but with the influence of the gods dying, his magic is considerably weaker than Anna's.
- Kenneth - Kenneth is bold and sporadic, similar to Aeliot but more dangerously so. He is also stubborn and traditional, but he is also a romantic. Having been severed from his eternal lover for an entire lifetime, he is more desperate to have her back. His soul's crying out for the Shadow leads to desperation that causes much trouble in Inner Secrets.
- Justin - The most notable and traditional Knight. Justin is flexible, naive, and lovable. He is a natural leader and powerful as well. He is not able to use magic unless he is pressed, but he is a powerful light element.
The Shadow
- Lilith - The first cursed Shadow. Lilith is a thief in Anatha's Light and retains some of her cunning and skills from her past lives as a merchant and artist. She is fond of luxuries to the point that she will steal to attain them. She is more treacherous than her incarnations and more resistant to fate's dominant hand.
- Isarra - A passionate fire element and matriarch. She resembles Dana in many ways in that she falls desperately in love with the Knight at first sight and is both a powerful warrior and mage. Her reputation as the first Astarte is later forgotten except by the Council and Kings of Catsnia, but her legend lives on in her mask.
- Anna - Anna is extremely independent and less is known about her because she is so distant from her eternal lover, the Knight. She is chaste in this lifetime and far more reckless, being born to Za, but saves Matthew and his comrades many times before eventually going her own way.
- Fiona - Fiona is wild and noble. She is one of the most perfect characters in qualities. She is sometimes naive but fiercely loyal. Like the other Shadows, she is clever, quiet, and witty, but Fiona is one of the wittiest of all the Shadows (competing only with Dana as wittiest). She is also passionate though she is born human with the affinity of the light gods.
- Dana - Perhaps my other favorite character, Dana is passionate, witty, clever, and has a dark side that is rivaled only by Lilith's. She is matriarchal like Isarra and has a soft spot for orphans. Her revival by Justin makes her unique among the Shadows. She is a fire elemental Shadow but is able to use the Mage's devices to manipulate light.
The Phoenix
- Anatha - Anatha is the first Phoenix. She is naive, sweet, loyal, and young. She is also long-lived. No one knows whom her parents are, but she is elven and powerful. She is born to the god Ramos of the light. Because she is born purely of light, she needs Elysia and Aeliot's help to realize her true power.
- Aeriona - A quiet princess born supposedly to humans, but possessing a powerful soul that Lord Dagoth intends to extract from her body. She is loyal and naive, trusting too many people at any moment and creating much work for her personal guard.
- Anna - Born to the Knight and the Shadow in the fourth installment of Crimson Promises, Anna is the second most powerful Phoenix. Like her incarnations, she is naive, sweet, and loyal, though she learns magic by her own means and makes friends easily. According to Lady Eris, Anna is named after Anatha, a ripple across time and a knot of fate that reaches across centuries of time when the tale of Anatha and her friends is long lost.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Characters
As most of the people around me know, I've written a couple dozen novels and am working on a few right now. That's how I work, and I know that it's unusual -- a few at a time. Some writers focus on one masterpiece at a time while I wander from work to work.
I haven't had time for my shorter pieces, though they are there, in my head, jealous that I haven't given them the affection they deserve (and they do deserve my attention). I often think that my stories deserve the greatest writer that can give them the most well-written passages in the best delivery. Then again, I love them more than any writer could, so I do my best.
Last week, I attended a seminar by Jonathan Franzen (probably misspelled). He spoke at length about the importance of sympathetic characters and the importance of characters in a story. I wholeheartedly agree with him. I can't read a book if I can't like the character at least a little bit, and the more I love the characters, the more I want to know their stories. That's what a book is, right? It's someone's, or lot of peoples' story.
I haven't had much time to write, what with my major organic chemistry exam tomorrow (and it's a doozy!) and domestic animal biology exam on Tuesday. I will certainly pick up the pace starting Wednesday, though. Until then, I want to know something from you, my readers who are also writers.
I want to know about your characters. I don't mind if (and actually have an interest in) the characters haven't graced one of your pieces yet. I just want to know about them, so if you don't mind, could you make your way to the comments section and answer a few questions? Pick and choose if you like. I will give my answers next week.
1) Who are your characters, and how do you come to meet them? Do you give life to them, build them from clay like a god, with pieces and traits sewn together in one embodiment? Do they come to you, fully fleshed out, like a stranger you wanted to meet? Is it a bit of both -- you meet him but maybe redress his very soul?
2) How alike are your characters to you? to your friends? Do you prefer very unreal people that maybe needed some research to fully form, or do you write more from your personal being?
3) Thinking of all of your characters, what are some generally similar characteristics they share? Do you write mostly about males or females? Do they have similar flaws? Do they have similar passions, goals, hobbies, desires, interests, histories, physical traits?
4) Are your characters inherently flawed, or do you put effort into making them more relate-able (that is, your excellent writing ability makes them more "human")? Do you use more imperfect characters, average characters, sinister characters, or perfect characters (like Joe in Great Expectations or Clarissa Harlowe)?
Thinking of your reading experiences . . .
5) What do you like about certain characters? What draws you to them? What makes you feel for them? Who is your favorite character from any book (you can choose many).
6) Who is your least favorite character from any book? Why didn't you like the character? Do you think the author designed the character this way - that is, to be greatly disliked - or was it more accidental? Did the character draw from your personal experiences?
I haven't had time for my shorter pieces, though they are there, in my head, jealous that I haven't given them the affection they deserve (and they do deserve my attention). I often think that my stories deserve the greatest writer that can give them the most well-written passages in the best delivery. Then again, I love them more than any writer could, so I do my best.
Last week, I attended a seminar by Jonathan Franzen (probably misspelled). He spoke at length about the importance of sympathetic characters and the importance of characters in a story. I wholeheartedly agree with him. I can't read a book if I can't like the character at least a little bit, and the more I love the characters, the more I want to know their stories. That's what a book is, right? It's someone's, or lot of peoples' story.
I haven't had much time to write, what with my major organic chemistry exam tomorrow (and it's a doozy!) and domestic animal biology exam on Tuesday. I will certainly pick up the pace starting Wednesday, though. Until then, I want to know something from you, my readers who are also writers.
I want to know about your characters. I don't mind if (and actually have an interest in) the characters haven't graced one of your pieces yet. I just want to know about them, so if you don't mind, could you make your way to the comments section and answer a few questions? Pick and choose if you like. I will give my answers next week.
1) Who are your characters, and how do you come to meet them? Do you give life to them, build them from clay like a god, with pieces and traits sewn together in one embodiment? Do they come to you, fully fleshed out, like a stranger you wanted to meet? Is it a bit of both -- you meet him but maybe redress his very soul?
2) How alike are your characters to you? to your friends? Do you prefer very unreal people that maybe needed some research to fully form, or do you write more from your personal being?
3) Thinking of all of your characters, what are some generally similar characteristics they share? Do you write mostly about males or females? Do they have similar flaws? Do they have similar passions, goals, hobbies, desires, interests, histories, physical traits?
4) Are your characters inherently flawed, or do you put effort into making them more relate-able (that is, your excellent writing ability makes them more "human")? Do you use more imperfect characters, average characters, sinister characters, or perfect characters (like Joe in Great Expectations or Clarissa Harlowe)?
Thinking of your reading experiences . . .
5) What do you like about certain characters? What draws you to them? What makes you feel for them? Who is your favorite character from any book (you can choose many).
6) Who is your least favorite character from any book? Why didn't you like the character? Do you think the author designed the character this way - that is, to be greatly disliked - or was it more accidental? Did the character draw from your personal experiences?
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