Autumn Bardot's Blog, page 17
November 10, 2019
Symbolism Magic ~ Architecture
Maximize psychological undertones and overtones in your writing to make a more powerful story!
Words are magic. Powerful magic. Often imbued with symbolic meaning— nuance, subtext, connotation, and feelings—deep within our collective consciousness. Meanings we respond to on a visceral level.
The roof overhead, the window your character gazes through, the threshold walked across—all these structural features can be used symbolically.
Here’s a few things to consider and questions that may help jump start your symbolic thinking. Remember, adding symbolic nuance to your writing can deepen your story, foreshadow, build upon character, hide or reveal conflict, or be a mirror for the character’s emotion.
Windows
let in the light of knowledge/understanding
allows character to view the outside world–which may or may not be a good thing
Are the windows dirty or clean? And what might that represent?
Are the drapes/ blinds closed or open?
Stained glass—especially those with religious iconography—shout RELIGION. The observer sees the world through the dogma of their religion.
Doors
divide between good and evil
are a transition from one stage of life to another
divide between one world and another
locked doors suggest secrets and forbidden places/worlds/experiences
Archways
divine or religious entrance into another state of being
rebirth
metaphysical time-space threshold
Is it crumbled, ancient, modern, marred, or pristine?
Wall
suggest strength
divide people
bar people
provide privacy
keep people out or others in
Is there a hole in the wall? Is it stone, plaster? Can you hear through it? What’s on the walls?
Floors
earthy realm
suggest being grounded in reality
flooring type may be symbolic
Is it marble ( wealth ) or rustic wood ( humility )?
Is it creaky, dirty, clean, shiny? Does a bug scuttle across? What’s on the floor that should not be there?
Roofs
provide shelter
keep evil out
The shape of the roof may be suggestive
Domed roofs are emblematic of heaven
Low roofs suggest restriction or being hemmed in by dogmas
Vaulting roofs may be metaphor for high-mindedness or lofty ideals
Hallways
a transitional space
the location before deciding which symbolic door you will enter
Is it dimly light, bright, narrow, wide? Do footsteps echo?
Stairs
A character going up might suggest enlightenment and knowledge
A character going down might suggest moral decline, or merely down into the depths of your understanding
winding staircases suggest mystery–one can’t see straight ahead
Are the stairs crooked, wide, slippery, worn?
Kitchens
traditional domain of women
are associated with maternal caretaking, be it with food, or spiritual and motherly nourishment
It’s also the best place to get your hands on a knife
Living rooms/Drawing rooms
The space where proper social behavior is expected
location of one’s public persona
Bedrooms
love
lust
where one’s true self appears
Librarys
synonymous with learning, knowledge, and education
place of ancient wisdom or secrets
Attics
repository of tucked away memories and secrets
place of half-remembered or forgotten truths
storage for relics of the family’s or ancestor’s past
Basement
deepest darkest secrets
underworld or lower realms
creepy or base desires
So next time you write “she looked out the window” think of ways that simple window might reveal conflict, emotion or character.
*************
Note: I’ve taught literary analysis for over 15 years. And nobody died of boredom….yet. I’ve also read and written my fair share of analytical papers about stuff that would bore the pants off anyone who wasn’t a literary professor.
November 3, 2019
Symbolism Magic ~ Setting
Maximize psychological undertones and overtones in your writing to make a more powerful story!
Words are magic. Powerful magic. Often imbued with symbolic meaning—overtones, undertones, nuance, subtext, connotation, and feelings—deep within our collective consciousness. Meanings we respond to on a visceral level.
If an author writes, “the blood-red velvet drapes concealed the dirt-encrusted window,” the words blood, velvet, concealed, and dirt-encrusted convey more than just descriptive detail.
Blood has a myriad of connotations.
Velvet suggests luxury, and/or wealth.
The word conceal implies something all together different than if the word covered had been used.
Dirt-encrusted may imply a multiple meanings; slovenliness, or how the author or characters view the world.
The short description is a clue, one providing thematic, foreshadowing, context, plot, and characterization beyond the superficial.
Does this mean you have to write that way? Of course not!
Does that mean you have to read that way? Aw, heck no.
TIP: Never get hung up the “this means that” school of thought. The magic of writing is the way the writer creates an image or feeling.
So first up! The magic of setting!
It’s more than location.
Setting is a powerful tool for creating themes, mood, tone, conflict, and social commentary. Setting may influence, shape, and emphasize a character’s actions and ideas.
Setting can be:
political ~ actually a lot of writing contains politics, especially those with themes of injustice, prejudice, and war
time frame ( minutes, hours, days, years, centuries )
historical ~ my pet peeve is an author who disregards the historical mores of the time
socio-economic ~ wealthy, poor, middle class. ( Billion romance is BIG right now.)
cultural ~ agents/editors are always on the lookout for works by under-represented authors telling stories about marginalized peoples
religious
dystopian/utopian
magical
mythical
surreal
constructed/ alternate /parallel/imaginary
dream ( think Inception)
virtual ( think Tron )
psychological
attitudinal
industrial
seasonal
Setting may refer to:
a physical place
temperature
weather
geography
landscape/topography
Can all these different types of settings be symbolic? They can, if you want them to be. Or need them to be.
How many settings does your novel have? How important is it to your story, its conflicts, and your characters’s needs?
Dragon Lady has political, socio-economic, historical, cultural, physical, and geographical settings. Her greatest enemies and conflicts stem from the political milieu, poverty, cultural expectations, and the weather. These settings are as important as the characters and are integral to the story of her triumph.
Next week on Symbolism Magic ~ North, East, South, and West
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Note: I’ve taught literary analysis for over 15 years. And nobody died of boredom….yet. I’ve also read and written my fair share of analytical papers about stuff that would bore the pants off anyone who wasn’t a literary professor.
January 20, 2019
18 Modern Wisdoms Learned From Rewriting Myths
Myths speak to us.
They explain mankind’s struggles, fears, culture, and the natural world–be it the rhythm of the waves or Earth’s rumblings or the phases of the moon. Myths comfort, guide, and inspire. They also advise and caution.
So it was with this understanding of their purpose that I explored the world’s most provocative myths in preparation for writing an erotic retelling.
Writing Legends of Lust was a lot of fun! Reimagining the already sexually charged G-rated myths to Adults Only versions made for some inspired writing and interesting Google searches (but that’s another blog topic). But what I didn’t expect was how the point—the ‘moral’ of the story—of the basic myth itself still emerged loud and clear despite my eroticizing. No amount of sex, smut, or lust could shake its essential wisdoms.
The second unexpected result, however, didn’t really hit me until after writing all the stories.
Anyone can read a myth and understand what the story is trying to teach. But rewriting a myth drives the lesson home in ways I had not anticipated. Compare it to watching a chef cook something on YouTube versus making it yourself and then adding your own spicy seasonings.
In no particular order, the following wisdoms rang loud and clear and helped me rethink and solve my own problems, struggles, and biases.
1. Have patience. Use waiting to make you stronger, more determined, more ready to make your move when you do get a lucky break.
2. Practice perseverance. Get gritty. It builds character. It will make you one tough ( in a good way ) m*****f*****!
3. Hire the best person for the job. And if you can’t…
4. Have a backup plan.
5. Sometimes we love the wrong person at the wrong time but it can still work out…
6. Just maybe not forever.
7. Men—make that all people—are easily seduced by a pretty face and great sex—a no brainer, right? So maybe the better life lesson is, be wary of any person that seems too perfect.
8. Don’t jump to conclusions about a stranger based on appearances and a first meeting.
9. Taking short cuts may be a quick solution to a problem, but in the end may have consequences that require determination, creativity, and courage to resolve.
10. Friends. You need them. Real friends. The kind that will go the distance with you.
11. Listen to your grandma. She’s been around a lot longer than you and knows a thing or two about life.
12. Likewise, listen to your mom. The ‘old ways’ are old for a reason–they work.
13. Don’t chose a mate your mom hates.
14. The best things in life take time, patience, dedication, and a delicate touch to achieve.
15. Sometimes the world isn’t ready to accept the real you, but if you’re lucky one special someone will.
16. The better you are at your job the more likely you get assigned the most difficult projects…
17. Which often results in you learning something about yourself.
And of course….
18. Don’t piss off the gods or Fates, or mess with karma, or whatever you believe.
Are these mind-blowing truths? Nah, you’ve heard them all before, but it’s always good to be reminded.
I just retell and reimagine them in a romantic, naughty, and provocative way.
**********************************************************
Take an erotic romp through mythology with these romantic and naughty tales of love and lust. Available everywhere.
Autumn Bardot writes smart, sexy erotica and historical fiction about sassy women, spicy sex, and daring romances!
When Autumn’s not writing or working, you’ll find her hanging out with her very large family, spoiled husband, and pampered rescue malti poo.
Her favorite things include salty French fries, a good foamy cup of coffee, chocolate, and the beach. And a great book, of course!
18 Things Writing Myths Taught Me
Myths speak to us.
They explain mankind’s struggles, fears, culture, and the natural world–be it the rhythm of the waves or Earth’s rumblings or the phases of the moon. Myths comfort, guide, and inspire. They also advise and caution.
So it was with this understanding of their purpose that I explored the world’s most provocative myths in preparation for writing an erotic retelling.
Writing Legends of Lust was a lot of fun! Reimagining the already sexually charged G-rated myths to Adults Only versions made for some inspired writing and interesting Google searches (but that’s another blog topic). But what I didn’t expect was how the point—the ‘moral’ of the story—of the basic myth itself still emerged loud and clear despite my eroticizing. No amount of sex, smut, or lust could shake its essential wisdoms.
The second unexpected result, however, didn’t really hit me until after writing all the stories.
Anyone can read a myth and understand what the story is trying to teach. But rewriting a myth drives the lesson home in ways I had not anticipated. Compare it to watching a chef cook something on YouTube versus making it yourself and then adding your own spicy seasonings.
In no particular order, the following wisdoms rang loud and clear and helped me rethink and solve my own problems, struggles, and biases.
1. Have patience. Use waiting to make you stronger, more determined, more ready to make your move when you do get a lucky break.
2. Practice perseverance. Get gritty. It builds character. It will make you one tough ( in a good way ) m*****f*****!
3. Hire the best person for the job. And if you can’t…
4. Have a backup plan.
5. Sometimes we love the wrong person at the wrong time but it can still work out…
6. Just maybe not forever.
7. Men—make that all people—are easily seduced by a pretty face and great sex—a no brainer, right? So maybe the better life lesson is, be wary of any person that seems too perfect.
8. Don’t jump to conclusions about a stranger based on appearances and a first meeting.
9. Taking short cuts may be a quick solution to a problem, but in the end may have consequences that require determination, creativity, and courage to resolve.
10. Friends. You need them. Real friends. The kind that will go the distance with you.
11. Listen to your grandma. She’s been around a lot longer than you and knows a thing or two about life.
12. Likewise, listen to your mom. The ‘old ways’ are old for a reason–they work.
13. Don’t chose a mate your mom hates.
14. The best things in life take time, patience, dedication, and a delicate touch to achieve.
15. Sometimes the world isn’t ready to accept the real you, but if you’re lucky one special someone will.
16. The better you are at your job the more likely you get assigned the most difficult projects…
17. Which often results in you learning something about yourself.
And of course….
18. Don’t piss off the gods or Fates, or mess with karma, or whatever you believe.
Are these mind-blowing truths? Nah, you’ve heard them all before, but it’s always good to be reminded.
I just retell and reimagine them in a romantic, naughty, and provocative way.
**********************************************************
Take an erotic romp through mythology with these romantic and naughty tales of love and lust. Available everywhere.
Autumn Bardot writes smart, sexy erotica and historical fiction about sassy women, spicy sex, and daring romances!
When Autumn’s not writing or working, you’ll find her hanging out with her very large family, spoiled husband, and pampered rescue malti poo.
Her favorite things include salty French fries, a good foamy cup of coffee, chocolate, and the beach. And a great book, of course!
November 25, 2018
Hot & Cold
Maximize the power of temperature to craft a more powerful story.
Turn the temperature up for fiery anger or sizzling passion. Turn it down for icy moods, frosty dialog, or chilling foreshadowing.
Temperature can:
reveal mood
reveal a character’s emotion
be a plot device
reveal a character’s personality
be thematic
be a setting
Not convinced?
The Great Gatsby is loaded with heat. Tom is a hot head ( personality trait). Gatsby is hot for Daisy ( desire/intent). Tom is hot for Myrtle (personality trait) and hot with anger (emotion) when he discovers Daisy’s infidelity. Myrtle is hot ( desire/intent) to be wealthy. Gatsby made all his money on hot goods (plot). Myrtle’s husband is hot ( emotion) to murder his wife’s killer. It’s a hot summer day (setting). The rising temperature mirrors the rising anger and lust of the characters. The heat is an excuse for the characters to leave East Egg ( plot ) and go into the city where conflict blazes! (mood)
Hot Synonyms
Warm, summery, tropical, broiling, boiling, searing, blistering, sweltering, torrid, sultry, humid, muggy, roasting, baking, scorching, scalding, searing, heated, red-hot, steamy
Heat can refer to:
anger
sexuality/lust/passion
personality ( a warm personality)
problems/difficulties
law/police
eagerness/fervor
Cold may refer to
personality
lack of emotion
remoteness
probability–It will be a cold day in hell when I forgive you.
austerity
Cold Synonyms
chilly, chill, cool, freezing, icy, nippy, wintry, frosty, frigid, bitter, biting raw, bone-chilling, arctic, frozen, numb, shivery
Where can you add heat/cold to turn up/down your story’s emotional temperature?
I love questions! Leave a comment here, tweet me at @AutumnBardot ( where you’ll get the quickest response), or hit me up on Goodreads! I’ve been teaching college-level literary analysis for 14 years, and enjoy helping new writers understand and incorporate all the tricks and techniques of the trade.
November 19, 2018
Color symbolism
You’ve all seen the meme that slams English teachers and literary analysis.
Student: The green drapes symbolize….blah blah blah.
Writer: I just wanted green drapes.
Not every descriptor an author uses is symbolic. Often color only provides imagery—giving color to the scene, if you will.
But sometimes color is important and relevant. Color can convey emotion, characterization, and cultural/religious/political significance that provides nuance, subtest, and emotions that we respond to on an instinctive and visceral level.
Color is linked to a spectrum of emotions, and is fraught with ambiguity and duality, making it a vibrant way to:
1. foreshadow
2. reveal character
3. provide contextual depth
4. provide irony
Warm colors like yellow, red, and orange are considered stimulating.
Cool colors like blue, indigo, violet are soothing and peaceful.
Remember, Western and Eastern color symbolism is different.
Red suggests
passion and lust
anger and aggression
war and revolution
fire and flame
Yellow is
sun
gold (the metal )
enlightenment and wisdom
flowers and warmth
cowardliness
envy and treachery
Orange is
luxury and splendor
a renunciation of earthly pleasures—think Buddhist monks garb
Blue is
sky and infinity
the divine—the Egyptian god Amun and Hindu gods, Rama, Shive, and Krishna are blue
tranquility and reflection
intellect
depression
sexual proclivities. Example, blue movies
socio-economic status—from blue-collar to blue blood
In ancient Egypt, blue was the color of truth.
The Virgin Mary’s blue robe signifies her purity
Indigo is the color of the Third Eye of spiritual knowing and intuition
Green is
spring and new life
fertility and nature
youth and inexperience
hope and joy
envy and jealousy and decay
recently connected with safeguarding our planet’s resources promoted by the Green Movement
Purple/Violet is
royalty and wealth
luxury
power—ancient Roman senators were identified by the purple stripe on their togas
religion—Catholic clergy don purple vestments during Advent and Lent
Pink
femininity
baby girls
gay pride
Black
evil
darkness
despair and death and mourning
mortality
secrecy
ill-fortune
disease
Gray
gloom
anonymity or inconspicuousness or namelessness
old age
uncertainty and unreliability and risk
White
purity and innocence
goodness
holiness
In China, Japan, and India, white is associated with death and mourning.
surrender and peace
How can you use color to strengthen plot, characterization, and conflict?
Does your character wear a red dress? What shade of red? Red—beyond the western symbolism of lust, power, and anger—doesn’t really tell a reader all that much—which is fine if that’s your intent.
But if you do want to add a symbolic punch here’s a few examples.
A rose-colored dress conveys ladylikeness or love
A cherry-red dress is suggestive of sexual prowess or desire, or…ahem…a woman wishing to be deflowered
An apple-red dress suggests something forbidden or idyllic
A blood-red dress…well, when you mix two symbolic words that can be a punch in the symbolic face!
A woman with ruby lips is sultry and/or high maintenance
A woman with candy-apple lips sounds like a damn good fun time
Consider how a fabric described as bone evokes a much different emotion than one described as snow.
Consider the following before using color symbolism
Genre: Sweet romance novels might use more romantic colors. For example, caramel—sweet and gooey, like love—instead of light brown. Historical fiction authors need to be mindful of using colors that didn’t exist. A lipstick-red dress won’t work if there was no lipstick back then. You’re better off using a descriptor like ruby, pomegranate, beet—colors aligned with the historical setting.
Revealing character: Is your character a murderer? They might see their world in shades of viscera. A gardener or florist may see their world in the colors of blooms and flora. A chef or a woman on a diet might describe the world in shades of food.
Jewel tones convey preciousness, worth, royalty, or rarity.
There are city colors, desert colors, forest, and harvest colors. There are youthful and ‘old’ colors, fun colors, mysterious colors, clean colors, and dirty colors, evil and good colors.
So before writing the green drapes pause to consider why YOU wrote that color.
I love questions! Leave a comment here, tweet me at @AutumnBardot ( where you’ll get the quickest response), or hit me up on Goodreads! I’ve been teaching college-level literary analysis for 14 years, and enjoy helping new writers understand and incorporate all the tricks and techniques of the trade.
November 11, 2018
Symbolic Architecture
The roof overhead.
The window your main character gazes through.
The threshold walked across.
The door opened. Or slammed shut.
Structural features may be used symbolically to (1) foreshadow, (2) reveal character, (3) provide conflict, (4) a amplify conflict, and ( 5) propel plot.
Many of architectural elements mentioned below are universal symbols.
Window
lets in the light of knowledge/understanding….or not ( which would be irony )
allows character to view the outside world–which may or may not be a good thing.
Some things to consider.
Are the windows dirty or clean? Does the character have a clear view of the outside world or is theirs a distorted ‘grimy’ view of the world and its people?
Are the windows covered with drapes so the characters don’t have to look out?Are the blinds closed against the outside world or open to all the world’s good and bad?
Are the windows made of stained glass? If they contain religious iconography the characters might see the world through the dogma of their religion.
Is the window stuck open? That might suggest the outside world can enter the character’s space at will? Or is the window stuck closed suggesting elements ( people, culture, etc) are shutting out the character?
Door
divide between good and evil
transition from one stage of life to another
divide between one world and another
Locked doors suggest secrets and forbidden places/worlds/experience
Consider the door itself. Is it old,carved, made of gold, glass, steel, iron-barred, painted red, padlocked, chained, burned, narrow, tall, wide, heavy, hollow, odd-shaped, revolving? What does the door knob or the knocker look like?
Archway
often a divine or religious entrance into another state of being/consciousness/awareness/self-actualization/spirituality
rebirth
metaphysical time-space threshold
Once again, consider the construction of the doorway? Is it ancient or new? Do flowers twine around it? Is it alien technology? Ancient alien technology? is it unstable, ready to collapse ( suggesting once you go through you cannot come back) ?
Wall
strength
division or barrier
privacy
Yep, you know it… is the wall flimsy, strong? Made of rock? Have a hole in it? Or a peep hole? Have a window? Covered in wallpaper? Hiding a dead body inside?
Floor
earthy realm
being grounded in reality
flooring type may be symbolic. Is it marble ( wealth ) or rustic wood ( humility )?
Roof
shelter
keeps evil out
shape of the roof may be suggestive
Domed roofs are emblematic of heaven
Low roofs suggest restriction or being hemmed in by societal conventions or religious/political/cultural etc dogmas
Vaulting roofs may be metaphor for high-mindedness or lofty ideals
Hallway
transitional space
location before deciding which symbolic door you will enter
Don’t neglect to describe the hallway. Is it bright, dark, smoke-filled, narrow, wide, opulent?
Stair
steps toward or away from morality, enlightenment
winding staircases suggest mystery–one can’t see straight ahead
Are the steps narrow, well-worn, slippery, broken, crumbled, threadbare, marble, or Persian rug-covered?
Kitchen
traditional domain of women
maternal care taking, be it with food, spiritual, or motherly nourishment
best place to get your hands on a knife
You guessed, if it’s relevant to the story describe the kitchen. Modern, grandma-esque, never-been-cooked-in? Spanking clean or crumb-covered?
Living room/Drawing room
room where proper social behavior was expected
location of one’s public persona
You get it now! If it’s relevant to the plot or helps in characterization, don’t forget to describe the living room. Modern? Lots of antiques? Messy, neat? Tons of knickknacks? Minimalistic? Dark or light? Dusty, flowery?
Bedroom
love
lust
private room where one’s true self appears
Yowza! This might be a deep characterization goldmine.
Library
synonymous with learning, knowledge, and education
place of ancient wisdom or secrets
Attic
repository of tucked away memories and secrets
place of half-remembered or forgotten truths
storage for relics of the family’s or ancestor’s past
Basement
deepest darkest secrets
underworld or lower realms
creepy or base desires
I love questions! Leave a comment here, tweet me at @AutumnBardot ( where you’ll get the quickest response), or hit me up on Goodreads! I’ve been teaching college-level literary analysis for 14 years, and enjoy helping new writers understand and incorporate all the tricks and techniques of the trade.
November 4, 2018
Symbolic Setting
It’s a powerful tool for establishing themes, mood, tone, and, should you be so inclined, making a social/cultural/religious/political statement.
Setting will:
influence and emphasize a character’s actions
spotlight a character’s beliefs
create conflicts
enhance conflicts
be essential and integral part of the plot
establish mood
****Use setting purposely. It’s just as important as any character you create.****
Take a look at the types of settings below. If you’ve read one or more of the novels in the example column, reflect how the author used setting to best advantage.
Can you have more than one setting? Of course! Most novels do.
Setting can also refer to:
a physical place
temperature
weather
climate
geography
landscape/topography
Setting should be just as real to you as your characters, complete with its own personality, traits, nuances, and idiosyncrasies. Give setting a ‘voice’ as it were.
Consider how you can make full fabulous use of your WIP’s setting to take your story to the next level.
I love questions! Leave a comment here, tweet me at @AutumnBardot ( where you’ll get the quickest response), or hit me up on Goodreads! I’ve been teaching college-level literary analysis for 14 years, and enjoy helping new writers understand and incorporate all the tricks and techniques of the trade.
November 3, 2018
KALAMATA, GREECE
One of my favorite vacation destinations so far was rambling the countryside of Kalamata, Greece. We went with another couple. Leah spoke pretty good Greek—or so she thought until she conversed with the natives! Oh, and during the flight over the pond Leah read a very early version of By Sword Tip, one of the short stories from Legends of Lust.
Kalamata. Sounds familiar? Yep, that’s right. That’s where all those yummy Kalamata olives come from.
We went a week before high season, so the rates were low and the Aegean not yet warm. But no way did a little brisk water stop us from swimming. It was warm once you were in for a few minutes.
This was the view from the outdoor restaurant at our hotel, Filoxenia. Loved it!! Hubby loved the all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
FYI: The beach was rocky and pebbly. We needed water shoes. Not the Greeks, though, who were able to walk the beach and surf barefoot.
The Greek salad was too die!
Recipe for authentic Greek salad: chunks of cucumber, tomatoes, very thinly sliced red onion and green pepper, green olives, big chunks of thick toasted bread, a massive hunk of fresh feta cheese, generous amounts of oregano, a few sprigs of dill, and tossed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. That’s right. Not a single lettuce leaf!
I ate one every day.
This was the view from our room. Stunning, right?
We made a three-hour side trip to Athens to see the Acropolis. O.M.G. I wanted to sit there all day and bask in the ancient aura of ancient gods, goddesses, muses, and nymphs. Hubby asked the tour guide all kinds of questions. I merely wanted to feel its history. And if it had been possible, I would have sat down with my lap tap and pounded out several stories.
I was in awe. Tried to imagine how the Acropolis looked in all its glory, before time and wars had left it a mere skeleton, only the bones left for us to admire.
I tried to imagine the people milling about….
their voices and songs to the gods…
The Acropolis sit on a hilltop overlooking all of Greece. A spectacular vantage point.
The Acropolis is undergoing renovation to keep the buildings from further decay.
All the buildings and temples were cordoned off. We admired from afar.
This was as close we got to this temple.
We spend about three hours wondering the Acropolis. And sadly, we arrived too late to tour the museum at the base of the Acropolis, which I heard is fabulous.
“Are you history buffs?” asked our petite, curly-haired, perfectly English speaking tour guide as we set off in her BMW SUV up the Peloponnese coast. “I can talk for hours and give you all the local history if you like.”
“Yes!” Four eager tourists shouted.
The blood of the ancient Spartans runs through the Mani people who live in the Peloponnese countryside. They were a tough people living in a harsh land too arid and rocky for farming.
The Mani is a culture of blood feuds, kick ass warriors, fierce family loyalty, and about a million miles ( well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration) of waist high rock walls built heater skelter to divide their wee bit of property.
Those are my olive trees, not yours!
Yes, our tour guide said, blood was spilled over olive trees and boundary lines.
We passed lots of goats as the SUV snaked the narrow roads up the Peloponnese coastline.
And speaking of snakes…
The tour guide thwacked a big thick stick against the doorframe before we entered these tiny–maybe 15 by 15 ft– churches to scare away the poisonous snakes.
She was exceptionally wary of snakes, not letting us venture into the scrub or grasses until she checked for snakes.
And then there were always the scorpions to worry about…
The tiny chapels walls were covered floor to ceiling with Byzantium style artwork of incredible color and detail.
We stopped at Diros where we climbed onto small boats, and rowers guided us through the waist-deep water into a confusing maze of gorgeous caves.
We passed a lot of sleepy little towns that sadly, giant hotel chains are buying up. Good for the villagers, it puts much needed money in their pockets. Not so good when you realize many such places will lose their charm and history to tourist dollars.
There are many sunken pirate ships in the small bays along the coast. A haven for scuba divers. From the road above we could see a few of them.
Our day tour ended at this fabulous hotel in Oitylo where, I swear, I plan on coming back to write a novel or two.
A trip to our friend’s ancestral hometown the following day ended with a meandering walk through the town’s cemetery.
In a blink of an eye, our Greek trip flew by.
We dined on Aegean fish caught that day by local fisherman, gorged on succulent enormous octopus, slurped delicious Greek coffee, supped on many local Greek dishes, drank too much ouzo, and danced the night away at a local Greek club.
I guess the muses worked overtime on this writer, because I got two solid stories ideas from the trip. One, a historical fiction of a famous but not well known event of one the places we visited. The other, the setting for the fourth book of my paranormal romance series ( written under another pen name.)
Any trip that provides that kind of fun and creativity is definitely SEXY!
Stay tuned for my next Sexy Vacations blog when I’ll be writing about Costa Rica.
October 29, 2018
The Magic of Symbolism
Words are magic. Powerful magic. Often imbued with symbolic meaning—overtones, undertones, nuance, subtext, connotation, and feelings—deep within our collective consciousness. Meanings we respond to on a visceral level, often emotional level.
By artful use, the writer can amplify thematic, foreshadowing, context, plot, description, conflict, and characterization beyond the superficial.
If an author writes, “the blood-red velvet drapes concealed the dirt-encrusted window,” the words blood, velvet, concealed, and dirt-encrusted convey more than just descriptive detail. Blood has a myriad of connotations. Velvet suggests luxury, and/or wealth. The word conceal implies something all together different than if the word covered had been used. Dirt-encrusted may imply a multiple meanings; slovenliness, or how the author or characters view the world.
The short description is a clue, one providing thematic, foreshadowing, context, plot, and characterization beyond the superficial.
Does this mean you have to write that way? NO, of course not!
Never get hung up the “this means that” school of thought. The magic of writing is the way the writer creates an image or feeling.
Download my free 28-page beginners guide to The Magic of Symbolism. Or for a more in-depth look follow my blog On Writing.
