Simon Rose's Blog, page 250

What's it all About? The Historical Background of The Doomsday Mask - Part 3

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The Pleistocene Extinction

The world's paleontologists are largely agreed that a catastrophic event happened 12,000 years ago, or in 10,000 BC, around the same time as the supposed destruction of Atlantis depicted in The Doomsday Mask. Vast numbers of large mammals such as mammoths, mastodons, sabre-toothed tigers and others vanished almost overnight. You can learn more about the Pleistocene Extinction here.

Ancient Cities of the Americas

Some of the ancient cities of Central and South America...

What's it all About? The Historical Background of The Doomsday Mask - Part 2

[image error] The Legend of Atlantis
The Mask of Kulkaan featured in the The Doomsday Mask is a priceless ancient artifact and a remnant of Atlantis. The Mask was inspired by the legends of the mysterious crystal skulls discovered in Central America and in other parts of the world. You can learn more about crystal skulls here.

There are countless stories about the lost city of Atlantis, plus many theories as to the possible location of the legendary civilization. These include the Mediterranean, the mid...

What's it all About? The Historical Background of The Doomsday Mask - Part 1

On my website you will find links to a wide variety of sites on the internet related to the times and places depicted in The Doomsday Mask.

Berlin 1945

Part of the story in The Doomsday Mask takes place in the chaos of the city of Berlin at the end of the Second World War. Large parts of the city were destroyed and the army recruited anyone strong enough to hold a weapon in the waning days of the war, including children.

Art treasures and other valuables were looted by the Nazis from across...

British Pubs: Signs of the Times, Part Two at Dark Roasted Blend

My latest article, British Pubs, Signs of the Times, Part Two, is now posted at Dark Roasted Blend.
In Part One, the article explored the colorful and often bizarre pub signs featuring royalty, nobility, religious iconography, occupations and trades, legends and ever-popular sporting activities. In addition, Part Two looks at how Britain's great military heroes of the Napoleonic Wars -- Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington -- have many pubs named after them, as do significant ships,famous...

Magic in Stories for Children - Fatal Weaknesses

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Magical stories can feature beings that are able to access the mind of their adversary to determine their deepest fears to learn what really scares them and thus immobilize them at a crucial moment. This may not necessarily immobilize physically, but mentally render someone incapable of any resistance. Sometimes this is only for a limited time, giving the hero precious time to escape and replenish his energy or allowing the villain the chance to slip away to fight another day. Another common...

An Interview with Wendy Orr

[image error] My guest today is Australian author Wendy Orr.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Edmonton, Canada, but with a father in the Air Force, grew up in various places in France, Canada and Colorado. From the time that I learned to read, I wanted to be a writer, and wrote stories, plays and poetry: "Spring Island", written when I was nine, was in some ways a first draft of Nim's Island. However, I lost my nerve when I finished high school, so I studied Animal Care in Kingston...

Magic in Stories for Children - The Limits of Magic

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If the character has no limits to his or her magical powers, the story will be devoid of conflict, so authors have developed many ways in which these limitations can be portrayed. Sometimes the protagonists have only limited magical ability, perhaps because they are an apprentice or otherwise just beginning to learn the craft. Or perhaps they are as yet unaware of their magical talents or how to direct their powers properly. Sometimes they are only able to cast so many spells in a day or in...

Courses for writers this fall with Chinook Learning Services in Calgary

[image error] The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through Chinook Learning Services. This fall I am pleased to be offering the following courses.
Forming Fictional Characters - November 21Characters are the heart of every story - their actions drive the plot. Their individuality is what readers or audiences most remember. This workshop explores where writers get ideas for characters, and how to use descriptive language to build them. Participants will invent their own...

The Calgary Children's Book Fair and Conference

[image error] The Calgary Children's Book Fair and Conference featuring local children's authors and illustrators in Calgary and the surrounding area, will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre in north west Calgary.

Discover the wealth of talent in your own backyard!

The Calgary Children's Book Fair and Conference represents a fabulous opportunity for children to meet local writers, chat with them about their work and obtain an autographed and...

Magic in Stories for Children - Magic and the Superhero Genre

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Just as the science depicted in science fiction stories has to be believable, so do magic powers in a fantasy tale, or the reader will lose both interest in the book and respect for the writer. All-powerful spells are fine to include in a story, but in the Harry Potter books even formidable characters such as Dumbledore and Voldemort have their weaknesses. Wands can be broken and people can be killed, so the adventure is all the more realistic. After all, if anything is possible, the story...