Pamela Hart's Blog, page 2

What’s In A Name

Do names shape our perception of characters? 

When Juliet fell in love with Romeo, she made the famous declaration, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” to show that Romeo’s family name didn’t matter to her.

But Anne of Green Gables, one of my favorite spunky heroines, disagrees. She said, “I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose would be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”

And Mavis Himes describes a name “like an elongated shadow attached at our heels.”

Would Juliet still be a beloved tragic heroine if her name was Gertrude or Brunhilda? (There’s nothing wrong with those names of course! But they may change our perceptions of the character.)

Research has shown that we can make a first impression about someone in 1/10th of a second!

Influencing factors include:

A person’s faceOverall physicalityAnd, you guessed it, names!

There’s even evidence that our names can shape our perception of ourselves.

But how does that apply to fictional characters?

Is our perception of a character influenced by their name?

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any articles dealing with this specific topic, but as an avid reader, my gut tells me I side with Anne of Green Gables.

Do writers use names to shape a character?

What about writers?

Do they purposely create names that will shape a character in deliberate ways? Do they have a secret writer code? A name generator? Or is it completely random?

Lean in a little closer, dear reader and I’ll tell you my secrets.

How do you come up with character names?

A reader asked me this question recently and so I thought you all might be curious as well.

There are 4 main ways that I generate character names. I’ve attempted to make this list as spoiler-free as possible, so if you haven’t read Beauty from Ashes yet, you should be safe.

1.) Biblical References Elyon comes from the Hebrew “El Elyon” which means “God Most High.”Arnion means “lamb” in ancient Greek.Beulah is a reference to Isaiah 62:4, where God declares that Israel’s land will no longer be called desolate, but “Beulah” or “married.”Gehenna was a location outside of Jerusalem where trash was burned. It was also used as an image for a place of torment.Delilah comes from the woman who seduced an ultimately betrayed SamsonHas is a reference to Cephas, or Peter one of the twelve apostles. In earlier versions of the manuscript Has was actually called Cephas.Lucien was chosen for its similarity to Lucifer.Beauty from Ashes comes from Isaiah 61:3. 2.) Easter Eggs

You weren’t thinking of these, were you?

“Easter eggs” is also a slang term for hidden jokes, messages, and pop culture references that are tucked inside various forms of media.

There are Easter eggs in most of my writing, but a lot of them contain spoilers.

Since this post is spoiler free, I can only share a few

Bucephalus was the name of Alexander the Great’s war horse.Eril’s name and physical appearance were influenced by Eriol from Card Captor Sakura—but not his personality. 3.) People who’ve made an impression on me Agatha is modeled after my great-aunt Elle. Her mother’s name was Agatha.Cira is one of my dear friends from college.Acadia, Naileah, and Ayam (Maya spelled backwards) are all the names of former students who I have fond memories of. I borrowed their names and some of their physical attributes when creating these characters.Sometimes people who’ve made a strong negative impression on me also end up in my writing, but I never use their real name. I think it may be a form of therapeutic stress relief to write about things that have troubled me. It also helps for generating strong emotions that I need to write scenes with a big conflict. Apparently, I’m not the only one if cups like this exist. 4.) Sometimes a name just pops into my head

Names like Kaya, Ellio, Elorah, Eiren, Roscoe, and Avathys sprang wholly from that creative crevice deep in my brain. I don’t know where they came from, but they fit perfectly.

Do names shape your perception?

What do you think?

Do names affect how you view a person? A character? Yourself?

Let me know in the comments!

References & Further Reading – Psychology Today – The Week – BBC

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Book Review: Man of Sorrows

Man of Sorrows by M.N. Stroh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Man of Sorrows is the first book in M.N. Stroh’s Tale of the Clan series.

What I loved the most about Man of Sorrows was how it transported me into the world of medieval Ireland. You can tell that the author did a lot of research. Man of Sorrows is full of thoughtful, period-specific details. As the characters go through their adventures, I learned about Irish clans that were active at that time, clothing, weapons, and even farming implements. The most fascinating historical aspect to me were the details about the monastery and how the monks were copying the sacred texts by hand. Learning more about the process of illuminated manuscripts was fascinating and made me appreciate modern advances that have made books and reading much more accessible.

Mara was my favorite character. She’s a plucky heroine who stands her ground against traditions of the time. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will say her faith and determination was very inspiring.

I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction, fans of inspirational fiction, and people who are interested in Ireland, especially Viking era Ireland.

I received a free ARC of Man of Sorrows but was not required to leave a review, nor has it affected my rating in any way.

View all my reviews

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Medusa Complex

“Don’t go, please!”

His breath ghosted against her neck, and she shivered. For one heartbeat, Emma allowed herself to remain in his embrace. Then she broke away. “You know it’s impossi—”

An electric guitar wailed through the ceiling and Belinda flinched, mashing the wrong button on her keyboard.

Not again!

Not when Emma and Pierre’s tragic romance was begging to be written. Belinda had been plotting this story for weeks. Her outline was flawless. The last twist for the doomed lovers was a doozy. No one would see it coming. Everything in her plot was falling perfectly into place.

Chords twanged overhead. Distorted music notes stabbed her eardrums.

No. No. No!

How was she supposed to get anything done with those infernal elves upstairs? Didn’t they ever study? The serpents in her hair squirmed and hissed. Belinda took a deep breath, tapping her claws on the edge of her desk. Her computer screen stared back at her, the cursor on her word processor blinking.

Great. The mood’s totally destroyed.

She needed to ignore them. There were still five months left in the semester, and she couldn’t let some obnoxious neighbors ruin it.

The guitar squealed again. Something heavy dragged across the upstairs floor. Her ceiling light flickered.

They’re like a flock of griffons!

This whole apartment building was leased to foreign exchange students. Belinda had assumed it would be a quiet refuge from the bustling streets of Granada where she and her classmates could study in peace. But the elves upstairs were always partying and blasting music. Forget studying, she couldn’t even hear herself think!

An electric bass joined the guitar. The thrumming reverb was so heavy, Belinda’s walls rattled. The gorgon groaned and smacked her laptop shut.

“That’s it!” She surged out of the chair, serpentine body uncoiling like a spring. Belinda wrenched the door open and slithered out into the hall. The emerald snakes in her hair stood straight up, like an angry, bristling mohawk.

“Hey girl!” Her flatmate, Serena, called out from the living room. She was lounging on the couch, textbooks spread across the coffee table.

Belinda could smell her kelp smoothie from across the room. Stars, those things were potent. She paused to study her flatmate. How could she study with that commotion upstairs?

Serena was a water nymph with smooth, blue-speckled skin that faded to white at her throat. She wore a ruffled peasant blouse and leggings, coral flowers braided in her aquamarine hair. When she caught sight of Belinda scowling, the smile fell from her face and her webbed ears flicked back. “What’s wrong?”

Belinda paused. Her inner ear buzzed with her flatemate’s spiking pulse. The snakes in her hair whispered to her. Tasting the air with their tongues, they could discern a person’s emotions by scent. Like a radar gun on steroids. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to read the vibes her friend was giving off.

Serena was scared.

To be fair, the sight of an angry gorgon could rattle the bravest of heroes.

Belinda took a deep breath. It wasn’t Serena’s fault the upstairs neighbors were atrocious. She was just about to apologize when the guitar roared even louder. Metallic notes shrieked and bass tones thundered down like a musical hailstorm.

Belinda jabbed a clawed finger at the ceiling. “That noise! How can you stand it?” she shouted.

Serena exhaled and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. “That’s what you’re worried about? The guys are just jamming. No biggie.”

Belinda rolled slit-pupiled eyes. Water nymphs. Typical. “Seriously Serena, I’m this close to finishing my story. But I can’t think straight when my eardrums are about to explode.”

One of her snakes buzzed a forked tongue against her ear. Belinda knocked it away. The snake whined and tried to twine around her wrist. She scowled and yanked her hand free.

“Really? I think it would be inspirational to have music flowing all around you while you write.” The nymph clasped her hands together, squeezing them to her chest with a sigh.

“It’s hardly music. More like discordant noise spawned by societal dissidents.” Belinda huffed and scanned the room. “Where’s the broom?”

“The broom?” Serena blinked. “In the hallway closet. Why?”

Belinda stalked out, the emerald-green scales of her tail clicking against the tile floor. She returned wielding the broom. Her eyes blazed. Clenching the handle like a javelin, she banged it on the ceiling.

“Oh!” Serena’s hands flew to her mouth. Her ears flattened against her skull.

Belinda bit her lip. Water nymphs were pacifists. Violence and aggression made them supremely uncomfortable. Belinda knew she should tone it down. But she couldn’t take it anymore.

After getting no response, Belinda banged the broom even harder.

Suddenly the music stopped. A relieved smile crept over the gorgon’s face and the serpents stopped twisting in her hair, relaxing to drape down her back with a murmur.

“Finally.” Belinda sighed and was reaching back to return the broom when the ceiling started to shake.

Feet stomped to the beat of her banging. Like a herd of centaurs had decided to take up tap dancing. Dust shook loose from the ceiling. Then the guitar and bass joined in, picking up the rhythm of the newly improvised percussion.

Belinda’s hair rose around her like a cloud of angry bees. “Just how many of them are up there? They’re probably exceeding the building’s safety code.”

Serena walked over to her and placed a hand on her arm, mindful of the razor-sharp scales. “Leave them be, Belinda. You’ll just provoke them.”

Belinda groaned. Her tail flicked behind her like a whip, the tan keratin shell at its tip rattling. She glared at her flatmate.

Serena jerked her hand off and backed away, bumping into one of the living room chairs.

Belinda felt a little guilty. Not many people were brave enough to share an apartment with a gorgon. There was the whole turn-people-to-stone-with-the-wrong-look problem. It had taken her study abroad office ages to find a female flatmate willing to live with her. Serena was always pleasant, if a little fruity for her taste.

Belinda had never turned anyone to stone before. She was a bark-is-worse-than-bite gorgon. Plus, with advances in medicinal therapy, all gorgons were taught how to generate tears that could undo the effects of a stony glare. Belinda always carried three enchanted pins with her, guaranteed to produce tears with a single prick. She wore them in a bracelet on her left arm and never took it off, even in the shower.

“Sorry, Serena,” Belinda mumbled, tail twitching. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll just wear some headphones.” She headed back to her room and shut the door.

Hours passed. Belinda gave up working and tried to sleep, stuffing a pillow over her head. But the music just kept coming.

I should have taken Serena’s advice.

Belinda’s episode with the broom only seemed to intensify the volume and enthusiasm of her neighbors’ musical assault. They stomped and banged and blared music into the wee hours of the night.

Belinda groaned and rolled over. Her eyes sought out the electric clock on her nightstand.

Two AM!

That did it. She’d reached her boiling point. Her head ached and her throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton. She’d tried pressing a pillow against her ears but had done little to dampen the sound. Her snakes bristled around her, and Belinda sat up.

“That’s it! I’m putting an end to this. Now.”

She slid out of bed and pulled a sweatshirt over her pajama top. And before she could talk herself out of it, she stormed out the door and up the stairs.

With the offending door in front of her, Belinda took a deep breath, curled her hand into a fist and rapped her knuckles on the wood.

No response.

She knocked a little louder.

Still no response.

The music blared out into the night and Belinda ground her fangs.

She pounded on the door, hard. So hard the door popped open.

“Hello,” Belinda called, slipping her head around the door to peek in, only to realize it was a broom closet. Instead of knocking on her neighbor’s door, she’d been knocking on the janitor’s supply room. The snakes in her hair wilted. Belinda’s shoulders hunched and her cheeks burned.

I am such an idiot!

She closed the closet door and crept back down the stairs to her apartment.

I hope no one saw me. I don’t care about the music anymore. I just want to get back inside and—

Dread coiled in her belly. She patted the pocket on the front of her hoodie.

Empty.

My keys!

Belinda ran her hands through her hair as the snakes whimpered, forked tongues brushing against her fingers. She shrank to the floor, curling around her tail in a tight little ball.

How could I have been so stupid? Serena was right, I should’ve just left them alone.

She hugged her arms around herself and shivered. The hallway was cold, and it would be hours before her flatmate was up. Belinda raked her nails against her apartment door, picking at a knot in the wood.

“Belinda?” A stunned voice called from the stairwell. “Sweetheart, what are you doing out here?” Her landlord, Elsa, waddled toward her on stumpy legs. The troll’s wrinkled face folded into a look of concern.

“Elsa, I’m sorry.” Belinda cast her eyes down, nearly in tears with embarrassment. “My upstairs neighbors were being so loud; I went up to ask them to quiet down but…”

“Hooligans.” Elsa glared at the ceiling and her nostrils flared. With her bulbous, warty nose, the effect was quite impressive. “I was coming up to check on that ruckus myself. One call to campus safety will sort those rascals out. I hear they give hefty fines.” Elsa snorted and took out her cellphone.

Belinda wished the floor would swallow her whole. “It’s alright Elsa, I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“No trouble at all, dear. I value peace and quiet as much as the next troll. Now, you just head back inside, and I’ll take care of it.”

Belinda rubbed her hand along her arm. “Actually, Elsa, I locked myself out.”

“Oh sweetheart! Why didn’t you say so?” Elsa waggled her floppy ears in what Belinda could only assume was sympathy and bustled over, pulling a large ring of keys from her pocket. “Apartment 6B,” she intoned. The correct key rose above the others, surrounded by a pale blue glow. “Worth every penny, these enchanted keys.” Elsa ushered her through the door with a gentle pat on the back. “Don’t you worry, dear. I’ll have all this sorted out before your head hits the pillow.”

But Belinda was still awake as the campus safety officers marched up the stairwell. She heard them bang on the door and the music abruptly cut off. Belinda stuffed the pillow over her face, cheeks flaming.

She didn’t sleep a wink.

“Emma,” Pierre whispered, blood seeping through his lips.

“Shh, don’t speak.” Emma smoothed a hand through her beloved’s dark hair, his head resting in her lap. “Everything’s going to be fine now.”

“I’m dying—”

“Hey-y! Gorgon girl!” A male voice shouted down at Belinda.

Three of her snakes perked their heads up, and her tail rattled involuntarily. Belinda groaned and smacked her head on the desk with a soft thunk.

Her apartment was built around a traditional Spanish courtyard. The center of the building was an open space with a pleasant little garden for picnics. Best of all, the empty space in the center allowed cool breezes to flow through what would otherwise be sweltering heat. Belinda usually appreciated the building’s architectural structure, especially on humid days like today. That breeze was a godsend. It was why she had her window wide open.

But now those wretched elves were leaning out their kitchen window one floor above. The L-shaped floor plan of the apartments put their kitchen at the perfect diagonal angle to look down into her bedroom. Thinking about yesterday, Belinda wanted to melt into the floor.

I overreacted. I never meant for Elsa call campus safety. They probably think I’m such a jerk.

The snakes in her hair drooped with a whimper.

“Hell-o-o,” someone called from above.

Why did I leave that stupid window open?

She flicked her tail back and forth, considering her options. What should she do? She couldn’t face them, not after knocking on a broom closet, locking herself out, and then having campus safety called. Belinda covered her face with her hands.

I’ll ask Serena. She’s much better at dealing with people than I am.

Belinda slunk out of the room, seeking her flatmate.

As Belinda told Serena the story of her late-night escapades, the nymph’s eyes grew rounder and rounder. When the red-faced gorgon got to the part about locking herself out, Serena covered her mouth with her petite webbed fingers and smothered a giggle. When Belinda confessed that Elsa had called campus safety and the officers gave the elves a fine, Serena gasped.

“Oh no! You didn’t?”

“I did, but I regret it now.” Belinda hung her head. “What am I supposed to do Serena? They were shouting out the window at me just now.”

“Really?” Serena’s eyes glowed. “What did they look like?”

“I don’t know,” Belinda moaned. “I was so embarrassed, I couldn’t look.”

Serena patted her shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll work out.”

Both girls jumped when there was a knock on the door.

“Who could that be?” Serena sprang up.

“Stop!” Belinda grabbed her arm. “What if it’sssss them?” she hissed. Stress always drew out her serpentine traits.

“Then it’s the perfect chance to make amends.” Serena grinned and flitted into the hallway toward the door.

“No, wait,” Belinda pleaded, rushing after her. She made a grab for her friend’s arm but missed. Hurrying after the nymph, the gorgon was right behind her as she opened the door.

Four handsome elves crowded the entranceway. All of them wore some combination of leather, chains, and ripped jeans. Their moonlight hair was dyed black, though each had fluorescent streaks of a different color. Their pointy ears were riddled with piercings and gauges. Belinda counted at least five tattoos from the slivers of skin showing around their wrists or collars. They looked like they could have just walked off a photoshoot for Rolling Rune.

Belinda shrank back from the doorway and would have fled down the hall, but Serena looped an arm around her elbow and shook her head.

Serena turned to their visitors and flashed them a million-mega-watt smile. “Hi!”

“Hello, gorgeous,” crooned the elf with electric blue streaks in his hair. He bent down and kissed Serena’s hand.

Another elf shouldered in front of him, bouncing on the tiptoe. This one had bright yellow peekaboo highlights. “We’re the neighbors above you,” he gushed, waving toward the ceiling. “About last night, sometimes when we’re groovin’, we lose track of time and yesterday Raemelion was laying on some sweet new rhythms and you know we just…” He burst into pseudo-electric guitar sounds, complete with an exuberant air guitar mime.

The tallest elf, with spiked black hair and frosted purple tips put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.

The air guitar stopped. The elf with yellow highlights snapped his hands to his sides and flashed a sheepish grin. “Sorry about that. Music gets me pumped.”

The elf with red highlights cleared his throat. “We came down to apologize about last night.” His lavender eyes sought out Belinda.

She frowned.

The elf with yellow highlights thew himself down on his knees and wrung his hands together. “Please forgive us! It won’t happen again.”

Serena giggled and Belinda rolled her eyes. The elf with red highlights noticed and gave her puppy dog eyes. Huffing, Belinda crossed her arms and looked away.

The elf with blue streaks spoke up, “We thought we could take you out to a café by way of apology.”

“Oh, we’d love to!” Serena gushed.

Belinda grabbed her arm and dragged her away from the door. “Serena, we don’t even know them.”

“Cafés are a great place to get to know each other,” one of the elves called out.

One of Belinda’s snakes bared her teeth at him. She batted it away.

“Come on, Belinda! It’ll be fun,” Serena wheedled.

Belinda took a deep breath and sighed. “Fine.” Her snakes twined around on her head in nervous figure eights.

As they walked to the café, the elves introduced themselves. The elf with blue highlights was Marcelus, their drummer. Raemelion with purple highlights played bass. Their vocalist was Trelym with yellow highlights and Corin with the red highlights was their guitarist.

The elves led them to a café across from Ocher Park.

“How cute!” Serena clapped her hands in delight. “I didn’t even know this was here.”

“It’s easy to miss.” Corin nodded. “I love finding hole-in-the-wall places like this.”

Belinda glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he didn’t seem like the kind of elf who’d appreciate cute little coffee shops. He caught her staring and winked. The gorgon blushed and looked away, twirling one of her snakes around her finger. She patted it back against the rest of its siblings and it kissed her fingertip with its tongue.

After they had ordered their drinks, they found a table outside. Corin sat next to her, and Belinda surreptitiously studied him. He had a classic aristocratic nose, typical of elves. His pale face was framed by choppy red and black bangs. And those lavender eyes. He was quite good-looking.

“So, you’re musicians?” Serena asked, snapping Belinda’s attention back to her flatmate.

“Aspiring musicians, technically,” Marcelus answered. “We’re here studying the duende rhythms of the local mountain sprites.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Serena gushed. “Duende are so underrepresented in music. I’m glad to hear someone’s finally giving them the artistic credit they’re due.”

Belinda sighed and examined her nails. Serena was good at small talk, but for the life of her, the gorgon couldn’t figure out a single thing to say. She picked at her croissant, dipping it into the whipped cream on top of her hot chocolate.

“Duende are great, but there have definitely been some cultural miscommunications,” Trelym chimed in.

“Oh yeah! Like the time Raemelion accidentally propositioned the song writer.” Marcelus chuckled.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Raemelion, the tallest and seemed the quietest of the quartet. His face turned red, and he looked toward the sky. “It was an accident.”

“Get this,” Marcelus snickers. “Raemelion was trying to ask for a bathroom, but the duende thought he was asking for a bath, which apparently has something to do with their betrothal rituals.”

Raemelion slunk down in his chair with his arms crossed. “I didn’t know,” he muttered.

“And then, the duende got really quiet, and sort of—bristled itself into a ball.” Marcelus laughed. “It took Corin and Trelym hours to convince the duende that Raemelion hadn’t just proposed.”

The whole table erupted in laughter, whether from Marcelus’ animated storytelling or Raemelion’s obvious mortification it wasn’t clear. Belinda was surprised to find herself chuckling. The elves were fabulous storytellers. They had a passion for life and loved to explore the city.

“What do you study, Belinda?” Corin asked.

“M-me?” Belinda stared down at the table. She could feel herself blushing at the unexpected attention. “I study literature. I’m—well, I’d like to be an author. I’m finishing up a mythological romance novel.”

“Awesome!” Trelym smiled at her.

“That’s quite an accomplishment.” Raemelion nodded.

“Corin’s also a bookworm.” Marcelus knocked his friend on the shoulder. “He’s always got his nose in a book.”

“Really?” Belinda raised her eyebrows, turning to the elf beside her.

Corin rubbed his neck with a small smile. “Yeah. Mostly historical fiction like The Lord of the Rings, or Dune. But I also love some of the classic myths like Persuasion and Jane Eyre.”

“I love Persuasion!” Belinda squealed. “Most people go on and on about Pride and Prejudice, but I’ve always loved Persuasion the most.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love Elizabeth Bennett,” Corin said. “But Anne and Wentworth’s love was powerful. To have endured so much. It inspires me.”

“Me too!” Belinda agreed. She bounced in her chair. “I can’t believe you’re an Austen fan.”

Corin grinned.

Belinda noticed Serena staring at her. The gorgon raised her eyebrows at her friend and Serena gave her a knowing smile.

Belinda caught herself. I can’t believe it. I’m really enjoying myself. Before today, I would have never believed we had anything in common.

“And don’t get me started on Mr. Collins—”

“Corin, man! I was hoping I’d catch you.” A young man slapped his hand on Corin’s shoulder.

“Taphius,” Corin greeted him. “We’ve just met some new friends. Pull up a chair.”

“Sure! I was gonna ask if I could borrow your trig notes later—” The blonde-haired young man broke off as he caught sight of Belinda. “Whoa, man. You didn’t tell me you were hanging out with gorgons now. Those chicks are dangerous.”

The snakes in Belinda’s hair hissed. Flinging her hands over them, Belinda slumped down low in her seat, and picked at a loose thread on her shirt. She wanted to argue, to point out she’d never hurt anyone and never wanted to, but the words got stuck in her throat. Her heart spluttered, like it was being strangled by a steel chain.

“Chill, Taphius.” Corin held up his hand. “What’s with you? Don’t tell me you have a Medusa complex?”

“Dude, my great-grandfather fought Medusa. Gorgons are bad news. You can’t trust them.”

Corin glared at his friend. “Belinda’s cool. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. She’s an exchange student who lives in our building.”

At Taphius’ incredulous look, Marcelus piped up. “Besides, she’s our friend. If you wanna hang with us, you gotta be cool with her too, bro.”

Serena, Trelym, and even Raemelion agreed.

Taphius sneered, shaking his head. “You guys are nuts,” he muttered and walked away.

“Your loss,” Corin called out after him.

Belinda stared at the elf. He flashed her a smile and her breath hitched. The tightness in her chest started to crumble away, replaced by a delicious warmth; like drinking a steaming cup of tea on a brisk autumn day. Belinda blinked, fighting against the sudden urge to cry. Even though these elves had just met her, they didn’t judge her based on the behavior of her great aunt. They were willing to give her a chance and be her friend regardless of appearances.

Realization pierced her heart. That’s the opposite of what I’ve been doing. Belinda gasped and pressed her hands to her cheeks, mortified. I’ve been judging them without really knowing them at all.

“Belinda, are you okay?” Corin’s eyebrows drew together.

“Y-yes.” She dug her claws into the palms of her hands. Everyone was staring at her. She took a deep breath and looked up to meet their eyes. “I owe you guys an apology. I’m sorry for banging on the ceiling with a broom.”

“Oh that?” Marcelus laughed. “We thought you were grooving to the beat with us.” His eyes sparkled. “You’re a natural on percussion.”

As the others joined in laughing, Belinda shook her head.

“I’m also sorry for the campus safety, a-and the fine.” She twisted her hands in her lap, the snakes in her hair whining pitifully.

There was silence at the table.

“Water under the bridge,” Raemelion spoke in his deep voice. Everyone turned to stare at him, and he blushed, scratching his head.

Then all the other elves agreed.

“No worries, Belinda.” Marcelus assured her. “We’re cool.”

Belinda sighed in relief. It seemed like they were all willing to forgive her and move on.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in laughter and blooming friendship. As the day wore on, the group wrapped up and started heading back to the apartment.

Corin fell into step beside her. He cleared his throat, and Belinda glanced at him.

“You know, in a way I’m glad the landlady called campus safety on us the other day.”

“Why?” Belinda’s eyebrows rose almost to her hairline.

“Because it helped me finally work up the nerve to talk to you,” Corin admitted.

Her snakes cooed and leaned toward Corin. One of them tried to kiss his cheek.

Belinda slapped it away. “Behave!” she admonished. Her pulse hammered in her ears.

Corin chuckled. “I’ve seen you around. I have the bedroom above you, actually. And I’ve always wanted to talk with you.” He gave her a sheepish smile.

“You nervous?” Belinda was in shock. “To talk to me?”

“Well, yeah.” Corin laughed lightly. “You’re beautiful and smart. It was a little intimidating. I didn’t know where to start.”

She took in the blush dusting his gorgeous cheekbones and realized that she was blushing too.

How did I miss this?

Belinda smiled up at him. “I’m glad we finally got the chance to meet.”

-One Month Later-

Belinda was typing away on her laptop when she heard something thud against her window. Opening the shutters, she smiled at the little plushie dangling from a string. His head was at least twice the size of the rest of his body, which somehow made him even more adorable. He was wearing a dark gray tailcoat with tan trousers and a little white cravat at his throat. There was a notecard strapped to his torso. In elegant script the note declared “Mr. Darcy inquires whether the lady is quite ready to go?”

Belinda smiled. Where on earth did Corin find a Mr. Darcy plushie? She tugged him into her room and gave the little mythological Englishman a kiss on the nose. The soft minky fabric tickled her lips. She ran a finger along the collar of Mr. Darcy’s faux suede coat when she noticed something.

Mr. Darcy smelled like Corin.

Belinda brought the plushie up to her nose and sniffed.

Yep.

She’d recognize that scent anywhere. Like a forest at midnight, dark and wild, with a hint of moonflower.

Belinda laughed and twirled around her bedroom with Mr. Darcy clutched to her chest. Then she settled him against her pillow with an affectionate pat on the head.

Taking one more glance at her computer screen, she saw the cursor blinking after the words “The End.” She saved the document one more time, just to be sure, then closed her laptop with a smile.

The doorbell rang. Serena popped her head into the hall, but Belinda was already slithering toward the entrance. She waved a hand at her flatmate. “I’ll get it.”

Serena gave her a thumbs up.

When Belinda opened the door, Corin was standing on the other side, wearing ripped jeans with silver chains and safety pins pierced along the seams.

She threw herself into his arms and gave him a big hug. Corin turned his nose to nuzzle her cheek and Belinda’s heart fluttered. When she pulled away, the snakes in her hair peppered Corin’s cheek with kisses.

“Where did you find a Mr. Darcy plushie?” she asked.

“It’s a secret,” Corin grinned at her. Then taking her hand in his, he threaded their fingers together. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” He leaned in close, studying her.

“My first rock concert?” She squeezed his hand. “What could possibly go wrong?”

The post Medusa Complex appeared first on PamelaHartWrites.

Escape From Planet Suburbia

“Mayday, mayday, this is unit GØ7d1-70x requesting immediate assistance. Vessel has been irreparably damaged by space flux anomaly during warp jump. No federation planets within range of escape pod jettison trajectory. Requesting immediate assistance.”

“C-c-c-ooooode – number G-G- GØ7d1-70x. Requ__ Unintellig___ Repe__” The response was so garbled and stretched by static that it was nearly unintelligible.

GØ7d1-70x flipped the transistor switch up and down a few times to reset the uplink. “I repeat, this is unit GØ7d1-70x. Vessel integrity nearly destroyed. I must evacuate.”

“G-G-G-geeee zero__ Pl__ Repe___”

The transmission cut out abruptly as an ominous groan ripped through her stellar interceptor. GØ7d1-70x, or GØ7d1 as her friends commonly called her, felt her ears pop as the pressure in the cabin dropped. There was no more time. Punching through the safety glass with her fist, she pressed the blinking red emergency eject button. Instantly, the straps of her shoulder harness tightened, pulling her deeper into the pilot’s seat. Impact foam began spraying from four different ports, filling the air with a sickly-sweet stench. GØ7d1 would have pinched her nose shut under normal circumstances, but completing the emergency landing procedures took priority. A translucent helmet curved around her face and magnetically sealed itself shut, guaranteeing a steady stream of oxygen regardless of what happened to the rest of the ship. Mercifully, it also filtered out the stench of the impact foam.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a piece of her beautiful shuttle wrenched off and flung into oblivion. She grimaced. Between the combination of the speed she had been traveling and the external pressure, forces were peeling apart her interceptor like an overripe fruit. More pieces of the ship were ripped away. Water pipes and insulation trailed off in swirling loops. Her readouts showed that hull integrity was only at fifteen percent.

The escape pod could sustain life for several days, but without sending a successful rescue request back to headquarters, she might need more time. GØ7d1-70x scanned the area again. Nothing. Not a ship or inhabited planet within a thousand parsecs.

The interceptor’s computer transmitted into her earpiece in a soothing monotone.

GØ7d1 tapped her nails against the armrest, thinking. She expanded the search parameters to include planets that could support life, even if no known intelligent species dwelled there. Success! Planet 5μbμЯb14 was right in this quadrant. She scanned over the technical readout.

/Oxygen levels within range to support life //Potential for safe drinking water/

That’s a relief, she thought to herself. It was never fun to drink water that your suit recycled from bodily fluids, no matter how practical or efficient it was. Give her fresh, running water that she could cup in her metacarpal pad and drink. GØ7d1 nearly purred at the thought.

/Inhabited by primitive life forms// Approach with caution/

GØ7d1-70x made a mental note to grab the stunner and a couple power packs from the emergency kit. It never hurt to be too careful.

With the coordinates set, the escape pod began to realign itself to the new trajectory. Booster jets adjusted the angle of the spacecraft and GØ7d1 leaned back, gritting her fangs, as the acceleration force pushed her deeper into the chair.

One of the twinkling stars was growing in size. GØ7d1 first noticed it as a small blue dot, then a marble, looming ever closer. It’s so blue, she thought to herself. 5μbμЯb14 looks beautiful. I wonder why no one’s ever thought to colonize here. Her thoughts were interrupted as the shuttle began to vibrate.

“Warning. Warning.” The onboard computer blared as red hazard lights began flashing. “Damage to starboard pneumatic controls. Atmospheric reentry procedures compromised.”

“Of all the rotten luck,” GØ7d1-70x muttered.

A yellow hologram of the spacecraft exterior projected in front of her. On the port side wing, a series of feather-like metal plates opened outward, slowing the escape pod’s descent into the atmosphere. Highlighted in red, GØ7d1 could see that a portion of the plates on the starboard side had gotten stuck halfway.

The vibrations throughout the ship worsened. GØ7d1 clamped her teeth shut to keep them from chattering. The faulty wing apparatus couldn’t stop the g-force build up as efficiently as the left side, and the craft entered a tailspin. The last thing she saw was a sea of green foliage spiraling up toward her when she blacked out.

***

The hazard lights were still pulsing when GØ7d1-70x came to. She clutched her head with both paws, groaning. The escape pod was a disaster. Metal panels had been sheared off and the vacuum system to clear away the impact foam wasn’t functioning. Wiring hung from the ceiling panels, and most of her equipment had been sucked out through the hull breach during landing.

GØ7d1 released the harness restraints and fell forward onto her hands and knees with a gasp. At least she was alive. A cursory glance at the mainframe revealed that it was a total loss. She crawled towards the small panel on the left-hand side. The emergency beacon components were still in place.

“Finally, a bit of good news,” GØ7d1 muttered to herself. “Let’s hope it still works.” She held her breath and flipped the small silver switch.

The beacon hummed for a moment, before emitting a deep throbbing ping. A blue light flashed in sync with the solar pulse, indicating that the beacon was operational.

“Thank goodness,” GØ7d1 slumped down with a sigh.

Suddenly her ears perked up. She could hear insects chirruping outside. Peering through one of the gashes in her ship, GØ7d1-70x deduced that it was currently nighttime on Planet 5μbμЯb14.

“Now that I’ve taken care of the beacon, let’s see what I can find out about this place.”

GØ7d1 pressed the touchscreen display on her right forearm, scanning the atmosphere for oxygen levels and potential toxins.

/All clear/ flashed in green block letters.

She swiped a digit over the screen and then keyed in the release code for her helmet with a claw. There was a hissing sound as her suit readjusted the air pressure to match her surroundings. GØ7d1’s ears popped, and the silvery film of her visor peeled away from her face and shrunk back into the collar of her flight suit.

“Much better!”

Her nose twitched and she resisted the urge to mewl in relief. GØ7d1-70x was a dignified space pilot after all.

There are some very interesting smells out there. GØ7d1 shifted her head so that it was at a better angle to take in the breeze blowing in from outside. I know I shouldn’t wander far from the shuttle, but a little investigating won’t hurt.

She allowed herself one deep satisfying stretch, starting out from her forearms, arching up her back before stretching out her hindlegs. GØ7d1’s tail swished in anticipation as she stepped out into the dark night.

It took only a moment for her eyes to adjust to the almost total absence of light. Her pupils dilated and the shadowy surroundings became clear. She was in a forest, surrounded by trees, dead leaves crunching under the thick soles of her spaceboots. Insects continued to sound off around her, occasionally pierced by the deep hooting of a nocturnal avian creature.

Fascinating.

GØ7d1-70x soaked in the sounds and smells around her. Looking up she could see Planet 5μbμЯb14’s sole moon glowing, luminous and white.

Maintaining an alert posture, GØ7d1 began to creep forward slowly. She was careful to note how the surroundings reacted to her movement. The insects continued their song undisturbed. GØ7d1-70x was certain that she wasn’t the only predator out tonight, but for now, there didn’t appear to be any threat.

Making her way through the trees, she began to see a light breaking through the leaves. Curiosity rippled through her, and she sauntered closer. It appeared to be a dwelling of some kind, an enormous block-like structure, crafted out of wood if she wasn’t mistaken. GØ7d1 eyed the primitive building with distaste.

The structures on her home world, Ƒ-371Ͷ3, curled into the sky with colorful spires and domes. Domiciles were crafted in sweeping crystal structures that scraped the clouds. A home you didn’t have to climb up through wasn’t a proper home at all in her humble opinion. Height, large windows to curl up and sunbathe, as well as small cozy nooks to snuggle into – these were the primary focal points of Ƒ-371Ͷ3 residential dwellings.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen such utilitarian architecture. Still, the light indicates they have a power source of some kind.

When presented with the opportunity to contact a species of intelligent life on an uncolonized planet, GØ7d1-70x’s fur bristled with excitement. She tried to contain her joy, but it radiated out of her, and she bounced closer with eager steps.

Even if they are primitive, first contact is always exciting.

Walking up to the enormous entryway, GØ7d1 scanned the area for its inhabitants. Her suit indicated there were no lifeforms present inside other than a few small aquatic creatures penned in a box in the corner.

A snack for later? GØ7d1 wondered to herself. She firmly believed in the value of fresh food. Maybe these creatures are similar. That’d at least be a good jumping off point.

Food had a way of bringing species together. Or dividing them. GØ7d1 thought with regret for a moment about the peaceful rodent species once inhabiting Planet M-0μ53. Mistakes were made, but Ƒ-371Ͷ3’s inhabitants had redoubled their interspecies sensitivity training since then. There was no doubt in GØ7d1-70x’s mind that she was up to the task.

She stood in front of the door, under light that gave off a soft buzzing sound. After a moment of waiting, GØ7d1 cleared her throat. “Open,” she demanded imperiously.

No response.

She sighed, waving her hand in front of door. Was the motion sensor broken? Maybe there’s a button of some kind. GØ7d1 eyed the structure thoughtfully. There were hinges on the left-hand side, indicating it must swing open somehow. And there was a strange golden knob protruding out above her, much too far to reach.

What in the world is that for? She wondered to herself. Hopefully that’s not what passes for decoration on this planet.

In the bottom center of the door was a smaller entranceway. It was rectangular and covered by a polymer sheeting of some kind. GØ7d1 waved her hand in front of it one more time, hoping to catch the motion sensor. Her tail swished in irritation. When nothing happened again, she swatted at it in frustration. The polymer sheet flexed inward at her touch.

“That’s it!” She crowed in delight. “It’s so simple I didn’t realize. You just push it.”

Smiling to herself, GØ7d1 pushed the door open and went in. After all, on planet Ƒ-371Ͷ3, curiosity is encouraged in all aspects of life. It is perfectly normal to enter another person’s house and explore as long as you leave a gift behind, fresh kill being the most acceptable and preferred. So, it was with the purest intentions that she entered the stranger’s dwelling without a second thought.

Following her nose, she wound up in the kitchen. The high table and chairs confused her. Whoever would dream up such an inconvenient way to eat? Luckily, agility was also highly prized on her home world. GØ7d1-70x was able to vault up onto the table without a second thought.

She could see that the inhabitants had already prepared their meal. Large plates were set for three with odd, triangular shaped wedges steaming on each. GØ7d1 sniffed carefully and approached the first plate. It was loaded with beautiful chunks of glistening chicken, melted cheese, and a strange smelling orange sauce. Her mouth watered as she gazed at the strange food.

Surely a little nibble couldn’t hurt.

GØ7d1 sliced a bite off the end with her claw and popped it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “Ah! It’s hot! Too hot and spicy,” she cried out, trying to scrape off the horrid flavor with her paw. “Who would do that to a perfectly good piece of poultry?” She pushed the strange meal away from her with disdain.

The second plate also held a triangular slice of food and GØ7d1-70x eyed it with suspicion. There was no chicken on it and no strange orange sauce. There didn’t appear to be meat of any kind but many different colored vegetables and some crumbly white cheese. Vegetables weren’t very popular on Ƒ-371Ͷ3, except among a few eccentrics. GØ7d1 had never really cared for them. But this was a new meal on a new planet. Who knows, she thought to herself, maybe vegetables taste better on 5μbμЯb14. She sliced off a small portion and took a dainty nibble.

“Bleh! No, they’re definitely no better here.” She wanted to spit the wad of half chewed vegetables onto the floor but even on Ƒ-371Ͷ3 that wouldn’t have been good manners. So, she forced herself to swallow them, grimacing. GØ7d1 shuddered, despairing over the culinary leanings of this strange world.

There was still one more plate to try, and as always, her curiosity got the better of her. She stalked over to the third plate with misgivings. The triangle on this plate looked much simpler than the other two. There were little red circles of meat shining on a bed of melted cheese. Extending a claw, she sliced a small piece off.

“Mhmm, now that’s more like it,” She purred with satisfaction. “A little spicy but balanced out by the creamy melted cheese. Maybe 5μbμЯb14 cuisine isn’t a lost cause after all.”

She munched a little more, and then a little more until all that was left was the crust. Not wanting to be greedy, she graciously left the rest for her hosts, whenever they should return.

After cleaning herself off thoroughly from her tasty meal, GØ7d1 stretched and hopped off the table, intent on exploring more of the house. The next room she entered was filled with large stuffed chairs and a primitive viewing station.

Their electronics take up physical space, she realized with amusement.

GØ7d1-70x crouched and sprang onto a black armchair, with squat wooden legs. The leather fabric was stiff and hard. It squeaked every time she moved. GØ7d1 couldn’t get comfortable so she tried kneading it with her claws. Even after puncturing it multiple times to expose the stuffing, the chair was much too stiff and hard. Must be a manufacturing error, she shrugged to herself and hopped over to the second chair.

This chair looked like it was made of pillows stitched together and then swathed in gaudy floral fabric. GØ7d1’s leap caused her to land perfectly in its center and her paws sank down into the squishy material. She circled around in the chair a few times before curling up, but it was no use. The chair was much too soft and caused her body to sink uncomfortably toward the center. GØ7d1 clawed her way out and jumped to the floor, tail bristling.

The last chair was smaller and shaped like some benevolent animal. Its paws formed the armrests and a goofy smiling head atop a fluffy torso made up the back. GØ7d1 was skeptical to even try such a bizarre-looking seat. She brushed up against the side of it, hesitant. Once she felt the soft fabric against her fur, her mind was made up. She plopped into the chair with a sigh. It was soft and fluffy and just the right size for her to curl up into.

If only its dopey little head would stop smiling down at her. GØ7d1 was starting to feel a bit unnerved by its stare. She batted the head away with her paw. It swung away from her and then swung back down and bopped her on the head. Hissing, GØ7d1-70x leapt at the insolent piece of furniture and tore at it until the head and torso were a pile of tattered shreds on the floor. She sniffed, satisfied.

It was creep y looking anyway.

After a moment, GØ7d1 felt a little remorseful about destroying her hosts’ chair. Even if its anthropomorphic features were disturbing, it had been comfortable. She looked around for a way to make up for her social faux pas and spotted the container full of marine life in the corner.

Ah ha! That’ll do nicely.

GØ7d1-70x swiped three fat yellow fish out of the tank. She batted them around for a bit, until they stopped moving and then laid them neatly in a row in front of the chair. That’ll even things out, she thought to herself with a smug grin.

But they just looked so tasty lying there, fresh out of the water. She tapped her claw against her chin. I think two will more than make up for the chair. Without further ado, she popped the last fish into her mouth and munched happily. Licking her lips twice, she gave her face and paws a good cleaning and then continued to explore the house.

Even though she was excited, GØ7d1’s tail and ears were starting to droop. The initial adrenaline rush from crash landing on an alien world was starting to wane. GØ7d1-70x let out a loud yawn, tongue curling in her mouth. She smacked her lips a few times and entered the next room. It was clearly a sleeping chamber with an enormous bed in the center.

Leaping onto the bed, she flounced along the quilted coverlet. Once she had determined it was sufficiently comfortable, GØ7d1 walked in a circle three times and laid down. That was when she heard voices.

“Your hair doesn’t go with your outfit. You’re kind of Halloween-y”

GØ7d1 sprang up in alarm and looked around wildly. The noise was coming from another one of those ancient-looking viewing devices. A group of creatures with long hair and pink exposed skin were talking to one another.

A new voice boomed “We’ll be right back with more Keeping Up With The Kardashians after this short break.”

The intrepid astronaut’s ears flattened against her skull, and she hissed.

Anything but reality TV!

Frantically, she searched for a way to silence the infernal box, but it just kept jabbering on. There appeared to be a control device buried underneath the comforter. I must have activated it when I laid down. Yowling, she mashed at the controller through the blanket and even resorted to walking over it a few times, but nothing would make it stop.

Briefly, GØ7d1 contemplated shredding through the blankets to get to the controller box but she still felt a little remorseful about what had happened with the chair. Tucking her tail between her legs, GØ7d1-70x fled from the room rather than continue listening to the inane chatter of the three women on the screen.

She was starting to contemplate abandoning the house entirely when she spied something of interest in the corner. It was a series of circular cubby holes, elevated on poles that looked just perfect for scratching. GØ7d1 scraped her claws along the corded rope winding around its surface, grinning madly.

This is just right.

After a few minutes of delightful scratching, GØ7d1 hopped on top of the first cubby hole and jumped into the second one, slightly further up. It was as if this little den had been made just for her. She curled up, snug in her hiding place and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.

***

The sound of a door closing toward the front of the house jolted her awake. Disoriented, GØ7d1-70x shook herself and stared blearily out from her perch.

That was when she saw it, a picture framed on the wall across from her. Two of those strange looking aliens with only tufts of hair on their heads and strange, fleshy, clawless paws bared their teeth at the camera. In between them was a smaller alien, GØ7d1 correctly presumed it was a youngster, also baring its teeth in a bizarre manner. But what disturbed GØ7d1-70x the most was that in the youngster’s arms was a fluffy white creature that looked uncannily like herself.

The beautiful feline had glittery pink bows stuck around its head, pulling the fur back from its face. Strapped around its neck was a fluorescent leather collar with the words “Fluffy” spelled out in rhinestones. The cat stared back at the camera with a scornful look.

“What have they done to you?” GØ7d1-70x squealed in horror.

Meanwhile the creatures were getting closer and GØ7d1 could hear them shouting.

“Someone’s been eating my buffalo chicken pizza,” bellowed a deep male voice.

“Someone’s been eating my vegetarian pizza,” declared a feminine voice.

“Someone’s been eating my pepperoni pizza and they ate it all up, except for the crust,” yelped a child, who began to cry.

“Someone tore up my antique leather chair,” howled the adult male.

“Someone got fur all over my newly upholstered floral chair,” moaned the adult female.

“Someone was sitting in my teddy bear chair and tore it all up,” shrieked the child. “And the goldfish are sleeping on the floor.”

“Oh dear!” whispered the woman and hurried them from the room.

“Someone was watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians in our bedroom. And they maxed the volume and set tivo to record every new episode.” The man’s voice was puzzled.

His wife’s mouth dropped in shock. “It wasn’t me honey, I swear. I told you I was trying to cut back on my reality TV.”

“Look Mommy, something’s hiding in Fluffy’s cat tower. Come see!” The child tugged on his mother’s dress.

As the three strange creatures drew closer to her hiding place, GØ7d1-70x eyed them with dismay. After all her high hopes of making contact with a new species, she was utterly terrified. She tried to clear her throat and call out a greeting, a warning, anything at all. But all that came out was an ear-splitting yowl as she shot from the cubby hole, ran straight under the adults’ legs and dove through the small door flap out into the woods.

“Mommy, Mommy, that cat was wearing a spacesuit!”

“Don’t be silly dear, cats don’t wear clothes. Although it did look-” The woman shook her head. “I think we’ve all been watching too much TV.”

The father rubbed his neck, watching the pet door flap swing back and forth. “I think it’s time to consider getting rid of that thing.”

***

Meanwhile, GØ7d1-70x fled straight back to her escape pod in the woods. She cowered inside the battered shell, shaking. It didn’t sound like they were chasing her, but after what she had seen done to poor Fluffy, she couldn’t get far enough away.

Her heart was pounding furiously, and it nearly stopped as she heard soft footsteps approaching. GØ7d1 clenched her eyes shut and tried to hide. Her dappled black and white fur was extremely helpful for blending in at night.

The footsteps stopped outside her shuttle, and she heard a soft “Meow”. GØ7d1-70x cocked her head, sure that she had misheard, but after a moment’s pause, she heard it again, “Meow”.

It was a greeting. Carefully, the astronaut crept out from her shuttle and mewled in shock.

There, in all her glory, was Fluffy! Her white fur glimmered in the moonlight. There were no bows in her hair now, but the gaudy pink collar twinkled as it caught the light from the stars.

“Fluffy, it’s you! You’ve escaped.”

The cat meowed at her again and GØ7d1-70x hesitated.

“You mean you’re not a prisoner. But I thought-”

Fluffy meowed once more and rubbed herself along GØ7d1’s side, purring.

“So that’s it. I thought you were enslaved by those horrible creatures, but now I see you are their benevolent overlord.”

At that exact moment, a green light lit up on her suit. It was asking for permission to initiate teleportation to a nearby rescue vessel.

GØ7d1-70x bowed to Fluffy and keyed in the security code to initiate teleportation.

“Farewell distant cousin,” she spoke as she began to dissolve into antimatter. “Maybe we’ll meet again in the stars.”

And she was gone.

Fluffy swished her tail, staring up at the stars for a moment. “Mrreow,” she purred, which has the rather dubious dual meaning of “Peace out” and “Good riddance.”

Author’s Ramblings

I’ve always enjoyed fractured fairy tales and I hope you were entertained by this one as well. Based on the sci-fi vibes of this story, I chose to use l33t sp34k (leet speak) to disguise GØ7d1-70x’s name and the location of her adventure. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with l33t, it is a form of English used on the internet. It started by replacing vowels with numbers. A=4, E=3, I=1, O=0 but more elaborate forms have developed as well.

Roald Craenen’s “L33t Sp34k Ch34t Sh33t” was of great help in expanding my knowledge of l33t for this story. If you’d like to check out his post, you can find it here.

For any of you Easter egg hunters out there, did you catch the Stepford Wives reference?

Did you guess who GØ7d1-70x was before the end? If you’d like to read my l33t sp43k translations, please scroll down a little more.

133t Sp34k Translations

1.)GØ7d1-70x = Goldilox (aka Goldilocks)

2.) GØ7d1 = Goldi

3.) 5μbμЯb14 = Suburbia

4.) Ƒ–371Ͷ3 = Feline

5.) M-0μ53 = Mouse

The post Escape From Planet Suburbia appeared first on PamelaHartWrites.

Book Review: Light Bearers

Light Bearers: The Awakening by Mindy Hite
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could not put this book down! The tension and mystery just kept building and building. The author did a good job of developing Sarah’s character and her relationship with Lucas was so heartwarming. Can’t wait for the sequel!

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I love Mindy Hite’s books. Reading them always gives me a warm, cozy feeling, like curling up on a rainy day with a mug full of hot chocolate and marshmallows.

To find out more about her and her books, please check out her author website here: https://www.mindyhite.com/

The post Book Review: Light Bearers appeared first on PamelaHartWrites.

Book Review: In Darkness Cast

Shades of Black I: In Darkness Cast by Jonathan Shuerger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shades of Black caught me by surprise. I’m not always a big “swords and sorcery” gal but every once in a while, an adventure will sweep me up in a rush of pages that I can’t put down till I know how it ends. Shuerger weaves a tale of a broken world with flawed people, plagued by some seriously sinister creeps and monsters. And things don’t always turn out how you’d expect.

Although of course, we root for Gideon in his quest to be a hero, my favorite character is the antihero Ashkelon. He stole the show with his wonderful lines of dialogue, incredible abilities, and searing judgements of humanity’s flaws—think Hans Gruber meets Sesshomaru.

The story had good character development, a satisfying conclusion, and lots of vivid action, like something of a mashup between old horror movies, Godzilla, and Quentin Tarantino.

I can’t wait for book 2!

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If you like Jonathan Shuerger’s style, I also recommend his book, The Excorcism of Frosty the Snowman. For those who might enjoy a darker version of the classic Christmas characters. ^_^

Here’s a link to his website where you can find out more about him and his books: https://creativegrumbles.com/

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Book Review: Newsletter Ninja

Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert by Tammi Labrecque

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


For someone like me who had no idea how to write a newsletter that anyone would want to read, this book was a goldmine. Tammi presents many great concepts and breaks them down into practical, workable steps. Her writing style was very engaging and personable, taking what could be a very dry and overwhelming topic and making it enjoyable to read. I like how she focused on building a relationship with your subscribers and giving them things of value because the thought of just sending out emails asking people to buy my books made me want to cringe. Now, I’m looking forward to writing my newsletter, creating a drip sequence, tagging readers from different sources, crafting cookies, and designing my launch page.

I was pretty much a blank slate when I started this book, but even for those who are a bit more informed, most people could probably take away a few useful tips from Tammi Labrecque. She even shares a special link to an updated resources page on her website. This can provide more insight on several of the topics she discusses in her book. I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in starting up a newsletter, or for those who want to get more engagement from their subscribers.

Shout outs to Tami Labrecque for her cute cover and Mikhail Odintsov for his cool urban ninja photo.


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