Lucinda Moebius's Blog, page 9

First Draft Update

The first draft of Raven's Song, the second book of the Haven series, is complete.  I love the direction the story took.  Raven is such a beautiful, dynamic character.  I fell in love with her the first time I envisioned her.  I can' wait for my audience to get a chance to meet her.

I am in the process of going through the first draft and fixing the major plot holes in the story.  Once this is done I am going to send the book to editing once that is done.

My big task now will be to find a cover artist.  I had a great one picked out, but there have been some problems getting a final cover.  I hope to be able to either get with my original cover artist or find one I can work with soon.

Asenath

BRIEF BIO:

Anna Patricio is a debut novelist. Her historical fiction ASENATH is set in

Ancient Egypt. She is a lover of ancient history, especially Ancient Egypt,

Greece, Rome and Israel. She is also interested in getting to know more about

the Ancient Near East.

She studied Ancient History at Macquarie University. Though she knew there were very limited job openings for ancient history graduates, she pursued her degree anyway as it was something she had always been passionate about. Sometime after her graduation, the idea to tackle historical fiction appeared in her head, and she began happily pounding away on her laptop. ASENATH is her first novel.

Recently, she traveled to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. In the past, she has also

been to Athens and Rome. She is currently working on a second novel which still takes place in Ancient Egypt, but hundreds of years after Asenath. She lives in Australia.

Hello, my name is Anna Patricio. I am a debut author. My historical novel

ASENATH is about the wife of Joseph (of the coat-of-many-colours).

Today, I am going to talk about this little-known Biblical woman and why I chose to write about her. Most of the time, when I tell people I have written about Asenath, I often get remarks such as, "Who's that? Joseph had a wife? I didn't know about that!" Neither did I, until later on in my life when I re-read

Joseph's story in more detail and learned that he married an Egyptian priestess.

So what do we know about Asenath? Only that she was the daughter of a priest of Heliopolis (referred to as "On" in the Bible; Heliopolis is the Greek name),

and that Pharaoh gave her in marriage to Joseph as his reward for interpreting

the monarch's dreams. And also that she gave Joseph two sons, Manasseh and

Ephraim, who would later form the double-tribe of Israel.

(As Joseph was Jacob's favourite son, his father naturally gave him a double

blessing through his sons.)

There are a few other accounts about her. But then, they are all fictional.

Probably the most known one would be the first century

Greek story JOSEPH AND ASENATH, which has as its theme Asenath's conversion to Judaism. Basically, in the tale, Asenath is a proud Egyptian noblewoman who hates men and is intent on never marrying. One day, however, she sees Joseph outside her window and falls in love with him. She asks her father to seek Joseph's hand in marriage. Alas, Joseph refuses because she does not worship his God. Devastated, Asenath locks herself in her tower and weeps. During this time, an angel who looks like Joseph appears to her. Asenath then converts to Judaism, and the angel feeds her sacred honey to symbolize her new faith. When Asenath meets Joseph again, he then (happily) agrees to marry her.

There is more to the tale, including a battle between Pharaoh's son and

Joseph's youngest brother Benjamin, which occurs when the former tries to

murder Joseph and kidnap Asenath. Yet another interesting ancient tale has

Asenath as Dinah's (Joseph's half-sister) long-lost daughter, and therefore Joseph's niece. When Asenath was a baby, Joseph's brothers took her out to the wilderness and abandoned her there. An eagle then took her to Egypt, where she was deposited at the temple altar in Heliopolis. The high priest then adopted her as his daughter. Years later, when she was a grown woman and Joseph became vizier, he met her and recognized her as his niece as she bore a medallion with Hebrew inscriptions.

These are one of the very few sources I came across while researching on

Asenath. I was pretty disappointed, as I was hoping to get more details on the

relationship between Joseph and his Egyptian wife. Furthermore, the

contemporary historical/Biblical fiction I read of Joseph didn't dwell much on

this factor either. Finally, this desire, coupled with my fondness for the

story of Joseph, led me to imagine my own story about Asenath.

I took some liberties with her life, such as her childhood and parentage. Because she is a pretty obscure character, I thus felt free to stretch my imagination as far as I pleased. I thought, "If the ancient tales

rewrote her parentage, such as that aforementioned one which has her as Dinah's daughter, perhaps it wouldn't hurt if I did too?"

Hence, my novel ASENATH.

ASENATH

is now available in ebook edition, published by Imajin Books. Paperback edition is coming out soon. I invite you all to check it out.

Also please visit me at my blog/website www.annapatricio.blogspot.com.

Feel free to contact me too.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Lucinda.

Savanna

I decided to write about my own character today.  I like to create strong, independent female characters.  I find it difficult to find female characters in literature today who are viewed as the Heroic figure as opposed to the Seductress or Mother figure.   I

wanted to make a female character strong enough to hold against the High Heroic

figure of Greek and Norse mythology.  I believe I succeeded when I created Savanna.

Echoes of Savanna is set in the year 2036.  Savanna is a 19 year-old, genetically altered woman who is already a doctor.  I believe every generation lives

in defining times.  One event can change the entire blueprint of our lives.  Echoes of Savanna is one woman's journey in these times.  Savanna is interesting because she is a key figure in fighting terror, not as a soldier or a fighter, but as one person trying to make a small difference in a terrifying world.

Although a beautiful blond main character seems like such a cliché I felt very strongly about Savanna's physical appearance.  I didn't create her like this, she appeared to me this way.  I have a strong connection to my characters and believe they create themselves.  Savanna is genetically altered and so she would be the epitome of beauty according to society standards.  I also like the fact that she is clueless to the way people react to physical appearance.  She is beautiful in her father's eyes, she is attractive and she is clueless about her beauty.  Her focus is her studies and she doesn't think about how the outside world would view her.

Although Savanna is the High Heroic figure she does have flaws, but being flawed actually humanizes her.  She overanalyzes everything and refuses to take any chances.  I wish she would be more impulsive at times.  As a doctor she views everything in scientific terms and questions everything.  At times she puts her science above everything else in her life.

Savanna's story does not end with her book.  Echoes of Savanna is the foundation for a series subtitled Haven. I am planning five books in the Haven Series.  Each novel will cover one generation, twenty years, of a character's life.  Echoes of Savanna is book one of the Parent Generation.  Her daughter will be the main character in Raven's Song, book one of the T1 Generation.  I hope you enjoy Savanna's story and look forward to sharing Raven with you all soon.

More Vampires? I swear I'm not a Vamp fan!

So, I've never been much of a horror/suspense reader.  It took me about a dozen times of starting Jurassic Park before I could watch it in its entirety and then I could only sit through it after I watched a special on how it was made.  So, when Will Smith was the lead character in the movie I am Legend I was torn.  Did I watch the movie with perhaps the sexiest male lead ever or do I take a pass?  Well, I knew I couldn't go see it in theaters (it doesn't look good when a 30 something woman tries hiding under the seats and runs from the theater in terror) so when it came out on DVD I decided I would borrow it from my sister (My sisters and I have the same opinions on Will Smith and his absolute value he brought to the movie industry).  I sat with the remote in my hand and as soon as a scary scene would come up I would skip forward, make sure he was safe and then skip back to try to watch the scene.  From what I saw of the movie I really liked it.  When I found a copy of the book in a thrift shop I decided to pick it up and read it.

I've had the book for about six months and I finally managed to get around to reading it.  I was expecting a little suspense, but the book hit me over the head with it from the very beginning.  I felt like I was sitting in the living room trying to make it through the opening sequence of Jurassic park again.  I did manage to make it through the opening and I discovered more vampires.  For those who did not see the movie or have yet to read the book I won't say more than that on this subject.  Let's just say so far the book and the movie have not exactly matched up plot point by plot point.

I'm actually enjoying the suspense a little bit.   I think I will actually have a little bit of spare time to finish the book, unlike so many others I have started  recently.  I like the subtle glimpses written in the text.  Matheson let's the reader know what is happening without giving too much away.  I need to work on this aspect of my writing.

I promise next week I won't talk about Vampires.

The Television is born

Recently television made a big shift from analog to digital.  Now, I'm not much of a science-minded person, but I do know this shift disrupted many aspects of my life.  I didn't have cable at the time and I was concerned I wouldn't be able to watch my favorite shows (Law and Order, Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds, CSI, Survivor).  The television I purchased only a few years before was going to be defunct.  I decided to go out and buy my husband a large, flat-screen TV.  As I was going through my different options I couldn't help to marvel at this work of modern magic.

What would our ancestors think if they saw the square box with picture and sound?  Would they condemn us as witches or would they be as fascinated as we are by the stories the television produces (by the way, I'm still lost with Lost).  The invention of the television changed the course of history in a way we could only imagine.

The television wasn't just one person's idea.  The idea of sending images using electricity was imagined as early as the 1800′s.  Bell was trying to construct a device that would send images along with voices similar to the invention he called the telephone.  However, it wasn't until the 20th century at the 1939 World's Fair that the world caught a glimpse of the an actual working television set.  The first broadcast: a baseball game.

It's fitting that the television's first broadcast was a sporting event.  Television has taken its place in the chronicles of sports history.  Where else have millions been able to tune into the annual commercial frenzy interrupted only briefly by a football game?  How else will fans be able to slowdown, replay and over-analyze any questionable call by the men in the black and white striped shirts?  By the way, for those of you who don't know I'm a graduate of Boise State University and one of my former High School students was made famous by a notorious kick against a big rival.  Analysis of the tape later proved if the end zone uprights were regulation the kick would have been good.  (Good luck to Kyle in his future career in the pros)

The television determined the results of the Presidency on more than one occasion.  In the 1960′s debates Nixon was the favorite based on the platforms and radio debates, but the men decided to debate on television.  Good looking, confident Kennedy was able to articulate his ideas without any sign of nervousness.  Nixon, who looked pale and old next to the youthful exuberance of his young opponent, started to sweat and had pull out a handkerchief and had to wipe his brow.  Nixon was no longer the front-runner after the first televised debate.

The way we interact as a family has changes.  In families living in poverty the statistics show families will buy a television before they by a kitchen table.  The TV dinner was invented so when Daddy came home from work Mommy could have a nice, hot dinner ready for him to plop on the TV tray, push the on switch on the remote control, and watch his favorite show, better than a home cooked.  Children, and sometimes adults, sit in front of the TV unconsciously eating all types of food and drinking sugary drinks, leading to a rise in obesity and type II diabetes.  Instead of sitting at the dinner table and discussing the day's events, we turn on the television and watch our shows.  (My husband loves Maury for some reason).  Many children would rather watch TV than read a book.

Television has changed drastically since the first fuzzy, black and white picture was broadcast over 70 years ago,  We have been able to watch thousands of hours of fiction, news and "reality TV".  The world has been shaped and defined by this box in our living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and yes, for some people, the bathrooms.  The television has made its own mark on the world.  Whether the mark has been bad or good, well, that's up to the viewer.  Now, excuse me, but I have to get back to Ghost Hunters!

In honor of school

I am returning back to my "real job" as a school teacher tomorrow.  I have spent the summer writing and teaching at a college.  I was able to relax a little, but I love my job and am looking forward to getting back to school.  In honor of going back to work at the school I decided my historical event will be in a different tone.  I wonder how long I would have lasted as a teacher in 1872.

RULES FOR TEACHERS 1872




1. Teachers each day will fill lamps and clean chimneys.

2. Each teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day's session.

3. Make your pens carefully you may whittle nibs to the individual taste of the pupils.

4. Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly

5. After ten hours in school, the teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books.

6 Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.

7. Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his benefit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society

8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or gets shaved in a barbershop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty

9. The teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay, providing the Board of Education approves.

Last late night writing session

This will be my last late night writing session for a while.  I have spent most of this summer staying up past two or three in the morning just writing.  The ideas seemed to flow from my mind into the word document with an ease I have never experienced before.  My best ideas came between two and four in the morning.  I loved the story and the way it developed.  Sometimes I wish writing was my only job.  If it was I could live my life in the moments between those magical hours in the middle of the night.

I will still continue to write.  Summer isn't the end of my existence.  But, like a bear going into hibernation, my writing will have to go into a cave to slow its heartbeat, ease back on its breathing, close its eyes and sleep.  I will have moments of wakefulness, I know this.  Some habits are hard to break and the sleepless nights and the exhausting days will be worth it when the magic breathes in me.

I am very close to finishing the first draft of Raven's Song.  I will stay up late tonight and get as much done as I can.  If I can get 2500 words tonight I will only have about 2000 more to go.  I can finish it in the wakeful hours in which the rest of the world exists.

Good night my friends.  I will have a good night tonight.

Guest Post–Eileen Schuh, Author

Thank you, Lucinda, for inviting me to participate in your "Feminine Tuesday" blog.  I feel I'm qualified to contribute not only because I am a female author, but also because my protagonists are always female.

My protagonists are always female, not because I'm a feminist but because even after half-a-century (or so) of living I have no clue about how the male mind works.

It's not that I don't have male characters.  I do.  It's just that I don't feel capable of giving them starring roles.  I find it easier to entice my readers into cheering for the lady than for a man.  Oh…wait a minute.  Perhaps I am a feminist.

Fiction writers, myself included, often have no idea why they write, or why they write what they do.  We usually blame the mystical, magical, persistent, and annoying muses for putting ideas and words into our heads and whipping us if we don't type

what they're dictating.

We leave it to the reviewers, marketers, and English teachers to find the symbolism, parse the sentences, determine the climax, and interpret the symbols.  Thus, when my

publisher advised me she intended to market SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT not only to the

SciFi crew but to Women's Lit enthusiasts I was thrown for more than just a little loop.

After thinking about it briefly, I realized she was right.  The story might be complicated by two universes and two lives, but the issues Chordelia struggles with in both worlds are women's issues.

I'm not sure the story provides much help to women, though. It's not like we can all skip into a parallel universe to escape what's bugging us—not that that's what Chordelia did, but it was definitely what she wanted to do.  Perhaps that's the lesson

the English teachers will find—the only way women can deal with problems is to

face them.  Or, depending on which alternate reality those teachers inhabit, maybe they'll find an entirely different lesson in SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT.

My heroine in THE TRAZ (my other novel—written for at-risk teens and the adults in their lives) is 13-year old Katrina.  She is…well, I always want to say 'feisty'.  However, I've been warned several times by agents and editors that they hate 'feisty' heroines (mostly because the word is overused).  So I say Katrina is abrasive, annoying, beautiful, clever, and scores very high in psychopathy on the Minnesota

Multiphasic Personality Inventory.

She uses her wits, wiles, wiggles and smiles to survive…and does it quite well.  Except those traits also put her in dire circumstances—where surviving is never a sure thing.  I'm not sure what the English teachers will make of THE TRAZ.  Perhaps they'll tell

their young readers to examine closely their behavior and decisions because what one does in one's teen years can ruin one's life forever.  Or perhaps they'll tell them nothing—just make them write a book report based on the discussion guide at the back of the novel.

After all, writing essays was the punishment Katrina's father doled out when he discovered that Katrina was….

Well, you'll have to read the novel to uncover the rest of that story. Both books are available on Amazon and Smashwords and at other fine book retailers.

Lucinda has invited me back next month to discuss my very own personal feminine issues that were the incentive to write my novels.  Watch for it!

I invite you all to visit me on my website and blog.

 

Eileen Schuh, Author

Schrodinger's Cat Smashwords Amazon

The Traz  Smashwords     Amazon

http://www.eileenschuh.com

blog

http://eileenschuh.blogspot.com

Thank you Eileen for sharing your voice with us.

Lucinda Moebius

 

The Greatest Law

Matthew 22:35-40

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

It seems the lawyers are always challenging this.  Life would be so much easier for everyone in this universe if everyone just followed these simple laws.  Our Savior Jesus the Christ was not saying the law of Moses is no longer valid, he was saying the law of Moses is these two laws.

Love God:  This covers every law that talks about God.  His name is sacred, His law is sacred, His day is sacred and His love is sacred.  Remember He is our Father, He wants what's best for us.  He know us before he formed us in the belly.  Christ came to this world to show us His love and all he asks for in return is to love Him and obey His law.

Love thy Neighbor:  This covers every other law in the Bible.  If you love your neighbor you have no desire to steal, covet, harm, lie or otherwise cause harm to your neighbor.

I find inspiration in this scripture every day.  My goal in this life is to experience Love.  I feel the love of God in my life.  I experience the love of my family and friends and return that love unconditionally.  It is important for me to live my life centered on the gospel of Love.  This is what has inspired me today.

To start a fire

I am a child of the technological age.  I take my little laptop computer with me everywhere I go.  In addition to being tied to technology, I suffer from a severe lack of coordination.  Most people who spend any significant time with me find it inconceivable that I would actually love being outdoors.  I love camping, hiking, fishing and swimming.

Yesterday my husband and I went up to a campsite to spend some time with our friends.  Our friends were milling around, setting up camp and exploring the region.  Dusk was approaching and it was starting to cool down quickly.  I decided it was time to start a fire.  I gathered the paper, twigs, pine cones and kindling and built my little tee pee.  The entire time the "boys" were giving me advice.  My husband kept telling me, "now you need to build your tee pee to get the fire started."  I just said "yes dear" and kept building my structure.  One boy flicked his lighter and held it to the edge of the paper.  The flame flashed, burned the corner of the paper and went out.  The other boy asked if he needed to run up to the car to get the lighter fluid.  I took the lighter, held it to the paper and watched the flame creep up to the wood and catch.  Within seconds the dry twigs and pine needles caught and started crackling.  The fire was burning bright and hot.  There was nothing for the boys left to do except use their big strong muscles to gather big pieces of firewood.

It's nice to know that despite my complete reliance on technology and my severe lack of coordination I at least have the skill set to start a fire without the need for any type of lighter fluid.  Life is good.  And yes, I actually do know how to start a fire without matches or a lighter.