K.R. Gastreich's Blog, page 35
January 22, 2013
When truth is stranger than fiction
Joseph Banks recently returned from hishistoric voyage on the Endeavour.
My winter reading this year includes The Age of Wonder, a chronicle of 18th century science and discovery by historian Richard Holmes. I've been working on this little beast for about a month and a half. It is wonderfully written, and very entertaining, but it is also dense. Packed full of charismatic people and interesting details that take some time to absorb, especially for someone like me who is new to this particular slice of history.
The book begins with Joseph Banks, who spent his youth reveling in biological and sensual discovery during the journey of the HM Bark Endeavour to the island paradise of Tahiti. Banks would return to England to eventually become President of the Royal Society, and as Holmes paints his story, one has the impression that the fate of every other scientist presented in the book somehow hinged on the judgement and support of this first ambitious explorer.
The brilliant and eccentric German immigrant William Herschel abandoned his career as a musician to explore the universe using the largest and finest telescopes yet made, and made by him. Herschel's introverted sister Caroline began her career as his assistant, but soon came into her own with the discovery of multiple comets and the distinction of being the first woman scientist ever to receive a professional salary in Britain.
Together, Caroline and William Herschelrevealed a universe much larger and older
than had previously been imagined.There were a series of crazy balloonists, few of whom were taken seriously by Banks, and whose greatest gift seemed to be surviving crash landings, for they were very adept at getting their balloons up, but not very able to control their descent, or the direction in which they floated.
Mungo Park, a sandy-haired young doctor from Scotland, caught Banks' bug for exploration and took it into the heart of Africa, where he disappeared on his second voyage. The precise circumstances of his death remain a mystery to this day.
Last but not least, Humphry Davy, whose story I'm in the midst of reading. This young man from Cornwall began his illustrious career in chemistry with the discovery of the mind-altering effects of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Davy indulged in multiple experiments on himself and his friends, especially the ladies, during evening lab sessions that became famous during his time in Bristol. No wonder he's smiling in all his portraits.
Humphry Davy, chemist and poet.All in all, Holmes brings to life a fascinating period, one filled with drama and a sort of heady madness as an entire society rushed headlong, even recklessly, into a new era of discovery. Scientists and explorers were the superstars of this time. People packed exhibition halls to view strange artifacts brought from distant lands; they filled plazas to see balloonists carried far afield on wayward winds, and crowded laboratories to witness explosive demonstrations of the latest discoveries in chemistry. They peered at the moon and the stars through Herschel's telescopes and wondered, perhaps for the first time, whether other intelligent beings occupied the universe and were peering back at them.
So many times while reading The Age of Wonder, I've found myself thinking, "You couldn't make this stuff up." I love it when history does this; when the facts force you to stretch your imagination. Richard Holmes' parade of crazy and wonderful scientists has me reflecting on my own characters, and wondering how I can make them less conventional, more colorful, more likely to violate the boundaries of the expected. How to make them all of this, and yet keep them real in the reader's mind?
Often I find my answers to these questions in the real personalities of history. And when I'm done reading up on their amazing journeys, I can't wait to dive back into the making of fiction again.
January 16, 2013
On Climate in Life, Science, and Fantasy
I must admit, I've discovered over the last few years that January is a difficult month for me. The joy and companionship of the holidays seems to crash too quickly into unremarkable routine. The cold days of a northern winter demand isolation from the world outside with heavy coats and thick sweaters; the nights are long, and altogether too quiet.
My dislike of January is exacerbated by the absence of my husband, who, like many migratory creatures, heads south for the winter to spend the coldest weeks of the year with his family in the much more amenable climate of the tropics. I would gladly go with him if I could, but the academic calendar demands I stay in a place where trees lose their leaves and all the truly smart animals hibernate.
Still, we are three days into the new semester, and it is looking to be a good one. Today, I ran my first ever environmental science lab at Avila University. We simulated aspects of global climate mechanisms, and got to play with all kinds of fun toys like inflatable globes (I was very impressed that the class did not immediately disintegrate into a game of beach ball) and vials filled with convection fluids (which inspired multiple comparisons to lava lamps, and one request to search for "lava lamp" on YouTube so that students who had never seen one would know what that is).
Climate mechanisms have been on my mind for other reasons as well.
A few days ago, for example, I sat down to sketch out my first map of Selenia's world (from Creatures of Light ). I've always had a vague idea of the location of her home city Talagna relative to other places of interest, such as the coastal city of Al'Panura and the jungle river of Ornoco. Recently, I've decided to insert a high mountain range (something on the order of the Andes), with accompanying paramos and deserts. Someday I'd like to take Selenia to all these places (although as you may know, it's going to be tough to get her across the sea alive, since women in her world are routinely thrown overboard to appease the sea god Mikrotus, but I'll cross that bridge -- or plunge into those depths -- when I get there).
Part of building my dream of Selenia's voyage was manifested by drawing the map, and in drawing the map I had to think, once again, about latitudes, wind currents, land and water masses, and everything else that goes into climate. It's a really fun puzzle to play with.
One of my most popular posts of all time -- indeed, THE most popular post until this past fall, when my short piece on Hypatia went viral -- was Biogeography and Fantasy, published in July of 2011. This post was inspired as I was trying to figure out the logic of the climate of Westeros, the stage upon which George RR Martin's A Game of Thrones plays out. I extended the discussion to take into account various factors fantasy authors should keep in mind when building their worlds. If you'd like to read more, you can visit the post here.
And just out of curiosity, here are a few questions you might like to comment on:
When you think about what you've read, what worlds come to mind that are particularly well articulated in terms of climate, geography, and distribution of resources? Is it clear when some authors have put a lot of thought into this, and others have not? Is it even necessary to get as geeky-obsessive as I do when laying out mountain ranges and major bodies of water? All perspectives are welcome. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
In other news, this week on Heroines of Fantasy , Mark Nelson has written a wonderful post on the power of play. Read his thoughts and share yours, as we venture into the New Year remembering the importance of the lighter side of life.
My dislike of January is exacerbated by the absence of my husband, who, like many migratory creatures, heads south for the winter to spend the coldest weeks of the year with his family in the much more amenable climate of the tropics. I would gladly go with him if I could, but the academic calendar demands I stay in a place where trees lose their leaves and all the truly smart animals hibernate.
Still, we are three days into the new semester, and it is looking to be a good one. Today, I ran my first ever environmental science lab at Avila University. We simulated aspects of global climate mechanisms, and got to play with all kinds of fun toys like inflatable globes (I was very impressed that the class did not immediately disintegrate into a game of beach ball) and vials filled with convection fluids (which inspired multiple comparisons to lava lamps, and one request to search for "lava lamp" on YouTube so that students who had never seen one would know what that is).
Climate mechanisms have been on my mind for other reasons as well.
A few days ago, for example, I sat down to sketch out my first map of Selenia's world (from Creatures of Light ). I've always had a vague idea of the location of her home city Talagna relative to other places of interest, such as the coastal city of Al'Panura and the jungle river of Ornoco. Recently, I've decided to insert a high mountain range (something on the order of the Andes), with accompanying paramos and deserts. Someday I'd like to take Selenia to all these places (although as you may know, it's going to be tough to get her across the sea alive, since women in her world are routinely thrown overboard to appease the sea god Mikrotus, but I'll cross that bridge -- or plunge into those depths -- when I get there).
Part of building my dream of Selenia's voyage was manifested by drawing the map, and in drawing the map I had to think, once again, about latitudes, wind currents, land and water masses, and everything else that goes into climate. It's a really fun puzzle to play with.
One of my most popular posts of all time -- indeed, THE most popular post until this past fall, when my short piece on Hypatia went viral -- was Biogeography and Fantasy, published in July of 2011. This post was inspired as I was trying to figure out the logic of the climate of Westeros, the stage upon which George RR Martin's A Game of Thrones plays out. I extended the discussion to take into account various factors fantasy authors should keep in mind when building their worlds. If you'd like to read more, you can visit the post here.
And just out of curiosity, here are a few questions you might like to comment on:
When you think about what you've read, what worlds come to mind that are particularly well articulated in terms of climate, geography, and distribution of resources? Is it clear when some authors have put a lot of thought into this, and others have not? Is it even necessary to get as geeky-obsessive as I do when laying out mountain ranges and major bodies of water? All perspectives are welcome. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
In other news, this week on Heroines of Fantasy , Mark Nelson has written a wonderful post on the power of play. Read his thoughts and share yours, as we venture into the New Year remembering the importance of the lighter side of life.
January 7, 2013
Another Day, Another Destiny
Embrace the magic in 2013!Yes, I have Les Miserables on my mind. I saw the film last week with my sister and mother, and I cannot help but recommend it. Highly. It's a beautiful, heart-wrenching rendition of Victor Hugo's classic tale; one of those stories that, like Romeo and Juliet, I keep wanting to go differently every time I see it. The entire cast gives a stellar performance; even Russell Crowe holds his own as a singing actor. Anne Hathaway is simply stunning, and Hugh Jackman . . . Wow. All I can say is, I have new respect for that man. Not everyone can shed the skin of a character like Wolverine and become a completely different entity on the big screen. I would like to see Hathaway and Jackman nominated for an Oscar.I could go on and on, but you should just go enjoy it for yourself, if you haven't already.
I hope everyone had a marvelous holiday, and that you are in for a great 2013. I was blessed with a festive Christmas and peaceful New Year's Eve. We celebrated my father's 75th birthday with a big post-Christmas surprise party at my sister's house. We had beer, wine, champagne, a great spread of delicious food, and an accordian player. Most of all, we had lots of family and friends. It does not get much better than that.
A week from today, the spring semester starts at Avila. I am very excited about the classes I'm teaching this semester. One of my favorites, Plant Biology, is cycling back onto the roster. I am also teaching a new course, Introduction to Environmental Science, that will include a lecture and lab section. I'm considering writing a series of posts linked to one or both of these courses, like I did for Women and Science last fall. Whether or not I decide to do that, I'm sure you'll be hearing about our on-campus adventures from time to time.
2013 promises a lot of excitement on the writing side of things. The wheels are starting to turn toward the publication for High Maga, the companion novel to Eolyn. The exact release date hasn't been set, but we are almost certainly looking at spring of 2014, or thereabouts.
Over the holidays, I had the opportunity to read High Maga from beginning to end. I made a lot of edits -- rearranged chapters, split up a few things, trimmed off some 3000 words. That may sound formidable, but really in the end, they were minor changes. The novel as a whole is done -- truly done -- and I must admit, I am very proud of it. I am really looking forward to being able to share it with all of you.
The success of my recent short story, Creatures of Light, has me considering other short stories for 2013. Last week, I pulled a project out of the dustbin; a tale set in Eolyn's world, about a generation or so before the novel begins. This has been one of my more problematic projects; I keep giving up on it, throwing it away, then pulling it back out. But I suspect that this time around, I may have solved the riddle as to how to make the story work. A new-and-improved draft will be farmed out to my writers groups in the coming weeks, and if it survives that trial, you may very well see it in eprint before the year's end.
And of course, I'll be starting on the next big project. Most likely, this will be the third and final novel of the Eolyn series; but I've also considered undertaking a novel based on Creatures of Light. Either way, you will be hearing more about my next adventure in writing during the coming months.
That's the news for the moment. This week on Heroines of Fantasy, Terri-Lynne DeFino has a fun post about mean friends, all related to her awesome new novel Beyond the Gate. Stop by and join the discussion when you have a chance.
Again, Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to all the new adventures we will share in 2013.
The Not-So-Nice Girl
I have recently and once again picked up my edits for
Beyond The Gate
(releasing in August 2013 by Hadley Rille Books.) I already had edits to work from, but just as I was about to begin, someone I asked last May to read for me stepped up to offer her eyes and I jumped at it. When it comes to this particular story, just trust me--it's a good thing to have one more pair of eyes.
My reader said the same thing my editor said, which was the same thing past readers have alluded to: (paraphrasing here) "Jinna* isn't a very good friend. You draw her as if she is, she presents as if she is, but then she does things a good friend wouldn't do."
(*Jinna is a secondary, yet major character.)
Well, there's a good reason for that--Jinna isn't very nice. She's jealous and petty and vindictive and selfish. Her best friend, Linhare, is exactly the opposite; and when Jinna is less than noble, Linhare makes excuses for her. She always sees the good in her. Linhare tends to see the good in everyone.
To make it simple: Linhare is Melanie Wilkes, Jinna is Scarlet O'Hara. And like Melanie and Scarlet, when it comes down to the very, very quick, they are there for one another. Melanie might be MORE there, but that's just who she is. Melanie/Linhare are givers; Scarlet/Jinna are takers.
Why did all my readers say the same thing about Jinna? Because I didn't do my job. I didn't commit to her being a not-so-nice girl. When I got the note: Jinna isn't very likeable, I tried to add something to make her more so. Instead of cementing her character, I confused it even more. As I go through the manuscript, she seems to have a split personality. I'm committed now, and I SEE clearly. Don't expect nice things of Jinna.
I don't want to make Jinna a nice girl. I don't want to redeem her. A big theme in Beyond the Gate is accepting who we are, what we are, and being ok with it. Would Jinna throw Linhare to the wolves? Nope. I said she's jealous, petty, vindictive and selfish; I didn't say she is evil. She loves Linhare, a noble emotion! But you can be sure if Jinna does something noble, there's something in it for her.
She has redeeming qualities, and I will work with those; But Jinna is Jinna is Jinna, and I love her the way she is in my head. Now it's time to get her right on the page.
What do you think of not-so-nice characters? Do you love to hate them? Hate to love them? Do they make for a more interesting read, or is trying to figure out why anyone would even like them in the first place distracting?
My reader said the same thing my editor said, which was the same thing past readers have alluded to: (paraphrasing here) "Jinna* isn't a very good friend. You draw her as if she is, she presents as if she is, but then she does things a good friend wouldn't do."
(*Jinna is a secondary, yet major character.)
Well, there's a good reason for that--Jinna isn't very nice. She's jealous and petty and vindictive and selfish. Her best friend, Linhare, is exactly the opposite; and when Jinna is less than noble, Linhare makes excuses for her. She always sees the good in her. Linhare tends to see the good in everyone.
To make it simple: Linhare is Melanie Wilkes, Jinna is Scarlet O'Hara. And like Melanie and Scarlet, when it comes down to the very, very quick, they are there for one another. Melanie might be MORE there, but that's just who she is. Melanie/Linhare are givers; Scarlet/Jinna are takers.
Why did all my readers say the same thing about Jinna? Because I didn't do my job. I didn't commit to her being a not-so-nice girl. When I got the note: Jinna isn't very likeable, I tried to add something to make her more so. Instead of cementing her character, I confused it even more. As I go through the manuscript, she seems to have a split personality. I'm committed now, and I SEE clearly. Don't expect nice things of Jinna.
I don't want to make Jinna a nice girl. I don't want to redeem her. A big theme in Beyond the Gate is accepting who we are, what we are, and being ok with it. Would Jinna throw Linhare to the wolves? Nope. I said she's jealous, petty, vindictive and selfish; I didn't say she is evil. She loves Linhare, a noble emotion! But you can be sure if Jinna does something noble, there's something in it for her.
She has redeeming qualities, and I will work with those; But Jinna is Jinna is Jinna, and I love her the way she is in my head. Now it's time to get her right on the page.
What do you think of not-so-nice characters? Do you love to hate them? Hate to love them? Do they make for a more interesting read, or is trying to figure out why anyone would even like them in the first place distracting?
December 31, 2012
Another year ends, another begins...
2012 gives way to 2013, and we here at Heroines of Fantasy have some New Year's Wishes to share.
May you have music in your life and freedom in your heart!
~Adiana of Selkynsen (Eolyn)
May the seeds you have planted bear abundant fruit, and may the magic you wield be true in its purpose.
~Tzeremond (Eolyn)
Enjoy the adventure. Live the moment. May at least one of your dreams come true in 2013.
~Karin Rita Gastreich, author of Eolyn
Don't be afraid to roll the dice. Nothing ever changes if you never take a chance.
~Ethen Finder (Finder)
May you walk in dragon footsteps, and may the Dragon Bones be kind.
~Bahgwam (A Time Never Lived)
Modesty may be for suckers, but gratitude needs a bit of humility. I humbly and sincerely thank my co-contributors for all their love, my readers for their enthusiasm, and anyone who is reading this right now for the moment taken to do so. A writer writes, even if they have no one they are writing for. Having readers is an honor and a privilege I never take for granted. Happy New Year! May 2013 be fabulous!
~Terri-Lynne DeFino, author of Finder and A Time Never Lived
Wishing the Peace of Renia's Tears to all those in need. Words when you want them, time to think of their meaning, and the craft to give them back to the world in the form most beautiful and useful.
~Devyn Ambrose (The Poets of Pevana)
Wishing all those whose dreams still wait for them...make them real.
~Eleni Caralon (The Poets of Pevana)
Wishing wisdom to all who wield power. Not to strike without need but to shield those in need of shelter.
~Donari Avedun (The Poets of Pevana)
Wishing the joy of grandfatherhood to all men in their right time. Forget dangling the diadem of rule. There is more power in holding that small frame who looks up at you with hope of the future, with your own eyes, from your past.
~Sylvanus Tamorgen (King's Gambit)
Wishing love to all those in search of love. May you find the words and the way to heart's desire.
~Lyvia Tamorgen and Talyior Enmbron (King's Gambit)
Happy reading in 2013! Here's to the artificers of dreams, the storytellers! Let the tales spin out like celestial yarn, weaving all within the cosmic tartan of believe, make-believe, the is and what ifs. May the well of your faith grant you the time and the space to follow your path of words at your own pace. Onward!
~Mark Nelson, author of The Poets of Pevana and King's Gambit (May 2013)
Do not fear the future; fear the consequences of never striving to become more than who you are.
~ Queen Ki'leah Alrhiane Del'Sivahr (The Northern Queen)
Know your friends. Respect your enemies. And keep your fingers away from the sharp end.
~ Britta Kayne (The Song and the Sorceress)
My wish for the new year? Never give up on your dreams, even when the obstacles seem insurmountable. Work a little, play a little, love much, and above all, LIVE.
~ Kim Vandervort, author of The Song and the Sorceress, The Northern Queen, and Outcast (coming Spring 2013)
From all of us to all of you, Happy New Year! Today is the last day to register for the Heroines of Fantasy holiday giveaway! Winners will be announced on January 21st.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 24, 2012
Welcome to My Annual Christmas Reading!
This year for may annual reading, I've decided to do an excerpt from High Maga.
The manuscript for High Maga was finished in the fall of 2012, and is now undergoing final edits in preparation for publication. I don't have a release date yet. It's possible High Maga will be released toward the end of 2013; more likely that you will see it in print early in 2014. In either case, stay tuned to this site for updates, previews, and giveaways.
For the Christmas reading, I always try to find cozy scenes. That was something of a challenge this year, as High Maga has relatively few scenes that could be called "cozy". After some thought, I settled on this excerpt from Chapter 8, a scene between Eolyn and her youngest student, Ghemena. It takes place at Eolyn's Aekelahr, the humble home of her new coven in the highlands of Moehn. In this passage, Ghemena has just woken up from a nightmare, and Eolyn comforts her with a story and a very special gift.
If you're looking for more fun things to do between now and New Year's, stop by Heroines of Fantasy and help us build a story with the Brothers Grimm. While you're at it, you can register to win a holiday ebook bundle, including four novels by HoF authors. The winners of the holiday giveaway will be announced January 31st.
I hope you enjoy this reading, and the rest of the holiday season. I will be taking a break from my blog and other on line activities until the New Year, but will be back in action starting January. I look forward to seeing you then.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and all the best in the New Year.
If you would like to know more about the novel High Maga, you can preview it here.
The manuscript for High Maga was finished in the fall of 2012, and is now undergoing final edits in preparation for publication. I don't have a release date yet. It's possible High Maga will be released toward the end of 2013; more likely that you will see it in print early in 2014. In either case, stay tuned to this site for updates, previews, and giveaways.
For the Christmas reading, I always try to find cozy scenes. That was something of a challenge this year, as High Maga has relatively few scenes that could be called "cozy". After some thought, I settled on this excerpt from Chapter 8, a scene between Eolyn and her youngest student, Ghemena. It takes place at Eolyn's Aekelahr, the humble home of her new coven in the highlands of Moehn. In this passage, Ghemena has just woken up from a nightmare, and Eolyn comforts her with a story and a very special gift.
If you're looking for more fun things to do between now and New Year's, stop by Heroines of Fantasy and help us build a story with the Brothers Grimm. While you're at it, you can register to win a holiday ebook bundle, including four novels by HoF authors. The winners of the holiday giveaway will be announced January 31st.
I hope you enjoy this reading, and the rest of the holiday season. I will be taking a break from my blog and other on line activities until the New Year, but will be back in action starting January. I look forward to seeing you then.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and all the best in the New Year.
If you would like to know more about the novel High Maga, you can preview it here.
Build-A-Grimmer-Story ~ CLOSED
Happy Birthday, Brothers Grimm!
Last week, we celebrated the 200 year anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales, that collection of folk tales that has inspired generations of imaginative children and children-at-heart.
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors. Their accomplishments were many, including a German dictionary published in 1852. What they are most remembered for, however, is the work Kinder- and Hausmärchen (now known as Grimm's Fairy Tales), first published in 1812. This compendium of folk tales was the result of research conducted while at the University of Marburg. (A fairy tale town in itself, I might add!) Later editions were expanded to include over 200 stories, and today, Grimm's Fairy Tales has become a standard introduction to fantasy for children the world over.
As an author, I'm accustomed to hearing voices in my head, and so I wasn't surprised in the least last week when Jacob and Wilhelm decided to contact me on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of their most famous publication.
"Karin!" they said. "We want to celebrate our 200 year anniversary with a guest spot on Heroines of Fantasy! Our folk stories are full of great female protagonists! Courageous women who rescue their fathers and brothers, bring heinous criminals to justice, break wicked spells cast over handsome princes, and all-in-all have amazing and admirable adventures."
Well, of course, I couldn't resist this opportunity. After all, how many bloggers get to have famous -- no, legendary -- guests, especially guests who have been dead for 150 years?
So I invited the Brothers Grimm to lead our holiday build-a-story event, and they graciously agreed to do so. Now all of us get to write a story with the Brothers Grimm!
Here are the rules: Jacob and Wilhelm will give us five lines to start. Everyone who participates can add five more lines to the story -- NO MORE THAN FIVE.
Each contributor MUST build on the previous five lines, so that the story is a cohesive thread woven by all of us together. Please pay attention to what the previous person wrote, and go from there. Don't try to invent the story all over again, or Jacob and Wilhelm will, in the best tradition of 19th century German professors, strike your fingers with a phantom ruler!
You may add to the story as often as you like, but again, no more than five lines at a time, and you must allow at least one other person to add their part before contributing another piece of your own.
Posting will end at midnight on Monday, December 31. Jacob and Wilhelm will wrap up the story with five final lines, and I will post the whole thing on Tuesday, January 1.
This build-a-story event is extra extra special, not only because you will be rubbing shoulders with the spirits of the Brothers Grimm, but also because every addition you make to the story earns you a chance to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway, a FREE ebook bundle of four great novels by HoF authors! So let your imaginations run wild, write away, and enter the giveaway to boot. Giveaway winners will be announced on January 1. Good luck!
Now, here are our first five lines, courtesy of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm:
There once lived a princess so very haughty that, when a suitor came, she would have nothing to do with him unless he could solve one of her riddles; and if he tried, and did not succeed, he was dismissed with mockery and contempt. She allowed it to be generally known, however, that the man who could find out her riddle should be her husband.
Now, it happened that three tailors came to the town in which the princess lived. The two eldest, who had done so many fine stitches and guessed all sorts of puzzling riddles, were sure of being able to guess what the princess propounded; it was not possible such clever people could fail.
The third tailor, however, was a useless little fellow, who knew scarcely anything of is trade; yet he fancied he might be lucky as well as any of them and wished to try. . .
~*~ Register to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Karin Rita Gastreich
Last week, we celebrated the 200 year anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales, that collection of folk tales that has inspired generations of imaginative children and children-at-heart. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors. Their accomplishments were many, including a German dictionary published in 1852. What they are most remembered for, however, is the work Kinder- and Hausmärchen (now known as Grimm's Fairy Tales), first published in 1812. This compendium of folk tales was the result of research conducted while at the University of Marburg. (A fairy tale town in itself, I might add!) Later editions were expanded to include over 200 stories, and today, Grimm's Fairy Tales has become a standard introduction to fantasy for children the world over.
As an author, I'm accustomed to hearing voices in my head, and so I wasn't surprised in the least last week when Jacob and Wilhelm decided to contact me on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of their most famous publication.
"Karin!" they said. "We want to celebrate our 200 year anniversary with a guest spot on Heroines of Fantasy! Our folk stories are full of great female protagonists! Courageous women who rescue their fathers and brothers, bring heinous criminals to justice, break wicked spells cast over handsome princes, and all-in-all have amazing and admirable adventures."Well, of course, I couldn't resist this opportunity. After all, how many bloggers get to have famous -- no, legendary -- guests, especially guests who have been dead for 150 years?
So I invited the Brothers Grimm to lead our holiday build-a-story event, and they graciously agreed to do so. Now all of us get to write a story with the Brothers Grimm!
Here are the rules: Jacob and Wilhelm will give us five lines to start. Everyone who participates can add five more lines to the story -- NO MORE THAN FIVE. Each contributor MUST build on the previous five lines, so that the story is a cohesive thread woven by all of us together. Please pay attention to what the previous person wrote, and go from there. Don't try to invent the story all over again, or Jacob and Wilhelm will, in the best tradition of 19th century German professors, strike your fingers with a phantom ruler!
You may add to the story as often as you like, but again, no more than five lines at a time, and you must allow at least one other person to add their part before contributing another piece of your own.
Posting will end at midnight on Monday, December 31. Jacob and Wilhelm will wrap up the story with five final lines, and I will post the whole thing on Tuesday, January 1. This build-a-story event is extra extra special, not only because you will be rubbing shoulders with the spirits of the Brothers Grimm, but also because every addition you make to the story earns you a chance to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway, a FREE ebook bundle of four great novels by HoF authors! So let your imaginations run wild, write away, and enter the giveaway to boot. Giveaway winners will be announced on January 1. Good luck!
Now, here are our first five lines, courtesy of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm:
There once lived a princess so very haughty that, when a suitor came, she would have nothing to do with him unless he could solve one of her riddles; and if he tried, and did not succeed, he was dismissed with mockery and contempt. She allowed it to be generally known, however, that the man who could find out her riddle should be her husband.
Now, it happened that three tailors came to the town in which the princess lived. The two eldest, who had done so many fine stitches and guessed all sorts of puzzling riddles, were sure of being able to guess what the princess propounded; it was not possible such clever people could fail.
The third tailor, however, was a useless little fellow, who knew scarcely anything of is trade; yet he fancied he might be lucky as well as any of them and wished to try. . .
~*~ Register to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Karin Rita Gastreich
Build-A-Grimmer-Story
Happy Birthday, Brothers Grimm!
Last week, we celebrated the 200 year anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales, that collection of folk tales that has inspired generations of imaginative children and children-at-heart.
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors. Their accomplishments were many, including a German dictionary published in 1852. What they are most remembered for, however, is the work Kinder- and Hausmärchen (now known as Grimm's Fairy Tales), first published in 1812. This compendium of folk tales was the result of research conducted while at the University of Marburg. (A fairy tale town in itself, I might add!) Later editions were expanded to include over 200 stories, and today, Grimm's Fairy Tales has become a standard introduction to fantasy for children the world over.
As an author, I'm accustomed to hearing voices in my head, and so I wasn't surprised in the least last week when Jacob and Wilhelm decided to contact me on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of their most famous publication.
"Karin!" they said. "We want to celebrate our 200 year anniversary with a guest spot on Heroines of Fantasy! Our folk stories are full of great female protagonists! Courageous women who rescue their fathers and brothers, bring heinous criminals to justice, break wicked spells cast over handsome princes, and all-in-all have amazing and admirable adventures."
Well, of course, I couldn't resist this opportunity. After all, how many bloggers get to have famous -- no, legendary -- guests, especially guests who have been dead for 150 years?
So I invited the Brothers Grimm to lead our holiday build-a-story event, and they graciously agreed to do so. Now all of us get to write a story with the Brothers Grimm!
Here are the rules: Jacob and Wilhelm will give us five lines to start. Everyone who participates can add five more lines to the story -- NO MORE THAN FIVE.
Each contributor MUST build on the previous five lines, so that the story is a cohesive thread woven by all of us together. Please pay attention to what the previous person wrote, and go from there. Don't try to invent the story all over again, or Jacob and Wilhelm will, in the best tradition of 19th century German professors, strike your fingers with a phantom ruler!
You may add to the story as often as you like, but again, no more than five lines at a time, and you must allow at least one other person to add their part before contributing another piece of your own.
Posting will end at midnight on Saturday, December 29. Jacob and Wilhelm will wrap up the story with five final lines, and I will post the whole thing on Sunday, December 30.
This build-a-story event is extra extra special, not only because you will be rubbing shoulders with the spirits of the Brothers Grimm, but also because every addition you make to the story earns you a chance to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway, an ebook bundle of four great novels by HoF authors! So let your imaginations run wild, write away, and enter the giveaway to boot. Giveaway winners will be announced on December 31. Good luck!
Now, here are our first five lines, courtesy of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm:
There once lived a princess so very haughty that, when a suitor came, she would have nothing to do with him unless he could solve one of her riddles; and if he tried, and did not succeed, he was dismissed with mockery and contempt. She allowed it to be generally known, however, that the man who could find out her riddle should be her husband.
Now, it happened that three tailors came to the town in which the princess lived. The two eldest, who had done so many fine stitches and guessed all sorts of puzzling riddles, were sure of being able to guess what the princess propounded; it was not possible such clever people could fail.
The third tailor, however, was a useless little fellow, who knew scarcely anything of is trade; yet he fancied he might be lucky as well as any of them and wished to try. . .
~*~ Register to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Karin Rita Gastreich
Last week, we celebrated the 200 year anniversary of Grimm's Fairy Tales, that collection of folk tales that has inspired generations of imaginative children and children-at-heart. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors. Their accomplishments were many, including a German dictionary published in 1852. What they are most remembered for, however, is the work Kinder- and Hausmärchen (now known as Grimm's Fairy Tales), first published in 1812. This compendium of folk tales was the result of research conducted while at the University of Marburg. (A fairy tale town in itself, I might add!) Later editions were expanded to include over 200 stories, and today, Grimm's Fairy Tales has become a standard introduction to fantasy for children the world over.
As an author, I'm accustomed to hearing voices in my head, and so I wasn't surprised in the least last week when Jacob and Wilhelm decided to contact me on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of their most famous publication.
"Karin!" they said. "We want to celebrate our 200 year anniversary with a guest spot on Heroines of Fantasy! Our folk stories are full of great female protagonists! Courageous women who rescue their fathers and brothers, bring heinous criminals to justice, break wicked spells cast over handsome princes, and all-in-all have amazing and admirable adventures."Well, of course, I couldn't resist this opportunity. After all, how many bloggers get to have famous -- no, legendary -- guests, especially guests who have been dead for 150 years?
So I invited the Brothers Grimm to lead our holiday build-a-story event, and they graciously agreed to do so. Now all of us get to write a story with the Brothers Grimm!
Here are the rules: Jacob and Wilhelm will give us five lines to start. Everyone who participates can add five more lines to the story -- NO MORE THAN FIVE. Each contributor MUST build on the previous five lines, so that the story is a cohesive thread woven by all of us together. Please pay attention to what the previous person wrote, and go from there. Don't try to invent the story all over again, or Jacob and Wilhelm will, in the best tradition of 19th century German professors, strike your fingers with a phantom ruler!
You may add to the story as often as you like, but again, no more than five lines at a time, and you must allow at least one other person to add their part before contributing another piece of your own.
Posting will end at midnight on Saturday, December 29. Jacob and Wilhelm will wrap up the story with five final lines, and I will post the whole thing on Sunday, December 30. This build-a-story event is extra extra special, not only because you will be rubbing shoulders with the spirits of the Brothers Grimm, but also because every addition you make to the story earns you a chance to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway, an ebook bundle of four great novels by HoF authors! So let your imaginations run wild, write away, and enter the giveaway to boot. Giveaway winners will be announced on December 31. Good luck!
Now, here are our first five lines, courtesy of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm:
There once lived a princess so very haughty that, when a suitor came, she would have nothing to do with him unless he could solve one of her riddles; and if he tried, and did not succeed, he was dismissed with mockery and contempt. She allowed it to be generally known, however, that the man who could find out her riddle should be her husband.
Now, it happened that three tailors came to the town in which the princess lived. The two eldest, who had done so many fine stitches and guessed all sorts of puzzling riddles, were sure of being able to guess what the princess propounded; it was not possible such clever people could fail.
The third tailor, however, was a useless little fellow, who knew scarcely anything of is trade; yet he fancied he might be lucky as well as any of them and wished to try. . .
~*~ Register to win the Heroines of Fantasy Holiday Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by Karin Rita Gastreich
December 18, 2012
A World of Wonder in 5000 Words
The cover art for Creatures of Light is taken from Claude Lorrain's 17th century painting,
"Embarkation of the Queen of Sheba."Hadley Rille Books has released a Kindle edition of my short story Creatures of Light, and has made it available for free download today and tomorrow.
Creatures of Light provides a glimpse into the life of Selenia, a brilliant and ruthless woman scientist, and her lover Nicolas, intrepid explorer of the high seas. They live in a fantasy age of exploration, an imaginary world that mixes the art and politics of Renaissance Italy with the wonder inspired by 17th and 18th century European explorers. Theirs is an unapologetically imperialistic and misogynistic society, and Selenia has learned to do whatever it takes to establish and maintain a place of power in the context of this brutal world.
I've had many sources of inspiration for Creatures over the years. The first seed was probably planted when I read A Naturalist in La Plata by WH Hudson, which chronicles the 19th century biologist's journey through the Pampas of Argentina.
Since then, many more books have crossed my path. Biographies of powerful women of the 16th and 17th century, such as Lucrezia Borgia, Isabella de Medici, and Catherine de Medici. Stories of 17th and 18th century women scientists such as Maria Gaetana Agnesi and Maria Sybilla Merian.
Additional chronicles of exploration have also fed into the mix, such as the extraordinary adventures of Alexander von Humboldt in South America. Most recently, I started The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes, which documents the discoveries of 18th century scientists such as Joseph Banks and Caroline Herschel, as well as the colorful, romantic, and disturbing times in which they lived.
Holmes historical account had little influence on the short story Creatures of Light (since I picked it up long after the short story was written), but it is providing a lot of fodder for the imagination as I prepare to write a full-length novel by the same name.
Creatures of Light emerged as a short story about three years ago, when my local writer's group did a holiday story exchange. It first appeared for the world at large in the Fall 2010 issue of Adventures for the Average Woman. Now Hadley Rille Books has picked it up and made it a stand-alone short story available on Kindle, complete with its own beautiful cover. And for FREE, no less! At least for the first couple of days of its release.
I hope you enjoy reading Selenia's story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I am certain you will.
~*~
Enter Eolyn's Winter Book Blast Giveaway for your chance to win a FREE signed copy of the beautiful hardcover edition of the nove Eolyn.
Visit authoer DelSheree Gladden's Blog to enter the Winter Book Blast Grand Prize Giveaway, including 18 novels across various genres.
December 17, 2012
The Ashes and the Phoenix
“Every new beginning/ comes from some other beginning’s end.” – Green Day, “Closing Time”
Since ancient times, humans have found comfort in cycles and the measures that structure them. Every day begins anew, fresh with possibility. Every hour. Every second. Days become weeks, the cycle of a year dictated by the stars, the weather, the forces beyond our control that lead us to watch and wonder. The cycle keeps us structured and on course, but it is also a promise: after the winter comes the spring; after the darkness comes the light.Beginnings and endings are made of promise and fear, hope and disappointment. They signify change in its purest form: the start of a new journey, whether physical or spiritual; a final word, deed or thought to underscore the end of a time, a place, a hope fulfilled or lost. They are the markers by which we measure our lives, our successes and failures, our dreams and disappointments. They are birth and death: literally, figuratively, spiritually.
Though I always intended to write to this topic, recent events have forced me to probe the meaning and purpose of endings and beginnings more deeply. The world frightens me of late. The recent election bred unparalleled hate-speech from all sides of the political spectrum and seeded discontent all across the globe, parting friends and creating enemies instead of encouraging discussion and breeding hope for a brighter future. Violence abounds. Colleagues and students were locked down at my workplace for six hours because of a gunman loose on campus, just a day after the Oregon mall shooting and mere hours before twenty tiny children and six adults were ruthlessly slaughtered at a little school in Connecticut. On a much smaller scale, everywhere I turn this holiday season, people are stealing parking spots, shoving, verbally abusing one another. Is this a temporary madness, or are we, as a society, nearing the end of our cycle?
Is the world truly set to end on December 21st? I generally hold to the argument that the Mayans in charge of calendar duty just ran out of rocks or decided they’d expended enough effort marking time for the generations they would never meet. However, with such rampant hate and disregard for one’s fellow man, such senseless acts of violence and overwhelming grief, sometimes I wonder if perhaps the Mayan calendar doesn’t necessarily signal the end of the world so much as it signals an end to the world as we know it. The death of civility and peace, replaced by a new era of hatred and fear.
Still, I am, at heart, an optimist. Even when life gets rough, I’ve always maintained the mantra that when one door closes, a window opens. Maybe it isn’t always the path we preferred; sometimes it’s the path we didn’t know we needed. Or maybe that window is the only option available, and we have no choice but to jump through. A new start is granted, and for better or for worse, a new course is set. But with so many tragic endings of late, it becomes harder and harder to figure out exactly where to begin again. How do the families of these little children pick up the pieces and move on? How do we all recover and find new hope when the shadows of fear and grief still crowd the edges of our lives?
I don't know the answer to any of these questions. But I do know that we cannot give up. We need to choose, every day, to start over. To make a new beginning out of the night’s ashes. To fill the void of closure with promise, and choose to fulfill that promise. We must choose, as my wise grandmother always said, “to make lemonade from our lemons.” And as we are all shaped by not just our choices, but the choices of others, the onus is upon us to choose wisely and well, in deed and thought, so that we may leave the world a better place than we found it.
As with all things, this year will end. But a new year awaits, a fresh slate upon which to carve the patterns of our dreams. My wish for us all is to find some peace in the present and choose to create a new future full of possibility.
"The phoenix hope, can wing her way through the desert skies, and still defying fortune's spite; revive from ashes and rise." --Miguel de Cervantes SaavedraPosted by Kim Vandervort
