Hugo Negron's Blog - Posts Tagged "monsters"

“With nothing to go on but a vague dream which may or may not be memory, Korinalis Karell has spent the last three years searching Amirand for his birth parents. With a Contract to fund his journey and a magic talking wizard cat named Max to keep him company, Korin has tenaciously traveled from one kingdom to the next with no success to speak of. However, after being hired by Count Galius Firmon to retrieve a stolen gem, Korin finds himself faced with revelations about his past that not only flip his world upside down, but throw him into a fight for his very survival. With the aid of a mediocre wizard on a dragon hunt, a chatterbox Kolarin thief, and Max, Korin sets out to discover the truth of his past so that he may live to see his future. Join Korin in this fantasy adventure as he faces a ruthless count, evil wizards, a furious dragon, godsforsaken creatures of death, and even worse, a sarcastic cat.”

…Thus reads the premise for The Dragon Gem (Korin’s Journal) (Volume 1)

I first came across Brian over at www.indiesunlimited.com, a great site for indie authors (and for readers too!) to showcase and share their works. Since then, I’ve wanted to learn more about his writing and his wonderful series Korin’s Journal, and with my taking a breath from a final go-around with Forging of a Knight Book Three, Prison Planet of the Mah-Lahkt, I finally had a chance!


Hi Brian – thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Brian Beam is.


HN: When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

BB: I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since I was a little kid of 8 or 9 years old. My parents had these friends who had written books, and something about that gave me the inspiration to write my first real story—The Scary Halloween. Once I sat down to write it, I remember how amazing it felt to write a story outside of the context of school and how proud I was of it when I finished. Obviously, if I still had a copy of that story, it’d be an international bestseller. Unfortunately, the sequel, The Spooky Easter was never completed.


HN: How did you develop the idea for Korin’s Journal?

BB: Starting in 2011, I was a stay-at-home dad for about 18 months. Sometime in the first few months, I decided to secretly write a book during my son’s naps to surprise my wife with. The plan was to write a novella that would be the first in a series (if I decided to continue the story, that is), and find a decent on-demand printer to give my wife and family a copy of it at Christmas. After the first couple chapters, my original concept began to expand in my head. Most of my ideas come to me when jogging, and I was doing a lot more of it then than now, and that caused the story to evolve a lot as well. Before I knew it, I had a 140,000 word novel that would be the first of an epic trilogy.


HN: Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?

BB: Max is by far the most fun character of the Korin’s Journal series for many reasons. He’s sarcastic and pretentious, yet one of the most loving and caring characters in the series. My main reason for making him a cat was that his personality fits perfectly with a cat’s (if you’ve ever had a cat, you’ll know what I mean). He’s been endlessly fun to develop because there’s a lot of secrets associated with his past that are slowly revealed throughout the books. Well, in the case of book 2, The Forgotten King, a lot of his past is put out there for the reader.

As for the most challenging, I’d have to say . . . Max. Yeah, I know, I just used him for the first question. Even so, the challenge is part of the fun with him. He’s a complex character. Most of Max’s actions are based on motivations that Korin knows nothing about, something I found difficult to write with the story being told in first person through Korin’s eyes. There was always the question of how much Korin would accept from Max before finally just losing it and choking his secrets out of him. It’s a bit of thin line when writing Max’s scenes.


HN: What is your plan long-term for the series? How many more stories do you have in mind for Korin and Max?

BB: Korin’s Journal will be a trilogy. There’s a definitive story in my head, and I’m not going to draw it out for the sake of lengthening out the series. I love my characters, and I’ll hate to say goodbye to them after the third book, but it’s what my story calls for. The entire story will be wrapped up completely with book 3.

I won’t completely rule out going back to Korin’s world later. If I did, though, it would likely be in novella or short story form. I promise that I won’t pull a “hey, there’s actually a more dangerous threat” or a “the bad guy wasn’t actually defeated” sequel to the trilogy.


HN: You have written other books, such as Alinor’s Shard – do you have additional/different works in mind?

BB: I have several ideas rattling around in my head at the moment. When It comes to writing, I’m pretty much only interested in fantasy. Part of my love of writing involves building worlds along with the characters, something I feel is best fitted to sci-fi/fantasy. That said, all my ideas are fantasy related. Among my ideas are a Dr. Who inspired stand-alone epic, a young adult series, a potential novelette/novella series(the first is written and just needs a heavy edit and maybe some additional scenes at some point in time), as well as a novella I’ve started that is currently shelved until I’ve finished Korin’s Journal.


HN: As a self-published author, I share the challenge of getting the word out on my works. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your books?

BB: Honestly, I really don’t do much marketing. All of my books are currently exclusive to Amazon, so I do some free ebook days(which I’ve had a lot of success with) for one. I submit my books to as many book bloggers as I can to be considered for reviews, participate in giveaways, do a little Facebook advertising, and try to connect with readers through sites such as Goodreads. I always reply to anyone who offers me any feedback(both good and bad) about my books. I know there’s a lot of resources out there I could use to do more, even some that I’m decently familiar with. Even so, I strive to meet the balance between work, family, and writing time in my life.


HN: This question will start off sounding like an old joke – a person walks into a bar (or convention or bookstore) and bumps into Brian Beam – what would be your elevator pitch to showcase your work?

BB: “Hey, wanna read a book about dragons, magic cats, and monsters?”

Kidding, of course. In all honesty, I’m horrible with elevator pitches and taglines, so I’m going to just steal this from my own blurb – After being hired to recover a stolen gem, Korin finds himself faced with revelations about his past that not only flip his world upside down, but throw him into a fight for his very survival. Join Korin in this exciting fantasy adventure as he deals with a ruthless count, evil wizards, a furious dragon, godsforsaken creatures of death, and even worse, a sarcastic cat


HN: As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your stories? Were there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?

BB: There’s nothing I would change about the stories when it comes to the plot or characters, but I’d make some minor editing tweaks if I could make a few more passes over them. There have been loads of ideas that have ended up on the cutting floor with the Korin’s Journal series, but I couldn’t tell you one of them. I have this strange ability to keep stories in my mind(I never plot on paper or outline), but the moment I decide I don’t like something, it leaves my brain and never comes back. I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing . . .


HN: I have a 21 month old son, and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to write your stories?

BB: By not sleeping. I’m 99% not joking. Really. *yawn*


HN: Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?

BB: Music helps me a lot. And really, just any band I like. The only exceptions are action scenes. I do better with them when listening to fast-paced, heavy-ish music.


HN: What are you reading right now?

BB: Funny you should ask. Forging of a Knight: Rise of the Slavekeepers by, well, you, and Tales of the Bodhisattva by Justin Dockins. I’m about to pick up Words of Radiance, the second in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series. The first one was amazing. Finding time to read another 300K+ word book right now, however . . .


HN: What’s your next upcoming project?

BB: Book 3 of Korin’s Journal (there’s an actual title, but it’s going to be secret a while longer). After that, either finishing my novella, cleaning up my next novelette, or the stand-alone epic. I’ve mostly been finding my mind going to the latter of these choices recently, so probably that. Hmm . . . with my second son due in a couple weeks, I can probably just say he’s going to be my upcoming project ☺.

HN: Where can readers go to find out more about Brian Beam?

BB: www.facebook.com/brianbeamauthor
brian-beam.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/brianbeam2
www.amazon.com/author/brianbeam


HN: Thanks Brian, for sharing some of your time!

Check out The Book Plank's review and see how the Forging of a Knight series did this time around!

http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...

With the end of year holidays among us, I thought it would be fun to review some rather “monstrous” holiday legends that come around this time alongside Old Nick and Krampus…so we’ll start with these annoying critters, the Kalikantzaroi!

The Kalikantzaroi (I’ve also seen it spelled Callicantzari) are an interesting little Greek legend, shared by a few other cultures as well.

Living underground, these little goblins continually saw away at the tree of life which holds up the Earth. Each year they come close to succeeding until Christmas rolls around. At that time, the earth opens up, and the Kallikantzaroi are allowed free reign. So excited by this break, they apparently forget all about their dreadful task, climbing up to the surface and sneaking into homes through January 6th (the Epiphany), stealing sweets, and otherwise causing disturbances and all around trouble.

Being rather dim bulbs, they supposedly can’t count past three – which of course in Christianity represents the Holy Trinity, and if they even did try to utter that third number, they would immediately perish. Alas, their raucous partying time (I envision a certain bar scene from the movie, “Gremlins”) eventually grows short, and on the Epiphany, the little nasties are forced to go back to their home. When they arrive, they probably stand aghast to see the tree of life has fully healed from their previous work. Undeterred, they pull out their trusty axes and saws, and begin again…

….totally unrelated but it came to mind when I was writing this was Nidhoggr the Norse/Scandinavian dragon who gnaws away at the roots of another world tree, the Yggdrasil. Trapped in the roots by his growing size, he would eventually break free one day and signal the beginning of Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods. Hmm – world trees being sawed/chewed at by mystical beings which could bring about the end of the world - and I thought the Emerald Ash Borer was threat enough to a tree! But I digress…

There are many varied descriptions of what the Kalikantzaroi look like. The consensus seems to be they are small, dark, hairy creatures that come out at night with sharp teeth and long tails, looking almost like little satyrs with goat-like legs. Despite their rather extreme underground occupation, they are looked at as more like trickster-type faeries instead of having truly evil/malign intent. From pagan roots (pun not intended), they have become enmeshed within Christianity like many other holiday pagan traditions.

How to keep them at bay if you find a few of these little guys snooping about on your front porch, looking for a way in? Put a colander outside. They will spend all night trying to count the holes, never making it past two (that dreaded number three again) and thus never get in. Leave the fireplace on at night or keep all the lights on in the house, since being underworld dwellers, they can’t stand the light. Lastly, just be a nice old soul to monsters and pass ‘em some sausages or fried dough to keep them happy. After all, can you blame them for wanting to let out a little steam once a year with the workload they’re carryin’?

Next in our list of Monstrous Yuletide Legends comes from Germanic/Austrian myth and is known as Berchta, Perchta, or Bertha, a hearth goddess of the home. In Jacob Grimm's, "Germanic Mythology" (originally published back in 1835), she was described as dark haired garbed in a white dress. Usually, though, she's portrayed as an old witch-like figure, complete with hooked nose and carrying a long sharp knife within the folds of her robes. Why carry such a weapon? Well, you will soon find out...

Similar to the Wild Hunt (another Germanic myth regarding a ghostly army that soared the night, hunting for new souls to join their ranks), Frau Berchta would fly through winter skies leading a host of faeries and infant ghosts - the spirits of unbaptized children - for she had a soft spot for children who had died unbaptized, and thus needing protection (for they supposedly had none, being abandoned by the Church based on their unbaptized nature).

However, warm-hearted as this may sound, she was also extremely nit-picky to the point of fanaticism about cleanliness. On the 12th night of Christmas - January 6th - she would fly over cottages, farms, and homes, inspecting for overall tidiness, and assessing the spindles (a device used for spinning yarn) to ensure the housewives had completed their chores of spinning flax - if the homes didn't meet her standards, she was a lot more severe than a parent taking their kids' I-Phones away for keeping their rooms a mess (remember that knife I mentioned earlier?). In fact, she became pretty upset - as punishment, she would merely disembowel the messy homeowners, putting straw and stones in their sliced open tummies!

And yet, as winters can be both harsh and gentle, so too was this domestic goddess. She is also known as Holle, which refers to shining, an association with the Epiphany, the "shining night". She would leave gifts to those who had been good (probably by way of how clean their homes had been left), and a legend from Austria stated that once she even blessed a farmer's children to have long and prosperous lives after he responded to the tearful lost cries of one of her ghostly children who had fallen astray from her legion and kindly led it back to her direction.

So there you have it - another way to prod those family members once the Christmas revelry is over with to help clean up the house - or they may find out the hard way what will happen if they don't pick up their socks!

Although the Yuletide which starts around December 21 through January 1st (the original 12 days of Christmas!) is seen from a mostly European aspect, the winter solstice (the point at which the sun is farthest south, which falls around 12/21, 12/22, or 12/23 in the northern hemisphere), is celebrated in many cultures and places.

The winter season in the Hindu calendar is known as Shishira, lasting from mid-January to mid-March. During this time (around January 14th) is the Hindu harvest festival of Pongal which celebrates the end of winter solstice. This holiday is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God, and is observed with prayers and renewing social bonds with both family and friends.

The first and fourth days of Pongal are known as Bhogi. This celebration is represented by removing/discarding old, unwanted materials and celebrating new things. Large bonfires are built to burn the no-longer useful items, and homes are made clean.

Rangolis (colorful patterns made on floors or tabletops), or more specifically, a Kolam, drawn with rice flour, chalks, or powders, are placed on entryways into one's home, to welcome all who visit, but especially for Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, to bring positive energy/good luck to the home.

NOT doing so at this time may instead bring a visit from Lakshmi's sister Alakshmi (also known as Daridra), goddess of misfortune, to say hello, bringing negative energy (daridra), bad luck, jealousy, and other ills to your humble abode. In various descriptions she is said to have red beady eyes, teeth like a bull's, and a gnarled withered face.

The story of Lakshmi and Alakshmi was one of opposites. Lakshmi was a hard worker, diligent in efforts, and kind to all. Alakshmi was lazy, cruel, and shabby, rarely bathing, and giving constant lies and deceptions to those around her. Lord Krishna, a major Hindu god, was so enchanted by Lakshmi they became wedded. Alakshmi had no such luck, so her sister asked Lord Krishna to help her. Krishna found a rishi (a wise man, or yogi) to marry Alakshmi, but alas, she failed to change and he eventually got rid of her.

Still feeling charitable towards her sister, Lakshmi again entreated Krishna to come to her sister's aid. He found a home for the unrepentant Alakshmi underneath a peepal (fig) tree where she would have no need to clean herself or anything, or be bothered by anyone, and be free to do as she liked. Alakshmi begged that they would not leave her alone, with only ghosts and similar ilk left to befriend her, so they promised to visit her every Saturday, which is why many will visit peepal trees on a Saturday, giving prayers and watering the tree, knowing that Lord Krishna and Lakshmi are there.

For those unfortunate to have Alakshmi come into your home, lamp lights and prayers will help to drive her off. If, however, your home is full of fights and arguments, you may find an unfortunate new occupant to your household who will stay...

Nowadays, everyone seems to be familiar with Krampus, the hairy, demonic looking bad cop to Saint Nicholas’ good cop that goes about stealing and punishing naughty children on December 5th (Krampusnacht or “Krampus Night”), but did you know there were other companions who worked the same racket?

Enter Knecht Ruprecht, a small, bearded dwarf from the folklore of Germany, who accompanies St. Nicholas on December 6th, Saint Nicholas’ Day (naturally enough). He is shown usually with a stick or switch; sometimes with a hood and a limp. Oftentimes he has a ring of bells around his waist, a dire warning of his impending arrival. His figure can sometimes be dirty with soot from going down chimneys (hmm…doesn’t that sound familiar?!). In either event, his methods were usually the same – being the team heavy, he would ask a child if he/she knew their prayers. If they didn’t, the lucky youngsters would be the beneficiaries of a whack from his stick or a clubbing with a bag, along with a “gift” of coal (Can you picture Charlie Brown here with his “I got a rock!” Halloween lament?). He might even grab the offending child and steal him/her away for “personalized” attention, which might even include being stuffed in a bag and hurled into a freezing river!

If the child had been good and could recite their prayers, they would instead receive some fruit or other treats as a reward...whew!

St. Nicholas had disavowed the wealth of his family, becoming a priest. The monies he inherited from his family he gave away to the needy, and was known to have been loving and kind to all, but most especially to children. When he passed on December 6th, 325 AD, manna (similar to the substance God rained down to the Israelites in their escape from Egyptian bondage) supposedly appeared on his grave, a miracle which confirmed his sainthood.

Ruprecht (and interestingly enough, the name is also another word for Devil), has a much darker origin when compared to his holy companion. One legend states an innkeeper killed three children and stuffed their remains inside a barrel. When St. Nicholas became aware, he brought the children back to life…and the innkeeper was forced into eternal bondage as Saint Nicholas’ assistant as penance for his crime.

So make sure to be good all year and know your prayers, or else you’ll be getting some unwanted attention from this particular little holiday helper!

November 30th is St. Andrew’s Day, a religious and national holiday in Romania. St. Andrew was the first of Jesus Christ’s apostles, the brother of St. Peter, and was responsible for various miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, calming fierce animals, and more. He was crucified on November 30th in the year 60 AD. He is also the patron saint of other lands, such as Russia, Ukraine, Sicily, Scotland, Greece, and Cyprus.

Conversely, in pre-Christian times in Romania, this was the Day of the Wolves, which celebrated Santandrei, the Master of Wolves (also the name of a Romanian city or commune). This was also supposedly the day when wolves began to form their packs to hunt and prepare for the long winter nights ahead. St. Andrew in this context is also considered to be a protector against wolves.

In either event, it’s the night before - November 29/30 – that brings this particular event to our Monstrous list. Pre-Christian traditions similar to Halloween state that the doors to the underworld were opened for this night, and spirits, undead, and vampires were released to haunt and plague the living. Wolves are magically able to speak during this time, and those bitten by them were cursed to become werewolves. Crossroads were to be avoided at night, for traditionally, any in-between place (or time) such as a crossroads, the hour of midnight, the seashore, etc., would be a focal point for magical beings from other realms to gain entry (because these locations/times were neither one thing or another, being equally both and none at the same time). In some cultures, murderers and other similar folk would be hung at crossroads, for fear their evil spirits would return to do harm/seek revenge, but would be confused by the merged roads and not know which way to go. Also on this night, the undead would rise at these spots and fight amongst themselves until sunrise.

To keep safe, garlic and basil (placed on windows, doors, and even in meals) were the items of choice to keep these harmful creatures away...or your family and friends, depending on how much garlic you ate... 8 )