C. Gockel's Blog, page 71
April 1, 2015
thegorgonist:Sigyn and Loki
So I really like mythology, and the...
So I really like mythology, and the tough thing about that is how really DEPRESSING it is.
Mythology buffs and those with an interest in Viking myths in particular know the story: as punishment for killing (or, well, expediting the death of) the golden god Baldr, Loki is bound by the entrails of his son, left in the deeps to be tortured by the venom of a giant snake. His loyal wife Sigyn holds a cup to protect him from the venom, but when it fills and she has to dump it out, he is in agony.
CHEERFUL!
March 31, 2015
Your understanding of the Norse gods as symbols is very correct, however suggesting they be anything other than white is synonymous to them imagining a new color. Their religion didn't magically appear when they began raiding.
You are correct.
Let us look at the example of Odin (who appears in some variant in almost all branches of historical Heathenry), throughout time, to illustrate the point.
Was there a version of Odin (or a precursor) in PIE religion? If yes, then those people were most likely (by all evidence) not “white” (as we understand it today).
If no, then when do we arbitrarily decide that Odin (or his precursor) first “existed”?
- hedendom
cgockel:SOME FRIENDS AND I, WE DID A THING …I’m in a new box set...
SOME FRIENDS AND I, WE DID A THING …
I’m in a new box set with a whole bunch of best selling authors (!!!!)
I asked S.T. Bende, who writes about Ullr (stepson of Thor, if you recall) and Ednah Walters who writes about Thor, if they wan’t to get together and be in a Norse inspired set. Then we tracked down T.G. Ayer who writes Valkyries and then … realized that not many people write about Norse mythology. (Or at least not many whose work is also indie pubbed, or were far enough along in their series to make a set be worthwhile).
So we called on board writers whose work is based on other myths: Eva Pohler who writes YA paranormal / urban fantasy stories featuring a plucky mortal and the sons of Hades (and she doesn’t make Hades evil, who da’ thunk!), Nancy Straight who writes about centaurs (!), and DelSheeree Gladden who writes about Native American Legends, Mary Ting and Kim Richardson who write angels, and errr … Christine Pope whose written about a certain *ahem* fallen angel (it’s a light hearted romance, and frankly the guy needs that sort of thing). I asked Becca Mills on board, ‘cause I love her series and how it pictures beings who pretend to be gods. And we invited Karen Lynch and Melissa Haag into the set ‘cause they’re nice people and most of our fans like vampires and werewolves.
… and Gods and Mortals was born. It is eclectic in the range of stories … it is also FREE. Not sure for how long.
You can pick it up at Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play.
March 29, 2015
I have no idea who she is … but I like her.
I have no idea who she is … but I like her.
March 28, 2015
Buck Books did a round-up of fantasy books for 99 cents and...
Buck Books did a round-up of fantasy books for 99 cents and selected Monsters as one. They tend to be somewhat selective in books they promote (at least according to some unhappy authors sniping on the author boards) so if you’re looking for your next fantasy series, it might be something to check out.
Buck Books promotes Amazon only, but Monsters is available for 99 cents on B&N, iBooks, Kobo, GooglePlay, Smashwords, and of course Amazon.
(I Bring the Fire, Part I in my Loki series is still free at Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, GP, and Smashwords. Whole series free to Oyster and Scribd subscribers, and available at your library through Overdrive).
March 27, 2015
I am an author. I’m have been afraid to say or write that for...
I am an author. I’m have been afraid to say or write that for fear of it becoming untrue. Maybe it won’t be true next month, or next quarter, or next year.
I had a ten year plan to becoming a “real” author. I figured if I wrote for ten years, I could have a backlist of 50 or so books, and if I sold one or two a day of each, I’d you know, be alright. But as of October of last year, something happened: I started making an income above minimum wage—after earning way less than minimum wage for three years.
I’m not sure what all stars aligned exactly. After Kindle Unlimited was released, I thought I might have to readjust my ten year plan to twelve or eleven years. Even with a new release, I barely earned $1000 in September.
Maybe it was that last BookBub promo? Maybe someone important mentioned my books? Maybe it is like a snowball rolling down a mountainside and I gathered enough word of mouth to get a boost?
The only star I know truly helped is you, my readers.
I’ve done so much wrong. I don’t have the right covers. The covers I have shouldn’t work as well as they do (I’ve been told so often, and I am on my way to redoing my covers).
I write in third person present tense.
I had no idea what I was doing and the first books I published looked like gobbledygook on all older Kindles.
I didn’t know how to edit properly (I’m a dyslexic; I couldn’t take a paper document with all errors marked in red pen and input them myself. Now I know.)
But my readers stuck by me. You let me know about my formatting errors. You helped me take my really bad covers to something that is well branded and neat, you let me know (gently) that my grammar needed work.
I’m not making 100K a year, or even half that, but I’m making a respectable income. Enough to pay for healthcare and childcare, and a little extra. Enough to say, “Yes, I write, it is my main thing.” Enough that I can spend hours working on pretty pictures of boys for my new covers and have my husband not look at me too askance. (And a pretty girl and “interesting looking” dog too, very soon!)
(Writing stories and drawing pretty pictures—this is exactly how I spent my highschool years! What have I done to deserve to live out my second childhood so early?)
Anyway, I don’t know how long this will last, but thank you for giving me some of the best six months of my life.
Thank you for reading I Bring the Fire. Thank you for reblogging new releases and giveaways and pretty pictures. Thank you for your reviews and emails and friendship.
I hope I can continue to write you stories that bring you joy. Tomorrow I have a little something special for my mailing list as a thank you. I hope you enjoy it.
(The scared kitty in the picture above is me. I know it’s all going to go belly up tomorrow. An asteroid will hit my car. The kitchen will catch on fire. Everyone will decide Loki is old hat … I don’t know … but it will happen!)
March 26, 2015
Word of the day: hoglet*. It means baby hedgehog. (Must find a...
Word of the day: hoglet*. It means baby hedgehog. (Must find a way to use this in a story).
*may not actually be a daily feature on this blog.
nubbsgalore:photos by david clapp, katherine kuzmenko and duncan...
photos by david clapp, katherine kuzmenko and duncan george from the ancient oak forest of wistmans wood in dartmoor
I see the Dark Lands of Alfheim.
