Nancy J. Cohen's Blog: Nancy's Notes from Florida, page 116

S. FL Writers Workshops

If you're going to be around South Florida this summer and have an interest in fiction writing, check out these workshops by multi-published authors. Note that I am teaching the last one on September 24.   

The Authors Academy

Writing Workshops for Tomorrow's Authors!

All workshops are $25 per person. Register for all eight and get one free!

Reservations are required. 561-279-7790 or murdermb@gate.net

Saturday June 11, 10am – Noon
Where Does Your Novel Start? Show me the story and I'll show you the book.
Instructor: Randy Rawls, author of the Ace Edwards PI mysteries.  www.randyrawls.com

Saturday June 25, 10am – Noon
From Idea To Novel. Plotting, the backbone of every book.
Instructor: Karen Kendall, author of Take Me For a Ride.   www.karenkendall.com

Saturday July 16, 10am – Noon
What a Character! Creating and developing characters that withstand the test of time.
Instructor: Sharon Potts, author of Someone's Watching.   www.sharonpotts.com

Saturday July 23, 10am – Noon
It's Not Just Scenery. How to use setting to build emotion and drive your story forward.
Instructor: Allison Chase, author of Outrageously Yours.   www.allisonchase.com

Saturday July 30, 10am – Noon
Stay on the Yellow Brick Road. Keep your story from wandering.
Instructor: Jonathon King, author of Midnight Guardians.   www.jonathonking.com

Saturday August 13, 10am – Noon
Point of View. Whose head are we in and why are we there?
Instructor: Diane A.S. Stuckart, author of the Leonardo da Vinci series.  www.dianestuckart.com

Saturday September 10, 10am – Noon
How To Get Published. Learn what it takes to get your work published.
Instructor: Joanna Campbell Slan, author of Photo Snap Shot. www.joannacampbellslan.com

Saturday September 24, 10am – Noon
Finding an Agent. Query letters, synopses, and the pitch!
Instructor: Nancy J. Cohen, author of the Bad Hair Day mysteries. www.nancyjcohen.com

All workshops will be held at Murder on the Beach
Bookstore, 273 NE 2nd Avenue, Delray Beach, from 10am to Noon. All instructors are multi-published authors. Charge for each workshop is $25 per person. Register for all eight, only $175. Get one free! Cash, check or credit cards accepted.

Make Your Reservation Now!
561-279-7790 or murdermb@gate.net

Grammar Primer

Do you get stumped periodically on certain phrases in your writing? I have a sentence in my current WIP: "I wrote down the info Chelsea gave me then lay back on my chaise."

Wait a minute. Is that correct? Should it be lay or lie? Or maybe laid or lied? I'd better consult my grammar notes. Okay, I think what I have above is correct. What do you say?   

                         

WHICH versus THAT

That is the defining or restrictive pronoun: The lawn mower that is broken is in the garage. (Tells which one)

Which is the nondefining or nonrestrictive pronoun: The lawn mower, which is broken, is in the garage. (Adds a fact about the mower)

If the clause can be omitted without altering the meaning of the noun it modifies, use which; otherwise, use that.

A clause starting with which should be set off by commas; one starting with that should not.

LIKE versus AS

Use like before a noun, a compound noun, or a pronoun.

Use as before a phrase (a group of words containing neither a subject nor a predicate):

She smelled sweet, as a girl named Violet should, but she swore like a stevedore.

Use as if or as though before a clause (a group of words containing both a subject and a predicate):

She drenched herself in Obsession as if it were as cheap as ale.

He acted as though he owned me.

LAY versus LIE

Lay means to place, put down, or deposit. It requires a direct object. The past tense of lay is laid.

Lay the book on the table. He laid it down. She has laid her books next to the clock. They have been laying papers down all over the office.

Lie means to be in a reclining position or to be situated. The past of lie is lay.

Let it lie. He lay there without moving. She has just lain down beside him. They have been lying there for hours.

EACH OTHER versus ONE ANOTHER

Use each other when referring to two people: Olivia and Victor loved each other.

Use one another for more than two people: Kelly, George, and Linda loved one another madly.

AND versus BUT

Do not use a comma when there's only one subject: She stood up and walked to the door.

Do use a comma with a compound sentence (two subjects and two verbs): She stood up, and a wave of dizziness assailed her. The situation is fraught with danger, but we have a chance to escape.

WHILE

Use it to mean "during the time that". Try replacing it with a semicolon, or substitute "although".

Thor

This movie has exciting action, adventure, and romance. What's not to like in a film with a hunky hero and Natalie Portman? Plus it ties in perfectly with my paranormal romance series based on Norse mythology. As a primer on the myths, here is a summary of what I've learned from my research. Some of the sources can be confusing so this is my interpretation. Now if only I can find a home for this series to share my stories with you.

This mythology primer will give you a better understanding of the fantasy portions of the Thor movie, although in no way is it meant to be similar to the story in the film. I loved how they visualized the magical realms. Yet for all the special effects, the focus was on the characters and how Thor had to transform himself into a true hero.

    

NORSE CREATION MYTH

These tales derive from the Edda, an epic of Germanic origin. As the story starts, a great void stretched between the land of ice and darkness in the north (Niflheim) and the land of fire and light in the south (Muspell). When warm air met the ice, water formed, and the droplets produced the first Giant, Ymir, along with a cow who fed him.

While the Giant slept, a male and a female grew from his armpit. They were Frost Giants who had human form and supernatural powers.

The cow licked the ice and brought forth a man named Buri. Buri's son married a descendent of Ymir, and they in turn produced three sons. These offspring became the Gods, including Odin.

Odin and his brothers killed Ymir and used his body to create Midgard, the middle land, from the void. Then they made the oceans and the earth, the heavens and the stars, and the cycles of night and day.

The Gods split into two families, the Aesir and the Vanir. Odin and Thor belonged to the Aesir. They were warriors, while the Vanir became farmers and merchants. Odin ruled over them all as King of the Gods. Thor was a great warrior who carried a magic hammer called Mjollnir, which returned like a boomerang when he threw it.

The Aesir Gods lived in Asgard, a celestial palace. Bifrost, a rainbow bridge, connected Asgard to Midgard. Odin created humans to occupy Midgard, which was surrounded by an ocean inhabited by Jormungand the serpent. The God Heimdall guarded the bridge, which was prophesied to collapse at Ragnarok, the end of the world.

The Giants inhabited Niflheim, the underworld. They didn't live alone there. After the first Giant, Ymir, died, dwarfs formed from the maggots in his flesh. The Goddess Hel ruled over this underworld. Hel's realm was a peaceful place, even though it was called the Land of the Dead. She lived in a palace like the Gods. It wasn't considered a punishment to end up there.

An ash tree connected all three realms. The World Tree, or Yggdrasil, was fed by three sources of water under its roots. One of these was the Fountain of Wisdom, guarded by the god Mimir. According to legend, Odin sacrificed an eye to drink from this fountain. That's how he gained his powers of prophecy.

The Urd well, or Fountain of Youth, was protected by the Norns, Goddesses of Fate. Their root supported the tree at Midgard, so they ruled the destinies of men. A dragon named Nidhog guarded the third spring and gnawed on its root.

As the first living creatures, the Giants were angry when the Gods dispelled them from their rightful place. They gathered their allies in preparation for an attack on the Gods. This great battle was called Ragnarok.

Loki used to be a companion to the Gods, but he caused much mischief. He had the ability to shapeshift and delighted in causing trouble. Eventually, the Gods banished him. Giants released Loki and he led them in battle against the Gods.

At Ragnarok, the Gods battled monsters and Giants. Thor fought the sea monster of Midgard. He killed the serpent with his hammer but not before the monster fatally slashed him with poison. Odin was defeated by the wolf Fenrir. Loki fought Heimdall and they killed each other.

The rainbow bridge collapsed and the great World Tree burned down. Each of the realms fell. Midgard was consumed by fire and sank into the sea. But all was not lost. Earth reemerged from the vast ocean, and the sons of the dead Aesir returned to Asgard to rule again. Thus was the world reborn.

Mailing Lists

I am updating my mailing lists as long as I'm in between books and will be sending out a Spring newsletter soon. This also marks the start of another Contest. If you're a newsletter subscriber, you gain an extra chance to win a prize, so sign up now! Visit http://nancyjcohen.com and fill in the newsletter signup box in the sidebar. If you already receive my news updates, you do not have to reenter your name.

I just got a cool household tip from my maid that I'm putting in the newsletter this month instead of a recipe, so I hope you'll check it out. Just so you don't feel deprived, here is the most recent recipe I've made:

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH MUSHROOMS

2 cups Marrakesh Express CousCous Grande or other large grained Middle Eastern couscous

Low sodium chicken broth as per cous cous package instructions

8 oz fresh gourmet mushroom blend, coarsely chopped

2 Tbs olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and thyme, and spread in aluminum foil lined baking pan sprayed with Pam. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cook couscous in chicken broth liquid according to package directions.

Stir mushroom mixture and Worcestershire sauce into couscous and serve.

May Musings

On Sunday, we parked at North Hollywood Beach Park ($7 per day) and strolled along the Hollywood boardwalk, actually made out of bricks and not boards. It was a perfect morning. We walked past the sunburnt yellow, deep coral, and hot pink buildings, the amphitheater, and the numerous restaurants. At Josh's Organic Garden, we bought some produce before turning back. After a two hour walk, we crashed in our air-cooled home for the afternoon.

Now it is Monday and back to work. I have completed my WIP, finished my first round of line edits, revised the synopsis, and have now put it aside so I can gain some distance on the story before a final read-through. Meanwhile, I'm thinking about the sequel and jotting down notes on the next plot.

There are plenty of other projects to keep me busy. I tried to put my lectures into Power Point and failed, so I need a friend to teach me how to use the program. I have yet to learn Windows Movie Maker so I can make a book trailer for my January mystery release. I've started selecting photos and music at the royalty-free sites online, but it's a tedious process. Then I'm still revising one of my backlist titles, another time-consuming project. I need to update my mailing lists and send out another newsletter, devise upcoming contests, set up a blog tour. And the list goes on. Sorting through old family photos and files is beginning to sound more appealing. But this period in between book projects is a good time to get things done. Or not. Somehow the less busy you are, the less you accomplish.

Special Casserole of the Day

This is a put-together casserole using leftovers and other ingredients I keep in stock. Substitute whatever food items are in your fridge and pantry.

Cooked Leftover Turkey, Shredded
Cooked Leftover Spaghetti
4 oz Shredded Swiss Cheese
14.5 oz can Mixed Vegetables
14.5 oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes, No Salt Added
1 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
Sliced Almonds

Mix first six ingredients in large bowl. Pour into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle nuts on top.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until bubbly hot. Serves 4-6.

Notes: You can use chicken instead of turkey, and a package of cooked chicken works just as well as leftovers. Spaghetti or rice will serve for the starch. Any kind of cheese, like cheddar, will do in a pinch. Toss in whatever veggies you have lying around. For the soup, choose cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom soup. My meals are all low in salt, so add seasoning to your taste. As for the almonds, you could also sprinkle slivered almonds, bread crumbs, or Parmesan cheese on top. Bon Appetit!

Party and Prizes at TWRP

Five days and more than $500.00 worth of prizes.                                        

April 27th – May 1st on the Wild Rose Press yahoo groups.                   

Join us for a celebration in the garden.

The Wild Rose Press Yahoo group

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How to Win…

For chances to win more than $500.00 worth of prizes all you have to do

is party with us. Everyone who participates will be entered into the

prize drawings. Non-stop fun from Wednesday, April 27 – Sunday, May 1st.

Join the fun and help us celebrate 5 years in the garden.

Business for Writers

One of my ongoing projects is to clean out old files. This afternoon, I poured through my Business writing file. I'm sad to say that I threw out nearly everything. Since the digital revolution and the introduction of e-books, email, etc., so much of what I'd saved has become out of date. Snail mail an editor your query letter? Forget it. Most of them want submissions online. Formatting details? Varies by publisher more than ever. Promotion? Toss the advice telling you what to do before the Internet became the place to be.

So what's left? How to write a synopsis. Copyright info. Career planning. Those things don't change a whole lot, although the career planning may include different goals…like staying published or self-publishing one's backlist.

I even threw out explanations of bestseller lists. How is that relevant today with new lists for e-books and online reader sites and Listmania recommendations? So much important data from yesterday is irrelevant today.

Now I have new files: Book Trailers, Blog Tours, E-book Conversions, Cover Designers, etc.

Our world has changed. We have to adapt or else we risk becoming as extinct as those pages I tossed today.

Downtown Disney

We had a pleasant stroll through Downtown Disney this past weekend. A free attraction, this site welcomes visitors with its myriad shops and restaurants. Beginning at West Side, we started at Cirque du Soleil's bright white performance hall which anchors this end of the complex. DisneyQuest is next, with five floors of interactive indoor games for kids of all ages. It's across the way from House of Blues, a restaurant and adult concert hall. In the space occupied formerly by Virgin Megastore now stands RideMaker2, where young guests can customize and build their own model cars. We moved along, past the movie theater, a collection of gift shops, Wolfgang Puck Café, and Bongos Cuban cuisine. The sign for Pleasure Island looms ahead, but wait! Just to the left is an enormous hot air balloon. You can take a thrill ride on a tether for a fee.

Pleasure Island doesn't have much to offer right now. Its nightclubs are closed and scheduled for renovation into more family oriented venues at some future date. We strolled through and past the Latin American restaurant, Paradise 37. Soon we came to Raglan Road, an Irish pub. It's nice to sit outside here with a glass of wine or indoors when the entertainment starts.

Moving on, we bypassed Portobello Italian Trattoria, Fulton's Crab House shaped like a showboat, and T-Rex, the dinosaur-themed restaurant. We've eaten at all of them but the pub wins our favor. We noted that Pollo Campero, a chicken place, has replaced McDonalds. As we stride ahead toward the village Marketplace, we noted the Lego store is being refurbished and has been temporary located to a tent further along.

We ducked into World of Disney, our favorite shop to savor all things Disneyesque, then moved outside again past the tempting sweets at Ghiradelli's chocolate shop and toward the carousel. Round and round went its brightly colored horses. We kept our pace, glancing at the Earl of Sandwich restaurant, Cap'n Jack's on the waterfront, and the Rainforest Café. Even Goofy couldn't tempt us to enter his candy store. We did, however, duck inside Mickey's Pantry to browse the cookbooks, kitchen tools, spices, and home goods. Then we exited, turned around, and headed back. We enjoyed the view of boats on Village Lake and the happy families who'd left their cares behind to savor the magic of Disney.

Dark Kingdom

DARK KINGDOM: THE DRAGON KING

Serendipity may be defined as making a fortunate discovery while looking for something unrelated. Recently, I visited our local Blockbuster store that was going out of business and bought some pre-viewed DVDs on sale. One of the films that looked promising was a fantasy epic titled Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King with Benno Fürmann, Alicia Witt, and Kristanna Loken.

As I watched it at home, I realized two things: One, I'd seen the tragic tale before on television, and Two, it tied in almost exactly as told to the second book in my Drift Lords paranormal romance trilogy. The movie's storyline could have been extracted from these two pages in my book, Warrior Rogue [Spoiler Alert!!!]. Jen is my heroine, and Paz is my hero. We're in his viewpoint. Warning: If you haven't seen the movie yet, this gives away the story. They change the name of Sigurd to Siegfried in the film.       

Jen pulled a printout from her pocket.

"What's that?" He waved a hand at it.

"While you were gone this morning, I went to the hotel's business center and looked up Fafnir the Dragon on the computer."

"What did you learn?" His lip curved in bemusement. She seemed to be taking to these myths same as her prophesied sister, Nira.

She brushed a stray hair off her forehead. The humidity made her hair curl around her face. He watched her graceful movement, entranced by her slender wrist. He'd like to take her palm and swirl his tongue on her sensitive flesh.

"In Norse mythology, Fafnir was a giant who disguised himself as a dragon to defend his treasure. One of the items he guarded was a magic ring that brought its wearer unending wealth. However, the trickster Loki had taken that ring from the dwarfs who created it. The dwarfs were metal workers who made magical items for the gods."

"Like our friend, Smitty?"

She nodded. "The dwarf who originally guarded the treasure cursed the ring that Loki took. Now instead of creating wealth for its wearer, it would bring death.

"A descendant of Odin named Sigurd killed Fafnir and stole his treasure. Sigurd ate the dragon's heart in order to understand animals. He bathed in the creature's blood to become invulnerable except for a spot on his shoulder.

"Sigurd was in love with a Valkyrie named Brynhild. The Valkyries were virgin warriors of the god Odin. They could fly and carried the souls of dead warriors to Valhalla."

He scratched his jaw. "Nira told us some of these stories but I don't recall this one. What is Valhalla?"

"It's Odin's hall where dead warriors lived in honor while they prepared for Ragnarok, the end of all times."

According to the prophecy, Ragnarok was coming again. Loki wanted to bring chaos and destruction to the multiverse in revenge for the gods banishing him.

He kept his dark thoughts to himself. "You've certainly done your homework."

Jen beamed at him. "Listen to the rest. To mark his engagement to Brynhild, Sigurd gave her the magic ring he stole from Fafnir without knowing he'd been cursed by possessing it."

"So what happened?"

"He set off on a journey to a foreign court. There a magic potion made him fall in love with the king's daughter. When Brynhild found out he'd betrayed her, she persuaded one of the king's sons to kill Sigurd. The fellow pierced him at his weak spot on the shoulder. Brynhild repented and killed herself on his funeral pyre."

"Ah." He tilted his head. "And what does this tale of woe have to do with us?"

"How can Fafnir be here if he's supposedly dead?"

*****

My heroes are in Hong Kong searching for a dragon that still lives. This story is based on Norse mythology, which in turn is based on a Germanic epic called the Edda. My series was inspired by a visit to Epcot at Disney World where we went on the Maelstrom ride in the Norway pavilion. The scenes take you back in time to the early days of Norse myths when trolls roamed the land. Thus was my Drift Lords trilogy born, for which my agent is still seeking a home. Once I finish my current mystery project, if nothing else is pressing, I will work on book three in this trilogy so the entire set will be complete.

It was just such a coincidence that I'd written this mythic tale before I'd seen the film. But then if you're familiar with Joseph Campbell's work on The Hero's Journey, you'll know that mythological structure anchors many stories told throughout time.