Julie's Writing Playlist

“Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good and just and beautiful.” Said Plato.


I remember once in elementary school ( a very long time ago) the teacher gave us a blank sheet of paper. She said close your eyes and draw whatever comes to mind as you listen to the music. This was a fun exercise in the versatility of the mind to be moved by certain musical patterns. 

As a fantasy writer, music is key to helping give flight to my imagination. But it's not just any music that will do. Each scene I'm writing needs a particular type of music to really stir up the imaginative flow. And it's not easy finding just the right piece. I've spent lots of time listening to different songs, waiting for inspiration to strike. 

I've collected quite the playlist over the years and would like to share some of the main ones I listen too while writing.


1) Lord of the Rings Calm mix. This is my all time favorite and normal go-to. This one works well when writing your more normal scenes or ethereal scenes. It's not very helpful when writing high action scenes because this is a calm mix. 

2) Spooky Music Compilation This one is so much fun! It's great for any scene that includes anything spooky, like sneaking through a dark forest or even engaging with mischievous creatures.

3) Requiem for a Dream This one is perfect for a high action/fight scene! It is very dramatic and I can just visualize an epic fight scene whenever I listen to it.

Others: I have a full list of instrumental songs that I skim through but here is a group that is one of my favorites:

Two Steps From Hell: this memorable group has tons of songs from calm to epic. It's just a matter of trying them out. Click on the name to hear my favorite.

What are some of your go-tos for writing? I'd love to hear about your favorites!

Top 3 "Epic" Escapes (Julie)

A few months ago, I had what I like to term as one of my "adventure" dreams. A group of bad guys was chasing me through this house because I had something they wanted. The house turned out to have an unlimited amount of doors to run through. The more I ran, the more doors kept appearing. It was kinda like the house wanted me to escape. I did eventually escape from the evil gang of whoever they were.

I tend to have quite a few of those "adventure" dreams to where I'm trapped but somehow find a way out. If only writing escape scenes were as easy for me as they are for my brain to come up with in my dreams!

If you've ever read any fantasy, sci-fi, or pretty much any fiction story, then you've probably read dozens of escapes...some death defying and others slightly implausible, but still fun nonetheless.

So journey along with me as we explore three "epic" escapes from some of my favorite adventure books.

1) Imagine if you suddenly found yourself in your nightmare, in the flesh, being chased by an enormous house on two chicken legs maned by a large, evil cat (who wants to eat you)? Your options include outrunning a chicken house, getting squashed by said chicken house, or get eaten by large, evil cat. Unfortunately, you know you can't really outrun the house. It does have longer legs than you. Just as you except to get squashed or eaten, your rescue arrives in the form of a small, yellow convertible driven by a demented looking clown twice the size of the car. The clown hops out and distracts the chicken house while you make your getaway in the toy car.

Sound pretty awesome? Check out the whole story here: Nightmares by Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller

2) For this adventure, you find yourself burglarizing the local library (gasp)! Your objective: abscond with the bottled ship, USS Stargazer, and return it to a suspected witch. You and your friends gain the ship and all is going well when you come face to face with the school bullies. Who also want the ship. And will beat your brains out to get it. Your friends yell at you to run, as you have the ship, and they will delay the bullies. The only way out of the library is through a second story window. Options: get beaten to a pulp or smash through glass and plummet to the ground. You choose the window. You plop a piece of candy in your mouth and run straight through the window. Wait, a piece of candy? Yes, but this isn't an ordinary piece of candy. It's an Ironhide, which makes your body as strong as iron. So crashing through a window and plummeting two stories is nothing. You make your escape just as a police car heads toward the library.

Want to know more about this peculiar brand of candy? Check it out here: The Candy Shop Wars by Brandon Mull

3)  This one may be more familiar to you. You've just destroyed a powerful, dark magic ring and saved the Earth. But now you're stranded on a rock as the mountain erupts and spews lava all around you and your best friend. Options: well...there really aren't any options. As you lay there thinking about your home and what could have been and listening to your best friend mourn the loss of the love of his life, giant eagles swoop in and carry you away to safety. Talk about an unexpected escape from certain death!

Many of you may have guessed this famous escape from The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien.


These are just a few of the terrific near-escapes to be found in books. If you've read an award winning escape, I'd love to hear about it!

Top 3 Favorite Magical Beings (Julie)

I’m one of those people who like having background noise while I’m at home. It varies between music to movies to tv shows. Lately, I’ve gotten into watching I Dream of Jeannie. It’s so much fun watching Jeannie trying to be helpful with her magical powers except something always goes wrong. Poor Major Nelson. Jeannie isn’t the only genie out there, there’s the Genie in Aladdin, and then there John and Phillipa from the Children of the Lamp series (a great series by the way). As cool as their powers are, I’m not sure I’d classify them as my most favorite magical beings, although they’d be in my top ten for sure.  So what would be my top 3 favorite, fairly good, magical beings?

1) I debated with my top choice and wasn’t sure I was even going to include it on the list, but I decided that they truly are my favorites. And the winner is... fairies! The reason I vacillated with these intriguing creatures is because most fairies are known for being small, winged creatures who are vain tricksters. Except maybe the Sleeping Beauty fairies?  Unless you count the ordeal over the dress. But I’m a bit biased on my opinion of fairies because my book series is based on fairies, which are a bit different from the norm. I tend to associate fairies with nature. I didn't inherit my family's green thumb, but I like the beauty of nature and the ability to make things grow and flourish.

2) My next favorite magical beings are witches and wizards. Harry? Hermione? Ron? Gandalf? Need I say more? I think I like the idea of having something tangible, in my hand, to work the magic. Harry and the others have wands that they swish and flick to make magic happen. Gandalf doesn’t have a wand, but he passes by having an awesome staff. The downside of course is without the wand or staff, life gets a bit tougher.  

3) Finally, my third top favorite are elves...of the Middle Earth variety. They exude grace and beauty, yet are strong and fierce too. Bilbo Baggins couldn’t wait to see the elves again in Lord of the Rings. You just can’t help be drawn in by their ethereal presence, unless you are a dwarf.

What about you? What is your favorite magical being? It's okay if it takes you a minute to decide. It's a touch choice!  

Top Three Languages to Inspire Fantasy (Erin)

I have always loved languages. I remember being a little girl and sitting with a German language copy of the Tales of the Brothers Grimm and writing out my own dictionary of what I thought many of the German words might mean in English. Also in elementary school, I was given a book of Welsh fairy tales and I spent hours poring over the glossary and pronunciation guide in the back. A while later,  I was delighted to realize Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series was set in Wales. Here are three languages that always thrill me, spark my imagination, and that I associate with fantasy settings.

3. Welsh: Welsh is the first language I associated with fantasy books. Cooper's The Dark is Rising series,  and Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain both rely heavily on Welsh language and legend. My youngest daughter's name is even Welsh, and means "little raven." Good thing she has dark hair!


2. Russian: After attempting to read my dad's copy of War and Peace one summer, I was inspired to take Russian language in high school. That led to a Russian minor in college, and traveling to Russia twice. Russian is a Cyrillic language, and looks pretty, especially if you can master Russian cursive. Recent fantasy books such as The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye and Leah Bardugo's The Grisha Trilogy use Russian, but sadly, most books will only use Russian phonetics. I am guessing it would be expensive and tricky to use the actual Cyrillic characters, but they would look more magical.

1. Elvish: Of course, a made-up language created by a brilliant linguist wins my top spot. J.R.R. Tolkien was not only an amazing author, but created an entire working language, with it's own characters, as well as grammar and syntax, along with several variations, for the land of Middle-earth. You can listen to the song "Lothlorien" and see the phonetic and Elvish translations, at this site. Or, you can listen to Tolkien recite a poem in Elvish here. Some day, when I have lots of free time, it would be fun to learn Elvish. . . or Welsh. . . or brush up on my Russian. Ah, free time. . . 

This Digiphile Wordpress site shows the first article of the Universal declaration of Human Rights, as well as lists several Elvish Translators

 What languages do you associate with fantasy? What language would you learn if you had free time? Let us know!
 
Attributions:
http://www.wales.com/welsh-phrases
http://masterrussian.com/video/writing/writing-russian-cursive-letters.htm 
https://digiphile.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/online-jrrtolkein-translators-and-font-converters/

On Writing: Poetry and Fantasy (Erin)

Today I want to take a moment to talk about poetry. You can probably guess we are writing poetry in my Creative Writing class, but as I was thinking of poems, I realized some of my favorites have come from fantasy books.

When the dark comes rising
Six shall turn it back
Three from the circle
Three from the track
Wood, Bronze, Iron
Water, Fire, Stone
Five shall return and one go alone.  Susan Cooper The Dark is Rising

The poem continues, and foreshadows much of the action in the series. I liked the poem so much that I actually memorized all three stanzas when I was in sixth grade. Another poem I enjoy is Frodo's Song in Bree. Although technically a song, it is fun to read, and references many familiar nursery rhymes. 

There is an inn, a merry old inn, 
beneath an old grey hill  
And there they brew a beer so brown  
That the man in the moon himself came down
One night to drink his fill.  J.R.R. Tolkein The Fellowship of the Ring

One of my favorite types of poetry to write is word association poetry. First, you choose a topic. Then, you list two or three words that topic first makes you think of. Then, for each word you listed, you list two or three more words. Finally, you list another three words for each of those words. . . Let me show you.

Topic: Spring

Cut Grass        Swinging                                          Grandma's House
                                                                                      Flying
                                                                                      Fourth of July

                          Colorful tulips                                  Amsterdam                            
                                                                                      Chocolate
                                                                                      Conservatory

                         Raindrops                                         Splashing
                                                                                     Gentle pitter patter
                                                                                     Umbrellas

Baby Chicks    The Zoo                                            Happy
                                                                                     Content
                                                                                     Walking  

                           Easter                                              Grateful
                                                                                     The Cross
                                                                                     Saving Grace

                          Fuzzy                                                 Peach cobbler
                                                                                      Socks
                                                                                     Be careful!

It is fun to see how all the images you think of can combine and form a poem! 

My question for you today is, have any of you written poetry to include in your stories? Have you ever tried word association poetry? How else do you go about writing poetry? 

Leave a comment and let us know! 

Attributions:
https://pixabay.com/en/notebook-address-book-point-sketch-2247352/
                                                                                 

Relationships Beyond Romance: Mentors (Hannah)

Hello, and welcome back to the ongoing series Relationships Beyond Romance! If you missed the first few posts, here is a short recap:

1) Overt Friendships are friendships between non-related people that are characterized by positive interactions.

2) Covert Friendships also involve non-related people who genuinely care about each other, but to outsiders, the interactions between the two do not appear friendly because the characters consistently tease each other, compete with each other, or in some other way act unkindly to each other.

3) Parent-Child relationships are the first and most powerful, because they can prepare a child for a bright future or leave deep emotional scars.

4) Siblings have unique relationships.  Although every situation is different, the defining characteristic here is family.  Siblings generally don't choose each other, like friends do.  Whether through birth, marriage, adoption, or other circumstances, siblings are linked together forever through the special bond of family.

5) Sibling groups can be some of the most riveting bonds in fiction, and can even link together several series.

Part 6: Mentors

From Gandalf to Obi-Wan Kenobi to Professor Xavier and beyond, mentors are one of the most common of the character archetypes.  They fill a unique and necessary role in fiction, and just like their real-life counterparts, are often instrumental in the personal growth and development of their students.

What is a mentor?

Merriam-Webster defines a mentor as "a trusted counselor or guide; someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person."  In fiction, mentors most often appear in stories featuring a character who is discovering new powers, a hidden destiny, or an inherited legacy or conflict.  These often take the form of "coming of age" stories, as is the case with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Luke Skywalker (Star Wars), Gandalf and Bilbo and Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings), or Professor Xavier and his X-Men (X-Men).  Mentors also feature when the main character must undergo a drastic change, whether it is a change in circumstances or in character.  Examples of this include Genie and Aladdin (Aladdin) and Dr. Erskine and Steve Rogers (Captain America: The First Avenger).

Why are mentors so common in fiction?

Many stories, especially the aforementioned "coming of age" and "change" stories, feature the main character's personal growth. She will learn an important lesson and become a better person because of it.    The mentor often plays a key role in showing the main character the way to improvement.  He is the one with the knowledge, wisdom, and tools that will allow the main character to learn her lesson, defeat the antagonist, and achieve her goal.

Unfortunately, there is a catch in this simple scenario.  In order for the main character to prove her progress, she must show she doesn't need the mentor's help anymore.  Many writers give the main character a chance to act on her own by removing the mentor altogether.  The most well-known and emotional way to accomplish this is to have the mentor die just before the climax.  Gandalf, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Dr. Erskine, and many, many more have perished this way.  It is so common that TV Tropes created a page for it, and hilariously dubbed this phenomenon the Mentor Occupational Hazard.  In other cases, the mentor is simply kidnapped, disappears, or is busy elsewhere, still giving the hero a chance to act on her own.

Whatever happens to the mentor once his role is fulfilled, he is critically important because he often performs the function of an "Impact Character."  The antagonist is responsible for the surface conflict in a story, but the impact character has a deeper function.  The impact character is responsible for the inner conflict that ultimately drives the protagonist to grow or become a better person in some way.  Every story needs an impact character.  Although the impact character isn't always an older and wiser teacher, using a mentor is one of the safest, easiest ways to help guide a protagonist toward truth.

Do you have any examples?

1) Lord of the Rings

It is virtually impossible to talk about famous fictional mentors without mentioning Gandalf the Grey from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.  Gandalf played the role of mentor for both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, as well as many other characters.  In The Hobbit, he is the one who "encouraged" Bilbo to join the adventure in the first place, and consistently helped to guide him as they quested toward the Lonely Mountain.

Later, in The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf was the one who taught Frodo the importance of the One Ring and sent him on his quest to destroy it.  Gandalf accompanied Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship for most of the first book, but was apparently killed in the Mines of Moria by the Balrog, just in time to leave Frodo all on his own for the climax.  Without Gandalf, Frodo was forced to face the corrupted Boromir alone, and ultimately escape with Sam.  Gandalf reappeared in The Two Towers as Gandalf the White, an even more powerful wizard than before.  When Pippin looked into the palantir, Sauron believed Pippin was the hobbit carrying the One Ring.  To protect Pippin, Gandalf kept the hobbit close to him for the rest of the book, until Pippin pledged his service to the Steward of Gondor.

2) Screwtape Letters

In this book by C.S. Lewis, we see an entirely different sort of mentor.  Although most people consider mentors to be good, there are many notable exceptions, including Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious (Star Wars), Sebastian Shaw (X-Men: First Class), and Screwtape (Screwtape Letters).  Lewis wrote Screwtape Letters as a series of letters from the older, more experienced demon Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood.  Screwtape advised Wormwood on how to ensure a particular man, known as "The Patient," does not find Christ and therefore eternal salvation.  Lewis used this structure to emphasize different tactics evil forces use to turn us away from God, all through the lens of a unique premise.

Screwtape functioned as a mentor to Wormwood, albeit a terrible one.  Some mentors can be genuinely evil and yet be supportive, wise mentors who prepare their students to excel in the future.  Screwtape was not like this.  He encouraged Wormwood to pursue evil and attempt to bring others down with him, expressed no actual affection for his nephew, and when Wormwood ultimately failed and was condemned to death at the hands of the other demons, Screwtape was the most eager to kill him.   Screwtape is a classic mentor and a fantastic example of exactly what a mentor should not be.

3) The Key of Living Fire

In this third book in the Sword of the Dragon series by Scott Appleton, Specter was guided through his difficult spiritual journey by the great white dragon Albino and the prophet Patient.  In the prologue to the first book, Specter was the leader and mentor for the elite warriors that served Albino, but when they all betrayed him for their own personal gain, Specter grew bitter.  Two of them died immediately, another was later killed by Albino's daughters, but the two remaining warriors turned to dark magic in order to bolster their power.  Specter spent much of The Key of Living Fire chasing his former pupil Auron.  If Auron wouldn't repent of his evil ways, Specter would kill him.  After all, Auron was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocents, and fully intended to continue his rampage of destruction.

Even though Specter was a godly man, he became blinded by his own anger.  His obsession with bringing down his former students consumed him.  Albino was not able to interfere with the situation directly, but he and Patient worked hard to show Specter a better path.  Auron could not be allowed to continue, but if Specter let his anger get out of control, he would no longer be doing God's work.  He needed to remember that God was the ultimate judge, and find the peace that comes with surrender to God's control.  Patient and Albino were devoted mentors to Specter and brought him closer to God even as Specter's own former students followed darkness.

Thanks for reading!

Have you noticed how common mentors are in fiction?  What are some of your favorite mentor relationships?  Do you have a mentor, or are you mentoring someone else?  Let us know in the comments!

~ Hannah


Next time, I will finish up the Relationships Beyond Romance series with a final Top 3s post.  If you would like to read the other posts in this series, check out...

Part 1: Overt Friendships
Part 2: Covert Friendships
Part 3: Parent-Child Relationships
Part 4: Siblings
Part 5: Siblings (Again!)

Part 6: Mentors
Part 7: Partners and Companions

Other Resources
- Dramatica has a comprehensive, in-depth article about the eight major character archetypes.
- K.M.Weiland gives a shorter and more reader-friendly post that covers the same archetypes, plus one more.
- Janice Hardy also complied a list of important characteristics of a mentor.

Attributions
Professor X: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Xav-lopr.png
Obi-Wan Kenobi: http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/4/4e/ObiWanHS-SWE.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/500?cb=20111115052816
Gandalf: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/lotr/images/8/8d/Gandalf-2.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130209172436
Screwtape Letters: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81EDnN1NR2L.jpg
The Key of Living Fire: http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344605459l/13185621.jpg

Top 3 Fantasy Hairdos (Elizabeth)

I love fabulously designed hair. And in fantasy, there are so many hairstyles to choose from! Here are my top 3 Fantasy Hairdos:

3. Thror’s Beard (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2012)

While beards often aren’t mentioned when people are discussing “hairdos,” they still count! Which is why I chose Thror’s bejeweled and braided beard as my third favorite. While I would never be able to pull this off (mainly because I’m beardless), I still have to admire how his beard supports so many pieces of metal. ;)

2. Eowyn’s Bun (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 2002)

While we mostly see Eowyn with her flaxen tresses floating on the breeze, she did have her hair pulled back for Théodred’s funeral into a pretty braid bun. This is my second favorite hairstyle, because of its elegance.

1. Tauriel’s Hair (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 2013)

I’d never be able to leave my hair hanging loose if it were that long, but somehow Tauriel manages to be the captain of the Elven guard and have long, beautiful hair. I love how the top half is pulled back in braids, while the rest of her flaming hair falls past her waist.

If you could style your hair anyway you wanted to—regardless of skill level ;)—how would you style it? What are some of your favorite fantasy hairdos? Are there any fantasy hair don’ts that you’d like to share?

Thank you for reading!

-Elizabeth Newsom

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Top 3 Fantasy Illustrators (Erin)

Today in Top 3s, let’s take a look at illustrators! Imagining fantasy worlds is so much fun, but seeing the way artists conceptualize those worlds helps me to gain a clearer picture as I read.

Here are three of my favorites:

3. Pauline Baynes: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis was one of the first fantasy books I read when I was growing up. The colorful sketches by Pauline Baynes made it even more magical. Tell us what you thought about the Narnia movies here. 






2. James A. Owen: Author of Here, There Be Dragons and the rest of the Imaginarium Geographica series, Owen started as a comic book illustrator. Each chapter in Here, There Be Dragons begins with an elaborate drawing, executed by the author himself. His attention to detail is remarkable. I can’t imagine how long it would take to draw each piece! I am excited to read more of his work.

3. Alan Lee and John Howe: I know, they are actually two illustrators, but they are tied for their amazing work on both the print copies and the movie concept artwork for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Their paintings made Tolkein’s books come alive for me. Read more about the world of Lord of the Rings here.












Attributions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Baynes
https://40.media.tumblr.com/51c7043051372c39d909691fbf73e544/tumblr_n65lpq0i3R1t2e8o4o1_500.jpg
http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Sketchbook-Alan-Lee/dp/0618640142?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&redirect=true&ref_=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r
http://www.amazon.com/Myth-Magic-Art-John-Howe/dp/0007107951?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&redirect=true&ref_=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r