Something to Think About...

A friend recently shared this story with me:

Ron, a 9-year old boy, was being raised by his mother who didn't know how to cope with his uncontrollable temper. She knew he was angry that his father had abandoned him and she tried professional counseling, but nothing seemed to work.

So she sent Ron to spend the summer on his grandparent's farm. When he came home, he was a changed boy. His mom asked him what happened and he told her that every time he got mad or said anything unkind, Grandpa made him go outside and hammer a big two-inch nail into a two by four. It was hard, and he wasn't allowed back until the nail was all the way in.

After about 20 trips to the shed to get the tools, he decided it was easier to control his temper than hammer those long nails.

"Did you change because you hated the consequences so much?" she asked.

"Well, that was part of it," he said. "After I'd nailed in all the nails and was behaving better, Grandma took me outside and made me pull them out. That was even harder. When I was done, she gave me this note."

He showed it to her, and this is what she read: "Pulling out the nails is like saying you're sorry. But the holes still remain in the board. You can't fix things by being sorry, but you can stop making new holes. Remember, every time you do something mean and nasty, you're making a hole somewhere in someone. That's what your dad did to you. Please don't do it to anyone else. You're better than that."


In a similar vein:
One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.

My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage -- frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Just a Thought...

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New Release Tuesday: Offerings from the Realm of Greek Mythology

This week’s new release suggestions come from the realm of Greek Mythology. I have just finished one of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” books which will be the subject for the Cybrarian’s review at the end of the week, and thought it would be a good time to take a peek at some offerings from the Greek mythology theme.

Atlantis Unleashed (Warriors of Poseidon, Book 3) by Alyssa Day
Eleven thousand years ago Poseidon’s warriors took an oath swearing to protect humanity from those who stalk the night. Now powerful forces are uniting and it all comes down to a warrior prince and a woman of science; these two souls are all that stand between justice and the eternal darkness.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (Kindle Edition)
This is the Kindle version of the second book in the “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series. Summer is the time for all young heroes to gather at Camp Half-Blood to train in the art of survival against the monsters that live in the real world seeking to destroy the young demigods. It is called Camp Half-Blood because it is a safe place, a summer camp, specifically for young campers with one mortal parent and one parent who is a Greek god.

Amazon has this to say about the second book in the series: “after a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any “normal” friends. Things don’t stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia-only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name-the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends-Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson-must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family-one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon-s son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.” This series is wrought with traditional Greek mythology with a modern flavor. This series makes great family summer reading, just a thought...

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Goodnight, Angel

Cancer has claimed another victim today. Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett passed away this afternoon after a long valiant battle.

On February 2, 2007 her doctors proclaimed her cancer-free. All of her hard work and battles against this horrid disease had paid off; she had beaten cancer! She left some incredible words of wisdom and encouragement for others fighting this painful battle:

“This is an extraordinarily happy day for me and my family. I have been on a
journey for the past four months and during this time received a tremendously
aggressive treatment which doctors initially warned me would be the most
difficult fight of my life. I was told they needed me to 'bite the bullet' and
that would require great courage and unfailing determination. In the face of
excruciating pain and uncertainly, I never lost hope and it never occurred to me
to stop fighting -- not ever. This experience has also humbledme by giving me a
trueunderstanding of what millions of others face each day in their own fight
against cancer.I hope that my news might offer some level of inspiration to
others who unfortunately must continue to fight the disease. So to those who are
still struggling toward their own victory, stay determined, 'fight the fight'
and I will keep you and your families in my thoughts and prayers. I am deeply
grateful to my team of physicians, my loving and supportive family and devoted friends who have sustained me as I battled this terrible disease, strengthened by my faith in God and the encouragement of so many.”

Farrah was an American actress with multiple nominations for Golden Globe and Emmy awards. Her most famous role was that of Private Eye, Jill Monroe, in the highly acclaimed television series Charlie’s Angels.

She was the envy of millions everywhere with her signature flowing hair and dazzling smile. One of her most recognizable pictures is the infamous poster of her in the red bathing suit which sold a record breaking number of copies maing her a higly recognizable internationally acclaimed sex symbol of the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Tragically, the disease returned in May of 2007 and by October she was seeking “alternative cancer treatments” in Germany.

It has been a long and excruciatingly painful journey; through it all Farrah maintained her emotional and spiritual strength. Her words spoke encouragement for those left behind to continue their stouthearted personal battles against this unspeakable foe. For this she will be remembered fondly.

Goodnight, angel.

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New Release Tuesday for Sci Fi Fantasy

Here are this week's choice selections of new releases in the genre of fantasy and sci fi. Check them out!

Omen (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, Book 2) by Christie Golden (Author)
According to Amazon: “The Jedi Order is in crisis. The late Jacen Solo’s shocking transformation into murderous Sith Lord Darth Caedus has cast a damning pall over those who wield the Force for good: Two Jedi Knights have succumbed to an inexplicable and dangerous psychosis, criminal charges have driven Luke Skywalker into self-imposed exile, and power-hungry Chief of State Natasi Daala is exploiting anti-Jedi sentiment to undermine the Order’s influence within the Galactic Alliance.

Forbidden to intervene in Jedi affairs, Luke is on a desperate mission to uncover the truth behind Jacen’s fall to the dark side–and to learn what’s turning peaceful Jedi into raving lunatics. But finding answers will mean venturing into the mind-bending space of the Kathol Rift and bargaining with an alien species as likely to destroy outsiders as deal with them. Still, there is no other choice and no time to lose, as the catastrophic events on Coruscant continue to escalate. Stricken by the same violent dementia that infected her brother, Valin, Jedi Knight Jysella Horn faces an equally grim fate after her capture by Natasi Daala’s police. And when Han and Leia Solo narrowly foil another deranged Jedi bent on deadly destruction, even acting Jedi Grand Master Kenth Hamner appears willing to bow to Daala’s iron will–at the expense of the Jedi Order.

But an even greater threat is looming. Millennia in the past, a Sith starship crashed on an unknown low-tech planet, leaving the survivors stranded. Over the generations, their numbers have grown, the ways of the dark side have been nurtured, and the time is fast approaching when this lost tribe of Sith will once more take to the stars to reclaim their legendary destiny as rulers of the galaxy. Only one thing stands in their way, a name whispered to them through the Force: Skywalker.”

Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey (Author)
The Product Description for this states: “Once there were great magicians born to the Maghuin Dhonn; the folk of the Brown Bear, the oldest tribe in Alba. But generations ago, the greatest of them all broke a sacred oath sworn in the name of all his people. Now, only small gifts remain to them. Through her lineage, Moirin possesses such gifts - the ability to summon the twilight and conceal herself, and the skill to coax plants to grow.

Moirin has a secret, too. From childhood onward, she senses the presence of unfamiliar gods in her life; the bright lady, and the man with a seedling cupped in his palm. Raised in the wilderness by her reclusive mother, it isn't until she comes of age that Moirin learns how illustrious, if mixed, her heritage is. The great granddaughter of Alais the Wise, child of the Maghuin Donn, and a cousin of the Cruarch of Alba, Moirin learns her father was a D'Angeline priest dedicated to serving Naamah, goddess of desire.

After Moirin undergoes the rites of adulthood, she finds divine acceptance...on the condition that she fulfill an unknown destiny that lies somewhere beyond the ocean. Or perhaps oceans. Beyond Terre d'Ange where she finds her father, in the far reaches of distant Ch'in, Moirin's skills are a true gift when facing the vengeful plans of an ambitious mage, a noble warrior princess desperate to save her father's throne, and the spirit of a celestial dragon.”

These are this week's offerings. Looking for something good to read? Why not check these out? Just a thought...

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The Heart of a Character

Have you ever met one of those characters that capture your heart from the very first page and have you rooting for him through the whole book? That’s exactly what you have with Slob by Ellen Potter.

Owen Birmbaum is twelve years old. He is the fattest kid in his middle school and with an IQ of one point less than genius level, probably the smartest person in his school, too. He is an easy target for bullies (even his gym teacher falls into this category) but he engages you from page one and stays with you through the end.

This book totally takes you back to the miseries and drama of middle school – the cliques, the teachers, the sights and sounds. But it is so much more than a novel with funny stories of one disaster after another that happens in middle school life.

This little twelve year old kid teaches you compassion for others in the midst of all the havoc being shoveled upon you…even from someone you should be able to trust (a teacher).

This is the book reviewed by the Cybrarian this week. Why not pop over and check out the review, and the new template/look? Just a thought...


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Pearls of Wisdom, Part II

There are many pieces of wisdom used on the internet in signature blocks. While many people use their signature block as his or her own private advertising space to direct someone to a website, a blog, or advertise whatever they may be promoting, it is not unusual for a favorite quote to be included. Some relay sage advice, some deep philosophical revelations, some are used to share a smile through humor. Some interesting ones I have come across recently include:

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But let me tell you, a story is worth a million pictures."

~Randall Ingermanson

This is a wonderful observation. Stories play out in our heads, like our own private showing of a movie, not filled with the special effects of Hollywood, but of marvelous descriptive passages that allow us to create the scene and see the details of the story.

If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right.

~Henry Ford

Here is another insightful observation for your consideration. Have you ever heard of the theory of self-fulfilling prophecy? Does this quote not cut the reader to the quick ~ if you think you can you are inspired to try and continue trying until you accomplish what you set out to do. On the other hand, if you tell yourself you cannot accomplish the task at hand ~ if you lack the self-confidence to achieve your goal, you often tend to (unconsciously) hold yourself back assuring that you do, in fact, fail to accomplish the task at hand.

What lies behind us and what lies before us
Are small matters compared to what lies within us.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

and a comparable

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.

~Dumbledore

Even in literature such as Harry Potter, we receive sage advice.

And, along the lines of fantasy comes one of my favorite quotations I have seen in a signature block, an excellent example of imagination and humor.

Meddle ye not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with ketchup.

The final quotation I will leave you with is particularly applicable to those to whom the Muse whispers,

"The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book."

~Mickey Spillane

May your Muse always whisper in your ear, encouraging you. Just a thought…

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New Release Tuesday

Today's offerings from Amazon for New Release Tuesday:

For our movie buffs

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Movie Prequel - Alliance by Chris Mowry (Author), Alex Milne (Author)

The official prequel to next summer's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen film kicks off here! In this first chapter of the Destiny story arc, "Alliance," readers will learn more about what happened to Sector Seven and the Autobots, and why their war on our planet is far from over. Discover the events that bridge the two blockbusters as envisioned by the creative team behind The Transformers Movie Sequel: Reign of Starscream, Chris Mowry and Alex Milne.

For our video game enthusiasts:

Halo: Uprising by Brian Michael Bendis (Author), Alex Maleev (Illustrator)

This story starts at the conclusion of the blockbuster video game, Halo 2. This must-read novel reveals how the Master Chief, while onboard a hostile ship headed towards Earth, battles against Covenant forces! Interwined with Master Chief's interstellar one-man-war is the saga of a great American city's rebellion and downfall, two disparate lives' collision and shared fate, and the Covenant's hunt for an ancient relic of untold power and value. With hope dwindling and the fate of humanity hanging by a thread, is there any chance for a future? Written by one of the hottest authors around responsible for Secret Invasion, Secret Wars and Powers this collects Halo: Uprising #1-4, and Marvel Spotlight: Halo.

Pearls of Wisdom

Have you ever taken the time to notice the little pearls of wisdom our friends and colleagues impart with their emails? I am talking about the little blurbs they put in their signatures. Sure, some redirect you to their website or blog or MySpace page, but some also add some great quotations, sage advice, if you will.

I have been paying particular attention to these over the past several days and would like to share with you some of my favorites.

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”~Yoda

Here is some sage advice from the vertically challenged Jedi master himself. He tells you, don’t just say you are going to try, just do it. (Who knew Nike was such a big Star Wars fan?! Or perhaps the wise master simply turned in his light saber for a really sweeeeet promotions gig with Nike!)

To writers everywhere Mark Twain leaves his advice:"The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning."~Mark Twain

Least we not forget the late master of wit, the great Groucho Marx who said:

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

~Groucho

Seriously, think about it!

I have been having great fun with these little gems, I hope you do too! I'll be back later this week with some more examples. Think about what sage advice would YOU like to impart to the world. Just a thought....

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Life

Life. That pesky thing we deal with day in and day out. Well, more precisely, things going on within our personal lives, our working lives, the kids, the dogs (or other pets if you like), the house, the family, extended family and friends, medical issues and aging parents, the ins and outs of details that must be dealt with (yes, the car). Life is a juggling act of trying to balance and attend to so many things within any given day and lately I feel all the bowling pins and balls I am juggling are slipping out of kilter - thank goodness I am not juggling knives, lol. It is exhausting.

I need rejuvenation. I need escapism. I need to write and escape into the worlds of my imagination and put those stories to paper. The often small and quiet voice of my Muse is getting louder, urging me (okay, shouting at me) to find solitude and peace and "write dang it, write!" Unfortunately, life comes at you hard and fast sometimes and things must be dealt with and before you know it, time has slipped away with the waning day and mental exhaustion overtakes the therapeutic need to write.

I have so many writing projects actively going on that I need to attend to: the fantasy novel, the young adult fantasy novel, a mystery, blogs, smaller stories. I have been invited to four other projects that I REALLY want to do...but time does not always cooperate - in a perfect world, perhaps...a writer's fantasy.

Now, I need to get back to life and the responsibilities that go with it. But tonight, I promise myself yet again, I am writing!

How do you find balance and time for all that needs to be done in this busy world? It seems to just slip away with me lately. Sigh. I must find time to read. I must make time to write.

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Shadows of Annihilation

Just a thought…for a slight departure from the ordinary today, I thought I would post an example of an exercise I performed while writing a particular scene for my work in progress The Legend of the Netherscape.

This is a young adult fantasy and I did a good deal of research trying to get a scene from the Holocaust era. As Kylie is the writer of the group and the keeper of the journal, to get the scene right, I wanted to see it from this particular character’s point of view. The novel itself doesn’t come from her point of view, but for the purpose of this lesson which will become clear at a later point in the novel, it was necessary to get her perspective. This scene is graphic and disturbing - it's the holocaust - fraught with senseless killing. The scene in the book is not as graphic as this, it is written for a younger audience, but I had to totally get inside her head to see what she saw and feel what she is feeling and find the trigger that brings this memory back later in the novel.

If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, you may want to skim it to get a feel for what is going on and a short intro to the characters. Again, I appologize yesterday and today's posts are a little longer than usual because of having to set the background and introduce the characters. Thank you for your indulgence.

As part of an Interactive History class, the Destineers are getting ready to go into the Incarnation Chamber for their Holocaust lesson. The translation software is on so they will understand everything being said. The date they are visiting is November 9, 1938.

I will now turn the blog over to 15 year-old Kylie O’Connor.

Journal Entry: September 5, 2008

Why am I breathing so loud? Do you know what fear
tastes like? I do…it’s in the back of my mouth right now. It’s hot and it’s dry and it’s swallowing up all my spit. It’s like someone wadded a big ball of cotton and rammed it down the back of my throat. It tastes bitter, acidy. It takes my breath away so I can’t even scream.

Why is my skin so clammy? I can’t stop sweating. My chest physically hurts; my heart is beating so hard. The shadows are going to find us and it’ll be my fault. I’m not so sure I’m going to like this class.

Just reading about these times in history is horrific enough, but to witness it
up close as it really happened…I don’t know about this. Okay. Deep breath,
Kylie. Here we go.

I take a deep breath and follow the class into the chamber.

Suddenly, it is mid-day November 9, 1938…again. There is frenzied chaos everywhere, people running every which way. I feel the fear choking me as my eyes dart across the landscape taking in everything. I can’t move. My legs suddenly feel very heavy and rooted to the ground. A Ukrainian peasant, middle aged of moderately wide girth runs by exclaiming, “The troops have arrived, they are executing Jews in town. No one is safe! Run! Hide!”

Sounds of screams, running…surround us. People flood into the streets, running amuck, yet there is nowhere to run – no way to escape. Even the birds are trying to get away, I hear wings fluttering softly at first, raising to a heavy beating sound as they squawk and flap about panicking now too. The ground is shaking – I can feel the trucks filled with soldiers rumbling down the dirt road. My hair is bristling on the back of my neck.

Oh my God. What’s that?!?! My heart is racing. Gun shots! There is gunfire everywhere! They’re coming! Strike that –they’re here!

I can’t breathe; cold perspiration runs down the back of my neck, matting the tiny hairs that are standing upright. “Professor!” I scream in horror. “Where do we go? What do we do? They can’t do anything to us, right? You’re sure?” My head pivots wildly taking in the scene around me. Tears spill uncontrollably down my cheeks.

“Kylie!” I hear the headmaster calling out to me. “Try to stay calm.”

His voice is soothing, but he sounds so far away from the chaos around us. Why does he feel so far away? I trust him. I know he will keep us safe. I want to find him, I need to find him. Everything is dark and spinning around me.

His distant voice calls out to me; a warm safe feeling is enveloped in his voice. “Remember, we are in the Chamber and it is set to Replication mode only. They can neither hear nor see us. However - we will see and, to a degree, experience what the people here are experiencing, but we have the safety net that we cannot be harmed. Sadly, we can do nothing to save these people from the shadows of the past and the fate that awaits them. Quickly class, stay together. We need to take cover where we can observe.”

I stumble blindly towards the sound of his voice and feel a gaggle of arms reaching for me, and then holding me, pulling me close. Through my teardrops, I see Ryan’s stony face as he pulls me to safety behind the shelter of bales of hay where the class is gathering out of the line of fire.

Professor Derrnz’ voice continues “I am truly sorry for what you are about to witness, you may not understand now, but it is a very unfortunate necessity. This is the only way you can know, it is a lesson you cannot learn at the level you need to understand it from simply reading a book. It is cruel, but it is a lesson you must experience in person for it to touch the very depths of your souls for you to truly understand. Again, I am sorry. Quickly! In here!” His voice is curt as he leads us into a storage room of some sort made of cinder block.

I can see light passing through some cracks in the stone, but I don’t think the attackers see us. There is mayhem everywhere. A short distance away, about half a mile down the road, a large German military truck is spewing out soldiers firing their weapons at the innocents running through the streets. Frantic bursts of gunfire resonate through the town. It is all happening so quickly...yet in slow motion...time seems distorted somehow.

The screams of people being exterminated literally only a hundred feet away from us haunt me. Bodies are falling everywhere – old, young, fat, thin, men, women,children, all gone. All dead. They never had a chance. None of them. Goosebumps travel down my spine sending uncontrollable shivers through my body. I can’t stand on my own and feel myself slump hard against the cold stone wall. I don’t think I will ever be able to close my eyes again and not hear the terrified screams, the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire and then the most horrific sound of all – the deafening silence.

And the smell…blood spilling out on the hot pavement, gunpowder, perspiration. It is nauseating and I feel myself starting to retch.

I feel compelled to watch, horrified as I am, I can’t turn away. Through a distorted teary-eyed gaze I watch one soldier as he chases a young mother trying to run away, in her arms is a squirming terrified toddler. But the soldier grabs her by the shoulder, spinning her around. No!!! Her eyes are huge as she turns to him pleading for their lives.

Rat-a-tat-tat.

The sound echoes in my head.

She crumbles on top of her baby, small crimson rivers pooling from the bullet holes that riddle their bodies.

I can’t hold back the tears and fall over sobbing convulsively. I feel the arm of the headmaster around me, gently pulling me back towards the door to the exit, back to our own world and time.

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Worldbuilding Wednesday, a Sneak Peak into the Netherscape Realm

Just a thought, but tomorrow is the day my blog book tour class will visit to critique my blog. I have been trying to think of something special to post that is representative of what this site is about. After consideration I thought an excerpt based on my work in progress might be appropriate. I write for kids and young adults – this sets me apart from the rest of the class a bit, as does my genre of fantasy, and I do appreciate the tolerance of my differences from the rest of the class. Tolerance is a strong theme in my book. I hope everyone will continue to bear with me as today and tomorrow’s posts will be slightly longer than usual.

Today’s worldbuilding theme is a little more specific. Today I am going to “set the scene” for tomorrow’s post.

As the scene I plan on sharing is not from the book’s opening, I will try to give you a little story and character background. Ryan (16), his little brother Brady (9), Kylie (15) and Sean (16) attend a renowned private school called the Greenbrier Academy, one of the highest rated schools in the country. It is located in the fictitious town of Wen Melas, CA nestled in the valley of the Alijunga Mountains. A strange new head master, Wiliam Derrnz, has arrived at the prestigious school and suddenly very interesting things begin to occur. The headmaster brings with him new professors and an odd new curriculum that includes classes like dragon training and interactive history. The friends discover they have been assigned to a “directed study” program, which is the beta testing group for the new curriculum, but they seem to be the only ones participating with the new professors and classes.

They have discovered they each have very special innate talents, as everyone does.

Ryan is the leader of the group, a practical “everyman” with organizational skills that play to each of their strengths. He fearlessly blazes the trail on their quest into the Netherscape realm with a quiet strength.

Kylie’s talents lie in writing so she keeps a very special journal chronicling every step of their journey. She’s a bit awkward socially, and relies heavily on what she has learned from books for all her answers. She writes for the school newspaper and dreams of someday having adventures and not just writing about them.

Sean is the comic relief of the group. He is very comfortable at being the laid back, fun-loving practical joker they have all known and loved over the years. As the adventure unfolds the group is surprised to learn of Sean’s natural abilities in science and survival techniques. (After all, who knew he could read, let alone think?!) He is quick witted, resourceful and able to think outside the box in a MacGyver-ish sort of way, a source of continuous surprises.

Brady is the innocent; a kind-hearted and compassionate child who happens to love dragons and discovers his talent lies in the area of language and communications. He quickly assimilates languages and soon finds he is able to hear with more than his ears – he learns quickly to listen with his heart.

What they have learned in the short time they have been back at school is there is an ancient prophecy stating the Destineers will save the worlds. Yes, it is worlds with an “s” because there are many of them…you just have to know how to find them. They are the Destineers and they share strong roots with ties to different factions within the magical community…at least that is what they have been told. Research in the Cybrarie has told them many generations earlier, the magic ran strong in each of their families but that was the time when our world believed in “the old ways” and magical enchantments. But those beliefs and the magical crafts died out in our world centuries ago forcing the birth of the magical realm, a realm fraught with fantastical beings and magic, the Netherscape realm. Once again, magic is in danger of disappearing forever.

One of the classes the students are taking is interactive history. The techno-imagineering professor has invented a machine called an incarnation chamber that can transport anyone to any time in any history of any realm. This device enables them to study history interactively. In this particular lesson the headmaster, Wiliam Derrnz, is taking the group to get an important glimpse from a particularly violent portion of our world’s history – the Holocaust. Wiliam Derrnz has just told the class: “No matter how far you go, history has a way of coming back to haunt you. Keep this in mind as we enter the Chamber for today’s lesson. We shall be returning to November 9, 1938. ”

I am now turning the blog over to 15 year-old Kylie O’Connor who keeps the journals for the class and will be accompanying you tomorrow on your blog tour.

Hi, Kylie here. It is my job to keep the chronicles of our lessons and adventures in a very special journal Professor Sinclair gave me.

Just to set the scene for you: I was nervous about entering the Incarnation Chamber. I knew the headmaster said it was set to replication mode, and these were mere shadows of the past—nothing that could hurt us, but our lesson was on the Holocaust, one of the bloodiest most violent times in recent history and this was Interactive History class. It was still early in the school year and I wasn’t sure just how interactive the lesson would get. Professor Derrnz said the chamber was programmed to automatically translate everything being said so we’d hear everything in our own language. I could hear my heart thumping loudly so I knew everyone in the chamber could hear it too. They’d know I was afraid.

These were just supposed to be shadows from the past…shadows can’t hurt you, right? I kept telling myself this…but last night Sean and I watched one of those horror movies he likes so much. Shadows are never just shadows…shadows ALWAYS hurt you in those movies. Please don’t let this be like the movies…

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New Release Tuesday

This week’s offerings for new release Tuesday are:

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
According to Amazon, “Brandon Sanderson is today’s leading master of what Tolkien called “secondary creation”, the invention of whole worlds complete with magic systems and myths unique to them alone.

Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn’t like his job, and the immortal who’s still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago.

Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker."


Next up is Personal Effects: Dark Art (Hardcover) by JC Hutchins
"Hutchins, author of the audiobook podcast trilogy 7th Son, makes his print debut with the stellar first of an interactive supernatural thriller series. Zach Taylor, an art therapist, must evaluate Martin Grace, a blind audio engineer suspected of a dozen homicides, to determine whether Martin is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of hip-hop singer Tanya Gold, whose body was “torn literally limb from limb.” Martin claims he’s an “unwitting psychic sniper,” fore-seeing crimes actually committed by a Russian demon or “Dark Man.” One of his possible earlier victims was Martin’s psychiatrist, Sophronia Poole, the girlfriend of Zack’s dad, William V. Taylor, the New York City DA seeking to convict Martin. Weisman, an alternative reality game whiz, is responsible for the items inside the book’s front pocket—a psychiatric report, family photos, death and birth certificates, etc.—that allow the reader to follow a multimedia trail of clues." --Starred Publishers Weekly (June)
"Start with an eerie setting. Add equal parts House, CSI, andThe X-Files. Place yourself at the side of an accidental detective embroiled in a complex web of madness, revenge, betrayal, and secret identities. Then light some dynamite under the box most novels live in and watch the pieces land outside the pages—in art, on websites, in e-mails, and in phone numbers that give you answers when you call. This is the future of storytelling, and it’s a thrilling ride." --Anthony E. Zuiker, Creator/Executive Producer of the CSI: Franchise”

Finally, my pick of the week is the latest in the Dresden files series
The Dresden Files Storm Front by Jim Butcher. This is the graphic novel format which I have not as yet seen. Characters in this series are quirky and original. Harry Dresden, a private eye protagonist who happens to be a wizard, is a cross between Detective Sam Spade and Harry Potter. He is the only wizard listed in the yellow pages. The series is a blend of fantasy, adventure and mystery with a good dose of humor thrown in.

It has been nearly a decade since this series was introduced and while the series is ongoing; this particular volume has now hit the graphic novel market. Could be a whole new direction for the series. Just a thought...


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Magical Monday Life Filled with Magic, Fantasy and Mythological Roots

When you think of the fantasy genre, a number of magical characters spring to mind. Classic images of kindly old wizards with long white beards, flowing robes and pointy hats; short burly dwarves after a hard day’s work in the mines; and evil witches stirring a cauldron of mystical brew are traditional characters that fill our imaginations.

Throughout history there have been many types of people said to have practiced magic. They have studied the mysterious arts of alchemy, astrology, occultism and herbology and been the inspiration for some of our best known fantastical characters.

Sometimes there is confusion between the characterizations of some of the magical folk, so for the sake of definition, in the fantasy realm wizards are described as practitioners of magic and lore masters of mystifying knowledge. Much of their magic is done through spells, hand motions and/or wand waving. Witches are female versions of the same. Sorcerers are similar but often associated with dark magic and the powers of all that is evil while a mage is defined as one who is one with the ways of nature and able to utilize its powers and bring about transformations. Occultists are those who study the occult and utilize supernatural knowledge.

The practice of magic has appeared in many cultures worldwide. It has been predominant in history from Africa to South America, through Asian shamans and through Greco-Roman times. It was practiced widely in the Mediterranean basin and even the Middle East in the first centuries BC. One of the most popular historical backdrops occurs in the Medieval and Renaissance eras as advisors to royalty such as the tales of Merlin and Arthurian legend. The Merlin whose legend survives today appears in 1135 AD is a mixture of a fatherless baby named Ambrosias and a tale of a “wildman of the woods” popular in British tales. As the child Ambrosias made a number of very accurate prophecies it was surmised his father was an unearthly entity and the character morphed into a wizard with druid roots throughout literature.

Many of us grew up hearing fairy tales of fantasy. As we have grown, so have the realms of magic and fantasy. Wizards remain popular today in literature, movies and in role playing games like Worlds of Warcraft and Dungeons and Dragons; these stories are filled with magic spells, potions and weaponry.

There are many authors who have created fantasy worlds we have come to know and love as classics – Frank Baum allows you to hitch a ride on a cyclone to enter his classic realm of Oz, CS Lewis keeps his world of Narnia tucked neatly into the back of a wardrobe, JRR Tolkien with his epic Middle Earth and, more recently you can take a train ride from the magical Platform 9-3/4 to enter the wizarding world of Harry Potter by JK Rowling. So many doors leading to fantasy worlds. What is it about these fantastical realms that capture our hearts? Is it the fictitious world? The characters? Or perhaps the mystery of the magic? Just a thought...

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Help Jacob Achieve his Dream...He Wants to Live

Saturday is usually my day for something light and fun, my Cinematic Saturday post. Today there is something more important I need to talk about.

I am a huge fan of kids. I have recently read the story of Jacob. He is 6 years old. A little boy with Batten disease. I had never heard of this horrible disease until a couple of days ago. This disease is progressive. The outcome is always the same. It is fatal.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Watch the video. Check out the website and read Jacob's story.

Please help in anyway you can. Spread the word. Make people aware. Say a prayer, send your love. Just a thought...

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Fantasy Friday

Reading Fantasy is not about escapism. It doesn’t teach magic to people. Fantasy is a genre to gain insights about being human or exploring the human soul by taking us out of the real world. In Fantasy, through the threats of sorrow and failure readers get a fleeting glimpse of joy and discover truths and an underlying reality.

Fantasy author and scholar Jane Yolen states the importance of Fantasy best:
"In fantasy stories we learn to understand the differences of others, we learn compassion for those things we cannot fathom, we learn the importance of keeping our sense of wonder. The strange worlds that exist in the pages of fantastic literature teach us a tolerance of other people and places and engender an openness toward new experience. Fantasy puts the world into perspective in a way that 'realistic' literature rarely does. It is not so much an escape from the here-and-now as an expansion of each reader’s horizons."

This week’s Cybrarian Book Review spotlight is on THE SEVEN SONGS OF MERLIN (Book 2 of the Lost Years of Merlin) by TA Barron. What I love about this series is it focuses on Merlin’s youth at the time he was first coming into his magic. Barron’s epic telling of this period fits very nicely with all of the contradiction and controversy that go arm in arm with the legend of the great wizard.

In this tale 13 year-old Merlin must battle an ogre named Balor to gain entrance to the Otherworld to obtain the elixir that can save his mother from the poisonous deathshadow.

As we learned in my book, The Destineers Journal of Fantasy Nations, ogres are in the same family tree as giants and are easily twice as tall as mortal men. They are the strongest humanoids known and are notorious for their fighting skills. Imagine the fear a 13 year-old must feel in coming face to face with such a creature. Ogres are burly and muscular, but not known for their intelligence. They are not stupid, but they do not think fast on their feet – something Merlin is able to take advantage of in dealing with this being.

To read the Cybrarian ‘s review, please take a moment to click over to the other site.

What are some of the fantasy creatures you remember from your childhood? Were they from some of your favorite books? I'll bet they stir some pretty vivid memories. Just a thought...

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Childhood Lessons from the Looking Glass

Today I found a very interesting article entitled the Winnie the Pooh Guide to Blogging. Once again, this bear of little brain comes through with marvelous pearls of wisdom. And, as we all know, this cannot be an easy feat when your head is full of fluff. (BTW this really is a good article.)

From there my little brain got to wandering through a plethora of treasures from childhood literature contemplating many great lessons I have learned and insights gained.

Dick and Jane taught me to finish what I start and to appreciate a great love of reading.

Nancy Drew taught me to believe in myself. She taught lessons of observation, to use the art of reason and to think things through.

Dorothy Gale (Wizard of Oz) taught me “There’s no place like home”

Augustus Goop (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) taught me not to scarf the chocolate. Oh, okay, fine…the lesson of moderation.

Alice (Alice in Wonderland) taught me that things just get curiouser and curiouser.

Peter Pan taught me to think happy thoughts, and to believe in pixies and the wonderment of childhood.

Pinocchio taught me dreams can come true.

Cinderella taught me a dream is a wish your heart makes….and that a great pair of shoes can change your life.

And, perhaps two of my favorite lessons:

Dumbledore (Harry Potter) taught me that “it is our choices that show us who we truly are, far more than our abilities”.

And…

Christopher Robin (Winnie the Pooh) taught me to always remember: “You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Just a thought...

What have your favorite characters taught you?

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