New Release Tuesday in the Realms of Fantasy and Sci-Fi

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, Book 4) by Ilona Andrews

Product Description: Kate Daniels cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to deal with-especially if they involve Atlanta's shapeshifting community. And now there's a new player in town-a foe that may be too much for even Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family.


Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Allies by Christie Golden

Product Description: What began as a quest for truth has become a struggle for survival for Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben. They have used the secrets of the Mindwalkers to transcend their own bodies and speak with the spirits of the fallen, risking their very lives in the process. They have faced a team of Sith assassins and beaten the odds to destroy them. And now the death squad’s sole survivor, Sith apprentice Vestara Khai, has summoned an entire fleet of Sith frigates to engage the embattled father and son. But the dark warriors come bearing a surprising proposition that will bring Jedi and Sith together in an unprecedented alliance against an evil more ancient and alien than they can imagine.While the Skywalkers and their Sith allies set off on their joint mission into the treacherous web of black holes that is the Maw, Han and Leia Solo risk arrest and worse to aid the Jedi imprisoned back on Coruscant. Tyrannical Chief of State Natasi Daala has issued orders that will open a permanent schism between her government and the Jedi Order—a schism that could turn all Jedi into renegades and wanted criminals. But it is in the depths of the Maw that the future of the galaxy will be decided. For there the Skywalkers and their Sith allies will engage a true monster in battle, and Luke will come face-to-face with a staggering truth.


The White Road (Nightrunner) by Lynn Flewelling

Dissolute nobles, master spies, and the unlikeliest of heroes, Alec and Seregil have survived exile, treachery, and black magic. But the road that lies ahead is the most hazardous they’ve ever traveled. For with enemies on all sides, they must walk a narrow path between good and evil where one misstep might be their last. Having escaped death and slavery in Plenimar, Alec and Seregil want nothing more than to go back to their nightrunning life in Rhíminee. Instead they find themselves saddled with Sebrahn, a strange, alchemically created creature—the prophesied “child of no woman.” Its moon-white skin and frightening powers make Sebrahn a danger to all whom Alec and Seregil come into contact with, leaving them no choice but to learn more about Sebrahn’s true nature. With the help of trusted friends and Seregil’s clan, the duo set out to discover the truth about this living homunculus—a journey that can lead only to danger or death. For Seregil’s old nemesis Ulan í Sathil of Virèsse and Alec’s own long-lost kin are after them, intent on possessing both Alec and Sebrahn. On the run and hunted, Alec and his comrades must fight against time to accomplish their most personal mission ever.

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Magical Monday: Celtic Magic

Every folk group has special traditions with regard to magical practice. To the contrary of trends in modern "occultism" these traditions are not merely window dressing on a universal pattern- the differences reflect real and often profound variations between and among traditions.

In studying the Celtic traditions of magic certain unique themes occur which are worth pointing out. These themes help distinguish the Celtic traditions from others. If these themes are found inspiring, then the Celtic tradition is a place to explore them further in the environment of ideas which will lead the seeker to deeper findings along the same path.

To the Celtic people, magic was a part of life. It was as common as walking or breathing. It encompassed all parts of life and nature.

They saw magic as any thought, act or ritual that influenced change in the energies that surround us. An example of this is creating a blessing on a crop to increase a harvest.
Rituals formed a lot of Celtic magic. It was believed to open doors to the subconscious and creative mind allowing magical energy to flow through. Any outcome was considered a magical response.

In Celtic society gods, deities and elementals were intertwined. Each of these elements in combination with rituals helped to connect to the energy needed for magic.

1. Magic of the Head
NO other tradition, with the possible exception of the Slavic, is more focused on the human head (and brain) as the seat of magical powers. When one reads the ancient Irish tales one becomes aware of the degree to which the Celts were head hunters. The reason for this is that their magical physiology holds that the head is the seat of power- an honor. Hence the ancient Irish were known to eat a portion of a slain enemy's brain. The head-hunting practices of Irish fighters continued until the mid-19th century, when early Irish immigrants to North America fighting for the Confederacy were known to have hunted the heads of Union soldiers. This is without doubt also the ultimate origin of the "jack-o-lantern" the carved gourd familiar in Halloween customs. It is thought by many that the myth of the head of Mimir, which informs the God Odin, is ultimately a Celtic influence.

2. Memory
Mimir means memory- and the exercise of memory in and of itself seems to have a magical importance for the Celts. This is a trait they share with the Aryans of the east. The Druidic training program is said to have consisted of twenty years of learning lore by memory. The exercise of this faculty for its own sake, beyond the ready access to information it provides to the subject is something the Celts seem to have especially appreciated. the ogham system was most certainly one of the practical tools used in this exercise. Poems and stories were among the things memorized.

3. Story-Telling
The stories recited by Celtic tellers of tales were not merely for entertainment- they were also not merely mythic tales in which the traditions of the people were encoded. Stories are actually said to have operative magical effects. It might be said that the hearing of a certain story would bring a number of years of good fortune, but the telling of a story would bring even more. (See Rees and Rees, The Celtic Heritage.)

4. Language and Music
No people seem more Iyrical than the Celts. The linkage between music (harmonics) and language (meaning) is strong. In the lore of magic this reaches its apex in operative techniques by which changes in the environment, or in the human mind, can actually be effected by means of musical strains alone. This is a theory explored by the Pythagoreans, but in the lore of the Celts it appears to have been an ancient traditional operative technique.

5. Inter-Dimensionality
No other traditional lore seems to have a better or more realistic understanding of the magical experience of inter-dimensionality. The regular interaction with the "otherworld" or the "underworld" is a common feature of Irish and Welsh mythic tales as well as folktales from the Celtic cultures. It is from these that the Arthurian legends inherit their "inter-dimensional" features- such as the Grail Castle appearing and disappearing from various "places" at various "times." This mutual effect of one "world" upon another is reflected in the very grammar of the Celtic languages wherein one word, when juxtaposed to another for a specific grarnrnatical, syntactic and semantic purpose, will cause the latter word to change its shape (sound). For example the Irish word for "cow" is bo, and the word for "white" is ban, but to say "a white cow," one must say, or write, bo bhan [pron. boh-vawn].

6. "Satirizing"
By the use of words - of poetry - the fili("master poets") were able to cause physical changes in the bodies of other individuals. This was done with "satire." The fact that satirical verse has a patently humorous aspect is the essentially Celtic dimension here. Because Celtic kings could not rule if they suffered any physical defect or blemish, all the satirists had to do in order to depose a king was to, by means of a satirical verse, raise boils on his face. All would see the blemish, and his rule would be at an end.

7. Operative Fasting
Fasting for "spiritual" reasons is familiar throughout the world. To fast-really to starve the body - in order to make subjective changes is obvious. Celtic magicians could, however, "fast on" their enemies as an operative curse formula. By starving himself to near death the sorcerer can actually cause the death of his enemy. This technique is something entirely different from, though apparently related to, the use of fasting as a way to "protest" supposed injustices. This latter technique works only through the medium of information in the context of public morality, whereas the operative fasting of the ancient Celtic magicians worked in a mysterious way.

8. Magical Taboos
Again "taboos" - negative prohibitions against certain behaviours-- and other behavioural sanctions are familiar in most religious traditions. The Irish gess [pron. gaysh] (plural gessa) is most often translated something like "taboo." It is, however, something quite different from what is usually meant by this word. A gess, although usually a prohibition against behaviour, actually provides power to the individual. The more gessa that have been "put on" a person (usually by a sorcerer) the more danger recipients live with- but also the more power recipients have at their disposal. To have a gess is both a curse and a boon simultaneously.

These eight distinctive points of Celtic magic, being aspects which distinguish that tradition from others, should be focal points of research and practice in any program to develop a true magical renaissance of the Celtic tradition. Celtic magic is deep rooted in the genre of fantasy - its mystery and traditions run deep throughout the ages. It is not uncommon for fantastical works to borrow some of the Celtic traditions to interweave through a storyline giving it a historical reference and anchor.

Worldbuilding Wednesday - Celtic Heritage

There are powerful forces at work throughout nature, some powerful enough to change destiny.

Many people today have heard about the mysterious megalith Stonehenge, the legend of King Arthur and his magician Merlin. But few realize that this is part of the Celtic heritage.

The Celts inhabited a vast area of modern day Europe and the British isles. Their priests were called Druids, but they were not only priests but also judges, astronomers, healers, fortune-tellers and magicians. The word 'druid' itself is etymologically related to the trees, which were said to possess unusual power. The magic of the Druids is nature based, it includes the four elements, the power of trees and forests, the animals.

Using their millennial knowledge of nature, the Celtic magicians created complex magical structures, where the powers of trees, nature and space combined in one. The most unique part of their art skill is the Runic magic. The Runes are Scandinavian script characters, dating from the 2nd century A. D. and according to the legends god Odin gave them to the people. The Runes themselves, as well as the other symbols used in the Celtic magic, are projections of complex multi-dimensional structures. With their help corrections in time and space are made.

The rituals of the Celtic priests consisted mainly of spells, preparation of various magical amulets and attracting of the natural elements for battle victories or rich crops. Among the different methods for predicting the future, the Celts most often used the Runic fortune-telling, called Runemal. The Celtic idea of fortune was extraordinary, they thought that fortune is an endless, long, white linen, where Runes are embroidered and determine destiny. The fundamental changes of fortune were made with the supreme magic of the Druids, called Gold Celtic Magic.

The Gold Celtic Magic invoked the forces of nature and led to corrections of events, playing an important role in the individual's life path. A number of Runes and other symbols were written with the purpose of changing the destiny in the desired direction.

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Magical Objects

It is not unusual in a fantasy story to have a powerful artifact or magical object that is so potent it can defeat the hero, or allow the villain to conquer the world. The hero will then find himself on a quest to either obtain or destroy this formidable item.

A very popular example of this type of plot is the epic tale of The Lord of the Rings. The One Ring is an Artifact that appears as the pivotal plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth Tolkien's legendarium. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility an ominous magical entity.

Lesser magical objects which do not affect or determine the plot are also common. These items allow characters to have access to magical abilities they need to successfully complete their quest. Fantasy is filled with magical objects. For example, besides the One Ring, The Lord of the Rings contained magic swords that did not determine the plot. Other famous magical objects include the invisibility cloak in Harry Potter, and an array of magical items from Arabian Nights, including a magical flying carpet.

Magical items can be created by magicians or powerful beings as a demonstration of their supernatural capabilities, or the items can originate in the past, with no such items being possible at the present time in the story. The more clearly these items can be described by the author, the more believable they will be to the reader. And when the reader believes in the capabilities of these wondrous objects the magic has truly been achieved.

The first magical wand appeared in the Odyssey where Circe's father used it to transform Odysseus's men into animals. Italian fairy tales put them into the hands of the powerful fairies by the late Middle Ages. These were transmitted to modern fantasy. As you may recall, Gandalf
Gandalf refused to surrender his staff in The Lord of the Rings, but the staff was not merely an aid to help an 'old man walk' as he explained its purpose to the guards, but was used to channel the wizard’s magical abilities and break Saruman's power. Magical wands are used from Andre Norton's Witch World, to Harry Potter.

One element of the wand is the need to limit a wizard, so that opposition to him (necessary for a story) is feasible; if the wizard loses his staff or wand (or other magic item on which he is dependent), he is weakened if not magically helpless. In the wizarding world of Harry Potter
a wizard can only perform weak and uncontrolled magic without a wand. The strengths and limitations of the magical artifacts are revealed as the author’s story unfolds.

Think about the fantasy story within you waiting to be revealed. Open the doors to your own magical realm and let the fantasy unfold. Where will your imagination lead your awaiting readers?

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History of Magic - Celtic Magic

There are 7 Beliefs for Manifesting Real Magic in the Celtic Realm:


1. There is an invisible but knowable life force within you.
2. Your thoughts are something you control and they originate within you.
3. There are no limits other than those you place upon yourself.
4. Your life has purpose.
5. You overcome weaknesses by leaving them behind.
6. When you examine what you believe to be impossible, you can then change your life.
7. You can go beyond logic.


These are the building blocks, the very foundation of the Celtic beliefs. To the Celtic people, magic was a part of life. It was as common as walking or breathing. It encompassed all parts of life and nature.

They saw magic as any thought, act or ritual that influenced change in the energies that surround us. An example of this is creating a blessing on a crop to increase a harvest.

Rituals were predominant in Celtic magic. It was believed to open doors to the subconscious and creative mind and allow magical energy to flow through. Any outcome at all was considered a magical response.

Next time, we'll take a deeper look at Celtic tradition.

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Magical Monday Magic: Reality or Imagination?

Many writers who have written about fictional magicians and wizards, and the readers of such work have believed, on some level, that such magic is possible. A lot of the beliefs about magic stem from ancient roots with stories that have been handed down generation to generation. The belief of magical powers has been strong through many cultures throughout time. Even in a country as young as the United States, many young women lost their lives by being accused of witchcraft. In William Shakespeare’s time, witches like the Weird Sisters (Macbeth) and wizards like Prospero (The Tempest) were considered to be very real characters. Modern writers and readers have gotten away from the belief that magical powers are real and more into the realm of imagination from the realm of “what if”.

The magic that is the topic of these novels and place may be inspired by what was once deemed to be factual and common practices of their day, but may also have the inspiration of a writer’s imagination into the realm of “what it”. Even when the story line is based on common beliefs, the writer deems the strength, effect and general rules of magic to be precisely what the writer requires to make his plot work.

Non-fiction is an document or representation of a subject which is presented as fact. This presentation may be accurate or not; that is, it can give either a true or a false account of the subject in question.

What is interesting in this genre, it is by no means impossible, for fictional magic to leap from the pages of fantasy and become accepted as canon through the writings of fantasy. One example is The Necronomicon which first appeared in 1922. The Necronomicon is a fictional book appearing in the stories by horror fiction novelist H. P. Lovecraft. It was first mentioned in Lovecraft's short story "The Hound", though its purported author, the "Mad Arab" Abdul Alhazred, had been quoted a year earlier in Lovecraft's "The Nameless City". It was invented purely from the imaginings of H. P. Lovecraft an author of horror fiction, fantasy fiction, and science fiction. Soon, other authors such as August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith, referenced it in their works, with Lovecraft's approval, as he believed such common allusions built up "a background of evil verisimilitude."

Many readers have believed it to be a real work, and booksellers and librarians have received many requests for; it is even found listed in rare book catalogs. A card for it even showed up in the Yale University Library.

There have been several attempts by modern authors to produce it as a Babylonian mythology work with a series of sigils from medieval ceremonial magic to aid the practitioner to control or ward off demons.

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Magical Monday: History of Magic (Part 2)

Some say that the origins of magic date back thousands of years, to the days when the goddess was worshiped and humanity had great reverence for the powers of nature and for women as creators of new life. In the "New Age" philosophy, this relates to the concept of "Gaia," or "Mother Earth," which views planet earth as essentially a living being.

Prior to the 14th century, magic came to mean a collection of beliefs and practices including healing through spells, mixing ointments or concoctions, dabbling in the supernatural, divining or forecasting the future, and engaging in clairvoyance.

After North America was discovered and Europeans began migrating to the new land, magic came into practice by some of the early, colonial settlers. Since it had previously been branded as "demon-worship," magic was forbidden throughout the North American colonies. Despite this decree by the powers of the day, some colonists secretly practiced magic knowing they would be hanged or burned if caught. It has been said that certain rituals performed by early-American witches helped shield their settlements from attacks by Native Americans.

Magic can effect many outcomes, some good and some evil, depending on the type of magic and the intentions of the practitioner. The more well-known types of magic are denoted by colors.
"Black magic" is performed with the intention of harming another being, either as a means of building the practitioner's power or as the goal itself. The underlying ideology upon which black magic is based states that the practitioner and his or her pursuit of knowledge and/or physical well-being, are more important than other concerns, theological or ethical. "Green magic" involves the practitioner's attuning himself or herself to nature and the world around him or her. "White magic" is where the practitioner attunes himself or herself to the needs of human society and attempts to meet those needs. This is a form of "personal betterment" magic, and does not entail harming other beings.

"Grey magic" is magic that is neither green, nor black, nor white, and which usually replaces the absolute stand of these realms with an ethical code that is particular to the practitioner. It is a type of magic all its own, and may be used for many different purposes. "Folk magic" is an eclectic collection of herbalism, faith healing, curses and hexes, candle magic, and other workings that has thrived in rural areas for centuries. There is also the term, "hedge wizard," which refers to an individual who attempts to practice magic with little or no formal training.

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Magical Monday: The Old Ways of Magic (Part 2)

Ritual magic will quickly bring out the hidden side of any magician, wizard, sorcerer or mage.

That is why it is so important for a magician to really, truthfully, know him or herself and exercise self discipline. To maintain balance in any realm you must remember for every force an opposite force must exist – light is balanced by dark, good by evil. It is a precarious balance the magician must be always mindful of.

Ritual magic is merely the taking of energy from another plane of existence and weaving that energy, by specific thoughts, words and practices, into a desired physical form or result in this plane of existence. The weaving of the energies must be done with precision or things can turn out entirely different than the original intent. The whole idea of magic is to contact various energy pools that exist in a dimension other than our own and bring them into our realm.

Everything used during ritual is a symbol of an energy that exists on another plane. Whether or not the magician properly connects with that specific energy and believes he or she can work magic depends upon on how well he or she understands its representative symbol which is used on this plane or world. Study of, and meditation on, ritual symbols is a very important part of training. This is why magic cannot be hurried. It is an art of nurturing the energies to bring very specific results.

In order to bring through the energy that surrounds us, the magician must set up a circuit of communication along which that power can flow. This is done by ritual use of symbols, ritual itself, visualization and meditation, or in some cases incantations and/or wands. To keep the incoming power from dissipating before being directed toward a particular goal, rituals are performed within a cast and consecrated circle. This provides a neutral energy area which will not siphon off or dissipate the incoming energy.

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Magical Monday: The Old Ways of Magic (Part 1)

Once, in a day gone by, magic was as much a normal and everyday occurrence as breathing.

When the Old Ways prevailed as the norm for everyday living, there was no difficulty integrating materialism with spiritual insights and beliefs because people of that day clearly understood that each is present in the other. They understood that matter is only a form of solidified spirit.

By materialistic I mean concerned with material well-being, not controlled by material things. By continuing to believe this, we place ourselves within a tightly-bound area that prohibits us from manifesting, by magic, what we need in our lives.

In today’s modern world we have trouble accepting that magical law exists. Our minds have been bombarded by prejudiced opinions and the grandeur of technology until we have become programmed to believe a blend of the material and spiritual is impossible. We look to science for rational answers, and no longer believe in the magic of fantasy.

But, with a little imagination, a touch of superstition, a good healthy dose of inspiration, a pinch of pixie dust and believing in the possibility…anything can happen.

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The Magic Wand in Fantasy Literature

In Celtic lore, what your wand is fashioned from is determined by your date of birth. As in astrology, the alignment of the stars has a great effect on your personality and energies within your being, all of which need to be in proper alignment when selecting a wand. The magical power does not come from the object itself; rather, it is drawn from the one wielding the wand. Magic is the art or science of drawing upon the complex energies of the universe.

December 24 - January 20 = Birch Relatively light wood, Birch is considered the first tree, tied to spring and youth & all things new. It also holds great ability to purify & discipline

January 21 - February 17 = Rowan Also known as Mountain Ash, Witchwood and Sorb Apple has long known as an aid and protection against enchantment. Sticks of the Rowan were used to carve Runes on. Rowan spays and crosses were placed over cattle in pens and over homes for protection. Its lovely red berries feed the birds in winter. The berries have a tiny pentagram on them and are especially poisonous. The pentagram is the ancient symbol of protection. The Rowan tree indicates protection and control of the senses from enchantment and beguiling. The Rowan was sacred to the Druids and the Goddess Brigit. It is a very magical tree used for wands, rods, amulets and spells. A forked Rowan branch can help find water. Wands are for knowledge, locating metal and general divination.

February 18 - March 17 = Ash Fairly heavy, Ash is a traditional wood & represents Ygdrasill, the World Tree and is one of the three of the Fae Triad (Oak, Ash, Thorn). It is especially good for spells of protection (esp. from drowning) holding great sea-power and is excellent for absorbing sickness.

March 18 - April 14 = Alder Lightweight. Alder protects against drowning & acts as a shield against death curses and ill-omens & destructive emotions; cultivates visions of inner & outer worlds; bridging above and below

April 15 - May 12 = Willow Pale, genial wood. Willow is light as air to hold & sensitive to emotion, intuition & associated with Awn (sacred Druidic word for inspiration).

May 13 - June 9 = Hawthorn Cream hue, Hawthorne wood is sacred to Aquarius and is a tree of defense with the power of lightning. Some say it has the power to detect magic as well. Attuned to the violet spectrum it is good for strengthening one’s magic powers and spells of warding and control.

June 10 - July 7 = Oak Oak embodies wisdom, strength & represents stability and protection. It teaches persitence and endurance. Noted for enhancing durability against counter-spells and increasing spell longevity. Oak is suited to the magic of kingship, personal sovereignty & authority.

July 8 - August 4 = Holly This is one of the whitest woods available, fine-grained & hard w/masculine energy and is the wood used by the famous Harry Potter. Associated with holiness, protection from evil spirits & poisons helps with business endeavors and progress, used in consecrations.

August 5 - September 1 = Hazel Wands made of this wood symbolize white magic and healing. Forked sticks are used to find water or buried treasure. If outside and in need of magical protection quickly draw a circle around yourself with a hazel branch. To enlist the aid of plant fairies, string hazelnuts on a cord and hang up in your house or ritual room. Magically, hazel wood is used to gain knowledge, wisdom and poetic inspiration.

September 2 - September 29 = Vine Vines in general are symbols of both joy and wrath. This month marks the vintage season when the Grape crop is harvested and so is a good time to do any and all rituals associated with the harvest - in fact, the Autumn Equinox (called Harvest Home or Mabon) is celebrated during this month. The month of Vine is also a good time to do magic associated with inspiration, imagination, poetry and imagery. The Grape has applications in magic done for Faerie work, garden magic, joy, exhilaration, wrath, mental powers, rebirth, happiness, fertility, inspiration, prosperity, and binding. The leaves and fruit from Vines can be used in spells to overcome inferiority complexes and to enhance ambition. The Grape Vine also symbolizes resurrection because its strength is preserved in the wine, that magical elixir that's known for its ability to dissolve the boundaries between us, allow us to mingle more easily, and relax with others.

September 30 - October 27 = Ivy This is the symbol of resurrection. Ivy has attributes of restraint of fear and dealing with Emotions. Ivy grows in a sacred spiral, which symbolizes reincarnation, from lifetime to lifetime, and from minute to minute, day to day. Ivy travels everywhere - it spreads happily and thrives in many places where no other greenery could survive - its determination to reach through obstacles toward light and food is well known, and therefore Ivy symbolizes strength.

October 28 - November 24 = Elm/Reed Ancient, feminine & wise. Elm is tied to the godess in her crone phase & heralded by the bard Taliesin as steadfast in battle. Elm is connected to elves & faerie mounds as Kipling warns: "Ailim be the lady's tree; burn it not or cursed ye'll be".

November 25 - December 23 = Elder Also known as Ellhorn, Elderberry, Lady Elder. Sacred to the White Lady and Midsummer Solstice. The Druids used it to both bless and curse. Standing under an elder tree at Midsummer, like standing in a Fairy Ring of mushrooms, will help you see the "little people." Elder wands can be used to drive out evil spirits or thought forms. Music on panpipes or flutes of elder have the same power as the wand. Remember the words of the Rede. Elder is the Lady's Tree, burn it not or cursed ye be!

The wand is an instrument of invocation. It is sometimes used to direct energy or to draw magical symbols on the ground. To some, the wand represents the element of air, and it is sacred to the Gods. The size of the wand is up to you, whatever size feels comfortable in your hand - your wand should feel like an extension of your own arm. Any reasonably straight piece of wood can be used. The Great Book of Saint Cyprian gives step-by-step instructions on how to make a magic wand.

Magical wands are commonly found in works of fantasy as devices for casting spells. There is a great deal of diversity throughout literature in what magic can be cast by a wand, this can probably be best explained by the fact that the power is drawn from the owner of the instrument and its capabilities are directly tied to its owner.

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Magical Monday - Magic in the Story

A lot of popular children’s books are filled with fantasy and magic – Alice as she disappears down the rabbit hole and into a whole Wonderland, Dorothy who gets carried away by a cyclone to land to meet a wonderful wizard in the Land of Oz. And, of course, we leave the *muggle world behind to discover the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

The fantasy plot will involve some sort of magic. Magic is one of the most interesting elements of fantasy as it ties directly into our imagination. When described clearly, you can see the story unfold and reveal wonderful imaginings that challenge even the most talented CGI director as they try to translate written word to the special magic of the big screen.

There are many ways to build a magic system to use in your book – you can rely on magic systems that are already established or make your own – but either way, what makes the magic work are the rules established in the magical realm. It needs to follow rules and have consequences for breaking these rules to give the magic system credibility. The essence of magic shows both yin and yang – a balance and delicate harmony with the world and its beings.

To keep the mystery in the magic, draw your readers in by letting them witness the display of magic – the rituals of words and motions that complete the spell. Allow the reader to smell the brewing potions or burning incense, hear the ritualistic chants, and feel the temperature changes as the physical world interacts with the metaphysical. Feel the magic; let your imagination soar as you weave the story tapestry intertwining the magic into the story threads.

Next Monday…fantasy characters.

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_________________
*muggle – non-magical human

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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Magical Monday

The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish.
~Terence McKenna

Magic is most associated to occur in the fantasy genre, but the truth of the matter is, elements of magic sometimes crossover into other genres. Think of the magic of reanimation at the hands of a mad scientist in Mary Shelly’s horror classic, Frankenstein, or the blend of science and fantastical make believe in Jules Vern’s classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Certain elements of books that may place it into a fantasy category (or sub-category) are things like a quest: a journey spurred by a prophecy or some foresight gained in a dream. In this pursuit the hero and his comrades set forth on adventure to gain some higher level of knowledge often used to save an individual or a world that propels them onward. It is always a search for something important and difficult to find. There are always challenges and obstacles along the way allowing the hero to gain knowledge, strength, self-confidence and the determination to let nothing stand in his way. The journey of the quest is just as important as the achievement of accomplishing the task for this is where the true knowledge and power are gained. This is one of the fundamentals of fantasy for children and young adults that teaches an important lesson – there is an inner strength inside everyone that can be drawn out with the proper emphasis on knowledge and a growing self-confidence; you just need the proper motivation and determination to draw it out.

Often the cast of characters will classify the novel in the realm of fantasy. There are classic characters such as wizards and dwarves, elves and dragons, but there are countless creatures taken from mythology (and authors own imaginations) that can propel the story into an epic adventure. If you are unfamiliar with the characters from the realm of fantasy, The Destineers’ Journal of Fantasy Nations serves as a good guide. It describes many familiar fantasy creatures, such as dwarves, elves, dragons and those not as familiar such as the Formorians, a savage tribe of giants; the Grindylow, green gangly underwater beings that live in icy waters; the Pech, members of the gnome family credited as aboriginal builders of many of the ancient megaliths; in the journal, their stories are told from the voice of a 15 year old girl who has studied these beings on her epic journey through the Netherscape. The appearance of certain imaginative beings in a fantastical adventure is inevitable, and often a reader may gleam reflections of a parallel to their world and the fantastical realm and begin to identify with the hero and his companions as they weave the tapestry of their story. The fantasy world is a familiar world after all. Who has not grown up in the realm of fairy tales in the familiar world of Once Upon a Time? Just a thought....


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Building Believable Magic in a Fantasy Book

Children have been raised to believe in fantasy – Santa Claus, the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, and fairy tales galore. What is the attraction? Why do we enjoy the fantastical realm? I think one reason is the fairy tale ending, “they lived happily ever after”. These five little words bring a warm cozy, safe feeling. After all, don’t we strive to find our very own “happily ever after” in real life?

In most fantasy stories, there is not an easy magical answer to every trivial problem – true magic needs what all good stories need…conflict. There also needs to be a real chance for the hero of the story to fail, after all, if he can simply magic his problem away, where is the suspense of the story? The reader needs to feel compelled to feel the adventure as they enter the magical realm and join the hero on his magical quest. One sense the author must develop in a work of fantasy is the sense of wonder – stretching your imagination to places it may never have traveled before, then going beyond those limits to expand into the vastness of the “what if”. It stirs feelings within us, a familiar recognition of a realm where anything is possible and you must expect the unexpected. In this world logic is stretched, tested and redefined. Often, along the way the champion will have to face fantastical beings often with their own magical powers and qualities.

In my fantasy series, Kylie (the writer of the group known as the destineers) keeps a journal as a chronicle of the group’s adventures. It is filled with entries about all the magical beings they encounter. Later volumes will address their magical lessons and recounting of the legends they witness in the making. But, for now, those stories are being categorized and recorded by ghost writers in the Cybrarie. For updates about the series and new postings in the forum or book review blog, join the Destineers’ Fan Page.

The fantasy being reviewed by the Cybrarian this week is The Lost Years of Merlin the first book from T.A. Barron’s 5-part series following the wizard’s young teenage life. Why not click over and check out young Merlin’s tale?