If Wishes Were Fishes...The Slide Show!!

I am so excited - my new picture book, If Wishes Were Fishes, is now available for pre-order at 4RV Publishing!!!

The book comes to life with illustrations from a very talented artist, Ginger Nielson - she did an awesome job

Check this out!

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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.

Magical Monday: Limits to Magic

In any given fantasy magical system, a person must have limits to his magical abilities, or the story has no conflict: the magic can overwhelm the other side. Conflict is imperative to keep your storyline moving forward.

One of the most common techniques used in the fantasy genre is limiting the amount of magical ability available to your characters. In The Magic Goes Away, Larry Niven made it a factor of environment: once the mana is exhausted in an area, no one can use magic - innately magical beings, such as centaurs, die or lose their magical aspects, and magical creatures who have transformed into their magical state, such as werewolves, revert to a non-magical wolf state.

A more common use is that a person can only cast so many spells, or use an ability so many times, in a day, or use a measured amount of magic. This is the most common use in role-playing games, where the rules rigorously define them. Similarly, in Robert Jordan's popular series, The Wheel of Time, the One Power is limitless but each individual user can only channel a limited amount of it at any one time.

An alternative form of magical limitation provides theoretically unlimited power, but restricts what a user can do to what that user is capable of imagining, comprehending and understanding. In this scenario, magical ability may often be increased through scientific study of the world in order to better understand its working, something observed in The Belgariad by David Eddings. In Earthsea, magic is limited by a balance factor which requires the user to take into account the consequences and effects of what he does; a student of the arts soon finds out that the proper way to use magic is to do only what he must do.

Powers can also be restricted to a certain kind of ability. This is more common for innately magical beings than for those who have learned it. The person can be rendered defenseless by a situation to which his powers do not apply. For instance, if one is inside or underground the power to manipulate the weather is relatively useless.

Magic can also require various sacrifices. Blood or life can be required, and even if the magician has no scruples, obtaining the material may be difficult. Harmless substances can also limit the magician if they are rare, such as gemstones.

The need for learning may also limit what spells a wizard knows, and can cast. When magic is learned from rare and exotic books, the wizard's ability can be limited, temporarily, by his access to these books. In Earthsea, the changing of names weakens wizards as they travel; they must learn the true names of things in their new location to be powerful again.

Yet another theory of magic is that the spells take the same amount of energy needed for the resault of the spell is also taken from the caster, such as in the Inheritance Cycle. Depending on how strong or advanced the spell is compared to the caster, the spell can cause weakness, fainting, or even death. Christopher Paolini says in the book Eragon magic is limited by the energy of your body.

Magic may also be limited not so much inherently as by its danger. If a powerful spell can cause equally grave harm if miscast, wizards are likely to be wary of using it. One example of this is Jack Vance's The Dying Earth novels, in which even one little slip of the tongue in reciting one the vocal elements (called "pervulsions" in the novels) of the incantations of the spells could dramatically change the effect from the desired outcome. In the case of Cugel the Clever, he finds himself seized in the claws of a demon, and carried thousands of miles across an impassable sea to a place where he tried to escape from earlier in the story.

Many characters that work with magic are limited to using wands or staffs (as mentioned above). Harry Potter is, as well as the wizards in Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede.

What type of magical system will you engage in your fantasy world? Perhaps you have a favorite story that will influence the decisions you make in engaging the rules of magic within your fantasy realm. I'd love to hear what works and doesn't work for you when you think of the magical world.

Magical Places

Magic in fiction is the endowing of fictional characters or objects with magical powers. This often serves as a plot device – the source of the magical artifacts and the quests involved in saving a person or place. Magic has long been a component of fantasy fiction. It was a mainstay from the days of Homer through the fanciful tales of the Holy Grail. These are familiar themes with the popular work of Edmund Spenser (The Fairie Queene) and more contemporary authors such as JRR Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and CS Lewis (the tales from the land of Narnia in such works as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), and of course, JK Rowling (Harry Potter Series).

Historically, many writers who have written about fictional magicians have believed (and brought that belief to their readers) that such magic is possible. Think of classics like William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the Weird Sisters, and wizards like Prospero (The Tempest) and Doctor Faustus in Christopher Marlowe’s play where the characters are considered to be real. In more contemporary work, however, readers and writers usually deal with magic as imaginary and take inspiration from the classics when developing their characters and plot devices in combination with the invention and imagination of the writer. Furthermore, when the writer combines non-fictional beliefs and practices the effects strengthen the rules of magic which will often lead to what the writer requires for moving his plot forward. Fictional magic may or may not involve a detailed system (although when these rules are spelled out craftily – not dumped upon the reader – it strengthens the ability of the reader to believe this magic, will, in fact do what the writer is designing it to do, When the rules are not created, it is more likely that the magic will be used at the author’s convenience for moving the story and be less believable, but still entertaining.

It is not unusual for specific locales in a story to be fraught with magical qualities all its own. This often serves as a conduit to amplify the magical abilities and attributes within the boundaries of this magical zone. This plot element is often used to strengthen the tension in the story because these areas are typically filled with the darker elements and ominous ways of amplifying the darker elements of the story. This can be a useful element for a writer as long as you remember to think outside the box – if everything that happens here is predictable and foreseeable, you will lose both the tension you seek to build and your reader’s attention. Remember to rely on your worldbuilding skills to throw a twist or two into the plot to keep your readers on the edge of their seats and scratching their heads in amazement of how your characters beat the odds and escaped to continue the quest.

What role will magic play in your fantastical work? Where will your imagination lead your readers? Magic can fill your plot with fun, excitement and mystery. Imagination is an exhilarating realm in and of itself. What will happen if you set yours free? The possibilities are endless.

Magical Monday: Users of Magic

Some fantasy authors write magic into their story lines under the premise that anyone with the ability to learn the secret knowledge necessary can practice magic, but in many stories, the use of magic is an innate talent, equivalent to perfect pitch. A school where magic is taught and practiced has become a common trend in recent novels.

Besides innate talent and study, a third source of magic is simple acquisition, either through a magical item, or having it bestowed upon one by another. The personal nature of this distinguishes it from other types of magic: someone chooses to grant the power.

Magic power may also sometimes be gained through a Pact with magical spiritual entities, this is typically through the darker forces of magic. In some cases, the demon only provides the means for the would-be wizard to learn magic; conversely, the pact may be for the devil to do the magic on the wizard's behalf, but the wizard must have first studied magic in order to summon it, and in some versions, to compel it to act. One well-known modern example of this concept is the deal Mr. Norrell makes with the Fairy King in Susannah Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell making it appear as if Norrell himself has raised someone from the dead, when in fact it was the Fairy King who did this at Norrell's request. In Stephenie Meyers popular Twilight series, some of the vampires brought a special, often psychic power, from their previous life which was a special trait they had as humans, such as Edward Cullen's ability to read minds due to his sensitivity to others’ thoughts as a human.

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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 History of Magic (Part 1)

The roots of magic come from the Celts, a people living between 700 BC and 100 AD. Believed to be descendants of Indo-Europeans, the Celts were a brilliant and dynamic people – gifted artists, musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, expert farmers and fierce warriors. They were much feared by their adversaries, the Romans, who eventually adopted a number of their customs and traditions.

The Celts were a deeply spiritual people, who worshiped both a god and goddess. Their religion was pantheistic, meaning they worshiped many aspects of the "One Creative Life Source" and honored the presence of the "Divine Creator" in all of nature. Like many tribes the world over, they believed in reincarnation. After death, they went to the Summerland for rest and renewal while awaiting rebirth.

The months of the Celtic year were named after trees. The Celtic new year began at Samhain, which means "summers end," and was the final harvest of the year. This was also their "Festival of the Dead," where they honored their ancestors and deceased loved ones. Many contemporary Halloween customs come from Samhain.

Next on the wheel of the Celtic year was the Winter Solstice, celebrating the annual rebirth of the Sun. Our Christmas customs today are similar to this ancient celebration. Around the beginning of February came Imbolg, a time when domesticated animals began to give birth. The Spring Equinox and Beltaine, sometimes called "May Day," were fertility festivals. The Summer Solstice, known as Lughnassa, celebrated the glory of the Sun and the powers of nature. Lughnassa, the Fall Equinox, and Samhain, were considered as Celtic harvest festivals.

The "Druids" were the priests of the Celtic religion. They remained in power through the fourth century AD, three centuries after the Celts' defeat at the hands of the Romans. The Druids were priests, teachers, judges, astrologers, healers and bards. They became indispensable to the political leaders, giving them considerable power and influence. They were peacemakers, and were able to pass from one warring tribe to another unharmed. It took twenty years of intense study to become a Druid.

Translated, the word Druid means "knowing the oak tree." Trees, the oak in particular, were held sacred by the Celts. Mistletoe, which grows as a parasite on oak trees, was a powerful herb used in their ceremonies and for healing. Mistletoe was ritually harvested at the Summer Solstice by cutting it with a golden sickle and catching it with a white cloth while never letting it fall to the ground.

The religious beliefs and practices of the Celts grew into what later became known as Paganism, not to be confused with the term Neo-Paganism, which is beyond the scope of this writing. The word Pagan is derived from the Latin word Paganus, meaning "country dweller." This outgrowth was consistent with the Celts' love for the land and their holding such things as the oak tree and mistletoe sacred.

Paganistic beliefs and rituals blended with those of other Indo-European descended groups, and over several centuries spawned such practices as concocting potions and ointments, casting spells, and performing works of magic.

Want to read more about magical history? Check out the Cybrarie and Professor Stromber's post on Ancient Egyptian Magic. It's in the Spellings classroom!

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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 - Epic Fantasy

High Fantasy, also known as Epic Fantasy is a subgenre in the realm of fantasy fiction. Most of the fantasy work being published today falls under this category and has long, elaborate plots, very detailed characters, and magnificent settings and have multiple subplots interwoven within the tale. Epic Fantasy stories are often fashioned into a series of an impressive length – this gives the long range story line ample time to play out and primary characters to evolve as they learn lessons while completing their quest. Some of the most popular fantasy novels of our time follow this formula such as JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series and Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series.

High fantasy usually takes place in an extraordinary world filled with fantastical beings, magic and a hero in the making. There are quests to be made, lessons to be learned amidst the ongoing battle of good and evil. The novels are filled with archetypal characters (which we will talk about more in length next Monday) and a mythology well rooted in tradition. These tales explain the nature of the world and life itself.

By definition a quest is a journey towards a goal. In fantasy this often involves a magical artifact or being that can save the world. The elements necessary for a quest often include a hero in the making – this is typically an individual one would not think of as a hero and it takes some evolving of the character for them to achieve their ultimate goal. There are usually friends (old friends or newly acquired friends) bonded by the goal of the quest. There is also typically some magical elements involved – as artifacts with magical powers or individuals able to wield magic. A long journey involving soul searching and tests that only those of high character can hope to pass. These tests/tasks will push the hero in training to his very limits and then force him to take a step beyond.

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Magical Monday Fantasy Characters

No matter what genre you are writing in, novel writing is designed to entertain our readers. In the realm of Fantasy, the goal is to write an interesting story without confusing your reader or losing their interest while you paint the vivid picture of your realm. Too much description or ideas that are too far removed from reality will prevent the reader from immersing themselves in the story.

Creating fantasy characters, is, above all else, fun. As in any work of fiction, you need to create characters that are believable and multi-dimensional. The most important consideration for a main character is that the reader must care about their situation. Whatever type of personality they have, whatever crisis they face, the main character's plight must grip the reader and hold them throughout the book. Fantasy gives you many avenues with which to capture your reader’s interest. There are many opportunities for introducing magic through your character’s abilities and/or special artifacts and elements that will play an important role in your story. This will give an air of mystery and intrigue simply by nature of the subject matter.

Through conflict, action, resolution and personality development the character must grow and become equipped to deal with the final conflict. When developing the story line, keep your main character in mind and remember to give him or her many opportunities to keep the character steadily growing and developing. This can give fodder to all sorts of material to explore and ample opportunity to give the character depth while pushing the plot forward.

Know your characters. Give them real emotions, making their reactions real for their personality. All of the substantial characters should have opportunities to evolve through the story as they encounter situations that will test them. Even if never mentioned, the Fantasy author should know the history of each character they introduce. Personally, I develop entire histories and back stories for any substantial character. By examining their culture, physical attributes, likes, dislikes, phobias, family life, school/work backgrounds, beliefs and habits to their psychological profile each character will reveal not only the character’s voice, but additional threads for sub-plots to weave into the main story line. Keeping a personality profile for each character can help the author create a believable character.

If we want our readers to become immersed our story, we need to have them understand and visualize the fantasy world and characters we have created. Trust the imaginations of our readers to follow our vision without boring them with long informational description dumps. Our heroes and villains need to be recognizable or we will lose empathy with our readers. When creating a fantasy hero, landscape or even means of travel, it is vital to work within the realms of our reader's imagination.

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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

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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