Building Believable Magic

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. Check out Kylies' journal about the creatures of fantasy they encounter in the Netherscape in The Destineers’ Journal of Fantasy Nations available on Amazon; autographed copies available through the Cybrarie or here.

Who's Your Favorite Literary Fictional Character?

When you are reading a novel, what characters inspire you? Do you revel in the security of a favorite (although possibly cliched) stereotype? Are you looking for a hero - someone to place on a pedestal and revere? Maybe you prefer someone you can more easily identify with, a character that is real and flawed? Perhaps you like to pep up your characters to be a notch above the normal average Joe.

I write books for children through young adults. Lately my focus has been in the genre of fantasy. Look at some of the more popular works throughout time - Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Alice as she journeys through the looking glass, and, of course, one of this generation's popular boy wizards - Harry Potter. What do these timeless characters have in common? The authors of each of these works have brilliantly developed characters their audience can truly embrace. Characters that step off the page, grab their reader's hand and take them on an adventure they won't forget. Who are some of your favorite characters in literature today?

The Netherscape is a realm filled with fantasy characters. Why not click over to The Destineer’s blog to see which characters they are talking about or head on over to the Cybrarie for today’s lesson?

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.

Fantasy Revisited

With great excitement I watched the JK Rowling interview that recently aired on the Oprah Winfrey show. I am a huge fan of her work. As we all know, I love to immerse myself in the world of fantasy – and her books are some of the best of this generation. The mere thought of the possibility of books 8, 9 and 10 were like catnip to me, the muse was flowing and my own beloved Netherscape (and another current work in progress) sprang to life. The words flew easily and it felt wonderful. In case you haven’t seen it – here’s part one – it’s a great interview well, worth the time to watch.

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

Naamah's Curse by Jacqueline Carey
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In this sequel to 2009's Naamah's Kiss, Moirin, the devoted servant of a sex goddess, journeys across half of a fantasy version of Asia in search of her soulmate, Bao. In Tatar territory, she finds Bao... and his wife. His father-in-law, the Great Khan, is willing to go to great extremes to keep Bao and Moirin apart. Captured by the fanatic Patriarch of Riva, Moirin escapes to find that Bao has vanished again, this time headed toward the distant lair of the Spider Queen and her army of assassins. The romantic tale is marred by Moirin's narcissistic awareness that she is destined for a glorious fate that lesser mortals like Bao's jealous wife may only envy. Carey's storytelling ability is top-notch, however, and readers will applaud her willingness to resolve major plot threads in the middle book of a trilogy. (June)


Stories: All-New Tales by Neil Gaiman, Al Sarrantonio
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
This collection of 27 never-before published stories from an impressive cast—Roddy Doyle, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stuart O'Nan, among others—sets out to shift genre paradigms. The overarching theme is fantastic fiction, or fiction of the imagination, with fantasy being used in the most broad-sweeping sense rather than signaling the familiar commercial staples of elves, ghouls, and robots. Consequently, the collection's offerings run a wide gamut. In Joe Hill's Devil on the Staircase, an Italian boy commits a crime of passion and subsequently meets an emissary of Satan. In Jodi Picoult's Weights and Measures, a young couple who have just lost their daughter struggle to hold their marriage together as they both start noticing strange changes taking place. Chuck Palahniuk's The Loser features a college kid on acid as a contestant on a game show, and in Kurt Andersen's Human Intelligence, a geologist meets an explorer from another planet who has been studying humans for the past 1,600 years. The range of voices and subjects practically guarantees something for any reader, but the overall quality is frustratingly variable: most stories are good, some aren't, and few are exceptional. (June)

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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New Releases in the Realms of SciFi and Fantasy

This week's releases are a tribute to the popular series "Dr. Who", a mysterious humanoid alien who travels through time and space righting wrongs in "TARDIS" (acronym for Time and Relative Demensions in Space). This is such a fun series!

The Forgotten Army (Doctor Who) by Brian Minchin

'Let me tell you a story. Long ago, in the frozen Arctic wastes, an alien army landed. Only now, 10,000 years later, it isn't a story. And the army is ready to attack'. New York is one of the greatest cities on 21st century Earth...But what's going on in the Museum? And is that really a Woolly Mammoth rampaging down Broadway? An ordinary day becomes a time of terror, as the Doctor and Amy meet a new and deadly enemy. The vicious Army of the Vykoid are armed to the teeth and determined to enslave the human race, even though they're only seven centimetres high. With the Vykoid army swarming across Manhattan and sealing it from the world with a powerful alien force field, Amy has just 24 hours to find the Doctor and save the city. If she doesn't, the people of Manhattan will be taken to work in the doomed asteroid mines of the Vykoid home planet. But as time starts to run out, who can she trust? And how far will she have to go to free New York from the Forgotten Army? This is a thrilling, all new adventure featuring the Doctor and Amy, as played by Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the spectacular hit series from BBC Television.


Night of the Humans (Doctor Who) by David Llewellyn
'This is the Gyre - the most hostile environment in the galaxy'. 250,000 years' worth of junk is floating in deep space, home to the shipwrecked Sittuun, the carnivorous Sollogs, and worst of all - the Humans. The Doctor and Amy arrive on this terrifying world in the middle of an all-out frontier war between Sittuun and Humans, and the countdown has already started. There's a comet in the sky, and it's on a collision course with the Gyre...When the Doctor is kidnapped, it's up to Amy and 'galaxy-famous swashbuckler' Dirk Slipstream to save the day. But who is Slipstream, exactly? And what is he really doing here? This is a thrilling, all new adventure featuring the Doctor and Amy, as played by Matt Smith and Karen Gillan in the spectacular hit series from BBC Television.

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New Release Tuesday in the Realms of SciFi and Fantasy

Wild Ride by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer
Product Description
The New York Times bestselling duo of Crusie and Mayer team up again with a hilarious paranormal novel that shows why the wildest ride at the Dreamland Amusement Park isn’t the roller coaster
Mary Alice Brannigan doesn’t believe in the supernatural. Nor does she expect to find that Dreamland, the decaying amusement park she’s been hired to restore, is a prison for the five Untouchables, the most powerful demons in the history of the world. Plus, there’s a guy she’s falling hard for, and there’s something about him that’s not quite right.
But rocky romances and demented demons aren’t the only problems in Dreamland: Mab’s also coping with a crooked politician, a supernatural raven, a secret government agency, an inexperienced sorceress, an unsettling inheritance, and some mind-boggling revelations from her past. As her personal demons wreck her newfound relationship and real demons wreck the park, Mab faces down immortal evil and discovers what everybody who’s ever been to an amusement park knows: The end of the ride is always the wildest


Hammerfast: A Dwarven Outpost Adventure Site (4th Edition D&D) by Mike Mearls

Product Description :
A ready-to-use adventure location for any D&D® campaign...Need an exciting adventure location for your heroes to explore? Look no further.Hammerfast presents a fully detailed, ready-to-use dwarven town, complete with secret locations, maps, adventure hooks, monster and NPC statistics, ready-to-play encounters, and a full-color, double-sided battle map. The book is perfect for Dungeon Masters looking for an intrigue-laden adventure location that fits instantly and easily into their existing D&D campaigns.The dwarven outpost of Hammerfast is described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide® core rulebook and gets mentioned often in D&D published adventures. However, this is the first time the town has been fully detailed. In addition to an adventure location, Hammerfast can serve as the base of operations for characters exploring Nentir Vale.

This sounds like fun - can always use a good dwarven story!

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Alice 2010

Last night I got to see Tim Burton's: Alice in Wonderland.

Three words: Deliciously creative insanity. Great tie in between Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass and the Jabberwocky.

Seriously. Go see it.

Destineers Journal of Fantasy Nations Preditors and Editors Nomination!

In case you haven’t heard, Bobby and I have had the good fortune to be nominated in the Preditors and Editors poll for our book The Destineers' Journal of Fantasy Nations. This is really an honor. If you haven’t had a chance yet, I encourage you to stop by the poll and check out all the nominees in the many categories. There are some wonderfully talented authors represented there. Please show your support by casting your votes in the various categories.

The Destineers' Journal of Fantasy Nations is nominated in the SciFi Fantasy category and I’d really appreciate your support – heck, tell your friends, I’ll take all the help I can get! Seriously, I want to thank all of our wonderful friends and readers and everyone who has supported and encouraged us. We really appreciate it.

Voting closes January 14. The link for voting in our category is
http://www.criters.org/predpoll/novelsf.shtml

Thank you so very, very much!

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.

New Release Tuesday in the Realms of SciFi and Fantasy

Here are this week's suggestions in new releases in the realms of fantasy and scifi:


Born of Ice (A League Novel) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Product Description
In the Ichidian Universe, the League and its ruthless assassins continue to keep rule. But at what cost? Welcome back to the future…and a whole new world.
Devyn Kell spent his life in service to the League until he learned of the double dealing and backstabbing that was costing innocent people their lives. Refusing to play those politics, he became a Runner—someone who makes sure planets get the weapons, medicine and supplies they need to survive. May the gods have mercy on any who get in his way, because he definitely won’t.
Alix Garran is a woman on the run from a past she can’t escape. Signing on to work for Devyn as a System’s Engineer, she finds a cause she can fight for—and a man she can respect. But as Alix’s past catches up to her, and Devyn’s old enemies turn lethal, they have to fight together…or fall alone.

Changing the World: All-New Tales of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
Product Description
In March 1987, a young author from Oklahoma published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. This modest book about a magical land called Vademar was the beginning of a fantasy masterpiece that would span decades and include more than two dozen titles. Now sixteen of today's hottest fantasy authors-including Tanya Huff, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Fiona Patton, and Judith Tarr-visit the world of Valdemar, adding their own special touches.

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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Worldbuilding Wednesday - Politics in the Making

As authors we make many decisions. The story, setting, characters all lie in our imaginations and storytelling. In traditional novels we may choose to set the story in the real world as we know it - or perhaps an alternative history to our world, however, in fantasy and science fiction we create not only our story but the story of the world in which our story takes place. There are many things to consider when we build worlds.

Government is but one element. There are many types of government we have experienced in our world through various cultures throughout the world throughout the years. When you consider worldbuilding for your story, what type of government will rule your world? Here are some possibilities to consider:




• Absolute Monarchy -- kingdom in which monarch has complete power


• Anarchy -- absence of government


• Aristocracy -- government by a wealthy, privileged minority or hereditary ruling class


• Caliphate -- government by Islamic civil and religious leader


• Civil Government -- government established by laws made by citizens or their representatives; nonmilitary, nonreligious authority


• Coalition Government -- temporary alliance of members of two or more parties to form governing majority


• Collective -- group or institution organized and run by all members equally


• Commonwealth -- government in which ultimate authority lies with people


• Constitutionalism -- government based on written constitutional principles


• Constitutional Monarchy -- government headed by monarch and regulated by constitution


• Democracy -- government by the people with majority rule exercised in periodic, free election of representatives


• Despotism -- government in which ruler exercise absolute power


• Dictatorship -- government in which absolute power rest with one person or a few


• Duarchy or duumvirate -- government by two equally powerful rulers


• Dyarchy -- dual responsibility shared by colonial government and native ministers


• Empire -- several territories, nations or peoples governed by single sovereign authority


• Fascism -- government based on establishing oppressive, one-part, centralized national regime

• Federal Government -- system in which political units surrender individual sovereignty to central authority, but retain designated powers


• Feudalism -- political system in Europe from 9th to 15th century in which lord owned all property worked by vassals


• Gerontocarcy -- rule by elders


• Gynecocracy -- government by women


• Hagiocracy -- government by group of persons believed to be holy


• Hierocracy -- rule by priest or clergy


• Isocracy -- government in which all individuals have equal political power


• Matriarchy -- government or monarchy in which power rests with females or descends through female line


• Meritocracy -- government in which criterion for leadership is skill or intellectual achievement


• Monarchy -- government with absolute hereditary ruler who serves for life


• Ochlocracy -- rule by the multitude or mob


• Oligarchy -- government by small group of privileged individuals


• Pantisocracy -- utopia in which all members rule equally


• Parliamentary Government -- system in which executive (prime minister) is chosen by elected legislature (parliament) from among its members


• Patriarchy -- government or monarchy in which power rests with males or descends through male line


• Plutocracy -- government by the wealthy


• Principality -- state ruled by a prince, often part of larger state or empire


• Regency -- reign of non-monarch during youth or indisposition of monarch


• Republic -- government in which power is vested in elected representatives of citizenry


• Sovereignty -- political autonomy and freedom of state from outside authority


• Stratocracy -- government by the military


• Technocracy -- government run by experts and technicians


• Thearchy -- government based on divine sovereignty


• Theocracy -- government by church officials, who believe they have divine authority


• Timocracy -- government based on love of honor and military glory or on requisite ownership of property


• Totalitarianism -- authoritarian political system in which citizen is totally subject to will of state


• Triarchy -- government ruled jointly by three person; triumvirate


• Tyranny -- government by single absolute authority, especially one exercising oppressive power


• Unitary Government -- system in which power is held by single central source, and local governments are merely administrative agents, the opposite of federalism


• Welfare State -- system in which ultimate responsibility of government is well being of all citizens





Choosing how to run your country will have an obvious impact on every day life. Where will your imagination lead you and your story? Which system of government will you opt for in your world? Why? Think about the impact it will have one your storyline and how the storyline will depend on details such as this. It is mindboggling how much the change of one detail, such as government, can change your entire story.





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

Born of Fire (A League Novel) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
In a universe where assassins make the law, everyone lives in fear—except for Syn. Born of an illicit scandal that once rocked a dynasty; he always knew how to survive on the bloodthirsty streets. But that was then, and the future is now…
Syn was raised as a tech-thief until his livelihood uncovered a truth that could end his life. He tried to destroy the evidence, and has been on the run ever since. Now trained as an assassin, he allows no one to threaten him. Ever. He is the darkness that swallows his enemies whole.

Shahara Dagan is the best bounty hunter in the universe. When Syn comes back on the radar, she’s the only one who can bring him to justice. There’s only one problem: Syn is a close family friend who’s helped out the Dagans countless times. But if she saves him, both of their lives will be on the line. Is Syn’s protection worth the risk? The only hope Shahara has is to find the evidence he buried long ago. Now it’s kill or be killed—and they, the predators, have just become the hunted…


Darkness Unleashed (Guardians of Eternity) by Alexandra Ivy
A scarred recluse, Jagr makes no secret of his disdain for others' company. But now, as a member of Chicago's powerful vampire clan, he has certain obligations to fulfill. The latest: track down a missing were pureblood and return her to her sister. The problem: Regan Garrett has no intention of complying. And though Jagr agreed not to harm an inch of this stubborn female's distractingly tempting body, he'll gladly kiss her into submission, awakening an urge he hasn't felt in years. Hell, in centuries...Regan vowed never to be at the mercy of another man. That goes double for arrogant, steel-muscled vampires with eyes of ice. All Regan wants is revenge against those who imprisoned her. She doesn't need an ally. She certainly doesn't need a mate. But soon Regan will have to choose - between a lust for vengeance, and a passion as dark and dangerous as the night...

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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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Worldbuilding Wednesday: Community Interaction (Part 2)

Last week, on Worldbuilding Wednesday, we looked at Community Interaction, specifically with language and its usage.

Sometimes words and customs can seep into a society through an unexpected source -- slaves. Slave women often raised the young children of the richer element of the community and inadvertently infiltrated foreign words into their language, as well as stories, and sometimes the ideas of right and wrong. Slaves might also introduce new farming techniques and tools into a settlement. Anything which improves the life of the larger group will likely be kept, including the words. This is a concept Dave Berry used in his prequel to Peter Pan – explaining how these kids were on their own, and, even though they were children, had to adapt quickly to their circumstances and learn about finding shelter and foraging for food. They had their own ways of communicating, choosing a leader (who could spit the farthest) and dealing with circumstances dealt them.

Again, in the concept of language, remember that accents, even when using the same words, can make something nearly incomprehensible from one group to another. This proved true in much of Medieval England, where a person living twenty miles away was considered a foreigner because he talked differently. Words reflect the culture from which they originate. If two cultures overlap, usually through invasion, you might find strange combinations.

Place names can reflect either an older city by the original name, or a new city, founded by the invaders. Also after an invasion there can be a dichotomy in the names of items between natives and the invaders. For instance, Anglo-Saxon peasants raised cattle, but the Norman lords ate beef.

There is a theory that our lives are so conditioned by words that it may be impossible for us to experience something we cannot put a word to. We think in words, so -- if this theory is correct -- the larger a person's vocabulary, the more of the world the person can experience.

A number of fantasy and science fiction writers enjoy creating languages for their new worlds and it can be a lot of fun and a great intellectual game. However, once you begin writing the story, remember not to let the new language take over the story so much that it's impossible for a non-native to understand what's going on. Remember your readers.

The creation of slang is a difficult aspect of language. It can sometimes look stupid when first introduced in a book, but with care can be worked into a story in such a way that the use becomes natural to the reader. Slang should have some real world basis in which it exists. This, in some ways, is much harder to do than creating a language from scratch. Slang has to slide into the language we speak and make some sort of sense -- although you may have to explain it the first time.

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