Stories 4 You

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Places and Creatures:
By: Christina Weigand

I have shared about my dragons, but they are not the only beings that live in my worlds. When writing the Palace of the Twelve Pillars trilogy, a need arose to create creatures and a world for them to inhabit. Now I know there are a lot of articles and lessons out there on how to build a world and I'm sure they are really good for some people, but for me not so much. Having said that I regret not planning my world and beings a little more.

I am a pantster. For those of you that are writers you know that a pantster is someone who does very little planning. They write their stories on the fly as it comes to them instead of outlining and planning every minute detail. Unfortunately, I have never been able to plot my stories out. Along with that the planning of a world and its beings are something that happens as I write the story.

At times this can be a big disadvantage, especially if it's November and I am participating in National Novel Writing Month. In that case it definitely helps to have some sort of plan. That being said, the one time when I did try and outline, because I thought I knew where the story needed to go, my characters decided to strike the second week in. It wasn't until I threw out the outline and let the characters tell their version of the story, that I was able to resume writing.

I started this post planning on telling you about the world and the races of people that make up Ramajadin, so now I will pick up that thread. First of all Ramajadin is similar to Earth in a medieval period. So no cars or technology. Swords and bows are used for fighting, people ride horses and dragons. Two glaring differences are of course, dragons and magic. I am not saying that magic doesn't exist on Earth, but it definitely does exist on Ramajadin. There are rules regarding the use of magic and that is one of the things that creates conflict throughout the trilogy, as one of the protagonists does not want to abide by those rules, and the other who does becomes convinced that he didn't, that he somehow broke the rules.

Here is an excerpt from the glossary I put together for the trilogy that explains the places and the peoples that inhabit my world:

Ramajaden- The fantasy world where this all takes place

Crato- country on Ramajiden

Mahorg- country on Ramajiden

Hyogo- A small, neutral island country in Takan Ocean to the north of Crato and Mahorg, also the prison.

Wryzburg- royal city of Crato, where the Palace of the Twelve Pillars is located, home to King Theodric, Queen Lilia, their children and grandchildren.

Tra Umu Forest- located in the northeastern corner of Crato, and home of the Kningrad.
Has a magic force field that hides the location of the Kningrad and the Cave of Njori.

Imherp- small territory in the Northeastern corner of Crato, ruled by Eyvindur and subject to Crato. The Tra Umu Forest is located there. The home of the Kningrad and location of the Sanctuary of Nine Dragons.

Freiberg- Freiberg was the royal city of the Kningrad, located in the Tra Umu Forest, in the far northeast corner of Crato. Since it was within the boundaries of Crato, King Eyvindur and the citizens of Freiberg are allies of King Theodric.

Thael- Small kningrad village that is guarded by magical spells so no one knows where it is.

Anna Mountains- Mountain range in the northern part of Crato.

Mt. Evercidara- is the Holy Mountain of Asha.

Cave of Njori- Cave located in the Anna Mountains, used for spiritual journeys

Jena- village on the border of Crato and Mahorg

Geissen- a village in central Crato, near Dietfried Academy

Grilwood- the Mantion nation located in the northeast corner of Mahorg.

Valkan Mountains- Mountain range in the northeast corner of Mahorg. It is home to the Mantions.

Dun Dealgan- royal city of Mahorg, Palace of the Three Crosses and King Waldrom’s home is located there

Tralee- capital city of the Mantions in the Valkan Mountains. Cave complex that is home to King Shigeo and Princess Gudrun along with Wizard Melvane when he is not in attendance on King Waldrom.

Dundalk-mining village of the Mantions found in the Valkan Mountains. Mantions take captured people here to work in the mines.

Ndor Forest – Forest in the center of Mahorg it is said to be haunted and magic doesn’t work there.

Mt. Dablaya – Sidramah’s mountain, located in the Valkan Mountains.

Cave of Kobata – It is located in the Valkan Mountains. Followers of Sidramah go there to commune with their god.

Edenderry- A small Mahorganite village located in the Ndor Forest. Princess Gudrun, when masquerading as Lady Magda reports that she comes from there.

Harable Valley- valley straddling Mahorg and Crato where Waldrom and Theodric and later Waldrom, Brandan and Joachim battle.

Creatures and explanations:

Treaty of 856- Treaty reached between the countries of Mahorg and Crato in the year 856. The treaty forbids the use of the magic of Sidramah and limits the use magic of Asha’s. It also established peace between the two countries and the exchange of youth for training.

Adept & adept magic- user of the magic of Asha, magic is only used as a last resort to heal and repair, when all other means have been exhausted

Wizard & wizard magic- user of the magic of Sidramah, opposite of adept magic, relies on dark emotions of the user.

Mantion-aligned with Sidramah, short, muscular creatures with pointed ears, live in caves and work in the mines when they can’t find slaves to do it for them

Kningrad- usually tall winnowy creatures, aligned with Asha

Flaithri School for Adepts- School for adepts hidden by magic in the Valkan Mountains. Apprentice adepts are sent there to finish their training and study with adepts.

Dietfried School for Heraldry- School for young people of Mahorg and Crato. Any person displaying traits of a knight or adept are sent to this school for their initial training. Once they complete their training here they become apprentices for either adepts or militias.

That should give you a basic idea of what I'm talking about and how things fit together. Like I said above, most of this was thought of when I needed something; like a race or a city. I suppose some planning went into it, like that it would be a medieval setting as opposed to contemporary and the races of Humans along with the names of the characters were based on the countries of Germany, Ireland and Japan during the medieval period. The rest was pretty much come as you go.
So the moral of this story: While a little planning helps, for some people too much planning can be a hindrance. I will admit it does help to have some idea about things, but for this writer, not too many is the way to go.

Websites/Blogs:

Palace of Twelve Pillars: www.weigandchris.com

Faith, Inspiration and a Cup of Tea: www.christinaweigand.com

Twitter: @CAWeigand

Facebook: www.facebook.com/caweigand

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/chris_weigand

Amazon: amazon.com/author/christinaweigand

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ ~ the story behind the book. #amreading #ChristianFiction

The Greatest Story Ever Told....
by Mary Anne Yarde

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ has been on my to-read list for what feels like forever. I can remember as a child that Easter always meant that the 1959 movie of Ben-Hur starring Charlton Heston would be on the television and I always sat down to watch it. Watching the movie always left me in floods of tears, and it still does.

Finally, I decided to put aside some time to read this remarkable book. At least then I could finally tick it off my list.

The chariot race scene, Ben-Hur 1959 ~ Wikipedia

I knew the story of Jesus was a big part of this book, but it was so much more of a part than the film version of this story. Judah Ben-Hur doesn't getting a mention until at least two hours into the book, and that did surprise me. Likewise, Lew Wallace tended to go off on a tangent as many 19th Century authors did. And for that reason, at times, from a modern readers perspective, it did drag. On the other hand, some of the major events, such as the shipwreck, took only a couple of pages to describe. It was a blink, and you will miss it event. Nevertheless, it was an amazing read and I did enjoy it. It was certainly worth the eleven-plus hours that I devoted to it.

But what really made me sit up and take notice was when I started writing this review. I had no idea who the author of Ben-Hur was.

The author of Ben-Hur was Lew Wallace. Wallace's life would merit its own movie. I mean seriously, this man did not have a life, he had an adventure. He was an American General. He fought in the Civil War on the Union side. He was held responsible for the appalling losses at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 — something that he never got over. He was later the governor of New Mexico and negotiated with Billy the Kid. Yes, that is right, Billy the Kid! Then he served as the American ambassador in Istanbul. He became a lawyer as well as a writer, and more surprisingly he wasn't particularly religious. He was intrigued by the life of Jesus, but it wasn't until he took a train journey in 1886 with Colonel Robert Ingersoll — a man who had served under him at the Battle of Shiloh — that his interest in the theological was piqued. The two talked, and as these things sometimes happen, they started to talk about religion. While Ingersoll attacked the Christian faith, Wallace became more intrigued. In the days that followed he devoted time to reading the Bible and his life was changed forever. It was then that he penned Ben-Hur.

Lew Wallace ~ Wikipedia

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was first published in 1880. That first seven months it sold a modest 2,800 copies. But by 1886, Wallace was earning about $11,000 in annual royalties (equivalent to $290,000 in 2015 dollars). By 1889, 400,000 copies had been sold. It was the best-selling American novel of the 19th Century, and it has never been out of print. Ben Hur was given the Church's stamp of approval. It was even blessed by the Pope.

The cover of the first-addition

Between the years 1889-1920 the book was turned into a theatre production and was seen by over 20 million people.

Theatrical release poster ~ Wikipedia

In 1959 came that iconic film. It cost a staggering $130 million dollars (in modern money) to make. And here are some staggering facts for you:

There were 360 actors with speaking parts.

There were 50,000 actors in minor roles.

There were 200 camels.

There were 250 horses.

The circus took 1,000 workmen a year and a half to build.

It won 11 Academy Awards and 3 Golden Globe Awards. Everything about it was epic!

Charlton Heston and Marina Berti ~ Wikipeida

But that is not the end of the story, the film was remade in 2016, and if you haven't watched it, then please do put it on your to-watch list.

Theatrical release poster ~ Wikipedia

I thought Jack Huston portrayed Judah Ben-Hur beautifully. The story has been changed slightly, but I think it enhanced the story for today's audience. The film is a PG-13, so if you are thinking of watching it with your children, then please watch it first on your own as there are scenes that young children might find very upsetting.

Ben-Hur Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Morgan Freeman, Jack Huston ~ PG -13

So there we are, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ has lost none of its appeal since it was first released and I don't think it ever will. The story is timeless and I will always love it.

First published on Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots ~ 22nd August 2017

Mary Anne Yarde

Mary Anne Yarde is an award winning author of the International Best Selling Series — The Du Lac Chronicles. Set a generation after the fall of King Arthur, The Du Lac Chronicles takes you on a journey through Dark Age Briton and Brittany, where you will meet new friends and terrifying foes. Based on legends and historical fact, the Du Lac Chronicles is a series not to be missed.
Born in Bath, England, Mary Anne Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury--the fabled Isle of Avalon--was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Symbols in Hungarian Folk-art by Erika M Szabo

The tulip in Hungarian folk-art

By Erika M Szabo

www.authorerikamszabo.com

When I was writing my epic fantasy series, I researched Hun history which occupies the bigger part of the story, but I got sidetracked by the fascinating Hungarian folk-art that is filled with symbols and secret messages.

In this post, I’ll tell you about the most important symbol, the tulip. In Hungarian folk-art, the tulip is the symbol of love and represents the balance between feminine and masculine.

We admire the carved or richly embroidered tulip folk art but most of us don’t know the ancient secrets and messages that are hiding in the motifs.

Courtesy of: http://morzsafarm.hu/a-magyar-nepmuveszet-kedvence-a-tulipanmotivum/

Some historians speculate that the tulip is the representation of the female genitalia where new life begins. However, it goes further in folk-art because, without a male, life cannot be brought forth. In most of the carved, painted, or embroidered art, the male is represented as well as the female tulip accepts the male tulip with seeds inside her to start a new life.

Although the tulip depicts the woman from the age of a young girl to the adulthood of childbearing age, and to old age and death, the male tulip facing away from the female is present in most folk-art. The tulip bud represents young girls, the just about getting to open petals are the symbol of young women and the fully open petals represent grown women in their reproductive age. The withering petals depict the end of a beautiful, productive and rich life.

Courtesy of: http://morzsafarm.hu/

The tulip can be found everywhere: on embroidered doilies, bed covers and pillows, furniture, work equipment, pots and plates, household utensils, male and female clothes, and even on jewelry. Its meaning is the same everywhere, celebrating the feminine and masculine companionship, family, and love.

Courtesy of: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/553168766709775366/

Courtesy of: http://www.magyarmenyegzo.hu/en/eljegyzesi-gyuru/

Courtesy of: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/553168766709775366/

Tulip motifs can be found in ancient Hungarian archeological finds as well, from the enamel of St. Crown's picture of St. Thomas, to various clothes, jewelry, everyday items, horse saddles and bows, and arrows, to the saber known as the sword of Attila.

My mother always put the tulips on the kitchen table and nowhere else in the house. When I asked her why, she said, “The kitchen is the heart of the home where families relax and spend time together. We prepare and cook our daily meals, we eat together and share our daily experiences. Placing the tulips in the center of the home strengthens the love and harmony between family members.”

You can read about it in my epic fantasy series where Ilona struggles to find her true love despite the obstacles placed in her path.

On Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/yaew5ph8

My next post is scheduled for April 24. I will tell you about Hungarian mythology, history, and legends that I learned from my parents and came across in my research.

You can find me and my books on various sites:

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COMMENTS

Erika M Szabo via Google+

9 months ago - Shared publicly

Symbols in Hungarian Folk-art by Erika M Szabo
The tulip in Hungarian folk-art By Erika M Szabo www.authorerikamszabo.com When I was writing my epic fantasy series, I researched Hun history which occupies the bigger part of the story, but I got sidetracked by the fascinating Hungarian folk-art that is f...

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Ruth de Jauregui

9 months ago - Shared publicly

Oh that is lovely! I didn't know any of that! As a garden writer, I can tell you how to plant and grow tulips, but I never knew the symbolism in Hungarian folk art. Thank you!

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Erika M Szabo

9 months ago

It's fascinating to find out the symbolism in any folk-art when you do a little research :)

Joe Bonadonna

9 months ago - Shared publicly

Great research and examples of Hungarian folk-art. I love the symbolism. It infuses and inspires your writing, and enhances, gives more depth to your characters.

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Erika M Szabo

9 months ago

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It really does, Joe :)

Joe Bonadonna

9 months ago

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+Erika M Szabo -- indeed it does. You've shown me how I can use my culture's, and others' folk-art to enhance my stories. It will also add more meaning to my use of their mythologies and folklore.

Chris Weigand

9 months ago - Shared publicly

Love it. It is so cool when our research uncovers fascinating facts.

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Erika M Szabo

9 months ago

Thank you Chris :)

Toi Thomas via Google+

9 months ago - Shared publicly

Today, Erika Szabo, tells us why the lovely Tulip is so important to Hungarian folk-art.

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Grace Au

9 months ago - Shared publicly

A beautiful blog post behind the history of the tulip in Hungarian history. My favorite flower is the tulip and how interesting this is...I loved your mother saying they belonged in the center of the home...the kitchen. I wish that were still the case. Thanks for the lovely post.

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