{Character Interviews } Amanda Wikoff's Zenon

 

| suggested music track of the day: "Vows" by Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning |

 

Well folks, I know I skipped last week's WriterlyWednesday post, which you'll have to forgive me for; but during this time of year I'm sure y'all will be able to empathize with me when I say these three words. MY, TIME FLIES!

Also, the schedule keeps getting crazier and crazier. I think this is just natural for December.

 

Anyhoo! Time for another character interview. Today we have one from Amanda Wikoff.

 

Handing it over to Amanda now, so give her and her charrie a warm welcome!

 

__

 

I’m interviewing Zenon, my MMC from my NaNoNovel. He really has no idea what’s going on as he’s not the detail oriented one. Lyssia listened to the instructions; Zenon not so much. ;)

 

What’s one cool thing about the world you come from?

Well, I’ve not really had anything to compare it to. It’s not special to anyone here anymore but I’m not really sure what it’s like where you’re from so I’ll just say it. Some people have powers; some would call it magic, though that term is frowned upon. Our people fear these powers and our history shows a good reason to; though I’m positive it could be used for good were it not outlawed. It seems as if only Lyssia still has the ability to do magic but we have been told there is another.

 

What does your bedroom look like?

My ceiling is the stars and my walls the air around me. I could have a home with brick walls and a stifling ceiling but I prefer to sleep under the canopy of the sky. It’s much more romantic that way, don’t you think?

 

Describe your personality.

My personality? I guess the best way to say it is that I like to be independent, though it gets me in trouble more often than not.

 

Describe your physical appearance.

Blonde hair, blue eyes. Not too different from the little Avanreili boys I’ve met. Most of the time our hair turns dark when we come of age but mine’s still the same old blonde it’s always been. I’ve got a pointy nose and my hair is unruly in the kindest of terms.

 

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

I’ve never heard those words before but I’ve just been informed of their meanings. I’d suppose that I’m an ext—no! It’s the other one. Definitely the other one, though I can’t remember what the word is. Where do you get those words anyway?

 

Do you approve of how your author treats you?

I suppose it’s alright though I do wish she wouldn’t harm my loved ones so much. I’d rather have all her wrath focused on me. That’d be far less painful than seeing everyone else hurt.

 

Do you have any physical or mental abnormalities/illnesses?  

I’m sure Eliza wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that I do but nothing has been medically proven or anything.

 

What do you think about right before falling asleep at night?

That’s a good question and the honest answer is I don’t remember. You know when you get an idea before falling asleep and when you wake up you can’t remember what it was? It’s quite like that I suppose. Though if I had to guess I would probably say I think about what the next day will hold.

 

You’re bored, and all you have is a blank piece of paper and pencil. What happens?

I’d sketch some inanimate object. It’d be the very first thing I saw and absolutely no thought would go into it. It would come out entirely better than anything I’ve ever put effort into and I would be left wondering how that happens.

 

Most prized possession?

My friends? I’d give anything to keep them safe, so I suppose they’re what I value above all else.

 

Hobbies?

Hunting is the hobby that’s been forced upon me. I don’t ever want to do it but when I get out there it’s actually quite relaxing.

 

One little known fact about yourself?

Let’s see… Something not many people know, correct? Oh! How about the fact that I belong to a race of people who despise me? I’m not actually Avanreili, though that’s where my father is from. My mother is Penthmessain, a race we didn’t know existed till not too long ago, and we just happen to be at war with them. But that’s a long story that we shouldn’t get into.

 

What’s something you really like about yourself?

That’s an odd question. I don’t generally think about my virtues. I guess my favorite thing about myself is that I can be independent, though it’s also one of my largest faults.

 

Do you have any special skills, talents or abilities?

Actually I’m quite inadequate. So inadequate in fact that I’m not sure how I’ve survived on my own this long. It must be the good Lord’s doing ‘cause it certainly isn’t my own.”

 

Would you go skydiving if you could? 

I assume you mean cliff jumping. That’s like diving into the sky. I think I would, if I could work up the courage. Lyssia went once and she said it was terrifying but I think it’d be exhilarating.

 

--

 

Check out Zenon's author's blog, here!

 

And...if you have a character you'd like interviewed, shoot me a note in the comments! Have a blessed Wednesday, y'all!

 

{Character Interviews} Hannah Stewart's Lucian

 

Hey y'all! Guess what we have starting today? Interviews with awesome fictional characters!

A number of my writing friends will be contributing weekly (every Wednesday) with answers to some questions which were asked of their characters!

Eventually, I might even do an interview of...*overly dramatic drum roll* my own characters. If they let me, which is highly doubtful.

 

But anyway! Today, I'm pleased to introduce to you Lucian, a character from Hannah Stewart's book "Outspoken." He's one of my personal favorites from this volume!

 

Soooo let's give him a warm welcome, and move on with the interview!

 

What’s one cool thing about the world you come from?

Well, I was going to say the mountainous districts, but my author
kindly informed me of the different connotations of the word "cool" in
your culture. The world I come from really isn't all that different
from yours, if a few thousand years behind. Medieval, I believe you
would call it. Perhaps you would call the Woods of Escaine a "cool"
feature of my world... the forest itself is a couple thousand years
old, with trees so large that the rogue knight Escaine and his band of
robbers were able to set up their camp inside them - they burnt out
what we call "holes" from the cores of the trunks, and turned them
into little houses. No one ever found them... at least, not until Finn
discovered the secret decades after the campsite had been abandoned.

 

What does your bedroom look like?

Usually, a dry patch of dirt or bed of grass with the stars overhead
will suffice. I've never had my own. My family was too poor when I was
little, not that I could remember it well enough to describe it now.
After that, it was whatever corner I could sequester away. Now Finn
has offered me one of the holes to myself, but I've been too busy
helping him to take him up on it.

Describe your personality.

That's a... difficult question. If I were in a joking mood, I'd have
to call myself the quiet type. I guess what I can say about myself is
that I care about my family and my friends. I'm a nobody... no one
important, no one special. I'm just a carpet to be walked over,
treated however the passing fads deem appropriate. But my family - by
blood or by loyalty - they mean everything to me. And anyone that
hurts them will have me to deal with.

 

Describe your physical appearance.
Appearance? Like I said, I'm nothing special. Average height, average
weight, average build. I have my father's red hair and beard with my
mother's curl. My cheekbones, I've been told, are my most striking
aspect. My eyes can't decide who's they are, sometimes they're blue
like my mother's, sometimes green, like my father's. Nothing
outstanding to reference, nothing at all.

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Years ago, I may have considered myself an extrovert, the head of the
pack. But every thing's changed since then. My circumstances make it
hard to be anything but an introvert, really, and I've accepted that.
Grown to like it. The horses are my companions now, and along with my
few friends, I have all I need.
Do you approve of how your author treats you?

I won't pretend not to be bitter about certain things, but who
wouldn't be? I can't really blame her though. Like she says, the story
has to come first, and I know it pains her to hurt us. I just have to
trust that whatever point she intends to make will be worth the
heartache.

 

What would you do if you needed to make dinner but the kitchen was inaccessible?

That's a... strange question. I'd do what I suppose any reasonable man
would do: build a fire and cook dinner in the open air. It most
definitely wouldn't be the first time.

Do you have any physical or mental abnormalities/illnesses?

As you may have picked up on from my author having to transcribe for
me, I have no voice of my own. My tongue was cut out when I was first
enslaved by Lord Sadach - I was ten, and mouthed off to him. He
thought I'd make a great servant, if I wasn't so spirited, and there's
more than one way to break a man. Since then, my nasty tendency of
becoming a heroic fool when the innocent are in trouble has left me
with more scars than flesh on my back.

What do you think about right before falling asleep at night?

Any number of things really. The things I regret, the people I've lost
- they tend to make appearances. A lot of appearances... But, these
days, I've been so busy. Now, it tends to be whatever I'm most anxious
about, be it a battle to come or bad news to deliver.

 



You’re bored, and all you have is a blank piece of paper and pencil.
What happens?

Most likely, I remain bored. I only recently learned how to write, and
it's still difficult. But, being away so often now, it wouldn't be
surprising if I wrote a letter for Caillte and Pip, or a report for
Finn.

Most prized possession?

I don't exactly have a lot of possessions, and though most people
would consider him one, I can't call what I would esteem my most
prized and object. Elisha, my horse. He's carried me through
atrocities no man should ever see, and remained by my side as a
friend, companion, and brother in arms.
Hobbies?

I don't have time for hobbies. But, when time does present itself, I
usually spend it in the stables or striking up a tune on my mandolin.

One little known fact about yourself?

Little known fact? Oh, I don't know... I guess not many people know
that, when I was young, before Muintir burned to the ground and I was
taken captive, I was an fairly accomplished dancer. My parents, as I
came to find out later, had both held positions in the royal palace
years before. They were favorites of the previous royal family. They
knew how to dance like the upper class, and thought it wise to teach
me. Mother said it would help me overcome my social position later in
life, and I suppose it has in ways.
What’s something you really like about yourself?

There's not much to like, but if forced to chose something, I guess it
would be my loyalty to those I love. It gets me in trouble, but I
deserve trouble. They don't.

Do you have any special skills, talents or abilities?

I train horses. My father taught me how, and I was good enough to
please Lord Sadach. I'm also very strong with the sword, and I can
play the mandolin, as I said before.
Would you go skydiving if you could?

My author informs me that skydiving is a modern sport in your world...
I don't see the appeal in leaping out of a giant hunk of metal hurling
through the sky, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it if beckoned.
Stranger things have happened. 

 -

{Visit Lucian's author Hannah here.}

 

Join me next week for another interview with a fascinating book character you're sure to love!

Writing-Induced Depression? {WriterlyWednesday}

 

I never thought it was possible.

 

Non-writers won't have any idea about that which I speak of - and I'm confident even some writerly folks won't understand. Honestly, it is a bit mysterious and daunting to me myself.

 

Writing-induced depression. Is that already an official term? If not, I'm coining it. WID.

 

My friends, WID is real.

 

I experienced it at its full potential this last Monday.

 

See, I've been working in earnest on The Rebels lately due to the fact that my self-set deadline is fast approaching with the end of the year.

 

And, I happen to be in the midst of the most depressing part of the book.

 

Have you ever attempted writing a full-fledged Civil War battle scene?

 

If you haven't, don't bother trying to sympathize wit me. The only way for you to understand this sentiment would be to go through the experience yourself.

 

The trauma. The feels. The pain.

 

This chapter has torn my inner workings to pieces. I put myself in a literal depression all because of it.

 

"A cave of depression", to quote an awesome writing friend of mine.

 

The numbness was stifling.

As I poured my soul into the gore and sadness on the document before me, tears forced their way from my eyes.

 

My eyes sting even as I think of it. My poor characters. Damascus Hayden, the red-headed Rebel man who's distanced himself so far from his Creator.

 

 

All I wanted to do when writing that scene was climb into bed and sleep.

Wake up to a fresh start, the painful emotions wiped clean away.

 

Getting away from the book did a world of good.

 

I accompanied Mom to Micanopy to drop off and collect library books, (always fun, since it's the library of course!) and then we took a serendipitous stop at Mosswood, a delightfully charming little locally run shop across the street from the library. It's one of my favorites, and has been for ages.

The sound of vintage 30's music drifts the place, organic, handmade and locally grown products fill the store's shelves. Books on how to do things yourself - how to bake bread, how to bee keep, you name it.

 

The building itself is an old house, renovated into a cozy store. Wood is everywhere - wood floors, beautiful wood counters, walls, ahhh it's lovely. I love wood furnishings.

 

The best thing is that this place supplies heirloom seeds - something we value greatly for our gardens.

Upon purchasing a good quantity for this year's winter crops, we made the spontaneous decision to also buy mochas. Mmmm! So warm and deliciously rich and yummy.

 

We sat out on the porch for a good solid hour, just Mom and I. *happy sigh* I will treasure that afternoon. It was a special mother-daughter bonding time. So terribly thankful for my parents!

 

So that helped with the dark moment of WID I was having. It helped greatly. Mom is such a good listener, I wish I was more like her.

I'm melodramatic. Insane, obsessive, completely random and sporadic.

Entirely too emotional. But you know what? Somehow, my family puts up with all that.

Somehow my friends do. Somehow, God does. And that is most comforting of all.

His grace has never left me dry and wanting. I may act like an idiot, fall down and botch things up, but I can always run back to Him. He is my Rock, my Sword, my Shield.

 

He never leaves me.

 

Anyhoo. WID is real, bottom line. It's rough and it leaves scars. In short? Watch out, fellow writerly peoples. If you find yourself sitting at your computer, staring in angst at your novel with tears threatening to spill from your eyes, be careful. If you heart feels numb and emotionless, yet heavy and sore, tread with caution. If, even hours after you stopped writing, your entire demeanor hasn't changed one lick - yipes.

 

You might find yourself carried away -  lost in a severe case of writing induced depression.

 

Tread carefully for it's a hazard zone not to be taken lightly.

 

 

More Writing Prompts + Paracord Bracelet Review {WriterlyWednesday}

 

Good afternoon, amigos y amigas!

 

So, to begin with, yes, I'm quite aware of the fact that I've not done a WriterlyWednesday post for some time now. *sniffs* As much as I like writing this column, it's just been too much for me lately. And if I do any blogging, it's reviews - as you've probably noticed.

 

I don't know about y'all, but *my* life has been a garbled morass lately - I've had a 3 week long babysitting job, (which I'm thankful for because it's been a great way to bring in some income) piano lessons to teach, school work to finish, a novel and screenplay constantly demanding attention, among other things like just trying to get chores and work done around the house; and trying to make time for my brothers...which has proven to be hard. I am still working on selflessness in that area, and I have a WAYS to go on it, I'll admit. But I'm trying, anyways.

 

SO. Forgetting my own personal ramblings for a moment, let's get into the writing segment of this rainy Wednesday afternoon's post. I did mention we're being drenched here, didn't I? No? Well, it's our wet season and to put it lightly, we've not been anywhere near short on rain. I am thankful for it, because the garden needs it and so does all the other greenery - but at the same time it's getting a little old...I am not a huge fan of running in the rain, well, not when it's on slippery pavement, anyways. Don't really want to encounter any more athletics injuries!

 

So, I know it can be a struggle to find inspiration to write, sometimes. And that's what writing prompts can be helpful for. These may be simplistic but you never know, one might spark an idea! Here are a few I found while browsing the internet, and thought I'd share.

1. It was the first snowfall of the year.
2. He hadn’t seen her since the day they left high school.
3. The city burned, fire lighting up the night sky.
4. Silk.
5. She studied her face in the mirror.
6. The smell of freshly-cut grass.
7. They came back every year to lay flowers at the spot.
8. The streets were deserted. Where was everyone? Where had they all gone?
9. This time her boss had gone too far.
10. Red eyes.
11. Stars blazed in the night sky.
12. He woke to birdsong.
13. ‘Shh! Hear that?’ ‘I didn’t hear anything.’
14. He’d always hated speaking in public.
15. She woke, shivering, in the dark of the night.
16. The garden was overgrown now.
17. He’d never noticed a door there before.
18. She’d have to hitch a ride home.
19. ‘I told him not to come back too!’
20. His feet were already numb. He should have listened.
21.  

"Take some time out of your day to people watch. This works especially well in a coffee shop, restaurant, or some other public place where interaction is the norm. Jot down observations about the people around you. Describe a loner, a couple, someone how works in this public area. How do they interact? What's their body language say about them at this point in time? How does the employee react to those around him?"

 

This one above is something I'm sure many of you fellow writers already do, probably even involuntarily. I find myself taking in my surroundings all the time, without even thinking about it.

Let me tell ya, you can learn a whole lot about the world you live in when you are observant!

 

 

 

Now, onto the review.

 

I was sent an awesome homemade paracord bracelet from Hailey Smith, a sweet writer friend of mine whom I met on GTW, a writing group on Facebook.

 

Hailey has made an assortment of different colored/styled paracord bracelets. I liked this navy and white one best...I find it rather nautical looking.

 

The awesome thing about paracord bracelets, if you didn't already know, is that they are as practical as they are cool-looking. You can unravel them to get a good long stretch of cord, which is super strong and durable and could be used in a variety of survival situations where a rope might be needed.

 

My mom bought me one at Christmas last year, and it was also homemade by somebody we knew. I like it a lot - but I think this one is made a bit better.

 

 

 

It's easy to put on, with the little plastic buckle. Also, it fits my wrist perfectly!

 

 

Overall I like this bracelet a lot. It has a practical purpose, yet it's also pretty neat looking, and it matches with most of my wardrobe.

 

If you'd like to get your own handmade paracord bracelet like this one, check out TH Designs where Hailey and her mother sell a bunch of different homemade items, including these bracelets.

 

Hope y'all are having a blessed week! Happy Independence day, early!

 

Note: I was provided this item from Hailey Smith in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed remain mine and mine alone.

10 Thought-Provoking Writing Prompts {WriterlyWednesday}

 

Hello out there...guess who's back from a lovely vacation at the beach?

Well, it was a terrific week and I was sad to leave, but here I am again back home and true is the saying - there's no place like home.

 

I might do a random photos post (with pictures from the beach) some time soon but today you're simply getting some handy writing prompts which I found on Pinterest. (that site has everrrrything)

I hardly have used writing prompts but sometimes when you're lacking inspiration or motivation, simply pondering a specific prompt can do wonders. So hopefully this post will accomplish just that, and get your brain juices flowing!

 

 

1. List five of your worst phobias; add one of them to your antagonist's character profile. Ohh, I like this one! And I'd maybe add something to a protagonist's profile, in this fashion, as well.

 

2. Write about the worst thing your protagonist has done. You might not even use this in the actual WIP but it could help you get to know your character better...and who knows, in the process, you might actually get an idea for a new scene in the book!

 

3. Write about sacrifices you've made, and promises you didn't keep. Perhaps you'll get inspiration for a moving emotional scene here.

 

4. Write about the worst physical pain you've experienced, using all five senses. Wow, this one could be a killer, if applied to a character in your WIP. Remember, use all five senses. Have the person not only feel the pain, but smell and hear it as well. This, if not anything else, should be a truly fascinating exercise to stimulate the brain activity.

 

5. List your protagonist's five favorite countries. Give a reason why he likes each one. This may sound trivial, but do you even have a protagonist? Well then, don't you want to know him as well as you can, and be able to pick apart his every detail of existence? Nobody likes bland, detail-lacking characters...knowing even the little, seemingly-trivial tidbits of a character's mind can make all the difference in the overall outlook of that figure.

 

6. Your antagonist is making tea for his mother. What is he thinking? Write this scene out, listing his thought processes as time ticks on. Don't forget to use all five senses if possible!

 

7. Write about the sound of winter. Yes, the sound. Rely primarily on this sense, and try not to use any of the others. I know it's summer right now, but that gives you all the more opportunity to rely on your imagination and recollection, therefore possibly forcing the brain to think deeper.

 

8. Write about the smell of your favorite food. Now, to focus on the nasal sense. As with #7, write this sense alone and none other combined.  You could also turn this prompt into writing about the smell of your antagonist/protagonist's favorite food, and make it apply more directly to your WIP.

 

9. Write about the last dream you can remember. The main point of this exercise is to get working on your memory skills, and precision of memory recollection. Write out the dream in the sharpest detail you can.

 

10. The worst possible, unimaginable thing just happened to your antagonist. How does he handle it? You could also flip the question and make it apply to your protagonist. Our characters are nothing more than characterizations until we see what they really are when faced with tribulation, conflict and their worst nightmares. Only then, do we see true character.

 

 

-

 

So there you have it! Did these prompts help? I know they got me thinking as I wrote them down - now I myself am wanting to try a couple of them! *winks*

 

 

Hope y'all are having a blessed summer - I certainly am!

 

Three Questions Every Writer Should Ask Themselves {WriterlyWednesday}

 

Today for WriterlyWednesday I'm not going to write a lengthy article-esque post like last time. Why? Well, for one, I don't have the time to do so today. And two, I don't want to bore you guys to death again.

 

So, today I'm simply going to give you a few questions, which, if you're in a spot of brain-deadness or loss for inspiration towards your WIP, should hopefully help get some wheels turning again in the brainstorming/creative side of your brain.

 

And, if you're not stuck in writers' block? Well, yay for you. You should be thankful for this because you'd not believe how much writers' block has been plaguing me lately. Gah! So hopefully these three questions will get both the currently inspiration-challenged and the on-a-roll writers thinking deeper about their stories.

 

 

Question #1

Think several scenes ahead, even to the end of the plot. Now ask yourself this: Where am I going with this? If you can't answer this fully than consider taking some time simply to plan out how exactly your story will progress and where it's going to go. It's helpful to create a chapter/scene map, assisting with this.

 

Question #2

Why must I tell this story? Again, if you can't provide a solid answer to this question, than you need to seriously ponder what the point of the whole thing is. Everyone does what they do for a reason, and with all the valuable time you're investing in this WIP, you certainly don't want it to be in vain. People want stories with meaning, that have a reason they must be told. This adds so much to their value and appeal.

 

Question #3

Think about your main characters/protagonists/whoever you want the book's focus to remain primarily on. Now. What is the worst possible thing that could happen to them? This may sound like a drastic, non relevant question, but just muse on it for a moment and see what comes up. If you're needing a good inciting incident, turning point or climax, "drastic" and dramatic (if accomplished correctly) have major appeal.  Especially in the film industry, for those of you who are writing screenplays. Just thinking about what could turn your MC's life totally upside down - what would wreck their present life and make them reconsider everything they've always known - might just spur a wave of inspiration for an awesome new scene or plot twist.

 

 

I know it was only a mere several points; but hopefully that won't matter and you'll have gotten something useful out of them. I am personally a huge fan of asking questions...about everything.

 I find that you can learn so much more - about yourself, the world around you, everything.

 

Questions are indeed truly wonderful things. What are some you like to ask yourself to keep your writing in check, or to help spur inspiration?

 

Have a blessed day,

Principles of Antagonism {WriterlyWednesday}

 

It's Wednesday.

It's Wednesday and I haven't done a WriterlyWednesday post for several weeks now.

Thus.....

I'm officially, seriously failing at doing weekly posts.

It's official.

 

But anyways. Let's forget my tardiness for a bit and focus on a very vital part to any story.

 

The principles of antagonism. (at least some of them, anyways)

 

Without a force of contradiction, something opposite of the positive elements in your plot, the story falls flat and tasteless - bland; unlike the occurings of actual reality.

 

And, if you're aware of this vital axiom of plot creation and development, you'll know that readers and viewers (for those of you writing screenplays) detest stories in which they cannot relate to anything. If the audience can't relate to the main character, or what he/she is feeling/struggling with, chances are, you'll lose them before they've finished half of the book/film.

 

Now, this isn't saying that you can't create bizarre and otherworldly fantasies, or pieces comparable to sci-fi epics. It's not about the genre you're writing; which is so important, but how you present your story.

 

And one of the ways to best do this is to make sure you keep the balance of ups/downs, antagonism/protagonism, good/evil in check.

 

The best stories on this planet involve plots with many ups and downs. And, forgetting plain stories for a moment, just take a look at your own life, and the lives of others around you!

Your life probably hasn't been all fun and games or smooth sailing for the entire trip. There've been bumps in the road, potholes and other difficulties. Maybe even tragedy and great loss, in some places.

In the midst of that, you've also had your good times, and the days when you felt you were on 'cloud nine'.

 

There's a saying. It's a simple one, but truth doesn't have to be exuberant or complex to be truth.

 

 

 

Let's take a look at a classic fairy tale, and examine the balance of negatives versus positives.

 

Cinderella's life begins with an event of antagonism. Her mother is dead. A negative. Her father remarries, a positive...that is, until we find out that who he marries is actually a wretched, selfish, vain woman who is apparently jealous of anyone with more physical beauty than she. This, in turn, becomes a negative. And since the event which happened prior to it was a negative, this turns the remarriage into a DOUBLE negative. Soon, the next event becomes what is called a negation of the negation, an epitome of negativity, as the wicked stepmother practically turns Cinderella into a slave, and treats her like dirt despite the fact that the girl is a sweet, selfless creature.

Enter next event, Cinderella's stepsisters go off to the ball without her. Another double negative.

Fairy godmother arrives, consoles Cinderella, helps her get to the ball after all. A positive.

Cinderella meets Prince Charming at the ball, falls in love. A double positive. (Supposedly)

But then, she has to flee home before she is changed back to her state of rags and aprons, and humiliated in front of him. In the process, she leaves a crystal slipper...apparently a negative, but also doubly a positive because it provides the means for the prince to find her again.

 

I could go on with the Cinderella mantra, but hopefully you've gotten the idea of positive and negative turns by now. I should mention, that the entire time I was writing this part I kept wanting desperately to insert plot failures or holes and such other obvious predicaments with the Cinderella plot. Obviously, I refrained from doing so. (You can thank me later. *winks*)

 

 

Now, this being said, fairy tales are the stuff which in my opinion consist as the epitome of cliched antagonism.

Sure, there may be some ups and downs - events which contradict the MC's goals and dreams, even putting the person in danger or compromise in some aspect. But, the balance of antagonism in Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty is predictable and unlike reality. I just wanted to use this story as an common example of ups and downs - clashes of antagonism - in fiction.

 

In one of my books, (actually one yet to be written) events occur which are a mixture of positive and negative. When this happens, it's called ironic ascension.  My FMC (female main character for y'all who don't know the lingo) gets what she has prayed for, for month upon month...Her father's return.

 He has been away for years and finally comes home to his family, to her joy. A positive. Only...he doesn't return quite the way Emma had been hoping. Instead of coming home, his eyes sparkling with ecstatic happiness at seeing his wife and children again, he stumbles into the parlor; being supported by another soldier. His eyes are glazed over, and he doesn't speak, not to anyone. As the family comes to discover, he has in effect lost his mind. A negative, negation of the negation, and, in this case, also an ironic ascension, since we assumed in the beginning it was a positive event.

 

There are MANY other stories which hold far better examples than Cinderella, for examining of antagonism usages. Unfortunately, my brain is rather fried because the fiction I've been reading lately has been LOTR/Hobbit related, and that's saying a good deal because typically I don't read much fiction period! (My time is spent reading wise on my school studies and stuff that benefits me in everyday life.)

 

But let me stress again. If there is not a swing of positive and negative in your plot, and ideally a good bit of it, it will fall flat and boring. I won't restate myself on the "If there are no ups or downs in your life" part. Hopefully that should be pretty memorable! ;)

 

Maybe when you first saw the title of this post you were thinking it'd surely be about antagonists themselves, not a vague account of the basics of forces of antagonism. Antagonists as characters certainly deserve a post of their own, and hopefully I'll write some on them at some point in the near future!

 

What do you think of this whole topic? Was it helpful to you to read about? What are some strong examples of ups/downs/negatives/positives in your own plots/stories?

 

P.s. Sorry I rambled on the ironic ascensions part...that too needs to be covered further in another post!

You Name-Caller! 30 Historically Accurate Medieval Names {WriterlyWednesday}

So, a while ago we covered medieval fantasy name ideas for characters. Fantasy is wonderful, and totally a fun genre to write, but if you are trying to create a historically accurate Middle Ages story, you don't need names which belong in Lord of the Rings. You need names which reflect the period the characters are from.

So today let's take a look at real, historically accurate medieval names.

Girls:

1. Muriel/Muirgheal- (Proncouned MWIR-yal) This name was brought by the Normans to Brittany. It is the medieval English form of a Celtic name which was probably related to the Irish name Muirgel. Personally I *love* the name Muriel.

2. Aethelu - Derives from English, and means "noble". This is rather unique sounding.

3. Líadáin  - (Pronounced LEE-din, or, LEE-a-din) From what I've researched this can be reconciled as one of the few forms of my name, Leah. Since Leah is Hebrew in origin, it is difficult to convert to Irish but it can be compared to some Irish words phonetically and this is one of them. I like the spelling a whole lot personally. The word itself means "grey lady".  Léá is how the name Leah is written in Irish Bibles. Líoch is pronounced LEE-ukh, which could be another means of saying Leah in Irish. It means "beautiful."

4. Beatrice - Derives from Latin, and means "happy".

5. Siofra - (Pronounced SHEE-fra) A lovely Irish name which could be used in either masculine or feminine terms. Means "sprite, changeling, precocious child."

6. Cecily -  A name which derives from Latin, and means "blind". What a name meaning, right? Well, at least it SOUNDS pretty. Cecily.

7. Áinfean - (Pronounced AWN-f'yun) Another Irish name, which means "storm, fury, violence." Maybe this could be a good name for your fierce female antagonist!

8. Gormlaith  - (Pronounced GUR-um-la) Yet another Irish name. This reminds me of a name for a queen or  prominent female leader figure. It means "blue or illustrious princess".

9. Heloise - Derives from French and means "sun".

10. Margery - A form of Marjorie, a name which derives from English and means "pearl".

11. Reina - Derives from Spanish and means "queen"; also derives from Yiddish and means "pure" or "clean".

12. Rhoslyn - derives from Welsh and means "lovely rose" or "rose valley".

13.  AMÉE - Old French form of the name Aimee/Amy. I think this is an interesting means of spelling the name.

14. Cateline - Medieval French form of Katherine.

15. Uainionn (Pronounced OO-in-yin) Another unique Irish name, meaning "foam-white".

Boys:

1. Ríordán (Pronounced REE-ur-dawn) An Irish name, meaning "royal poet". I really like this one.


2. Alistair - Derives from Gaelic, and means "defending men".


3. Rúadhán - (Pronounced ROO-awn) An Irish name, meaning "red haired." I rather like this one also.


4. Bennett -  This is a common name indeed, but it has ancient ties. It derives from Latin and means "blessed".

5. Gawain - This derives from Welsh and means "white hawk of battle". Very LOTR sounding even though it  didn't originate from a Tolkien book at all!


6. Milo - Derives from German and means "uncertain", perhaps, "peaceful"; also derives from Latin and means "soldier."


7. Constantine - A perfect Middle Ages name, which derives from Latin and means "steadfast".

8. Faolán  - (Pronounced FWAY-lawn) A masculine Irish name which is associated with wolves. 

9. Fearghus  (Pronounced FER-a-gus) Irish, meaning, "strength of a man". 

10. Theobald - Derives from German, and means "brave" or "bold".

11. Odo - Derives from German and means "wealth".

12. Bartholomew - This is a very common Middle Ages name, and one of its first appearances was in the Bible itself.  

13. Borislav  - This name can be traced back to having Bulgarian, Serbia, Croatian, Russian and Medieval Slavic roots. It means "fame in battle" from the Slavic element bor "battle" combined with slav "glory".

14.  Dmetrei  Old Slavic form of Dmitry or Dmitrie. 

15. Dragomir - Now, you may be thinking this sounds an awful lot like Boramir, or Faramir and perhaps it does. BUT it is a real, historical name! It means "precious and peaceful" from the Slavic element dorgu meaning "precious" combined with mir meaning "peace" or "world". It has Serbian, Croatian, Romanian and Medieval Slavic roots.

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SO. There you are! I'll acknoledge that I put a lot of emphasis on Irish names in particular. Originally I didn't intend to do this but the more I researched name etymology in this language the more I decided I loved some of the names and needed to included them here. I've been sort of obsessing over what my name would be converted to in Irish. As I stated above, under Líadáin, it has been very difficult to determine how to do this and what exactly the results are. Liamhain is another feminine name which sounds similar to Leah, it is pronounced LEE-a-vin. I like the spelling better on Líadáin  but the meaning of it is "grey lady", and the meaning of Liamhain is "comely,beautiful", so...I don't know. :P Won't lie, the meaning of the latter sounds nicer than the former! Laoise is another which sounds phoenetically like my name, somewhat. it is pronounced LEE-sha, and means "radiant girl."

If you would like to know a general converted form/equivalent of your name, let me know in the comments! I love researching names and languages. Actually, I'm even considering dual enrolling in Spanish. But that's another topic for another day!

Hope y'all found this useful and beneficial!

Blessings,

(Also known as Green Tea Girl or just plain ol' Leah Kathryn ;P)