| Finding Fantasy in Other Places Besides in Books and Movies -- 2/1/07 Want to check out some other cool fantasy related websites? Here is a list that will get you clicking at the speed of light! Artists - The Best of the Best! Den Beauvais – www.danbeauvais.com Jeffrey K. Bedrick – www.jeffreykbedrick.com Michel Bohbot – www.mbohbot.com Amy Brown – www.amybrownart.com Dorian Cleavenger – www.dorianart.com Larry Elmore – www.larryelmore.com Jason Engle – www.jaestudio.com Dan Frazier – www.danfrazier.com Alan Gutierrez - www.alangutierrez.com Greg and Tim Hildebrandt – www.spiderwebart.com Todd Lockwood – www.toddlockwood.com Larry MacDougall – www.underhillstudio.com Rodney Matthews – www.rodneymatthews.com Patrick McEvoy – www.megaflowgraphics.com Rowena Morill – www.rowenaart.com Ted Nasmith – www.tednasmith.com Keith Parkinson – www.keithparkinson.com Myles Pinkney – www.mylespinkney.com John Pitre – www.pitreart.com Marc Potts – www.marcpotts.com Stephanie Pui-Mun Law – www.shadowscapes.com Linda Ravenscroft – www.lindaravenscroft.com Steve A. Roberts - www.fantasy-graphic.com Thom Scott – www.thomscottart.com Don Seegmiller – www.donseegmiller.com Justin Sweet – www.justinsweet.com Nene Thomas – www.nenethomas.com Ruth Thompson – www.tarnishedimages.com Christophe Vacher – www.vacher.com Gilbert Williams – www.gilbertwilliams.com John Zeleznik – www.johnzeleznik.com Mark Zug – www.markzug.com Conventions - Meet Your Favorite Authors! Arisia Science Fiction Convention – www.arisia.org (Cambridge, Massachusetts) ArmadilloCon – www.fact.org/dillo (Austin, Texas) Balticon – www.balticon.org (Baltimore, Maryland) Baycon – www.baycon.org (San Jose, California) Capricon – www.capricon.org (Arlington Heights, Illinois) Chattacon – www.chattacon.org (Chattanooga, Tennessee) CoastCon – www.coastcon.org (Biloxi, Mississippi) DemiCon – www.demicon.org (Des Moines, Iowa) Dragon Con – www.dragoncon.com (Atlanta, Georgia) DreamCon – www.dreamcon.net (Jacksonville, Florida) I-Con – www.iconsf.org (Ronkonkoma, New York) Los Angeles Comic Book & Sci Fi Con – www.comicbookscifi.com Lunacon – www.lunacon.org (New Jersey) MarCon – www.marcon.org (Midwest) MidSouthCon – www.midsouthcon.org (Memphis, Tennessee) Miscon – www.miscon.org (Missoula, Mississippi) Mobicon – www.mobicon.org (Mobile, Alabama) NorwesCon – www.norwescon.org (Seattle, Washington) Odyssey Con – www.oddcon.org (Madison, Wisconsin) Opus Fantasy Arts Festival – www.opusfest.com (Denver, Colorado) Philcon – www.philcon.org (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Roc*Kon – www.rockon.org (Little Rock, AK) San Diego Comic-Con – www.comic-con.org Sci-Fi Summer Con – www.sfscon.org (Atlanta, Georgia) Technicon – www.technicon.org (Blacksburg, Virginia) Trinoc-Con – www.trinoc-con.org (Raleigh, North Carolina) Westercon – www.westercon.org (Location changes yearly) WonderCon – www.comic-con.org/wc/ (San Francisco, California) World Fantasy Convention – www.worldfantasy.org (Location changes yearly) Mythology and Folklore - Collections and Resources! Bulfinch’s Mythology – The Age of Fable, Chivalry and Legends of Charlamagne. www.bulfinch.org The Council of Elrond – A rapidly growing Lord of the Rings news and information resource. www.councilofelrond.com Encyclopedia Mythica – An encyclopedia of mythology, folklore and legend. www.pantheon.org Folklore and Mythology – Legends from countries all over the world. www.pitt.edu/~dash/folktexts.html Gryphon’s Guild – A land where myth and meaning are the same, and Gryphons rule the rocks and sky. Where Gryphons are protected and their forgotten stories are told. www.gryphonguild.critter.net Mermaids on the Web – This site holds more than 1,720 resources about mermaids, including pictures, links, movie reviews and more. www.isidore-of-seville.com/mermaids/ Mythography – Explore mythology and art with information about the classic stories of heroes and gods … from the myths of ancient Greece and Rome, to the legends of the Celts. www.loggia.com/myth/myth.html Myths and Legends – A links page full of all types of myths and legends including general, gothic horror, early fantasy, and medieval sections. www.home.comcast.net/~chris.s/mythold.html Occultopedia – Encyclopedia of occult sciences and knowledge. www.occultopedia.com Visual Institute of Cryptozoology www.perso.orange.fr/cryptozoo/welcome.htm _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________ |
| Whatever Happened to … The Dark Tower? --4/1/2007 Do any of you remember the old Dark Tower electronic board game, made by Milton Bradley in 1981? I do, and I became distraught when my brother accidentally didn’t put ours away properly, leaving half of it hanging off a shelf. You can imagine what happened next. When I heard the crash upstairs, I had a feeling something very terrible had occurred. Whenever you hear a crash, it’s usually bad to some degree, but this was a fate I wasn’t ready to deal with. Electronic board games became the rage in the early 1980’s, and for a while they kept pace with the emergence of Atari and hand held games. Orson Welles was in the original commercial that advertised The Dark Tower game when it came out, and my family fell for it hook, line and sinker, since we were all into fantasy. We played the game for hours on end. You could also play against the tower itself if you had no one to play with. You could cast spells on each other, fight battles with brigands, face dragons, deal with starvation and plagues, go to the bazaar and haggle, or watch your army become lost in an uncharted forest. |
| All of these activities are done, of course, as you search for the brass, silver and gold keys in tombs and ruins in foreign kingdoms. Once you have all three, you try to unlock the Dark Tower and retrieve the ancient magic scepter stolen by a tyrant king. |
| There was an actual black plastic, electronic dark tower that sat in the middle of the gaming board, and each player would spin it when it was time to take their turn. Inside the window they would see the above images light up before them as they decided what to do next on their journey. There was a keyboard located below the window, which you would press to tell the Dark Tower what you wanted to do. It would record your moves and then interact those with the players around you. When entering a tomb or ruin, the tower would emit a creaking noise of a door opening. And if you found nothing, the door would creak shut. Snake charmer’s music would play if you entered a bazaar, “Ride of the Valkyries� would sound if you won a battle, or a few notes of the “1812 Overture� would signal you to solve The Riddle of the Keys at the end of the game. These are only some of the fun tunes that were played by the game. One game could take hours to complete, and you could end up spending a lot of money on D-cell batteries if you became addicted. The game was any fantasy fan’s dream. Sadly, however, it was expensive to buy and there wasn’t a high enough demand to keep it on store shelves. Eventually it faded away, and my parents never bought another one to replace the one that my brother had broken. Probably because it was no longer available at that time. I was mad at my brother at first, but eventually I came to the conclusion that it was an accident. He did enjoy playing it, too, and would never intentionally break something we had so much fun with. Years went by, and randomly I would think of it as I grew into adulthood, but I knew deep down that I probably would never have the chance to relive those memories. But then something miraculous happened. Thanks to the rise of an Internet based company called E-bay, my dream was revived. Unfortunately, it came at no small price. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who really enjoyed playing the game. The Dark Tower is selling like hot cakes in the Internet auctions, averaging between one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars apiece. Spending that much money on one forces you to store it away properly. Now I only need to find some people to regularly play it with me. Any takers? |
| Which Came First, the Dragon or the Jar? --5/1/2007 When you enter a specific genre, whether you’re reading or writing it, you must ask yourself if the ideas that have been presented are new or founded on something else. I think you would be surprised to learn that the majority of ideas being created today are not original. Don’t let that dishearten you, though. From the past we can still take something and give it a new meaning, or a better twist. One example that comes to mind is the movie Star Wars. Yes, I did say Star Wars. Many critics have berated fantasy author Christopher Paolini for copying some of its themes, but if we dig a little deeper, we’d find out that George Lucas also did the same for his epic blockbuster series. In fact, Lucas did a ton of research for his screenplay, drawing up his plot from mythologies, religious practices and historical events. He also harnessed ideas from movies such as Flash Gordon, The Hidden Fortress and Hero with a Thousand Faces. Using the vocabulary from these movies was also a priority, helping set the tone for a different mindset that could transport the viewer into an escape from reality. And if you can believe this, Lucas also cited The Lord of the Rings as a major influence on Star Wars, saying he learned how to handle the “delicate stuff of mythâ€� from Tolkien. The Hobbit was published in 1936 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954. By the mid-sixties, Tolkien’s works were the most influential fantasy stories in the Western world, and by the late seventies Star Wars had taken over the throne, thanks to father of fantasy. Tolkien wrote that myth and fairytale seem to be the best way to communicate morality - hints for choosing between right and wrong - and in fact that may be their primary purpose. “The making of language and mythology are related functions,â€� he said. “Your language construction will breed a mythology.â€� Obviously Lucas agreed. So how do you know if an idea you’re reading or writing is new or not? The only true way to find out is to do what Lucas did. Do your research. It’s not a bad thing to know if your story’s already been told or not, and to what degree. It will only make you that much more knowledgeable as a reader, or that much more informed as a writer. No one wants to be a hoax, or a whistle blower on those who are. People desire to discover something new, rediscover something that’s been lost, or see something in a new light. It’s exciting, and makes life fun. Take the baby dragon pictured in the jar above for instance. Dragons are probably the most popular symbol in fantasy today. There have been thousands of stories written about dragons, and yet, this is something weâ €™ve never seen before, because of the way it’s being presented to the viewer. Is it a hoax? Some scientists speculate it’s made of wax, while others are amazed by its astounding detail, giving no opinion on the matter. The whereabouts of the dragon now is unknown, and no institution ever accepted it for testing, believing it to be a fake. What is interesting, though, is that upon first sight, it immediately makes any person ask, “Is it real?â€� Even though a few seconds later we might conclude it can’t be, why would we initially ask that? Because no one has ever proved if dragons scientifically exist, and perhaps somewhere deep within our souls we want to believe they do. And by believing they do, it leaves other doors for other myths and legends open for reexamination, and further exploration. How can we possibly know everything about every creature or story in this world? We simply can’t. All we can do is keep them alive in our hearts by allowing the stories to live on and grow in ways we can only imagine, and create. |
| Catching Up with Your Local Monster --Summer 2007 You probably don’t have to look very hard to find out if there’s a legendary monster living near you. It doesn’t matter what state, region or country you live in. Everyone’s got one near them. Some are real, and some are myth, but all contribute to this genre we call fantasy. The oldest of all monsters, as some scholars believe, is the dragon. The funny thing is, it seems that dragons developed in many different cultures thousands of miles apart, and over a long period of time. They donâ €™t all look exactly alike, of course, but they are a conglomerate of ancient man’s worst fears. Covered in scales. Talons of a bird. Tail of a snake. The dragon authors seemed to have adopted is the European dragon, which breathes fire and has large leathery wings. I guess if you’re going to have a monster, you need one that does more than just looks ugly. And who is better to fight these menacing beasts than a hero? Saint George was one of the first who helped get this ball of man versus dragon rolling. Saint Mercurialis, the first bishop in the city of Forli, was rumored to have killed a dragon. Saint Theodore of Tyro, who was the first patron saint of Venice, was also said to be dragon-slayer, which can be seen being depicted in a statue in one of the tops of the two columns in Saint Mark’s Square. So we have dragons, but were they created by something someone saw in the water (read between the lines: lake monster), or from a person who stumbled across the remains of dinosaur bones? It’s hard to say, but discovering a T-Rex skeleton in your backyard would surely draw up some frightening images for any ancient culture. Loch Ness Monster sightings have been reported since 565 A.D., and the creature is said to appear more in the month of June. Yeah, that’s a long time ago for rumors to have surfaced. Humans undoubtedly have a fascination for the bizarre and unexplained. There’s also Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan, the Thetis Lake Monster in Canada, Manipogo in Lake Manitoba, Igopogo in Lake Simcoe, Chessie the Cheasapeake Bay serpent, Slimy Slim of Lake Idaho, Bessie from Lake Erie and Whitney the white river monster of Arkansas. As you can see, there are lake monsters all over the place, which leads us to one conclusion: they’re most likely a species of dinosaur that has survived extinction, a plesiosaur or something similar. Scientists say it could also be a Lake Sturgeon, which grow to great lengths. A sturgeon is prehistoric fish with a scale-less body that is supported by a partially cartilaginous skeleton along with rows of scutes. This might explain a dorsal fin or flipper, but what about that elongated neck some observers have reported seeing rising out of the water. A bobbing log? Fat chance. In Vermont, we also have our own Nessie, named Champ, who purportedly swims about in Lake Champlaign, hence the nickname. The last sighting of Champ came in 1995 by Dennis Hall of Champ Quest, who was said to have recorded Champ on video. I do at some point plan to camp at Lake Champlaign, and would gladly like to catch my own glimpse of the legendary lake beast, but those experiences are few and far between, and those who report them are scrutinized to the hilt for coming forward. Some people just can’t handle something out of the normal, or something that hasn’t been defined by science, and therefore feel more comfortable ridiculing someone who is just trying to relate their experience to us. So it’s no doubt that many sightings go unreported, possibly a high number. Or theyâ €™re just dismissed by those individuals as them having seen something else in their mind. And in case youâ €™re wondering, it would take at least fifty mature Champs to have a viable breeding population for such a creature exist in the lake, or 500 to keep the species alive long term. That’s a lot of Champs, and leads one to wonder, how come we haven’t found a body? Why aren’t there more sightings? Where are they hiding out? But lake monsters and dragons only scratch the surface of what’s out there. There’s Bigfoot, which is referred to as Sasquatch, The Abominable Snowman and Yeti, depending on what region you live in. Bigfoot sightings have been reported in every state across the U.S. There’s databases on the Internet devoted to cataloging those sightings. There’s even recordings of Bigfoot noises. Check out the link for one of my favorites: http://www.oregonbigfoot.com/sounds.php. The first one regarding the growl/whistle combination in the High Serrias in California in 1978 blew me away when I heard it. It sends chills up your spine when you first listen to it. Now we move on to Puerto Rico’s Chupacabras, translated to mean “goat-sucker.â€� It is a creature that is much like a dragon, in which many of the worst attributes of animals are lumped together to create an entirely new creature. It’s said to have lidless red eyes, fangs, spikes on its back, webbed feet and some nasty claws. A Chupacabra feeds on local livestock, and, yes, there is substantial video evidence of something unusual having attacked these animals, which consist of goats, chickens, rabbits and even cows. Some have been completely drained of blood, and others have had entire organs sucked out through puncture holes. Soon after these animal deaths in Puerto Rico, others were reported in other countries, such as the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, Brazil, the United States and Mexico. Is this creature a product of mass hysteria, or is it real? Other creatures that have also contributed stories to the world of fantasy are The Loveland Frog/Lizard (Ohio), The Dover Demon (Dover, Massachusetts), The Moth Man (West Virginia), The Thunderbird (Arizona), giant Congo snakes, The Owlman (England), Spring-heeled Jack (south-west London), Leprechauns (England), The Jersey Devil (New Jersey), The Beast of Bray Road (Wisconsin), fairies (England), The Mongolian Death Worm, and a host of others. Wherever in the world you live, there is an unexplained legend living near you. If you have a few moments on your hand, try to learn more about it, and even make an investigation if you’re strong-hearted. One of the current television series I truly enjoy is the Sci-Fi Channel’s original series, “Ghost Huntersâ€�. If you haven’t heard of it, I’d be surprised. If you’ve never watched it, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Yes, the two main hunters are plumbers by day, but their team has caught film of some of the most amazing images of ghosts ever seen. And that’s what all of this comes down to, doesn’t it? If any of these creatures truly exist, we want scientific proof, or waterproof evidence of that existence. It’s the only way we can come to accept something so outlandish, something so out of the normal realm of our experience. And until there’s enough evidence gathered, all we will have to rely upon is our imagination, and a host of good writers willing to tell the stories. |
| Scot’s Top Fantasy Movies … of All Time--2/29/2008 …From novels, that is. This list takes all the oldies but goodies for their time into consideration, as well as the new action-packed graphic releases of recent years. As is customary with any countdown, let’s start with the lowest number. 15. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), starring Pat Boone, James Mason -- Based on the Jules Verne classic—the story takes Professor Edinburgh and his colleagues down an explorer’s trail inside an extinct Icelandic volcano to the center of the Earth. I saw this movie when I was seven, and it’s been burned into my memory since, and t was the first time my eyes were opened to the world of fantasy, which is why it makes my top fifteen list. Everyone has a movie they can go back to and say, “That’s the movie that first got me interested in this genre.â€� Then eventually, of course, that leads to the inevitable: books. 14. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), starring Kirk Douglas, James Mason – Another Jules Verne adaptation, another classic I watched as a kid. Shipping vessels are disappearing in the South Seas in 1868. Tabloids attribute the disappearances to the existence of a sea monster. Professor Pierre Arronax and his assistant Conseil investigate as they embark on a steamship to the Orient. Among the crew is Ned Land (Kirk Douglas). After a long period on the open sea, a submarine called the Nautilaus, commanded by Captain Nemo (James Mason), attacks the steamship. Prof. Arronax, Conseil and Ned are rescued by the submarine, and share the dreams and madness of Captain Nemo. For as old as this movie is, it’s still fun to watch. 12. Dragonheart (1996), starring Sean Connery, Dennis Quaid -- There’s no one better to do a dragon voice than Sean Connery. Dennis Quaid played adequately as the hero (Bowen), however, he wouldn’t have been my first choice in that part. Another interesting fact about the dragon is that over 200 photos of Connery making facial expressions were taken and used to bear a strong resemblance to him when creating the graphics. The plot: the last dragon and a disillusioned dragon-slaying knight must cooperate to stop an evil king who was given partial immortality by Connery’s dragon. An interesting twist, no doubt. 11. Dragonslayer (1981), starring Peter MacNicol, Caitlan Clarke – This movie produced the best dragon on screen for its time. It came out around the time of Raiders of the Lost Ark, which stole a lot of its thunder. Some of the scenes make it unfriendly viewing for children--baby dragons chewing on a dead princess, for instance. Rent it. Itâ €™s a fantastic, often-overlooked classic for the genre. The movie does have some downfalls, such as the shallow character depth for the main evil knight. The settings are good, though, which help bring the realism to life. 10. Clash of the Titans (1981), starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier – This was my favorite fantasy movie growing up. I loved the graphics (for its time). Medusa freaked me out! I was terrified of those glowing eyes that could turn any living creature to stone if they looked at them. The fight scenes were good, and the acting good enough. A new version of the movie is in the works to be released in 2010. Maggie Smith from the Harry Potter series does make an important appearance in this movie. It won’t be hard to spot her. Her voice is a dead giveaway. 9. Nanny McPhee (2005), starring Emma Thompson, Colin Firth – This has all the magical charm of Marry Poppins, only it’s better. I know some of you may think I’m crazy for that, but Emma Thompson is an outstanding actress, who now plays Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter movies. When the kids of a mortician (Firth) get out of control by driving all their previous nannies from the house, the father must resort to his last chance (Thompson), who plays the humorous McPhee. This movie was always rented out when I went to the store. I think it did better in rentals that the theater. 8. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005), starring Georgie Henley, Tilda Swinton, Liam Neeson, James McAvoy – A wonderful adaptation to the big screen from C.S. Lewis’s classic. The graphics are outstanding, and for the most part, they stuck to the book. Disney is now working on Prince Caspian, which I hope is done as well as the first installation to the series was. Tilda Swinton was delightful as the witch, and Neeson’s voice was perfect for Aslan. I believe Liam is also a Turkish word for ‘lion’. The children were perfectly cast – and let me tell you, casting is a long and arduous process. 7. The Golden Compass (2008), starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig – Phillip Pullman’s recent classic is as stirring as Tolkien’s, which you will see further down this list. This series has created countless religious debates among fans, as C.S. Lewis’s series did. And what creates more buzz in the marketplace than debate? Nothing, really. It’s why The Da Vinci Code was so popular. Controversy makes news, every time. This series takes place in a parallel universe where Lyra Bellacqua tries to save kidnapped children from a terrible organization, with the use of a magical golden compass and aided by Gyptians, clans and armored talking bears. And what of the magical dust she hears her elders talking about in Oxford? Find out for yourself. It’s a gripping journey worth taking. 6. Willow (1988), starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer – Kilmer plays the comic knight Madmartigan, which keeps the movie light and provides a good balance to the evil witch Queen Bavmorda, who tries to kill an infant child that threatens the downfall of her empire. Madmartigan falls in love with Bavmorda’s daughter (Sorsha), who must decide to side with Willow’s group (Warwick Davis) or her deranged mother. The adventure takes you through forests inhabited by brownies and fairies, to snow-topped mountains, to castles overrun by trolls. George Lucas and Ron Howard create a special story within the genre that will be remembered for years to come. 5. Conan the Barbarian (1982), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones -- Arnold doesn’t say much during this movie, but Conan really isn’t much for words anyway. That doesn’t make this movie any less captivating. Jones’ transformation into a snake near the end of the movie was disturbing, but grabbed the horror handle of your gut and shook it. Conan sees his mother killed by Thulsa Doom (Jones), the sorcerer warlord of an evil snake cult, and is then is sold into slavery, where he gains his incredible strength, becomes a gladiator and learns to fight back. There is nudity and a lot of violence, so cover the kids eyes on this one. The sequel, Conan the Destroyer, was awful, so stick to just this one. A new version of the movie is slated to be released in 2009. 4. Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), starring Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom – No one expected this movie to do as well as it did in the theater, including Disney. Depp took Captainâ €™s Sparrow’s character beyond the ordinary, and even got an Oscar nomination nod for Best Actor for it. Orlando Bloom was average, I thought, as was Knightley. Depp certainly stole the show, but his character was misused in the two sequels. The first of this series was by far the best. Geoffrey Rush did a great part as Captain Barbados, too. 3. The Princess Bride (1987), Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin,Chris Sarandon – This movie had me laughing for weeks after I saw it. The jokes are non-stop, and who could have told the story better than Peter Falk? Saturday Night Live regulars such as Billy Crystal (Miracle Max) and Christopher Guest (the six-fingered man—Count Rugen) make guest appearances. Even though this is your classic fairytale of a swordsman rescuing a princess in distress, itâ €™s how it’s told that makes it unforgettable. And, yes, there is some kissing. 2. The Harry Potter series (2001-current), starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint -- You can’t say any one of these films is better than the other, because they are truly one long story split up over many different releases, just like the books. The movies deserve to be placed near the top of this list together, just like my number one selection. I was glad J.K. Rowling kept her thumb on the books’ adaptations to the big screen. Who knows what would’ve happened to the movies otherwise. The books should always be honored as closely as they can be during the adaptations. You have to please the fans of the books, who create the buzz for the series to begin with, before you consider chopping them up for movies. Otherwise they become just another “averageâ€� series is a sea on mediocrity. 1. The Lord of the Rings (series, 2001-2003), starring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, -- Tolkien’s vision is, for the most part, accurately brought to astounding life. From the dragon fireworks in the Shire to Rivendell and to Mount Doom, the series took watchers on an adventure they will want to relive again and again. As much as I love Harry Potter, Tolkien’s series was harder to bring to life on the big screen than Rowling’s books because of the extensive background Tolkien put in for the languages and maps alone. What can you say more about Peter Jackson’s ability to create a successful adaptation of one of the most beloved storylines in the history of the world? Gollum was unbelievably well done, as were the ring wraiths, orcs, Sheloub, the Balrog and the treants. I give credit to Peter for not destroying something that could’ve easily been doused with Hollywood cheese. The masterpiece by the father of fantasy was carefully handled, as it should’ve been. If you want to do nothing for an entire day, watch the series all back-to-back-to-back. As you can see, I left many films of this list, and for good reason. Eragon was badly handled as a movie, and I’m sure the fans of the books would agree. The Star Wars series, Transformers, Aliens, Predator, Indiana Jones, superhero movies and other space movies did not make the list, since these movies are more science fiction based, rather than true fantasy. |
| On The Passing of Robert Jordan -- 2/29/2008 Farewell, fellow author, James Oliver Rigney Jr (October 17, 1948-September 16, 2007). Many loved his Wheel of Time series for its depth, rich detail and realism. Many hated it for its lengthiness, over-wordiness and because it seemed it was going to be a never-ending tale that was just poised at sucking more money from a fan’s pocket. Whichever side of the fence you’re on when it comes to Jordan’s works, you must stop and consider what he meant to the genre. Jordan, in many ways, was your real American icon. He served two tours in Vietnam as an army helicopter gunner, just like my father, Harland. Jordan received the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster. He attended the Citadel, received an undergraduate in Physics, and was employed by the navy as a nuclear engineer. Then, of course, he began his writing career in 1977, and started what would become his most famous works to date. He married Harriet McDougal, who is an editor with TOR books and became Jordan’s personal editor. In January of 1990, the WOT series became known to the world, and he never looked back. The first volume was titled The Eye of the World. Eleven more volumes would follow the first (including New Spring), with the last to be released in 2009 by TOR, A Memory of Light, which his wife and author Brandon Sanderson will help finish from his detailed notes. He also wrote novels under the pen name Reagan O’Neal and was one of several writers who wrote new Conan the Barbarian stories. Millions of copies of Jordan’s works have sold. And it wasn’t only because he had a good publisher with great distribution. I’m sure there were many fans who were disappointed he couldn’t finish his series before his untimely death in 2007. But what can you do at this point? He, I’m sure, wanted to spend more of his remaining days with his beloved family and friends than in front of a computer. Can you blame him? Absolutely not, unless you think writing is more important. Was it unfair to the fans that he didn’t work harder to finish the series sooner? Or maybe he should’ve made it shorter? It’s hard to answer that question. When a writer has a vision, he or she should stick to it. I have always told my fans that The Snowtear Wars was only going to be five books. That wasn’t the case with Jordan. He was on a different path, one that many fans began to realize might not come to fruition. Everyone wants to hear the end of the story, but unfortunately Jordan’s own story ended before the WOT’s. So, even though Jordan never got to finish his tale while he was alive, does that mean his series was all for naught? No. If you read what he completed, and liked it, then it wasn’t. And there are millions of readers who can agree with that. It really comes down to each fan, you see. If you touched one person, then you’ve made a world of difference. In the end it doesn’t matter what awards you’ve gained, or how much fame you’ve achieved. It’s about your audience, as it’s always been. If you have a story to tell, and others are willing to listen, then you’ve made a difference, and the world of fantasy thanks Jordan for his contributions. |
| Get ‘em Now --- Author Trading Cards -- 2/29/2008 You read the title correctly. There are now author trading cards making their way into the marketplace. These cards, as you have guessed, are modeled after baseball cards. They can be used as a promotion to remind a customer of an author event, or they can just contain statistical facts about any particular author, such as book titles, biographical information or a website. The Booksmith store, based out of San Francisco, CA, has been using the cards for years. They’ve created cards for authors such as Anne Rice, Terry Pratchett, Wes Craven, Laurell K. Hamilton, Ursula Le Guin, Steve Erickson, Ray Bradbury, Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, and a host of others. When the author appears at their store more than once, the author gets more than one card. The cards are now being traded and sold, as they are elsewhere in other parts of the country where other vendors or authors are using the same promotion. The cards have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The San Jose Mercury News, Publisher’s Weekly and American Bookseller. Not only are the cards becoming highly collectible, they’re also getting the word out on an author’s works. Their value is already starting to rise for some, and could one day have mind-boggling values, especially if they’re signed. Powell’s Books in Portland, OR is starting to sell the cards in sets, which fans are taking a liking to. Word has it, James Fey, JT Leroy, John Berendt and Kaavya Viswanathan are in it. The set contains sixteen cards and can obtained (for a limited time) with the purchase of any featured title. Just go to www.powells.com to learn more about it. For authors, this may be a great item to start giving out at book signings. I’m going to get into the act as part of my new marketing campaign for the 2008 season. They will be in limited quantity. I will announce which signings they will be available at when I get them created. How are author trading cards made? Through one of the two sources I could find: http://iconix.biz/trading-cards.htm (If you are interested in a 1,000 or more) http://www.customtradingcardmaker. com/ Specific authors can join together to form a unique set. An author can use a card to promote any new book. Cards can be made for specific characters, or events in a book. The ideas are endless, and I think this is only the beginning. Some authors already have their cards posted on the net. Check out this link for a group called ‘Word Weavers’. http://tradingcardspace.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=220 Have fun collecting! |
| Why Favorite Characters Must Die --1/6/09 We all have a favorite character in any book we read, and it’s not necessarily the hero or heroine. There comes a time, in some books, a character meets a formidable obstacle they can’t get around. This obstacle, whatever it may be, ends your favorite character’s existence. You may cry, and you my get mad, but sometimes it just has to be. Characters should die in a good book or series. Authors who write comedies should also be open to it. Why you ask? Because death creates what? Yes, controversy. It’s why the media is so obsessed with reporting deaths. It elicits a reaction in the viewer. The same goes true with books. If you can’t get your readers to talk about a series, then what the heck are you writing for? Death is, as they say, a part of life. Characters who face challenges that seem insurmountable must surely experience death in some fashion or another along the way. So that brings me to another interesting point. You can kill off a portion of character’s personality. Or, let me put it this way: the character encounters something that changes their outlook on life, something they can never forget. In a way, that is creating death. You kill the old character you knew by changing his or her personality. Whatever he or she experienced was too great for them to ever be the way before it happened. As you can see, death can be implemented in many different forms. Death is interesting, and helps us become attached to characters affected by it. It makes those characters seem more real. What creates friction or a conflict faster than death? Luke Skywalker’s foster parents were killed by the Empire, immediately making him want to go to fight for the Rebellion. What makes a villain the worst villain of all? One who kills someone who meant something to the protagonist. Don’t be afraid to incorporate death, and be open to reading stories or watching movies that end in it. Think Dead Poet’s Society. Think Romeo and Juliet. Think Titanic. Even though we can see tragedy coming, how the characters deal with it makes it alluring. Characters that go through an entire story totally unscathed are boring, and it’s unrealistic to believe that could actually happen. Even though we could be reading fantasy, it still has to be realistic. At least if you want to be respected in the industry it has to be. I think I’ve made my point. |
| Addressing Incorrect Conclusions --1/16/09 Okay, I have to jump in here and address two important topics regarding my Snowtear Wars series before they gets out of control. I always read the reviews about my novels. Criticism is a good thing, whether the reviews are good or bad. You absorb it all and improve. If you can’t take criticism, then get out. But there were two items mentioned in a couple reviews I have to clear up. You may have thought about them, too, and they are questions that should be asked if you are an astute reader. The Languages of Elvana First, about the languages in my world of Elvana (which includes Yawrana, Zonack, Salmus, Arna, The Waungee Grasslands, and other countries): there is more than one language per country! I can understand how you can come to the conclusion that there is only one language per kingdom, but I assure you, there is more. As you read more of the series, you will begin to see that. For example, the draguls, dobbins and fire mice all have their own languages, but you only see them speaking in Yawranan tongue during the first three novels. I chose not to delve into their languages at first, because I didn’t want that to detract from the story, or distract the reader as they get use to my world. I had enough to set up to begin with. I didn’t need to explore those languages yet. You can overburdern a reader with too many details in the beginning, making your series a turn-off. As more series are released for this world, more will be revealed. Critics, on some fronts, need to learn to be more patient with writers. They want everything spelled out now. I don’t operate that way. There are answers for everything, I promise you. And if I did miss something, well that happens, and I can always backfill a story if I need to later on down the road. That’s the magic of storytelling. In addition, there was some concern regarding Elder Harland Ghere learning the language of Zonack and teaching it to the Yawranans with no concern that the language would change over the course of 4,000 years, when Oreus’s Prophecy would happen. Okay, this is a valid concern, but there is an explanation, but it will be a short story I will someday publish on my website. Again, there’s no patience shown by the critic in this instance. They want everything explained NOW. Sorry to disappoint, but you just have to trust the fact that for every question there is a sound answer. So, fans, be patient. Yawranan Land Restrictions A comment was made that as kingdoms grow they would search for new land to expand. I’m all for that, but where exactly will Yawrana expand to? Arna? A frigid wasteland that has nothing to offer and has more dangerous creatures than you can count on all your digits? West? The Sea of Sarapin. East? The Sea of Racorn. South? The Pydora Dunes, where no Yawranan is allowed to go because of the vast, harsh desert conditions, and those who do go there will find themselves in a pickle with the Volars. So, the only thing the Yawranans can really do is go across the sea, however, in the Prologue of Book One I stated how dangerous that is with all the sea monsters roaming about. Details, folks. Pay attention to details! The Elders always have warned the kingdom about sending travelers abroad. So, there is really NOWHERE for anyone to go, and as a result, land is limited. By Yawranan law, additional taxes are applied to couples who decide to have more children than is suggested. The taxes are a deterrent, but they don’t necessarily stop couples from having more than two little ones. You have to be wealthy enough to support having more than two children. And if you’re not, life can get rather difficult. The kingdom won’t turn its back on you, but it won’t say it didn’t warn you either. So keeping the population down, as is replenishing your resources, which the Yawranans are intelligent about. |