Writer-Ambrosia 8

Welcome back M-pals to the biweekly addition of Writer's Ambrosia! Or should I say, welcome back M.? 

 

Sorry about the gap, pals. I know this is a biweekly blog, and I don't have a good excuse for missing the last few updates. Sometimes life gets me right between the ribs, and I fall under. I've been a bit prone to depression my whole life; don't worry, I'm not about to get into a backstory. I'm just spreading the knowledge, so you know exactly what to expect from your writer/crazy friends over here.

 

Anyhow, let's get this show on the road! Feel free to stay awhile, take a deep bubble bath in our fragrant inspiration, and maybe even eat a snickers. Sorry, snickers aren't provided. And remember, no flash photography. Unless you're just a really great M-pal and want to spread the word. In that case, go on and do your thing!

 

First things first, M-pals. A new website to get all kinds of excited about.

 

  The official writer's website of the day is...

 

Bookjobs http://www.bookjobs.com/

 

Bookjobs is probably the number one website for future editors, authors, or literary agents. Although there are no advice articles, forums, etc., there are events, internships, and a very nifty Commonly Used Terms tab. This really is a great website for anyone wanting to dabble or make a career in the publishing industry. I recommend not only taking a look, but if you're truly hardcore, monitoring the comings and goings of this site's listings. I've had on my on it for years, trying to learn what I'd need to know before I was old enough to actually take on one of these internships/jobs.

 

Try it out for yourself! Who knows, maybe one of these listings will make it on your future goals list. Or maybe even make you create a future goals list. Now, wouldn't that be exciting?    

 

Moving on guys and gals, ladies and gentlemen, M-pals of all ages, races, and mental stability stages! It's time for the real reason you guys come here, because I know it's not for my person blurbs. Or is it?

 

Nah, I know what you want, you inspiration addicts. It's time for a visual feast and a fascinating backstory. Please welcome today's piece of visual and mythological inspiration:

 

The Were-Lioness

 

 

Background:

African mythology, much like Inuit and Hawaiian mythology, is vastly overlooked. Admittedly, Hawaiian and Egyptian mythology are more well-known, but the majority of Africa's legends and fascinating classic mythology has been unappreciated. I plan to take several of my favorite myths and write about them here; however, if you're too excited about this new branch of stories to wait for my version, feel free to scroll on over to the link I've provided above. Just click the African mythology in funny purple letter and view this tumblr filled with interesting, obscure, and unappreciated mythological tales.

Anyway, I thought I'd start out with a personal favorite--the Were-Lioness.

I'm going to admit it. I'm a huge werewolf nerd. So when I herd about a were-lioness legend in African mythology I was all kinds of giddy. Is it the were- that I love so much, or the shape-shifting aspect? Who knows, maybe I'm just insane, but the Africans sure have the coolest story about both aspect.

The legend goes that one Nyarvirazi (if anyone can pronounce this, kudos--I may pride myself on my diversity, but I'm Hispanic, my tongue doesn't bend this way, it rolls), a daughter of a chieftain, went venturing out into the wilderness and got lost. As day turned to night she became tired, hungry, thirsty, and began desperately searching for a way back. She found cup of water sitting atop of a tree stump and drank from it. (Because there's nothing more delicious than strange-water on top of tree-stumps).

The water turned out to be urine from a lion left there by a witch or jujuman for a ritual that was to be performed under the full moon. (I know I'm using a lot of parenthesis, but who doesn't notice the water they're drinking is actually urine?) Afterwards, Nyarvirazi realized her senses were enhanced  and, as she made her way back home, she spotted some goats and had a sudden ravenous desire to consume them. The craving too strong to resist, Nyarvirazi suddenly transformed into a lioness and ate the goats; after devouring them, she turned back into a human and ran home. This became a habit on every full moon, and, as one would expect, it wasn’t long until her brother became suspicious and, like a regular Nancy Drew, spied on her until he witnessed her transformation. Then like the outstanding sibling he'd already proven to be, he ran home and blabbered her secret to the whole family. After all, who doesn't like the sheer panic that secret might unleash?

With the lioness out of the bag, Nyarvirazi warned her family to keep her transformation a secret from anyone else, especially from her husband. (Big surprise Brother of The Year didn't blab to him too, really.) Eventually she had a baby, and when the midwives joked about the baby having no claws, her husband grew suspicious. Months passed until he threatened everyone with a spear to "tell or die," but when this elicited no results, he turned his spear on Nyarvirazi, the midwives, and the baby. (Presenting Dad of the Year: goes crazy because no one lets him in on an inside-joke. Relax, Bill. You had to be there.) Nyarvirazi, in a show of absolute awesome female power, transformed into a lioness and bit off his arm.

While he was bleeding to death, and probably making a mess of the hut, she called for other lions to come and eat him. They did so, she took her baby, and the two left with the lions. She became their Queen and Goddess, thus keeping her family’s home safe from lions. It is said she occasionally returns to her father's village.

Literary Significance:

Originating from Rwanda, I believe South-East African culture, this myth has a powerful underlying message about the power of women. This legend gives a strength to the nature of women sometimes forgotten in white culture (no offense my white brethren; I'm Hispanic, but my skin is as white as crab meat. Ugh, that was a pasty simile.) Here there is a parallel between the female's place of power in a lion pack and the power of a woman in humanity.

Though the lion is the head of the pack, most of the real power is in the lioness' in nature, as they are the hunters. The lion is more of a figure head and will, most often, intimidate a lion rather than lie down and obey. It is obvious that this myth is bringing the same parallel between female humans and their lion counterparts; remember ladies, girl-power isn't just for sixth grade notebook covers or chants to annoy boys. It's real, and the African women seemed set on making that clear.

Dare You to Try...

• Surprise me ;)

The Challenge Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

And remember, M-pals, I'm always looking for fresh ideas! Have some really cool, obscure piece of knowledge? Are you keeping a legend under wraps for personal enjoyment? Do you have a mythology, legend, or folklore addiction you just have to share? Send me an e-mail, post it in the comments, and I'll be sure to put it out there.

Stay spiffy!

Writer-Ambrosia 7

Come one, come all, to the official Tuesday gathering of Inspiration-addicts Anonymous. Or, as we prefer to call ourselves, M-pals.

My theatrics aside, it really is great to see all of you again! I know, I can't see you, but putting any other sensory verb there would be extremely awkward. Trust me, I just tried it, so you'll just have to withstand the synesthesia.

Anyway, on to today's shenanigans. It's time to prepare yourself for some extremely exciting website recommendations! And a little shameless self-plugging. Why? Because if you like me enough to come and check out this blog, you'll be swept off your feet by the news in this next link.

 The official writer's website of the day is...

Siren's Melody http://www.amazon.com/Sirens-Melody-ebook/dp/B00D66E5V0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1370401505&sr=1-1&keywords=Siren%27s+Melody#_

Siren's Melody is my latest e-book, published for not only all you M-pals out there, but for anyone with a love for suspense, mystery, and of course, romance. In case you're still on the fence about checking it out, I'll give you a taste of the novel awaiting you.

"Melody Black is hiding generations of terrible secrets. Too bad she doesn’t know it.

Moving from Memphis, Tennessee to the tiny coastal town of Oriental, North Carolina seemed like the end of the world for seventeen-year-old Melody. Fate soon proves her wrong with the appearance of a dark-haired, pearl-skinned young man named Ioannis. With a predatory stare and strange powers over the inner workings of Oriental High, Ioannis is suspiciously out of the ordinary, and more than a little frightening. But with some time, Melody finds out Ioannis isn’t the cliché bad boy she thought he was—his issues are far more dangerous, terribly real, and may just threaten her life.

In less than a week, the Black family’s murky past worms its way out of the ground. Ioannis knows more about her and her ancestors than he should, and before Melody knows what’s happening, her whole world is collapsing around her. If she thought the life she had before was tragic, with her dead mother, distant father, and lonely evenings spent by herself—the truth coming to light is positively apocalyptic.

Ioannis becomes her only ally. He knows what’s coming for her. He knows exactly what is hunting her family—what’s been hunting it for generations. There’s only one strain on their evolving relationship.

He’s the hunter."

 

Well? Excited yet? Good. You should be.

 

No pressure, of course, but I'd love to invite you all to try out the sample, maybe splurge and purchase, and even write a review. Don't worry about disappointing me--I'll never know if you don't. Or will I?

 

Nah, I won't.

 

Moving on with our adorable little post, it's time for a relaxing soak in some visual imagery. Now lie down, sprinkle the bubble bath, and let me take over from here, sugar cubes.

 

Eye Surgery

 

Background:

 

I know the title was a terrible pun, but hey! It had to be done.

 

Throughout human history, human eyes have been given almost mystical reverence. From the concept of the "eyes are the windows of the soul," to the smoky stare of the guy across the bar, eyes are the world's universal language. Ever watched the show Lie to Me? It's the eyes and the muscles around the eyes that are some of the greatest indicators or truth, fear, attraction, and bold lies.

 

Here's a couple did you knows about eyes!

1. Newborns don’t produce tears. They make crying sounds, but the tears don’t start flowing until they are about 4-13 weeks old.
2. Around the world, about 39 million people are blind and roughly 6 times that many have some kind of vision impairment.
3. Doctors have yet to find a way to transplant an eyeball. The optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain is too sensitive to reconstruct successfully.
4. No matter how much you try to hide your attraction to someone, your eyes will betray you. When viewing someone you are attracted to, it's the body's biological reaction to dilate your pupils.
5. Some people are born with two differently colored eyes. This condition is heterochromia.
6. Even if no one in the past few generations of your family had blue or green eyes, these recessive traits can still appear in later generations.
7. Each of your eyes has a small blind spot in the back of the retina where the optic nerve attaches. You don’t notice the hole in your vision because your eyes work together to fill in each other’s blind spot.
8. People generally read 25% slower from a computer screen compared to paper.
9. Men are able to read fine print better than women can.
   All babies are colour blind when they are born.
10. Babies' eyes do not produce tears until the baby is approximately six to eight weeks old.

 

Literary Significance:

 

In order to cover the history of the eye, both in a literary and mythological setting, would be far too difficult in the limited time you have to stop by here. I can briefly mention the Great Gatsby, which contains one of the longest running metaphors of any novel, concerning eyes. That's why, on most if not all of its covers, there are a pair of eyes. It's a great symbol. 

 

Anyway, concerned about your time as I am, I went out and found the abstract of an article by German author Wurzbg Medizinhist Mitt about the significance of the eye throughout history and mythology. It's quiet fascinating, if not a little bit esoteric. Still, it's an abstract, so it's bite-size, and very interesting.   

Abstract
Researches on the creation of Russian ophthalmological terms by Martin Il'ich Shein in 1750 caused semiotic investigations on universal female respectively lunar connotations of the eye as Latin pupilla--puppet, the small picture of an observer's person reflected by the cornea of another one face to face to him/her, Greek (see text)-- kore, which means girl, pupil and globe of the eye. Kore is the Minoan name of a spring goddess, called Greek Persephone as part of a triadic mother-goddess, in summer Demeter in autumn Hekate. Such goddesses are represented by the three enlighted main phases of the moon: full moon and both half moons. Its dark phase, new moon, is the fourth element of compressing 28 or 29 phases of a lunation to its least understandable numerical abstraction 4. Its mythologic meaning dead or underworld takes part in believing in cyclic renewing of life. The universal code 4 for moon contains a 5200 years old precuneiform Sumeric sign NAM2, shaped as 4-stepped ladder, representing Inanna of Uruk, which is phenomenically identic with the to-days Chinese sign mù (see text) for eye. The reason of this identity is founded on 370.000 old astronomic abstractions, drawn on beasts' bones by paleolithic men at Bilzingsleben (Thuringia). We may trace and estimate important facts in history--for example the transfer of the imperial role from the Byzantine emperors to Charles the Great by pope Leo III in 800--by such abstractions as semiotic tools, which have been used in mythological sources as Odyssey or in arts, as Pablo Picasso had done commenting cruel facts of World War II.

Dare You to Try...

• What are several different ways to address the eye in a novel without explicitly doing so? What techniques would you use?
• In the picture above, what do you think these people are doing/were doing?
• Start a novel with your character seeing the above picture. How would that set the tone for the rest of the piece?
• A short story about a construction worker that also includes a parallel to the human eye.

Well. That's all I got, guys. I must be tired or something. See you Friday for another update my fabulous friends, my magnificent M-pals! And in the mean time, stay sharp.

The Challenge Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.