Greek Mythology

Now, before I say anything I want it to be clear that I like Greek Mythology. I have enjoyed it on numerous occasions. I have even read the famous D'Aulaires book. (Once when I was young and

hated it and thought it was Pure Evil, a second time when I was a little bit older and understood its historically and literary value.) I've read re-tellings of Greek Myths. For example, Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books and Emily Whitman's Radiant Darkness.

But sometimes I think Greek Myths are Way Too Popular. I've been reading this Ancient, Ancient, school book called Myths and Their Meanings, by Max J. Herzberg which was published in 1928 and is So Old I cannot find and ISBN #for it. It's an interesting enough book, but what bothers me is that the first 353 pages is all about Greek Myths. Nordic Myth is lumped in with the Celts for the rest of the book which is under 100 pages long! And there is no mention of Egyptian Mythology at all, and by this time in history people were aware of the Rosetta Stone and there were Egyptologists running about. Suffice it to say, I found it just a little bit disturbing.

Fortunately, it's been a good amount of time since 1928. There have been re-tellings of the Swan Maiden folktale, which is thought to be North-Eurasian as far as I can find. RL LaFevers has used Egyptian Mythology, and so did Rick Riordan in his newer book series the Kane Chronicles. The Nordic Myths seem to be not quite as popular, though I believe a certain blogger is trying to rectify that. (Ohmygoodness. I know she exists. I feel terrible. I have looked for her on twitter, on Google Reader, I have Googled her. I even looked on CafePress and I cannot remember what her blog is and I'm not sure of her name and I don't want to say the wrong thing. I feel so Terrible. But she does exist. I know she does.) D'Aulaires even put out a Norse Myth book as well, which is Very Exciting.

Still, there are certain Mythologies that still tend to be skipped over. Like Sumerian. There is a vast amount of myths in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean culture that is not seen as often. I'm sure there are others that I'm completely forgetting about, but you get the point.

And I do understand that Greek Mythology was adopted by the Romans who ruled the so-called World. I do know that it was considered a normal part of a high education to learn Greek so people could read Homer and the like. Even know you can go to many colleges and be able to take Greek. Not so much Ancient Egyptian. I was blessed to go to a college where I could take a semester of Akkadian, but that doesn't happen very often. Greek Myths are still more widely accessible than most other stories. (I am excluding European folk tales for now, because there is a certain distinction between Myth and Folk tale, according to some.)

I'm hoping this changes, and continues to change. I think it would be fantastic if more colleges offered special classes in Akkadian, or Egyptian, or whatever. I do think that even with the Paranormal shift in YA literature, looked over myths will start to be tapped into. Maybe even because of the shift in YA. (Can Greek and paranormal inter-mix? That would be interesting. Or even a Greek steampunk? Ahem. Anyway. Moving on.)

How about you? Any thoughts on the subject? I'd love to hear what you think. :)

Conflicted

Recently I received the ARC for The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff.

Two Things:

a) I love, love, love it

2) It made me really, really upset

Why?

Love:

1) It is well written and intriguing and just gorgeously ugly sometimes. Didn't think that was possible? Well, it is.

b) It has a male protagonist. What? YA urban/paranormal fantasy with a male main character? Yes. It is SO refreshing. Plus, the love interest, Tate, is not your usual "Rescue me from the evil monster!" *cue fainting* but she's hardcore. I love it. Sure, maybe Mackie isn't the strongest character in and of himself, but he's real, he's not flat, and he has an actual personality. Isn't that fantastic?

c) Brenna adds a whole new spin on the whole Other Worldly things that made me all happy inside.

Dislike:

a) The language. Now, I know for some of you you're probably rolling your eyes around and getting ready to throw rocks at me for being a stingy, Christian, self-righteous bigot. Hold yourself together, and just listen a moment (which, as far as I know, all of you who read my blog are really good at listening and letting me explain my view on things, which I am super glad about. It's SO fantastic that we can have different views on things and none of us get all angry as beavers over it)

Anyhow...

I don't like language. Sometimes I can understand why it's used, and sometimes in the book I could give reason for it and could be okay with it, but sometimes it was unnecessary (in my mind). The problem with cursing is it's not creative, a huge part of the time. There's one thing to use it is as characterization, but another just to have it there. And my question is, when did it become okay in our society to use language like that? It used to be unprofessional, and not in younger aged books. But now teens curse, because that's what they learned from their parents, and what they expect from their bosses, and I never signed up for that kind of society.

So despite enjoying this book immensely there are some people I am not comfortable asking to read the book. And I will still tell them I loved it, but it will always be with a caveat, that there is some heavy language in it at parts.

So for those of you who are okay with language I would say go out and pre-order it because I think you'll love it.

So what about You? Does language bother you, do you only like it when it's used to make a point, or do you not even notice it? I'm curious to hear what y'all have to say.

Another Contest!

Elana Johnson is a new author I learned about through Falen. I think. Yes. And she is having a contest! Yay! Through confetti everyone, just throw confetti. And then check out her blog and enter and stuff. (Oh, and mentioning Falen Formulates Fiction, she is cool, and stuff, so you should check out her blog. Unless you already do. Then you beat me. And. You win. An invisible hug. From my invisible friend Ted.)

Oh, and the contest involves Post-it notes. Who doesn't love Post-it notes?


I will be posting tomorrow (hopefully) about the magical appearing words that have saved my sanity.

Exciting Stuff

Today is an exciting day. And not just because Carrie Jones is on the NYT bestseller list twice! Although, that is very exciting, and probably much more exciting than my news, but my news is exciting to me because... Well, I suppose because it's my news. Or something. Anyway, before I start creating an exciting-o-meter I will get right down to it.

Okay. I admit. I tried making an Excite-o-Meter, but I am so bad at Computer techie stuff that this is what it looks like:

8 - You Are Now Dead Because You Are So Excited

7 - The End of the World as We Know it Exciting

6 - Can’t Even Breathe Exciting

5 - Way Beyond Super Mad Exciting

4 - Super Mad Exciting

3 - Super Exciting

2 - Realy Exciting

1 - Real Exciting

0 - Exciting

-1- Pretty Exciting

-2- Kinda’ Exciting

-3- Possibly Exciting

-4- Maybe Exciting

-5- Not That Exciting

-6- Not Exciting

-7- Not At All Exciting

-8- So Not Exciting That You Are Bored and Dead

Yup. A list. Lame, I know. I was having difficulties even putting it in a box. Ah well, what can I say? Anyway, back tot he exciting matter at hand: I have reached 10,000 words in Blackburn's Prisoner's sequel! I know. It still has no name. It is driving me nuts, because usually by page eight, at least by page 14, I know the approximate name for a manuscript. Here I am at 21, 21!, pages and I still have no name. I know, I know. i have time. But it's like having a baby. You can have it for 8 months without naming it, maybe even 14 depending on the state (I don't know, i'm making that up) BUT after 21 months, you better have a name for that puppy. Baby. I meant baby.

This is a puppy:

This is a baby:

Now that everything is clear, we can get to the reason why it is exciting that I have 10,000 words done. 1) I am a fifth of the (approximate) way to being done. 2) I wasn't even suppose to start writing this until tomorrow, so I am way ahead. 3) I am 10,000 words closer to knowing what happens.

Yes. I don't write outlines, remember? This means that I have no idea what's going to happen. I mysterious ship just arrived manned by some dude named Braeden. I don't even know what Braeden looks like yet! But I promise you he does not look like this:

I have no mouth!

And today I found out this HUGE thing about Revlin. Yes, Revlin. Not Revlon.

And I was gasping and unable to breathe! That's a 6 on the Excite-o-meter. I cannot wait until Wednesday, my writing day, because then I will know even more of what is gonig to happen. Squee! And I am going to take another shot at writing a stupid query letter for Blackburn's Prisoner. *sigh* It's just so... #-8.

An Old Post I Never Got Around To Posting

Finally, the blog you have all been waiting for! Okay. Maybe not. Maybe the blog I've been waiting for. I still can't find my camera, but I was able to borrow my sisters (thanks Sonshine!) so here is the blog I tried to write ages ago:

Yesterday I went shopping! I bought some shirts:

Notice the buttons. I have only recently started buying shirts with buttons because at twenty I am feeling a great need to feel professional, even though I am a dork. When I was younger you never would have seen me wearing button up shirts, being the tomboy-play-in-the-mud type of person that I was. Button-up shirts were for wusses, or for my sisters. Seriously, my one sister just looks cute in everything. (You know who you are, Oombah.) The other one could wear a plastic bag and a paint bucket on her head and she would somehow look fantastic, stylish, and professional.

Only my sis is... Not quite as stuck looking.

Anyway, so I bought these button up shirts feeling all very grown up. But then I went to Borders, because Borders is amazing, and because my cute sister works there. Then I tried to shop around and give all of the other books a fair chance, but for reals, I am way too picky and biased. (Though I did find a book called Night Runner that I must read now.) So I ran over to the one book that I wanted. The one book which was the sole reason for my bookstore visit. (I must have sole reasons or I’ll start buying stacks and stacks of books.)

Captivate, by Carrie Jones. Her first one, Need, just grabbed me by the collar and placed me in cold, frigid, Maine without asking my permissions. The second one did the same thing. Here I am, minding my own business, and suddenly swoop I’m inside the book. I just love her voice. She sounds like me with caffeine. Only in a good way. Like, a super nice way, because she is a super nice person.

And now that I have found a camera I will stop being a lazy boring person and post up the pictures of something I have been waiting for:

Hoorah!

No, not my face, the writer's gloves. They are made by Rachele and are as sweet as pumkin pie. I have been toting them around everywhere like the dork I am, because I absolutely love them. I cannot wait until her book gets published. I read a part of it that she posted on her blog and I almost cried. Me. Cry. I never cry. The first movie I cried at was Up, and the first book I cried at was Bridge to Terabithia. Seriously. This girl is good.

Oh. And don’t believe I’m a dork? Just look what I asked for Christmas?

Mango!

Yes. A mango. And it was delicious.

Writing Anyway

After reading Jackson Pearce’s blog I ran over to my church where I could sit alone in a new place to write. I don’t know why, but when I start writing in the same place all of the time every single day my brain shuts off and goes “NO!” like a big whiny baby and I must find a way to appease it so that I can actually write like my mind wants to. (Yes, I do draw a distinction between brain and mind.)

Anyway: So I was sitting there writing out a blog instead, when I realized that I hadn't eaten all day, but for a small bowl of cereal. I was cold. (Because I was alone in my church building. Well, the building doesn’t belong to me, so technically it's not 'mine' but you know what I mean.) I had to go take care of my friend’s dog in an hour. (I have recently gotten over my fear of dogs, and actually think they’re pretty cute, but I’m still not sure about cats. Cats are evil. Eeeeeeevil. Like Evil Blam.)

So then I hunkered down, opened up my manuscript, wincing because I know it just about sucks like biting into a potato that’s been sitting out in the sun all day. (For reals, do not eat a potato that’s been wrapped up in aluminum foil and sitting on a table in direct sunlight. My friend tried and it tastes mad bad. Like real bad. Like “I’m going to spit it out into a trash bin now” kind of bad.) And wouldn’t you know, I made it up to 48,478 words, which is 5,060 words today. Hoorah!

It also helped that I found this trick. I watched half of a Castle episode (seriously, a great show) and then I wrote for half an hour, and then I watched the rest of the episode, and etc. I got through three episodes and a couple thousand words. Sweet muffins!

And just because this image came up too when I googled:

Attack of the Muffins!

Seriously. That is one huge muffin. Anyway. I no longer have any clue what I was supposed to be writing. (Which is why I am NOT supposed to write after 10 o'clock at night. Except for first draft manuscripts (which probably have some special name, or acronym, or whatever. Like: fdsn, which stand for First Draft Special Name. So I can work on fdsn's, but that's just because the first draft doesn't matter as much, because it's more about getting the ideas out, the feel of it. For reals. Check out Jackson Pearce's blog. She has a movie on it that is very inspiring.

I read some other good posts today, which I should point you to, but I am too tired right now. I also have a whole 'nother post planned with pictures and stuff, but my camera is missing. Man, I should keep that thing on a leash. I should keep all important things on a leash. But then, of course, I might look a tad ridiculous, with all of these things strapped to me. Just imagine when I go back to school! Here's my laptop, here's my keys, here's my seven text books, all hanging from me and looped around.

Books

Yesterday I stayed up reading: Sorcery and Cecelia of The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. I started it with the intention of finishing it that night, because I have over ten half-read books lying around my room, stuffed on my shelves, waiting to be read, and I was having none of that. It was mad difficult, I tell you. I was nearly done, having only a handful of pages left, and it was very difficult not to stop. I don't know why, but whenever I am near to finishing a book late at night I cannot finish it. I must set it down and finish it in the morning. May it's because I want to make the story last longer, linger on it, I have no idea. But I made myself stay up, even though I kinda' have a cold, and even though I was about to fall asleep.

It was a very good book. Very good. Quite refreshing, since I feel like I haven't read anything in weeks. But it reminded me how important it is for an author to read. In fact, I was just reading in a blog the other day that said the very same thing. In fact, I think it was Patricia C. Wrede, which would be kinda' funny, since it was her book I was reading. Yes. I'm pretty definite it was her. Hang on a moment...(searching through history...finding blogs..) Ugh. No. It wasn't. I have no idea, which is why I write everything down. Grr... But if you wanted to you could check out her blog: http://pcwrede.com/blog/ because it is very good.

It is always a good reminder, that there are good authors out there, that there are good stories out there that can sweep you away. I remember going through a funk awhile back and I just could not read anything, every story sounded the same, every author's voice sounded the same, and then I picked up Host by Stephanie Meyer. I tell you, it is very good. I don't know how Meyer does it, but she sweeps up her audience in a whirlwind.

So if you're in a ditch, searching your pockets for a good book, do not be dismayed. There are a bunch of good books you can carry around with you. I would suggest Shakespeare, just because it will help pass the time. But if you have no Shakespeare (or absolutely abhor him), I hope you packed a book like the ones I spoke about, or Need by Carrie Jones, or any number of other really good books. There are authors out there that truly know how to write, and are truly writers, and it is quite encouraging to read their stories that have grown, that live, that can be ingested by others.

Seriously, if I could I would give up food and just gain sustenance by reading books.

Yes, it is a terrible picture, but that is me pretending to eat a book. Don't worry, no books were harmed in the taking of this picture. Wow. This really is a bizarre looking picture. I'll have to apologize for your eyes.

Books of 2009!

So this year my sis and I kept track of all of the books we read and kinda' promised each other that we would post about it. So here is the post! I didn't read as much as I thought I would, but that's because I ended up writing a whole lot more than I thought I was going to, so it all balances out, I suppose.

Anyhow... I'm going to try and keep this brief, and if it goes on way too long I will separate it into two posts. But here goes...

Jan 1st - March 17th:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

2) The Sea Monster

3) The Titan's Curse

4) The Battle of the Labyrinth

(There were amazing books, and I recommend them to pretty much anyone.)

The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Shakespeare (it was kinda' weird, I gotta admit)

Redwall - Brian Jacques (My friend really loves these books, so I was kinda' sad that I wasn't really thrilled when I read it. It made me sad.)

The Host - Stephanie Meyer (Honestly, I liked this one much better than the Twilight ensemble)

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J. K. Rowling (Very cute!)

Inkheart - Cornelia Funke (Good, but it was a little hard to get through)

100 Cupboards - N. D. Wilson (REALLY GOOD! I loved it)

Fablehaven - Brandon Mull (I absolutely love these books. So much.)

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Ulysses S. Moore and the Door to Time - Michael Merryweather (Pretty good - it actually "changed my life" but I don't think the author intended his usage of the word philology to send me off into ecstatics)

Ulysses S. Moore and the Long Lost Map - Michael Merryweather

The Handwriting Analysis Toolkit: Character and Personality Revealed Through Graphology - Peter West (No offense to anyone, but I found this book hilarious. Some of the stuff was interesting, the rest was so ridiculous. Where do they come up with such stuff?)

Stormbreakers - Anthony Harowitz (Pretty good, but not the genre I usually read)

March 18th - July 15th

Just Ella - Margaret Peterson Haddix (I know Cinderella stories can be overdone, but this one was very good)

The Folk Keeper - Franny Billingsley (I picked this one up on a whim at the library and I absolutely loved it.)

Dandelion Fire - N. D. Wilson (It was thick, but very good.)

First Escape - G. P. Taylor (Very interesting, but good)

Austenland - Shannon Hale (I love her books *squee*)

Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales For Our Lifetime - James Finn Garner (Hi-lar-ious)

Wicked - Gregory Maguire (Very different than what I expected, but still very good)

Mission Road - Rick Riordan (He is a super good author)

Nobody's Princess - Esther Friesner (I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel to this - Very believable characters)

Fat Kid Rules the World - K. L. Going (I liked it.)

Coraline - Neil Gaiman (Twas very good)

The Ever After War - Michael Buckley (I love the Sisters Grimm!)

Be Intolerant: Because Some Things are Just Stupid - Ryan Dobson (Great book, for reals)

One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven - Mark Cahill (Very good, though-provoking)

July 16th - Dec 31st

Dealing With Dragons - Patricia C. Wrede (I started reading it at Borders and just had to buy it. She has such an intriguing voice as an author, and i was just laughing everywhere)

River Secrets - Shannon Hale

Kenny and the Dragon - Tony DiTerlizzi (I read this because I enjoyed the Spiderwick Chronicles. It was a cute story)

Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: A Giant Problem - Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

The Devouring - Simon Holt (I really liked these!)

Need - Carrie Jones (I lover Carrie's voice. She is quite funny and I follow her blog because she is just amazing. And her book was too, and i'm planning on reading more of her)

The Forest of Hands and Teeth - Carrie Ryan (What impressed me most about this book is the fact that I hated the main character, but I still enjoyed the book. I didn't know that was impossible)

How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier (This was such an adorable story! I loved it.)

Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr (Melissa Marr rocks my socks off)

The Liberation of Gabriel King - K. L. Going (Very good.)

Blood and Chocolate - Annette Curtis Klause (No offense, but this was a bizarre book)

Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr (She is super amazing!)

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (I really liked this)

The Most Second Book in the Whole Series - Jessica Wagner (I liked Twilight and I still enjoyed this. Jessica Wagner writes some really funny stuff. I found her on a blog - she is self-published and really cool)

Nanoland Chronicles: Bedtime Stories for Wrimos - Chris Baty (he is hilarious. I loved it)

Graceling - Kristin Cashore (I really liked this story, but I think she should have ended it a few chapters sooner. It went just a little too long for me.)

The Mystery of the Fool and the Vanisher - David and Ruth Ellwand (It had really pretty pictures)

And that about sums it all up :) Hope it wasn't too dreadfully long and bored your socks off.