Juliet Marillier is a bestselling author known for her Sevenwaters series – a collection of fantasy books that expand classic Celtic myths and legends into full-length tales. And while I have enjoyed all of her works, this time I want to write specifically about the first book of hers I ever read: a stand-alone novel titled Heart’s Blood.
In this story, young Caitrin takes a job as a scribe at Whistling Tor, a haunted fortress belonging to the crippled chieftain, Anluan. During her time at Whistling Tor sorting through family documents, Caitrin not only must learn to face the horrors from her own past, but she must also unravel the mysteries of the past and help Anluan conquer his own ghosts – literally – in order to break the curse surrounding Whistling Tor. I admit, one of the things I loved about Heart’s Blood was the fact that Caitrin was a scribe :-P. I felt a sort of kinship with her: it’s not often that I find characters who share my particular passions or vocation, but when I do, I get excited! I realize “scribe” and “author” aren’t quite the same thing, but they both relate to writing, so it’s close enough! I figure I have to take what I can find ;-). Aside from the sweet romance, the mysterious backstory filled with curses and magic and ghosts, and the main character’s profession, there was a particular element of this story that stood out above everything else, and remained with me long after I have finished the novel. There is a very minor character – a ghost child, only five years old – who is restored to life during the breaking of the curse. She’s not involved in any major part of the plot except as a participant in the undoing of the spell, and she doesn’t even have a name – so Caitrin gives her one, naming her after Anluan’s deceased mother, Emer. Yes, you guessed it – this is where I got Emer’s name. I found myself fascinated by this side-character, this little ghost-girl brought back from the dead; what would the rest of her life be like? In a way, I finished her story by giving her name to one of my own characters. But this book wasn’t my only source of inspiration. As I was writing The Heart of Everything, I took the time to look up the name Emer for some background information. When I did, I discovered that “Emer” was in fact the love interest of the Irish mythological hero, Cu Chulainn. To my surprise, there were several similarities between this ancient warrior and Jesse! So the story Alex tells Emer about her namesake is in fact based on actual legends. It may only be a small detail, but it just goes to prove that all good stories are connected – and inspiration can be found even where you least expect it ;-). What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/hearts-blood-the-gaelic-greatness-of-juliet-marillier P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
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Another one of my beloved magical-world manga series is “Mamotte Lollipop” by Michiyo Kikuta. In this story, Nina is an ordinary middle-school girl until she accidentally swallows a magical pearl, thinking it was candy. Then two boy wizards – Zero and Ichii – appear out of nowhere and inform her that the pearl is actually part of a sorcery examination! Since more magic-wielders will be coming after her to get the pearl, the two boys vow to protect her until the contest is over. Being guarded by two cute wizards isn’t so bad… Until Nina finds herself having to choose between them ;-).
This manga features one of my favorite romantic twists – the love triangle (squee!). Falling in love can be a difficult enough challenge when it’s only two people – add in a third and things can get very complicated very fast. And there are different versions of the love triangle: mainly, two people competing for the affections of the third/ one person deciding between two others, or one person who is in love with the second who is then in love with the third (a sort of “nobody wins” situation); but even these vary from story to story depending on the gender of each player. Personally, my favorite is the two males vying for the love of the female :-P. Of course, this explains why “The Heart of Everything” is structured the way it is! The obvious love triangle features Emer as she finds herself faced with the difficult choice of deciding between two very handsome supernatural suitors. But as the story evolves, we learn of the past love triangle between Jesse, Alex and the priestess. There is also a sort of “undercurrent” love triangle connecting Jesse, Emer and the priestess as Jesse comes to terms with the differences between the woman he loves now and the one he loved in the past. So three for the price of one! :-D The similarities between my novel and this series go even further. The two boys, Zero and Ichii, are not unlike Emer’s own love interests: Ichii is portrayed as older and more mature, like the calm and rational Alex, whereas Zero is much more like Jesse, with a rude attitude, a black-and-white sense of justice, a flair for destruction, and very little patience. (There’s something to be said for having polar-opposite personalities in romantic competitors :-P.) Plus, the promise of protection and the use of magic is a common theme between the two; each one is an element I find very appealing in story-telling :-D. Of course, my characters are much older, and the magical aspect is reversed – used by the protectors in “Mamotte Lollipop” and by the protectee in mine. But still – there’s enough in common that if you enjoy one, you’ll enjoy the other ;-). What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/manga-mamotte-lollipop-and-the-love-triange P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Last time, I focused on a specific set of stories (the Aisling Grey series). Today, I’d like to explore a little deeper what it is about the supernatural that I like so much. While Katie MacAlister’s Dark Ones series feature the same character types and “romance story” stereotypes that I cited in the last post, her concept of “Beloveds” is actually a prime example of what can be done when you write about the supernatural.
In her books, each vampire (or “Dark One,” as she calls them) has a specific “Beloved” – the one woman in the history of time who is meant to share her life with him. Through the process of Joining (which includes a unique connection, kissing, exchange of blood, etc… thus the romantic nature of the books ;-P ), her love and sacrifice is what allows the Dark One to redeem his soul. The stories are not Christian-based, but even so, we get a glimpse of how love – real love – can bring about redemption. And that’s where my fascination with the supernatural comes into play. Paranormal romance goes beyond the inanity of simple romantic clichés. I see these stories as an opportunity to blur the lines and explore what it means to be human. Creatures such as vampires and other monsters take the dark side of humanity – our sins and shortcomings – and blow them out of proportion, giving us a better look at our own fallen nature. Concepts of love, devotion and sacrifice can come to life in a very vivid way that you don’t always see in the real world. Also, I think I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of “everyday magic” – of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. I love magical objects and people who are not what they appear to be on the surface. Paranormal stories question the world around us in a way that contemporary romances do not – and it is those layers of complexity that truly fascinate me. What’s more, common themes among the paranormal – such as blood and death and the redemption of lost souls – give a shadowy reflection of that which we find in our faith. Our Savior bled and died for us, sacrificing His life so that we might be saved… It’s not the same, but on a smaller scale, these stories can remind us of how deep real love can be, and how nothing worth having comes cheaply. And that’s where my books come in. I want to take things to the next level. Instead of merely hinting at deeper issues, I want to draw them out and make them integral parts of the story (whoever said you couldn’t learn something while reading for pleasure? ;-) ). And not only do I like to directly weave in the Christian elements, but I capitalize on the intensity of the supernatural world. The “darkness” of the paranormal makes a wonderful backdrop for the “light” of love and hope to shine against :-). What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/katie-macalister-the-truth-behind-paranormal-romance-part-2 P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
I know, I know. I had an entire entry ranting on contemporary romance novels when I first started this blog. But this is different! This is paranormal romance, not just modern-day love stories. Apparently for me the addition of magic and the supernatural makes all the difference ><.
I recently finished Katie MacAlister’s Aisling Grey series, and while not necessarily my top choice for paranormal romance, it does give a typical example of work from this author. Domineering and somewhat chauvinistic male characters, sassy and headstrong female leads, plenty of communication issues (of course!), and a good sprinkling of the unbelievable (not unlike Janet Evanovich, but I digress). In this particular story, our heroine is a Guardian/ demon lord/ wyvern’s mate (it’s a long story, literally!), and her love match happens to be the leader of the green dragons. It takes four volumes and lot of crazy mishaps, but they do eventually make it to the “happily ever after” part. First of all, I’d like to say that not all paranormal romance stories are created equal. I admit that dragons aren’t really my cup of tea. I’m much more into vampire stories – I guess I prefer a man who’s fascinated by my blood over one who’s obsessed with treasure. Same goes for werewolves (I’ve never been much of a dog person ><). But my biggest complaint is actually the main character herself. Aisling’s troubles seem to be part bad luck and part because she stubbornly (sometimes stupidly) insists on resolving all her problems all by herself – and occasionally solving problems that are none of her business. On one hand, I actually like “trouble magnet” characters: bad things happen, the situation is beyond their control, and it matters less how they got there and more how they handle it. This is a reflection of reality, as well as a lesson on trusting God no matter what the circumstances. But I’m less of a fan when it comes to the “unreasonably independent,” and unfortunately, the vast majority of female characters from this author follow that pattern ><. The stories are still fun, but I just can’t relate to these women! That’s not my personality… Or maybe it’s because my life tends to be more boring than chaotic that I can’t relate to them :-/ . Either way, it’s hard for me to connect with these stories (beyond the paranormal aspect that we all know I love so much :-P). And that’s something important for me. Being able to connect with the characters (as opposed to reading a story that is completely different from my own life) is a key element in my reading experience. That’s part of what separates the stories I like from the stories I love. You can see this in my own books, as well – the female characters all reflect different aspects of me, and they react in ways that I myself would likely react. ;-) What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/katie-macalister-the-truth-behind-paranormal-romance-part-1 P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Manga can have a wide variety of subject material, from modern to historical, realistic to fantasy, and everything in between. I, of course, love my fantasy and science fiction settings, so when I found a two-volume series about a romance involving an aristocratic young woman and a prince in the magical kingdom of Savarin, I was instantly intrigued.
The Lapis Lazuli Crown by Natsuna Kawase follows Miel, a girl who has magical powers but isn’t very good at using them. She is, however, very good at destroying things with her superhuman strength. At the beginning of the story, she runs into Prince Radian (who happens to be dressed as his non-prince alter ego, Radi). With his encouragement, Miel finally starts to work seriously on her magic skills, eventually becoming good enough to work by Radi’s side as they reinforce the magical barrier around their kingdom. The love story is fun, of course, but what I truly found fascinating in this series was the theory behind using magic. Every book that involves magic has some sort of “magical theory” attached – rules about how the magic works or is used. These rules can vary from author to author, but generally magic is never unlimited or all-powerful (otherwise, it wouldn’t be much of a story). In The Lapis Lazuli Crown, magic is channeled through stones, often worn in the form of jewelry. Wielding higher amounts of magic requires a higher amount of physical strength and stamina – so Miel, with her unladylike brute strength, is capable of wielding of the high level of magic that flows through her, whereas young Prince Citron, whose body is quite frail, is unable to handle the large volume of magic that he possesses. Thus the proper use of magic is two-fold, requiring both physical prowess and a channeling stone. The magical theory of The Lapis Lazuli Crown isn’t too far off from the rules of magic we see in my own book, The Heart of Everything. Emer is human, and since she is no longer as physically strong as the elven priestess, she requires the amulet to control her magic. Nor is her magic infinite; we learn from Alex that the priestess was once extremely powerful, but over time (and possibly multiple attempts to reincarnate) that volume of magic has diminished, leaving Emer with next to nothing. And even that small amount of magic is used up completely over the course of the story. Of course, magic may seem like the better option compared to being “average” or “ordinary,” but any solution that doesn’t involve God (such as the use of magic) is never the best answer. Therefore, my stories tend to showcase the supernatural as something that falls short in the grand scheme of things – like when Emer loses her powers just as she arrives in hell, and must rescue Jesse as a mere human. Look for more such examples in my future books! ;-) What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/manga-the-magic-of-the-lapis-lazuli-crown P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Orson Scott Card is well-known for his science fiction work. I know him particularly for the compelling story “Ender’s Game” – where a young boy’s victory in a “game” results in the destruction of an entire alien race – so imagine my surprise when I discovered he had written a fantasy/ fairy tale titled “Enchantment” O_O! In this novel, we follow Ivan Smetski from his early childhood and initial discovery of the sleeping princess Katerina, all the way through her rescue and the subsequent battle between the young couple and the evil witch Baba Yaga. The author effortlessly weaves modern day life and fairy tales together with a subtle sense of humor, creating a tale that spans from the ninth century in Russia to today in the United States. It even provides a unified backstory that explains the source of most other fairy tales ;-).
There are several elements in this story that make it unique compared to what I normally read. One is the author’s interesting use of time – the characters literally jump back and forth between the centuries. Which, while not something I think I would ever do – I do have stories that take place in different periods of time, just not all at once – it does work for this tale. Another feature that I enjoyed was the interweaving of both magic and Christianity into the same novel. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who does this! Although, Orson Scott Card places magic and faith as equals in this playing field. There is an unnamed “force” that is given credit for the final key to their victory, but its true identity is never made clear. Personally, I prefer to have Christianity demonstrated as superior to magic rather than having the two on par; “The Heart of Everything” is a great example of this, when Emer’s faith succeeds where her magic does not. One particularly fascinating aspect of this book is that despite the clear inclusion of magic, there are a surprising number of practical solutions to the characters’ problems. Ivan is not a knight, nor does he have any magical weapons, so he simply runs circles around the bear guarding the princess until he wears it out. And again, when preparing to fight to evil witch, Ivan doesn’t have access to magic, so he uses the science of the modern age and learns how to make bombs, Molotov cocktails and even a hang glider from scratch, and takes that knowledge with him to the past. Even the witch’s familiar – a wasp – is defeated by an ordinary can of Raid. This gives the “fairy tale” a decidedly modern feel. It’s reassuring to see a story where ordinary people can use “ordinary” means (knowledge or access to information, for instance) to defeat an extraordinary foe, though I admit I prefer a bit more of the “fantasy” for my stories :-). What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/orson-scott-card-master-of-the-modern-fairy-tale P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Janet Evanovich is well-known for her numbered Stephanie Plum series (One for the Money, etc), but she is also the author of the Lizzie and Diesel series, the Alex Barnaby and Sam Hooker books, as well as a dozen or so stand-alone romance novels. In short, she knows what she’s doing, because she’s been doing it forever.
I know I’ve complained about contemporary romance novels before, but I admit to reading pretty much everything she’s ever published. Her novels don’t quite have the same tone as many of the other romantic books I’ve read. How is that, you may ask? Because the stories she writes are filled with such over-the-top, wilds-of-your-imagination craziness. Seriously. What stands out to me when I think back on her works is the amount of sheer nuttiness she manages to cram within the pages. You’ll find everything from monkeys that make rude gestures to women who hijack Frito-Lay trucks during their period to voodoo and pirates and bad guys galore. I can’t even remember all the insanity, there’s been so much of it! And it is absolutely fantastic. I think it’s great because it’s so much fun! Totally random and totally unpredictable, every book has some sort of surprise. It’s like a literary roller-coaster ride. I love that you never know what to expect with her books, and it’s all hilariously, riotously funny. The downside here is that her books are rather extreme. There’s no way you could mistake her novels for anything but fiction. And while a break from reality is wonderful every once in a while, at the end of the day, I prefer something just a little bit more believable. I prefer to write books that walk that fine line between fact and fiction. I like stories that you can almost believe are true. I use real locations. I try to research the historical facts, figures and time periods that I incorporate. Vampires and elves and magic aside, I aim to write novels that maybe, if you don’t blink, don’t probe too deeply, could really have happened ?. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/janet-evanovich-crazy-is-in P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
It’s not often that I read a story written from the perspective of an “evil” character, but two examples spring to mind: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles): Levana’s Story by Marissa Meyer.
Deceit. Drugs. Coercion. Prostitution. Murder. If you want a book on sin, look no further than The Picture of Dorian Gray. Oscar Wilde’s most famous novel covers a multitude of sins, all in harrowing detail. And while the author may have been making a satirical commentary on the social behaviors and customs of his time, at the end of the day, it’s still a dark story, following the descent of a once pure and decent soul into the depths of hell itself. My biggest issue (aside from the obvious immorality) was that at the end of the book, Dorian’s death hardly felt like proper retribution for all the sins he had committed. Sometimes it’s hard to admit that things like judgement and payment for sins belong in God’s court, not ours. This was one of those times where I wanted justice for the victims and I just didn’t get that from the novel. Queen Levana’s story from The Lunar Chronicles is another good example of “dark fiction.” It’s one thing to see the story from an alternate perspective; it’s something else entirely when you realize a character is completely warped, and there is no justifying their actions (shudder). There were many points at which Levana could have turned her path around and made her life better, but instead she chose to draw further and further into herself, pursuing power and allowing her past pains to drive her actions, instead of seeking healing and forgiveness. It’s a common choice in the world today, unfortunately, but it’s still hard to watch. My husband has made objections to reading such books. I find it fascinating, but it’s also frightening. I can see how it could be dangerously easy for one’s mindset to be swayed by a persuasive voice. One needs a strong inner moral compass when reading these types of stories! At the same time, such novels can be great examples of what not to do. Plus, they give incredible insight into creating villains! Personally, I don’t think I could ever write a story like that. The characters I create are like my friends, and I just can’t write them into destruction. It’s difficult – painful almost – to watch someone go down a path to certain ruin. Even if you know in advance that it will not end well, and their bad decisions come as no surprise; all villains have to start somewhere. But I’m too much of an optimist: like I expressed in the posts on manga, my characters have to have hope. Hope for love, for justice, for a brighter future – anything. As long as there’s the possibility of some sort of happy ending, I will be there to write it. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/the-dark-side-of-fiction P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Finally – the reason I started this set of posts is because I just recently finished reading a manga titled Happy Marriage?! by Maki Enjoji. In this story, our heroine Chiwa Takanashi agrees to marry a complete stranger – the CEO of the company she works for, Hokuto Mamiya – in order to pay off her father’s debt. This series (10 volumes total) follows the unlikely couple as they learn how to make a marriage work. I admit, this particular story is rated “mature” and contains a bit more… adult content… than I normally prefer >< (most of what I read is rated for teen/ older teen audiences). But hey, at least they are married, right??
Like most romantic stories, Chiwa and Hokuto have to overcome a variety of relationship problems, including trust issues (such as learning to rely on and accept help from another person), communication issues (these two literally cannot have a serious conversation without arguing ><), and of course, dealing with in-laws and family/ societal expectations (the interesting part of reading manga is that you get to see these issues from the cultural perspective of Japan O_o). You might even say that Chiwa and Hokuto have even more issues than most couples, as they didn’t even like each other when starting their marriage! But as is to be expected, there is my must-have happy ending, and along the way we see some wonderful examples on what it takes to make a marriage work – for example, being married means learning to be less independent. One of the greatest challenges for husband and wife (and I can say this from personal experience as well) is that marriage is learning to weave two lives together into one pattern, instead of living separate lives under the same roof. In addition to growing as a couple, we also get to see some individual character growth: Chiwa starts out as somewhat childish and matures over time, while Hokuto starts out very reserved and learns to open up and connect with someone (which is surprisingly similar to the character growth we see between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy in Sharon Lathan’s sequels… just to say). Hokuto is actually similar to my character Jesse in this way: both have random, unexpected moments of tenderness that contrast sharply with their external personalities. Of course, my favorite aspect is watching the development of the romantic relationship overall. Though many of the challenges Chiwa and Hokuto face are common for any love story, it is particularly enjoyable to see them played out in a marriage situation. In The Heart of Everything, Emer has some revelations on how relationships work, but it’s not nearly as deep as what we see here (after all, dating is not the same as being married). Hmm… I know I’ve said that I don’t have any current plans for a story focused on a married couple, but maybe I ought to try writing one after all… O_o. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/manga-because-comics-arent-just-for-kids-part-3 P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list!
Last time, I started a post on the delightful form of graphic novels from Japan known as manga. I commented on several facets of manga that make it so interesting to me – the visual aspect, its “realness,” how enjoyable it is to read – but I saved the most crucial element for last.
What I love most about these stories – the particular ones I read, at least – is that within them, I find a pervasive sense of hope. Somehow, the drama feels less serious, compared to a novel which leaves you biting your nails on the edge of your seat and you MUST read the next chapter (not that manga doesn’t have cliffhangers!). Perhaps that’s related to the art style – there is a bit of a cartoonish-nature to the drawings, and maybe that keeps the plot from seeming too worrisome. Even so, I feel there’s still something else about the way the stories are structured (although again, this may tie in more to the type I prefer to read, and be less typical of the genre itself) that leaves you convinced that even though things are tough right now, the story will get better. There is always hope. And that is what my own books are all about. Hope is something that is important for me to convey in my writing. I’m an upbeat, look-on-the-bright-side kind of person, and I want my stories to showcase that. That’s why I started writing these novels in the first place! To give hope to the hopeless, to shine a light into the darkness… Is that not why stories are told? Even as far back as oral story-telling traditions, mankind has been using tales and myths of the strong to give encouragement to the weak. And perhaps my personal perpetual optimism is really just my own faith shining through: there is always hope, there is always peace, because God’s spirit is within me, and I am never alone ?. So even when things get dark and all seems lost, I want my characters to be brave and plucky and face the future with humor (and potentially sarcasm :P). I know it’s natural for people to sometimes get depressed or give up hope, but I’m more interested in writing perseverance that reflecting reality. I mentioned in my post on contemporary romance that we need more “good examples” in our love stories today – likewise, we need more stories that encourage us to keep trying and not give up. I like to think of my writing as an example of what could or should be, rather than simply what is. Look for the hope I weave into my books – trust me, some will always be there! What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Until the next time, keep reading! P.S. – If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends! Here’s a link: http://www.lynnwallaceauthor.com/blog-on-books-and-writing/manga-because-comics-arent-just-for-kids-part-2 P.P.S. – Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook/ Twitter/ Instagram, and sign up for my email list! |
My Blog:I have two passions: reading and writing. You can't write good stories without first reading good stories - that's my theory, anyway. So this is where I'll share with you the depth of those passions: background on what and why I write, as well as talking about the books that I read and how they impact my writing. Archives
March 2024
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