Babouscka ( #AtoZChallenge )

Fantasy has long been a love of mine. Starting with fairy tales as a child, leading into folklore and legends, and finally culminating in the discovery of J.R.R. Tolkien, it has always held sway over my fancy. Reading the old tales only invigorates my own imagination.

Though I have no blood ties to the country, Russian fairy tales have always held an extra level of mystique and fascination for me, same as Russian romantic composers and ballets have always absorbed my attention. My favorite of these I found one day when I was about 8, browsing through a stack of children's books in the library: Babouscka. I have no idea who wrote that particular version. I don't even have a clear memory of the illustrations. But the story has always been close to my tragic-leaning heart.

Babouscka receives from the Magi passing by her humble home an invitation to join them in their quest for the Christ-child. She refuses, whether through fear or busyness or disbelief, but almost instantly regrets it. Her sorrow builds as much time passes before she, too, must seek the Child. The wise men are long gone and she, a little old ignorant woman, has no idea where He should be sought but she is determined. She wanders into nurseries far and wide, carrying toys and treats so as not to scare the children, and peeking into cradles to see the great King she seeks. When she does not find Him, she sorrowfully continues on. You can find the entire tale, beautifully told, here.

What fairy tales or folklore inflame your imagination?

 

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This is a post for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge, one post (and letter) for each day in April. I hope to see you tomorrow for the letter C!

H is for HEMA [A to Z Challenge 2015]

HEMA stands for Historical European Martial Arts.

Before we go any further, I'll answer the first question I am always asked: no, it is not that thing at renaissance fairs where people dress up in costumes, hold royal courts, and often beat one another up with foam tubing. That is most likely the Society for Creative Anachronism or some other role playing, primarily creative, affiliation. It is also not theatrical fighting or a fencing sport. All three of these may or may not draw from historical materials or origins but do not observe the actual method of practical survival with historical weapons.

HEMA is exactly that. The term refers to the documented methods of historical European combat. It is used as a system for reconstructing medieval combat according to its original function through study and practice. You can read more about it here at the HEMA website.

I found out about both the organization and the concept of historical European martial arts through my husband. We're both history geeks and he loves studying historical combat and warfare. It started slowly, with the purchase of historically accurate swords, and has culminated in participation in a local HEMA chapter - the Phoenix Society of Historical Swordsmanship - for both of us. While my work schedule has forced me to stick to home practice and being the unofficial, sometimes-photographer of the group, hubby has advanced in skill and knowledge to the point that he teaches others. We have scores of books on the subject, various DVDs, and an entire closet full of gear and weaponry that we regularly use to beat one another over the head (a joke! Though it is very easy to injure the other person if you're too forceful).

My interest in HEMA began as an education for my fantasy writing. Neither my husband or I appreciate the creative liberties that Hollywood - and modern society - has long taken that make swordsmanship look ridiculously hard. (For example, most single-handed European swords are not heavy, weighing in at about 2-4 pounds. I am not muscular by any means and I can easily hold one up for several minutes. Also, a twenty-minute fight is simply not accurate. Most one-on-one combat I've seen is over in seconds. ) I was determined to make my fighting scenes realistic.

Not only has it made my writing stronger and more accurate, it's just fun. I mean, where else can I whack someone with a sword or wrestle him to the ground with a dagger?

Flash! Friday Fiction: Water Spirit's Return

Another Flash! Friday participation occurred a month ago and I completely forgot to post my story here. Better late than never, right?

Once again, for anyone not aware of Flash! Friday, writers from all over the internet congregate at Rebekah's blog to write a 160-word max story prompted by a picture and sometimes a phrase, word, or idea that can be included for bonus points. Winning gets you attention, an interview, and more attention.

The following story did not win but I love what I came up with. I hope you do, too.

 Water Spirit’s Return

by Jessica Marcarelli


“Did I ever tell you the one about the vodanoj?” the old man asked. The dinghy rocked as he shifted his substantial weight.

Davor cast his net into the grey waters. “Nope.”

“My majka told me. Hers told her. The vodanoj was said to take the lives of fishermen who weren’t protected. S’why my otac, my father, and his fellow fishers and their djed, their grandfathers, before them wore the crucifix ‘round their necks. Said the water spirit couldn’t sink their boats that way.”

Davor scratched his bare collarbone through his shirt. “You wear one?”

The old man grinned, showing more teeth missing than not. “Got little time for praying myself. You?”

“Nope.”

As the setting sun kissed the surface of the water on the horizon, the boat sloshed to the side again. Neither man had moved. Out of the corner of his eye, Davor saw a webbed hand dig its talons into the side of the boat.

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Have you participated in Flash! Friday?  Leave a link to your story or blog in the comments - I'd love to check it out. 

#atozchallenge: Birds of Fantasy

It's the second day of the A to Z Blogging Challenge and I've already flubbed it. Non-technologically minded writer that I am, I accidentally scheduled this post for the wrong day.

Whoops.

So, here it is, 9 minutes before midnight, getting put back where it ought to be. So sorry, folks and Seuss fans!

Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Birds. Day one of the Thinks....

Oh the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss

I thought about a lot of birds for this entry (and, yes, some yellow and some blue). I even considered writing a story off the birds flying through my imagination. But what I couldn't stop thinking about most of all were all the birds I had already encountered through some of my favorite fantasy books, movies, and our own mythology. That's what I decided to share with you all today.

First and foremost are the Great Eagles in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. How can you not love these intelligent characters? I first read about them in The Hobbit but my love for them has only grown as I've delved into Tolkien's history. For example, did you know that the Eagles were sent to Middle-earth to keep an eye on the Noldor elves and their enemy, Morgoth? That alone explains so much of their actions.

In poetry, there is Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." I made sure to read this poem for the first time in the middle of a very stormy wintery night. It sent chills up my spine and forever rooted itself as a favorite in my imagination. (For a not-so-serious pun on The Raven, check out Terry Pratchett's talking raven, Quoth.)

Then there was Lieutenant Puffin in the Swan Princess. Does anyone remember that cartoon? I was still a kid when it came out and I was in love with it from day one. It ranks right up there with The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, and Beauty and the Beast. Puffin not only got things done but was that reliably hilarious character that nearly every children's cartoon is now known for.

Last, but not least, is the Phoenix. I have long loved this fiery bird of ancient myths. There is something so poetic and arresting about a bird who bursts into fire and is reborn from the ashes. Certainly I am not the first person to think this, as it has been featured again and again in books, poems, and movies. My two favorite modern renditions are Fawkes from Harry Potter and the Firebird trilogy by Kathy Tyers.

What are your thinks about birds today?

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#atozchallenge: [E]ldritch

 Today's stop on our month-long journey is on the doorstep of the wild and often magical world of fantasy. Namely, we'll be looking at one of the main elements of both high and dark fantasy fiction: the eldritch.

The most concise definition of eldritch can be described in a word: weird or eerie. Its origin, however,  is much more fun.

Eldritch was first used in 1508 and is thought to originate from the Middle English word elfriche, the combination of "elf" and the Old English "rice" or "riche," meaning kingdom. So, loosely translated, eldritch is referring to the elf kingdom or, its more common association, fairyland.

Basically, anything unearthly or beyond human reason is covered. Eldritch creatures in fantasy, for example, are often uncanny or even spooky or deal in powers beyond the understanding of other characters. Some authors, as well as gaming manuals, have used it to refer to magical weapons that can kill things from worlds beyond our own. Dungeons and Dragons, in particular, released an entire supplementary rulebook in 1976 called Eldritch Wizardry to introduce psionics and the druid class to the original edition of the game.

For fans of H.P. Lovecraft, the term is instantly recognizable as a macabre word used throughout his dark stories. A collection of his short fiction is contained in the book Eldritch Tales.

I think it's a fascinating word and one I wouldn't mind using in a story myself. What do you think? Are there other definitions or examples of eldritch magic that you've come across in fictional worlds?



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How to Find & Develop Ideas for Fantasy & Science Fiction

Image: stock.xchng

Most writers have lacked good ideas at least once in their careers. If you've been out of ideas for awhile, it's even worse. It also doesn't help when the fantasy and science fiction world is inundated with copycats and stories that sound like many others. But a "lack of ideas" isn't permanent and shouldn't be. You can control whether you have decent story ideas or not.

Here's the secret: to get a good story idea, you have to come up with a lot of bad ones. You do that by writing, continuously, even if you think it's no good. In the midst of the so-so ideas, you will find something worth working with.

I used to be terrible at running. In fact, I hated it. Every time I tried to run, I ended up gasping and wheezing while trying to massage the cramps out of my legs. But my husband encouraged me to keep trying. "Just two more minutes," he'd say during our workouts. "Two more minutes and you can slow to a walk." Every day, I ran two, torturous minutes longer than the last day until, one day, I ran and...kind of enjoyed it. Or at least didn't die after it. It had taken hours upon hours of painful mistakes to get to that point, sure. But, if I hadn't started, I would still be wheezing after the first two minutes.

The same is true for writing. It might not look or feel pretty when you spew random ideas on paper (and, yes, they probably won't even be all that original at first) but that's exactly where you will find the gems that you'll want to keep.

So, in reality, this isn't just about ideas. It's about discipline. We have to write if we want to move forward. Even when we don't feel like it. Once you've dedicated yourself to that, the good ideas will come.

Practice

Take some time today and write down your answers to the following questions:

    What is the coolest gadget that you can imagine? (Or, alternatively, what is the coolest places that doesn't exist that you can imagine?)
    Now, what is the scariest or most unusual way you could kill one of your characters?
    List 20 ways to kill one of your characters with that gadget (or kill them in that place) that you just thought up.

It doesn't have to be death and destruction if that isn't your thing. It can be 20 ways to save the princess of your fantasy world or 20 ways to make contact with an alien species. Use your imagination! The point here is that you want to get your mind moving.

Can you think of other questions? I'd love to hear them! 

Review: Rogue Powers by Phil Stern

"Speculative fiction is so different today than it was back then. I wanted to write stuff a bit more recognizable to fans of my generation."

The author of four speculative fiction novels and one contemporary foray, Phil Stern strives to bring that older, classic style into books for the modern age. He has said that he wants his characters to be relateable to a wide number and variety of people. In that, I think he's hit the mark very well in his latest speculative novel, Rogue Powers.

In a world where supernatural powers are the plaything of royalty, commoners like Anson must hide their abilities for fear of torture and even death. When Anson forms an illegal bond with a powerful princess, he is whisked into a world of politics and intrigue where the wrong step could mean not only the end of his own life but of his loved ones, as well.

Rogue Powers was an interesting read, combining the powers of the X-Men with the world of high fantasy in a blend I didn't quite expect. The history and background of the world were well thought-out and the characters were easy to grow attached to. However, I did find myself jolted more than once by chapters that felt more like summaries, convenient scenarios that stopped just short of becoming cliche, and an overall writing style that needed more "show" and far less "tell."

Available on the Kindle for $2.99, this story definitely has some interesting concepts but the execution leaves a little something to be desired.

If you read Rogue Powers and would like to know more about the author, Phil Stern can be contacted at his website, his Facebook page, or on his Twitter feed @philstern100.


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Where In the Galaxy Do Story Ideas Come From?

Every writer has been asked this. There might be variations (such as the oldie but goodie: where do you get your ideas?) but both writers and readers have all heard or asked it. 

  The Answer

 Everywhere and anywhere.

Writers are people, too, and we walk by the same neighbors, drive the same cars, and have the same hobbies everyone else does. Ideas abound in every moment in our lives. Anything, at any time, could trigger that mysterious being called the muse.

For me, it's little things. The way a character tilted her head in my favorite T.V. show. A snippet of conversation. Music. A sentence in the book I'm reading. The wind in the trees. A child's laughter. Deep water at night. Even dreams.

The possibilities are endless, literally. They're also different for every writer.

 What About You?

If you're a new writer, you might be worried about getting ideas. Don't be. You wanted to write for a reason, probably because you already had an idea in your head. Where did you get it? You might have just experienced a fabulous concert. Maybe you noticed something new on your way to work. Or perhaps the bite mark in your sandwich looked just like a spaceship.

Whatever it was, it wouldn't leave you alone. You had to write it down. Then characters arrived and a setting and you started imagining what would come of it.

That's where the ideas come from: from keeping your eyes and ears open and absorbing the world around you. What are your interests? Your favorite books? Do you remember your dreams? Is there something you've always wanted to do or see but never have?

These all hold true even when dealing with science fiction and fantasy. It doesn't have to be all scientific or fantastic to start out – that's your imagination's job. Your job is to keep looking.

Most importantly, look for ideas where you least expect them. Those ideas can be the best of all.

How To Get Ideas In A Nutshell

• Read! And read some more.
• Collect and hoard ideas like a dragon.
• Look for the unexpected.
• Write about your interests, hobbies, and dreams.
• Write about what you'd like to learn.

 Where do you get your ideas? Sound off in the comments or Tweet for idea-starting fun!

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A to Z Challenge: W is for Wizard

Today's flash fiction is the 4th and last of April's Thursday fantasy series. Click the following titles if you missed part 1: ENERGIA, part 2: KINDLED, or part 3: QUELLED.

[EDIT: Wizard has been taken down, along with its flash siblings, for consideration in a print magazine. Thank you so much to those of you who read it and left such wonderful comments!]

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A to Z Challenge: Q is for Quelled

Today's flash fiction is part 3 of April's Thursday fantasy series. Click the following titles if you missed part 1: ENERGIA or part 2: KINDLED.

[EDIT: Quelled has been taken down, along with its flash siblings, for consideration in a print magazine. Thank you so much to those of you who read it and left such wonderful comments!]

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A to Z Challenge: K is for Kindled

Today's flash fiction is part 2 of April's Thursday fantasy series. If you missed part 1: Energia (or just need a reminder), click HERE.

[EDIT: Kindled has been taken down, along with its flash siblings, for consideration in a print magazine. Thank you so much to those of you who read it and left such wonderful comments!]






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A to Z Challenge: F is for Fairy Tales

“Can you not see, […] that fairy tales in their essence are quite solid and straightforward; but that this everlasting fiction about modern life is in its nature essentially incredible? Folk-lore means that the soul is sane, but that the universe is wild and full of marvels. Realism means that the world is dull and full of routine, but that the soul is sick and screaming." ― G.K. Chesterton

This one quote could sum up everything that makes me thrill to fairy tales. They are not, as so many modern realists claim, an escape from reality. Rather, they are a window into true understanding of our world and ourselves.

The universe is wild and untamed and full of danger and excitement. Why do we try so hard to to believe it isn't so? Is it really so much better to live a life of physical comfort if it means denying our souls the freedom of awe and wonder? Danger is a small price to pay for that.

"The problem of the fairy tale is - what will a healthy man do with a fantastic world? The problem of the modern novel is - what will a madman do with a dull world?" ― G.K. Chesterton

I could talk about this for hours. But I'll keep it short for the sake of this post. Perhaps this is the price of cold, hard realism: it gives no hope and actively drowns the rapture of life. With no true hope in something beyond ourselves, when life doesn't matter beyond the mundane, what evil wouldn't we do?

"In the fairy tales the cosmos goes mad; but the hero does not go mad. In the modern novels the hero is mad before the book begins, and suffers from the harsh steadiness and cruel sanity of the cosmos. ” ― G.K. Chesterton

How many people today are depressed, angry, or even lifeless? How many who believe in higher ideals are broken down by others, the realists? We need fairy tales. They don't teach us to live in some cloudy la-la land - they teach us to fully embrace life and, with it, reality. Most of all, they give us hope of something beyond the mundane.

“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ― G.K. Chesterton
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Okay, everyone - the Saturday Flash Fiction Challenge is tomorrow! The letter for this week is G.

Give me your ideas, words, pictures, etc. in the comments. I'll choose my favorite tonight, write a flash fiction based off of it, and post it tomorrow.

WINNER'S PRIZE: advertisement of you and your blog in tomorrow's post with many accolades from me.

RULES ARE HERE.

Please, comment away! I'm excited to see what I'll be writing about. And be sure to tweet or like this post to get more people in on the suggestions.
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A to Z Challenge: E is for Energia

I thought I wouldn't get this post finished today. While I found my stride with the last flash fiction story, pulling this one together was much harder. It is the first story of the fantasy series I plan to post every Thursday in April.

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts in the comments!

[EDIT: Energia has been taken down, along with its flash siblings, for consideration in a print magazine. Thank you so much to those of you who read it and left such wonderful comments!]

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A to Z Challenge: D is for Dragons, Dryads, & Dobies

ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to popular demand, I will be revisiting the Catagenesis universe every Tuesday for the remainder of April. If you're interested in nothing else, come back then for more of the story! And, please, keep the feedback coming - I love hearing from you all.

D is for Dragons, Dryads, & Dobies

Fantasy creatures are such fun. It's one of my favorite parts of writing fantasy.

While many authors choose to create their own wild characters, others pull from the immensely varied creatures of mythology. This can be extremely beneficial in two ways:

1. Many people will already know something about it, so it's instantly recognizable
2. You don't have to create your own believable monster

You still need to be careful, though. Die-hard mythology buffs will call you out without mercy if you get an aspect of the creature wrong or ignore long-standing rules of how it looks, moves, etc.

There's also the need for originality. How many times have gryphons or wyrms showed up in fantasy stories? How is yours any different? You'll need to find a way to present the creature in a new, fresh light while staying true to the myths that make it what it is.

To get you started, here are a few of my favorite 'D' creatures:


Dragons
Who doesn't want one of these in their story? For that matter, who hasn't heard of dragons?

The word 'dragon' derives from the Greek word drakonta or drakon, which means to "watch for" or "to look at." This suggests that, even then, the myth of the dragon was firmly established as something to be feared and on guard for. The fact that dragons are seen in nearly every major culture's mythology has led some mythological scholars to suggest that there may have, at one time, been a real creature as the basis.

Dragons generally have bat-like wings, scaled skin, a barbed tail, and breathe fire. They may talk as intelligent beings or be a slightly more intelligent form of dumb beasts. Some are harbingers of doom while others are charms of good luck. Most hoard treasure, haunt pools or wells, and are deeply attracted to maidens and princesses.

Some famous dragons are: the Greek Python of Delphi, St. George's dragon, Smaug from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, and Nidhoggr, the Norse Dragon of Death.


Dryads
Dryads are one of two species of guardian tree spirits (or nymphs) from Greek mythology. They were often portrayed as companions to the moon goddess, Artemis, or the god of wine, Dionysus. While dryads may move about freely beyond their trees, their counterparts, Hammadryads, cannot. (Hammadryads also die when their trees are cut down whereas dryads have a chance of surviving.) Dryads are often seen dancing or wandering in the forest but it is considered unlucky to see them or stay within their company. They are known to be very dangerous to humans who cut down trees.

'Dryad' come from the Greek word drys, which means 'oak.'

Dryads have been used over and over again in fiction: Milton's Paradise Lost, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, and The Belgariad by David Eddings.


Dobies
The Dobie, or Dobby, is a British house fairy who likes to help human beings. They particularly enjoy housework or labor-intensive chores and sometimes are given the duty of guarding family treasure. However, the Dobie is not very wise and sometimes make ridiculous mistakes (which begs the question: why would you have one guard your treasure?).

In parts of West Yorkshire, a Dobby is an evil fairy who leaps on the backs of travelers on horseback and garrotes them. Not a good way to go. One wonders what it is about West Yorkshire that produced the murdering spawn of an otherwise helpful, considerate creature.

Obviously, the most famous Dobie is seen in the Harry Potter books and movies (and, according to Google, the only one anyone is interested in sketching). I wasn't able to find any others. If you know of any other stories starring Dobies, please let me know in the comments.


What are your favorite fantasy creatures? And do they start with a 'D?'

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Dragon image supplied by http://www.draconika.com/types.php.
Dryad image supplied by http://sheeponthemountain.tumblr.com/.
Dobby image supplied by http://jerome-k-moore.deviantart.com/art/DOBBY-THE-FIRST-FREE-ELF-42105158.

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A to Z Challenge: B is for Books

B is for Books

Nothing beats a good book underneath a warm blanket on a grey, blistery day. Or maybe that's just me and the fact that those kinds of settings tickle my muse.

Whatever your favorite reading setting is, you probably have a list of favorites to go with it. Mine changes slightly as I read new books, delve into old ones, and continue to develop my own reading - and, by extension, writing - style.

Today, I chose my top six faves from my science fiction and fantasy must-read list. These are the books I would - and have! - read again and again.

Fantasy

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The king of all fantasy, admired by thousands and emulated by thousands more. Originally written as one huge book, Tolkien was told that no one would ever buy a book that large and had to split it into three parts. If you've never read it, do so. I can't begin to cover the depth and layers that this man went into to create Middle-earth.






2. Peter Pan and Wendy by J.M. Barrie

My favorite children's book of all time. Once again, this book is more than it seems at face value. It's not just a child's playtime - it's about the innocence of imagination and the sadness that comes from the fact that humanity only truly experiences it when we are children. Poignant and beautiful.






3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Unlike The Lord of the Rings, this was not published as one book, but as seven. So, technically, I'm cheating. Whatever. C.S. Lewis himself said that this was an allegorical series but, again, I think he covers so much more than that. He had a keen insight into the mind of man which comes out even through his children's stories.






Science Fiction


1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I've tried to move on from this book. I've done my best to put more classical choices in this top spot. I can't. From the moment I first read it, Ender's Game has held my imagination hostage. OSC says that he has found that his readers either love it or hate it. There are few in-betweens. I'll leave it to you to decide which one you are.





2. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Amazing children's book and an amazing woman behind it. I can't get enough of Madeleine L'Engle. She had so many keen insights and such an intelligence about her. This is another children's story that isn't just for children.








3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

There were many choices I could have put here. In fact, the runner-up for this position was Firebird by Kathy Tyers (amazing, by the way). But, in the end, I had to admit that "thanks for all the fish" will always haul me back to it, laughing as I go. And that is priceless.







What are your favorite science fiction and/or fantasy books?
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Tomorrow is the first day of my 12 flash fiction posts! Stop on by to see what awesome universe I've prepared for you all!
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Don't Panic: Science Fiction or Fantasy - What's the Diff?

What's the difference, you say? Isn't it obvious? In fantasy, you cast a "slow time" spell to get to work before the boss notices you're late. In science fiction, you're never late because you can just beam yourself into the office.

Simple, right?

Only if you want your limbs torn from your body by raving fan-mobs of either genre. You see, there's not one hard rule that determines if a story is science fiction or fantasy. Plenty of SF books incorporate magical properties. There are some fantasy books that take place in "the future." And then there are the gazillion crossover genres that don't really know what they are.


The Short Answer


If you want to have a theological discourse on the subject, there are plenty of books for that. I, however, like short answers.

Here goes: that Rod Serling quote up there? He's right on.

Fantasy, with its magic, wizards, fairies, trolls, is impossible according to our world. But in a well-written story, these things become perfectly conceivable.

Science fiction - spaceships, galactic travel, aliens, ray guns - doesn't seem all that likely, especially given our floundering space programs. But a master storyteller makes it all possible in one well-created battle.

Basically, what I'm saying is that the only concepts that separate fantasy from science fiction are impossibility versus improbability.


So...What's the Difference?


Yeah, I know, that still wasn't simple.

Try this on for size: your mom says, "Don't jump off the roof." Why? Probably because you'll land in a bone-crushing pile of pain and agony.

The probability of coming out completely unscathed because you're some sort of never-seen-before super-human is pretty slim. But maybe you are a super-human and that's just what happens. You're a science fiction hero!

But let's take it further. You think you can jump off the roof and not go anywhere. Maybe float in mid-air or even go up instead of down. Science tells us this is impossible. Not going to happen...like, ever. You do it, anyway, because you know about the genie in your back pocket who granted your wish not to die five minutes ago. Lo and behold, you're floating in midair in a fantasy dream.


Call It Whatever You Want


In the end, you can call your story whatever you want. Science fiction, fantasy, scifan fiction - you may just create a new genre in the process. It's happened before and will probably keep happening.

But you have to sell it. You need a solid, compelling reason for it to be what you say it is. Otherwise, the rabid fans will still maul you for ruining their orderly worlds.

On top of that, if you plan to sell your story, a publisher is likely to slap their own label on it no matter what thrilling genre name you've come up with. It's a marketing thing, not to mention that publishers are kind of set in their ways. They love categories. It makes their world hum with happy thoughts.

My bottom line is that I think the definition is always changing. But I do think writers like Rod Serling have a unique insight into the two genres. Those insights -and his, in particular - won't change. Their core truth is always going to apply, in my opinion.


What do you think? What is the difference between SF & fantasy? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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The Fantasy Novelist's Exam

Because everyone just doesn't have the...shall we say, good sense, to know when not to use that great idea they had in the shower.

Just ask those guys to the left.

If you've ever wondered if your fantasy world is good enough (or if you're now worried that your novel will be the literary version of the poor LARP nerds over there who genuinely believe they have created the perfect universe), this is for you.



The Exam
Originally written by David J. Parker with additional material by Samuel Stoddard.

1. Does nothing happen in the first fifty pages?
2. Is your main character a young farmhand with mysterious parentage?
3. Is your main character the heir to the throne but doesn't know it?
4. Is your story about a young character who comes of age, gains great power, and defeats the supreme badguy?
5. Is your story about a quest for a magical artifact that will save the world?
6. How about one that will destroy it?
7. Does your story revolve around an ancient prophecy about "The One" who will save the world and everybody and all the forces of good?
8. Does your novel contain a character whose sole purpose is to show up at random plot points and dispense information?
9. Does your novel contain a character that is really a god in disguise?
10. Is the evil supreme badguy secretly the father of your main character?
11. Is the king of your world a kindly king duped by an evil magician?
12. Does "a forgetful wizard" describe any of the characters in your novel?
13. How about "a powerful but slow and kind-hearted warrior"?
14. How about "a wise, mystical sage who refuses to give away plot details for his own personal, mysterious reasons"?
15. Do the female characters in your novel spend a lot of time worrying about how they look, especially when the male main character is around?
16. Do any of your female characters exist solely to be captured and rescued?
17. Do any of your female characters exist solely to embody feminist ideals?
18. Would "a clumsy cooking wench more comfortable with a frying pan than a sword" aptly describe any of your female characters?
19. Would "a fearless warrioress more comfortable with a sword than a frying pan" aptly describe any of your female characters?
20. Is any character in your novel best described as "a dour dwarf"?
21. How about "a half-elf torn between his human and elven heritage"?
22. Did you make the elves and the dwarves great friends, just to be different?
23. Does everybody under four feet tall exist solely for comic relief?
24. Do you think that the only two uses for ships are fishing and piracy?
25. Do you not know when the hay baler was invented?
26. Did you draw a map for your novel which includes places named things like "The Blasted Lands" or "The Forest of Fear" or "The Desert of Desolation" or absolutely anything "of Doom"?
27. Does your novel contain a prologue that is impossible to understand until you've read the entire book, if even then?
28. Is this the first book in a planned trilogy?
29. How about a quintet or a decalogue?
30. Is your novel thicker than a New York City phone book?
31. Did absolutely nothing happen in the previous book you wrote, yet you figure you're still many sequels away from finishing your "story"?
32. Are you writing prequels to your as-yet-unfinished series of books?
33. Is your name Robert Jordan and you lied like a dog to get this far?
34. Is your novel based on the adventures of your role-playing group?
35. Does your novel contain characters transported from the real world to a fantasy realm?
36. Do any of your main characters have apostrophes or dashes in their names?
37. Do any of your main characters have names longer than three syllables?
38. Do you see nothing wrong with having two characters from the same small isolated village being named "Tim Umber" and "Belthusalanthalus al'Grinsok"?
39. Does your novel contain orcs, elves, dwarves, or halflings?
40. How about "orken" or "dwerrows"?
41. Do you have a race prefixed by "half-"?
42. At any point in your novel, do the main characters take a shortcut through ancient dwarven mines?
43. Do you write your battle scenes by playing them out in your favorite RPG?
44. Have you done up game statistics for all of your main characters in your favorite RPG?
45. Are you writing a work-for-hire for Wizards of the Coast?
46. Do inns in your book exist solely so your main characters can have brawls?
47. Do you think you know how feudalism worked but really don't?
48. Do your characters spend an inordinate amount of time journeying from place to place?
49. Could one of your main characters tell the other characters something that would really help them in their quest but refuses to do so just so it won't break the plot?
50. Do any of the magic users in your novel cast spells easily identifiable as "fireball" or "lightning bolt"?
51. Do you ever use the term "mana" in your novel?
52. Do you ever use the term "plate mail" in your novel?
53. Heaven help you, do you ever use the term "hit points" in your novel?
54. Do you not realize how much gold actually weighs?
55. Do you think horses can gallop all day long without rest?
56. Does anybody in your novel fight for two hours straight in full plate armor, then ride a horse for four hours, then delicately make love to a willing barmaid all in the same day?
57. Does your main character have a magic axe, hammer, spear, or other weapon that returns to him when he throws it?
58. Does anybody in your novel ever stab anybody with a scimitar?
59. Does anybody in your novel stab anybody straight through plate armor?
60. Do you think swords weigh ten pounds or more? [info]
61. Does your hero fall in love with an unattainable woman, whom he later attains?
62. Does a large portion of the humor in your novel consist of puns?
63. Is your hero able to withstand multiple blows from the fantasy equivalent of a ten pound sledge but is still threatened by a small woman with a dagger?
64. Do you really think it frequently takes more than one arrow in the chest to kill a man?
65. Do you not realize it takes hours to make a good stew, making it a poor choice for an "on the road" meal?
66. Do you have nomadic barbarians living on the tundra and consuming barrels and barrels of mead?
67. Do you think that "mead" is just a fancy name for "beer"?
68. Does your story involve a number of different races, each of which has exactly one country, one ruler, and one religion?
69. Is the best organized and most numerous group of people in your world the thieves' guild?
70. Does your main villain punish insignificant mistakes with death?
71. Is your story about a crack team of warriors that take along a bard who is useless in a fight, though he plays a mean lute?
72. Is "common" the official language of your world?
73. Is the countryside in your novel littered with tombs and gravesites filled with ancient magical loot that nobody thought to steal centuries before?
74. Is your book basically a rip-off of The Lord of the Rings?
75. Read that question again and answer truthfully.

So? How did you do? Are you fated to become the next great or should you hide that novel in the deepest, darkest corner in your house? Let us know in the comments.

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